The History of Buddhist Thought c18.64

c18.64

Buddhism makes no such confident assertion as this, nor any positive statement at all about the final state of the released. The commentators, however, speak of the last consciousness and the last thought. It is in the form of consciousness that the individual exists when transmigration takes place. The story is told of Godhika (*Samy.*, i, 109), who attained temporary release ² six times, but fell away. On attaining it the seventh time he cut his throat. When Buddha and his monks came to see him, a dark cloud was moving in all directions. “ That,” said Buddha, “ is Māra the wicked looking to see where Godhika’s consciousness has become established; but Godhika has attained Nirvāṇa with consciousness not established anywhere.” This does not tell anything positive about the state of Nirvāṇa, but it illustrates the doctrine that consciousness with all the other constituents of the individual “ stops ” (*nirujjhati*) with the death of the arahat.