His heart
expanding to receive the truth, he gazed with earnest look on Buddha as
he slept, nor could he bear to see Tathagata depart and die; "ere yet,"
he said, "Buddha shall reach the term I will myself first leave the
world;" and then with hands close joined, retiring from the holy form,
he took his seat apart, and sat composed and firm. Then giving up his
life, he reached Nirvana, as when the rain puts out a little fire. Then
Buddha spake to all his followers: "This my very last disciple has now
attained Nirvana, cherish him properly."
Then Buddha, the first night watch passed, the moon bright shining and
all the stars clear in their lustre, the quiet grove without a sound,
moved by his great compassionate heart, declared to his disciples this
his bequeathed precepts: "After my Nirvana, ye ought to reverence and
obey the Pratimoksha, as your master, a shining lamp in the dark night,
or as a great jewel treasured by a poor man. These injunctions I have
ever given, these you ought to obey and follow carefully, and treat in
no way different from myself. Keep pure your body, words, and conduct,
put from you all concerns of daily life, lands, houses, cattle, storing
wealth or hoarding grain. All these should be avoided as we avoid a
fiery pit; sowing the land, cutting down shrubs, healing of wounds or
the practice of medicine, star-gazing and astrology, forecasting lucky
or unfortunate events by signs, prognosticating good or evil, all these
are things forbidden.
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