then can this be sought?  You, and all that lives, can seek in me this great deliverance!  That which you may all attain I have already told you, and tell you, to the end.  Why then should I preserve this body?  The body of the excellent law shall long endure!  I am resolved; I look for rest!  This is the one thing needful.  So do I now instruct all creatures, and as a guide, not seen before, I lead them; prepare yourselves to cast off consciousness, fix yourselves well in your own island.  Those who are thus fixed mid-stream, with single aim and earnestness striving in the use of means, preparing quietly a quiet place, not moved by others’ way of thinking, know well, such men are safe on the law’s island.  Fixed in contemplation, lighted by the lamp of wisdom, they have thus finally destroyed ignorance and gloom.  Consider well the world’s four bounds, and dare to seek for true religion only; forget ‘yourself,’ and every ‘ground of self,’ the bones, the nerves, the skin, the flesh, the mucus, the blood that flows through every vein; behold these things as constantly impure, what joy then can there be in such a body? every sensation born from cause, like the bubble floating on the water.  The sorrow coming from the consciousness of birth and death and inconstancy, removes all thought of joy—­the mind acquainted with the law of production, stability, and destruction, recognizes how again and once again things follow or succeed one another with no endurance.  But thinking well about Nirvana, the thought of endurance is forever dismissed; we see how the samskaras from causes have arisen, and how these aggregates will again dissolve, all of them impermanent.  The foolish man conceives the idea of ‘self,’ the wise man sees there is no ground on which to build the idea of ‘self,’ thus through the world he rightly looks and well concludes, all, therefore, is but evil; the aggregate amassed by sorrow must perish in the end! if once confirmed in this conviction, that man perceives the truth.  This body, too, of Buddha now existing soon will perish:  the law is one and constant, and without exception.”  Buddha having delivered this excellent sermon, appeased the heart of Ananda.

Then all the Likkhavis, hearing the report, with fear and apprehension assembled in a body; devoid of their usual ornaments, they hastened to the place where Buddha was.  Having saluted him according to custom, they stood on one side, wishing to ask him a question, but not being able to find words.  Buddha, knowing well their heart, by way of remedy, in the right use of means, spake thus:—­

“Now I perfectly understand that you have in your minds unusual thoughts, not referring to worldly matters, but wholly connected with subjects of religion; and now you wish to hear from me, what may be known respecting the report about my resolve to terminate my life, and my purpose to put an end to the repetition of birth.  Impermanence is the nature of all that exists, constant change and restlessness its conditions;