English
regarding teachings unheard before, vision arose, knowledge arose, wisdom arose, true knowledge arose, light arose. ‘This is the basis of power endowed with the volitional formation of concentration due to energy,’ monks, to me, regarding teachings unheard before, vision arose, knowledge arose, wisdom arose, true knowledge arose, light arose. ‘And this basis of power endowed with the volitional formation of concentration due to energy is to be developed,’ monks, to me, regarding teachings unheard before, vision arose, knowledge arose, wisdom arose, true knowledge arose, light arose. ‘It has been developed,’ monks, to me, regarding teachings unheard before, vision arose, knowledge arose, wisdom arose, true knowledge arose, light arose. ‘This is the basis of power endowed with the volitional formation of concentration due to mind,’ monks, to me, regarding teachings unheard before, vision arose, knowledge arose, wisdom arose, true knowledge arose, light arose. ‘And this basis of power endowed with the volitional formation of concentration due to mind is to be developed,’ monks, to me, regarding teachings unheard before, vision arose, knowledge arose, wisdom arose, true knowledge arose, light arose. ‘It has been developed,’ monks, to me, regarding teachings unheard before, vision arose, knowledge arose, wisdom arose, true knowledge arose, light arose. ‘This is the basis of power endowed with the volitional formation of concentration due to investigation,’ monks, to me, regarding teachings unheard before, vision arose, knowledge arose, wisdom arose, true knowledge arose, , light arose. ‘This basis of psychic power, endowed with investigation, concentration, and exertion, should be developed,’ thus, bhikkhus… ‘It has been developed,’ thus, bhikkhus, to me, in teachings unheard before, vision arose, knowledge arose, wisdom arose, true knowledge arose, light arose.” The Ninth. 10. The Cetiya Sutta 822. Thus have I heard: On one occasion the Blessed One was staying in Vesālī, in the Great Wood, at the Gabled Hall. Then the Blessed One, having dressed in the morning, and taking his bowl and robe, entered Vesālī for alms. Having wandered for alms in Vesālī, after his meal, having returned from his alms round, he addressed Venerable Ānanda: “Take the sitting mat, Ānanda. We will go to the Cāpāla Cetiya for our day’s abiding.” “Yes, Bhante,” Venerable Ānanda replied to the Blessed One, and taking the sitting mat, followed behind the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One went to the Cāpāla Cetiya; having gone there, he sat down on the prepared seat. Venerable Ānanda also, having paid homage to the Blessed One, sat down to one side. To Venerable Ānanda, sitting to one side, the Blessed One said this: “Delightful, Ānanda, is Vesālī; delightful is the Udena Cetiya; delightful is the Gotamaka Cetiya; delightful is the Sattamba Cetiya; delightful is the Bahuputta Cetiya; delightful is the Sārandada Cetiya; delightful is the Cāpāla Cetiya. Whoever, Ānanda, has developed, made much of, made a vehicle of, made a basis of, established, practiced, and thoroughly mastered the four bases of psychic power, if he wishes, he could remain for an eon, or for the remainder of an eon. The Tathāgata, Ānanda, has developed, made much of, 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 the eon.” Even so, Venerable Ānanda, when the Buddha was giving such a clear sign, when such a clear intimation was being made, he was unable to penetrate it; he did not entreat the Buddha: “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, and the happiness of devas and humans”—because his mind was possessed by Māra. A second time, the Blessed One… (as before) …a third time, the Blessed One addressed Venerable Ānanda: “Delightful, Ānanda, is Vesālī; delightful is Udena Shrine; delightful is Gotamaka Shrine; delightful is Sattamba Shrine; delightful is Bahuputta Shrine; delightful is Sārandada Shrine; delightful is Cāpāla 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, if he wishes, he may 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. If he wishes, Ānanda, the Tathāgata may remain for an eon or for the remainder of an eon.” Even so, Venerable Ānanda, when the Buddha was giving such a clear sign, when such a clear intimation was being made, he was unable to penetrate it; he did not entreat the Buddha: “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, and the happiness of devas and humans”—because his mind was possessed by Māra. Then the Blessed One addressed Venerable Ānanda: “Go now, Ānanda, when you think it is time.” “Yes, Bhante,” Venerable Ānanda replied