Buddhist SuttasBuddhismAccepted ScripturePaliShareMaha-Parinibbana Sutta 2T. W. Rhys Davids / SBE vol. 11 - EnglishMoreVersion - 1 availableT. W. Rhys Davids / SBE vol. 11LanguageEnglishEspañol‹Maha-Parinibbana Sutta 1Maha-Parinibbana Sutta 2Maha-Parinibbana Sutta 3Maha-Parinibbana Sutta 4Maha-Parinibbana Sutta 5Maha-Parinibbana Sutta 6Dhamma-Cakka-Ppavattana Sutta 1Tevigga Sutta 1Tevigga Sutta 2Tevigga Sutta 3Akankheyya Sutta 1Cetokhila Sutta 1Maha-Sudassana Sutta 1Maha-Sudassana Sutta 2Sabbasava Sutta 1›Maha-Parinibbana Sutta 2: The Book of the Great DeceaseMaha-Parinibbana Sutta 2ListenPlay this chapter in spoken English.Save chapterListen to chapter1Now the Blessed One addressed the venera¬ ble Ananda, and said: ‘ Come, Ananda, let us go on to Ko/igama.’ ‘ So be it, Lord!’ said Ananda, in assent, to the Blessed One. The Blessed One proceeded with a great company of the brethren to Kodgima; and there he stayed in the village itself 1. 2And at that place the Blessed One addressed the brethren, and said: ‘It is through not under¬ standing and grasping four Noble Truths, O brethren, that we have had to run so long, to wander so long in this weary path of transmigration, both you and I!’ ‘ And what are these four?’ ‘ The noble truth about sorrow; the noble truth about the cause of sorrow; the noble truth about the cessation of sorrow; and the noble truth about the path that leads to that cessation. But when these noble truths are grasped and known the craving for existence is rooted out, that which leads to renewed existence is destroyed, and then there is no more birth! ’ 3Thus spake the Blessed One; and when the Happy One had thus spoken, then again the Teacher said: ‘ By not seeing the four Noble Truths as they really are, Long is the path that is traversed through many a birth; When these are grasped, the cause of birth is then removed, The root of sorrow rooted out, and there is no more birth.’ 4There too, while staying at Ko/igama, the Blessed One held that comprehensive religious dis¬ course with the brethren on the nature of upright conduct, and of earnest contemplation, and of in¬ telligence. ‘Great is the fruit, great the advan¬ tage of earnest contemplation when set round with upright conduct. Great is the fruit, great the advantage of intellect when set round with earnest contemplation. The mind set round with intelligence is freed from the great evils,—that is to say, from sensuality, from individuality, from delusion, and from ignorance.’ 5Now when the Blessed One had remained as long as was convenient at Koifigima, he addressed the venerable Ananda, and said: ‘ Come, Ananda, let us go on to the villages of N&dika.’ * So be it, Lord!’ said Ananda, in assent, to the Blessed One. And the Blessed proceeded to the villages of Nadika with a great company of the brethren; and there, at Nadika, the Blessed One stayed at the Brick Hall 1. 6And the venerable Ananda went to the Blessed One and paid him reverence and took his seat beside him. And when he was seated, he addressed the Blessed One, and said: ‘ The brother named Si/^a has died at Nadika, Lord. Where has he been reborn, and what is his destiny? The sister named Nandi has died, Lord, at Nidika. Where is she reborn, and what is her destiny?’ And in the same terms he enquired concerning the devout Sudatta, and the devout lady Su^iti, the devout Kakudha, and Kilinga, and Nika/a, and Ka/issabha, and Tu/^a, and Santu^a, and Bhadda, and Subhadda. 7‘ The brother named Si/^a, Ananda, by the destruction of the great evils has by himself, and in this world, known and realised and attained to Arahatship, and to emancipation of heart and to emanci¬ pation of mind. The sister named Nandi, Ananda, has, by the complete destruction of the five bonds that bind people to this world, become an inheritor of the highest heavens, there to pass entirely away, thence never to return. The devout Sudatta, Ananda, by the complete destruction of the three bonds, and by the reduction to a minimum of lust, hatred, and delusion has become a Sakadigimin, who on his first return to this world will make an end of sorrow. The devout woman Su^ita, Ananda, by the complete destruction of the three bonds, has become converted, is no longer liable to be reborn in a state of suffering, and