Saṁyutta Nikāya 47.9 1.

Gilānasutta

Ambapālivagga Gilānasutta Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati veḷuvagāmake.

Thus have I heard: At one time the Blessed One was dwelling at Vesālī, in the village of Veḷuvagāma.

Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “etha tumhe, bhikkhave, samantā vesāliyā yathāmittaṁ yathāsandiṭṭhaṁ yathāsambhattaṁ vassaṁ upetha.

There, the Blessed One addressed the disciples: Come let each of you spend the rains retreat around Vesālī as you find suitable, as you see fit, as you are comfortable.

Idhevāhaṁ veḷuvagāmake vassaṁ upagacchāmī”ti.

I myself will spend the rains retreat right here in Veḷuvagāma.

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho te bhikkhū bhagavato paṭissutvā samantā vesāliyā yathāmittaṁ yathāsandiṭṭhaṁ yathāsambhattaṁ vassaṁ upagacchuṁ.

Yes, venerable sir, those disciples replied to the Blessed One and spent the rains retreat around Vesālī as they found suitable, as they saw fit, as they were comfortable.

Bhagavā pana tattheva veḷuvagāmake vassaṁ upagacchi.

The Blessed One, however, spent the rains retreat right there in Veḷuvagāma.

Atha kho bhagavato vassūpagatassa kharo ābādho uppajji, bāḷhā vedanā vattanti māraṇantikā.

Then, during the retreat, a severe illness arose in the Blessed One, with sharp and deadly pains.

Tatra sudaṁ bhagavā sato sampajāno adhivāsesi avihaññamāno.

But the Blessed One endured it, mindful and fully aware, without any distress.

Atha kho bhagavato etadahosi: “na kho me taṁ patirūpaṁ, yohaṁ anāmantetvā upaṭṭhāke anapaloketvā bhikkhusaṅghaṁ parinibbāyeyyaṁ.

Then it occurred to the Blessed One: It would not be fitting for me to pass away without addressing my attendants and taking a last look at the community of disciples.

Yannūnāhaṁ imaṁ ābādhaṁ vīriyena paṭipaṇāmetvā jīvitasaṅkhāraṁ adhiṭṭhāya vihareyyan”ti.

Perhaps I should completely suppress this illness by willpower, and maintain the life force and live on.

Atha kho bhagavā taṁ ābādhaṁ vīriyena paṭipaṇāmetvā jīvitasaṅkhāraṁ adhiṭṭhāya vihāsi.

And the Blessed One completely suppressed the illness by willpower, maintained the life force, and lived on.

Atha kho bhagavato so ābādho paṭippassambhi.

Then, that illness of the Blessed One subsided.

Atha kho bhagavā gilānā vuṭṭhito aciravuṭṭhito gelaññā vihārā nikkhamitvā vihārapacchāyāyaṁ paññatte āsane nisīdi.

After recovering from that illness, the Blessed One, not long after his recovery, emerged from his dwelling and sat down in the shade of the dwelling on a prepared seat.

Atha kho āyasmā ānando yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.

Then the Venerable Ānanda approached the Blessed One; having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side.

Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā ānando bhagavantaṁ etadavoca: “diṭṭho me, bhante, bhagavato phāsu; diṭṭhaṁ, bhante, bhagavato khamanīyaṁ; diṭṭhaṁ, bhante, bhagavato yāpanīyaṁ.

Seated to one side, the Venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One: I have seen the Blessed One comfortable; I have seen the Blessed One enduring; I have seen the Blessed One recovering.

Api ca me, bhante, madhurakajāto viya kāyo, disāpi me na pakkhāyanti, dhammāpi maṁ nappaṭibhanti bhagavato gelaññena.

And yet, venerable sir, my body felt as if it were drugged, I lost my bearings, and the teachings were not clear to me, all because of the Blessed Ones illness.

Api ca me, bhante, ahosi kācideva assāsamattā: ‘na tāva bhagavā parinibbāyissati, na yāva bhagavā bhikkhusaṅghaṁ ārabbha kiñcideva udāharatī’”ti.

And yet, venerable sir, I had some little comfort in the thought: The Blessed One will not pass away until he has given some last instructions concerning the community of disciples.

“Kiṁ pana dāni, ānanda, bhikkhusaṅgho mayi paccāsīsati?

