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Beneath the sala trees of kusinagar at Upawattana garden in his last words to his disciples ,the Buddha said....

My disciples ;do not vainly lament ,but realise that nothing is permanent and learn from it the emptiness of human life. Do not cherish the unworthy desire that the changeable might become unchanging.

The demon of worldly desire is always seeking chances to deceive the mind. If a viper lives in your room and you wish to have a peaceful sleep ,you must first chase it out.

You must break the bonds of worldly passions and drive them away as you would do a viper , you must positively protect your own mind.

My disciples ,my last moment has come, but do not forget that death is only the end of the physical body. The body was born from parents and was nourished by food ; just as inevitable are sickness and old age and death.

Make of yourself a light. Rely upon yourself ; do not depend upon anyone else. Make my teachings your light. Rely upon them.

Consider your body ; think of its impurity. Knowing that both its pain and its delight are alike causes of suffering how can you indulge in its desires?.

Consider your 'self' ; think of its transiency ; how can you fall into delusion about it and cherish pride and selfishness ,knowing that they must all end in enevitable suffering?

Consider all substances ;can you find among them any enduring 'self'?. Are they not all aggregates that sooner or later will break apart and be scattered ?

Follow my teaching ,even after my death ,and you will be rid of pain. Do this and you will indeed be my desciples.....




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