English
not long from now will be the Tathagata's complete passing away. After three months from now, the Tathagata will pass away completely.' Just now, Ananda, today at the Cāpāla Shrine, the Tathagata, mindful and clearly comprehending, has relinquished the life-principle." The Story of Ananda's Plea 178. When this was said, Venerable Ananda spoke to the Blessed One thus: "May the Blessed One remain for an eon, Venerable Sir, May the Well-Gone One remain for an eon, for the welfare of many, for the happiness of many, out of compassion for the world, for the good, for the welfare, for the happiness of gods and humans." "Enough now, Ananda. Do not entreat the Tathagata. It is not the time now, Ananda, for entreating the Tathagata." A second time, Venerable Ananda... a third time, Venerable Ananda spoke to the Blessed One thus: "May the Blessed One remain for an eon, Venerable Sir, May the Well-Gone One remain for an eon, for the welfare of many, for the happiness of many, out of compassion for the world, for the good, for the welfare, for the happiness of gods and humans." "Do you believe, Ananda, in the Tathagata's enlightenment?" "Yes, Venerable Sir." "Then why, Ananda, do you press the Tathagata a third time?" "This I have heard directly from the Blessed One, Venerable Sir, and directly received: 'Whoever, Ananda, has developed, cultivated, made a vehicle of, made a basis of, established, accumulated, and properly undertaken the four bases of psychic power, if he wishes, he might remain for an eon, or for the remainder of an eon. The Tathagata, Ananda, has developed, cultivated, made a vehicle of, made a basis of, established, accumulated, and properly undertaken the four bases of psychic power. If he wishes, Ananda, the Tathagata might remain for an eon, or for the remainder of an eon.'" "Do you believe, Ananda?" "Yes, Venerable Sir." "Therefore, Ananda, this is your fault, this is your transgression... that you were unable to penetrate, when such clear signs were being made by the Tathāgata, when such clear indications were being made, you were unable to penetrate, you did not entreat the Tathāgata: ‘May the Blessed One, venerable sir, remain for an eon, may the Fortunate One remain for an eon, for the welfare of many, for the happiness of many, out of compassion for the world, for the good, for the benefit, for the happiness of gods and humans.’ If you, Ānanda, had entreated the Tathāgata, the Tathāgata would have rejected your words twice, but the third time he would have consented. Therefore, Ānanda, this is your fault, this is your transgression. 179. Once, Ānanda, I was staying in Rājagaha, on Vulture Peak mountain. There too, Ānanda, I addressed you, saying: ‘Delightful, Ānanda, is Rājagaha. Delightful, Ānanda, is Vulture Peak mountain. Whoever, Ānanda, has developed, cultivated, made a vehicle of, made a basis of, established, practiced, and thoroughly mastered the four bases of psychic power, he, if he wishes, could remain for an eon, or for the remainder of an eon. The Tathāgata, Ānanda, has developed, cultivated, made a vehicle of, made a basis of, established, practiced, and thoroughly mastered the four bases of psychic power. He, if he wishes, Ānanda, could remain for an eon, or for the remainder of an eon.’ Even so, Ānanda, when such clear signs were being made by the Tathāgata, when such clear indications were being made, you were unable to penetrate them, you did not entreat the Tathāgata, saying: ‘May the Blessed One, venerable sir, remain for an eon, may the Fortunate One remain for an eon, for the welfare of many, for the happiness of many, out of compassion for the world, for the good, for the benefit, for the happiness of gods and humans.’ If you, Ānanda, had entreated the Tathāgata, the Tathāgata would have rejected your words twice, but the third time he would have consented. Therefore, Ānanda, this is your fault, this is your transgression. 180. Once, Ānanda, I was staying right there in Rājagaha, at Gotama's Banyan Tree… right there in Rājagaha, at the Robbers' Cliff… right there in Rājagaha, on the side of Mount Vebhāra, at Sattapaṇṇi… here I dwell… there in Rājagaha I dwell, on the Black Rock at Isigili… there in Rājagaha I dwell, in the Serpent’s Head Cave in Sītavana… there in Rājagaha I dwell, in Tapodārāma… there in Rājagaha I dwell, in Veḷuvana, the Squirrels’ Feeding Ground… there in Rājagaha I dwell, in Jīvaka’s Mango Grove… there in Rājagaha I dwell, in the Deer Park at Maddakucchi. There too, Ānanda, I addressed you: ‘Delightful, Ānanda, is Rājagaha, delightful is Gijjhakūṭa mountain, delightful is Gotama’s Banyan, delightful is Corapapāta, delightful is the Sattapaṇṇi Cave on the side of Vebhāra, delightful is the Black Rock at Isigili, delightful is the Serpent’s Head Cave in Sītavana, delightful is Tapodārāma, delightful is Veḷuvana, the Squirrels’ Feeding Ground, delightful is Jīvaka’s Mango Grove, delightful is the Deer Park at Maddakucchi. Whoever, Ānanda, has developed, cultivated, made a vehicle of, made a basis of, established, practiced, and thoroughly mastered the four bases of psychic power… if he wishes, Ānanda, the Tathāgata could remain for an eon, or for the remainder of an eon.’ Even so, Ānanda, when the Tathāgata was giving such a clear sign, such a clear indication, you were unable to comprehend it, and you did not entreat the Tathāgata: ‘May the Blessed One remain for an eon, may the Fortunate One remain for an eon, for the welfare of many, for the happiness of many, out of compassion for the world, for the good, the benefit, the happiness of devas and humans.’ If you, Ānanda, had entreated the Tathāgata, the Tathāgata would have refused you twice, but would have consented the third time. Therefore, Ānanda, this is your fault, this is your transgression. 181. “On one occasion, Ānanda, here in Vesālī I dwelt at Udena Shrine. There too, Ānanda, I addressed you: ‘Delightful, Ānanda, is Vesālī, delightful is Udena Shrine. Whoever, Ānanda, has developed, cultivated, made a vehicle of, made a basis of, established, practiced, and thoroughly mastered the four bases of psychic power, he could, if he wishes, wishing, he might remain for an eon, or for the remainder of an eon. Indeed, Ananda, the Tathagata's four bases of spiritual power have been developed, made much of, made a vehicle, made a basis, steadfastly practiced, accumulated, and well-established. He, Ananda, the Tathagata, if he wished, might remain for an eon, or for the remainder of an eon. Even so, Ananda, when the Tathagata was giving such a clear sign, when he was making such a clear indication, you could not penetrate it, nor did you beg the Tathagata: 'May the Blessed One remain for an eon, Lord! May the Fortunate One remain for an eon! For the welfare of many people, for the happiness of many people, out of compassion for the world, for the good, the benefit, the happiness of gods and humans!' If you, Ananda, had begged the Tathagata, the Tathagata would have refused you twice, but the third time he would have consented. Therefore, Ananda, this is your fault, this is your transgression. 182. "Once, Ananda, I was staying right here in Vesālī, at the Gotamaka Shrine... ...I was staying right here in Vesālī, at the Sattamba Shrine... ...I was staying right here in Vesālī, at the Bahuputta Shrine... ...I was staying right here in Vesālī, at the Sārandada Shrine... And just now, Ananda, today, at the Cāpāla Shrine, I addressed you, saying: 'Delightful, Ananda, is Vesālī! Delightful is the Udena Shrine! Delightful is the Gotamaka Shrine! Delightful is the Sattamba Shrine! Delightful is the Bahuputta Shrine! Delightful is the Sārandada Shrine! Delightful is the Cāpāla Shrine! Whoever, Ananda, has developed the four bases of spiritual power, made them much of, made them a vehicle, made them a basis, steadfastly practiced them, accumulated them, and well-established them, he, if he wished, might remain for an eon, or for the remainder of an eon. Indeed, Ananda, the Tathagata's four bases of spiritual power have been developed, made much of, made a vehicle, made a basis, steadfastly practiced, accumulated, and well-established. He, Ananda, the Tathagata, if he wished, might remain for an eon, or for the remainder of an eon.' Even so, Ananda, when the Tathagata was giving such a clear sign, when he was making such a clear indication, he could not penetrate, nor did he implore the Tathāgata: ‘May the Blessed One remain for an eon, may the Sugata remain for an eon, for the welfare of many, for the happiness of many, out of compassion for the world, for the good, the benefit, the happiness of devas and humans.’ If you, Ānanda, had implored the Tathāgata, twice would the Tathāgata have refused your plea, but the third time he would have consented. Therefore, Ānanda, this is your fault, this is your transgression. 183. “Was it not, Ānanda, declared by me in advance: ‘From all things dear and delightful, there is separation, disunion, alteration.’ How then, Ānanda, could it be obtained, that what is born, come into being, conditioned, subject to decay, should not decay? That is not possible. And since, Ānanda, the Tathāgata has renounced, vomited forth, released, abandoned, rejected, cast off the life-continuum, and has spoken with certainty: ‘Not long from now will the Tathāgata attain final Nibbāna. After three months from now, the Tathāgata will attain final Nibbāna.’ That the Tathāgata should retract that for the sake of life, that is not possible. Come, Ānanda, let us go to the Kūṭāgāra Hall in the Great Wood.” “Yes, Bhante,” Ānanda replied to the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One, together with Venerable Ānanda, went to the Kūṭāgāra Hall in the Great Wood; having arrived, he addressed Venerable Ānanda: “Go, Ānanda, and gather all the bhikkhus who are dwelling dependent on Vesālī in the service hall.” “Yes, Bhante,” Venerable Ānanda replied to the Blessed One,