The Gospel of Buddha Part 39

"What, then, Ananda, does the order expect of me? I have preached the truth without making any distinction between exoteric and esoteric doctrine; for in respect of the truth, Ananda, the Tathagata has no such thing as the closed fist of a teacher, who keeps some things back. 7

"Surely, Ananda, should there be any one who harbors the thought, 'It is I who will lead the brotherhood,' or, 'The order is dependent upon me,' he should lay down instructions in any matter concerning the order. Now the Tathagata, Ananda, thinks not that it is he who should lead the brotherhood, or that the order is dependent upon him. 8

"Why, then, should the Tathagata leave instructions in any matter concerning the order? 9

"I am now grown old, O Ananda, and full of years; my journey is drawing to its close, I have reached the sum of my days, I am turning eighty years of age. 10

"Just as a worn-out cart can not be made to move along without much difficulty, so the body of the Tathagata can only be kept going with much additional care. 11

"It is only, Ananda, when the Tathagata, ceasing to attend to any outward thing, becomes plunged in that devout meditation of heart which is concerned with no bodily object, it is only then that the body of the Tathagata is at ease. 12

"Therefore, O Ananda, be ye lamps unto yourselves. Rely on yourselves, and do not rely on external help. 13

"Hold fast to the truth as a lamp. Seek salvation alone in the truth. Look not for a.s.sistance to any one besides yourselves. 14

"And how, Ananda, can a brother be a lamp unto himself, rely on himself only and not on any external help, holding fast to the truth as his lamp and seeking salvation in the truth alone, looking not for a.s.sistance to any one besides himself? 15

"Herein, O Ananda, let a brother, as he dwells in the body, so regard the body that he, being strenuous, thoughtful, and mindful, may, whilst in the world, overcome the grief which arises from the body's cravings. 16

"While subject to sensations let him continue so to regard the sensations that he, being strenuous, thoughtful, and mindful, may, whilst in the world, overcome the grief which arises from the sensations. 17

"And so, also, when he thinks or reasons, or feels, let him so regard his thoughts that being strenuous, thoughtful, and mindful he may, whilst in the world, overcome the grief which arises from the craving due to ideas, or to reasoning, or to feeling. 18

"Those who, either now or after I am dead, shall be lamps unto themselves, relying upon themselves only and not relying upon any external help, but holding fast to the truth as their lamp, and seeking their salvation in the truth alone, and shall not look for a.s.sistance to any one besides themselves, it is they, Ananda, among my bhikkhus, who shall reach the very topmost height! But they must be anxious to learn." 19

XCIV.

THE BUDDHA ANNOUNCES HIS DEATH.

Said the Tathagata to Ananda: "In former years, Ananda, Mara, the Evil One, approached the holy Buddha three times to tempt him. 1

"And now, Ananda, Mara, the Evil One, came again today to the place where I was, and, standing beside me, addressed me in the same words as he did when I was resting under the shepherd's Nigrodha tree on the bank of the Neranjara river: 'Be greeted, thou Holy One. Thou hast attained the highest bliss and it is time for thee to enter into the final Nirvana.' 2

"And when Mara had thus spoken, Ananda, I answered him and said: 'Make thyself happy, O wicked one; the final extinction of the Tathagata shall take place before long.'" 3

And the venerable Ananda addressed the Blessed One and said: "Vouchsafe, Lord, to remain with us, O Blessed One! for the good and the happiness of the great mult.i.tudes, out of pity for the world, for the good and the gain of mankind!" 4

Said the Blessed One: "Enough now, Ananda, beseech not the Tathagata!" 5

And again, a second time, the venerable Ananda besought the Blessed One in the same words. And he received from the Blessed One the same reply. 6

And again, the third time, the venerable Ananda besought the Blessed One to live longer; and the Blessed One said: "Hast thou faith, Ananda?" 7

Said Ananda: "I have, my Lord!" 8

And the Blessed One, seeing the quivering eyelids of Ananda, read the deep grief in the heart of his beloved disciple, and he asked again: "Hast thou, indeed, faith, Ananda?" 9

