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and having gathered all the bhikkhus who were dwelling dependent on Vesālī in the service hall, he approached the Blessed One; having approached, he saluted the Blessed One and stood to one side. Standing to one side, Venerable Ānanda because Ānanda said to the Blessed One: “The Sangha of bhikkhus is assembled, venerable sir. Now is the time, venerable sir, as the Blessed One deems fit.” 184. Then the Blessed One approached the service hall. Having approached, he sat down on the seat prepared. Having sat down, the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: “Therefore, bhikkhus, those teachings that I have taught you after direct knowledge, you should learn them well, practice them, develop them, and make them abundant, so that this holy life may endure for a long time, may last long. That would be for the good of many, for the happiness of many, out of compassion for the world, for the welfare, the good, the happiness of devas and humans. And what, bhikkhus, are those teachings that I have taught you after direct knowledge, which you should learn well, practice, develop, and make abundant, so that this holy life may endure for a long time, may last long, for the good of many, for the happiness of many, out of compassion for the world, for the welfare, the good, the happiness of devas and humans? They are: the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right exertions, the four bases of spiritual power, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of enlightenment, the Noble Eightfold Path. These, bhikkhus, are those teachings that I have taught you after direct knowledge, which you should learn well, practice, develop, and make abundant, so that this holy life may endure for a long time, may last long, for the good of many, for the happiness of many, out of compassion for the world, for the welfare, the good, the happiness of devas and humans.” 185. Then the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: “Now, bhikkhus, I exhort you: All conditioned things are subject to decay. Strive with diligence! Not long from now will be the Tathāgata’s final passing. In three months from now, the Tathāgata will attain final Nibbāna.” This the Blessed One said. Having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, further spoke this: Ah, all are bound for death. Just as a potter's earthenware vessel, whether small or large, whether fired or unfired, all ends in breaking; so too is the life of mortals. [Then the Teacher spoke further]: – "My age is ripened, my life is short; Leaving you, I shall go, I have made myself a refuge. "Be diligent, mindful, of good conduct, O bhikkhus; With well-concentrated thoughts, guard your own minds. "Whoever in this Dhamma and Discipline dwells diligently, Abandoning the cycle of birth, will make an end of suffering." The Third Recitation Section. The Dragon-Gaze 186. Then, in the morning, the Blessed One dressed, and taking his bowl and robe, entered Vesālī for alms. Having walked for alms in Vesālī, and after his meal, returning from his alms-round, he looked back at Vesālī with a 'dragon-gaze' and addressed the Venerable Ānanda: "This, Ānanda, will be the Tathāgata's last sight of Vesālī. Come, Ānanda, let us go to Bhaṇḍagāma." "Yes, Bhante," replied the Venerable Ānanda to the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One, together with a large community of bhikkhus, went to Bhaṇḍagāma. There, indeed, the Blessed One resided in Bhaṇḍagāma. There the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus: "Bhikkhus, it is because of not understanding, not penetrating four things, that I and you have run on and wandered through this long course of existence. Which four? It is because of not understanding, not penetrating the noble virtue, bhikkhus, that I and you have run on and wandered through this long course of existence. It is because of not understanding, not penetrating the noble concentration, bhikkhus, that I and you have run on and wandered through this long course of existence. It is because of not understanding, not penetrating the noble wisdom, bhikkhus, that I and you have run on and wandered through this long course of existence. This has been wandered and transmigrated by me and by you. Monks, because of not understanding, not penetrating noble liberation, this has been run on and transmigrated for a long time by me and by you. But now, monks, noble virtue has been understood and penetrated, noble concentration has been understood and penetrated, noble wisdom has been understood and penetrated, noble liberation has been understood and penetrated, the craving for existence is cut off, the guide to existence is destroyed, there is no more renewed existence. This the Blessed One said. Having said this, the Fortunate One, the Teacher, further said this: Virtue, concentration, and wisdom, And liberation, unsurpassed; These states have been understood By Gotama, the glorious one. Thus, the Buddha, having known, Taught the Dhamma to the