ལས་བརྒྱ་ཐམ་པ་པ 24.20

24.20

have heard that tonight, in the middle of the night, the Blessed One will pass beyond all sorrow into the realm of nirvāṇa without any remainder of the aggregates. I have doubts about the Dharma but I have hope that the Blessed Gautama can dispel my doubts. Oh Lord Ānanda, if it’s no trouble, I will go see the Blessed Gautama, and if he agrees to answer my questions when I arrive, I will ask some questions of him.”

Venerable Ānanda, being skilled in the interpretation of signs, thought, “The Blessed One has left an emanation here, and departed using his powers of subjugation.” Understanding this, he said to the mendicant Subhadra, “Relent, Subhadra. The Blessed One is tired, the Tathāgata is tired. Don’t trouble the Tathāgata.”

The mendicant Subhadra said to Venerable Ānanda, “Lord Ānanda, the mendicants of old are aged and infirm now. It was from them that I heard that the tathāgatas, the arhats, the totally and completely awakened buddhas emerge in the world but rarely, like the udumbara flower. If tonight, in the middle of the night, the Blessed Gautama will pass beyond all sorrow into the realm of nirvāṇa without any remainder of the aggregates, then since I have some doubts about the Dharma and hope that the Blessed Gautama can dispel my doubts, and if it’s no trouble, Lord Ānanda, let me go see the Blessed Gautama. If he agrees to answer my questions when I arrive, I will ask some questions of him.”

Three times Ānanda answered the mendicant Subhadra, “Relent, Subhadra. The Blessed One is tired, the Tathāgata is tired.