| Sutta Name | Nikaya | Vagga | Academic | PTS | PSA Plae | Keywords | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mahaaparinibbaana | Diigha | Mahaa Vagga | DN.16 | D.ii.072ff. | 13/233 | Pataliputta, Vajjians, ariyavamsa, earthquake, holy sites, stupas | Contains an account of the last year of the Buddha’s life. The greatness of Pataliputta is prophecised, the attack on the Vajjians by Ajatasattru. Also enumerated are the seven conditions for the perpetuity of the monastic community (bhikkhu-aparihaaniyadhamma): 1. to hold regular and frequent meetings; 2. to meet together in harmony, disperse in harmony and do the business and duties of the community in harmony; 3. to introduce no revolutionary legislation -- but to train oneself according to the prescribed rules of training; 4. to honour and respect those elders of long experience, the fathers and leaders of the community and deem them worthy of listening to; 5. not to fall under the influence of craving which arises; 6. to delight in forest retreat, and; 7. to establish oneself in mindfulness with the thought 'Let disciplined co-celibates who have not come, come hither and let those who have already come live in comfort at D.ii.077. Also enumerated are a further seven conditions for the perpetuity of the monastic community (bhikkhu-aparihaaniyadhamma): 1. not to be fond of business (na kammaaraamataa); 2. not to be fond of gossip (na bhassaaraamataa); 3. not to be fond of sleeping (na niddaaraamataa); 4. not to be fond of socializing (na sa"nga.nikaaraamataa); 5. not to have nor to fall under the influence of evil desire (na paapicchataa); 6. not to have evil friends (na paapamittataa), and; 7. not to be distracted from the Path by the attainment of lesser successes (na antaraa vosaanamaapajjanaa) at D.ii.078. Also discussed are the ariyavamsa, eight causes of an earthquake, last meal of the Buddha, four places of pilgrimage, the mahåpadesa, the obsequeries of a king, the building of cetiyas, the previous history of Kusinara, the Buddha’s death and cremation, the distribution of relics by Dona and the erection of stupas over the relics. Also enumerated are the three forms of defilements (aasava): 1. the defilement of sense-desire (kaamaasava); 2. the defilement of becoming (bhavaasava), and; 3. the defilement of ignorance (avijjaasava) at D.ii.081. Also enumerated are the Four References in case of doubt as to interpretations of the discipline (mahapadesa): 1. appeal to the Buddha for clarification (buddhaapadesa); 2. appeal to the community of monks for clarification (sa"nghaapadesa); 3. appeal to a number of elder monks for clarification (sambahulattheraapadesa), and; 4. appeal fo a single elder monk for clarification (ekatheraapadesa) at D.ii.123. The Buddha also discriminates between the two methods of showing respect: 1. respect by the offering of gifts (aamisapuujaa), and; 2. respect by implementing what that teacher has taught (pa.tipattipuujaa) at D.ii.138. The Buddha enumerates the four Buddhist Holy Places (sa.mvejaniiya.t.thaana) as places to be visited with reverence, namely: 1. the Buddha's birthplace; 2. the place where the Buddha achieved enlightenment; 3. the place where the Buddha preached his first sermon, and; 4. the place where the Buddha passed away into parinibbaana at D.ii.140. Also enumerated are the four persons worthy of a stupa or monument (thuupaaraha-puggala): 1. a Buddha; 2. a paccekabuddha; 3. a disciple of the Buddha who has attained arahantship; 4. a universal monarch (cakkavatti) at D.ii.142 The Buddha also discriminates between two fundamental parts of his teaching (paavacana): 1. doctrine (dhamma), and; 2. discipline (vinaya) at D.ii.154. |
Last modified on: Sunday, 9 January 2000.