The Buddha's Parinirvana
(T25.67a12-b2 [fasc.2])

From Nagarjuna's Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom
(Dharmamitra Translation)
As extensively described in The Compilation of the Dharma Sutra, when the Buddha entered Nirvana, the earth pitched about in six different ways, the rivers flowed backwards, a fierce tempest struck violently, black clouds boiled up in the four directions, fearsome [volleys of] thunder [boomed], lightning bolts crashed, and suddenly [a storm of] hail and [torrents of] rain came [pounding] down. Everywhere meteors [shot out of the sky]. Ferocious beasts bellowed and roared, yowled and shrieked. The deities and worldlings howled loudly. The gods all cried out, "Oh, why has the Buddha chosen nirvana so swiftly?! The eyes of the World have perished!"

Then, all at the same time, the grasses and woods, herbs and trees, flowers and leaves, all split apart and burst open. The Sumerus, kings among mountains, tilted askew as they shook. The waters of the oceans roiled and heaved up billows. The earth shuddered and jolted mightily. The mountains and crags shattered and collapsed. The trees all splintered and split. From the four quarters smoke surged up [into the sky]. [These cataclysmic occurrences] were enormously horrifying. The [waters of the] marshes and ponds, rivers and streams all began to churn and turned turbid. Comets appeared in the daytime. The people wailed and wept. The gods were overcome with sorrow. The heavenly maidens were all [immersed in] grief, choking and sobbing, with intertwining streams of tears flowing down.

Those still at the stage of study were all silent and unhappy. Those at the stage beyond study remained mindful that all composite dharmas are impermanent. And so, in this manner, the gods, men, yak.sas, raak.sasas, gandharvas, ki.mnaras, mahoragas and dragons were all overcome with great grief. The arhats had been delivered from the sea of senescence, disease and death and thought to themselves, "We've crossed already the river of the common man's affection and passion. The coil of aging, sickness and death has been split apart and broken. We've seen the four great serpents within the bodily basket, And now we shall enter nirvana, the remainderless decease."

In the mountains, forests, and valleys, among flowing springs and streams, all of the great arhats, each according to his will, shed his body and entered parinirvana. Additionally there were arhats who flew straight up into the air and in leaving, like the great king of the geese, displayed all manner of spiritual powers, influenced the masses of people to develop purity of faith, and then finally entered parinirvana.

Gods Distressed at Dharma's Decline

(T25.67b2-22 [fasc.2])

From Nagarjuna's Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom
(Dharmamitra Translation)
The gods, from the Six Desire Heavens on up to the Heaven of Universal Purity, observed all of the arhats opting for extinction, and each of them thought to himself, "Since the Buddha sun has set, the light of those disciples possessing all manner dhyaana absorptions, liberations, and wisdom has gone out as well.. All of these beings have all kinds of diseases of desire, enmity and ignorance. Now that this generation of Dharma physicians has swiftly crossed into extinction, who shall treat them? Now those lotus blossom disciples, grown up within the great sea of immeasurable wisdom, have withered and dried up. The tree of Dharma has been smashed and split apart. The cloud of Dharma has scattered and vanished. Since the great and wise king of the elephants has passed on, the offspring of the elephant have gone away as well. The merchant of Dharma has moved on, from whom shall we seek jewels of Dharma?" As a verse says:

The Buddha's become eternally extinct; he's entered [now]nirvana.
That company which has destroyed all bonds has also passed away.
With this the World's grown empty and devoid [now] of wisdom.
The dark of ignorance has increased; the wisdom lamp's gone out.

At that point the gods made obeisance at the feet of Mahaakaa.syapa and uttered a verse:

This elder's already gotten rid of passion, anger and arrogance.
His figure [stands and shines] like it was a purple golden pillar.
Above, below, erect and decorous, wondrous without peer.
The brightness of his eyes is pure and like unto the lotus.

After having praised him in this manner they addressed Mahaakaa.syapa, saying, "Venerable Mahaakaa"syapa, is the Humane One aware or is he not, that the ship of Dharma is about to break up, the city wall of Dharma is about to collapse, the sea of Dharma is about to dry up, the banner of Dharma is about to fall, the lamp of dharma is about to die down, the proclaimers of Dharma are about to depart, the practitioners of Dharma are becoming fewer, and the power of the depraved is now waxing full? One ought to bring forth the great kindheartedness and establish the Dharma of the Buddha."
At that time, the mind of Mahaakaa"syapa was like a great sea, limpid, silent and tranquil. After a goodly while he responded, "You have spoken well. Truly, it is as you describe. Before long, the world shall be devoid of wisdom, blind, and plunged in darkness."

