[185] "Now, Ānanda, it might occur to you thus: 'Surely at that time King Mahāsudassana was someone else.' But, Ānanda, it should not be seen thus. I myself was King Mahāsudassana at that time. Mine were those eighty-four thousand cities, with the royal capital Kusāvatī foremost. Mine were those eighty-four thousand palaces, with the Dhamma Palace foremost. Mine were those eighty-four thousand gabled chambers, with the Mahāviyūha gabled chamber foremost. Mine were those eighty-four thousand couches — made of gold, made of silver, made of ivory, made of cat's-eye gem (masāragalla) — spread with long-fleeced woolen covers, spread with white woolen coverlets, spread with flower-embroidered coverlets, spread with choice spreads of kadali-deer hide, with canopies above and with red bolsters at both ends. Mine were those eighty-four thousand elephants, with golden ornaments and golden banners, covered with nets of gold, with the elephant-king Uposatha foremost. Mine were those eighty-four thousand horses, with golden ornaments and golden banners, covered with nets of gold, with the horse-king Valāhaka foremost. Mine were those eighty-four thousand chariots, upholstered with lion-hide, upholstered with tiger-hide, upholstered with leopard-hide, upholstered with pale-yellow wool, with golden ornaments and golden banners, covered with nets of gold, with the chariot Vejayanta foremost. Mine were those eighty-four thousand jewels, with the jewel-treasure foremost. Mine were those eighty-four thousand women, with Queen Subhaddā foremost. Mine were those eighty-four thousand householders, with the householder-treasure foremost. Mine were those eighty-four thousand vassal khattiyas, with the counsellor-treasure (pariṇāyakaratana) foremost. Mine were those eighty-four thousand milch cows, streaming with milk, with bronze milking-pails. Mine were those eighty-four thousand koṭis of garments, of fine linen, of fine cotton, of fine silk, of fine wool. Mine were those eighty-four thousand dishes of food, by which an offering of food was brought to me morning and evening.
"Now of those eighty-four thousand cities, Ānanda, there was but one city in which I dwelt at that time, namely the royal capital Kusāvatī. Of those eighty-four thousand palaces, there was but one palace in which I dwelt at that time, namely the Dhamma Palace. Of those eighty-four thousand gabled chambers, there was but one gabled chamber in which I dwelt at that time, namely the Mahāviyūha gabled chamber. Of those eighty-four thousand couches, there was but one couch which I used at that time, made of gold or of silver or of ivory or of cat's-eye gem. Of those eighty-four thousand elephants, there was but one elephant which I mounted at that time, namely the elephant-king Uposatha. Of those eighty-four thousand horses, there was but one horse which I mounted at that time, namely the horse-king Valāhaka. Of those eighty-four thousand chariots, there was but one chariot which I mounted at that time, namely the chariot Vejayanta. Of those eighty-four thousand women, there was but one woman who attended upon me at that time, a khattiya woman or a vessa woman. Of those eighty-four thousand koṭis of garments, there was but one pair of cloths which I wore at that time, of fine linen or of fine cotton or of fine silk or of fine wool. Of those eighty-four thousand dishes of food, there was but one dish from which I ate at most a nāḷi-measure of boiled rice, with curry suitable thereto.
"See, Ānanda: all those formations (saṅkhārā) are past, ceased, changed. So impermanent, Ānanda, are formations; so unstable, Ānanda, are formations; so comfortless, Ānanda, are formations — so much so, Ānanda, that this is enough to become disenchanted with all formations, enough to become dispassionate, enough to be liberated.
"Moreover, Ānanda, I recall that the body was cast off, laid down in this region. And when I dwelt as a wheel-turning king, righteous, a king of Dhamma, ruler over the four quarters, victorious, who had attained stability in the country, possessed of the seven treasures — this was the seventh laying down of the body. But, Ānanda, I do not behold that place in the world with its devas, with its Māras, with its Brahmās, in this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, with its devas and human beings, where the Tathāgata might lay down the body an eighth time."
Thus spoke the Blessed One. Having said this, the Sugata, the Teacher, further said this:
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.