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They showered down, covered over, and scattered their blossoms upon the Tathāgata's body, in homage to the Tathāgata. Divine sandalwood powders also fell from the sky. They showered down, covered over, and scattered their powders upon the Tathāgata's body, in homage to the Tathāgata. Divine music also sounded in the sky, in homage to the Tathāgata. Divine songs also resounded in the sky, in homage to the Tathāgata. 199. Then the Blessed One addressed the venerable Ānanda: "Indeed, Ānanda, the twin sāla trees are in full bloom, though it is out of season. They shower down, cover over, and scatter their blossoms upon the Tathāgata's body, in homage to the Tathāgata. Divine mandārava flowers also fall from the sky. They shower down, cover over, and scatter their blossoms upon the Tathāgata's body, in homage to the Tathāgata. Divine sandalwood powders also fall from the sky... they fall, they strew, they cover, they shower the Tathāgata's body in homage to the Tathāgata. Even divine musical instruments play in the sky in homage to the Tathāgata. Even divine songs resound in the sky in homage to the Tathāgata. But indeed, Ānanda, not by this much is the Tathāgata honored or respected, esteemed or revered, or venerated. But indeed, Ānanda, whoever, a monk or a nun, a lay follower male or female, dwells practicing the Dhamma in accordance with the Dhamma, practicing properly, living in conformity with the Dhamma, he honors the Tathāgata, respects him, esteems him, reveres him, venerates him, with the highest homage. Therefore, Ānanda, we shall dwell practicing the Dhamma in accordance with the Dhamma, practicing properly, living in conformity with the Dhamma. Thus indeed, Ānanda, should you train yourselves. Elder Upavāṇa 200. Now at that time, the venerable Upavāṇa was standing in front of the Blessed One, fanning the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One dismissed the venerable Upavāṇa: "Go away, monk, do not stand in front of me." Then it occurred to the venerable Ānanda: "Indeed, this venerable Upavāṇa for a long time has been the Blessed One's attendant, one who stays close, one who moves nearby. And yet the Blessed One, at the last moment, dismisses the venerable Upavāṇa: 'Go away, monk, do not stand in front of me.' What indeed is the reason, what is the cause, that the Blessed One dismisses the venerable Upavāṇa: 'Go away, monk, do not stand in front of me?'" Then the venerable Ānanda said this to the Blessed One: "This, venerable sir, the venerable Upavāṇa for a long time has been the Blessed One's attendant, one who stays close, one who moves nearby. And yet the Blessed One, at the last moment, dismisses the venerable Upavāṇa: 'Go away, monk, do not stand in front of me.' What indeed, venerable sir, is the reason, what is the cause, that the Blessed One dismisses the venerable Upavāṇa: 'Go away, monk, do not stand in front of me?'" What is it? “Mostly, Ānanda, deities from ten world-systems have gathered to see the Tathāgata. As far as, Ānanda, Kusinārā, the Upavattana Sāla Grove of the Mallas, twelve leagues all around, there is no place even the size of a hair-tip not pervaded by deities of great power. The deities, Ānanda, are complaining: ‘We have come from afar to see the Tathāgata. Rarely, at times, Tathāgatas arise in the world, Arahants, Perfectly Self-Enlightened Ones. Tonight, in the last watch of the night, the Tathāgata will attain Parinibbāna. And this bhikkhu of great power stands before the Blessed One, obstructing, we cannot see the Tathāgata in his last moments.’” 201. “But how, venerable sir, do the Blessed One perceive the deities?” “There are, Ānanda, deities in the sky, perceiving themselves as on earth, disheveling their hair, weeping, raising their arms, weeping, falling down as if cut off, rolling over, writhing about, ‘Too quickly will the Blessed One attain Parinibbāna! Too quickly will the Fortunate One attain Parinibbāna! Too quickly will the Eye in the world vanish!’ “There are, Ānanda, deities on the earth, perceiving themselves as on earth, disheveling their hair, weeping, raising their arms, weeping, falling down as if cut off, rolling over, writhing about, ‘Too quickly will the Blessed One attain Parinibbāna! Too quickly will the Fortunate One attain Parinibbāna! Too quickly will the Eye in the world vanish!’ “But those deities who are free from passion, they, mindful and comprehending, endure it, thinking: ‘Impermanent are all formations; how could it be otherwise here?’” The Four Places of Arousal 202. “Formerly, venerable sir, bhikkhus who had completed the rains retreat in various directions would come to see the Tathāgata. We were able to see those bhikkhus who were pleasing to the mind, we were able to attend upon them. But after the Blessed One, we, later, after the Blessed One's passing, we will not be able to see the bhikkhus who are dear to our minds, we will not be able to attend upon them." "There are these four places, Ānanda, which are to be seen and are inspiring to a faithful son of good family. Which four? 