[167] On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Vesālī, in the Great Wood, in the Hall with the Peaked Roof. Then in the morning the Blessed One dressed, took his bowl and robe, and entered Vesālī for alms. Having walked for alms in Vesālī, after the meal, on returning from the almsround, he addressed the Venerable Ānanda: "Take a sitting cloth, Ānanda; we shall go to the Pāvāla Shrine for the day's abiding." "Yes, venerable sir," the Venerable Ānanda replied to the Blessed One and, taking a sitting cloth, followed close behind the Blessed One.
Then the Blessed One went to the Pāvāla Shrine and, having approached, sat down on the seat prepared. Seated, the Blessed One addressed the Venerable Ānanda: "Delightful, Ānanda, is Vesālī; delightful is the Udena Shrine, delightful the Gotamaka Shrine, delightful the Bahuputtaka Shrine, delightful the Sattamba Shrine, delightful the Sārandada Shrine, delightful the Pāvāla Shrine. Whoever, Ānanda, has developed and cultivated the four bases of spiritual power (iddhipāda), made them his vehicle, made them his ground, established them, consolidated them, and thoroughly undertaken them, could, if he wished, remain for an aeon (kappa) or for the remainder of an aeon. The Tathāgata, Ānanda, has developed and cultivated the four bases of spiritual power, made them his vehicle, made them his ground, established them, consolidated them, and thoroughly undertaken them. If he wished, Ānanda, the Tathāgata could remain for an aeon or for the remainder of an aeon."
But even though so obvious a sign was made by the Blessed One, so obvious a hint was given, the Venerable Ānanda was unable to penetrate it, and he did not beseech the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, may the Blessed One remain for the aeon; may the Fortunate One remain for the aeon, for the welfare of the many, for the happiness of the many, out of compassion for the world, for the good, welfare, and happiness of devas and humans" — for his mind (citta) was possessed by Māra.
A second time the Blessed One … . A third time the Blessed One addressed the Venerable Ānanda: "Delightful, Ānanda, is Vesālī; delightful is the Udena Shrine, delightful the Gotamaka Shrine, delightful the Bahuputtaka Shrine, delightful the Sattamba Shrine, delightful the Sārandada Shrine, delightful the Pāvāla Shrine. Whoever, Ānanda, has developed and cultivated the four bases of spiritual power, made them his vehicle, made them his ground, established them, consolidated them, and thoroughly undertaken them … If he wished, Ānanda, the Tathāgata could remain for an aeon or for the remainder of an aeon." But even though so obvious a sign was made by the Blessed One, so obvious a hint was given, the Venerable Ānanda was unable to penetrate it, and he did not beseech the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, may the Blessed One remain for the aeon; may the Fortunate One remain for the aeon, for the welfare of the many, for the happiness of the many, out of compassion for the world, for the good, welfare, and happiness of devas and humans" — for his mind was possessed by Māra.
Then the Blessed One addressed the Venerable Ānanda: "Go, Ānanda, at your own convenience." "Yes, venerable sir," the Venerable Ānanda replied to the Blessed One; rising from his seat, he paid homage to the Blessed One, circumambulated him keeping him on the right, and sat down at the foot of a certain tree not far from the Blessed One.
Then, not long after the Venerable Ānanda had departed, Māra the Evil One said this to the Blessed One: "Let the Blessed One now attain final Nibbāna (parinibbāna), venerable sir; let the Fortunate One attain final Nibbāna. Now is the time for the Blessed One's final Nibbāna. For this statement, venerable sir, was spoken by the Blessed One: 'I shall not attain final Nibbāna, Evil One, so long as my bhikkhus have not become disciples who are competent, disciplined, confident, attained to security from bondage, learned, bearers of the Dhamma, practicing in accordance with the Dhamma, practicing properly, conducting themselves in accordance 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 elucidate it; and who, having thoroughly refuted in accordance with the Dhamma the doctrines of others that have arisen, will teach the Dhamma with its marvel.' And now, venerable sir, the bhikkhus, the Blessed One's disciples, are competent, disciplined, confident, attained to security from bondage, learned, bearers of the Dhamma, practicing in accordance with the Dhamma, practicing properly, conducting themselves in accordance 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 elucidate it; and having thoroughly refuted in accordance with the Dhamma the doctrines of others that have arisen, they teach the Dhamma with its marvel. Let the Blessed One now attain final Nibbāna, venerable sir; let the Fortunate One attain final Nibbāna. Now is the time for the Blessed One's final Nibbāna.
