has traversed life’s path, I have reached the term of life, which is
eighty. Just as an old cart is made to go by being held together
with straps, so the Tathāgata’s body is kept going by being
strapped up. It is only when the Tathāgata withdraws his
attention from outward signs, and by the cessation of certain
feelings, enters into the signless concentration of mind, that his
body knows comfort.
2.26. ‘Therefore, Ānanda, you should live as islands unto
yourselves, being your own refuge, with no one else as your
refuge, with the Dhamma as an island, with the Dhamma as
your refuge, with no other refuge. And how does a monk live as
an island unto himself,... with no other refuge? Here, Ānanda, a
monk abides contemplating the body as body, earnestly, clearly
aware, mindful and having put away all hankering and fretting
for the world, and likewise with regard to feelings, mind and
mind‐objects. That, Ānanda, is how a monk lives as an island
unto himself,... with no other refuge. And those who now in my
time or afterwards live thus, they will become the highest, if
they are desirous of learning.’
[End of the second recitation‐section]
3.1. Then the Lord, rising early, dressed, took his robe
and bowl, and entered Vesālī for alms. Having eaten on his return
from the alms‐round, he said to the Venerable Ānanda: ‘Bring a
mat, Ānanda. We will go to the Cāpāla Shrine for the siesta.’
‘Very good, Lord,’ said Ānanda, and, getting a mat, he followed
behind.
3.2. Then the Lord came to the Cāpāla Shrine, and sat
down on the prepared seat. Ānanda saluted the Lord and sat
down to one side, and the Lord said: ‘Ānanda, Vesālī is delightful,
the Udena Shrine is delightful, the Gotamaka Shrine is
delightful, the Sattambaka Shrine is delightful, the Bahuputta
Shrine is delightful, the Cāpāla Shrine is delightful.
3.3. ‘Ānanda, whoever has developed the four roads to
power, practised them frequently, made them his vehicle, made
them his base, established them, become familiar with them and
properly undertaken them, could undoubtedly live for a century,
or the remainder of one. The Tathāgata has developed these
powers,... properly undertaken them. And he could, Ānanda,
undoubtedly live for a century, or the remainder of one.’
3.4. But the Venerable Ānanda, failing to grasp this broad
hint, this clear sign, did not beg the Lord: ‘Lord, may the Blessèd
Lord stay for a century, may the Well‐Farer stay for a century for
497
the benefit and happiness of the multitude, out of compassion
for the world, for the benefit and happiness of devas and
humans,’ so much was his mind possessed by Māra.
3.5. And a second time... and a third... (as verses 3–4).
3.6. Then the Lord said: ‘Ānanda, go now and do what
seems fitting to you.’ ‘Very good, Lord,’ said Ānanda and, rising
from his seat, he saluted the Lord, passed by on the right and sat
down under a tree some distance away.
3.7. Soon after Ānanda had left, Māra the Evil One came
to the Lord, stood to one side, and said: ‘Lord, may the Blessèd
Lord now attain final Nibbāna, may the Well‐Farer now attain
final Nibbāna. Now is the time for the Blessèd Lord’s final
Nibbāna. Because the Blessèd Lord has said this: “Evil One, I
will not take final Nibbāna till I have monks and disciples who
are accomplished, trained, skilled, learned, knowers of the
Dhamma, trained in conformity with the Dhamma, correctly
trained and walking in the path of the Dhamma, who will pass
on what they have gained from their Teacher, teach it, declare
it, establish it, expound it, analyse it, make it clear; till they shall
be able by means of the Dhamma to refute false teachings that
have arisen, and teach the Dhamma of wondrous effect.”
3.8. ‘And now, Lord, the Blessèd Lord has such monks
and disciples. May the Blessèd Lord now attain final Nibbāna,
may the Well‐Farer now attain final Nibbāna. Now is the time
for the Blessèd Lord’s final Nibbāna. And the Blessèd Lord has
said: “I will not take final Nibbāna till I have nuns and female
disciples who are accomplished,... till I have laymen‐followers,...
till I have laywomen‐followers...” (as verse 7). May the Blessèd
Lord now take final Nibbāna...And the Blessèd Lord has said:
“Evil One, I will not take final Nibbāna till this holy life has been
successfully established and flourishes, is wide‐spread, well‐
known far and wide, well‐proclaimed among mankind
everywhere.” And all this has come about. May the Blessèd Lord
now attain final Nibbāna, may the Well‐Farer now attain final
Nibbāna. Now is the time for the Blessèd Lord’s final Nibbāna.’
3.9. At this the Lord said to Māra: ‘You need not worry,
Evil One. The Tathāgata’s final passing will not be long delayed.
Three months from now, the Tathāgata will take final Nibbāna.’
3.10. So the Lord, at the Cāpāla Shrine, mindfully and in
full awareness, renounced the life‐principle, and when this
occurred there was a great earthquake, terrible, hair‐raising and
accompanied by thunder. And when the Lord saw this he uttered
this verse:
498
‘Gross or fine, things become the sage abjured.
Calm, composed, he burst becoming’s shell.’
3.11. And the Venerable Ānanda thought: ‘It is
marvellous, it is wonderful how this great earthquake arises,
this terrible earthquake, so dreadful and hair‐raising,
accompanied by thunder! Whatever can have caused it?’
3.12. He went to the Lord, saluted him, sat down to one
side, and asked him that question.
3.13. ‘Ānanda, there are eight reasons, eight causes for
the appearance of a great earthquake. This great earth is
established on water, the water on the wind, the wind on space.
And when a mighty wind blows, this stirs up the water, and
through the stirring‐up of the water the earth quakes. That is
the first reason.
3.14. ‘In the second place there is an ascetic or Brahmin
who has developed psychic powers, or a mighty and powerful
deva whose earth‐consciousness is weakly developed and his
water‐consciousness is immeasurable, and he makes the earth
shudder and shake and violently quake. That is the second
reason.
3.15. ‘Again, when a Bodhisatta descends from the Tusita
Heaven, mindful and clearly aware, into his mother’s womb,
then the earth shudders and shakes and violently quakes. That
is the third reason.
3.16. ‘Again, when the Bodhisatta emerges from his
mother’s womb, mindful and clearly aware, then the earth
shudders and shakes and violently quakes. That is the fourth
reason.
3.17. ‘Again, when the Tathāgata gains unsurpassed
enlightenment, then the earth shudders and shakes and violently
quakes. That is the fifth reason.
3.18. ‘Again, when the Tathāgata sets in motion the
Wheel of the Dhamma, then the earth shudders and shakes and
violently quakes. That is the sixth reason.
3.19. ‘Again, when the Tathāgata, mindful and clearly
aware, renounces the life‐principle, then the earth shudders and
shakes and violently quakes.
3.20. ‘Again, when the Tathāgata gains the Nibbāna element
without remainder, then the earth shudders and shakes
and violently quakes. That is the eighth reason. These, Ānanda,
are the eight reasons, the eight causes for the appearance of a
great earthquake.
[3.21‐33 omitted]
499
Dostları ilə paylaş: |