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even a disciple who has gone forth and practices rightly will attain such a special divine eye knowledge. Question: How then, friend, did the Blessed One at the conclusion teach a still higher fruit of recluseship? Answer: With his mind thus composed, purified, cleansed, without blemish, rid of defilements, pliable, workable, steadfast, and attained to imperturbability, he directs and inclines his mind to the knowledge of the destruction of the taints. ... This, great king, is a fruit of recluseship visible here and now, more excellent and more sublime than the previous fruits of recluseship visible here and now. And beyond this, great king, there is no other fruit of recluseship visible here and now that is higher or more sublime. Thus, venerable sir, the Blessed One taught King Ajātasattu, son of Vedehī, this concluding fruit of recluseship visible here and now, more excellent and more sublime than the previous fruits of recluseship visible here and now. Excellent, excellent, friend! Indeed, excellent, friend! That a monk, having gone forth in faith in the Buddha's teaching, practicing rightly in such a well-proclaimed Dhamma and Discipline, attains the knowledge of the destruction of the taints, and makes an end of suffering. Question: How then, friend, did King Ajātasattu, son of Vedehī, at the conclusion of this discourse, show his faith in the Blessed One and in the teaching? And what kind of benefit... obtained a share. Answer – Thus spoken, Venerable Sir, Ajātasattu, son of Videhī, the Magadhan king, said this to the Blessed One: "Excellent, Venerable Sir! Excellent, Venerable Sir! Just as, Venerable Sir, one might set upright what was overturned, or reveal what was hidden... From this day forth, I go for refuge for life." Indeed, Venerable Sir, this king, from the time he killed his father, obtained no sleep, neither by night nor by day. But having approached the Teacher, and having heard this sweet and potent discourse on Dhamma, from that time onwards he obtained sleep. He paid great homage to the Three Jewels. No one endowed with the faith of an ordinary person was like this king. In the future, he will become a Paccekabuddha named Vijitāvī and attain final Nibbāna. Thus, Venerable Sir, King Ajātasattu, son of Videhī, the Magadhan king, at the conclusion of the discourse, being pleased, showed his pleasure. And such a great benefit, Venerable Sir, did he obtain. Ambaṭṭha Sutta Question – Friend, where and concerning whom was the Ambaṭṭha Sutta spoken by the Blessed One, the Knower, the Arahant, the Seer, the Perfectly Self-Awakened One? Answer – Venerable Sir, in the Kosala country, in the Kosalan brahmin village named Icchānaṅgala, it was spoken concerning the young brahmin named Ambaṭṭha, a disciple of the brahmin Pokkharasāti. Soṇadaṇḍa Sutta Question – And, friend, where and concerning whom was the Soṇadaṇḍa Sutta spoken by the Blessed One? Answer – Venerable Sir, in the Aṅga country, in Campā, it was spoken concerning the brahmin Soṇadaṇḍa. Kūṭadanta Sutta Question – And, friend, where and concerning whom was the Kūṭadanta Sutta spoken by the Blessed One? Answer – Venerable Sir, in the Magadha country, in the brahmin village named Khāṇumata, it was spoken concerning the brahmin Kūṭadanta. Mahāli Sutta Question – And, friend, where and concerning whom was the Mahāli Sutta spoken by the Blessed One? Answer – Venerable Sir, in Vesālī, it was spoken concerning the Licchavi named Oṭṭhaddha. Jāliya Sutta Question – J Now, friends, where was the Alīya Sutta spoken by the Blessed One, and concerning whom? Answer: In Kosambī, venerable sir, it was spoken concerning two renunciants. The Great Lion's Roar Sutta Question: Now, friends, where was the Great Lion's Roar Sutta spoken by the Blessed One, and concerning whom? Answer: In Uruññā, venerable sir, at Kaṇṇakathala, it was spoken concerning the naked ascetic Kassapa. The Poṭṭhapāda Sutta Question: Now, friends, where was the Poṭṭhapāda Sutta spoken by the Blessed One, and concerning whom? Answer: In Sāvatthī, venerable sir, it was spoken concerning the wanderer Poṭṭhapāda and Citta Hatthisāriputta. The Subha Sutta Question: Now, friends, where was the Subha Sutta spoken, concerning whom, and by whom? Answer: In Sāvatthī, venerable sir, it was spoken by the Venerable Ānanda, the treasurer of the Dhamma, concerning the young man Subha, son of Todeyya. The Kevaṭṭa Sutta Question: Now, friends, where was the Kevaṭṭa Sutta spoken by the Blessed One, and concerning whom? Answer: In Nāḷandā, venerable sir, it was spoken concerning Kevaṭṭa, the householder's son. The Lohicca Sutta Question: Now, friends, where was the Lohicca Sutta spoken by the Blessed One, and concerning whom? Answer: In the Kosala country, venerable sir, in Sālavatikā, it was spoken concerning the brahmin Lohicca. The Tevijja Sutta Question: Now, friends, where was the Tevijja Sutta spoken by the Blessed One, and