The Gospel of Buddha Part 40

And a second time the venerable Ananda said: "Let us go to the river." 10

Then the third time the Blessed One addressed the venerable Ananda, and said: "Fetch me some water, I pray thee, Ananda, I am thirsty, Ananda, and would drink." 11

"Be it so, Lord!" said the venerable Ananda in a.s.sent to the Blessed One; and, taking a bowl, he went down to the streamlet.

And lo! the streamlet, which, stirred up by wheels, had become muddy, when the venerable Ananda came up to it, flowed clear and bright and free from all turbidity. And he thought: "How wonderful, how marvelous is the great might and power of the Tathagata!" 12

Ananda brought the water in the bowl to the Lord, saying: "Let the Blessed One take the bowl. Let the Happy One drink the water.

Let the Teacher of men and G.o.ds quench his thirst." 13

Then the Blessed One drank of the water. 14

Now, at that time a man of low caste, named Pukkusa, a young Malla, a disciple of Alara Kalama, was pa.s.sing along the high road from Kusinara to Pava. 15

And Pukkusa, the young Malla, saw the Blessed One seated at the foot of a tree. On seeing him, he went up to the place where the Blessed One was, and when he had come there, he saluted the Blessed One and took his seat respectfully on one side. Then the Blessed One instructed, edified, and gladdened Pukkusa, the young Malla, with religious discourse. 16

Aroused and gladdened by the words of the Blessed One, Pukkusa, the young Malla, addressed a certain man who happened to pa.s.s by, and said: "Fetch me, I pray thee, my good man, two robes of cloth of gold, burnished and ready for wear." 17

"Be it so, sir!" said that man in a.s.sent to Pukkusa, the young Malla; and he brought two robes of cloth of gold, burnished and ready for wear. 18

And the Malla Pukkusa presented the two robes of cloth of gold, burnished and ready for wear, to the Blessed One, saying: "Lord, these two robes of burnished cloth of gold are ready for wear.

May the Blessed One show me favor and accept them at my hands!" 19

The Blessed One said: "Pukkusa, robe me in one, and Ananda in the other." 20

And the Tathagata's body appeared shining like a flame, and he was beautiful above all expression. 21

And the venerable Ananda said to the Blessed One: "How wonderful a thing is it, Lord, and how marvellous, that the color of the skin of the Blessed One should be so clear, so exceedingly bright! When I placed this robe of burnished cloth of gold on the body of the Blessed One, lo! it seemed as if it had lost its splendor!" 22

The Blessed One said: "There are two occasions on which a Tathagata's appearance becomes clear and exceeding bright. In the night, Ananda, in which a Tathagata attains to the supreme and perfect insight, and in the night in which he pa.s.ses finally away in that utter pa.s.sing away which leaves nothing whatever of his earthly existence to remain." 23

And the Blessed One addressed the venerable Ananda, and said: "Now it may happen, Ananda, that some one should stir up remorse in Chunda, the smith, by saying: 'It is evil to thee, Chunda, and loss to thee, that the Tathagata died, having eaten his last meal from thy provision.' Any such remorse, Ananda, in Chunda, the smith, should be checked by saying: 'It is good to thee, Chunda, and gain to thee, that the Tathagata died, having eaten his last meal from thy provision. From the very mouth of the Blessed One, O Chunda, have I heard, from his own mouth have I received this saying, "These two offerings of food are of equal fruit and of much greater profit than any other: the offerings of food which a Tathagata accepts when he has attained perfect enlightenment and when he pa.s.ses away by the utter pa.s.sing away in which nothing whatever of his earthly existence remains behind--these two offerings of food are of equal fruit and of equal profit, and of much greater fruit and much greater profit than any other. There has been laid up by Chunda, the smith, a karma redounding to length of life, redounding to good birth, redounding to good fortune, redounding to good fame, redounding to the inheritance of heaven and of great power." In this way, Ananda, should be checked any remorse in Chunda, the smith." 24

Then the Blessed One, perceiving that death was near, uttered these words: "He who gives away shall have real gain. He who subdues himself shall be free, he shall cease to be a slave of pa.s.sions. The righteous man casts off evil; and by rooting out l.u.s.t, bitterness, and illusion, do we reach Nirvana." 25

XCVI.

METTEYYA.

The Blessed One proceeded with a great company of the brethren to the sala grove of the Mallas, the Upavattana of Kusinara on the further side of the river Hirannavati, and when he had arrived he addressed the venerable Ananda, and said: "Make ready for me, I pray you, Ananda, the couch with its head to the north, between the twin sala trees. I am weary, Ananda, and wish to be down." 1

"Be it so, Lord!" said the venerable Ananda, and he spread a couch with its head to the north, between the twin sala trees.

