Dialogues of the Buddha, Part II — trans. T. W. and C. A. F. Rhys Davids (1910)

20. While at Ambapali's mango grove the Exalted One held that comprehensive religious talk with the brethren, saying : — ' Such and such is upright conduct ; such and such is earnest contemplation ; such and such is intelligence. Great becomes the fruit, great the advantage of earnest contemplation, when it is set round with upright conduct. Great becomes the fruit, great the advantage of intellect when it is set round with earnest contemplation. The mind set round with intelligence is set quite free from the Intoxications, that is to say, from the Intoxication of Sensuality, from the Intoxication of Becoming, from the Intoxication of Delusion, from the Intoxication of Ignorance.'

21. Now when the Exalted One had remained so long as he wished at Ambapali's grove, he addressed Ananda, and said : — ' Come, Ananda, let us go on to Beluva V

1 Bishop Bigandet says : — ' In recording the conversion of a courtezan named Apapalika, her liberality and gifts to Budha and his disciples, and the preference designedly given to her over princes and nobles, who, humanly speaking, seemed in every respect better entitled to attentions — one is almost reminded of the conversion of ' a woman that was a sinner,' mentioned in the Gospels (' Legend of the Burmese Budha,' 2nd ed., p. 258).

2 The Vinaya (I, 233) says they went to the Great Wood near

p. 106

' So be it, lord,' said Ananda, in assent, to the
Exalted One.

Then the Exalted One proceeded, with a great company of the brethren, to Beluva, and there the Exalted One stayed in the village itself.

22. Now the Exalted One there addressed the brethren, and said : — ' O mendicants, do you take up your abode round about Vesali, each according to the place where his friends, acquaintances, and intimates may live, for the retreat in the rainy season [for vassa]. I shall enter upon the rainy season here at Beluva.'

' So be it, lord ! ' said those brethren, in assent, to the Exalted One. And they entered upon the rainy season round about Vesali, each according to the place where his friends, acquaintances, and intimates lived : [99] whilst the Exalted One stayed even there at Beluva.

23. Now when the Exalted One had thus entered upon the rainy season, there fell upon him a dire sickness, and sharp pains came upon him, even unto death. But the Exalted One, mindful and self-possessed, bore them without complaint.

Then this thought occurred to the Exalted One : — 'It would not be right for me to pass away without addressing the disciples, without taking leave of the Order. Let me now, by a strong effort of the will, bend this sickness down again, and keep my hold on life till the allotted time be come V

And the Exalted One, by a strong effort of the will, bent that sickness down again, and kept his hold on life till the time he fixed upon should come. And the sickness abated upon him.

24. Now very soon after the Blessed One began to recover. And when he had quite got rid of the sickness, he came out from his lodging, and sat down in the shadow thereof on a seat spread out there. And

Vesali, that is, it skips the context here as far as III, 64. Our
sections 27-35 are in [he Sa?«yutta V, 152-4.
1 Compare Divyavadana 203.

D.ii. IOO. THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE. 107

A

the venerable Ananda went to the place where the Exalted One was, and saluted him, and took a seat respectfully on one side, and addressed the Exalted One, and said : — ' I have beheld, lord, how the Exalted One was in health, and I have beheld how the Exalted One had to suffer. And though at the sight of the sickness of the Exalted One my body became weak as a creeper, and the horizon became dim to me, and my faculties were no longer clear \ yet notwithstanding I took some little comfort from the thought that the Exalted One would not pass away until at least he had left instructions as touching the Order.'