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Mahàparinibbànasuttaü
The Discourse about the Great Emancipation
[Chaññhabhàõavàraü]
[The Sixth Chapter for Recitation]
[43: Mahàkassapakathà]
[The Story concerning Mahàkassapa] 01
Tena kho pana samayena àyasmà Mahàkassapo
Now at that time venerable Mahàkassapa
Pàvàya Kusinàraü addhànamaggapañipanno hoti,
was travelling along the highway from Pàvà to Kusinàrà,
mahatà bhikkhusaïghena saddhiü paÿcamattehi bhikkhusatahi.
together with a great Community of monks, around five-hundred monks.
Atha kho àyasmà Mahàkassapo maggà okkamma aÿÿatarasmiü rukkhamåle nisãdi.
Then venerable Mahàkassapa, after descending from the path, sat down at the root of a certain tree.
Tena kho pana samayena aÿÿataro âjãvako
Now at that time a certain âjãvaka 02
Kusinàràya Mandàravapupphaü gahetvà, Pàvaü addhànamaggapañipanno hoti.
while holding a Mandàrava flower 03 from Kusinàrà was travelling along the highway to Pàvà.
Addasà kho àyasmà Mahàkassapo taü âjãvakaü dårato va àgacchantaü,
Venerable Mahàkassapa saw that âjãvaka approaching from afar,
disvà taü âjãvakaü etad-avoca:
and after seeing (him), he said this to that âjãvaka:
ßApàvuso amhàkaü Satthàraü jànàsã?û ti
ßDo you know our Teacher, friend?û
ßâma àvuso jànàmi. Ajja sattàhaparinibbuto samaõo Gotamo,
ßCertainly, friend, I know. Today is seven days since the Final Emancipation of the ascetic Gotama,
tato me idaü Mandàravapupphaü gahitan.û-ti
therefore I am holding this Mandàrava flower.û
Tattha ye te bhikkhå avãtaràgà
Then those monks there who were not free from passion,
appekacce bàhà paggayha kandanti,
some, throwing up their arms, were weeping,
chinnapàtaü papatanti àvaññanti vivaññanti:
falling down (as though) cut down, rolling backwards and forwards as though with their feet cut off, they were crying:
`Atikhippaü Bhagavà parinibbuto,
`Too quickly the Gracious One has attained Final Emancipation,
atikhippaü Sugato parinibbuto,
too quickly the Fortunate One has attained Final Emancipation,
atikhippaü Cakkhumà loke antarahito!' ti
too quickly the Visionary in the world has disappeared!'
Ye pana te bhikkhå vãtaràgà te satà sampajànà adhivàsenti:
But those monks who were free from passion, mindfully, with full awareness, endured, (thinking):
ßAniccà saïkhàrà taü kutettha labbhà?û ti
ßImpermanent are (all) processes, how can it be otherwise?û
* * *
Tena kho pana samayena Subhaddo nàma vuóóhapabbajito
Now at that time one who had gone forth in old age, named Subhadda
tassaü parisàyaü nisinno hoti.
was sitting in that group. 04
Atha kho Subhaddo vuóóhapabbajito te bhikkhå etad-avoca:
Then Subhadda, who had gone forth in old age, said this to those monks:
ßAlaü àvuso mà socittha mà paridevittha,
ßEnough, friends, do not grieve, do not lament,
sumuttà mayaü tena Mahàsamaõena upaddutà ca homa:
we are now freed from that troublesome Great Ascetic, (saying):
`Idaü vo kappati, idaü vo na kappatã.' ti
`This is allowable for you, this is not allowable for you.'
Idàni pana mayaü yaü icchissàma taü karissàma,
But now we will do whatever we wish,
yaü na icchissàma taü na karissàmà.û ti
and we will not do whatever we do not wish.û 05
Atha kho àyasmà Mahàkassapo bhikkhå àmantesi:
Then venerable Mahàkassapa addressed the monks, (saying): 06
ßAlaü, àvuso, mà socittha, mà paridevittha,
ßEnough, friends, do not grieve, do not lament,
na nu etaü àvuso Bhagavatà pañikacceva akkhàtaü:
were you not warned by the Gracious One, friends, when he declared this:
`Sabbeheva piyehi manàpehi nànàbhàvo vinàbhàvo aÿÿathàbhàvo.'
`There is alteration in, separation from, and changeability in all that is dear and appealing.'
Taü kutettha àvuso labbhà yaü taü,
How can it be otherwise, friends, for that which is obtained,
jàtaü bhåtaü saïkhataü palokadhammaü?
born, become, in process, subject to dissolution?
`Taü vata mà palujjã' ti netaü ñhànaü vijjatã.û ti
It is not possible (to say) this: `It should not dissolve'.
Tena kho pana samayena cattàro Mallapàmokkhà,
Now at that time four leaders of the Mallas,
sãsaü nahàtà ahatàni vatthàni nivatthà:
having washed their heads and put on clean clothes, (said):
ßMayaü Bhagavato citakaü àëimpessàmà,û ti na sakkonti àëimpetuü.
ßLet us burn the Gracious One's funeral pyre,û but they were not able to burn (it).
Atha kho Kosinàrakà Mallà àyasmantaü Anuruddhaü etad-avocuü:
Then the Mallas of Kusinàrà said this to venerable Anuruddha:
ßKo nu kho Bhante Anuruddha hetu ko paccayo,
ßWhat is the reason, venerable Anuruddha, what is the cause,
yenime cattàro Mallapàmokkhà,
why four leaders of the Mallas,
sãsaü nahàtà ahatàni vatthàni nivatthà,
having washed their heads and put on clean clothes, (and saying):
`Mayaü Bhagavato citakaü àëimpessàmà,' ti na sakkonti àëimpetun?û-ti
`Let us burn the Gracious One's funeral pyre,' are not able to burn (it)?û
ßAÿÿathà kho Vàseññhà Devatànaü adhippàyo.û ti
ßThe Divinities 07 have another intention, Vàseññhas.û
ßKathaü pana Bhante Devatànaü adhippàyo.û ti
ßBut what is the Divinities' intention, reverend Sir?û
ßDevatànaü kho Vàseññhà adhippàyo:
ßThe Divinities' intention, Vàseññhas, (is):
`Ayaü àyasmà Mahàkassapo Pàvàya Kusinàraü addhànamaggapañipanno
`The venerable Mahàkassapa is travelling along the highway from Pàvà to Kusinàrà
mahatà bhikkhusaïghena saddhiü paÿcamattehi bhikkhusatehi,
together with a great Community of monks, around five-hundred monks,
na tàva Bhagavato citako pajjalissati
the Gracious One's funeral pyre will not burn
yàvàyasmà Mahàkassapo Bhagavato pàde sirasà na vandissatã.'û ti
while venerable Mahàkassapa has not worshipped the Gracious One's feet with his head.'û
ßYathà Bhante Devatànaü adhippàyo tathà hotå.û ti
ßLet us do according to the Divinities' intention, reverend Sir.û
Atha kho àyasmà Mahàkassapo
Then venerable Mahàkassapa
yena Kusinàrà Makuñabandhanaü nàma Mallànaü Cetiyaü,
approached Kusinàrà, and the Mallas' Shrine called the Bonded Coronet,
yena Bhagavato citako tenupasaïkami,
and the Gracious One's funeral pyre,
upasaïkamitvà ekaüsaü cãvaraü katvà aÿjaliü paõàmetvà,
and after approaching and arranging his robe on one shoulder, extending (his hands) in respectful salutation,
tikkhattuü citakaü padakkhiõaü katvà,
and circumambulating the funeral pyre three times,
pàdato vivaritvà Bhagavato pàde sirasà vandi.
and uncovering the feet he worshipped the Gracious One's feet with his head. 08
Tàni pi kho paÿca bhikkhusatàni ekaüsaü cãvaraü katvà aÿjaliü paõàmetvà,
Also five-hundred monks, after arranging their robes on one shoulder, extending (their hands) in respectful salutation,
tikkhattuü citakaü padakkhiõaü katvà,
and circumambulating the funeral pyre three times,
Bhagavato pàde sirasà vandiüsu.
worshipped the Gracious One's feet with their heads.
Vandite panàyasmatà Mahàkassapena
After (the Gracious One's feet) had been worshipped by venerable Mahàkassapa
tehi ca paÿcahi bhikkhusatehi sayam-eva Bhagavato citako pajjali.
and by five-hundred monks the funeral pyre caught fire by itself.
Jhàyamànassa kho pana Bhagavato sarãrassa,
Now while the Gracious One's body was burning,
yaü ahosi chavã ti và camman-ti và maüsan-ti và nahàrå ti và lasikà ti và
of the outer skin, the inner skin, the flesh, the sinews, the synovial fluid,
tassa neva chàrikà paÿÿàyittha na masi sarãràneva avasissiüsu.
neither charcoal was evident, nor was ash of the body left over.
Seyyathà pi nàma sappissa và telassa và jhàyamànassa
Just as while ghee or oil is burning
neva chàrikà paÿÿàyati na masi,
there is no charcoal and no ash evident,
evam-eva Bhagavato sarãrassa jhàyamànassa,
so when the Gracious One's body was burning,
yaü ahosi chavã ti và camman-ti và maüsan-ti và nahàrå ti và lasikà ti và,
of the outer skin, the inner skin, the flesh, the sinews, the synovial fluid,
tassa neva chàrikà paÿÿàyittha na masi sarãràneva avasissiüsu.
neither charcoal was evident, nor was ash of the body left over.
Tesaÿ-ca paÿcannaü dussayugasatànaü dve va dussàni na óayhiüsu
Only two of those five-hundred pairs of clothes were not consumed,
yaÿ-ca sabbabbhantarimaü yaÿ-ca bàhiraü.
that on the inside and that on the outside.
Daóóhe kho pana Bhagavato sarãre
When the Gracious One's body was burnt
antalikkhà udakadhàrà pàtubhavitvà, Bhagavato citakaü nibbàpesi.
a shower of water appeared in the sky, and the Gracious One's funeral pyre was extinguished.
Udakaü sàlato pi abbhunnamitvà, Bhagavato citakaü nibbàpesi.
Also after water rose from a well, 09 the Gracious One's funeral pyre was extinguished.
Kosinàrakà pi Mallà sabbagandhodakena Bhagavato citakaü nibbàpesuü.
Also the Mallas from Kusinàrà extinguished the Gracious One's funeral pyre with all types of fragrant water. 10
Atha kho Kosinàrakà Mallà
Then the Mallas of Kusinàrà,
Bhagavato sarãràni, sattàhaü Santhàgàre sattipaÿjaraü karitvà,
* after making an enclosure of spears in the Council Hall, 11
dhanupàkàraü parikkhipitvà,
and surrounding the Gracious One's bodily relics with bows,
naccehi gãtehi vàditehi màlehi gandhehi
honoured, respected, revered, and worshipped (it)
sakkariüsu garukariüsu mànesuü påjesuü.
with dance, song, music, garlands, and perfumes.