Part 19 - The Buddha gives Hints about His Passing Away

Then the Buddha approached the Capata shrine and sat on the seat spread out for Him. The Venerable Ānanda making obeisance to Him, and seated himself at a suitable place. Then the Buddha said to Ānanda by way of clear hints:

“Ānanda, whosoever has cultivated, practised, used as a vehicle, taken as his basis, kept up, mastered, and fully developed the Four Bases of Psychic Power (iddhipāda) could, if he so wishes, live the maximum life span or even beyond the maximum life span.

“Ānanda, the Tathāgata has cultivated, practised, used as a vehicle, taken as His basis, kept up, mastered, and fully developed the Four Bases of Psychic Power. Therefore, Ānanda, the Tathāgata could, if He so wishes, live the maximum life span.”

Although the Buddha thus gave clear hints, the Venerable Ānanda failed to grasp them. And so it did not occur to him to entreat the Buddha along these lines (in these terms): “May the Bhagavā, for the welfare of mankind, for the benefit, wellbeing and happiness of devas and humans, out of compassion for the world, live the maximum life span! May the One who speaks only what is true and beneficial live the maximum life span!” The Venerable Ānanda’s mind was like that of one possessed by Māra.

In this connection: the Udena shrine (Udena cetiya) was a temple built on the site where the demon Udena was traditionally propitiated. The other shrines (at Vesālī) likewise were traditional places of worship in respect of traditional deities.

Regarding the term ‘kappa’ in this context: “Kappaṃ vā tiṭṭheyya kappāvasesaṃ vā.” is unanimously taken to mean āyu-kappa (life span) of that time by the Commentators and Sub-commentators.

Only the Venerable Mahāsīva took different interpretation. According to him, “The Buddhas never make claims about their powers without some good cause. That being so, the Bhagavā could repeatedly resort to entering into the absorption of phala-samāpatti and go on prolonging His life by ten-month periods up to the end of the present aeon which is marked by five Buddhas. (Yet why the Buddha did not choose to do so? The Buddha probably had thought thus:) Human beings born with the kamma-born corporeality are subject to decay. The Buddhas do not wish to present themselves with their descript bodies which naturally show up after the four-fifth of the life span has passed. That is why it is customary for all Buddhas to pass away when they have attained four fifths of the life span, when their physical appearance is still firm and inspiring for the devotees. There is also another practical consideration: if a Buddha were to survive most of his great disciples and were surrounded by youthful bhikkhus, the people would say: “Oh! what sort of disciples Buddha has!” Thus, the Venerable Mahāsīva maintained the practical considerations that Buddhas take into account in not exercising their power of living till the end of the aeon.

However, the Venerable Mahāsiva’s views were not accepted by the Commentators, who take ‘life span’ as the meaning of āyu-kappa on the authority of the Pakinnaka desanā atthakatha.

(Refer to Commentary on Dīgha Nikāya).

The view of Venerable Mahāsīva was also rejected by the Sub-Commentary on Mahāvagga (Dīgha Nikāya). It says: “Since the Mahāsiva’s view contains a statement that human beings are subject to decay, which implies that decay cannot be postponed by psychic power. In that case, it also implies that death cannot be prevented by psychic power. Therefore, the argument is inherently unsound. Only the view taken by the Commentary should be taken as the sound view, and not that of Mahāsīva.”

In this matter, Mahāsīva would appear to take only one point as primary consideration, and that is, that a Bodhisatta’s resultant-kamma, at his last existence, has the power to prolong life for an infinite period. And that view coupled with the authority of the Pāli (text) that the life maintaining phala-samāpatti of Buddhas can postpone fatal ailment, leads Mahāsīva to claim that if the Buddha so wishes, he might live on throughout the end of the present aeon.

Even though the resultant-kamma of a Bodhisatta at his last existence is supposed to prolong life for an infinite period, that infinite period can be literally true only if the prevailing life span is also an infinite period. But if the prevailing life span is one hundred years, that (so-called) infinite period can last just one hundred years. That indeed is so because the power of kamma has its effect limited by the extent of the prevailing times, physical basis of the person, effort taken, and the plane of existence. That is why the Pakiṇṇaka desanā of the ancient Commentary takes the meaning of āyu-kappa as the prevailing life span. This view has also been maintained by the new Commentators, such as Buddhaghosa, Dhammapāla, etc.

As regards the expression, “possessed by Māra,” the twelve kinds of illusions (vipallasa) should be noted.

(1) Impermanence (anicca) is held as permanence (nicca) through: (i) the illusion of perception, (ii) the illusion of thought, and (iii) through the illusion of views.

(2) Pain (dukkha) is held as pleasure (sukha) through; (i) the illusion of perception, (ii) the illusion of thought, and (iii) the illusion of views.

