old-path-white-clouds-thich-nhat-hanh

Chapter Eighty
Be Diligent!
It was dusk by the time the Buddha and the bhikkhus reached the forest of sal trees. The Buddha asked Ananda to prepare a place
between two sal trees for him to lie down. The Buddha lay on his side, his head facing north. All the bhikkhus sat around him. They knew
that the Buddha would pass into nirvana that same night.
The Buddha looked up at the trees and said, “Ananda, look! It is not yet spring, but the sal trees are covered with red blossoms. Do you
see the petals falling on the Tathagata’s robes and the robes of all the bhikkhus? This forest is truly beautiful. Do you see the western
horizon all aglow from the setting sun? Do you hear the gentle breeze rustling in the sal branches? The Tathagata finds all these things lovely
and touching. Bhikkhus, if you want to please me, if you want to express your respect and gratitude to the Tathagata, there is only one way,
and that is by living the teaching.”
The evening was warm and Venerable Upavana stood over the Buddha to fan him, but the Buddha asked him not to. Perhaps the
Buddha did not want his splendid view of the setting sun obstructed.
The Buddha asked Venerable Anuruddha, “I do not see Ananda, where is he?”
Another bhikkhu spoke up, “I saw brother Ananda standing behind some trees weeping. He was saying to himself, ‘I have not yet
attained my spiritual goal and now my teacher is dying. Who has ever cared more deeply for me than my teacher?’”
The Buddha asked the bhikkhu to summon Ananda. The Buddha tried to comfort Ananda. He said, “Don’t be so sad, Ananda. The
Tathagata has often reminded you that all dharmas are impermanent. With birth, there is death; with arising, there is dissolving; with coming
together, there is separation. How can there be birth without death? How can there be arising without dissolving? How can there be coming
together without separation? Ananda, you have cared for me with all your heart for many years. You have devoted all your efforts to
helping me and I am most grateful to you. Your merit is great, Ananda, but you can go even farther. If you make just a little more effort, you
can overcome birth and death. You can attain freedom and transcend every sorrow. I know you can do that, and that is what would make
me the most happy.”
Turning to the other bhikkhus, the Buddha said, “No one has been as good an attendant as Ananda. Other attendants in the past
sometimes dropped my robe or bowl to the ground, but never Ananda. He has taken care of all my needs from the tiniest detail to the
largest tasks. Ananda always knew when and where a bhikkhu, bhikkhuni, lay disciple, king, official, or practitioner from a different
religious sect, should meet with me. He arranged all meetings most effectively and intelligently. The Tathagata believes that no enlightened
master in the past or future could have an attendant more talented and devoted than Ananda.”
Venerable Ananda wiped his tears and said, “Lord, please don’t pass away here. Kusinara is just a small town of mud dwellings. There
are so many more worthy places like Sampa, Rajagaha, Savatthi, Sakkata, Kosambi, or Varanasi. Please Lord, select such a place to pass
away so that more people will have a chance to see your face one last time.”
The Buddha replied, “Ananda, Kusinara is also important, even if it is no more than a small town of mud dwellings. The Tathagata finds
this forest most agreeable. Ananda, do you see the sal flowers falling about me?”
The Buddha asked Ananda to go into Kusinara and announce to the Mallas that the Buddha would pass into nirvana in the grove of sal
trees at the night’s last watch. When the Malla people heard this news, they hastily made their way to the forest. An ascetic named
Subhadda was among them. While the people took turns bowing to the Buddha, Subhadda asked Venerable Ananda if he could have an
audience with the Buddha. Ananda refused, saying the Buddha was too tired to receive anyone. But the Buddha overheard their
conversation and said, “Ananda, let ascetic Subhadda speak with me. The Tathagata will receive him.”
Ascetic Subhadda knelt before the Buddha. He had long felt drawn to the Buddha’s teaching but had never met him before. He bowed
and said, “Lord, I have heard about spiritual leaders such as Purana Kassapa, Makhali Gosala, Ajita Kesakambalin, Pakudha Kaccayana,
Sanjaya Belatthiputta, and Nigantha Nathaputta. I would like to ask if, according to you, any of them attained true enlightenment.”
The Buddha answered, “Subhadda, whether or not they attained enlightenment is not a necessary thing to discuss now. Subhadda, the
Tathagata will show you the path by which you yourself can attain enlightenment.”
The Buddha spoke to Subhadda about the Noble Eightfold Path. He concluded by saying, “Subhadda, wherever the Noble Eightfold
Path is truly practiced, you will find people who have attained enlightenment. Subhadda, if you follow this path, you, too, can attain
enlightenment.”
Ascetic Subhadda felt his heart suddenly opened. He was filled with great happiness. He asked the Buddha to accept him as a bhikkhu.