[128] But even when so obvious a sign (nimitta) was thus being made by the Blessed One, so obvious a hint (obhāsa) being made, the Venerable Ānanda was unable to penetrate it, and he did not entreat the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, may the Blessed One remain for the aeon (kappa); may the Sublime One (Sugata) 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, the welfare, and the happiness of devas and human beings" — for his mind was possessed by Māra.
A second time the Blessed One addressed the Venerable Ānanda: "Delightful, Ānanda, is Vesālī; delightful is the Udena Shrine (cetiya); delightful is the Gotamaka Shrine; delightful is the Sattamba Shrine; delightful is the Bahuputta Shrine; delightful is the Sāranda Shrine; delightful is Pāvāla. Ānanda, whosoever has developed the four bases for success (iddhipāda), cultivated them, made them his vehicle, made them his basis, firmly established them, consolidated them, and well undertaken them — he, should he so wish, might remain for an aeon or for the remainder of an aeon. The Tathāgata, Ānanda, has developed the four bases for success, cultivated them, made them his vehicle, made them his basis, firmly established them, consolidated them, and well undertaken them. Should he so wish, Ānanda, the Tathāgata might remain for an aeon or for the remainder of an aeon."
But even when so obvious a sign was thus being made by the Blessed One, so obvious a hint being made, the Venerable Ānanda was unable to penetrate it, and he did not entreat the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, may the Blessed One remain for the aeon; may the Sublime 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, the welfare, and the happiness of devas and human beings" — for his mind was possessed by Māra.
A third time the Blessed One addressed the Venerable Ānanda: "Delightful, Ānanda, is Vesālī; delightful is the Udena Shrine; delightful is the Gotamaka Shrine; delightful is the Sattamba Shrine; delightful is the Bahuputta Shrine; delightful is the Sāranda Shrine; delightful is the Pāvāla Shrine. Ānanda, whosoever has developed the four bases for success, cultivated them, made them his vehicle, made them his basis, firmly established them, consolidated them, and well undertaken them — he, should he so wish, might remain for an aeon or for the remainder of an aeon. The Tathāgata, Ānanda, has developed the four bases for success, cultivated them, made them his vehicle, made them his basis, firmly established them, consolidated them, and well undertaken them. Should he so wish, Ānanda, the Tathāgata might remain for an aeon or for the remainder of an aeon."
But even when so obvious a sign was thus being made by the Blessed One, so obvious a hint being made, the Venerable Ānanda was unable to penetrate it, and he did not entreat the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, may the Blessed One remain for the aeon; may the Sublime 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, the welfare, and the happiness of devas and human beings" — for his mind was possessed by Māra.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.