The Buddha's Farewell Address...
When the Blessed One had remained as long as he wished at Ambapali's grove,
he went to Beluva, near Vesali. There the Blessed One addressed the brethren,
and said: "O mendicants, take up your abode for the rainy season round
about Vesali, each one according to the place where his friends and near companions
may live. I shall enter upon the rainy season here at Beluva." When the
Blessed One had thus entered upon the rainy season there fell upon him a dire
sickness, and sharp pains came upon him even unto death. But the Blessed One,
mindful and self-possessed, bore his ailments without complaint. Then this thought
occurred to the Blessed One, "It would not be right for me to pass away
from life without addressing the disciples, without taking leave of the order.
Let me now, by a strong effort of the will, subdue this sickness, and keep my
hold on life till the alloted time have come." And the Blessed One, by
a strong effort of the will subdued the sickness, and kept his hold on life
till the time he fixed upon should come. And the sickness abated. Thus the Blessed
One began to recover; and when he had quite got rid of the sickness, he went
out from the monastery, and sat down on a seat spread out in the open air. And
the venerable Ananda, accompanied by many other disciples, approached where
the Blessed One was, saluted him, and taking a seat respectfully on one side,
said: "I have beheld, Lord, how the Blessed One was in health, and I have
beheld how the Blessed One had to suffer. And though at the sight of the sickness
of the Blessed One my body became weak as a creeper, and the horizon
became dim to me, and my faculties were no longer clear, yet notwithstanding
I took some little comfort from the thought that the Blessed One would not pass
away from existence until at least he had left instructions as touching the
order." And the Blessed One addressed Ananda in behalf of the order, saying:
"What, then, Ananda, does the order expect of me? I have preached the truth
without making any distinction between exo- teric and esoteric doctrine; for
in respect of the truth, Ananda, the Tathagata has no such thing as the closed
fist of a teacher, who keeps some things back. Surely, Ananda, should there
be any one who harbours the thought, 'it is I who will lead the brotherhood,'
or, 'The order is dependent upon me,' he should lay down instructions in any
matter concerning the order. Now the Tathagata, Ananda, thinks not that it is
he who should lead the brotherhood, or that the order is dependent upon
him. Why, then, should the Tathagata leave instruction in any matter concerning
the order? I am now grown old, O Ananda, and full of years; my journey is drawing
to its close, I have reached the sum of my days, I am turning eighty years of
age. Just as a worn-out cart cannot be made to move along without much difficulty,
so the body of the Tathagata can only be kept going with much additional care.
It is only, Ananda, when the Tathagata, ceasing to attend to any outward thing,
becomes plunged into that devout meditation of heart which is concerned with
no bodily object, it is only then that the body of the Tathagata is at ease.
Therefore, O Ananda, be ye lamps unto yourselves. Rely on yourselves, and do
not rely on external help. Hold fast to the truth as a lamp. Seek salvation
alone in the truth. Look not for assistance to any one besides yourselves. And
how, Ananda, can a brother be lamp unto himself, rely on himself only and not
on any external help, holding fast to the truth as his lamp and seeking salvation
in the truth alone, looking not for assistance to any one besides himself? Herein,
O Ananda, let a brother, as he dwells in the body, so regard the body that he,
being strenuous, thoughtful, and mindful, may, whilst in the world, overcome
the grief which arises from the body's cravings. While subject to sensations
let him continue so to regard the sensations that he, being strenuous, thoughtful,
and mindful, may, whilst in the world, overcome the grief which arises from
the sensations. And so, also, when he thinks or reasons, or feels, let him so
regard his thoughts that being strenuous, thoughtful, and mindful he may, whilst
in the world, overcome the grief which arises from the craving due to ideas,
or to reasoning, or to feeling. Those who, either now or after I am dead, shall
be lamps unto themselves, relying upon them- selves only and not relying upon
any external help, but holding fast in the truth as their lamp, and seeking
their salvation in the truth alone, and shall not look for assistance to any
one besides themselves, it is they, Ananda, among my bhikkhus, who shall reach
the very height! But they must be anxious to learn."