Vol. 11 · pages 576–580

557 HIS END VII 8. Just at the time a certain naked ascetic was coming along the high road to Pava. 9. And the venerable Maha Kassapa saw the naked ascetic coming in the distance; and when he had seen him he said to the naked ascetic: “O friend! Surely thou knowest our Master?” 10. “Yes, friend ! I know him.” “This day the Samana Gotama has been dead a week!” 11. Immediately on hearing the news the brethren were overcome with grief and started weeping. 12. Now at that time a brother named Subhadda, who had been received into the Sangh in his old age, was seated in their company. 13. And this Subhadda addressed the brethren and said: “Enough brethren! Weep not, neither lament! We are well rid of the great Samana. We used to be annoyed by being told, ‘This beseems you, this beseems you not.’ But now we shall be able to do whatever we like: and what we do not like, that we shall not have to do ! Isn’t it good he is dead? Why weep, why lament? It is a matter of joy.” 14. So great and harsh a disciplinarian the Blessed One was. § 6. The Last Rites 1. Then the Mallas of Kushinara said to the venerable Ananda: “What should be done with the remains of the Tathagata ? ” 2. “ As men treat the remains of a king of kings, so should you treat the remains of the Tathagata” replied Ananda. 3. “And how do they treat the remains of a king of kings?” 4. Ananda told them: “ They wrap the body of a king of kings in a new cloth. When that is done they wrap it in cotton-wool. When that is done they wrap it in a new cloth and so on till they have wrapped the body in five hundred successive layers of both kinds. Then they place the body in an oil vessel of iron and cover that close up with another oil vessel of iron.

558 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES VII They then build a funeral pile of all kinds. This is the way in which they treat the remains of a king of kings.” 5. “ So be it,” said the Mallas. 6. Then the Mallas of Kushinara said : “ It is much too late to burn the body of the Blessed One today. Let us now perform the cremation tomorrow.” 7. And the Mallas of Kushinara gave orders to their attendants, saying: “Make preparations for the funeral of the Tathagata and gather perfumes and garlands and the musicians of Kushinara.” 8. But in paying honour, reverence, respect, and homage to the remains of the Tathagata with dancing, and hymns and music and with garlands and perfumes; and in making canopies of their garments, and preparing decoration wreath to hand thereon, they passed the second day too, and then the third day, and the fourth and fifth and the sixth day also. 9. Then on the seventh day the Mallas of Kushinara thought: “Let us carry the body of the Blessed One and let us perform the cremation ceremony.” 10. And thereupon eight chieftains among the Mallas bathed their heads, and clad themselves in new garments with the intention of acting as pall-bearers carrying the body of the Blessed One. 11. They carried the dead body to the Shrine of the Mallas, called Makuta-bandhana; to the east of the city and there they laid down the body of the Blessed One and set fire to it. 12. After some time the mortal remains of the Blessed One were reduced to ashes. § 7. Quarrel Over Ashes 1. After the body of the Blessed One had been consumed by fire, the Mallas of Kushinara collected the ashes and the bones of the Blessed One and placed them in their Council Hall with a lattice work of spears and with a rampart of bows; and guarded them against anybody stealing them or any part of them. 2. For seven days the Mallas paid honour and

