Hearing my words and not with
care obeying them, this is not the fault of him who speaks; if there be
anything not clearly understood in the principles of the 'four truths,'
you now may ask me, freely; let not your inward thoughts be longer hid."
The lord in mercy thus instructing them, the whole assembly remained
silent.
Then Anuruddha, observing that the great congregation continued silent
and expressed no doubt, with closed hands thus spake to Buddha:--
"The moon may be warm, the sun's rays be cool, the air be still, the
earth's nature mobile; these four things, though yet unheard of in the
world, may happen; but this assembly never can have doubt about the
principles of sorrow, accumulation, destruction, and the
incontrovertible truths, as declared by the lord. But because the lord
is going to die, we all have sorrow; and we cannot raise our thoughts to
the high theme of the lord's preaching. Perhaps some fresh disciple,
whose feelings are yet not entirely freed from other influences might
doubt; but we, who now have heard this tender, sorrowful discourse, have
altogether freed ourselves from doubt. Passed the sea of birth and
death, without desire, with nought to seek, we only know how much we
love, and, grieving, ask why Buddha dies so quickly?"
Buddha regarding Anuruddha, perceiving how his words were full of
bitterness, again with loving heart, appeasing him, replied:--
"In the beginning things were fixed, in the end again they separate;
different combinations cause other substances, for there is no uniform
and constant principle in nature.
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