What the Buddha really said before he passed
away
12 Feb 2010 - Temasek Review
By U Aung Mein
As a (Theravadin) Buddhist, I thank Pastor Rony Tan for giving
me the opportunity here to address some common misconceptions about
Buddhism.[1]
During a session conducted by Pastor Tan to his congregation, he
said that Buddha still “could not find the Way” before he passed
away and in the end it was “Jesus who showed Buddha the Way.”
According to the Pali Canon, the earliest historical records of
the Buddha’s teachings, the Buddha passed away in 483 B.C., 483
years before the birth of (Jesus) Christ.
The events leading to the passing of the Buddha can be found in
the Mahaparanibbana
Sutta of the Digha Nikaya.
At the age of 80, the Buddha announced that he would soon reach
Parinibbana or the final deathless state abandoning the
earthly body.
The Buddha taught that all sentinent beings (including human
beings) are subjected to an infinite cycles of births, aging,
sickness and death and the only way to extricate oneself out of
this “mass of suffering” completely is to attain Nibbana [2]
(Enlightenment) through the practice of meditation as
documented in detail
here. It can be attained in this life here and now so
long one strives for it.
Technically speaking, Buddhism is not a religion but simply a
method/way to put a stop to dukkha or suffering once and for all.
The Buddha did not demand everybody to follow his teachings which
can be questioned, debated and challenged.
Before he passed away, the Buddha asked his disciples if they
had any questions for him:
“It may be, bhikkhus (monks), that one of you is in doubt or
perplexity as to the Buddha, the Dhamma, or the Sangha, the path or
the practice. Then question, bhikkhus! Do not be given to remorse
later on with the thought: ‘The Master was with us face to face,
yet face to face we failed to ask him.”
But when this was said for the first, ssecond and third time,
the bhikkhus were silent.
A disciple and attendant of the Buddha Venerable Ananda spoke to
the Blessed One, saying:
“Marvellous it is, O Lord, most wonderful it is! This faith
I have in the community of bhikkhus, that not even one bhikkhu is
in doubt or perplexity as to the Buddha, the Dhamma, or the Sangha,
the path or the practice.”
The Buddha replied:
“Out of faith, Ananda, you speak thus. But here, Ananda, the
Tathagata (Buddha) knows for certain that among this community
of bhikkhus there is not even one bhikkhu who is in doubt or
perplexity as to the Buddha, the Dhamma (Buddha’s teachings), or
the Sangha (community of monks), the path or the practice. For,
Ananda, among these five hundred bhikkhus even the lowest is a
stream-enterer, secure from downfall, assured, and bound for
enlightenment.”
And the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus, saying:
“Behold now, bhikkhus, I exhort you: Transient are all
compounded things, strive on with diligence!”
These were the last words of the Buddha.
Addendum:
[1]: There are two major schools of Buddhism today – Theravada
and Mahayana.
[2]: Nibbana is also known as Nirvana in Sanskrit.
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Wow, you are fast! I am impressed!
