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

46. [lis] ' On one occasion, Ananda, I was dwelling here at Vesali at the Gotamaka Shrine — on one occasion here at Vesali at the Shrine of the Seven Mangoes — on one occasion here at Vesali at the Bahuputta Shrine — on one occasion here at Vesali at the Sarandada Shrine [and on each occasion I spoke to thee, Ananda, in the same words].

47. ' And now to-day, Ananda, at the Chapala Shrine, Ia spoke to thee, and said :• — " How delightful a spot, Ananda, is Vesali, how charming the Udena Shrine, and the Gotamaka Shrine and the Shrine of the Seven Mangoes, and the Shrine of Many Sons, and the Sarandada Shrine, and the Chapala Shrine. 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 more 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." But even when a suggestion so evident and a hint so clear were thus given thee, Ananda, by the Tathagata, thou wast yet incapable of comprehending them, and thou besoughtest not the Tathagata, saying : — " Vouchsafe, lord, to remain during

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

48. ' But now, Ananda, have I not formerly declared to you that it is in the very nature of all things, near and dear unto us, that we must divide ourselves from them, leave them, sever ourselves from them ? How, then, Ananda, can this be possible — whereas anything whatever born, brought into being, and organized, contains within itself the inherent necessity of dissolution— how then can this be possible that such a being should not be dissolved ? No such condition can exist ! And that which, Ananda, has been relinquished, cast away, renounced, rejected, and abandoned by the Tathagata — the remaining sum of life surrendered by him — verily with regard to that the word has gone forth from the Tathagata, saying : — " The passing away of the Tathagata shall take place before long. [ll9] At the end of three months from this time .the Tathagata will die ! " That the Tathagata for the sake of living should repent him again of that saying — this can no wise be ! J

' Come, Ananda, let us go to the Ku/agara Hall, to the Mahavana.'

1 I do not understand the connexion of ideas between this paragraph and the idea repeated with such tedious iteration in the preceding paragraphs. The two seem to be in marked contrast, if not in absolute contradiction. Perhaps we have here the older tradition ; and certainly this paragraph is more in accordance with the general impression of the character, and with the other sayings, of Gotama as handed down in the Pali Pi/akas.

D. ii. ii(j. THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE. \2"]

' Even so, lord ! ' said the venerable Ananda, in assent, to the Exalted One.

49. Then the Exalted One proceeded, and Ananda with him, to the Mahavana, to the Ku/agara Hall : and when he had arrived there he addressed the venerable Ananda, and said : —

A '

' Go now, Ananda, and assemble in the Service Hall such of the brethren as reside in the neighbourhood of Vesali.'

A

' Even so, lord ! ' said the venerable Ananda, in assent, to the Exalted One. And when he had assembled in the Service Hall such of the brethren as resided in the neighbourhood of Vesali, he went to the Exalted One and saluted him and stood beside him. And standing beside him, he addressed the Exalted One, and said : —

' Lord ! the assembly of the brethren has met together. Let the Exalted One do even as seemeth to him fit.'

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