Maha-parinibbana Sutta, translated by Sis. Vajira & Francis
Posted: Sun Jul 11, 2021 6:03 am
Maha-parinibbana Sutta: Last Days of the Buddha
translated from the Pali by Sister Vajira & Francis Story
© 1998
NOTICE: THIS WORK MAY BE PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT
Contents:
• Foreword
• Foreword to the Revised Edition
• Introduction
• Part One: In Magadha
o Conditions of a Nation’s Welfare
o Welfare of the Bhikkhus
o Seven Good Qualities
o Seven Factors of Enlightenment
o Seven Perceptions
o Six Conditions to be Remembered
o Counsel to the Bhikkhus
o Sariputta’s Lion’s Roar
o The Fruits of an Immoral and a Moral Life
o Crossing the Ganges
• Part Two: The Journey to Vesali
o The Four Noble Truths
o The Four Specific Attainments
o The Mirror of the Dhamma
o Mindfulness and Clear Comprehension
o Ambapali and the Licchavis
o The Blessed One’s Deadly Sickness
• Part Three: Relinquishing the Will to Live
o The Blessed One’s Prompting
o Mara’s Appeal
o The Blessed One Relinquishes His Will to Live
o Eight Causes of Earthquakes
o Eight Assemblies
o Eight Fields of Mastery
o Eight Liberations
o Mara’s Former Temptation
o Ananda’s Appeal
o The Last Admonition
• Part Four: The Last Meal
o The Elephant’s Look
o The Four Great References
o The Buddha’s Last Meal
o The Clearing of the Waters
o Pukkusa the Malla
o At the Kakuttha River
o Relieving Cunda’s Remorse
• Part Five: At Kusinara
o Last Place of Rest
o The Grief of the Gods
o Ananda’s Concern
o Four Places of Pilgrimage
o Ananda’s Grief
o Praise of Ananda
o The Past Glory of Kusinara
o Lamentation of the Mallas
o The Last Convert
o The Lion’s Roar
• Part Six: The Passing Away
o The Blessed One’s Final Exhortation
o How the Blessed One Passed into Nibbana
o The World’s Echo
o Homage to the Remains
o Partition of the Relics
• Notes
translated from the Pali by Sister Vajira & Francis Story
© 1998
NOTICE: THIS WORK MAY BE PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT
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Contents:
• Foreword
• Foreword to the Revised Edition
• Introduction
• Part One: In Magadha
o Conditions of a Nation’s Welfare
o Welfare of the Bhikkhus
o Seven Good Qualities
o Seven Factors of Enlightenment
o Seven Perceptions
o Six Conditions to be Remembered
o Counsel to the Bhikkhus
o Sariputta’s Lion’s Roar
o The Fruits of an Immoral and a Moral Life
o Crossing the Ganges
• Part Two: The Journey to Vesali
o The Four Noble Truths
o The Four Specific Attainments
o The Mirror of the Dhamma
o Mindfulness and Clear Comprehension
o Ambapali and the Licchavis
o The Blessed One’s Deadly Sickness
• Part Three: Relinquishing the Will to Live
o The Blessed One’s Prompting
o Mara’s Appeal
o The Blessed One Relinquishes His Will to Live
o Eight Causes of Earthquakes
o Eight Assemblies
o Eight Fields of Mastery
o Eight Liberations
o Mara’s Former Temptation
o Ananda’s Appeal
o The Last Admonition
• Part Four: The Last Meal
o The Elephant’s Look
o The Four Great References
o The Buddha’s Last Meal
o The Clearing of the Waters
o Pukkusa the Malla
o At the Kakuttha River
o Relieving Cunda’s Remorse
• Part Five: At Kusinara
o Last Place of Rest
o The Grief of the Gods
o Ananda’s Concern
o Four Places of Pilgrimage
o Ananda’s Grief
o Praise of Ananda
o The Past Glory of Kusinara
o Lamentation of the Mallas
o The Last Convert
o The Lion’s Roar
• Part Six: The Passing Away
o The Blessed One’s Final Exhortation
o How the Blessed One Passed into Nibbana
o The World’s Echo
o Homage to the Remains
o Partition of the Relics
• Notes
19. When the Blessed One had stayed at Nalanda as long as he pleased, he addressed the Venerable Ananda thus:
"Come, Ananda, let us go to Pataligama."
"So be it, Lord."
