Buddha’s Funeral Problems

“Eight chieftains among the Mallas bathed their heads and clad themselves in new garments with the intention of bearing the body of the Blessed One. But, behold, they could not lift it up!”

Continuing The Foundation of Buddhism,
our selection from Buddahism: Its History and Literature by Thomas W. Rhys-Davids published in 1907. For works benefiting from the latest research see the “More information” section at the bottom of these pages. The selection is presented in seven easy 5 minute installments.

Previously in The Foundation of Buddhism.

Time: c 500 BC
Place: East India

[The Book of the Great Decease continues.]

Then the Mallas of Kusinara thought: “It is much too late to burn the body of the Blessed One to-day. Let us now perform the cremation tomorrow.” And in paying honor, reverence, respect, and homage to the remains of the Blessed One with dancing, and hymns, and music, and with garlands and perfumes; and in making canopies of their garments, and preparing decoration wreaths to hang thereon, they passed the second day too, and then the third day, and the fourth, and the fifth, and the sixth day also.

Then on the seventh day the Mallas of Kusinara thought:

“Let us carry the body of the Blessed One, by the south and outside, to a spot on the south, and outside of the city, — paying it honor, and reverence, and respect, and homage, with dance and song and music, with garlands and perfumes, — and there, to the south of the city, let us perform the cremation ceremony!”

And thereupon eight chieftains among the Mallas bathed their heads and clad themselves in new garments with the intention of bearing the body of the Blessed One. But, behold, they could not lift it up!

Then the Mallas of Kusinara said to the venerable Anuruddha: “What, Lord, can be the reason, what can be the cause that eight chieftains of the Mallas who have bathed their heads, and clad themselves in new garments with the intention of bearing the body of the Blessed One, are unable to lift it up?”

“It is because you, O Vasetthas, have one purpose and the spirits have another purpose.”

“But what, Lord, is the purpose of the spirits?”

“Your purpose, O Vasetthas, is this: ‘Let us carry the body of the Blessed One, by the south and outside, to a spot on the south, and outside of the city, — paying it honor, and reverence, and respect, and homage, with dance and song and music, with garlands and perfumes, — and there, to the south of the city, let us perform the cremation ceremony.’ But the purpose of the spirits, Vasetthas, is this: ‘Let us carry the body of the Blessed One by the north to the north of the city, and entering the city by the north gate, let us bring it through the midst of the city into the midst thereof. And going out again by the eastern gate, — paying honor, and reverence, and respect, and homage to the body of the Blessed One, with heavenly dance, and song, and music, and garlands, and perfumes, — let us carry it to the shrine of the Mallas called Makuta-bandhana, to the east of the city, and there let us perform the cremation ceremony.'”

“Even according to the purpose of the spirits, so, Lord, let it be!”

Then immediately all Kusinara down even to the dust-bins and rubbish heaps became strewn knee-deep with Mandarava flowers from heaven! and while both the spirits from the skies, and the Mallas of Kusinara upon earth, paid honor, and reverence, and respect, and homage to the body of the Blessed One, with dance and song and music, with garlands and with perfumes, they carried the body by the north to the north of the city; and entering the city by the north gate they carried it through the midst of the city into the midst thereof; and going out again by the eastern gate they carried it to the shrine of the Mallas, called Makuta-bandhana; and there, to the east of the city, they laid down the body of the Blessed One.

Then the Mallas of Kusinara said to the venerable Ananda: “What should be done, Lord, with the remains of the Tathagata?”

“As men treat the remains of a king of kings, so, Vasetthas, should they treat the remains of a Tathagata.”

“And how, Lord, do they treat the remains of a king of kings?”

“They wrap the body of a king of kings, Vasetthas, in a new cloth. When that is done they wrap it in cotton wool. When that is done they wrap it in a new cloth, — and so on till they have wrapped the body in five hundred successive layers of both kinds. Then they place the body in an oil vessel of iron, and cover that close up with another oil vessel of iron. They then build a funeral pile of all kinds of perfumes, and burn the body of the king of kings. And then at the four cross roads they erect a dagaba to the king of kings. This, Vasetthas, is the way in which they treat the remains of a king of kings. And as they treat the remains of a king of kings, so, Vasetthas, should they treat the remains of the Tathagata. At the four cross roads a dagaba should be erected to the Tathagata. And whosoever shall there place garlands or perfumes or paint, or make salutation there, or become in its presence calm in heart — that shall long be to them for a profit and a joy.”

Therefore the Mallas gave orders to their attendants, saying, “Gather together all the carded cotton wool of the Mallas!”

Then the Mallas of Kusinara wrapped the body of the Blessed One in a new cloth. And when that was done they wrapped it in cotton wool. And when that was done, they wrapped it in a new cloth, — and so on till they had wrapped the body of the Blessed One in five hundred layers of both kinds. And then they placed the body in an oil vessel of iron, and covered that close up with another vessel of iron. And then they built a funeral pile of all kinds of perfumes, and upon it they placed the body of the Blessed One.

Now at that time the venerable Maha Kassapa was journeying along the high road from Pava to Kusinara with a great company of the brethren, with about five hundred of the brethren. And the venerable Maha Kassapa left the high road, and sat himself down at the foot of a certain tree.

More information here and here, and below.

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