The Long Āgama Sūtra 2.99

2.99

佛告阿難：「眾僧於我有所須耶？若有自言：『我持眾僧，我攝眾僧。』斯人於眾應有教命，如來不言：『我持於眾，我攝於眾。』豈當於眾有教令乎？阿難！我所說法，內外已訖，終不自稱所見通達。吾已老矣，年且八十。譬如故車，方便修治得有所至。吾身亦然，以方便力得少留壽，自力精進，忍此苦痛，不念一切想，入無想定，時，我身安隱，無有惱患。是故，阿難！當自熾燃，熾燃於法，勿他熾燃；當自歸依，歸依於法，勿他歸依。云何自熾燃，熾燃於法，勿他熾燃；當自歸依，歸依於法，勿他歸依？阿難！比丘觀內身精勤無懈，憶念不忘，除世貪憂；觀外身、觀內外身，精勤不懈，憶念不忘，除世貪憂。受、意、法觀，亦復如是。是謂，阿難！自熾燃，熾燃於法，勿他熾燃；當自歸依，歸依於法，勿他歸依。」

The Buddha told Ānanda, “Does the Saṅgha need something from me? If there were someone who said, ‘I maintain the Saṅgha’ or ‘I collect the Saṅgha,’ this person would have some instructions for the assembly. The Tathāgata doesn’t say, ‘I maintain the Saṅgha’ or ‘I collect the Saṅgha.’ Why must he have some instructions for the Saṅgha?

“Ānanda, the Dharma that I’ve taught is complete inside and out, but I’ve never claimed to have mastered its view. I’m elderly, fully eighty years old now. Like an old chariot that can still reach a destination with skill and maintenance, my body is likewise. With skill, I have the power to extend my life for a while longer, but it takes strength and effort to tolerate these pains. It’s when I’m not mindful of any conceptions and enter the samādhi without conception that my body is peaceful and without any distress.

“Therefore, Ānanda, you must light yourself and light the Dharma. Don’t light something else. You must be your own refuge and take refuge in the Dharma. Don’t take refuge in something else. How does one light themselves, light the Dharma, and not light something else? How does one take refuge in themselves, take refuge in the Dharma, and not take refuge in something else?

“Ānanda, a monk observes body internally [to be body.] Diligent and unflagging, he’s mindful and doesn’t forget it, setting aside worldly greed and sorrow. He observes body externally … observes body internally and externally … Diligent and unflagging, he’s mindful and doesn’t forget it, setting aside worldly greed and sorrow. He also observes feelings, mind, and principles in the same way. That’s how, Ānanda, one lights themselves, lights the Dharma, and doesn’t light something else. One must take refuge in themselves, take refuge in the Dharma, and not take refuge in something else.”