What then, Ānanda, does the community of disciples expect from me?

Desito, ānanda, mayā dhammo anantaraṁ abāhiraṁ karitvā.

Ānanda, I have taught the Dhamma without making an inner and outer distinction.

Natthānanda, tathāgatassa dhammesu ācariyamuṭṭhi.

There is no teachers fist in regard to the teachings.

Yassa nūna, ānanda, evamassa: ‘ahaṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ pariharissāmī’ti vā, ‘mamuddesiko bhikkhusaṅgho’ti vā, so nūna, ānanda, bhikkhusaṅghaṁ ārabbha kiñcideva udāhareyya.

If it should occur to anyone: I will lead the community of disciples or The community of disciples is dependent on me, he should make some last instructions concerning the community of disciples.

Tathāgatassa kho, ānanda, na evaṁ hoti: ‘ahaṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ pariharissāmī’ti vā, ‘mamuddesiko bhikkhusaṅgho’ti vā. Sa kiṁ, ānanda, tathāgato bhikkhusaṅghaṁ ārabbha kiñcideva udāharissati. Etarahi kho panāhaṁ, ānanda, jiṇṇo vuddho mahallako addhagato vayoanuppatto.

But, Ānanda, that does not apply to the Tathāgata.

Now I am old, Ānanda, aged, burdened with years, advanced in life, and come to the last stage: my age is now eighty years. Just as an old cart is made to go by being held together with straps, so, Ānanda, the Tathāgatas body is kept going by being strapped up.

Āsītiko me vayo vattati. Seyyathāpi, ānanda, jajjarasakaṭaṁ veḷamissakena yāpeti; evameva kho, ānanda, veḷamissakena maññe tathāgatassa kāyo yāpeti.

It is only when the Tathāgata withdraws his attention from all signs and, by the cessation of certain feelings, enters into the signless concentration of mind, that his body is more comfortable.

Yasmiṁ, ānanda, samaye tathāgato sabbanimittānaṁ amanasikārā ekaccānaṁ vedanānaṁ nirodhā animittaṁ cetosamādhiṁ upasampajja viharati, phāsutaro, ānanda, tasmiṁ samaye tathāgatassa kāyo hoti.

Therefore, Ānanda, be islands unto yourselves, refuges unto yourselves, seeking no external refuge; with the Dhamma as your island, the Dhamma as your refuge, seeking no other refuge.

Tasmātihānanda, attadīpā viharatha attasaraṇā anaññasaraṇā, dhammadīpā dhammasaraṇā anaññasaraṇā. Kathañcānanda, bhikkhu attadīpo viharati attasaraṇo anaññasaraṇo, dhammadīpo dhammasaraṇo anaññasaraṇo? Idhānanda, bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ; vedanāsu …pe…

And how, Ānanda, does a disciple live as an island unto himself, a refuge unto himself, seeking no external refuge; with the Dhamma as his island, the Dhamma as his refuge, seeking no other refuge?

Here, Ānanda, a disciple dwells contemplating the body in the body, ardent, fully aware, and mindful, having put away craving and aversion for the world; he dwells contemplating feelings in feelings...

citte …pe…

mind in mind...

dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā, vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.

phenomena in phenomena, ardent, fully aware, and mindful, having put away craving and aversion for the world.

Evaṁ kho, ānanda, bhikkhu attadīpo viharati attasaraṇo anaññasaraṇo, dhammadīpo dhammasaraṇo anaññasaraṇo.

This is how, Ānanda, a disciple lives as an island unto himself, a refuge unto himself, seeking no external refuge; with the Dhamma as his island, the Dhamma as his refuge, seeking no other refuge.

Ye hi keci, ānanda, etarahi vā mamaccaye vā attadīpā viharissanti attasaraṇā anaññasaraṇā, dhammadīpā dhammasaraṇā anaññasaraṇā; tamatagge mete, ānanda, bhikkhū bhavissanti ye keci sikkhākāmā”ti. Navamaṁ.

Those disciples, Ānanda, either now or after I am gone, who will be islands unto themselves, refuges unto themselves, seeking no external refuge; with the Dhamma as their island, the Dhamma as their refuge, seeking no other refuge, those, Ānanda, will be the foremost among my disciples, those who are eager to train.