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death-bed, the following event took place (134): "Now at that time, a mendicant named Subhadda, who was not a believer, was dwelling at Kusinagara. And the mendicant Subhadda heard the news: "This is very day, they say, in the third watch of the night, will take place the final passing away of the Samana Gotama".
Then thought the mendicant Subhadda....... Now a certain feeling of uncertainity has sprung up in my mind and this faith have I in the Samana Gotama, that he, me thinks, is able so to present the truth that I may get rid of this feeling of uncertainity'.
"Then the mendicant Subhadda went to theSala Grove of the Mallas, to the Upayattana of Kusinara, to the place where the venerable Ananda was".
"And when he had come there he said to the venerable Ananda: ...........
"Now the Blessed one overheard this conversation of the venerable Ananda with the mendicant Subhadda. And the Blessed One called the venerable Ananda, and said 'It is enough, Ananda: Do not keep out, Subhadda, Subhadda, Ananda, may be allowed to see the Tathagata. Whatever Subhadda may ask of me, he will ask from a desire for know. ledge, and not to annoy me. And whatever I may say in answer to this question, that he will quickly understand".
"Then Subhadda, the mendicant, went into the place where the Blessed One was ....... And, when he was thus seated, Subhadda, the mendicant, said the Blessed One: 'The Sramanas and the Brahmans by saintliness of life. Gotama, who are heads of companies of disciplies and students, teachers of students, well-known, renowned, founders of schools of doctrine, esteemed as good men by the multitude to wit, Purana Kassapa, Makkhali of the cattlepen, Ajita of the garment ofs hair, Kakkayana of the Pakhuda tree, Sanaya the son of the Belatth slave girl, Nigantha of the Natha clan - have they all according to their own assertion, thoroughly understood things ? Or have they not? or are there some of them who have understood, and some have not ?"
