And thereupon eight chieftains among the Mallas bathed their heads, and clad themselves in new garments with the intention of bearing the body of the Blessed One.  But, behold, they could not lift it up!

Then the Mallas of Kusinara said to the venerable Anuruddha:  “What, Lord, can be the reason, what can be the cause that eight chieftains of the Mallas who have bathed their heads, and clad themselves in new garments with the intention of bearing the body of the Blessed One, are unable to lift it up?”

“It is because you, O Vasetthas, have one purpose and the spirits have another purpose.”

“But what, Lord, is the purpose of the spirits?”

“Your purpose, O Vasetthas, is this:  ’Let us carry the body of the Blessed One, by the south and outside, to a spot on the south, and outside of the city,—­paying it honor, and reverence, and respect, and homage, with dance and song and music, with garlands and perfumes,—­and there, to the south of the city, let us perform the cremation ceremony.’  But the purpose of the spirits, Vasetthas, is this:  ’Let us carry the body of the Blessed One by the north to the north of the city, and entering the city by the north gate, let us bring it through the midst of the city into the midst thereof.  And going out again by the eastern gate,—­paying honor, and reverence, and respect, and homage to the body of the Blessed One, with heavenly dance, and song, and music, and garlands, and perfumes,—­let us carry it to the shrine of the Mallas called Makuta-bandhana, to the east of the city, and there let us perform the cremation ceremony.’”

“Even according to the purpose of the spirits, so, Lord, let it be!”

Then immediately all Kusinara down even to the dust-bins and rubbish heaps became strewn knee-deep with Mandarava flowers from heaven! and while both the spirits from the skies, and the Mallas of Kusinara upon earth, paid honor, and reverence, and respect, and homage to the body of the Blessed One, with dance and song and music, with garlands and with perfumes, they carried the body by the north to the north of the city; and entering the city by the north gate they carried it through the midst of the city into the midst thereof; and going out again by the eastern gate they carried it to the shrine of the Mallas, called Makuta-bandhana; and there, to the east of the city, they laid down the body of the Blessed One.

Then the Mallas of Kusinara said to the venerable Ananda:  “What should be done, Lord, with the remains of the Tathagata?”

“As men treat the remains of a king of kings, so, Vasetthas, should they treat the remains of a Tathagata.”

“And how, Lord, do they treat the remains of a king of kings?”