to the Blessed One, and rising from his seat, he paid homage to the Blessed One, circumambulated him, and sat down at the root of a certain tree not far away. Then Māra Then Māra the Evil One, soon after Venerable Ānanda had departed, approached the Blessed One. Having approached, he said to the Blessed One this: "Now, Bhante, let the Blessed One attain final Nibbāna! Now, let the Fortunate One attain final Nibbāna! Now is the time for the Blessed One's final Nibbāna, Bhante. This word, Bhante, was spoken by the Blessed One: 'I will not attain final Nibbāna, Evil One, until my monks are disciples who are accomplished, disciplined, confident, learned, upholders of the Dhamma, practicing in accordance with the Dhamma, practicing properly, living in accordance with the Dhamma, having mastered their own teacher's doctrine, will teach, expound, declare, establish, clarify, analyze, and make it plain, and having thoroughly refuted any arisen opposing doctrine with the Dhamma, will teach the Dhamma with a wonder-working power.' Now, Bhante, there are monks, disciples of the Blessed One, who are accomplished, disciplined, confident, learned, upholders of the Dhamma, practicing in accordance with the Dhamma, practicing properly, living in accordance with the Dhamma, having mastered their own teacher's doctrine, they teach, expound, declare, establish, clarify, analyze, and make it plain, and having thoroughly refuted any arisen opposing doctrine with the Dhamma, they teach the Dhamma with a wonder-working power. Now, Bhante, let the Blessed One attain final Nibbāna! Now, let the Fortunate One attain final Nibbāna! Now is the time for the Blessed One's final Nibbāna, Bhante. This word, Bhante, was spoken by the Blessed One: 'I will not attain final Nibbāna, Evil One, until my nuns are disciples who are accomplished, disciplined, confident, learned, upholders of the Dhamma, practicing in accordance with the Dhamma, practicing properly, living in accordance with the Dhamma, having mastered their own teacher's doctrine, will teach, expound, declare, establish, clarify, analyze, and make it plain, and having refuted any arisen opposing... having well-refuted opposing views by means of the Dhamma, they will teach the Dhamma with a wonder.'" "Now, indeed, Venerable Sir, there are bhikkhunis, disciples of the Blessed One, accomplished, disciplined, confident, learned, upholders of the Dhamma, practicing in accordance with the Dhamma, practicing properly, living in conformity with the Dhamma. Having learned their own teacher's doctrine, they explain, they teach, they declare, they establish, they reveal, they analyze, they make clear. Any arisen opposing view, having well-refuted by means of the Dhamma, they teach the Dhamma with a wonder. Let the Blessed One now attain final Nibbana, Venerable Sir! Let the Fortunate One now attain final Nibbana! Now is the time for the Blessed One's final Nibbana, Venerable Sir. "This word, indeed, Venerable Sir, was spoken by the Blessed One: 'I will not yet attain final Nibbana, Evil One, until my male lay disciples... ...until my female lay disciples become disciples, accomplished, disciplined, confident, learned, upholders of the Dhamma, practicing in accordance with the Dhamma, practicing properly, living in conformity with the Dhamma. Having learned their own teacher's doctrine, they will explain, they will teach, they will declare, they will establish, they will reveal, they will analyze, they will make clear. Any arisen opposing view, having well-refuted by means of the Dhamma, they will teach the Dhamma with a wonder.' "Now, indeed, Venerable Sir, there are male lay disciples... ...female lay disciples, disciples of the Blessed One, accomplished, disciplined, confident, learned, upholders of the Dhamma, practicing in accordance with the Dhamma, practicing properly, living in conformity with the Dhamma. Having learned their own teacher's doctrine, they explain, they teach, they declare, they establish, they reveal, they analyze, they make clear. Any arisen opposing view, having well-refuted by means of the Dhamma, they teach the Dhamma with a wonder. Let the Blessed One now attain final Nibbana, Venerable Sir! Let the Fortunate One now attain final Nibbana! Now is the time for the Blessed One's final Nibbana, Venerable Sir. "This word, indeed, Venerable Sir, was spoken by the Blessed One: 'I will not yet attain final Nibbana, Evil One, until m this holy life will not be prosperous, nor flourishing, nor widespread, nor populous, nor well-proclaimed among devas and humans. But now, Venerable Sir, the Blessed One’s holy life is prosperous,