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great as Sariputta, Moggallana, Punna, Anuruddha, Yasodhara, and Anathapindika. Ananda, do not grieve over brother Sariputta’s death.”
That noon along the banks of the Ganga, near Ukkhacela hamlet, the Buddha serenely announced Venerable Sariputta’s death. He
urged the bhikkhus to devote all their efforts to become more like Sariputta, who took the Great Vow to help all other beings. He said,
“Bhikkhus, you should take refuge in yourself and be an island unto yourself. Do not rely on anything else, and you will not be drowned by
the waves of sorrow and despair. You should take refuge in the Dharma and take the Dharma as the island.”
One morning, the Buddha and Ananda entered Vesali to beg. They took their food and ate it in a nearby forest. After that, the Buddha
said, “Ananda, we should return to Capala temple to rest this afternoon.”
Along the way to Capala temple, the Buddha stopped several times to admire the landscape. He said, “Ananda, Vesali is so beautiful.
Udena temple is so lovely. All the temples such as Gotamaka, Sattanbaka, and Bahuputta are beautiful. The temple in Capala where we
will soon rest is also a very pleasant place.”
After making a place for the Buddha to rest, Venerable Ananda went outside to practice walking meditation. While he was walking, the
earth suddenly quaked beneath his feet. He felt both his mind and body shaken. He quickly returned to the temple and found the Buddha
sitting there peacefully. Ananda told him of the tremor he had just felt.
The Buddha said, “Ananda, the Tathagata has made his decision. In three months, I will pass away.”
Venerable Ananda felt his arms and legs go numb. His eyes blurred and his head spun. He knelt before the Buddha and begged him,
“Please, Lord, do not die so soon. Please have pity on all your disciples.”
The Buddha did not answer. Ananda repeated his words three times. The Buddha then said, “Ananda, if you have faith in the Tathagata,
you will know that my decisions are timely. I have said I will pass away in three months. Ananda, invite all the bhikkhus in this region to
gather at Kutagara Dharma hall in Great Forest.”
Seven days later, one thousand five hundred bhikkhus and bhikkhunis gathered in Kutagara Dharma hall. The Buddha sat on the Dharma
platform. He looked out over the community and said, “Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis! All that the Tathagata has transmitted to you, you must
carefully and skillfully study, observe, practice, and verify for yourselves in order to transmit it to future generations. Living and practicing
the Way should continue to assure the peace, joy, and happiness of all beings.
“Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis, the essence of the Tathagata’s teaching can be found in the Four Establishments of Mindfulness, the Four
Right Efforts, the Four Bases of Spiritual Strength, the Five Faculties, the Five Powers, the Seven Factors of Awakening, and the Noble
Eightfold Path. Study, practice, realize, and transmit these teachings.
“Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis, all dharmas are impermanent. They are born and die, they arise and dissolve. Make great efforts to attain
liberation. In three months, the Tathagata will pass away.”
One thousand five hundred monks and nuns silently listened to the Buddha and absorbed his direct teaching. They understood this would
be their last chance to see and hear the Buddha give a Dharma talk. Knowing that the Buddha would pass away soon, everyone felt
anguish.
The next morning, the Buddha went into Vesali to beg, and then he ate in the forest. Afterwards, he and several bhikkhus departed from
Vesali. Looking back at the city with the eyes of an elephant queen, the Buddha said to Venerable Ananda, “Ananda, Vesali is so beautiful.
This is the last time the Tathagata will look upon it.” The Buddha then turned around. Looking straight ahead, he said, “Let us head towards
Bhandagama.”
That afternoon, the Buddha offered Dharma teaching to three hundred bhikkhus in Bhandagama about Precepts, Concentration,
Understanding, and Liberation. After several days of rest there, the Buddha proceeded on to Matthigama, Ambagama, and Jambugama.
He instructed the bhikkhus in all these places. They next traveled to Bhoganagara where the Buddha rested in Ananda temple. Many
bhikkhus in the region came to receive his teaching. He told the bhikkhus how necessary it was to verify the teaching for themselves.
“Whenever someone speaks about the teaching, even if he claims that it comes directly from recognized authorities, do not be hasty to
accept his words as the Tathagata’s authentic teaching. Compare what he says to the sutras and precepts. If it contradicts the sutras and
precepts, discard what he says. But if his words are in accord with the sutras and precepts, accept and practice what he says.”
The Buddha went on to Pava, where he rested in the mango grove that belonged to a lay disciple named Cunda, a blacksmith’s son.
Cunda invited the Buddha and the nearly three hundred bhikkhus traveling with him to take a meal in his home. Cunda’s wife and friends
served all the bhikkhus, while Cunda personally served the Buddha a special dish he had prepared. It was a dish of mushrooms picked
from a sandalwood tree and was called sukara maddava.
When he had finished eating, the Buddha told Cunda, “Dear Cunda, please bury whatever remains of the mushrooms and do not allow
anyone else to eat them.”
When everyone was finished eating, the Buddha gave a Dharma talk. Then he and the bhikkhus rested in the mango grove. That night,
the Buddha was seized with violent stomach cramps. He was unable to sleep all night. In the morning, he took to the road with the