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music, and perfumes, carrying it northwards, to the northernmost part of the city, entering the city through the northern gate, carrying it through the middle of the city, exiting through the eastern gate, to the Makuṭabandhana shrine of the Mallas, east of the city, there we will cremate the Blessed One's body." "As the devas intend, venerable sir, so let it be." 229. Now at that time, Kusinārā, even to its refuse heaps and rubbish dumps, was covered knee-deep with Mandārava flowers. Then the devas and the Mallas of Kusinārā, honoring, respecting, esteeming, and venerating the Blessed One's body with divine and human dances, songs, music, garlands, and perfumes, carried it northwards, to the northernmost part of the city, entered the city through the northern gate, carried it through the middle of the city, exited through the eastern gate, to the Makuṭabandhana shrine of the Mallas, east of the city, and there they laid down the Blessed One's body. 230. Then the Mallas of Kusinārā said to Venerable Ānanda: "How, venerable Ānanda, should we deal with the Tathāgata's body?" "Vāseṭṭhā, just as they deal with the body of a wheel-turning monarch, so should the Tathāgata's body be dealt with." "But how, venerable Ānanda, do they deal with the body of a wheel-turning monarch?" "Vāseṭṭhā, they wrap the body of a wheel-turning monarch in a new cloth. Having wrapped it in a new cloth, they wrap it in combed cotton. Having wrapped it in combed 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, and cover it with another iron Having inverted a trough, and made a pyre of all perfumes, they burn the body of a Wheel-turning Monarch. At the crossroads, they build a stupa for the Wheel-turning Monarch. Thus, Vāseṭṭhas, they treat the body of a Wheel-turning Monarch. Just as, Vāseṭṭhas, they treat the body of a Wheel-turning Monarch, so should the body of the Tathāgata be treated. At the crossroads, a stupa for the Tathāgata should be made. There, whoever places garlands, or perfumes, or powders, or bows down, or gladdens their mind, for them it will be for a long time for welfare and happiness. Then the Mallas of Kusinārā commanded their men: "Well then, sirs, gather the Mallas' carded cotton!" Then the Mallas of Kusinārā wrapped the Bhagavā's body in a new cloth, then wrapped it in carded cotton, having wrapped it in carded cotton, they wrapped it in a new cloth. By this method, having wrapped the Bhagavā's body in five hundred pairs of cloths, they placed it in an iron oil-trough, having inverted another iron trough over it, and made a pyre of all perfumes, they placed the Bhagavā's body on the pyre. The Story of Elder Mahākassapa 231. Now at that time, the Venerable Mahākassapa was journeying from Pāvā to Kusinārā with a great company of bhikkhus, about five hundred bhikkhus. Then the Venerable Mahākassapa stepped off the road and sat down at the foot of a certain tree. Now at that time, a certain Ājīvaka was journeying from Kusinārā to Pāvā, carrying a mandārava flower. The Venerable Mahākassapa saw that Ājīvaka coming from afar. Having seen him, he said to that Ājīvaka: "Friend, do you know our Teacher?" "Yes, friend, I know him. Today, seven days ago, the ascetic Gotama attained final Nibbāna. That is why I have taken this mandārava flower." There, those bhikkhus who were not free from passion, some of them, their arms raised, they weep, they fall down, cut off, they roll over, they writhe – “Too soon has the Blessed One attained final Nibbāna! Too soon has the Well-Gone One attained final Nibbāna! Too soon has the Eye in the world disappeared!” But those bhikkhus who were free from passion, they, mindful and comprehending, endured it, thinking: “Impermanent are all formations; how could it be otherwise here?” 232. Now at that time, a certain Subhadda, an old renunciant, was sitting in that assembly. Then Subhadda, the old renunciant, said to those bhikkhus: “Enough, friends, do not grieve, do not lament. We are well rid of that great ascetic. We were troubled by him saying: ‘This is allowable for you, this is not allowable for you.’ Now we will do what we wish, and we will not do what we do not wish.” Then Venerable Mahākassapa 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, come to be, conditioned, subject to decay—that the Tathāgata’s body should not decay—this is not possible.” 