And Ananda said: "I have faith, my Lord." 10

Than the Blessed One continued: "If thou hast faith, Ananda, in the wisdom of the Tathagata, why, then, Ananda, dost thou trouble the Tathagata even until the third time? Have I not formerly declared to you that it is in the very nature of all compound things that they must be dissolved again. We must separate ourselves from all things near and dear to us, and must leave them. How then, Ananda, can it be possible for me to remain, since everything that is born, or brought into being, and organized, contains within itself the inherent necessity of dissolution? How, then, can it be possible that this body of mine should not be dissolved? No such condition can exist! And this mortal existence, O Ananda, has been relinquished, cast away, renounced, rejected, and abandoned by the Tathagata." 11

And the Blessed One said to Ananda: "Go now, Ananda, and a.s.semble in the Service Hall such of the brethren as reside in the neighborhood of Vesali." 12

Then the Blessed One proceeded to the Service Hall, and sat down there on the mat spread out for him. And when he was seated, the Blessed One addressed the brethren, and said: 13

"O brethren, ye to whom the truth has been made known, having thoroughly made yourselves masters of it, practise it, meditate upon it, and spread it abroad, in order that pure religion may last long and be perpetuated, in order that it may continue for the good and happiness of the great mult.i.tudes, out of pity for the world, and to the good and gain of all living beings! 14

"Star-gazing and astrology, forecasting lucky or unfortunate events by signs, prognosticating good or evil, all these are things forbidden. 15

"He who lets his heart go loose without restraint shall not attain Nirvana; therefore, must we hold the heart in check, and retire from worldly excitements and seek tranquillity of mind. 16

"Eat your food to satisfy your hunger, and drink to satisfy you thirst. Satisfy the necessities of life like the b.u.t.terfly that sips the flower, without destroying its fragrance or its texture. 17

"It is through not understanding and grasping the four truths, O brethren, that we have gone astray so long, and wandered in this weary path of transmigrations, both you and I, until we have found the truth. 18

"Practise the earnest meditations I have taught you. Continue in the great struggle against sin. Walk steadily in the roads of saints.h.i.+p. Be strong in moral powers. Let the organs of your spiritual sense be quick. When the seven kinds of wisdom enlighten your mind, you will find the n.o.ble, eightfold path that leads to Nirvana. 19

"Behold, O brethren, the final extinction of the Tathagata will take place before long. I now exhort you, saying: 'All component things must grow old and be dissolved again. Seek ye for that which is permanent, and work out your salvation with diligence.'" 20

XCV.

CHUNDA, THE SMITH.

And the Blessed One went to Pava. 1

When Chunda, the worker in metals, heard that the Blessed One had come to Pava and was staying in his mango grove, he came to the Buddha and respectfully invited him and the brethren to take their meal at his house. And Chunda prepared rice-cakes and a dish of dried boar's meat. 2

When the Blessed One had eaten the food prepared by Chunda, the worker in metals, there fell upon him a dire sickness, and sharp pain came upon him even unto death. But the Blessed One, mindful and self-possessed, bore it without complaint. 3

And the Blessed One addressed the venerable Ananda, and said: "Come, Ananda, let us go on to Kusinara." 4

On his way the Blessed One grew tired, and he went aside from the road to rest at the foot of a tree, and said: "Fold the robe, I pray thee, Ananda, and spread it out for me. I am weary, Ananda, and must rest awhile!" 5

"Be it so, Lord!" said the venerable Ananda; and he spread out the robe folded fourfold. 6

The Blessed One seated himself, and when he was seated he addressed the venerable Ananda, and said: "Fetch me some water, I pray thee, Ananda. I am thirsty, Ananda, and would drink." 7

When he had thus spoken, the venerable Ananda said to the Blessed One: "But just now, Lord, five hundred carts have gone across the brook and have stirred the water; but a river, O Lord, is not far off. Its water is clear and pleasant, cool and transparent, and it is easy to get down to it. There the Blessed One may both drink water and cool his limbs." 8

A second time the Blessed One addressed the venerable Ananda, saying: "Fetch me some water, I pray thee Ananda, I am thirsty, Ananda, and would drink." 9