With this, Mahaakaa"syapa silently acceded to the plea (of the gods). At that point the gods made obeisance at the feet of Mahaakaa"syapa and suddenly disappeared, each returning whence he had come.

Mahakasyapa Convenes a Dharma Council
(T25.67b22-c17 [fasc.2])

From Nagarjuna's Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom
(Dharmamitra Translation)
At this time, Mahakasyapa pondered, "How can I now cause this Buddha Dharma, obtained through [such great] difficulty across the course of three asa.mkhyeya kalpas, to be preserved for a long time? After pondering like this, [he said], "I know that this Dharma can be caused to remain a long time. We should collect together and compile the Sutras, the Abhidharma, and the Vinaya and make a three-fold repository of Dharma. In this manner the Buddha Dharma may be able to remain a long time. People of future generations may be able to receive it and cultivate it. Why is it [that we should do this]? Because in life after life, out of compassion and pity for beings, the Buddha was diligent and endured suffering to study and obtain this Dharma [so that he could] expound it for mankind. We too should undertake to put the Buddha's teaching to use, propagating and converting."

At this point, after Mahakasyapa had formulated this discourse, he went to the summit of Mount Sumeru and, striking a bronze ga.n.dii (gong), uttered this verse: All [of you] disciples of the Buddha, If the Buddha [now] you do recall, [You] should all repay the Buddha's kindness. Do not enter [yet] into nirvana. The sound of the ga.n.dii accompanied by the voice of Mahakasyapa reached everywhere throughout the great trichiliocosm such that everyone heard and was aware of it. Of all of the disciples throughout the realms of existence, those who had gained spiritual powers all came and assembled at the place of Mahakasyapa.

At that time, Mahakasyapa told all of those assembled there, "The Buddha Dharma is about to become extinct. Out of compassion and pity for beings, the Buddha, for three asa.mkhyeya kalpas, was diligent and endured all manner of suffering in studying and obtaining this Dharma. After the Buddha's parinirvana, all of those disciples who knew the Dharma, upheld the Dharma, and recited the Dharma followed the Buddha and also crossed into extinction. Now, the Dharma is about to become extinct. The beings of the future are extremely pitiable [for] they will have lost the eye of wisdom and shall [be lost in] the blindness and darkness of ignorance. With great kindness and compassion the Buddha felt pity for beings. We also ought to undertake [the work of] putting the Buddha's teaching to use. We must wait until we have collected and compiled the repository of scriptures. Then we may cross into extinction whenever we wish."

All of those who had assembled there accepted the instruction to remain. At that time, Mahakasyapa selected a thousand men. All of them except for Ananda were arhats who had attained the six superknowledges, who had attained the complete liberation, and who had attained the liberation devoid of doubt. They had all attained the three knowledges and coursed freely in dhyana samadhi. They were able to practice all of the samadhis [in both] ascending and descending [order], and in all cases without hindrance. They could recite and had studied the three repositories [of Dharma] and had knowledge of all the esoteric and exoteric scriptures. They had completely studied and known the eighteen kinds of immense scriptures of the non-buddhist schools [of thought] and were all able to debate and defeat [the adherents of] heterodox [realms of] learning.

Why Mahakasyapa chose 1000 Arhats
(T25.67c21-29 [fasc.2])

Question: At this time there were innumerable arhats such as these. Why did he select only a thousand men and no more?

Answer: When King Bimbasaara gained the Way, 84,000 other officials and subordinates also gained the Way. At that time the King instructed those in the palace to always prepare enough food to make offerings to a thousand people. King Bimbasaara did not suspend this practice. At that time Mahakasyapa thought, "If we are always having to [go forth and] beg for food, there will be non-buddhists who insist on aggressively imposing themselves [on us] with objections and queries, [causing] inefficiency and lapses in [our] Dharmic endeavors. Now, in the city of Raajag.rha, [they] always prepare food to donate to a thousand people. We shall be able to dwell here to collect and compile the repository of scriptures. Because of this he selected 1000 people and was unable to choose more.


Ananda's Banishment from the Dharma-Compilation Council
(T25.67c25-68b17 [fasc.2])

From Nagarjuna's Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom
(Dharmamitra Translation)
At that time Mahakasyapa arrived with a thousand men at the city of Raajag.rha on Mount G.rdhrakuu.ta. He informed King Ajaata"satru, "In providing food for us, have it brought to us each day. We are now in the process of compiling and collecting the repositories of scriptures and cannot be distracted by other activities." They dwelt therein for the three months of the summer retreat. During the initial fifteen days, at the time of the recitation of the prohibitions, they assembled the harmonious Sa"ngha together.

Mahakasyapa entered dhyana absorption and, using the heavenly eye, surveyed the Assembly to see who still had afflictions which had not been brought to an end and thus who should be expelled therefrom. There was but one person, Ananda, who had not put them to an end. The other nine hundred and ninety-nine had ended all outflows, were pure, and were devoid of defilements.