'Here the Tathāgata was born,' Ānanda, is a place to be seen and is inspiring to a faithful son of good family. 'Here the Tathāgata attained unsurpassed perfect self-awakening,' Ānanda, is a place to be seen and is inspiring to a faithful son of good family. 'Here the Tathāgata set in motion the unsurpassed Wheel of Dhamma,' Ānanda, is a place to be seen and is inspiring to a faithful son of good family. 'Here the Tathāgata passed into the Nibbāna-element with no remainder of clinging,' Ānanda, is a place to be seen and is inspiring to a faithful son of good family. These, Ānanda, are the four places to be seen and are inspiring to a faithful son of good family. "Faithful bhikkhus, bhikkhunis, laymen, and laywomen will come, Ānanda, saying: 'Here the Tathāgata was born,' and 'Here the Tathāgata attained unsurpassed perfect self-awakening,' and 'Here the Tathāgata set in motion the unsurpassed Wheel of Dhamma,' and 'Here the Tathāgata passed into the Nibbāna-element with no remainder of clinging.' And whoever, Ānanda, while on pilgrimage to these shrines, shall pass away with a confident mind, all of them, at the breaking up of the body, after death, will reappear in a good destination, in a heavenly world." The Questions of Ānanda 203. "How should we behave, Venerable Sir, towards women?" "No seeing, Ānanda." "But if there is seeing, Blessed One, how should we behave?" "No speaking, Ānanda." "But if one speaks, Venerable Sir, how should one behave?" "Mindfulness, Ānanda, should be established." 204. "How should we behave, Venerable Sir, concerning the Tathāgata's body?" "Do not trouble yourselves, Ānanda, with the worship of the Tathāgata's body. Come, Ānanda, strive for the essential goal. Oh, strive for the true goal, be diligent, ardent, and resolute. Ananda, wise kshatriyas, wise brahmins, and wise householders are devoted to the Tathagata. They will perform the worship of the Tathagata's body. 205. "How then, Venerable Sir, should one deal with the Tathagata's body?" "Ananda, just as they deal with the body of a Wheel-turning Monarch, so should they deal with the Tathagata's body." "How then, Venerable Sir, do they deal with the body of a Wheel-turning Monarch?" "Ananda, they wrap the body of a Wheel-turning Monarch in a new cloth. Having wrapped it in a new cloth, they wrap it in carded cotton. Having wrapped it in carded cotton, they wrap it in a new cloth. By this method, having wrapped the body of a Wheel-turning Monarch in five hundred pairs of cloths, they place it in an iron oil-vat, cover it with another iron vat, and making a pyre of all perfumes, they cremate the body of the Wheel-turning Monarch. They erect a stupa for the Wheel-turning Monarch at the crossroads. Thus, Ananda, do they deal with the body of a Wheel-turning Monarch. Ananda, just as they deal with the body of a Wheel-turning Monarch, so should they deal with the Tathagata's body. A stupa for the Tathagata should be erected at the crossroads. There, those who offer garlands or perfumes or powders, or salute, or gladden their minds, for them that will be for long-lasting welfare and happiness. Persons worthy of a Stupa 206. "These four, Ananda, are worthy of a stupa. Which four? The Tathagata, Arahant, Perfectly Enlightened One is worthy of a stupa. A Paccekabuddha is worthy of a stupa. A disciple of the Tathagata is worthy of a stupa. A Wheel-turning Monarch is worthy of a stupa. is worthy of a stupa. “For what reason, Ānanda, is the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One, worthy of a stupa? ‘This is the stupa of that Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One,’ Ānanda, many people gladden their minds. Having gladdened their minds there, after the breaking up of the body, after death, they are reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world. This, Ānanda, is the reason the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One, is worthy of a stupa. “For what reason, Ānanda, is a Paccekasambuddha worthy of a stupa? ‘This is the stupa of that Blessed One, the Paccekasambuddha,’ Ānanda, many people gladden their minds. Having gladdened their minds there, after the breaking up of the body, after death, they are reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world. This, Ānanda, is the reason a Paccekasambuddha is worthy of a stupa. “For what reason, Ānanda, is a disciple of the Tathāgata worthy of a stupa? ‘This is the stupa of that disciple of the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One,’ Ānanda, many people gladden their minds. Having gladdened their minds there, after the breaking up of the body, after death, they are reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world. This, Ānanda, is the reason a disciple of the Tathāgata is worthy of a stupa. “For what reason, Ānanda, is a Wheel-turning Monarch worthy of a stupa? ‘This is the stupa of that righteous, Dhamma-king,’ Ānanda,