A passage from the Digha Nikaya, 16 says: "Ananda, I am now old, worn out,
venerable, one who has traversed life's path, I have reached the term of life,
which is eighty. Just as an old cart is made to go by being held together with
straps, so the Tathagata's body is kept going by being strapped up. It is only
when the Tathagata withdraws his attention from outward signs, and by the
cessation of certain feeling; enters into the signless concentration of mind,
that his body knows comfort. "Therefore, Ananda, you should live as islands unto
yourselves, being your own refuge, with no one else as your refuge, with the
Dhamma as an island, with the Dhamma as your refuge, with no other refuge? Here,
Ananda, a monk abides contemplating the body as body, earnestly, clearly aware,
mindful and having put away all hankering and fretting for the world, and
likewise with regard to feeling, mind and mind-objects.
" This passage also comes from the Mahaparinibbana Sutra. The Buddha had just been very ill but managed to recover somewhat and Ananda expressed his relief that he was better and he could speak to his disciples again. But the Buddha pointed out to Ananda that this respite would be short-lived. The Buddha's body was conditioned like anyone's. . . only kept going by fragile supports. For the moment the conditions were kept in place and he could keep going. But it looks as though the Buddha knew he would not live much longer.
The Buddha was also telling Ananda that his body was in pain like anyone else's. Even so, he could deal with this excruciating pain by going into a deep state of concentration. . . This passage shows us that he experienced pain like a common mortal, but because of his long experience of concentration practices he could go beyond it and experience himself in a different way. He removed his focus from his immediate environment and, as he stated in the Culasunnatta Sutta, "without giving attention to perception of the base consisting of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, a bhikkhu gives attention to the single state (of non-violence) dependent on (the presence of) the signless concentration of mind'.
Since he, the Buddha, is going to die soon, Ananda must stop being dependent on him and instead must only depend on himself. Ananda must become an island and a refuge for himself, and the Dhamma must become an island and a refuge for him as well. The Pali term dipa, translated here as island, has also been translated as light. . . The Buddha was telling Ananda that he could only count on himself to continue on the Buddha's way and apply the Dhamma. One must be self-confident and put one's trust in the teachings and hence in the practice of the teachings without the need for any intermediary.
Taking refuge in oneself and in the Dhamma is being mindful of the body, feelings, mind and mind-objects. This is the transmission of a practice that can be carried out here and now, at all times. One just needs oneself and the intention to be attentive to what is happening inside and outside of oneself. The Buddha did not say that after his death Ananda should follow someone and consider him his successor. . . The only thing that Ananda should follow was his own wisdom and the teachings of the Buddha.
" This passage also comes from the Mahaparinibbana Sutra. The Buddha had just been very ill but managed to recover somewhat and Ananda expressed his relief that he was better and he could speak to his disciples again. But the Buddha pointed out to Ananda that this respite would be short-lived. The Buddha's body was conditioned like anyone's. . . only kept going by fragile supports. For the moment the conditions were kept in place and he could keep going. But it looks as though the Buddha knew he would not live much longer.
The Buddha was also telling Ananda that his body was in pain like anyone else's. Even so, he could deal with this excruciating pain by going into a deep state of concentration. . . This passage shows us that he experienced pain like a common mortal, but because of his long experience of concentration practices he could go beyond it and experience himself in a different way. He removed his focus from his immediate environment and, as he stated in the Culasunnatta Sutta, "without giving attention to perception of the base consisting of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, a bhikkhu gives attention to the single state (of non-violence) dependent on (the presence of) the signless concentration of mind'.
Since he, the Buddha, is going to die soon, Ananda must stop being dependent on him and instead must only depend on himself. Ananda must become an island and a refuge for himself, and the Dhamma must become an island and a refuge for him as well. The Pali term dipa, translated here as island, has also been translated as light. . . The Buddha was telling Ananda that he could only count on himself to continue on the Buddha's way and apply the Dhamma. One must be self-confident and put one's trust in the teachings and hence in the practice of the teachings without the need for any intermediary.
Taking refuge in oneself and in the Dhamma is being mindful of the body, feelings, mind and mind-objects. This is the transmission of a practice that can be carried out here and now, at all times. One just needs oneself and the intention to be attentive to what is happening inside and outside of oneself. The Buddha did not say that after his death Ananda should follow someone and consider him his successor. . . The only thing that Ananda should follow was his own wisdom and the teachings of the Buddha.
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