And the Blessed One took up his abode at Pataligama together with a large community of bhikkhus.
20. Then the devotees of Pataligama came to know: "The Blessed One, they say, has arrived at Pataligama." And they approached the Blessed One, respectfully greeted him, sat down at one side, and addressed him thus: "May the Blessed One, Lord, kindly visit our council hall." And the Blessed One consented by his silence.
21. Knowing the Blessed One's consent, the devotees of Pataligama rose from their seats, respectfully saluted him, and keeping their right sides towards him, departed for the council hall. Then they prepared the council hall by covering the floor all over, arranging seats and water, and setting out an oil lamp. Having done this, they returned to the Blessed One, respectfully greeted him, and standing at one side, announced: "Lord, the council hall is ready, with the floor covered all over, seats and water prepared, and an oil lamp has been set out. Let the Blessed One come, Lord, at his convenience.
22. And the Blessed One got ready, and taking his bowl and robe, went to the council hall together with the company of bhikkhus. After rinsing his feet, the Blessed One entered the council hall and took his seat close to the middle pillar, facing east. The community of bhikkhus, after rinsing their feet, also entered the council hall and took seats near the western wall, facing east, so that the Blessed One was before them. And the devotees of Pataligama, after rinsing their feet and entering the council hall, sat down near the eastern wall, facing west, so that the Blessed One was in front of them.
The Fruits of an Immoral and a Moral Life
23. Thereupon the Blessed One addressed the devotees of Pataligama thus: "The immoral man, householders, by falling away from virtue, encounters five perils: great loss of wealth through heedlessness; an evil reputation; a timid and troubled demeanor in every society, be it that of nobles, brahmans, householders, or ascetics; death in bewilderment; and, at the breaking up of the body after death, rebirth in a realm of misery, in an unhappy state, in the nether world, in hell.
24. "Five blessings, householders, accrue to the righteous man through his practice of virtue: great increase of wealth through his diligence; a favorable reputation; a confident deportment, without timidity, in every society, be it that of nobles, brahmans, householders, or ascetics; a serene death; and, at the breaking up of the body after death, rebirth in a happy state, in a heavenly world."
25. And the Blessed One spent much of the night instructing the devotees of Pataligama in the Dhamma, rousing, edifying, and gladdening them, after which he dismissed them, saying: "The night is far advanced, householders. You may go at your convenience.
"So be it, Lord." And the devotees of Pataligama rose from their seats, respectfully saluted the Blessed One, and keeping their right sides towards him, departed. And the Blessed One, soon after their departure, retired into privacy.
26. At that time Sunidha and Vassakara, the chief ministers of Magadha, were building a fortress at Pataligama in defense against the Vajjis. And deities in large numbers, counted in thousands, had taken possession of sites at Pataligama. In the region where deities of great power prevailed, officials of great power were bent on constructing edifices; and where deities of medium power and lesser power prevailed, officials of medium and lesser power were bent on constructing edifices.
27. And the Blessed One saw with the heavenly eye, pure and transcending the faculty of men, the deities, counted in thousands, where they had taken possession of sites in Pataligama. And rising before the night was spent, towards dawn, the Blessed One addressed the Venerable Ananda thus: "Who is it, Ananda, that is erecting a city at Pataligama?"
"Sunidha and Vassakara, Lord, the chief ministers of Magadha, are building a fortress at Pataligama, in defence against the Vajjis."
28. "It is, Ananda, as if Sunidha and Vassakara had taken counsel with the gods of the Thirty-three. For I beheld, Ananda, with the heavenly eye, pure and transcending the faculty of men, a large number of deities, counted in thousands, that have taken possession of sites at Pataligama. In the region where deities of great power prevail, officials of great power are bent on constructing edifices; and where deities of medium and lesser power prevail, officials of medium and lesser power are bent on constructing edifices. Truly, Ananda, as far as the Aryan race extends and trade routes spread, this will be the foremost city Pataliputta, a trade-center. [16] [Puta-bhedanam. Comy. explains as the breaking open, the unpacking, of boxes (puta) of merchandise for the purpose of distribution. But probably it refers to the bursting open of the seed-box of the patali flower.] But Pataliputta, Ananda, will be assailed by three perils — fire, water, and dissension."
-- Maha-parinibbana Sutta: Last Days of the Buddha, translated from the Pali by Sister Vajira & Francis Story