is assured of final salvaexplains this by saying that there were two villages of the same name on the shore of the same piece of water. On the public resting-place for travellers, which in this instance bore the proud title of Brick Hall, see ‘ Buddhist Birth Stories,’ pp. 280-285. CH. tion l. The devout Kakudha, Ananda, by the com¬ plete destruction of the five bonds that bind people to these lower worlds of lust, has become an inheritor of the highest heavens, there to pass entirely away, thence never to return. So also is the case with Kilinga, Nika/a, Ka/issabha, Tu///ia, Santu//^a, Bhadda, and Subhadda, and with more than fifty devout men of N&dika. More than ninety devout men of Nadika, who have died, Ananda, have by the complete destruction of the three bonds, and by the reduction of lust, hatred, and delusion, be¬ come Sakadigamins, who on their first return to this world will make an end of sorrow. More than five hundred devout men of Nidika who have died, Ananda, have by the complete destruction of the three bonds become converted, are no longer liable to be reborn in a state of suffering, and are assured of final salvation. 8‘Now there is nothing strange in this, Ananda, that a human being should die, but that as each one does so you should come to the Buddha, and en¬ quire about them in this manner, that is wearisome to the Buddha. I will, therefore, teach you a way of truth, called the Mirror of Truth, which if an elect disciple possess he may himself predict of him¬ self, “ Hell is destroyed for me, and rebirth as an animal, or a ghost, or in any place of woe. I am converted, I am no longer liable to be reborn in a state of suffering, and am assured of final salvation.” 9‘ What then, Ananda, is this mirror of truth? It is the consciousness that the elect disciple is in this world possessed of faith in the Buddha— believing the Blessed One to be the Holy One, the Fully-enlightened One, Wise, Upright, Happy, World-knowing, Supreme, the Bridler of men’s way¬ ward hearts, the Teacher of gods and men, the Blessed Buddha. And that he (the disciple) is possessed of faith in the Truth*—believing the truth to have been proclaimed by the Blessed One, of advantage in this world, passing not away, wel¬ coming all, leading to salvation, and to be attained to by the wise, each one for himself. And that he (the disciple) is possessed of faith in the Order— believing the multitude of the disciples of the Blessed One who are walking in the four stages of the noble eightfold path, the righteous, the upright, the just, the law-abiding — believing this church of the Buddha to be worthy of honour, of hospitality, of gifts, and of reverence; to be the supreme sowing ground of merit for the world;^to be possessed of the virtues beloved by the good, virtues unbroken, intact, unspotted, unblemished, virtues which make men truly free, virtues which are praised by the wise, are untarnished by the desire of future life or by the belief in the efficacy of outward acts, and are conducive to high and holy thought V io. ‘This, Ananda, is the way, the mirror of truth, which if an elect disciple possess he may himself predict of himself: “ Hell is destroyed for me; and rebirth as an animal, or a ghost, or in any place of woe. I am converted; I am no longer liable to be reborn in a state of suffering, and am assured of final salvation.” ’ XX. There, too, at the Brick Hall at NMika the CH. Blessed One addressed to the brethren that com¬ prehensive religious discourse on the nature of up¬ right conduct, and of earnest contemplation, and of intelligence. ‘Great is the fruit, great the advantage of earnest contemplation when set round with upright conduct. Great is the fruit, great the advantage of intellect when set round with earnest contemplation. The mind set round with intelligence is freed from the great evils, that is to say, from sensuality, from individuality, from delusion, and from ignorance.’ 12Now when the Blessed One had remained as long as he wished at Nadika, he addressed Ananda, and said: ‘ Come, Ananda, let us go on to Ves&li.’ ‘ So be it, Lord! ’ said Ananda, in assent, to the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One proceeded, with a great company of the brethren, to Ves&li; and there at Vesali the Blessed One stayed at Ambapali’s grove. 