The Acts of the Buddha 5.11

5.11

佛所行讚歎涅槃品第二十七

107. Furthermore, [fire] rose from the earth and the eight directions were

all ablaze. Even the celestial palaces were ablaze in the same way.

108. Thunder moved heaven and earth. The sound of the thunder shook

the mountains and rivers, like the sounds of battle between gods and asuras.

109. A violent gale arose in all four directions. Mountains crumbled and

ashes and dust rained down. The sun and moon lost their brightness. All clear

streams boiled. The śāla grove withered and the blossoms and leaves fell

down out of season.

110. Flying dragons ascended in the black clouds. Thier five heads hung

down and their tears flowed. The four kings and their retinues generated

worship in their sadness.

111. The gods of the pure abodes descended and waited upon [the

Buddha] in the sky. As they observed the development of impermanence,

they were neither sorrowful nor glad. They sighed that the world was sepa-

rated from its celestial teacher. “How quick is his destruction!”

112. The celestial spirits of the eight classes thronged in the sky. Scat-

tering flowers to bring worship, they felt anxious and were not joyful at heart.

Only King Māra was glad. He played music to amuse himself.

113. Jambudvīpa had lost its splendor, as if a mountain had collapsed

and its peak had crumbled, as if the white tusks of a great elephant had

snapped, and as if both horns of an ox king were broken.

114. In the sky there was no sun or moon, and the lotuses met with severe

frost. The world was downcast like this by the Tathāgata’s parinirvāṇa.

The Eulogy of Nirvana

1. There was then a celestial son who had ascended to his palace with a thousand white geese. High in the sky he observed the Buddha’s parinirvāṇa, and for the multitude of gods all around he widely proclaimed gāthās about impermanence:

2. “All is by nature impermanent. It is quickly born and quickly extinguished. When born, it is accompanied by suffering. Only tranquility means happiness.

3. “While the fuel of actions is amassed, the fire of [the Buddha’s] wisdom has been ablaze. When the smoke of his fame rises to the heavens, a timely rain falls and brings extinction, just as when the fire of the eon arises it is extinguished by a flood.”

4. There was also a god, a brahman seer, a seer of the highest meaning,

as it were, who dwelled in the exquisite happiness of the gods but who was not attached to his celestial reward. He praised the Tathāgata’s tranquility. With his mind concentrated, he spoke:

5. “When I observe the factors of the three worlds, throughout there is none that is not destroyed. With his thorough insight into the highest meaning [the Buddha] is unequaled in the world. His wisdom is the highest of any understanding. A savior of the world!

6. “All are destroyed by impermanence. Who can remain long? Alas! Beings in the whole world fall into wrong paths.”

7. Aniruddha would not be ruddha (kept back) in the world then. After his extinction, he would not be ruddha (kept back). His birth and death would be niruddha (stopped).

8. He praised the Tathāgata’s tranquility: “Beings are all blind. The mass of formations is impermanent, just like light clouds floating. They quickly arise and are quickly extinguished. A wise one does not protect them.

9. “The adamantine bolt of impermanence has destroyed the muni, the seer king. How base is the world’s fickleness! It will be destroyed and is not

firm. The fierce lion of impermanence has harmed the dragon-elephant, the

great seer.

10. “When even the adamantine banner of the Tathāgata is destroyed

by impermanence, how much more so would one who has not renounced

desire be fearful!

11. “Six seeds and one shoot, rained on by all waters. Deep roots of four

stretches. Two boughs and five kinds of fruits.

12. “Consisting of three divisions but one and the same trunk. The

tree of afflictions has been uprooted by the muni, the greatest elephant, but

[even] he was not spared from impermanence.

13. “He was like the crested bird that enjoys the water and swallows

poisonous snakes. Suddenly meeting a great drought, he lost the water and

died.

14. “A swift horse is valiant in battle, but when the battle is over it

returns, well proven. A fierce fire burns because of firewood, but when the

fuel is all used up, [the fire] is extinguished by itself. The same applies to

the Tathāgata. When his task was over, he turned to nirvana.

15. “When, for instance, bright moonlight removes the darkness all

around for the world and when all beings receive its light, it is concealed

again by Sumeru.

16. “The same applies to the Tathāgata. The light of his wisdom has

been shining in the darkness. It removed the darkness for beings, but it is

concealed by the mountain of nirvana.

17. “The excellent light of his fame has shined all over the world. It has

dispelled all darkness, unstopped like a swift current.

18. “While he skillfully drives his seven swift horses, his army and his

attendants travel on. But the celestial son who is the sun in all its brightness

still enters Yanzi Mountain.

“When the sun and moon are blocked five times, beings lose their light.

19. “After offerings to fire and sacrifices to the gods [are made] there

remains only burning black smoke. After the Tathāgata hid his brightness,

the world likewise lost its splendor.

20. “He has stopped all lust or expectations, in response to the expec-

tations of beings all around. When the expectations of beings are fulfilled,

after the completion of his task, he stopped any expectation.

