[177] 9. Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Blessed One was dwelling at Rājagaha, in the Veḷuvana, the Kalandakanivāpa. Then the Venerable Dabba Mallaputta approached the Blessed One; having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, he sat down at one side. Sitting at one side, the Venerable Dabba Mallaputta said this to the Blessed One: "It is now the time of my final Nibbāna (parinibbāna), Sublime One (Sugata)."
"Do now, Dabba, that for which you think it is the time."
Then the Venerable Dabba Mallaputta, rising from his seat, having paid homage to the Blessed One and circumambulated him, keeping him to his right, rose up into the air and sat cross-legged in the sky, in the open air; having entered upon the fire element (tejodhātu) and emerged from it, he attained final Nibbāna.
Then, as the body of the Venerable Dabba Mallaputta — who had risen up into the air, sat cross-legged in the sky, in the open air, entered upon the fire element, emerged from it, and attained final Nibbāna — was blazing and burning, no ash appeared, nor soot. Just as when ghee or oil is blazing and burning, no ash appears, nor soot, even so, as the body of the Venerable Dabba Mallaputta — who had risen up into the air, sat cross-legged in the sky, in the open air, entered upon the fire element, emerged from it, and attained final Nibbāna — was blazing and burning, no ash appeared, nor soot.
Then the Blessed One, having understood this matter, on that occasion uttered this inspired utterance (udāna):
"The body broke up, perception (saññā) ceased,
all feelings (vedanā) became cool;
volitional formations (saṅkhārā) were stilled,
consciousness (viññāṇa) came to its setting."
The ninth.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.