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Ananda - 'Bhante ! May ye not enter into liberation in th is small township, in this branch township ! There are many big cities, '- Campā, Rajagrha, Srāvasti, Saketa, Kosambi, Varanasi. Choose anyone of these places for thy liberation. In these cities, there are many rich Ksatriyas, many rich Brāhmanas, many other rich householders who hold thee in highest of esteems. They will worship the body of the Tathāgata".
The Buddha - "Ananda ! Don't ye say so. Kusinārā has a very long history. At some remote past age, this city, then named Kušāvati, was the headquarter of Cakravartin Mahasudarsana. You go to the city and tell the Mallās. there that tonight, at the last quarter, the Tathāgata will enter into liberation. So came at once so that you may not repent later that you did not get a glimpse of him (when he was alive)".
Ananda did as per the Buddha's wishes. The Mallás became sorry and grieved to get the news. All of them came to pay their homage and obeis ance. Since time was very short, Ananda took one family at a time to see the Buddha. In this manner, during the first quarter of the night, all the Mallas finished paying their homage and obeisance to the Buddha.
During the second quarter, Subhadra was initiated into monkhood (at the hand of the Buddha).
In giving out his Last Testament, the Buddha said,
(1)
"Ananda ! It is very likely that you will feel that the Leader is gone, that there are his words, but not the Leader himself. Ananda !
Take it in this manner that the religion I have propounded is your Leader after me, the Vinaya I have given is your Leader after me.
(2)
"Ananda ! Upto this time, when addressing one another, the monks have been using the word 'abus '; but after I am gone, a monk junior to one is to be addressed as abus',
