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concerning the Buddha, the Dhamma, the Sangha, the path, or the practice." "You speak out of faith, Ananda. But here, Ananda, the Tathagata has knowledge. There is not even one monk in this community of monks who has any doubt or perplexity concerning the Buddha, the Dhamma, the Sangha, the path, or the practice. For among these five hundred monks, Ananda, the last monk is a stream-enterer, not subject to downfall, assured, bound for full enlightenment." 218. Then the Blessed One addressed the monks: "Now, monks, I exhort you: All conditioned things are subject to decay. Strive with diligence!" This was the Tathagata's last word. The Account of the Parinibbana 219. Then the Blessed One entered the first jhana. Emerging from the first jhana, he entered the second jhana. Emerging from the second jhana, he entered the third jhana. Emerging from the third jhana, he entered the fourth jhana. Emerging from the fourth jhana, he entered the sphere of infinite space. Emerging from the attainment of the sphere of infinite space, he entered the sphere of infinite consciousness. Emerging from the attainment of the sphere of infinite consciousness, he entered the sphere of nothingness. Emerging from the attainment of the sphere of nothingness, he entered the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception. Emerging from the attainment of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, he entered the cessation of perception and feeling. entered into it. Then indeed the venerable Ananda said this to the venerable Anuruddha: "The Blessed One, venerable Anuruddha, has attained Parinibbana!" "No, friend Ananda, the Blessed One has not attained Parinibbana, he has entered the cessation of perception and feeling." Then indeed the Blessed One, having emerged from the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling, entered the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception. Having emerged from the attainment of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, he entered the sphere of nothingness. Having emerged from the attainment of the sphere of nothingness, he entered the sphere of infinite consciousness. Having emerged from the attainment of the sphere of infinite consciousness, he entered the sphere of infinite space. Having emerged from the attainment of the sphere of infinite space, he entered the fourth jhana. Having emerged from the fourth jhana, he entered the third jhana. Having emerged from the third jhana, he entered the second jhana. Having emerged from the second jhana, he entered the first jhana. Having emerged from the first jhana, he entered the second jhana. Having emerged from the second jhana, he entered the third jhana. Having emerged from the third jhana, he entered the fourth jhana. Having emerged from the fourth jhana, immediately the Blessed One attained Parinibbana. When the Blessed One attained Parinibbana, together with his Parinibbana, a great earthquake occurred, terrifying, hair-raising. And divine drums burst forth. When the Blessed One attained Parinibbana, together with his Parinibbana, Brahma Sahampati uttered this verse: "All beings will lay aside their bodies in the world; when such a Teacher, an incomparable person in the world, the Tathagata, endowed with power, the Fully Awakened One, has attained Parinibbana." When the Blessed One attained Parinibbana, together with his Parinibbana, Sakka, king of the devas, uttered this verse: "Impermanent, alas, are formations, by nature arising and passing away; having arisen, they cease; their cessation is bliss." When the Blessed One attained Parinibbana, together with his Parinibbana, the venerable Anuruddha uttered these verses: "There was no in-breathing or out-breathing, for the steadfast mind of the Such One; unagitated, peaceful when the Sage passed away. “With an unattached mind, He endured the feeling; Like the extinguishing of a lamp, Was the liberation of his mind.” 223. When the Blessed One had attained final Nibbāna, immediately after his final Nibbāna, Venerable Ānanda uttered this verse: “Then it was terrifying, Then it was hair-raising; When the Fully Enlightened One, Perfect in all aspects, attained final Nibbāna.” 224. When the Blessed One had attained final Nibbāna, those bhikkhus there who were not free from passion, some raised their arms and wept, fell down cut off, rolled over and over, “Too soon has the Blessed One attained final Nibbāna, too soon has the Fortunate One attained final Nibbāna, too soon has the Eye in the world disappeared!” But those bhikkhus who were free from passion, they endured with mindfulness and full comprehension – “Impermanent are formations, how could it be otherwise here?” 225. Then Venerable Anuruddha addressed the bhikkhus: “Enough, friends, do not grieve, do not lament. Has it not, friends, been declared in advance by the Blessed One – ‘From all that is dear and pleasing, there is separation, disunion, alteration.’ How could it be otherwise here, friends? ‘That which is born, become, compounded, subject to decay, may that not decay’ – such a state is not possible. The devas, friends, are complaining!” “How, Venerable Anuruddha, do you perceive the devas?” “There are, friends, Ānanda, devas in the sky, perceiving themselves as earthly beings, disheveling their hair and weeping, raising their arms and weeping, falling down cut off, rolling over and over – ‘Too soon has the Blessed One attained final Nibbāna, too soon has the Fortunate One attained final Nibbāna, too soon has the Eye in the world disappeared!’ There are, friends, Ānanda, devas on the earth, perceiving themselves as earthly beings, disheveling their hair and weeping, raising their arms and weeping, falling down cut off, rolling over and over – ‘Too soon has the Blessed One attained final Nibbāna, too soon has the Fortunate One attained final Nibbāna, too soon has the Eye in the world disappeared!’” swiftly the Eye in the world has vanished! But those deities who are free from passion, they, mindful and fully aware, endured it, saying: "Impermanent are formations, how could it be otherwise here?" Then indeed, Venerable Anuruddha and Venerable Ānanda spent the rest of that night in a discourse on the Dhamma. 226. Then indeed, Venerable Anuruddha addressed Venerable Ānanda: "Go, friend Ānanda, enter Kusinārā and announce to the Mallas of Kusinārā: 'The Blessed One has attained Parinibbāna, Vāseṭṭhas, do now what you deem timely.'" "Yes, venerable sir," Venerable Ānanda replied to Venerable Anuruddha. Then, in the forenoon, having dressed and taken his bowl and robe, he entered Kusinārā, accompanied by one other. Now at that time, the Mallas of Kusinārā were assembled in their assembly hall for that very purpose. Then indeed, Venerable Ānanda approached the assembly hall of the Mallas of Kusinārā; having approached, he announced to the Mallas of Kusinārā: "The Blessed One has attained Parinibbāna, Vāseṭṭhas, do now what you deem timely." Having heard this word of Venerable Ānanda, the Mallas, and the Malla sons, and the Malla daughters-in-law, and the Malla wives, were distressed, dejected, and overwhelmed with mental pain. Some tore their hair and wept, some raised their arms and wept, some fell down as if cut off, they rolled over and over, saying: "Too swiftly the Blessed One has attained Parinibbāna! Too swiftly the Fortunate One has attained Parinibbāna! Too swiftly the Eye in the world has vanished!" Homage to the Buddha's Relics 227. Then indeed, the Mallas of Kusinārā ordered their men: "Come now, sirs, gather perfumes, garlands, and all kinds of musical instruments in Kusinārā." Then indeed, the Mallas of Kusinārā, having taken perfumes, garlands, all kinds of musical instruments, and five hundred pairs of cloths, approached the Sāla Grove of the Mallas at Upavattana, where the body of the Blessed One lay. Having approached, they honored and respected the body of the Blessed One with dances, songs, music, garlands, and perfumes, treating it with great reverence. honoring, respecting, venerating, making cloth canopies, and preparing the circular pavilion, they passed one day. Then it occurred to the Mallas of Kusinārā: "It is too late today to cremate the Blessed One's body. Tomorrow we shall cremate the Blessed One's body." Then the Mallas of Kusinārā, honoring, respecting, venerating, and worshipping the Blessed One's body with dances, songs, music, garlands, and perfumes, making cloth canopies, and preparing the circular pavilion, passed a second day, and a third day, and a fourth day, and a fifth day, and a sixth day. Then on the seventh day it occurred to the Mallas of Kusinārā: "We shall honor, respect, venerate, and worship the Blessed One's body with dances, songs, music, garlands, and perfumes, and carrying it from the south to the south of the city, outside to the outside, to the south of the city, we shall cremate the Blessed One's body." 228. Now at that time, eight chief Mallas, having bathed their heads and wearing new clothes, saying, "We will lift the Blessed One's body," were unable to lift it. Then the Mallas of Kusinārā said to Venerable Anuruddha: "What, venerable Anuruddha, is the reason, what is the cause, that these eight chief Mallas, having bathed their heads and wearing new clothes, saying, 'We will lift the Blessed One's body,' are unable to lift it?" "Your intention, Vāseṭṭhas, is one thing, the devas' intention is another." "How, venerable sir, is the devas' intention?" "Your intention, Vāseṭṭhas, is this: 'We shall honor, respect, venerate, and worship the Blessed One's body with dances, songs, music, garlands, and perfumes, and carrying it from the south to the south of the city, outside to the outside, to the south of the city, we shall cremate the Blessed One's body.'" "we will cremate it." Indeed, Vāseṭṭhā, the intention of the devas is this: "We, honoring, respecting, esteeming, and venerating the Blessed One's body with divine dances, songs,