Then entering the Samadhi of the first Dhyana, he went successively through all the nine in a direct order; then inversely he returned throughout and entered on the first, and then from the first he raised himself and entered on the fourth.  Leaving the state of Samadhi, his soul without a resting-place, forthwith he reached Nirvana.  And then, as Buddha died, the great earth quaked throughout.  In space, on every hand, was fire like rain, no fuel, self-consuming.  And so from out the earth great flames arose on every side.

Thus up to the heavenly mansions flames burst forth; the crash of thunder shook the heavens and earth, rolling along the mountains and the valleys, even as when the Devas and Asuras fight with sound of drums and mutual conflict.  A wind tempestuous from the four bounds of earth arose—­whilst from the crags and hills, dust and ashes fell like rain.  The sun and moon withdrew their shining; the peaceful streams on every side were torrent-swollen; the sturdy forests shook like aspen leaves, whilst flowers and leaves untimely fell around, like scattered rain.  The flying dragons, carried on pitchy clouds, wept down their tears; the four kings and their associates, moved by pity, forgot their works of charity.  The pure Devas came to earth from heaven, halting mid-air they looked upon the changeful scene, not sorrowing, not rejoicing.  But yet they sighed to think of the world, heedless of its sacred teacher, hastening to destruction.  The eightfold heavenly spirits, on every side filled space:  cast down at heart and grieving, they scattered flowers as offerings.  Only Mara-raga rejoiced, and struck up sounds of music in his exultation.  Whilst Gambudvipa shorn of its glory, seemed to grieve as when the mountain tops fall down to earth, or like the great elephant robbed of its tusks, or like the ox-king spoiled of his horns; or heaven without the sun and moon, or as the lily beaten by the hail; thus was the world bereaved when Buddha died!

Praising Nirvana

At this time there was a Devaputra, riding on his thousand white-swan palace in the midst of space, who beheld the Parinirvana of Buddha.  This one, for the universal benefit of the Deva assembly, sounded forth at large these verses on impermanence:—­

“Impermanency is the nature of all things, quickly born, they quickly die.  With birth there comes the rush of sorrows, only in Nirvana is there joy.  The accumulated fuel heaped up by the power of karman, this the fire of wisdom alone can consume.  Though the fame of our deeds reach up to heaven as smoke, yet in time the rains which descend will extinguish all, as the fire that rages at the kalpa’s end is put out by the judgment of water.”

Again there was a Brahma-Rishi-deva, like a most exalted Rishi, dwelling in heaven, possessed of superior happiness, with no taint in his bliss, who thus sighed forth his praises of Tathagata’s Nirvana, with his mind fixed in abstraction as he spoke: