Mahâ-Parinibbâna-Suttanta: The Book of the Great Decease

[1. Madhuraka-gâto viyâ ti sañgâta-garubhâvo sañgâtatthabhâvo (sic) sûle uttâsita-sadiso: na pakkhâyantî ti na pakâsenti nânâkâranâ na upatthahanti: Dhammâ pi mam na ppatibhantî ti sati-ppatthânâ dhammâ mayham pâkatâ na honti. (S. V. fol. tâm.) As the first clause is corrupt, I have translated madhuraka-gâto independently of it. Childers's reading nam na ppatibhanti is clearly incorrect. My own MS. of the Dîgha Nikâya and the Turnour MS. of the Samyutta Nikâya agree with Buddhaghosa. 2. Na tatth' Ânanda Tathâgatassa dhammesu âkariya-mutthi; on which Buddhaghosa says, Âkariya-mutthî (MS. vutthî) ti yathâ bâhirakânam âkariya-mutthi nâma hoti: daharakâle kassaki akathetvâ pakkhima-kâle marana-mañke nipannâ piya-manâpassa antevâsikassa kathenti: evam Tathâgatassa idam mahallaka-kâle pakkhima-tthâne kathessâmî ti mutthim (MS. vutthim) katvâ pariharitvâ thapitam kiñki n'atthî ti. (S. V, tâm.) Comp. Gâtaka II, 221, 250.] p. 37 should lay down instructions in any matter concerning the order. Now the Tathâgata, Ânanda, thinks not that it is he who should lead the brotherhood, or that the order is dependent upon him. Why then should he leave instructions in any matter concerning the order? I too, O Ânanda, am now grown old, and full of years, my journey is drawing to its close, I have reached my sum of days, I am turning eighty years of age; and just as a worn-out cart, Ânanda, can only with much additional care be made to move along, so, methinks, the body of the Tathâgata can only be kept going with much additional care[1]. It is only, Ânanda, when