3.34. ‘Ānanda, once I was staying at Uruvelā on the
bank of the River Nerañjarā, under the Goatherd’s Banyan‐tree,
when I had just attained supreme enlightenment. And Māra the
Evil One came to me, stood to one side and said: “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.”
3.35. ‘At this I said to Māra: “Evil One, I will not take
final Nibbāna till I have monks and disciples who are
accomplished, trained, skilled, learned, knowers of the
Dhamma,... (as verse 7), till I have nuns... laymen‐followers,
laywomen‐followers who will... teach the Dhamma of wondrous
effect. I will not take final Nibbāna till this holy life has been
successfully established and flourishes, is widespread, well‐known
far and wide, well‐proclaimed among mankind
everywhere.”
3.36. ‘And just now, today, Ānanda, at the Cāpāla Shrine,
Māra came to me, stood to one side, and said: “Lord, may the
Blessèd Lord now attain final Nibbāna... Now is the time for the
Blessèd Lord’s final Nibbāna.”
3.37. ‘And I said: “You need not worry, Evil One. Three
months from now the Tathāgata will take final Nibbāna.” So
now, today, Ānanda, at the Cāpāla Shrine, the Tathāgata has
mindfully and in full awareness renounced the life‐principle.’
3.38. At this the Venerable Ānanda said: ‘Lord, may the
Blessèd Lord stay for a century, may the Well‐Farer stay for a
century for the benefit and happiness of the multitude, out of
compassion for the world, for the benefit and happiness of devas
and humans!’ ‘Enough, Ānanda! Do not beg the Tathāgata, it is
not the right time for that!’
3.39. And a second and a third time the Venerable
Ānanda made the same request.
‘Ānanda, have you faith in the Tathāgata’s enlightenment?’
‘Yes, Lord.’
‘Then why do you bother the Tathāgata with your
request up to three times?’
3.40. ‘But Lord, I have heard from the Lord’s own lips, I
have understood from the Lord’s own lips: “Whoever has
developed the four roads to power... could undoubtedly live for
a century, or for the remainder of one.”
‘Have you faith, Ānanda?’ ‘Yes, Lord.’
‘Then, Ānanda, yours is the fault, yours is the failure
that, having been given such a broad hint, such a clear sign by
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the Tathāgata, you did not understand and did not beg the
Tathāgata to stay for a century... If, Ānanda, you had begged
him, the Tathāgata would twice have refused you, but the third
time he would have consented. Therefore, Ānanda, yours is the
fault, yours is the failure.
3.41. ‘Once, Ānanda, I was staying at Rājagaha, at the
Vultures’ Peak. And there I said: “Ānanda, Rājagaha is delightful,
the Vultures’ Peak is delightful. Whoever has developed the four
roads to power...could undoubtedly live for a century...” (as
verse 3). But you, Ānanda, in spite of such a broad hint did not
understand and did not beg the Tathāgata to stay for a century...
3.42. ‘Once I was staying at Rājagaha in the Banyan
Park... at Robbers’ Cliff... at the Satapanni Cave on the side of
Mount Vebhāra... at the Black Rock on the slope of Mount Isigili...
at the slope by the Snakes’ Pool in Cool Wood... at the Tapodā
Park... at the Squirrels’ Feeding‐Ground in Veluvana... in Jīvaka’s
Mango‐grove... and also at Rājagaha in the Maddakucchi deer‐park.
3.43. ‘At all these places I said to you: “Ānanda, this
place is delightful...”
3.44. ‘“Whoever has developed the four roads to
power...could undoubtedly live for a century...” (as verse 3).
3.45. ‘Once I was at Vesālī at the Udena Shrine...
3.46. ‘Once I was at Vesālī at the Gotamaka Shrine... at
the Sattambaka Shrine... at the Bahuputta Shrine... at the
Sārandada Shrine...
3.47. ‘And now today at the Cāpāla Shrine I said: ‘These
places are delightful. Ānanda, whoever has developed the four
roads to power... could undoubtedly live for a century, or the
remainder of one. The Tathāgata has developed these powers...
and he could, Ānanda, undoubtedly live for a century, or the
remainder of one.”
‘But you, Ānanda, failing to grasp this broad hint, this
clear sign, did not beg the Tathāgata to stay for a century. If,
Ānanda, you had begged him, the Tathāgata would twice have
refused you, but the third time he would have consented.
3.48. ‘Ānanda, have I not told you before: All those things
that are dear and pleasant to us must suffer change, separation
and alteration? So how could this be possible? Whatever is born,
become, compounded, is liable to decay — that it should not
decay is impossible. And that has been renounced, given up,
rejected, abandoned, forsaken: the Tathāgata has renounced the
life‐principle. The Tathāgata has said once and for all: “The
Tathāgata’s final passing will not be long delayed. Three months
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from now the Tathāgata will take final Nibbāna.” That the
Tathāgata should withdraw such a declaration in order to live
on, is not possible. Now come, Ānanda, we will go to the Gabled
Hall in the Great Forest.’ ‘Very good, Lord.’
3.49. And the Lord went with the Venerable Ānanda to
the Gabled Hall in the Great Forest. When he got there, he said:
‘Ānanda, go and gather together all the monks living in the
vicinity of Vesālī, and get them to come to the assembly hall.’
‘Very good, Lord,’ said Ānanda, and did so. He then returned to
the Lord, saluted him, stood to one side and said: ‘Lord, the
order of monks is gathered together. Now is the time for the
Lord to do as he wishes.’
3.50. Then the Lord entered the assembly hall and sat
down on the prepared seat. Then he said to the monks: ‘Monks,
for this reason those matters which I have discovered and
proclaimed should be thoroughly learnt by you, practised,
developed and cultivated, so that this holy life may endure for a
long time, that it may be for the benefit and happiness of the
multitude, out of compassion for the world, for the benefit and
happiness of devas and humans. And what are those matters...?
They are: The four foundations of mindfulness, the four right
efforts, the four roads to power, the five spiritual faculties, the
five mental powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, the Noble
Eightfold Path.’
3.51. Then the Lord said to the monks: ‘And now, monks,
I declare to you — all conditioned things are of a nature to decay
— strive on untiringly. The Tathāgata’s final passing will not be
long delayed. Three months from now the Tathāgata will take
his final Nibbāna.’
Thus the Lord spoke. The Well‐Farer having thus
spoken, the Teacher said this:
‘Ripe I am in years. My life span’s determined.
Now I go from you, having made myself my refuge.
Monks, be untiring, mindful, disciplined,
Guarding your minds with well‐collected thought.
He who, tireless, keeps to law and discipline,
Leaving birth behind will put an end to woe.’
[End of the third recitation‐section]
4.1. Then the Lord, having arisen early and dressed, took
his robe and bowl and went into Vesālī for alms. Having returned
from the alms‐round and eaten, he looked back at Vesālī with
his ‘elephant‐look’ and said: ‘Ānanda, this is the last time the
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