"And this statement, venerable sir, was spoken by the Blessed One: 'I shall not attain final Nibbāna, Evil One, so long as my bhikkhunīs have not become disciples …; so long as my male lay followers have not become disciples …; so long as my female lay followers have not become disciples who are competent, disciplined, confident, attained to security from bondage, learned, bearers of the Dhamma, practicing in accordance with the Dhamma, practicing properly, conducting themselves in accordance 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 elucidate it; and who, having thoroughly refuted in accordance with the Dhamma the doctrines of others that have arisen, will teach the Dhamma with its marvel.' And now, venerable sir, the female lay followers, the Blessed One's disciples, are competent, disciplined, confident, attained to security from bondage, learned, bearers of the Dhamma, practicing in accordance with the Dhamma, practicing properly, conducting themselves in accordance 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 elucidate it; and having thoroughly refuted in accordance with the Dhamma the doctrines of others that have arisen, they teach the Dhamma with its marvel. Let the Blessed One now attain final Nibbāna, venerable sir; let the Fortunate One attain final Nibbāna. Now is the time for the Blessed One's final Nibbāna.
"And this statement, venerable sir, was spoken by the Blessed One: 'I shall not attain final Nibbāna, Evil One, so long as this holy life (brahmacariya) of mine has not become successful and prosperous, widespread, known to the many, become vast, until it is well proclaimed among devas and humans.' And now, venerable sir, the Blessed One's holy life is successful and prosperous, widespread, known to the many, become vast, well proclaimed among devas and humans. Let the Blessed One now attain final Nibbāna, venerable sir; let the Fortunate One attain final Nibbāna. Now is the time for the Blessed One's final Nibbāna."
"Be untroubled, Evil One. Not long hence the Tathāgata's final Nibbāna will take place. Three months from now the Tathāgata will attain final Nibbāna." Then the Blessed One, at the Pāvāla Shrine, mindful and clearly comprehending, relinquished the life-formation (āyusaṅkhāra). And when the life-formation had been relinquished by the Blessed One, there was a great earthquake, frightening 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:
Weighing the comparable and the incomparable coming-to-be,
the sage relinquished the formation of existence;
rejoicing within, concentrated,
he broke self-origination as if it were a coat of mail.
Then it occurred to the Venerable Ānanda: "Great indeed is this earthquake; very great indeed is this earthquake, frightening and hair-raising, and the drums of the devas burst forth. What now is the cause, what is the condition, for the manifestation of a great earthquake?" Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down to one side. Seated to one side, the Venerable Ānanda said this to the Blessed One: "Great indeed, venerable sir, is this earthquake; very great indeed, venerable sir, is this earthquake, frightening and hair-raising, and the drums of the devas burst forth. What now, venerable sir, is the cause, what is the condition, for the manifestation of a great earthquake?"
"There are, Ānanda, these eight causes, eight conditions, for the manifestation of a great earthquake. What eight? This great earth, Ānanda, is established upon water; the water is established upon wind; the wind stands in space. There comes a time, Ānanda, when great winds blow; the great winds, blowing, shake the water; the water, shaken, shakes the earth. This, Ānanda, is the first cause, the first condition, for the manifestation of a great earthquake.
"Furthermore, Ānanda, an ascetic or a brahmin possessed of spiritual power, one attained to mastery of mind, or a deity of great power and great might, has developed a limited perception of earth and a measureless perception of water; he makes this earth shake, quake, and tremble. This, Ānanda, is the second cause, the second condition, for the manifestation of a great earthquake.
"Furthermore, Ānanda, when the Bodhisatta, mindful and clearly comprehending, passes away from the Tusita host and descends into his mother's womb, then this earth shakes, quakes, and trembles. This, Ānanda, is the third cause, the third condition, for the manifestation of a great earthquake.
"Furthermore, Ānanda, when the Bodhisatta, mindful and clearly comprehending, comes forth from his mother's womb, then this earth shakes, quakes, and trembles. This, Ānanda, is the fourth cause, the fourth condition, for the manifestation of a great earthquake.
"Furthermore, Ānanda, when the Tathāgata awakens to unsurpassed perfect enlightenment, then this earth shakes, quakes, and trembles. This, Ānanda, is the fifth cause, the fifth condition, for the manifestation of a great earthquake.
"Furthermore, Ānanda, when the Tathāgata sets rolling the unsurpassed wheel of the Dhamma, then this earth shakes, quakes, and trembles. This, Ānanda, is the sixth cause, the sixth condition, for the manifestation of a great earthquake.
"Furthermore, Ānanda, when the Tathāgata, mindful and clearly comprehending, relinquishes the life-formation, then this earth shakes, quakes, and trembles. This, Ānanda, is the seventh cause, the seventh condition, for the manifestation of a great earthquake.
"Furthermore, Ānanda, when the Tathāgata attains final Nibbāna by the Nibbāna element without residue remaining, then this earth shakes, quakes, and trembles. This, Ānanda, is the eighth cause, the eighth condition, for the manifestation of a great earthquake. These, Ānanda, are the eight causes, the eight conditions, for the manifestation of a great earthquake."
The Cāla Chapter, the second.
Its summary (uddāna):
Icchā, Alaṃ, and Saṅkhitta; Bhayā together with Abhibhū;
Vimokkha and the two Vohāras; Parisā, and with Bhūmicāla.
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The Yamaka Chapter, the third.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.