21. “He abandoned his personal bonds of affliction and obtained the path of truth. He left his mass of troubles and entered the place of quietude.

22. “Through his divine power he ascended in the sky and wanders. His vessel of suffering has therefore been abandoned. The light of his knowledge has dispelled the heavy darkness of delusion.

23. “The dust of affliction was washed away by the water of his knowledge, so that he was purified. He will not return time and again. He has forever gone to the place of quietude.

24. “He has extinguished all birth and death and is respected by all. He has made all happy with the Law and has imbued all with his wisdom.

25. “He has completely comforted all and all his qualities have widely spread. His fame shines again and again all over for all up to this day.

26. “For those who emulated his qualities he had merciful thoughts. He was not made happy by the four benefits and was not grieved by the four losses.

27. “He controlled his feelings well and all his faculties were thoroughly clear. He impartially observed with a pure mind and was not attached to the six objects.

28. “What he has obtained is wonderful. He has obtained what others have not obtained. While they thirsted in vain, he has fully satisfied them with the waters essential for salvation.

29. “He donated what others had not donated, and did not expect any recompense. He has quieted his body with fine marks, and completely knows all thoughts.

30. “He was moved neither by pleasant nor foul, and his strength has

overcome all enemies. The fine medicine for any illness is yet destroyed by impermanence.

31. “All kinds of beings have a different end when they are pleased with the Law, but he has widely responded to their aspirations. He has completely fulfilled their wishes.

32. “Once the great generous giver of noble wisdom has gone, he will not return, just as a fierce fire in the world will burn no more when the fuel is consumed.

33. “Not tainted by the eight factors, he subdued the group of five that is hard to subdue. With the three he has seen the three, and free from

the three he has accomplished the three. Retaining the one, he has obtained

the one. Having surpassed the seven, he will sleep for a long time.

34. “He has completely achieved the path of tranquility, honored by the

noble. He has ended the impediments of affliction and saved those who have

respectfully served it. Those who have hungered in vain and who have been

weary with thirst, he let them drink the nectar of immortality.

35. “Wearing the heavy armor of forbearance, he has subdued any anger.

With the subtle meaningfulness of his excellent Law, he has caused rejoic-

ing in the minds of his multitude.

36. “In those who developed goodness in the world, he planted the seed

of nobility. Those who developed what is right or what is not right, he equally

received them and did not abandon them.

37. “He turned the wheel of the unsurpassed Law and the world all

around accepted it with joy. If they had previously planted a cause to find

happiness in the Law, they were all delivered.

38. “Wandering among the people, he saved all those who had not yet

been saved. Those who had not yet seen the truth were all made to see the

truth.

39. “To those who practiced a heretical path, he gave them his profound

Law. He expounded that birth and death are impermanent, without any ruler

and without happiness in any existence.

40. “He erected the great banner of his fame and destroyed the armies

of Māra. He had no delight or grief about advance or retreat and, making

light of life, he praised tranquility.

41. “He caused those who were not yet saved to be saved. He caused

those who were not yet freed to be freed. He caused those who were not yet

quiet to become quiet. He caused those who were not yet awakened to awaken.

The muni received beings with his path of quietude.

42. “While beings disregard the noble path and indulge in wrong actions,

as if at the end of a great eon, the one who knows the Law is in the long sleep.

43. “While dense clouds roll and crash and bring destruction to the for-

est, they let the rain of immortality fall down. A young elephant may destroy

a thorny forest, but when his consciousness is trained he can benefit others.

The [feeling of sorrow] when the clouds have parted and when the elephant

has grown old—all this is unbearable.

44. “The destruction of one view can accomplish another view, bringing salvation by saving the world. Having destroyed wrong argumentation, he obtained the path of sovereignty. He has now entered the great tranquility and the world is without salvation.

45. “When the forces of the great army of King Māra shook heaven and earth, [Māra] wanted to harm the worthy muni, but he could not make [the Buddha] move. Why is he unexpectedly at once destroyed by the māra of impermanence?

46. “Gods and humans are gathered in great numbers all around, they fill the sky. Afraid of birth and death without end, they feel great fear in their hearts.

47. “Whether far or near in the world, his celestial eye clearly sees all. He truly understands the retribution of actions, as if observing an image in a mirror.

48. “His celestial ear excels in intelligence. There is no far-distant thing it does not hear. Ascending in the sky, he instructs the gods, and as he walks he converts the regions of humans.

49. “He may divide himself and unite his parts. When he crosses over water, he is not immersed. He remembers his past lives, not forgetting any part of an entire eon.

50. “When the [sense] faculties roam their objective fields, they each have different memories, but with his supernatural knowledge that knows the thoughts of others, [the Buddha] is omniscient. With the pure fine knowledge of his supernatural power he impartially observes all.

51. “He has completely ended all impurities, and completed all his tasks. His knowledge has abandoned his remaining elements of existence. Having appeased his knowledge, he is in the long sleep.

