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

16. ' Brethren, there are these four wonderful and marvellous qualities in Ananda. Which are the four ?

1 Advayena, which Buddhaghosa explains as not being that kind of love which is now one thing and now another, or which varies in the presence or the absence of the object loved.

2 That is, you too shall become an Arahant, shall attain Nirvana in this life.

3 A word has here slipped out of the text, medhavi should stand before janati.

l6o XVI. MAHA PARINIBBANA SUTTANTA. D. ii. 145.

' If, brethren, a number of the brethren of the Order should come to visit Ananda, they are filled with joy on beholding him ; and if Ananda should then preach the truth to them, they are filled with joy at the discourse ; while the company of brethren is ill at ease, brethren, when Ananda is silent.

' If, brethren, a number of the sisters of the Order, . . . or of devout men, ... or of devout women, should come to visit Ananda, they are filled with joy on beholding him ; and if Ananda should then preach the truth to them, they are filled with joy at the discourse; while the company of sisters is ill at ease, brethren, when Ananda is silent.

' Brethren, there are these four wonderful and marvellous qualities in a king of kings. What are the four?

' If, brethren, a number of nobles, or brahmins, or heads of houses, or members of a religious order should come to visit a king of kings, they are filled with joy on beholding him ; and if the king of kings should then speak, they are filled with joy at what is said ; while they are ill at ease, brethren, when the king of kings is silent [146].

'Just so, brethren.^ are the four wonderful and marvellous qualities in Ananda.

' If, brethren, a number of the brethren of the Order, or of the sisters of the Order, or of devout men, or of devout women, should come to visit Ananda, they are filled with joy on beholding him ; and if Ananda should then preach the truth to them, they are filled with joy at the discourse ; while the company of brethren is ill at ease, brethren, when Ananda is silent.

' Now these, brethren, are the four wonderful and marvellous qualities that are in Ananda.'

1 7. When he had thus spoken, 1 the venerable Ananda said to the Exalted One: —

1 From here down to the end of section 18 is found also, nearly word for word, in the beginning of the Maha-Sudassana Suttanta, translated below.

D. ii. 147. THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE. l6l

4 Let not the Exalted One die in this little wattleand-daub town, in this town in the midst of the jungle, in this branch township1. For, lord, there are other great cities, such as Champa, Rajagaha, Savatthi, Saketa, Kosambi, and Benares. Let the Exalted One die in one of them. There there are many wealthy nobles and brahmins and heads of houses, believers in the Tathagata, who will pay due honour to the remains of the Tathaorata2.'

1 Say not so, Ananda ! Say not so, Ananda, that this is but a small wattle-and-daub town, a town in the midst of the jungle,A a branch township.

18. ' Long ago, Ananda, there was a king, by name Maha-Sudassana, a king of kings, a righteous man who ruled in righteousness, Lord of the four quarters of the earth, conqueror, the protector of his people, possessor of the seven royal treasures. This Kusinara, Ananda, was the royal city of King Maha-Sudassana, under the name of Kusavati, and on the east and on the west it was twelve leagues in length, and on the north and on the south it was seven leagues in breadth.

1 That royal city Kusavati, Ananda, was mighty and prosperous [147] and full of people, crowded with men, and provided with all things for food. Just, Ananda, as the royal city of the gods, A/akamanda by name, is mighty, prosperous, and full of people, crowded with the gods, and provided with all kinds of food, so,