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these are his bowl and robes.' Moreover, venerable sir, my body feels as if it has been drugged, the directions are not clear to me, and the teachings do not occur to me having heard that the Venerable Sariputta has attained final Nibbana." "Now, Ananda, has Sariputta attained final Nibbana taking with him the aggregate of virtue, or attained final Nibbana taking with him the aggregate of concentration, or attained final Nibbana taking with him the aggregate of wisdom, or attained final Nibbana taking with him the aggregate of liberation, liberation-" ...or attained final Nibbāna by taking hold of the aggregate of knowledge and vision of liberation?" "Indeed, venerable sir, the venerable Sāriputta did not attain final Nibbāna by taking hold of the aggregate of virtue, nor of the aggregate of concentration, ...nor of the aggregate of wisdom, ...nor of the aggregate of liberation, ...nor of the aggregate of knowledge and vision of liberation. But for me, venerable sir, the venerable Sāriputta was an instructor, one who guided, one who explained, one who showed, one who encouraged, one who inspired, one who gladdened, untiring in teaching the Dhamma, a helper to his fellow practitioners. We remember that essence of Dhamma, that wealth of Dhamma, that help of Dhamma from the venerable Sāriputta." "Ananda, have I not already told you that with all things dear and pleasing there is separation, disunion, and alteration? How can it be, Ananda, that what is born, come into being, conditioned, and subject to decay, should not decay? That is not possible. Just as, Ananda, from a great tree, standing firm and strong, a large branch might break off; even so, Ananda, from the great community of bhikkhus, standing firm and strong, Sāriputta has attained final Nibbāna. How can it be, Ananda, that what is born, come into being, conditioned, and subject to decay, should not decay? That is not possible. Therefore, Ananda, dwell with yourselves as an island, with yourselves as a refuge, with no other refuge; with the Dhamma as an island, with the Dhamma as a refuge, with no other refuge. "And how, Ananda, does a bhikkhu dwell with himself as an island, with himself as a refuge, with no other refuge; with the Dhamma as an island, with the Dhamma as a refuge, with no other refuge? Here, Ananda, a bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, and mindful, having removed covetousness and distress concerning the world. He dwells contemplating feelings in feelings... ...mind in mind... ...mental phenomena in mental phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, and mindful, having removed covetousness and distress concerning the world. It is in this way, Ananda, that a bhikkhu dwells with himself as an island, with himself as a refuge, with no other refuge; with the Dhamma as an island, with the Dhamma as a refuge, with no other refuge. Whoever, Ananda, now or after I am gone, shall dwell... or after my passing, those who live with themselves as an island, themselves as a refuge, no other refuge; the Dhamma as an island, the Dhamma as a refuge, no other refuge; these, Ananda, among my bhikkhus, will be supreme, whoever are desirous of training. The Third. 4. Ukkacela Sutta 380. At one time the Blessed One was dwelling among the Vajjians, at Ukkacela, on the bank of the river Ganga, with a great Sangha of bhikkhus, soon after Sāriputta and Moggallāna had attained final Nibbāna. Now at that time the Blessed One, surrounded by the Sangha of bhikkhus, was seated in the open air. Then the Blessed One, having surveyed the silent Sangha of bhikkhus, addressed the bhikkhus: “This assembly of mine, bhikkhus, seems empty to me, now that Sāriputta and Moggallāna have attained final Nibbāna. My assembly, bhikkhus, is not empty, it is not without expectation in that direction, in which direction Sāriputta and Moggallāna dwell. For those, bhikkhus, who were Arahants, Perfectly Self-Awakened Ones, in the past, even for those Blessed Ones, this was the supreme pair of disciples – just as Sāriputta and Moggallāna are for me. And those, bhikkhus, who will be Arahants, Perfectly Self-Awakened Ones, in the future, even for those Blessed Ones, this will be the supreme pair of disciples – just as Sāriputta and Moggallāna are for me. Wonderful, bhikkhus, are the disciples! Amazing, bhikkhus, are the disciples! They will be obedient to the Teacher’s instruction, responsive to advice, and will be dear, pleasing, and respected by the four assemblies! Wonderful, bhikkhus, is the Tathāgata! Amazing, bhikkhus, is the Tathāgata! Even when such a pair of disciples has attained final Nibbāna, there is no sorrow or lamentation for the Tathāgata! How could it be, bhikkhus? That which is born, come to be, compounded, subject to