And the Blessed One laid himself down, and he was mindful and self-possessed. 2

Now, at that time the twin sala trees were full of bloom with flowers out of season; and heavenly songs came wafted from the skies, out of reverence for the successor of the Buddhas of old.

And Ananda was filled with wonder that the Blessed One was thus honored. But the Blessed One said: "Not by such events, Ananda, is the Tathagata rightly honored, held sacred, or revered. But the brother or the sister, the devout man or the devout woman, who continually fulfils all the greater and the lesser duties, walking according to the precepts, it is they who rightly honor, hold sacred, and revere the Tathagata with the worthiest homage.

Therefore, O Ananda, be ye "constant in the fulfilment of the greater and of the lesser duties, and walk according to the precepts; thus, Ananda, will ye honor the Master." 3

Then the venerable Ananda went into the vihara, and stood leaning against the doorpost, weeping at the thought: "Alas! I remain still but a learner, one who has yet to work out his own perfection. And the Master is about to pa.s.s away from me--he who is so kind!" 4

Now, the Blessed One called the brethren, and said: "Where, O brethren, is Ananda?" 5

And one of the brethren went and called Ananda. And Ananda came and said to the Blessed One: "Deep darkness reigned for want of wisdom; the world of sentient creatures was groping for want of light; then the Tathagata lit up the lamp of wisdom, and now it will be extinguished again, ere he has brought it out." 6

And the Blessed One said to the venerable Ananda, as he sat there by his side: 7

"Enough, Ananda! Let not thy self be troubled; do not weep! Have I not already, on former occasions, told you that it is in the very nature of all things most near and dear unto us that we must separate from them and leave them? 8

"The foolish man conceives the idea of 'self,' the wise man sees there is no ground on which to build the idea of 'self,' thus he has a right conception of the world and well concludes that all compounds ama.s.sed by sorrow will be dissolved again, but the truth will remain. 9

"Why should I preserve this body of flesh, when the body of the excellent law will endure? I am resolved; having accomplished my purpose and attended to the work set me, I look for rest! 10

"For a long time, Ananda, thou hast been very near to me by thoughts and acts of such love as never varies and is beyond all measure. Thou hast done well, Ananda! Be earnest in effort and thou too shalt soon be free from the great evils, from sensuality, from selfishness, from delusion, and from ignorance!" 11

And Ananda, suppressing his tears, said to the Blessed One: "Who shall teach us when thou art gone?" 12

And the Blessed One replied: "I am not the first Buddha who came upon earth, nor shall I be the last. In due time another Buddha will arise in the world, a Holy One, a supremely enlightened One, endowed with wisdom in conduct, auspicious, knowing the universe, an incomparable leader of men, a master of angels and mortals. He will reveal to you the same eternal truths which I have taught you. He will preach his religion, glorious in its origin, glorious at the climax, and glorious at the goal, in the spirit and in the letter. He will proclaim a religious life, wholly perfect and pure; such as I now proclaim." 13

Ananda said: "How shall we know him?" 14

The Blessed One said: "He will be known as Metteyya, which means 'he whose name is kindness.'" 15

XCVII.

THE BUDDHA'S FINAL ENTERING INTO NIRVANA.

Then the Mallas, with their young men and maidens and their wives, being grieved, and sad, and afflicted at heart, went to the Upavattana, the sala grove of the Mallas, and wanted to see the Blessed One, in order to partake of the bliss that devolves upon those who are in the presence of the Holy One. 1

And the Blessed One addressed them and said: 2

"Seeking the way, ye must exert yourselves and strive with diligence. It is not enough to have seen me! Walk as I have commanded you; free yourselves from the tangled net of sorrow.

Walk in the path with steadfast aim. 3

"A sick man may be cured by the healing power of medicine and will be rid of all his ailments without beholding the physician. 4

"He who does not do what I command sees me in vain. This brings no profit. Whilst he who lives far off from where I am and yet walks righteously is ever near me. 5

"A man may dwell beside me, and yet, being disobedient, be far away from me. Yet he who obeys the Dharma will always enjoy the bliss of the Tathagata's presence." 6

Then the mendicant Subhadda went to the sala grove of the Mallas and said to the venerable Ananda: "I have heard from fellow mendicants of mine, who were deep stricken in years and teachers of great experience: 'Sometimes and full seldom to Tathagatas appear in the world, the holy Buddhas.' Now it is said that to-day in the last watch of the night, the final pa.s.sing away of the samana Gotama will take place. My mind is full of uncertainty, yet have I faith in the samana Gotama and trust he will be able so to present the truth that I may become rid of my doubts. O that I might be allowed to see the samana Gotama!" 7