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

And again, the third time, the venerable Ananda besought the Exalted One [in the same words].

' Hast thou faith, Ananda, in the wisdom of the
Tathagata ? '

' Even so, lord ! '

1 Now why, then, Ananda, dost thou trouble the
Tathagata even until the third time ? '

40. ' From his own mouth have I heard from the Exalted One, from his own mouth have I receivedp. 122 this saying : — " Whosoever has developed, practised, dwelt on, expanded, and ascended to the very heights of the four paths to Iddhi, and so mastered them as to be able to use them as a vehicle, and as a basis, he, should he desire it, could remain in the same birth for an aeon, or for that portion of the aeon which had yet to run." Now the Tathagata has thoroughly practised and developed them [in all respects as just now fully described], and he could, therefore, should he desire it, live on yet for an aeon, or for that portion of the aeon which has yet to run.'

' Hast thou faith, Ananda ? '

' Even so, lord ! '

' Then, O Ananda, thine is the fault, thine is the offence — in that when a suggestion So evident and a hint so clear were thus given thee by the Tathagata, thou wast yet incapable of comprehending them, and thou besoughtest not the Tathagata, saying : — " Vouchsafe, lord, to remain during the aeon for the good and the happiness of the great multitudes, out of pity for the world, for the good and the gain and the weal of gods and men." If thou shouldst then have so besought the Tathagata, the Tathagata might have rejected the appeal even to the second time, but the third time he would have granted it. Thine, therefore, O Ananda, is the fault, thine is the offence !

41. 'On one occasion, Ananda, I was dwelling at Rajagaha, on the hill called the Vulture's Peak. Now there, Ananda, I spoke to thee, and said : — [lie] " How pleasant a spot, Ananda, is Rajagaha ; how pleasant is this Vulture's Peak. Whosoever, Ananda, has developed, practised, dwelt on, expanded, and ascended to the very heights of the four paths to Iddhi, and so mastered them as to be able to use them as a vehicle, and as a basis, he, should he desire it, could remain in the same birth for an aeon, or for that portion of the aeon which had yet to run. Now the Tathagata has thoroughly practised and developed them [in all respects as just now fully described], and he could, therefore, should he desire it, live on yet for an aeon, or for

D. ii. n6. THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE. 1 23

that portion of the aeon which has yet to run." But even when a su^orestion So evident and a hint so clear were thus given thee by the Tathagata, thou wast yet incapable of comprehending them, and thou besoughtest not the Tathagata, saying : — " Vouchsafe, lord, to remain during the aeon. Live on, O Exalted One ! through the aeon for the good and the happiness of the great multitudes, out of pity for the world, for the good and the gain and the weal of gods and men." If thou shouldst then have so besought the Tathagata, the Tathagata might have rejected the appeal even to the second time, but the third time he would have

A

granted it. Thine, therefore, O Ananda, is the fault, thine is the offence !

42. ' On one occasion, Ananda, I was dwelling at that same Rajagaha in the Banyan Grove — on one occasion at that same Rajagaha at the Robbers' Cliff — on one occasion at that same Rajagaha in the Sattapa«;zi cave on the slope of Mount Vebhara — on one occasion at that same Rajagaha at the Black Rock on the slope of Mount Isigili— on one occasion at that same Rajagaha in the Sitavana Grove in the mountain cave Sappasow^ika — on one occasion at that same Rajagaha in the Tapoda Grove — on one occasion at that same Rajagaha in the Bambu Grove in the Squirrels' Feeding Ground — on one occasion at that same Rajagaha in Jivaka's Mango Grove — on one occasion at that same Rajagaha in the Deer Forest at Maddakucchi.