decay, that it should not decay – that is not possible. Just as, bhikkhus, from a great tree standing, full of heartwood, Those aggregates, the mightiest, would surely perish. Even so, monks, while the great Sangha of monks was standing, mindful, Sāriputta and Moggallāna have attained final Nibbāna. How could it be, monks, that this could be obtained? That which is born, become, conditioned, subject to disintegration, that it should not disintegrate – this is not possible. Therefore, monks, dwell with yourselves as an island, yourselves as a refuge, no other refuge. With the Dhamma as an island, the Dhamma as a refuge, no other refuge. And how, monks, does a monk dwell with himself as an island, himself as a refuge, no other refuge, with the Dhamma as an island, the Dhamma as a refuge, no other refuge? Here, monks, a monk dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure concerning the world. In feelings... in mind... in phenomena, contemplating phenomena in phenomena, he dwells ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure concerning the world. Thus, monks, does a monk dwell with himself as an island, himself as a refuge, no other refuge, with the Dhamma as an island, the Dhamma as a refuge, no other refuge. For any, monks, who now or after my passing shall dwell with themselves as an island, themselves as a refuge, no other refuge, with the Dhamma as an island, the Dhamma as a refuge, no other refuge – these, monks, shall be the foremost monks, whoever are desirous of training. The Fourth. 5. The Discourse to Bāhiya 381. Occasion at Sāvatthī. Then indeed, the Venerable Bāhiya approached the Blessed One; having approached, having paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. Sitting to one side, the Venerable Bāhiya said to the Blessed One: "It would be good for me, venerable sir, if the Blessed One would teach me the Dhamma in brief, so that having heard the Dhamma from the Blessed One, I might dwell alone, secluded, diligent, ardent, resolute." "Therefore, Bāhiya, first purify the beginning of wholesome states." "And what is the beginning of wholesome states?" "Well-purified virtue, and straight view." "For when, Bāhiya, your virtue shall be well-purified, and your view straight, then you, Bāhiya," relying on virtue, established in virtue, you should develop the four foundations of mindfulness.” “Which four? Here, Bāhiya, you should dwell contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, removing covetousness and displeasure concerning the world; contemplating feelings… contemplating mind… contemplating mental qualities in mental qualities, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, removing covetousness and displeasure concerning the world. When, Bāhiya, relying on virtue, established in virtue, you thus develop these four foundations of mindfulness, then, Bāhiya, whatever night or day comes, growth alone is to be expected in wholesome qualities, not decline.” Then, the Venerable Bāhiya, having delighted in and approved the Blessed One’s words, rose from his seat, paid homage to the Blessed One, circumambulated him, and departed. Then, the Venerable Bāhiya, dwelling alone, secluded, diligent, ardent, resolute, before long, by his own direct knowledge, realized and entered upon and dwelled in that unsurpassed goal of the holy life, for the sake of which clansmen rightly go forth from home to homelessness. He understood: “Destroyed is birth, the holy life has been lived, what was to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being.” And the Venerable Bāhiya became one of the Arahants. The Fifth. 6. The Uttiya Sutta 382. Thus have I heard. At Sāvatthī. Then the Venerable Uttiya approached the Blessed One… Seated to one side, the Venerable Uttiya said to the Blessed One: “It would be good, venerable sir, if the Blessed One would teach me the Dhamma in brief, so that, having heard the Dhamma from the Blessed One, I might dwell alone, secluded, diligent, ardent, resolute.” “Therefore, Uttiya, first purify the beginning in wholesome qualities. And what is the beginning of wholesome qualities? Well-purified virtue and a straight view. When, Uttiya, your virtue is well-purified and your view is straight, then, Uttiya, relying on virtue, established in virtue, the four foundations of mind— you should develop the foundations of mindfulness.” “Which four? Here, Uttiya, you should dwell contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure concerning the world; contemplating feelings… contemplating mind… contemplating phenomena in phenomena, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure concerning the world. When, Uttiya, having relied on virtue, established in virtue, you thus develop these four foundations of mindfulness, then, Uttiya, you will go beyond the realm of Death.”