Verse 256 for 13 September, 2025
256. From the day the Lord said: "Four months from now, I will attain final Nirvana", thousands of men came to wait upon him. Those who had not yet attained the fruits of Stream-Winning could not restrain their tears; those who had not attained enlightenment experienced deep emotion, and walked around in small groups, saying: "What will we do?" But one monk named Dhammarama kept separate from the other monks, and when asked: "What is the matter with you?" -he gave no reply. He had thought to himself: "The Lord has said that four months from now he will attain final Nirvana and I still have not freed myself from desire. Thus, while the Lord lives I will struggle to attain enlightenment." Accordingly, Dhammarama kept to himself recollecting, pondering and calling to mind the Lord's Dhamma. The monks went to the Tathagata and said: "Reverend Sir, Dhammarama has no affection for you. Since you announced your final Nirvana four months from now, he has nothing to do with us." The Lord had Dhammarama called to him and asked: "Is it true what they say, that you have nothing to do with the other monks?" "Yes, reverend sir, it is true." "Why do you do this?" "I do it thinking thus: the Lord has said that four months from now he will attain final Nirvana, and I have not freed myself from desire. Thus, while the Lord lives I will struggle to attain enlightenment. Accordingly, I keep to myself, recollecting, pondering and calling to mind the Lord's Dhamma. "Excellent, monk, excellent," said the Lord. Then the Lord addressed the monks, saying: "Every monk should show his affection for me in the way Dhammarama has done. They who honour me with garlands, perfume and so on honour me not; but they that practise the Dhamma in all its parts- they honour me in the best way."
Dhammapada Atthakata 94 ::