In a summer rainy season the Buddha was 79, he settled down in Rajagrha to spend the rains. After the three months rainy season was over, he set foot again toward the north for traveling and preaching. He was passing through Nanada Village, Luoyeze and entering Vailali where the Licchavi Tribe was living. It was the following year’s summer rainy season by the time he departed Vailali and arrived in Vauvana Village. In this particular year, the Vauvana area was experiencing famine; it was hard to beg for foods because foods were expensive, in order to reduce the burdens of local devotees, the Buddha dispersed his followers to settle down in difference locations: Some of them returned to Vailali, some returned to Vajji, only Venerable Ananda and the Buddha remained in Vauvana Village. It was the Buddha’s final residing place for the summer rainy season in his life.

During the final residing period, the Buddha was attacked by a severe sickness with bloody diarrhea. Worried and frightened, the Venerable Ananda was attending the Buddha on the side, he was released somewhat in view of the Buddha had not made any statement about the order of monks, hence should not enter nirvana. Upon learning Venerable Ananda’s concerns, the Buddha told Ananda:

“I have never withheld anything when teaching everybody, what do the Sangha need form my instruction? Only those who regard oneself as leader of the Sangha would make some statement about the order. I am now old, at the age of 80, just as an old cart is made to go by being held together with straps, my body is kept going by being strapped up; therefore, everybody should not rely on me, and should rely on oneself, rely on the Dharma, other than that it has nothing to rely upon. What does it mean by relying upon oneself, relying upon the Dharma? That is to devote one’s mind upon awareness on one’s body, sensation, mindfulness and thoughts to attain cessation of vexation. After my entering into nirvana, whoever follows such practice, will be able to attain the highest achievement, and will become my true disciples.

Afterward, the Buddha continued traveling and preaching toward the northwest. One day, he arrived in Pave, capital of Magadha, where he stayed at the mango-grove of Cunda the smith. Cunda offered the Buddha the most delicious local mushroom, but unexpectedly induced severer diarrhea. The Buddha managed walked to Kusinagara, taught the Noble Eightfold Path to Brihman wanderer Subhada, after guided him to witness Arahatship, the Buddha then entered nirvana between the twin sal-trees. Prior to his entering nirvana, the Buddha told the Venerable Ananda: “If someone among you suppose “we would never again have the Great Master to rely upon without the Great Master’s instruction.” Ananda, you should never have such thoughts. After I attained Buddhahood, the Sutras, Sastras, and the Precepts that I articulated, are precisely your Great Master and your recourse.”

Soon after the Buddha’s entered nirvana, the Venerable Ananda was traveling and preaching at Rajagaha, capital of Magadha, he was staying at Veuvana-vihara, located at Narlanda, north of Magadha. In this morning, the Venerable Ananda planed to go to Manadha for begging foods, because it was still early, he visited a Brihman called Gopaka Moggallana on his way to the town. They met and after exchanged pleasantries, Gopaka Moggallana asked: “Is there any single bhikkhu who possesses in each and every way all those qualities that were possessed by the Venerable Gotama (the Buddha) accomplished and fully enlightened? Venerable Ananda replied: “No, because the World Honored One is the prophet of the Dharma, the instructor, all the Bhikkhus relied on the Buddha’s teaching for their achievements, from this perspective, there is no bhikkhu who is compatible with the World Honored One.

As the Venerable Ananada and Brihman Gopaka Moggallana were talking, Chief Minister Vassakara who was tasked by Ajatasattu, the King of Magadha to build fortress to defense against the Vrijis, happened to drop by, hence joined their conversation. Curious about the Sanghas’ ways of operation after the Buddha’s entered into Nirvana; Chief Minister Vassakara continued asking the Venerable Ananda:

Since none of the bhikkhu amongst you is compatible with the World Honored One, therefore, had any bhikkhus been appointed by ascetic Gotama, before his passing away, to be his successor as the leader, to become your recourse? “No” the Venerable Ananda replied.
“Then, had there any bhikkhus been chosen by the Sangha to be their leader?”
“Also no”, replied Ananda.
“If that is the case, how could you keep the peace and harmony amongst the Sangha?”

Therefore, the Venerable Ananda told Chief Minister Vassakara: “We are relied on the Dharma, not the people”, we travel and preach from village to village, on the 15th of every month, during gathering for Uposadha, we asked each other, based upon the Dharma and regulations, to conduct self-introspection and self-criticism. If someone broke the precepts and regulations, we handled in accordance with the precepts and regulations, to let him understand and correct his mistake, hence harmony can be maintained in the Sangha.”

Chief Minster Vassakara asked again: “Amongst you, is anyone worth respecting, admiring to allow the bhikkhus to follow and learn from him?”
The Venerable answered: “Yes, if a bhikkhu possesses the following ten achievements-- namely, uphold the precept completely, well informed, become a good and virtuous friend, mind and body are not mixing with worldly defilements, enjoy the bliss of meditation, content with clothing and food, achieved the right thought, practice diligently, thoroughly understand the Buddha’s wisdom, completely liberated from vexation--one becomes the bhikkhus’ object of respect and admiration and delighted to follow him for study.”