concerning whom? Answer: In Kosala, venerable sir, in the brahmin village of the Kosalans named Manasākaṭa, it was spoken concerning the young men Vāseṭṭha and Bhāradvāja. The Great Discourse on the Lineage Question: Now, friends, that Mahāpadāna Sutta, which was first compiled by the ancient reciters in the Great Section of the Dīgha Nikāya, by the Blessed One, the knowing, seeing Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One— where was it spoken by the Blessed One, concerning whom, and on what occasion? Answer: In Sāvatthī, venerable sir, it was spoken concerning many monks. Venerable sir, it was spoken when many monks, after their meal, had returned from their alms round... In the circular hall, for those seated, assembled, a discourse on past lives arose, "this is past life, this is past life." On that occasion, venerable sir, it was spoken. Mahānidāna Sutta Question: Now, friends, the Mahānidāna Sutta, by the Blessed One, where, concerning whom, on what occasion was it spoken? Answer: In the Kuru country, venerable sir, at a Kuru town called Kammāsadhamma, it was spoken concerning the Venerable Ānanda. The Venerable Ānanda, venerable sir, approached the Blessed One and said this: "Wonderful, venerable sir! Amazing, venerable sir! How profound, venerable sir, is this dependent origination! And profound in appearance, yet to me it seems quite shallow." On that occasion, venerable sir, it was spoken. Mahāparinibbāna Sutta Question: Now, friends, the Mahāparinibbāna Sutta has many connections, contains many teachings, and is a collection of words illuminating the events that occurred in the year nearing the Blessed Buddha's Parinibbāna. Therefore, I shall divide it by its internal sections, and ask about each part separately. There, friends, by the Blessed One, first the teaching on the conditions for the non-decline of kings, where, concerning whom, on what occasion was it spoken? Answer: In Rājagaha, venerable sir, it was spoken concerning Vassakāra the brahmin, the chief minister of Magadha. Vassakāra the brahmin, venerable sir, the chief minister of Magadha, approached the Blessed One and said this: "Reverend Gotama, King Ajātasattu, son of Videhī, the Magadhan king, desires to attack the Vajjians. He has said this: 'I shall uproot these Vajjians, so mighty, so powerful! I shall destroy the Vajjians! I shall bring the Vajjians to ruin and disaster!'" On that occasion, venerable sir, it was spoken. Question: Now, friends, the teaching on the conditions for the non-decline of bhikkhus, by the Blessed One, where, on what occasion was it spoken? Answer: In that same Rājagaha, venerable sir, on that same occasion it was spoken. Jarā Sutta Question: Friends, the mirror of Dhamma, the Dhamma... Where was the discourse on the Noble Ones spoken by the Blessed One, concerning whom, and on what occasion? Answer – In Nātika, venerable sir, at the Brick Hall, it was spoken concerning Venerable Ānanda. Venerable Ānanda, venerable sir, approached the Blessed One and asked about the destination and future state of twelve individuals from Nātika. It was spoken, venerable sir, on that occasion. The Teaching of Self as an Island Question – And where, friends, was the teaching of self as an island spoken by the Blessed One, concerning whom, and on what occasion? Answer – In Vesālī, venerable sir, at Veḷuvagāmaka, it was spoken concerning Venerable Ānanda. Venerable Ānanda, venerable sir, reported to the Blessed One, who had just recovered from an illness, his own weariness due to the Blessed One's illness. It was spoken, venerable sir, on that occasion. "Therefore, Ānanda, dwell with yourselves as an island, yourselves as a refuge, with no other refuge." Question – Where, friends, did the Blessed One, having taught the discourse on self as an island and other discourses in the manner of questions and answers on the first and second days, and having completed all the Buddha's tasks, relinquish his life-span? Answer – In Vesālī, venerable sir, at the Cāpāla Shrine, when requested by Māra the Evil One, the Blessed One, mindfully and with full awareness, relinquished his life-span. "Let the Blessed One now attain final Nibbāna, venerable sir. Let the Fortunate One attain final Nibbāna. The time for the Blessed One's final Nibbāna has now come, venerable sir." "Be at ease, Evil One. Not long from now will the Tathāgata attain final Nibbāna. After three months from now, the Tathāgata will attain final Nibbāna." The Four Great References Question – And where, friends, was the discourse on the Four Great References spoken by the Blessed One? Answer – In Bhoganagara, venerable sir, at the Ānanda Shrine, it was spoken. My age is ripe, my life is short. I will depart, leaving you behind. I have made myself my refuge. Urgency Question – And where, friends, was the discourse on the four things that inspire urgency spoken by the Blessed One, concerning whom, and on what occasion? Answer – in Kusinārā, venerable sir,