Page:Gospel of Buddha.djvu/263

 XCIV.

THE BUDDHA ANNOUNCES HIS DEATH. Said the Tathāgata to Ānanda: "In former years, Ānanda, Māra, the Evil One, approached the holy Buddha three times to tempt him.

"And now, Ānanda, Māra, the Evil One, came again today to the place where I was, and, standing beside me, addressed me in the same words as he did when I was resting under the shepherd's Nigrodha tree on the bank of the Nerañjara river: 'Be greeted, thou Holy One. Thou hast attained the highest bliss and it is time for thee to enter into the final Nirvāna.'

"And when Māra had thus spoken, Ānanda, I answered him and said: 'Make thyself happy, O wicked one; the final extinction of the Tathāgata shall take place before long.' " And the venerable Ānanda addressed the Blessed One and said: "Vouchsafe, Lord, to remain with us, O Blessed One! for the good and the happiness of the great multitudes, out of pity for the world, for the good and the gain of makind!"

Said the Blessed One: "Enough now, Ananda, beseech not the Tathāgata!"

And again, a second time, the venerable Ananda besought the Blessed One in the same words. And he received from the Blessed One the same reply. And again, the third time, the venerable. Ananda besought the Blessed One to live longer; and the Blessed One said: "Hast thou faith, Ananda?"

Said Ananda: "I have, my Lord!"

And the Blessed One, seeing the quivering eyelids of Ananda, read the deep grief in the heart of his beloved disciple, and he asked again: "Hast thou, indeed, faith, Ānanda?

And Ānanda said: "I have faith, my Lord." 235