monks; The Teacher, an ender of suffering, The Seer, is fully unbound. There, too, the Blessed One, while dwelling in Bhaṇḍagāma, often gave this Dhamma talk to the monks: "Such is virtue, such is concentration, such is wisdom. Concentration imbued with virtue is of great fruit, of great benefit. Wisdom imbued with concentration is of great fruit, of great benefit. The mind imbued with wisdom is completely liberated from the taints, namely—the taint of sensuality, the taint of existence, the taint of ignorance." Discourse on the Four Great Authorities 187. Then the Blessed One, having stayed in Bhaṇḍagāma for as long as he wished, addressed Venerable Ānanda: "Come, Ānanda, let us go to Hatthigāma, to Ambagāma, to Jambugāma, to Bhoganagara." "Yes, venerable sir," Venerable Ānanda replied to the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One, together with a large community of monks, arrived at Bhoganagara. There, the Blessed One dwelled in Bhoganagara, at the Ānanda Shrine. There, the Blessed One addressed the monks: "Monks, I will teach you these four Great Authorities. Listen to them, attend carefully, I will speak." "Yes, venerable sir," those monks replied to the Blessed One. They listened to the Blessed One. The Blessed One said this: “Here, monks, a bhikkhu might say this: ‘Friend, I heard this directly from the Blessed One, I received this directly from him: This is the Dhamma, this is the Vinaya, this is the Teacher’s instruction.’ Monks, what that bhikkhu says should neither be approved nor rejected. Without approving or rejecting, those words and phrases should be carefully learned, and then compared with the Suttas, and verified with the Vinaya. If, when compared with the Suttas and verified with the Vinaya, they do not fit with the Suttas, nor are they verified by the Vinaya, then this conclusion should be reached: ‘Certainly, this is not the word of the Blessed One; and this bhikkhu has misunderstood it.’ Therefore, monks, you should reject it. If, when compared with the Suttas and verified with the Vinaya, they do fit with the Suttas, and are verified by the Vinaya, then this conclusion should be reached: ‘Certainly, this is the word of the Blessed One; and this bhikkhu has understood it well.’ Monks, you should bear in mind this first Great Authority. Again, here, monks, a bhikkhu might say this: ‘In such and such a dwelling, a Sangha resides, with its elders and its leader. I heard this directly from that Sangha, I received this directly from them: This is the Dhamma, this is the Vinaya, this is the Teacher’s instruction.’ Monks, what that bhikkhu says should neither be approved nor rejected. Without approving or rejecting, those words and phrases should be carefully learned, and then compared with the Suttas, and verified with the Vinaya. If, when compared with the Suttas and verified with the Vinaya, they do not fit with the Suttas, nor are they verified by the Vinaya, then this conclusion should be reached: ‘Certainly, this is not the word of the Blessed One; and that Sangha has misunderstood it.’ Therefore, monks, you should reject it. If, when compared with the Suttas when applied to the Vinaya, when shown in the Vinaya, they fit into the Suttas, and they appear in the Vinaya, then this conclusion should be reached: ‘Certainly, this is the word of the Blessed One; and it is well-grasped by that Sangha.’ Monks, you should bear in mind this second great reference. “Here, monks, if a monk should say this: ‘In a certain dwelling place, many elder monks reside, learned, having come to the tradition, upholders of the Dhamma, upholders of the Vinaya, upholders of the outlines. From the presence of those elders, I have heard, I have received directly: this is the Dhamma, this is the Vinaya, this is the Teacher’s Dispensation.’ Monks, the words of that monk should neither be approved nor rejected. Without approving, without rejecting, those words and phrases should be carefully learned, and applied to the Suttas, and shown in the Vinaya. If, when applied to the Suttas, when shown in the Vinaya, they do not fit into the Suttas, nor do they appear in the Vinaya, then this conclusion should be reached: ‘Certainly, this is not the word of the Blessed One; and it is ill-grasped by those elders.’ Therefore, monks, you should reject it. But if, when applied to the Suttas, when shown in the Vinaya, they fit into the Suttas, and they appear in the Vinaya, then this conclusion should be reached: ‘Certainly, this is the word of the Blessed One; and it is well-grasped by those elders.’ Monks, you should bear in mind this third great reference. “Here, monks, if a monk should say this: ‘In a certain dwelling place, one elder monk resides, learned, having come to the tradition, an upholder of the Dhamma, an upholder of the Vinaya, an upholder of the outlines. From the presence of that elder, I have heard, I have received directly: this is the Dhamma, this is the Vinaya, this is the Teacher’s Dispensation.’ Monks, the words of that monk should neither be approved nor rejected.