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

43. 'That royal city Kusâvatî, Ânanda, was mighty, and prosperous, and full of people, crowded with men, and provided with all things for food[1]. Just, Ânanda, as the royal city of the gods, Âlakamandâ by name, is mighty, prosperous, and full of people, crowded with the gods, and provided with all kinds of food, so, Ânanda, was the royal city Kusâvatî mighty and prosperous, full of people, crowded with men, and provided with all kinds of food. 44. 'Both by day and by night, Ânanda, the royal city Kusâvatî resounded with the ten cries; that is to say, the noise of elephants, and the noise of horses, and the noise of chariots; the sounds of the [1. The first three of these adjectives are applied at Gâtaka I, 29 (v. 212) to the religion of the Buddhas; and I think the right reading there must be phîtam, in accordance with the corrections in two MSS. as noted by Mr. Fausböll, and not pîtam as he has preferred to read. The whole set of epithets is often used of cities.] p. 101 drum, of the tabor, and of the lute; the sound of singing, and the sounds of the cymbal and of the gong; and lastly, with the cry, "Eat, drink, and be merry[1]!" ------------------------ 45. 'Go now, Ânanda, and enter into Kusinârâ, and inform the Mallas of Kusinârâ, saying, "This day, O Vâsetthas, in the last watch of the night, the final passing away of the Tathâgata will take place. Be favourable herein, O Vâsetthas, be favourable. Give no occasion to reproach yourselves hereafter, saying, 'In our own village did the death of our Tathâgata take place, and we took not the opportunity of visiting the Tathâgata in his last hours.'"'