559 HIS END VII reverence and respect and homage to them with dance and song and music and with garlands and perfumes. 3. Now the King of Magadha, Ajatasatru, heard the news that the Blessed One had died at Kushinara. 4. He, therefore, sent a messenger to the Mallas with a request for a portion of the relics of the Blessed One. 5. Similarly messengers came from the Licchavis of Vaishali, from the Sakyas of Kapilavastu, from the Bulis of Attakappa, from the Koliyas of Ramagama and from the Mallas of Pava. 6. Among the claimants for ashes there was also a Brahmin of Vethadipa. 7. When they heard these claims, the Mallas of Kushinara said: “ The Blessed One died in our village. We will not give away any part of the remains of the Blessed One. They belong to us.” 8. Seeing that the situation was tense a Brahmin by name Drona intervened and said: “Hear, reverend sirs, one single word from me.” 9. Said Drona: “Forbearance was our Buddha to teach; unseemly is it that over the division of the remains of him who was the best of beings, strife should arise, and wounds and war ! 10. “Let us all, sirs, with one accord unite in friendly harmony to make eight portions. Widespread let stupas arise in every land that the Enlightened One from all parts be reverenced.” 11. The Mallas of Kushinara agreed and said: “Do thou then, O Brahmin, thyself, divide the remains equally into eight parts, with fair division.” 12. “Be it so, sir !” said Drona in assent. 13. And he divided the remains of the Blessed One equally into eight parts. 14. After making the division Drona said to them: “Give me, sirs, this vessel. I will set up over it a stupa.” 15. And they agreed to give the vessel to him. 16. Thus the ashes of the Blessed One were shared and the quarrel was settled peacefully and amicably.

560 DR. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR : WRITINGS AND SPEECHES VII § 8. Loyalty to the Buudha 1. Shravasti was the occasion (of these events) …. 2. Now on that occasion a number of monks were busied with making a robe for the Exalted One, with this idea : When the robe is finished, in three months’ time, the Exalted One will go forth on his rounds. 3. Now at that time Isidatta and Purana, the chamberlains, were staying at Sadhuka on some business or other. Then they heard the news: “They say that a number of monks are busied with making a robe for the Exalted One with this idea: When the robe is finished, in three months’ time, the Exalted One will go forth upon his rounds.” 4. So Isidatta and Purana, the chamberlains, stationed a man on the high-road (thus instructing him): “Now, good fellow, as soon as you see that Exalted One, that Arahat, that perfectly Enlightened One coming along, do you come and inform us.” 5. So after standing there two or three days that man saw the Exalted One coming along, while yet some distance off, and he went to inform the chamberlains, Isidatta and Purana, saying: “ Here comes my lord, the Exalted One, that Arahat, that perfectly Enlightened One ! Now’s the time for you to do what you want!” 6 So Isidatta and Purana, the chamberlains, went towards the Exalted One, and on coming to him, saluted him, and followed behind the Exalted One step for step. 7. Then the Exalted One turned aside from the high road and went to the foot of a certain tree and there sat down on a seat made ready. And Isidatta and Purana, the chamberlains, saluting the Exalted One, also sat down at one side. As they thus sat, they said this to the Exalted One : 8. “Lord, when we heard of the Exalted One that he would go forth on his rounds among the Kosalans, at that time we were disappointed and depressed at the thought: the Exalted One will be far from us. 9. “And when, Lord, we learned that the Exalted

561 HIS END VII One was starting out from Shravasti on his rounds among the Kosalans, again we were disappointed and depressed at the thought: The Exalted One will be far from us. 10. “Again, lord, when we learned that the Exalted One would leave the Kosalans and go on his rounds among the Mallas ... that he was actually doing so ... we were disappointed and depressed. 11. “On hearing that the Exalted One would leave the Mallas and go on his rounds among the Vajji ... that he was actually doing so... that he would leave the Vajji for Kasi... that he was doing so... that he would leave the folk of Kasi and go on his rounds in Magadha . .. that he was actually doing so... again we were disappointed and depressed .... 12. “But, Lord, when we heard that the Exalted One would leave the Magadhas for Kasi and was doing so, then we were delighted and elated at the thought: The Exalted One will be quite near us. 13. “ And when we heard that he was actually going his rounds in Kasi among the Magadhas, we were likewise delighted and elated. 14. (They continue to trace the Master’s steps from Kasi to the Vajji ... from the Vajji to the Mallas... from the Mallas to the Kosalans in like terms.) 15. “ But, Lord, when we heard that the Exalted One would be going on his rounds from the Kosalans to Savatthi, we were delighted and elated at the thought: Now the Exalted One will be quite near us ! 16. “ Then, when we heard: ‘The Exalted One is staying at Shravasti, at Jeta grove, in Anathapindika’s Park.’ Then, Lord, boundless was our delight and boundless our elation at the thought : The Exalted One is near us ! ”