13Now there the Blessed One addressed the brethren, and said: ‘ Let a brother, O mendicants, be mindful and thoughtful; this is our instruction to you.’ 14‘ And how does a brother become mindful?’ ‘ Herein, O mendicants, let a brother, as he dwells in the body, so regard the body that he, being strenuous, thoughtful, and mindful, may, whilst in the world, overcome the grief which arises from bodily craving — while subject to sensations, let him continue so to regard the sensations that he, being strenuous, thoughtful, and mindful, may, whilst in the world, overcome the grief arising from the craving which follows our sensation—and so also as he thinks or reasons or feels let him overcome the grief which arises from the craving due to ideas, or reasoning, or feeling.’ 15‘ And how does a brother become thoughtful?’ ‘ He acts, O mendicants, in full presence of mind whatever he may do, in going out and coming in, in looking and watching, in bending in his arm or stretching it forth, in wearing his robes or carrying his bowl, in eating and drinking, in consuming or tasting, in walking or standing or sitting, in sleeping or waking, in talking and in being silent. ‘ Thus let a brother, O mendicants, be mindful and thoughtful; this is our instruction to you V Buddhaghosa has no comment here on the subject itself, re¬ entirely to it; but he observes in passing that the reason why the Blessed One laid stress, at this particular time and place, on the necessity of being ‘mindful and thoughtful,’ was because of the imminent approach of the beautiful courtezan in whose grove they were staying. The use of the phrase sati upa//Mpetabba below, Chap. V, § 13 (text, p. gi), in reference to the way in which women should be treated, is quite in accordance with this explana¬ tion. But see the next note. CH. 161 Now the courtezan Ambap&li heard that the Blessed One had arrived at Vesili, and was staying at her mango grove. And ordering a number of magnificent vehicles to be made ready, she mounted one of them, and proceeded with her train towards her garden. She went in the carriage as far as the ground was passable for carriages; there she alighted; and she proceeded on foot to the place where the Blessed One was, and took her seat respectfully on one side. And when she was thus seated the Blessed One instructed, aroused, incited, and gladdened her with religious discourse. 17Then she—instructed, aroused, incited, and gladdened with his words—addressed the Blessed One, and said: ‘ May the Blessed One do me the honour of taking his meal, together with the brethren, at my house to-morrow.’ And the Blessed One gave, by silence, his consent. Then when Ambapili the courtezan saw that the Blessed One had consented, she rose from her seat and bowed down before him, and keeping him on her right hand as she past him, she departed thence. 18Now the LiAfy^avis of Vesctli heard that the Blessed One had arrived at Vesdli, and was staying at Ambapali’s grove. And ordering a number of magnificent carriages to be made ready, they mounted one of them and proceeded with their train to Vesali. Some of them were dark, dark in colour, and wearing dark clothes and ornaments: some of them were fair, fair in colour, and wearing light clothes and ornaments: some of them were red, ruddy in colour, and wearing red clothes and ornaments: some of them were white, pale in colour, and wearing white clothes and ornaments. 19And Ambapali drove up against the young LiiA^avis, axle to axle, wheel to wheel, and yoke to yoke, and the LiiMavis said to Ambapali the courtezan, ‘ How is it, Ambapali, that thou drivest up against us thus?’ ‘ My Lords, I have just invited the Blessed One and his brethren for their morrow’s meal,’ said she. ‘ Ambapali! give up this meal to us for a hundred thousand/ said they. ‘ My Lords, were you to offer all Vesali with its subject territory 1, I would not give up so honourable a feast!’ Then the Li/£A6avis cast up their hands 2, exclaim¬ ing, ‘ We are outdone by this mango girl! we are out-reached by this mango girl 3!’ and they went on to Ambapali’s grove. 