13 Apr 2006 @ 16:39, by Shreepal Singh
Just before his death, a lay householder, Kanda, requested Buddha to accept an offering of a meal at his house. Buddha accepted the request, went to his house and took meal. It was his last meal. He preached the Truth to the householder and departed from there to Kusinagar. After crossing Tsaku and Hiranyavati rivers he arrived at Sala grove- a quiet and secluded Ashram-
and took his seat.
After resting for a while he went to nearby Hiranyavati, entered the water, took a bath there and came back to the grove.
Then he told his disciple Ananda who was nearby to prepare a clean place between two Sala trees by sweeping and sprinkling water and arrange for a sitting mat for him and while telling so, addressing Ananda, he said' at the coming midnight I shall leave my body.'
On hearing such words from the mouth of his Guru, Ananda's breath was choked and his heart sank. He started weeping but somehow he spread the mat etc. and informed his Guru.
There was weeping all around by the assembled disciples who were in good numbers. Buddha lay down on the mat with his head towards the north, on his right side and resting his head upon his hands like a pillow with his crossed feet - one leg resting on the other; and he slept for some time. After a while, he arose from the sleep and addressed Ananda thus:
'Go! Tell the Mallas, the time of my decease is come;
'They, if they see me not, will ever grieve and suffer deep regret'
Ananda, weeping and listening the bidding of his Guru, went along the road to the Mallas and informed them 'The Lord is near to death'
The Mallas weeping, crying and grieving proceeded and bewailing reached the place where Buddha was. With piteous cries, they reached the grove and weeping, adoring and bowing to his feet prayed Buddha to behold his failing strength. Tathagata Buddha, composed and quiet, spoke thus:
Succession of Births & Deaths:
Its end
Lord Buddha uttered thus:
'Grieve not, the time is one for joy; no call for sorrow or for anguish here. That which for ages I have aimed at, now am I just about to obtain; delivered now from the narrow bounds of sense, I go to the place of never-ending rest and peace .
'I leave these things, earth, water, fire, and air, to rest secure where neither birth nor death can come. Eternally delivered there from grief, oh! Tell me! Why should I be sorrowful?
'Of yore on Shirsh's mount, I longed to rid me of this body, but to fulfill my destiny I have remained till now with men (in the world).
'I have kept (till now) this sickly, crumbling body, as dwelling with a poisonous snake (that is, full of desires); but now I am come to the great resting place, all springs of sorrow now for ever stopped.
'No more shall I receive a body, all future sorrow now for ever done away…
Walk your-self on the Path:
Do not take Words as Path
Lord Buddha further taught:
'Seeking the way, you must exert yourselves and arrive with diligence - it is not enough to have seen me! Walk, as I have commanded you; get rid of all the tangled net of sorrow...
'Keep your heart carefully (keep check on your heart) - give not place to listlessness!
... Man born in this world is pressed by all the sorrows of the long career (that is, pressed by the results of his life-long exertion in pursuit of his desires); (man is) ceaselessly troubled - without a moment's rest - like a lamp blown by the wind!'.
The Mallas, all, hearing Buddha's loving instructions, inwardly composed restrained their tears and, firmly self-possessed, returned back to their villages.
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