A History of Indian Literature v2.c19.s3.t1.19.2

v2.c19.s3.t1.19.2

At a very early period—probably soon after the death of Buddha—there must already have been a short “Sutta of the perfect Nirvāṇa (of the Buddha),” which, by means of interpolations and additions, grew longer and longer in course of time, till it became the “*great* Sutta of the perfect Nirvāṇa” which we now have in our Pāli Canon. Such passages as those in the second section, where the story is related of the first illness of Buddha, which befell him at Beḷuva, and which he overcame by the strength of his will, where he assures Ānanda that he is not one of those teachers “with the closed fist,” who keep something for themselves, but that he has proclaimed the whole truth, and where he disclaims the idea that he should ever have wished to pose as a leader of the community, are surely ancient and original. The order, he says, had never been dependent upon him and would therefore not be “without a leader” even after his departure, if it would only be guided by the religion he had proclaimed. “Therefore, Ānanda, be your own lights! Be your own refuge!