Chief Minister Vassakara immediately expressed deeply his admiration, and described his experience in granting an audience with the Buddha; he thought that the Buddha was praising all type of meditation practices. After listening, the Venerable Ananda disagreed with Chief Minister Vassakara’s way of saying, and corrected him by saying that the Buddha does not praise the meditation practices which failed to sever from craving, aversion, drowsy, restlessness, and doubt. The Buddha often praised the Four Meditations, which reaches the First Concentration Mediation, the Second Concentration Mediation, the Third Concentration Mediation, and the Fourth Concentration Mediation. (Translator’s Note: The Four Meditations means four progressively subtle stages of meditation, which lead one out from the desire realm into rebirth in the following four meditation heavens in the realm of form. 1) In the first meditation the practitioner experiences the joy and pleasure of abandoning coarse desires; 2) in the second, one dwells solely in the joy and pleasure produced by meditation; 3) in the third, one attains sublime pleasure that transcends ordinary joy, and 4) in the fourth, one dwells in a state of mental stability free from various sensations of pain and pleasure.)

Finally, the Venerable Ananda clarified unequivocally with Brihman Gopaka Moggallana: There is no different among the liberations of the Buddha, liberated by Wisdom, and the arahat who reaches complete liberation, and there is no Supreme Excellent difference among the three types of liberation. Afterward, the Venerable Ananda received food offer in the residence of Brihman Gopaka Moggallana.

1. This story was derived from Dirghagama 2nd Sutra, Brahmajala 16th Mahaparinibbana Sutra, Madhyamagama 145th Gopakamoggallana Sutra, and Majjhima-nikaya 108th Gopakamoggallana Sutra.

2. The article entitled “There Is No Great Master After the Buddha Passing Away” in his “Hua Yu Xiang Yun, Miao Yun Collection”, Venerable Yin Shun explained that after the Buddha passing away, the Sangha practiced in accordance with the Dharma and Regulations instead of following the so called leader succession system. Title of this story was named after the texts in the Brahmajala 16th Mahaparinibbana Sutra: “After my passing away, treat the Dharma and Regulations which I articulated as your Great Master.” The names may seem contradict to each other, the connotation is the same.

3. Although the Sangha establishes neither power for the leadership, nor mandatory organization, however, it is a group, which relies upon someone who achieved great virtue and learning. Clear descriptions can be found in texts of Samyuktagama 447th Sutra, Samyukta-nikaya 14th, Samyukta 15th Sutra, and Ekottarikagama 3rd Sutra, Chapter 49. Regarding the ten criteria as the standard for recourse, there are greater variations in the descriptions between Madhyamagama 145th Sutra and Majjhima-nikaya 108th Sutra. General speaking Brahmajala 16th Mahaparinibbana Sutra emphasizes the achievement of Meditative Concentration and Supernatural Power. Perhaps it is the result of different emphasis placed by different sects of the Buddhist tradition. The ten criteria for recourse cited in the story were in Madhyamagama 145th Sutra, which did not mention Supernatural Power.

4. Finally, Venerable Ananda’s statement “There is no different among the liberation of the Buddha, liberated by Wisdom, and the arahat reaches complete liberation, and there is no Supreme Excellent difference among the three types of liberation.” can not be found in Majjhima-nikaya 108th Sutra, however, the same connotation can be found in Samyuktagama 1227th Sutra, Samyuktagama 75th Sutra, Samyuktagama 684th Sutra and Samyukta-nikaya 14th, Samyukta 15th Sutra, hence the story was complied in accordance with Madhyamagama 145th Sutra.

5. In practicing Buddhism, liberating from the cycle of birth and death, there are no other recourses to rely upon except verifying the way of practicing by oneself. Such posthumous teaching of the Buddha clearly manifested the spirit of self-liberation; it is different from the assisted-liberation methodology as transmitted in the later Buddhism. The Dharma which one relies upon, the Buddha stated briefly is “Four Foundations of Mindfulness.” However, there is a holistic approach in practicing the Dharma, if one consults with records in other Agama Sutras, it is “The Noble Eightfold Path” which exhibited the holistic aspect of the Dharma in the Buddha’s lifetime preaching. For instance, in his first sermon the Buddha preaches “The Four Nobel Truth” and “The Noble Eightfold Path”, prior to his entering Nirvana, the Buddha also uttered “The Noble Eightfold Path” to liberate his last disciple Subhada. In addition, according to Samyuktagama 281st Sutra, in order to conform with liberation, one should have attained the achievements of “Right View”, “The Six Disciplines of Touch”, “Three Wonderful Deeds” as foundation. After the attainment of “Four Foundations of Mindfulness”, one should practice “The Seven Factors of Enlightenment” and “Rely on Extrication, Rely on Departing from Desire, Rely on Annihilate, and Destine to Relinquish”. It is worth noting that the Samyuktagama 624th Sutra and Samyukta-nikaya 47th, 16th Nikaya also make known that one should Purify in Accordance with the Precepts, Straight his View and Possess Completely the Three Karmas then practice the “Four Foundation of Mindfulness”.

6. There are numerous methods concerning practicing meditative concentrations in the Dharma, for example: “Four Meditative Concentration, Four Meditation, Eight Liberation, and the Three Samadhi etc., if we consult other Agama Sutras, the Buddha was indeed, like Venerable Ananda stated in this story, emphasizing the “Fourth Meditative Concentration” as sequential in the First to the Forth Meditative Concentration. (Translator’s note: The Three Karmas are karma formulated from Intention, Speech and Bodily Action. The three Samadhis are The Samadhi of Emptiness; The Samadhi of No-marks; and the Samadhi of Non-Contrivance.)

7. If one consults other four collections of Agama Sutras, one would clearly find that during the Buddha’s time, the “Great Master” addressed by Buddhist disciples refers to the Buddha, it is different from today’s using “Greater Master” indiscriminately as a honorary title to address certain Dharma teachers.