Exploring the Path - Pāli Course

“What, Ānanda does the Bhikkhusaṅgha expect from me? I have, Ānanda, laid out the Dhamma from all angles without making any distinction. There is nothing, Ānanda that a Tathāgata would hold back in the teacher`s fist, in regard to Dhamma.

If, Ānanda someone would consider thus: “It is I who shall lead the Bhikkhusaṅgha” or “the Bhikkhusaṅgha shall depend upon me” he would indeed, Ānanda, begin to lay out instructions regarding the Bhikkhusaṅgha. But the Tathāgata has no such consideration: “It is I who shall lead the Bhikkhusaṅgha” or “the Bhikkhusaṅgha shall depend upon me”. So why, Ānanda, should the Tathāgata begin to lay out instruction regarding the Bhikkhusaṅgha?”

Ānanda now I am old, worn out, timeworn, having reached with my old age the term of the life’s path, I am eighty years old. Just like an used old cart is held together with wrappings to keep going in the same way the body of the Tathāgata is kept going by being enwrapped. It is that during such time the Tathāgata withdraws his attention fully from all outwards signs and by the ceasing of all kind of sensations and entering into sign-less concentration his body obtains comfort during such period.

Therefore, Ānanda, make yourselves an island within, take refuge within yourselves without any other refuge. Let Dhamma be your island, make Dhamma your refuge without any other refuge. And how, Ānanda, does a Bhikkhu dwell, making himself an island, taking refuge within himself without any other refuge, making Dhamma his island, making Dhamma his refuge without any other refuge.

Here, Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu dwells ardent with awareness and constant thorough understanding of impermanence, observing body in body, having removed craving and aversion towards the world of mind and matter; he dwells ardent with awareness and constant thorough understanding of impermanence observing sensations in sensations, having removed craving and aversion towards the world of mind and matter; he dwells ardent with awareness and constant thorough understanding of impermanence observing mind in mind, having removed craving and aversion towards the world of mind and matter; he dwells ardent with awareness and constant thorough understanding of impermanence observing mental contents in mental contents, having removed craving and aversion towards the world of mind and matter.

This, Bhikkhus, is how a Bhikkhu dwells, making himself an island, taking refuge within without any other refuge, making Dhamma his island, making Dhamma his refuge without any other refuge.

Therefore, Ānanda, those keen of learning, who in my time or afterwards will dwell thus having made an island within themselves, taking refuge within themselves without any other refuge, will dwell having made Dhamma their island, making Dhamma their refuge without any other refuge, will be beyond the realm of darkness.

^*“attadīpā, viharatha attasaraṇā anaññasaraṇā” — ‘dwell by making yourself an island and refuge, with no other refuge’
(Mahāparinibbānasuttaṃ, Veḷuvagāmavassūpagamanaṃ)