The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 97: 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 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 fello mendicants of mine,
who were deep stricken in years and teachers of great experience:
'Sometimes and full seldom do Tathagatas appear in the world, the holy Buddhas.'
Now it is said that to-day in the last watch of the night,
the final passing away of the samana Gotama will take place.
My mind is full of uncertainty,
yet I have 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]

When he had thus spoken
the venerable Ananda said to the mendicant Subhadda:
"Enough! friend Subhadda. Trouble not the Tathagata.
The Blessed One is weary." [8]

Now the Blessed One overheard this conversation
of the venerable Ananda with the mendicant Subhadda.
And the Blessed One called the venerable Ananda, and said:
"Ananda! Do not keep out Subhadda.
Subhadda may be allowed to see the Tathagata.
Whatever Subhadda will ask of me,
he will ask from a desire for knowledge,
and not to annoy me,
and whatever I may say in answer to his questions,
that he will quickly understand." [9]

Then the venerable Ananda said to Subhadda the mendicant:
"Step in, friend Subhadda;
for the Blessed One gives thee leave." [10]

When the Blessed One had instructed Subhadda,
and aroused and gladdened him with words of wisdom and comfort,
Subhadda said to the Blessed One: [11]

"Glorious Lord, glorious Lord!
Most excellent are the words of thy mouth, most excellent!
They set up that which has been overturned,
they reveal that which has been hidden.
They point out the right road to the wanderer who has gone astray.
They bring a lamp into the darkness
so that those who have eyes to see can see.
Thus, Lord, the truth has been made known to me by the Blessed One
and I take refuge in the Blessed One, in the Truth, and in the Order.
May the Blessed One accept me as a disciple and true believer,
from this day forth as long as life endures." [12]

And Subhadda, the mendicant, said to the venerable Ananda:
"Great is thy gain, friend Ananda,
great is thy good fortune,
that for so many years thou hast been sprinkled
with the sprinkling of discipleship in this brotherhood
at the hands of the Master himself!" [13]

Now the Blessed One addressed the venerable Ananda, and said:
"It may be, Ananda, that in some of you the thought may arise,
'The word of the Master is ended, we have no teacher more!'
But it is not thus, Ananda, that you should regard it.
It is true that no more shall I receive a body.
for all future sorrow has now forever passed away.
But though this body will be dissolved, the Tathagata remains.
The truth and the rules of the order
which I have set forth and laid down for you all,
let them, after I am gone, be a teacher unto you.
When I am gone, Ananda, let the order,
if it should so wish, abolish all the lesser and minor precepts." [14]

The the Blessed One addressed the brethren, and said:
"There may be some doubt or misgiving in the mind of a brother
as to the Buddha, or the truth, or the path.
Do not have to reproach yourselves afterwards with the thought,
'We did not inquire of the Blessed One when we were face to face with him.'
Therefore inquire now, O brethren, inquire freely." [15]

And the brethren remained silent. [16]

Then the venerable Ananda said to the Blessed One:
"Verily, I believe that in this whole assembly of the brethren
there is not one brother who has any doubt or misgiving
as to the Buddha, or the truth, or the path!" [17]

Said the Blessed One:
"It is out of the fullness of faith that thou hast spoken, Ananda!
But, Ananda, the Tathagata knows for certain
that in this whole assembly of the brethren
there is not one brother who has any doubt or misgiving
as to the Budda, or the truth, or the path!
For even the most backward, Ananda,
of all these brethren has become converted,
and is assured of final salvation." [18]

Then the Blessed One addressed the brethren and said:
"If ye now know the Dharma,
the cause of all suffering,
and the path of salvation,
O disciples, will ye then say:
"We respect the Master,
and out of reverence for the Master
do we thus speak?'" [19]

The brethren replied: "That we shall not, O Lord." [20]

And the Holy One continued: [21]

"Of those beings who live in ignorance,
shut up and confined, as it were, in an egg,
I have first broken the egg-shell of ignorance
and alone in the universe
obtained the most exalted, universal Buddhahood.
Thus, O disciples, I am the eldest, the noblest of beings. [22]

"But what ye speak, O disciples,
is it not even that which ye have yourselves know,
yourselves seen, yourselves realised?" [23]

Ananda and the brethren said: "It is, O Lord." [24]

Once more the Blessed One began to speak:
"Behold now, brethren," said he,
"I exhort you, saying,
'Decay is inherent in all component things,
but the truth will remain forever!'
Work out your salvation with diligence!"
This was the last word of the Tathagata.
Then the Tathagata fell into a deep meditation,
and having passed through the four jhanas,
entered Nirvana. [25]

When the Blessed One entered Nirvana there arose,
at his passing out of existence,
a mighty earthquake, terrible and awe-inspiring:
and the thunders of heaven burst forth,
and those of the brethren who were not yet free from passions
some stretched out their arms and wept,
and some fell headlong on the ground, in anguish at the thought:
"Too soon has the Blessed One passed away from existence!
Too soon has the light of the world gone out!" [26]

Then the venerable Anuruddha exhorted the brethren and said:
"Enough, my brethren! Weep not, neither lament!
Has not the Blessed One formerly declared this to us,
that it is in the very nature of all things near and dear unto us,
that we must separate from them,
since everything that is born,
brought into being, and organized,
contains within itself the inherent necessity of dissolution?
How then can it be possible
that the body of the Tathagata should not be dissolved? No such condition can exist!
Those who are free from passion will bear the loss,
calm and self-possessed,
mindful of the truth he has taught us." [27]

And the venerable Anuruddha and the venerable Ananda
spent the rest of the night in religious discourse. [28]