Mahakasyapa arose from dhyana absorption and, from the midst of the Assembly, pulled Ananda out by the hand, saying, "We are now engaged in collecting and compiling the repository of scriptures in the midst of the pure Assembly. Because your fetters have not yet been brought to an end, you should not remain here."

At this time Ananda was ashamed, wept sorrowfully, and thought to himself, "For twenty-five years I have followed along with and served the World Honored One, providing him with assistance. Never before have I been so bitterly distressed! The Buddha was truly greatly virtuous, kind, compassionate and patient. After he had this thought, he addressed Mahakasyapa, saying "The strength of my abilities is such that I could have gained the Way long ago. It's just that the arhats in the Buddha's Dharma wouldn't provide assistance or carry out directives. It is only because of this that I retain residual fetters which haven't yet been entirely cut off."

Mahakasyapa said, "You still have offenses. The Buddha's intention was such that he did not wish to allow women to leave the home life. Because you so persistently petitioned, the Buddha allowed that they could take up the Way [outside the home]. On account of this, after only five hundred years, the orthodox Dharma of the Buddha shall decline and diminish. In this you committed a du.sk.rta offense."

Ananda said, "I felt pity for Gautami. Moreover, the Dharma of all Buddhas of the three ages has had a fourfold community. Why then should only our Shakyamuni Buddha be without it?"

Mahakasyapa replied, "When the Buddha was about to enter nirvana and was approaching the town of Ku"sinagara, his back began to hurt. He spread out the uttaraasa"nga, folded it in four layers, lay down, and said to you, 'I need water.' You did not provide it for him. In this you committed a du"sksrta offense."

Ananda responded, "At that time five hundred carts were passing through the current and their fording caused the water to become turbid and dirty. It was because of this that I did not get any."

Mahakasyapa replied, "Even given that they had caused the water to become dirty, the Buddha has great spiritual power by which he is able to cause even a great ocean of polluted water to become pure. Why didn't you give it to him?. In this there was an offense committed by you. Go and perform the du"sk.rta repentance."

"Moreover," Mahakasyapa said, "The Buddha, by way of prompting you, said, 'If there were a person who had well cultivated the four bases of psychic power, his lifetime could continue for a kalpa or somewhat less than a kalpa.' The Buddha had well cultivated the four bases of psychic power. He wished for his lifetime to continue for a kalpa or somewhat less than a kalpa. But you remained silent and made no reply. He placed this question before you three times, but you deliberately remained silent. If only you had replied to Buddha, 'The Buddha has well cultivated the four bases of psychic power. He should remain for a kalpa or perhaps somewhat less than a kalpa.' It was because of you that the Buddha, the World Honored One, was caused to make an early entry into nirvana. In this you committed a du"sk.rta offense."

Ananda said, "Mara obscured my mind. It was because of this that I didn't say anything. It is not the case that I failed to reply to the Buddha on account of evil thoughts."

Mahakasyapa responded, saying, "In your performing of the folding of the sa"nghaa.tii robe for the Buddha, you stepped on it. In this you committed a du"sk.rta offense."

Ananda said, "At that time there was a big gust of wind which came up and nobody was assisting. When I picked up the robe, the wind blew it such that it came to fall under my foot. It is not the case that I was disrespectful and deliberately trod upon the Buddha's robe."

Mahakasyapa replied, saying, "After the Buddha had entered parinirvaa.na, you revealed the Buddha's physical characteristic of genital ensheathement to women. How shameful this is! In this you committed a du"sk.rta offense."

Ananda said, "At the time I thought, 'If women notice the Buddha's physical characteristic of genital ensheathement, then they might naturally come to feel chagrin regarding the female form and wish to gain [rebirth in] a male body whereby they might [more easily] cultivate the characteristics of a Buddha and plant the roots of merit.' It was because of this that I revealed this characteristic to women. It was not a deliberate breaking of the prohibitions arising from shamelessness."

Mahakasyapa said, "You have committed six kinds of du"sk.rta offenses. For all of them you should repent your transgressions in the presence of the Sa"ngha."

Ananda said, "Alright, I shall accord with the instructions of the Venerable Mahakasyapa and the Sa"ngha." At this time Ananda knelt, pressed his palms together, arranged his robe with the right shoulder bared, took off his leather sandals, and repented of six types of du"sk.rta offenses. From within the midst of the Assembly, Mahakasyapa led Ananda out by the hand and then said to Ananda, "Completely cut off your outflows and then afterwards you may come back in. As long as your residual fetters have not been brought to an end, you cannot come in." After he had said this he secured the door.