[95] Then Māra the Evil One, not long after the Venerable Ānanda had departed, approached the Blessed One; having approached, he stood to one side. Standing to one side, Māra the Evil One said this to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, let the Blessed One now attain final Nibbāna (parinibbāna); let the Fortunate One (Sugata) attain final Nibbāna; now, venerable sir, is the time for the Blessed One's final Nibbāna. For, venerable sir, this utterance was spoken by the Blessed One: 'Evil One, I shall not attain final Nibbāna until my bhikkhus shall be disciples who are competent, trained, self-assured, learned, bearers of the Dhamma, practicing in accordance with the Dhamma, practicing rightly, conducting themselves in conformity with the Dhamma; who, having learned their own teacher's doctrine, will declare it, teach it, make it known, establish it, disclose it, analyze it, and make it plain; and who, having thoroughly refuted with reason the doctrines of others that have arisen, will teach the Dhamma with its convincing demonstration.' But now, venerable sir, the bhikkhus who are the Blessed One's disciples are competent, trained, self-assured, learned, bearers of the Dhamma, practicing in accordance with the Dhamma, practicing rightly, conducting themselves in conformity with the Dhamma; having learned their own teacher's doctrine, they declare it, teach it, make it known, establish it, disclose it, analyze it, and make it plain; and having thoroughly refuted with reason the doctrines of others that have arisen, they teach the Dhamma with its convincing demonstration. Venerable sir, let the Blessed One now attain final Nibbāna; let the Fortunate One attain final Nibbāna; now, venerable sir, is the time for the Blessed One's final Nibbāna.
"For, venerable sir, this utterance was spoken by the Blessed One: 'Evil One, I shall not attain final Nibbāna until my bhikkhunīs shall be disciples who are competent, trained, self-assured, learned, bearers of the Dhamma, practicing in accordance with the Dhamma, practicing rightly, conducting themselves in conformity with the Dhamma; who, having learned their own teacher's doctrine, will declare it, make it known, establish it, disclose it, analyze it, and make it plain; and who, having thoroughly refuted with reason the doctrines of others that have arisen, will teach the Dhamma with its convincing demonstration.' But now, venerable sir, the bhikkhunīs who are the Blessed One's disciples are competent, trained, self-assured, learned, bearers of the Dhamma, practicing in accordance with the Dhamma, practicing rightly, conducting themselves in conformity with the Dhamma; having learned their own teacher's doctrine, they declare it, teach it, make it known, establish it, disclose it, analyze it, and make it plain; and having thoroughly refuted with reason the doctrines of others that have arisen, they teach the Dhamma with its convincing demonstration. Venerable sir, let the Blessed One now attain final Nibbāna; let the Fortunate One attain final Nibbāna; now, venerable sir, is the time for the Blessed One's final Nibbāna.
"For, venerable sir, this utterance was spoken by the Blessed One: 'Evil One, I shall not attain final Nibbāna until my laymen shall be disciples who are competent, trained, self-assured, learned, bearers of the Dhamma, practicing in accordance with the Dhamma, practicing rightly, conducting themselves in conformity with the Dhamma; who, having learned their own teacher's doctrine, will declare it, teach it, make it known, establish it, disclose it, analyze it, and make it plain; and who, having thoroughly refuted with reason the doctrines of others that have arisen, will teach the Dhamma with its convincing demonstration.' But now, venerable sir, the laymen who are the Blessed One's disciples are competent, trained, self-assured, learned, bearers of the Dhamma, practicing in accordance with the Dhamma, practicing rightly, conducting themselves in conformity with the Dhamma; having learned their own teacher's doctrine, they declare it, teach it, make it known, establish it, disclose it, analyze it, and make it plain; and having thoroughly refuted with reason the doctrines of others that have arisen, they teach the Dhamma with its convincing demonstration. Venerable sir, let the Blessed One now attain final Nibbāna; let the Fortunate One attain final Nibbāna; now, venerable sir, is the time for the Blessed One's final Nibbāna.
"For, venerable sir, this utterance was spoken by the Blessed One: 'Evil One, I shall not attain final Nibbāna until my laywomen shall be disciples who are competent, trained, self-assured, learned, bearers of the Dhamma, practicing in accordance with the Dhamma, practicing rightly, conducting themselves in conformity with the Dhamma; who, having learned their own teacher's doctrine, will declare it, teach it, make it known, establish it, disclose it, analyze it, and make it plain; and who, having thoroughly refuted with reason the doctrines of others that have arisen, will teach the Dhamma with its convincing demonstration.' But now, venerable sir, the laywomen who are the Blessed One's disciples are competent, trained, self-assured, learned, bearers of the Dhamma, practicing in accordance with the Dhamma, practicing rightly, conducting themselves in conformity with the Dhamma; having learned their own teacher's doctrine, they declare it, teach it, make it known, establish it, disclose it, analyze it, and make it plain; and having thoroughly refuted with reason the doctrines of others that have arisen, they teach the Dhamma with its convincing demonstration. Venerable sir, let the Blessed One now attain final Nibbāna; let the Fortunate One attain final Nibbāna; now, venerable sir, is the time for the Blessed One's final Nibbāna.
"For, venerable sir, this utterance was spoken by the Blessed One: 'Evil One, I shall not attain final Nibbāna until this holy life of mine shall be successful and prosperous, widespread, known to many, grown great, until it is well proclaimed among gods and humans.' But now, venerable sir, this holy life of the Blessed One is successful and prosperous, widespread, known to many, grown great, well proclaimed among gods and humans. Venerable sir, let the Blessed One now attain final Nibbāna; let the Fortunate One attain final Nibbāna; now, venerable sir, is the time for the Blessed One's final Nibbāna."
When this was said, the Blessed One said to Māra the Evil One: "Be untroubled, Evil One. The final Nibbāna of the Tathāgata will not be long. Three months from now the Tathāgata will attain final Nibbāna."
Then the Blessed One, at the Pāvāla Shrine, with mindfulness and clear comprehension, relinquished the life-formation (āyusaṅkhāra). And when the Blessed One had relinquished the life-formation, there was a great earthquake, terrifying and hair-raising, and the drums of the devas burst forth. Then the Blessed One, understanding the meaning of this, on that occasion uttered this inspired utterance:
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.