Then the venerable Anuruddha said to the venerable Ananda:
"Go now, brother Ananda, and inform the Mallas of Kusinara saying,
'The Blessed One has passed away:
do, then, whatsoever seemeth to you fit!'" [29]

And when the Mallas had heard this saying they were grieved,
and sad, and afflicted at heart. [30]

Then the Mallas of Kusinara gave orders to their attendants, saying,
"Gather together perfumes and garlands,
and all the music in Kusinara!"
And the Mallas of Kusinara took the perfumes and garlands,
and all the musical instruments, and five hundred garments,
and went to the sala grove where the body of the Blessed One lay.
There they passed the day in paying honour and reverence
to the remains of the Blessed One, with hymns, and music,
and with garlands and perfumes,
and in making canopies of their garments,
and preparing decorative wreaths to hang thereon.
And they burned the remains of the Blessed One
as they would do to the body of a king of kings. [31]

When the funeral pyre was lit,
the sun and moon withdrew their shining,
the peaceful streams on every side were torrent-swollen,
the earth quaked, and the sturdy forests shook like aspen leaves,
whilst flowers and leaves fell untimely to the ground,
like scattered rain, so that all Kusinara became strewn knee-deep
with mandara flowers raining down from heaven. [32]

When the burning ceremonies were over,
Devaputta said to the multitudes
that were assembled round the pyre: [33]

"Behold, O brethren, the earthly remains of the Blessed One have been dissolved,
but the truth which he has taught us lives in our minds and cleanses us from all error. [34]

"Let us, then, go out into the world,
as compassionate and merciful as our great master
and preach to all living beings the four noble truths
and the eightfold path of righteousness,
so that all mankind may attain to a final salvation,
taking refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha." [35]

And when the Blessed One had entered into Nirvana,
and the Mallas had burned the body with such ceremonies
as would indicate that he was the great king of kings,
ambassadors came from all the empires
that at the time had embraced his doctrine,
to claim a share of the relics;
and the relics were divided into eight parts
and eight dagobas were erected for their preservation.
One dagoba was erected by the Mallas
and seven others by the seven kings of those countries,
whose people had taken refuge in the Buddha. [36]

Continue Reading

• The Gospel of Buddha: Preface
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 01: Rejoice
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 02: Samsara and Nirvana
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 03: Truth the Saviour
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 04: The Bodhisatta's Birth
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 05: The Ties of Life
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 06: The Three Woes
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 07: The Bodhisatta's Renunciation
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 08: King Bimbisara
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 09: The Bodhisatta's Search
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 10: Uruvela, the Place of Mortification
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 11: Mara, the Evil One
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 12: Enlightenment
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 13: The First Converts
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 14: Brahma's Request
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 15: Upaka
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 16: The Sermon at Benares
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 17: The Sangha
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 18: Yasa, the Youth of Benares
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 19: Kassapa
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 20: The Sermon at Rajagaha
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 21: The King's Gift
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 22: Sariputta and Moggallana
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 23: Anathapindika
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 24: The Sermon on Charity
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 25: Jetavana
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 26: The Three Characteristics and the Uncreate
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 27: The Buddha's Father
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 28: Yasodhara
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 29: Rahula
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 30: Jivaka, the Physician
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 31: The Buddha's Parents Attain Nirvana
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 32: Women Admitted to the Sangha
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 33: The Bhikkhus' Conduct Toward Women
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 34: Visakha
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 35: The Uposatha and Patimokkha
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 36: The Schism
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 37: The Re-establishment of Concord
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 38: The Bhikkhus Rebuked
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 39: Devadatta
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 40: Name and Form
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 41: The Goal
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 42: Miracles Forbidden
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 43: The Vanity of Worldliness
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 44: Secrecy and Publicity
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 45: The Annihilation of Suffering
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 46: Avoiding the Ten Evils
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 47: The Preacher's Mission
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 48: The Dhammapada
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 49: The Two Brahmans
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 50: Guard the Six Quarters
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 51: Simha's Question Concerning Annihilation
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 52: All Existence is Spiritual
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 53: Identity and Non-Identity
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 54: The Buddha Omnipresent
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 55: One Essence, One Law, One Aim
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 56: The Lesson Given to Rahula
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 57: The Sermon on Abuse
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 58: The Buddha Replies to the Deva
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 59: Words of Instruction
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 60: Amitabha
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 61: The Teacher Unknown
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 62: Parables
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 63: The Widow's Two Mites and the Parable of the Three Merchants
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 64: The Man Born Blind
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 65: The Lost Son
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 66: The Giddy Fish
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 67: The Cruel Crane Outwitted
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 68: Four Kinds of Merit
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 69: The Light of the World
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 70: Luxurious Living
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 71: The Communication of Bliss
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 72: The Listless Fool
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 73: Rescue in the Desert
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 74: The Sower
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 75: The Outcast
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 76: The Woman at the Well
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 77: The Peacemaker
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 78: The Hungry Dog
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 79: The Despot
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 80: Vasavadatta
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 81: The Marriage-Feast in Jambunada
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 82: A Party in Search of a Thief
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 83: In the Realm of Yamaraja
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 84: The Mustard Seed
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 85: Following the Master Over the Stream
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 86: The Sick Bhikkhu
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 87: The Patient Elephant
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 88: The Conditions of Welfare
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 89: Sariputta's Faith
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 90: Pataliputta
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 91: The Mirror of Truth
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 92: Ambapali
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 93: The Buddha's Farewell Address
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 94: The Buddha Announces His Death
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 95: Chunda, the Smith
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 96: Metteyya
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 97: The Buddha's Final Entering into Nirvana
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 98: The Three Personalities of the Buddha
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 99: The Purpose of Being
• The Gospel of Buddha:Chapter 100: The Praise of All the Buddhas

Source

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