20When the Blessed One saw the LL&Mavis approaching in the distance, he addressed the brethren, and said: ‘ O brethren, let those of the brethren who have never seen the Thvatiwsa gods, gaze upon this company of the LiACAavis, behold this company of the hlkk/iavis, compare this company of the hikk/ta.vis—even as a company of Tavatimsa gods V 21And when they had ridden as far as the ground was passable for carriages, the IJxkkhavh alighted there, and then went on on foot to the place where the Blessed One was, and took their seats respectfully by his side. And when they were thus seated the Blessed One instructed and roused and incited and gladdened them with reli¬ gious discourse 1 2. 22Then they instructed and roused and incited and gladdened with his words, addressed the Blessed One, and said, ‘ May the Blessed One do us the honour of taking his meal, together with the brethren, at our house to-morrow? ’ ‘O LiA§/zavis, I have promised to dine to-morrow with Ambapali the courtezan/ was the reply. Then the Li/b£/zavis cast up their hands, exclaiming, ‘ We are outdone by this mango girl! we are outreached by this mango girl! ’ And expressing their thanks and approval of the words of the Blessed One, they rose from their seats and bowed down before the Blessed One, and keeping him on their right hand as they past him, they departed thence. 23And at the end of the night Ambapali the courtezan made ready in her mansion sweet rice and cakes, and announced the time to the Blessed One, saying, ‘ The hour, Lord, has come, and the meal is ready! ’ And the Blessed One robed himself early in the morning, and took his bowl, and went with the brethren to the place where Ambapali’s dwellinghouse was: and when he had come there he seated himself on the seat prepared for him. And Ambapali the courtezan set the sweet rice and cakes before the order, with the Buddha at their head, and waited upon them till they refused any more. 24And when the Blessed One had quite finished his meal, the courtezan had a low stool brought, and sat down at his side, and addressed the Blessed One, and said: ‘ Lord, I present this mansion to the order of mendicants, of which the Buddha is the chief.’ And the Blessed One accepted the gift; and after instructing, and rousing, and inciting, and gladden¬ ing her with religious discourse, he rose from his seat and departed thence 1. CH. 25While at Ambapali’s mango grove the Blessed One held that comprehensive religious discourse with the disciples on the nature of upright conduct, and of earnest contemplation, and of intelligence. ‘Great is the fruit, great the advantage of earnest contemplation when set round with upright conduct. Great is the fruit, great the advantage of intellect when set round with earnest contemplation. The mind set round with intelligence is freed from the great evils, that is to say, from sensuality, from individuality, from delusion, and from ignorance.’ 26Now when the Blessed One had remained as long as he wished at Ambapili’s grove, he addressed Ananda, and said: ‘ Come, Ananda, let us go on to Beluva 1.’ ‘ So be it, Lord,’ said Ananda, in assent, to the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One proceeded, with a great company of the brethren, to Beluva, and there the Blessed One stayed in the village itself. 27Now the Blessed One there addressed the brethren, and said: ‘ O mendicants, do you take up your abode round about Vesili, each according to the place where his friends, intimates, and close companions may live, for the rainy season of vassa. I shall enter upon the rainy season here at Beluva.’ the conversion of “ a woman that was a sinner,” mentioned in the Gospels’ (Legend of the Burmese Budha, 2nd ed. p. 258). ‘ So be it, Lord! ’ said those brethren, in assent, to the Blessed One. And they entered upon the rainy season round about Vesali, each according to the place where his friends or intimates or close companions lived: whilst the Blessed One stayed even there at Beluva. 28Now when the Blessed One had thus entered upon the rainy season, there fell upon him a dire sickness, and sharp pains came upon him, even unto death. But the Blessed One, mindful and selfpossessed, bore them without complaint. 29Then this thought occurred to the Blessed One, ‘ It would not be right for me to pass away from existence without addressing the disciples, without taking leave of the order. Let me now, by a strong effort of the will, bend this sickness down again, and keep my hold on life till the allotted time be come 1.’ 