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

Then the Mallas of Kusinara wrapped the body of the Exalted One in a new cloth. And when that was done, they wrapped it in carded cotton wool. And when that was done, they wrapped it in a new cloth, [162] — and so on till they had wrapped the body of the Exalted One in five hundred layers of both kinds. And then they placed the body in an oil vessel of iron, and covered that close up with another oil vessel of iron. And then they built a funeral pyre of all kinds of perfumes, and upon it they placed the body of the Exalted One.

19. Now at that time the venerable Maha Kassapa was journeying along the high road from Pava to Kusinara with a great company of the brethren, with about five hundred of the brethren. And the venerable Maha. Kassapa left the high road, and sat himself down at the foot of a certain tree.

Just at that time a certain naked ascetic1 who had picked up a Mandarava flower in Kusinara was coming along the high road to Pava.

Now the venerable Maha Kassapa saw the naked ascetic coming in the distance ; and when he had seen him he said to that naked ascetic : —

An Ajivaka. See the note above at Vol. I, p. 71.

p. 184

' O friend ! surely thou knowest our Master ? '

' Yea, friend ! I know him. This day the Samara Gotama has been dead a week ! That is how I obtained this Mandarava flower.'

On that of those of the brethren who were not yet free from the passions, some stretched out their arms and wept, and some fell headlong on the ground, and some reeled to and fro in anguish at the thought: — 'Too soon has the Exalted One died ! Too soon has the Happy One passed away ! Too soon has the Light gone out in the world ! '

But those of the brethren who were free from the passions [the Arahants] bore their grief self-possessed and composed at the thought : — ' Impermanent are all component things! How is it possible that [they should not be dissolved] ? '

20. Now at that time a brother named Subhadda, who had been received into the Order in his old age, was seated in that company 1.

And Subhadda the recruit in his old age said to those brethren : — ' Enough, sirs ! Weep not, neither lament ! We are well rid of the great Samara. We used to be annoyed by being told: — "This beseems you, this beseems you not." But now we shall be able to do whatever we like ; and what we do not like, that we shall not have to do ! '

But the venerable Maha Kassapa exhorted the brethren :• — ' Enough, my brethren ! Weep not, neither lament! [163] Has not the Exalted One formerly declared this, that it is in the very nature of all things near and dear unto us that we must divide ourselves

1 At p. xxvi of the Introduction to his edition of the Vinaya, Prof. Oldenberg identifies this Subhadda with Subhadda the last convert, mentioned above at the end of Chap. V. They are different persons; the last convert being represented as a man of high character, incapable of the conduct here ascribed to this Subhadda. The last convert was a brahmin, traditionally supposed to be younger brother to Anna Kondafifia, the first convert ; this Subhadda had been a barber in the village Atuma.

D. ii. 163. THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE. 1 85

from them, leave them, sever ourselves from them ? How then, brethren, 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 ! '

21. Now just at that time four chieftains of the Mallas had bathed their heads and clad themselves in new garments with the intention of setting on fire the funeral pyre of the Exalted One. But, behold, they were unable to set it alight !

Then the Mallas of Kusinara said to the venerable Anuruddha : — ' What, lord, can be the reason, and what the cause [of this] ? '

' The purpose of the spirits, O Vase////as, is different'

1 But what, sir, is the purpose of the spirits ? '