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the arising of another Buddha is not prevented. There are three kinds of passing away – the passing away of defilements, the passing away of aggregates, the passing away of elements. There, the ‘passing away of defilements’ took place at the Bodhi-seat, the ‘passing away of aggregates’ at Kusinara, the ‘passing away of elements’ will take place in the future. It is said that when the dispensation is receding, in this Tambapaṇṇi island, the relics will gather and go to the Mahācetiya, from the Mahācetiya to the Rājāyatanacetiya in Nāgadīpa, from there they will go to the Mahābodhipallaṅka. From the Nāga realm, from the deva realm, from the Brahma realm too, the relics will go to the Mahābodhipallaṅka itself. Not even a mustard seed-sized relic will perish in between. All the relics, gathered at the Mahābodhipallaṅka, becoming a single mass like a golden trunk, will emit six-colored rays. They will pervade the ten thousand world-systems. Then the devas of the ten thousand world-systems, gathering together, will lament, ‘‘Today the Teacher passes away, today the dispensation recedes, this is now our last sight,’’ making a lamentation greater than on the day of the passing away of the Ten-Powered One. Except for non-returners and arahants, the rest will not be able to maintain their composure. Fire element will arise in the relics and rise up to the Brahma realm. Even if there is a relic the size of a mustard seed, it will be like a single flame; when the relics have reached their end, it will be extinguished. Having shown such great power, when the relics have disappeared, the dispensation is said to have disappeared. As long as it has not disappeared in this way, it is called the last. That such unprecedented and last things should arise – this is not possible. Why do unprecedented and last things not arise? Because they are not extraordinary. For Buddhas are extraordinary beings, as it was said – ‘‘One person, monks, arises in the world." A rare being arises in the world. Who is that unique individual? The Tathāgata, monks, the Arahant, the perfectly enlightened one. If two, four, eight, or sixteen were to arise together, it would not be so wonderful. Even in one monastery, the gain and honor for two shrines would not be great. Even many monks are not considered wonderful. So it would be with Buddhas; therefore, they do not arise together. Also, because there would be no distinction in teaching. For if one teaches the Dhamma with its distinctions of the mindfulness practices, another arising would have to teach the same. Then it would not be wonderful. But when one teaches the Dhamma, the teaching itself is wonderful. Also, because there would be conflict. If many Buddhas were to arise, like pupils of many teachers, they would argue, "Our Buddha is pleasing, our Buddha has a sweet voice, is prosperous, virtuous." Therefore, they do not arise together. Moreover, this reason was explained in detail by the Venerable Nāgasena when questioned by King Milinda. For it was said there: "Venerable Nāgasena, this was spoken by the Blessed One: 'Monks, this is impossible, there is no chance that in one world-system two Arahants, perfectly enlightened ones, should arise simultaneously, before or after each other – such a thing does not exist.' Venerable Nāgasena, all the Tathāgatas, when teaching, teach the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment, when speaking, declare the four noble truths, when training, train in the three trainings, when instructing, instruct in the practice of diligence. Venerable Nāgasena, if all the Tathāgatas have the same teaching, the same discourse, the same training, the same instruction, for what reason do two Tathāgatas not arise at the same time? Even with the arising of one Buddha, this world is filled with light. If there were a second Buddha, the world would be filled with even greater light from the radiance of two. And two Tathāgatas advising They should advise me, and instructing me, they should instruct me pleasantly. There show me the reason, so that I may be free from doubt." "This, great king, ten-thousandfold world-system is a one-Buddha-sustaining realm, it sustains the virtue of only one Tathāgata. If a second Buddha were to arise, this ten-thousandfold world-system would not sustain it, it would shake, tremble, bend, stoop, incline, scatter, collapse, be destroyed, it would not reach a stable state. "Just as, great king, a boat might be one-person-sustaining, when one person has boarded, that boat would be fully laden. Then a second person would come, similar in age, complexion, stature, size, leanness, stoutness, and all bodily parts. If he were to board that boat, would that boat sustain even two?" "No, venerable sir, it would shake, tremble, bend, stoop, incline, scatter, collapse, be destroyed, it would not reach a stable state, it would sink in the water." "Just so, great king, this ten-thousandfold