(3) Non-self (anatta) is held as Self (attā) through (i) the illusion of perception, (ii) the illusion of thought, and (iii) the illusion of views.

(4) Loathsomeness (asubha) is held as lovely (subho) through: (i) the illusion of perception, (ii) the illusion of thought, (iii) the illusion of views.

One who is free from all these illusions cannot fall victim to Mara’s influence mentally. (The Venerable Mahā Moggallāna is an example). A worldling who has not rid of any of these illusions or an ariya who has overcome some of these illusion but still have some remaining in him is liable to be possessed by Māra.

Ānanda still had these four illusions: the illusion of perception and the illusion of thought that made pain appear as pleasure;the illusion of perception and the illusion of thought that made loathsomeness appear as lovely. Hence, his being victimized by Māra.

The way Māra possesses his victim is by frightening him out of his wits, either by creating a dreadful vision or a dreadful sound. When the victim is thus frightened, he loses consciousness, leaving his mouth agape. Māra then would insert his hand through the opened mouth and take hold of the heart exerting pressure on it. The victim lies in a senseless state totally possessed by Māra.

In the case of Ānanda, Māra could not insert his hand through the mouth and oppress the heart. He merely presented some dreadful sense object before Ānanda, under the influence of which Ānanda could not think of the significance of the Buddha’s intimation.

For a second time the Buddha said to Ānanda...(repeat p: below)... For a third time the Buddha said to Ānanda:

(p:)

“Ānanda, pleasant is the city of Vesālī. And pleasant are the shrines of Udena, Gotamaka, Sattamba, Bahuputta, Sarandada, Cāpāta.

“Ānanda, whosoever has cultivated, practised, used as a vehicle taken as his basis, kept up, mastered, and fully developed the Four Bases of Psychic Power (iddhipāda) could, if he so wishes, live the maximum life span or even beyond the maximum life span.

“Ānanda, the Tathāgata has cultivated, practised, used as a vehicle, taken as His basis, kept up mastered, and fully developed the Four Bases of Psychic Power. Therefore, Ānanda, the Tathāgata could, if He so wishes, live the maximum life span.” Thus said the Bhagavā by way of clear hints.

Although the Buddha thus gave clear hints, Ānanda failed to grasp them. And so it did not occur to him to entreat the Buddha along these lines (in these terms): “May the Bhagavā, for the welfare of mankind, for the benefit, well being and happiness of devas and humans, out of compassion for the world, live the maximum life span! May the Well-Spoken One live the maximum life span!” Ānanda’s mind was like that of one possessed by Māra.

(Herein, it might be asked: “Why did the Bhagavā, knowing well that Ānanda was being possessed by Māra, repeated his words of intimation three times?”

The answer is this: the Buddha foresaw that later, when Māra had released Ānanda, who would regained his senses. Ānanda would then entreat Him to live the whole of the life span. In that event, He would have reason to blame Ānanda for his failure to make the request at the proper time and that this blaming would have the effect of attenuating Ānanda’s grief.)

Then the Buddha said to Ānanda: “Go now, Ānanda. Now you know the time to go.” “Very well, Venerable Sir,” assented Ānanda, then arising from his seat, he made obeisance to the Buddha and went to sit at the foot of a tree, not for away from Him.

Māra’s Request:

Soon after the Venerable Ānanda had left the Buddha’s presence, Māra, the Evil one, approached Him and, standing at a certain place, addressed Him thus:

“Venerable Sir, let the Bhagavā realize Parinibbāna now, let the well-spoken one pass away! Venerable Sir, it is time now for the Bhagavā to pass away.

“Venerable Sir, the Bhagavā had said (to me) thus: ‘O Evil One, I shall not pass away so long as my disciples, the bhikkhus, (p1:) are not yet well versed in the Doctrine, not yet well disciplined (in the threefold Training), not yet sure of themselves (in the righteousness of their conduct), not yet possessed of wide knowledge, not yet able to memorize the Teaching, not yet able to practise according to the Teaching leading to the Supramundane, not yet able to take up the proper practice (i.e. the life of purity), not yet settled in their practice; not yet able to expound, to set forth, to show, to establish, to elucidate, to analyse, or to make evident their Teacher’s doctrine that they have learnt; so long as they are not yet able to thoroughly refute on righteous grounds such other doctrines as may arise, and expound the wonderful Teaching.’

“Venerable Sir, now that the Bhagava’s disciples, the bhikkhus, are well versed in the Doctrine, are well disciplined (in the threefold Training), are sure of themselves, are possessed of wide knowledge, are able to memorize the Teaching, are able to practise according to the Teaching leading to the Supramundane, are able to take up the proper practice, are settled in their practice; are able to expound, to set forth, to show, to establish, to elucidate, to analyse, or to make evident their Teacher’s doctrine that they have learnt: are able to thoroughly refute on righteous grounds such other doctrines as may arise, and expound the wonderful Teaching.

