Reading guide
Three hints, and a mind possessed by Māra
Confirmed by direct reading, the Buddha tells Ānanda three times, in identical words, that whoever has developed the four bases of psychic power “may, if they wish, live for the proper lifespan or what's left of it” — and that he himself, the Realized One, could do so if he wished. Each time, Ānanda fails to catch the hint and beg the Buddha to remain, “for his mind was as if possessed by Māra” — the text's own explanation, not this project's own inference.
Māra's own appeal, and the Buddha's own consent
Confirmed by direct reading, Māra approaches only after Ānanda has left, quoting the Buddha's own earlier vow — not to be fully extinguished until his own four assemblies (monks, nuns, laymen, laywomen) are established and his own teaching is widespread — and declaring that vow now fulfilled. The Buddha agrees: “the full extinguishment of the Realized One will be soon... three months from now.”
The four bases, named as the very mechanism of this choice
This discourse's own central claim, confirmed directly: it is specifically because of having developed and cultivated the four bases of psychic power — “made them a vehicle and a basis, kept them up, consolidated them, and properly implemented them” — that the choice to extend or relinquish the life force becomes available at all, tying this entire narrative event directly back to this vagga's own governing subject.
A parallel to DN 16, confirmed rather than assumed
This project's own explicit caution: this discourse's own account of events at the Cāpāla Shrine matches the general shape of the well-known parallel account in DN 16 (the Mahāparinibbānasutta) — confirmed here by direct comparison of content (the three hints, Ānanda's own failure, Māra's own appeal, the surrendered life force, the earthquake, the closing verse), not assumed word-for-word identical without a direct side-by-side reading of both texts.
Vagga 1 closes at exactly ten, confirmed by this discourse's own colophon and uddāna
This discourse's own closing colophon (“Cāpālavaggo paṭhamo,” “the Cāpāla chapter, the first”) confirms Vagga 1's own position, and its own uddāna — naming Apāra, Viraddha, Ariya, Nibbidā, Padesa (i.e. Iddhipadesa), Samatta, Bhikkhu, Buddha, Ñāṇa, and Cetiya in order — matches this project's own already-completed sequence of SN 51.1-10 exactly, confirming ten discourses without ambiguity.
Key terms
The text
§1So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof. Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Vesālī for alms. Then, after the meal, on his return from almsround, he addressed Venerable Ānanda: “Ānanda, get your sitting cloth. Let’s go to the Cāpāla Shrine for the day’s meditation.” “Yes, sir,” replied Ānanda. Taking his sitting cloth he followed behind the Buddha.
§2Then the Buddha went up to the Cāpāla Shrine, and sat down on the seat spread out. Ānanda bowed to the Buddha and sat down to one side. The Buddha said to him:
§3“Ānanda, Vesālī is lovely. And the Udena, Gotamaka, Seven Maidens, Many Sons, Sārandada, and Cāpāla Shrines are all lovely. Whoever has developed and cultivated the four bases of psychic power—made them a vehicle and a basis, kept them up, consolidated them, and properly implemented them—may, if they wish, live for the proper lifespan or what’s left of it. The Realized One has developed and cultivated the four bases of psychic power, made them a vehicle and a basis, kept them up, consolidated them, and properly implemented them. If he wished, the Realized One could live for the proper lifespan or what’s left of it.”
§4But Ānanda didn’t get it, even though the Buddha dropped such an obvious hint, such a clear sign. He didn’t beg the Buddha, “Sir, may the Blessed One please remain for the proper lifespan! May the Holy One please remain for the proper lifespan! That would be for the welfare and happiness of the people, out of sympathy for the world, for the benefit, welfare, and happiness of gods and humans.” For his mind was as if possessed by Māra.
§5For a second time … and for a third time, the Buddha said to Ānanda: “Ānanda, Vesālī is lovely. And the Udena, Gotamaka, Seven Maidens, Many Sons, Sārandada, and Cāpāla Shrines are all lovely. Whoever has developed and cultivated the four bases of psychic power—made them a vehicle and a basis, kept them up, consolidated them, and properly implemented them—may, if they wish, live for the proper lifespan or what’s left of it. The Realized One has developed and cultivated the four bases of psychic power, made them a vehicle and a basis, kept them up, consolidated them, and properly implemented them. If he wished, the Realized One could live for the proper lifespan or what’s left of it.”
§6But Ānanda didn’t get it, even though the Buddha dropped such an obvious hint, such a clear sign. He didn’t beg the Buddha, “Sir, may the Blessed One please remain for the proper lifespan! May the Holy One please remain for the proper lifespan! That would be for the welfare and happiness of the people, out of sympathy for the world, for the benefit, welfare, and happiness of gods and humans.” For his mind was as if possessed by Māra.
§7Then the Buddha said to him, “Go now, Ānanda, at your convenience.” “Yes, sir,” replied Ānanda. He rose from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before sitting at the root of a tree close by.
§8And then, not long after Ānanda had left, Māra the Wicked went up to the Buddha and said to him:
§9“Sir, may the Blessed One now be fully extinguished! May the Holy One now be fully extinguished! Now is the time for the full extinguishment of the Buddha. Sir, you once made this statement: ‘Wicked One, I shall not be fully extinguished until I have monk disciples who are competent, educated, self-assured, learned, have memorized the teachings, and practice in line with the teaching. Not until they practice properly, living in line with the teaching. Not until they’ve learned their own tradition, and explain, teach, assert, establish, disclose, analyze, and make it clear. Not until they can legitimately and completely refute the doctrines of others that come up, and teach with a demonstrable basis.’
§10Today you do have such monk disciples. May the Blessed One now be fully extinguished! May the Holy One now be fully extinguished! Now is the time for the full extinguishment of the Buddha.
§11Sir, you once made this statement: ‘Wicked One, I shall not be fully extinguished until I have nun disciples who are competent, educated, self-assured, learned …’ …
§12Today you do have such nun disciples. May the Blessed One now be fully extinguished! May the Holy One now be fully extinguished! Now is the time for the full extinguishment of the Buddha.
§13Sir, you once made this statement: ‘Wicked One, I shall not be fully extinguished until I have layman disciples … and laywoman disciples who are competent, educated, self-assured, learned …’ …
§14Today you do have such layman and laywoman disciples. May the Blessed One now be fully extinguished! May the Holy One now be fully extinguished! Now is the time for the full extinguishment of the Buddha.
§15Sir, you once made this statement: ‘Wicked One, I shall not be fully extinguished until my spiritual path is successful and prosperous, extensive, popular, widespread, and well proclaimed wherever there are gods and humans.’ Today your spiritual path is successful and prosperous, extensive, popular, widespread, and well proclaimed wherever there are gods and humans. May the Blessed One now be fully extinguished! May the Holy One now be fully extinguished! Now is the time for the full extinguishment of the Buddha.”
§16When this was said, the Buddha said to Māra, “Relax, Wicked One. The full extinguishment of the Realized One will be soon. Three months from now the Realized One will be fully extinguished.”
§17So at the Cāpāla Shrine the Buddha, mindful and aware, surrendered the life force. When he did so there was a great earthquake, awe-inspiring and hair-raising, and thunder cracked the sky. Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:
§18“Comparing the incomparable with the creation of prolonged life, the sage surrendered the life force. Happy inside, serene, he shattered self-creation like a suit of armor.”
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