[133] "Venerable sir, how are we to proceed with regard to the Tathāgata's body?"
"Ānanda, do not concern yourselves with honoring the Tathāgata's body. Come, Ānanda, strive for your own goal, apply yourselves to your own goal, dwell diligent, ardent (ātāpī), and resolute upon your own goal. There are, Ānanda, wise khattiyas, wise brahmins, and wise householders who have full confidence in the Tathāgata; they will perform the honoring of the Tathāgata's body."
"But, venerable sir, how should one proceed with regard to the Tathāgata's body?"
"Ānanda, as they proceed with regard to the body of a wheel-turning king, so should one proceed with regard to the Tathāgata's body."
"But, venerable sir, how do they proceed with regard to the body of a wheel-turning king?"
"Ānanda, they wrap the body of a wheel-turning king in unworn cloth; having wrapped it in unworn cloth, they wrap it in carded cotton wool; having wrapped it in carded cotton wool, they wrap it in unworn cloth. In this manner, having wrapped the body of the wheel-turning king in five hundred pairs of layers, they place it in an iron trough filled with oil, cover it with another iron trough, build a funeral pyre of all kinds of fragrant substances, and cremate the body of the wheel-turning king; and they build a stūpa for the wheel-turning king at a crossroads of four great highways. Thus, Ānanda, do they proceed with regard to the body of a wheel-turning king. As they proceed with regard to the body of a wheel-turning king, Ānanda, so should one proceed with regard to the Tathāgata's body: a stūpa for the Tathāgata should be built at a crossroads of four great highways. And whoever shall place there a garland, a scent, or a scented powder, or shall pay homage, or shall bring confidence to their mind (citta), that will be for their welfare and happiness for a long time."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.