“Venerable Sir, let the Bhagavā realize Parinibbāna now, let the Well-spoken One pass away! Venerable Sir, it is time now for the Bhagavā to pass away." (1) “Venerable Sir, the Bhagavā had said (to me) thus: ‘O Evil One, I shall not pass away so long as my female disciples, the bhikkhunīs... (repeat p1 above) ‘...my male lay-disciples... (repeat p2 below)

‘... my female lay-disciples (p2:) are not well versed in the Doctrine, not yet well disciplined (in the threefold Training), not yet sure of themselves (in the righteousness of their conduct), not yet possessed of wide knowledge, not yet able to memorize the Teaching, not yet able to practise according to the Teaching leading to the Supramundane, not yet able to take up the proper practice (i.e. the life of purity), not yet settled in their practice; not yet able to expound, to set forth, to show, to establish, to elucidate, to analyse, or to make evident their Teacher’s doctrine that they have learnt; so long as they are not yet able to thoroughly refute on righteous grounds such other doctrines as may arise, and expound the wonderful Teaching.

“Venerable Sir, now that the Bhagava’s female lay disciples are well versed in the Doctrine, are well disciplined (in the three fold Training), are sure of themselves, are possessed of wide knowledge, are able to memorize the Teaching, are able to practise according to the Teaching leading to the Supramundane, are able to take up the proper practice, are settled in their practice; are able to expound, to set forth, to show, to establish, to elucidate, to analyse, or to make clear their Teacher’s doctrine that they have learnt, are able to thoroughly refute on righteous grounds such other doctrines as may arise, and expound the wonderful Teaching.

“Venerable Sir, let the Bhagavā realize Parinibbāna now, let the Well-spoken One pass away! Venerable Sir, it is time now for the Bhagavā to pass away.

“Venerable Sir, the Bhagavā had said (to me) thus: ‘O Evil One, I shall not pass away so long as this Teaching of mine which is the Practice of Purity is not yet sufficiently established among the disciples, not yet prosperous, widespread, reached the multitudes, and renowned, to the extent that it can be thoroughly made known by wise devas and humans.’

“Venerable Sir, now that the Bhagava’s Teaching which is the Practice of Purity is sufficiently established among the disciples, is now prosperous, widespread, has reached the multitudes, and is renowned to the extent that it can be thoroughly made known by wise devas and humans.

“Venerable Sir, let the Bhagavā realize Parinibbāna now, let the Well-spoken One pass away! Venerable Sir, it is time now for the Bhagavā to pass away.”

(This was the third time Māra requested the Buddha to pass away) The first time was during the eight week of Buddha’s Sojourn in the vicinity of the Bodhi Tree, after He had attained Perfect Self-Enlightenment. At that time he said to the Buddha: “Venerable Sir, as the result of your fulfilling the Perfections with the aim at Buddhahood, you have now become the Buddha. You have attained Perfect Self-Enlightenment. What benefit would be there (what good would turn out) from your wandering from town to town, village to village, preaching your doctrine for the welfare of the world of living beings? Venerable Sir, let the Bhagavā realize Parinibbāna now,...(etc.).”

(For the second time) Māra, having seen that the Buddha had assented to Brahmā Sahampati’s request to preach the Doctrine, approached Him, who was sitting beneath the Ajapāla (Goat-herd's) Banyan Tree where He stayed for the seventh week after Enlightenment. Mara was feeling miserable at the prospect of his domain getting lost to the Buddha whose doctrine would lead the multitudes to Deathlessness. So (in spite of the Buddha’s promise to Brahmā Sahampati), he decided to try to change the mind of the Buddha in an attempt to prevent the Buddha’s propagating the Dhamma by making a second request to pass away, in words similar to the first request.

At that time the Buddha replied to Māra that so long as His male disciples, the bhikkhus, His female disciples, the bhikkhunīs, His male lay disciples, female lay disciples were not well versed in the Doctrine,not yet well disciplined (in the threefold Training), not yet sure of themselves (in the righteousness of their conduct), not yet possessed of wide knowledge, not yet able to memorize the Teaching, not yet able to practise according to the Teaching leading to the Supramundane, not yet able to take up the proper practice (i.e. the life of purity), not yet settled in their practice; not yet able to expound, to set forth, to show, to establish, to elucidate, to analyse, or to make evident their Teacher’s doctrine that they have learnt; so long as theywere unable to thoroughly refute on righteous grounds such other doctrines as might arise, and expound the wonderful Teaching, He would not pass away. Māra in his third request, therefore, referred to those reasons the Buddha gave on that second request.)

On being requested thus, the Buddha said to Māra the Evil One: “Evil One, don't you worry; the Parinibbāna of the Tathāgata will not be long in coming. Three months hence the Tathāgata will realize Parinibbāna.”