ལས་བརྒྱ་ཐམ་པ་པ 23.2

23.2

commended him as foremost among keepers and compilers of the teachings. The Blessed One also commended Mahā­kāśyapa’s vast greatness as being like his own. Thereupon they both became gurus of the entire world with its gods.

The Blessed One thought, “After my parinirvāṇa, these two monks will be able to fulfill the purpose of my teachings. One will be able to safeguard the treasury of teachings, and the other will be able to recount my doctrine.” Having reflected thus, the Blessed One traveled to the city of Kuśinagarī.

When the Blessed One was passing into parinirvāṇa he thought, “If I pass my doctrine on to only human beings and don’t pass it on to any nonhuman beings, it will not remain for long; and if I pass it on to only nonhuman beings, and do not pass it on to any human beings, then it also will not remain for long. So I will pass on my doctrine to gods and humans, and to both these monks as well, for then its keepers will be gods and human beings alike. Then, kept by gods, humans, and both these monks as well, the doctrine will remain for a long time.”

Having reflected thus, the Blessed One said to Venerable Mahā­kāśyapa, “Kāśyapa, after I pass into parinirvāṇa, you must not pass into parinirvāṇa until you have carried on my doctrine and perfectly recounted the Tripiṭaka, and the monk Ānanda has cast away all afflictive emotions and manifested arhatship.”

Then the Blessed One spoke to Venerable Ānanda, saying, “Ānanda, do not pass into parinirvāṇa until the sage Mādhyandina has gone forth. Then you must tell him, ‘You must not pass into parinirvāṇa until you have tamed the nāga king Hulluru,