52. “The hard minds of beings become soft upon seeing him. When beings with dull faculties meet him, their intelligence becomes sharp. As countless evildoers pass him by, they each gain the road to insight upon meeting him.

53. “Suddenly and unexpectedly, he is in the long sleep. Who will further show these qualities? The world is without salvation. Hope has ended and life’s breath has stopped. Who will sprinkle cool water over it, so that it will breathe again?

54. “His own task that he had to do is completed. His great compassion

has stopped for a long time. Who will rend the net of the world’s foolishness?

55. “Facing the swift current of birth and death, who will explain it and

make it turn back? Who will expound the path of quietude for the deluded

minds of beings?

56. “Who will show the place of tranquility and who will show the true

meaningfulness? While beings experience great suffering, who will bring

salvation as a kind father?

57. “Even if, for instance, one may have recited much, all is forgotten.

When a horse changes its territory, it loses its majesty. When the ruler dies,

he loses his country. The same applies to a world without the Buddha.

58. “The learned are without eloquence. Being a doctor, one is without

wisdom. Human kings have lost their bright appearance. When the Buddha

is extinguished, the common lose their splendor.

59. “When a fine chariot loses its skillful charioteer and when the boat

one is on loses its boatmaster, when the three armies lose their brave gen-

eral, and when merchants lose their guide,

60. “when the sick lose their good physician, and when a noble king

loses his seven precious things, when the stars lose the bright moon, and

when one loves a long life but loses his life, when the Buddha is extinguished

the world likewise loses its great teacher.”

61. In this way the arhat, who had completed all he had to do and

whose impurities had all ended, spoke to show his gratitude, conscious of

the [Buddha’s] kindness and bound by sad longing. He praised [the Buddha’s]

qualities and related the suffering of the world.

62. Those who had not yet renounced desire were overcome by sor-

rowful tears. Those whose impurities had ended just sighed at the suffering

of birth and extinction.

63. Then, when the multitude of the Mallas heard that the Buddha was

in nirvana, they mourned with confused cries and wept sadly, just like a flock

of snow geese when encountering a hawk.

64. They all came to the twin [śāla] trees and saw that the Tathāgata

was in the long sleep, and it did not appear that he would wake up again.

They beat their breasts and cried out to heaven, just as all the cows cry out

in confusion when a lion has seized a calf.

65. Among them was one Malla whose mind had found happiness in the Right Law. He truly observed that the noble righteous king had entered the great tranquility.

66. He said, “Beings were asleep when the Buddha opened up their minds, so that they woke up. He has entered the great tranquility now. He finally is in the long sleep. He erected the banner of the Law for all, but now it has suddenly collapsed.

67. “The sun of the Tathāgata’s wisdom, his great awakening, has shined

brightly. His zeal has been a sweltering heat, and his wisdom has dazzled with a thousand rays. He has dispelled all darkness. Why [will there be] a long darkness again?

68. “His unique wisdom has been shining in the three worlds for the eyes of beings all around. But now they are suddenly blind. No one in the whole world knows the way.

69. “As the great river of birth and death flows, greed, anger, and delusion are giant waves. The bridge of the Law has suddenly collapsed and beings will drown for a long time.”

70. Some in that crowd of Mallas wept sadly and wailed bitterly. Some felt moved in secret, without making a sound. Some threw themselves down to the ground. Some meditated in silence and some moaned deeply with disappointment.

71. They prepared a precious bier with gold and silver, fully adorned with fragrant flowers, and placed the Tathāgata’s body on it. A precious curtain covered it over.

72. They prepared hanging streamers and a flower parasol, and [offered] all kinds of music. The men and women of the Mallas led the way and brought offerings.

73. The gods scattered fragrant flowers and in the sky there was the celestial music of drums. Humans and gods sighed sadly in unison. Their cries combined as they shared a common grief.

74. They entered the city and after [the Buddha’s body was] worshiped by young and old, men and women, [the funeral party] left through the Dragon-Elephant Gate and crossed the Hiraṇyavatī River.

75. They arrived at the place of the caitya for the extinction of the buddhas of the past. They accumulated oxhead sandalwood and famous aromatic wood.

76. They placed the Buddha’s body on [the bier] and poured many fra-

grant oils over it. Then they tried to light the fire underneath. Three times

they tried to set it afire but it did not light up.

77. At that time, the great Kāśyapa had been staying in the city of

Rājagṛha, but when he knew that the Buddha was about to go to his nirvana,

he came along with his retinue.

78. With a pure heart [Kāśyapa] made a fine wish, wishing to see the

body of the World-honored One. Because of that sincere wish, the fire was

extinguished and [the bier] did not catch fire.

79. When Kāśyapa and his retinue had arrived, they sighed sadly as they

all gazed at his appearance. Only after they had saluted him at his feet did

the fire light up.

80. Inwardly [the Buddha] had stopped the fire of affliction, and an

external fire could not burn him. Even though it burned his external skin and

flesh, his adamantine actual bones were preserved.