233. Now at that time, four chief Mallas, having bathed their heads and put on new clothes, were unable to light the Blessed One’s pyre, intending: “We will light the Blessed One’s pyre.” Then the Mallas of Kusinārā said to Venerable Anuruddha: “What, Venerable Anuruddha, is the reason, what is the cause, that these four chief Mallas, having bathed their heads and put on new clothes, are unable to light the Blessed One’s pyre, intending: ‘We will light the Blessed One’s pyre’?” “The deities’ intention, Vāseṭṭhas, is otherwise,” he said. “How, Venerable, is the deities’ intention?” “The deities’ intention, Vāseṭṭhas, is: ‘Venerable Mahākassapa is on his way from Pāvā to Kusinārā, having set out on the road.” With another great monastic community, with some five hundred monks. Not yet will the Blessed One's pyre ignite, until the Venerable Mahākassapa has worshipped the Blessed One's feet with his head. As, venerable sirs, is the wish of the devas, so let it be. 234. Then indeed the Venerable Mahākassapa approached Kusinārā, the Makuṭabandhana shrine of the Mallas, where the Blessed One's pyre was. Having approached, he arranged his outer robe over one shoulder, raised his hands in respectful salutation, circumambulated the pyre three times, and worshipped the Blessed One's feet with his head. Those five hundred monks also, arranged their outer robes over one shoulder, raised their hands in respectful salutation, circumambulated the pyre three times, and worshipped the Blessed One's feet with their heads. And when the Venerable Mahākassapa and those five hundred monks had worshipped, the Blessed One's pyre spontaneously ignited. 235. Indeed, as the Blessed One's body burned, whatever was skin, or hide, or flesh, or sinews, or joint-fluid, of that, no ashes were seen, nor soot; only the relics remained. Just as when ghee or oil burns, no ashes are seen, nor soot; even so, as the Blessed One's body burned, whatever was skin, or hide, or flesh, or sinews, or joint-fluid, of that, no ashes were seen, nor soot; only the relics remained. And of those five hundred pairs of cloths, only two cloths did not burn: the innermost one and the outermost one. And indeed, when the Blessed One's body was burnt, a stream of water appeared from the sky and extinguished the Blessed One's pyre. Water from the sāla trees also gushed forth and extinguished the Blessed One's pyre. The Mallas of Kusinārā also extinguished the Blessed One's pyre with all kinds of perfumed water. Then indeed the Mallas of Kusinārā, having made a palisade of spears around the Blessed One's relics in the assembly hall for seven days, and a fence of bows... Having enclosed the area, with dances, with songs, with music, with garlands, with perfumes, they honored, they revered, they respected, they worshipped. Division of the Bodily Relics 236. King Ajātasattu of Magadha, son of Videhī, heard this: "The Blessed One, it is said, has passed away in Kusinārā." Then King Ajātasattu of Magadha, son of Videhī, sent a messenger to the Mallas of Kusinārā: "The Blessed One was a warrior, I too am a warrior. I too am worthy of a share of the Blessed One's relics. I too will make a stupa and a great festival for the Blessed One's relics." The Licchavīs of Vesālī heard this: "The Blessed One, it is said, has passed away in Kusinārā." Then the Licchavīs of Vesālī sent a messenger to the Mallas of Kusinārā: "The Blessed One was a warrior, we too are warriors. We too are worthy of a share of the Blessed One's relics. We too will make a stupa and a great festival for the Blessed One's relics." The Sakyas of Kapilavatthu heard this: "The Blessed One, it is said, has passed away in Kusinārā." Then the Sakyas of Kapilavatthu sent a messenger to the Mallas of Kusinārā: "The Blessed One is our foremost kinsman. We too are worthy of a share of the Blessed One's relics. We too will make a stupa and a great festival for the Blessed One's relics." The Bulīs of Allakappa heard this: "The Blessed One, it is said, has passed away in Kusinārā." Then the Bulīs of Allakappa sent a messenger to the Mallas of Kusinārā: "The Blessed One was a warrior, we too are warriors. We too are worthy of a share of the Blessed One's relics. We too will make a stupa and a great festival for the Blessed One's relics." The Koliyas of Rāmagāma heard this: "The Blessed One, it is said, has passed away in Kusinārā." Then the Koliyas of Rāmagāma sent a messenger to the Mallas of Kusinārā: "The Blessed One was a warrior, we too are warriors. We too are worthy of a share of the Blessed One's relics. We too for the Blessed One's bodily re—" we will make a stupa and a festival for the relics." The brahmin of Veṭṭhadīpa heard: "The Blessed One has passed away in Kusinārā." Then the brahmin of Veṭṭhadīpa sent a messenger to the Mallas of Kosinārā: "The Blessed One was a khattiya, and I am a brahmin. I too am worthy of a share of the Blessed One's relics. I too will make a stupa and a festival for the Blessed One's relics." The Mallas of Pāvā heard: "The Blessed One has passed away in Kusinārā." Then the Mallas of Pāvā sent a messenger to the Mallas of Kosinārā: "The Blessed One was a khattiya, and we too are khattiyas. We too are worthy of a share of the Blessed One's relics.