“Behold now, brethren, I exhort you, saying—‘Decay is inherent in all component things. Work out your own salvation with diligence.’ ”
And they trembled, kneeling about him.
Then the Blessed One entered into the first state of ecstasy, and, rising from this, into the second, and so passed into the third and into the fourth and rising from that realm of ecstasy he entered the realm of the infinity of space, and from this he entered the realm of the infinity of consciousness and rising from this he entered the realm of nothingness, and beyond this the realm of neither perception nor non-perception, and from this he arrived at the cessation of sensation and idea.
And Ananda cried out to the great Anuruddha in an agony:
“O my Lord—O Anuruddha, the Blessed One is dead!”
And he, leaning above that Peace, said with calm:
“Nay, brother Ananda. He has entered that state where sensation and ideas have ceased to be.”
And all veiled their faces.