world-system is a one-Buddha-sustaining realm, it sustains the virtue of only one Tathāgata. If a second Buddha were to arise, this ten-thousandfold world-system would not sustain it, it would shake... it would not reach a stable state. "Or again, great king, a man might eat food to his fill, covering it up, filling it right up to his throat. Then, being satisfied, replete, without interruption, overcome with drowsiness, his staff not bent down, he might again eat that much food. Would that man, great king, be happy?" "No, venerable sir, he would die from that one meal." "Just so, great king, this ten-thousandfold world-system is a one-Buddha-sustaining realm... it would not reach a stable state." "Now then, venerable Nāgasena, does the earth shake because of the excessive burden of Dhamma?" "Here, great king, there might be two carts filled with jewels, right up to the mouth. Taking jewels from one cart, Could it bear, O great king, the jewel of two carts, that single cart? "No, venerable sir, its nave would not turn, its spokes would break, its rim would collapse, its axle would break." "What then, O great king, does the cart break from the excessive weight of jewels?" "Yes, venerable sir." "Just so, O great king, the earth would quake from the excessive weight of Dhamma." "Furthermore, O great king, this reason has been brought forth to illuminate the power of the Buddha. Hear another fitting reason there, why two Fully Enlightened Ones do not arise at the same moment. If, O great king, two Fully Enlightened Ones were to arise at the same moment, dispute would arise in the assembly: 'Yours is the Buddha, ours is the Buddha,' they would become partisans. Just as, O great king, dispute would arise in the assembly of two powerful ministers: 'Yours is the minister, ours is the minister,' they would become partisans; just so, O great king, if two Fully Enlightened Ones were to arise at the same moment, dispute would arise in their assembly: 'Yours is the Buddha, ours is the Buddha,' they would become partisans. This, O great king, is one reason why two Fully Enlightened Ones do not arise at the same moment. "Hear another further reason why two Fully Enlightened Ones do not arise at the same moment. If, O great king, two Fully Enlightened Ones were to arise at the same moment, the saying 'the foremost Buddha' would be false, the saying 'the eldest Buddha,' 'the best Buddha,' 'the distinguished Buddha,' 'the supreme Buddha,' 'the excellent Buddha,' 'the peerless Buddha,' 'the peerless among the peerless Buddha,' 'the incomparable Buddha,' 'the unequalled Buddha,' 'the unmatched Buddha' would be false. This too, O great king, you should truly accept as a reason why two Fully Enlightened Ones do not arise at the same moment. "Furthermore, O great king, the This is the nature, the inherent quality of the Blessed Ones, that only one Buddha arises in the world. Why is that? Because of the greatness of the qualities of the All-Knowing Buddha. Furthermore, O great king, whatever is great in the world is only one. The earth, O great king, is great, and it is only one; the ocean is great, and it is only one; Mount Sineru, the king of mountains, is great, and it is only one; the sky is great, and it is only one; Sakka is great, and he is only one; Mahābrahmā is great, and he is only one; the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One, is great, and he is only one in the world. Where they arise, there is no room for others. Therefore, O great king, the Tathāgata, the Arahant, the Perfectly Enlightened One, arises only one in the world." "Well spoken, Venerable Nāgasena, the question with similes and reasons" (Miln 5.1.1). "In one world-element" means in one universe. "Below" by this same phrase, ten thousand universes are included. Even those should be considered as one universe. For Buddhas, when arising, arise in this very universe; but in the place of arising, it is prevented that they arise in other universes, it is indeed prevented. "Unprecedented, not last" means here, before the appearance of the wheel-treasure, unprecedented, after its disappearance, last. There, the disappearance of the wheel-treasure is twofold - by the death or renunciation of the wheel-turning monarch. And that which is disappearing, disappears on the seventh day from death or renunciation. After that, the appearance of a wheel-turning monarch is not prevented. Why then do two wheel-turning monarchs not arise in one universe? Because of the cessation of disputes, because of the lack of wonder, and because of the great power of the wheel-treasure. For if two were to arise, a dispute would arise, 'Our king is great, our king is great.' And 'A wheel-turning monarch in one continent, a wheel-turning monarch in one continent' would be without wonder. And this wheel-treasure, in the two thousand island surroundings, in the four great continents, So, capable of producing supreme sovereignty, of great power, might decline.