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54
TIIE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE.
CH.
before long. At the end of three months from this time the Tathâgata will die!"
48. “Thus, Ânanda, the Tathagata has now to-day at the Kâpâla Ketiya consciously and deliberately rejected the rest of his allotted term of
life.'
49. And when he had thus spoken the venerable Ânanda addressed the Blessed One, and said:
Vouchsafe, Lord, to remain during the kalpa ! live on through the kalpa, 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 and the weal of gods and men!'
50. Enough now, Ânanda, beseech not the Tathâgata !' was the reply. "The time for making such request is past.'
51. And again, the second time, the venerable Ânanda besought the Blessed One [in the same words. And he received from the Blessed One the same reply]
52. And again, the third time, the venerable Ananda besought the Blessed One [in the same words].
53. 'Hast thou faith, Ânanda, in the wisdom of the Tathagata ?' 'Even so, Lord!
Now why, then, Ananda, dost thou trouble the Tathâgata even until the third time?'
54. 'From his own mouth have I heard from the Blessed One, from his own mouth have I received this saying, "Whosoever has thought out, Ânanda, and developed, practised, accumulated, and ascended to the very heights of the four paths to saintship, and so mastered them as to be able to use them as
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| SR No. | 007674 |
| Book Title | Dhammapada |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Max Muller |
| Publisher | Oxford |
| Publication Year | 1881 |
| Total Pages | 2540 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English |
| File Size | 45 MB |