Verses on Dhamma 5.15.p25

5.15.p25

Ānandatthero kira vīsavassasatikakāle āyusaṅkhāraṃ olokento parikkhīṇabhāvaṃ ñatvā ‘‘ito sattame divase parinibbāyissāmī’’ti ārocesi. Taṃ pavattiṃ sutvā rohiṇīnadiyā ubhayatīravāsikesu manussesu orimatīravāsikā ‘‘mayaṃ therassa bahūpakārā, amhākaṃ santike parinibbāyissatī’’ti vadiṃsu. Paratīravāsikāpi ‘‘mayaṃ therassa bahūpakārā, amhākaṃ santike parinibbāyissatī’’ti vadiṃsu. Thero tesaṃ vacanaṃ sutvā ‘‘ubhayatīravāsino mayhaṃ upakārā, ime nāma anupakārāti na sakkā vattuṃ, sacāhaṃ orimatīre parinibbāyissāmi, paratīravāsino dhātugahaṇatthaṃ tehi saddhiṃ kalahaṃ karissanti. Sace paratīre parinibbāyissāmi, orimatīravāsinopi tathā karissanti, kalaho uppajjamānopi maṃ nissāyeva uppajjissati, vūpasamamānopi maṃ nissāyeva vūpasamissatī’’ti cintetvā ‘‘orimatīravāsinopi mayhaṃ upakārā, paratīravāsinopi mayhaṃ upakārā, anupakārāpi nāma natthi, orimatīravāsino orimatīreyeva sannipatantu, paratīravāsinopi paratīreyevā’’ti āha. Tato sattame divase majjhenadiyā sattatālappamāṇe ākāse pallaṅkena nisīditvā mahājanassa dhammaṃ kathetvā ‘‘mama sarīraṃ majjhe bhijjitvā eko bhāgo orimatīre patatu, eko bhāgo paratīre’’ti adhiṭṭhāya yathānisinnova tejodhātuṃ samāpajji, jālā uṭṭhahiṃsu. Sarīraṃ majjhe bhijjitvā eko bhāgo orimatīre pati, eko bhāgo paratīre. Tato mahājano paridevi, pathaviundriyanasaddo viya ārodanasaddo ahosi. Satthu parinibbāne ārodanasaddatopi kāruññataro ahosi. Manussā cattāro māse rodantā paridevantā ‘‘satthu pattacīvaraggāhake tiṭṭhante satthu ṭhitakālo viya no ahosi, idāni no satthā parinibbuto’’ti vippalapantā viravantā vicariṃsūti.

who dwell on both sides have helped me equally. I cannot say, ‘These men have not helped me.’ Now if I die on the near side, those who dwell on the far side will quarrel with their brethren over the question who are to have my relics. If, on the other hand, I die on the far side, those who dwell on the near side will do the same thing. Therefore, if a quarrel arises, it will arise solely because of me; and likewise if it ceases, it will cease solely because of me.” So he said, “Not only those who dwell on the near side are helpers of mine, but also those who dwell on the far side are helpers of mine. There are none who are not my helpers. Let those that dwell on the near side assemble on the near side, and let those that dwell on the far side assemble on the far side.”)

(Seven days later, sitting cross-legged in the air over the middle of the river at the height of seven palm-trees, he preached the Law to the multitude. When he had finished his discourse, he commanded, “Let my body split in two; and let one portion fall on the near side and the other on the far side.” And sitting there, he entered into ecstatic meditation on the element of fire. Thereupon flames of fire burst from his body, his body split in two, and one portion fell on the near side and the other on the far side. The populace wept and wailed. Like the sound of the earth splitting open, was the sound of their lamentation; yet more pitiful even than was the sound of lamentation at the death of the Teacher. For four months men went about wailing and lamenting, saying, “So long as he who held the Teacher’s bowl and robe remained, it was as if the Teacher himself yet remained among us. But now the Teacher is dead.”)