30And the Blessed One, by a strong effort of the will, bent that sickness down again, and kept his hold on life till the time he fixed upon should come. And the sickness abated upon him. 31Now very soon after the Blessed One began to recover; when he had quite got rid of the sick¬ ness, he went out from the monastery, and sat down behind the monastery on a seat spread out there. And the venerable Ananda went to the place where the Blessed One was, and saluted him, and took a seat respectfully on one side, and addressed the D 2 CH. Blessed One, and said: ‘ I have beheld, Lord, how the Blessed One was in health, and I have beheld how the Blessed One had to suffer. And though at the sight of the sickness of the Blessed One my body became weak as a creeper, and the horizon became dim to me, and my faculties were no longer clear 1, yet notwithstanding I took some little comfort from the thought that the Blessed One would not pass away from existence until at least he had left instructions as touching the order.’ 32‘What, then, Ananda? Does the order ex¬ pect that of me? I have preached the truth without making any distinction between exoteric and esote¬ ric doctrine: for in respect of the truths, Ananda, the Tathagata has no such thing as the closed fist of a teacher, who keeps some things back 2. Surely, Ananda, should there be any one who harbours the thought, “ It is I who will lead the brotherhood,” or, “The order is dependent upon me,” it is he who should lay down instructions in any matter concern¬ ing the order. Now the Tathigata, Ananda, thinks not that it is he who should lead the brotherhood, or that the order is dependent upon him. Why then should he leave instructions in any matter concern¬ ing the order? I too, O Ananda, am now grown old, and full of years, my journey is drawing to its close, I have reached my sum of days, I am turning eighty years of age; and just as a worn-out cart, Ananda, can only with much additional care be made to move along, so, methinks, the body of the Tathdgata can only be kept going with much additional care 1. It is only, Ananda, when CH. the Tath&gata, ceasing to attend to any outward thing, or to experience any sensation, becomes plunged in that devout meditation of heart which is concerned with no material object—it is only then that the body of the Tathigata is at ease. 33‘Therefore, O Ananda, be ye lamps unto your¬ selves. Be ye a refuge to yourselves. Betake yourselves to no external refuge. Hold fast to the truth as a lamp. Hold fast as a refuge to the truth. Look not for refuge to any one besides yourselves. And how, Ananda, is a brother to be a lamp unto himself, a refuge to himself, betaking himself to no external refuge, holding fast to the truth as a lamp, holding fast as a refuge to the truth, looking not for refuge to any one besides himself? 34‘ Herein, O Ananda, let a brother, as he dwells in the body, so regard the body that he, being strenuous, thoughtful, and mindful, may, whilst in the world, overcome the grief which arises from bodily craving—while subject to sensations let him continue so to regard the sensations that he, being strenuous, thoughtful, and mindful, may, whilst in the world, overcome the grief which arises from the sensations—and so, also, as he thinks, or reasons, or feels, let him overcome the grief which arises from the craving due to ideas, or to reasoning, or to feeling. 35‘And whosoever, Ananda, either now or after I am dead, shall be a lamp unto themselves, and a refuge unto themselves, shall betake themselves to no external refuge, but holding fast to the truth as their lamp, and holding fast as their refuge to the truth, shall look not for refuge to any one besides themselves—it is they, Ananda, among my bhikkhus, who shall reach the very topmost Height!—but they must be anxious to learn 1.’ CH. ‹Previous chapterMaha-Parinibbana Sutta 1Next chapterMaha-Parinibbana Sutta 3›Similar passagesBy tradition and source labelFind similarCompare selectedCompare with similarAsk Deep ThoughtSelect passages to search for parallels.Tap any verse to select it, then compare selected passages or ask Deep Thought. Public-domain 1881 English translation