The Great Discourse On The Buddha’s Extinguishment

The Buddha educated, encouraged, fired up, and inspired him with a Dhamma talk. Then Cunda said to the Buddha,

“Sir, would the Buddha, together with the mendicant Saṅgha, please accept tomorrow's meal from me?”

The Buddha consented with silence.

Then, knowing that the Buddha had consented, Cunda got up from his seat, bowed, and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before leaving.

And when the night had passed, Cunda had delicious fresh and cooked foods prepared in his own home, and Sūkaramaddava - a tasty mushroom Then he had the Buddha informed of the time, saying, “Sir, it's time. The meal is ready.”

Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, went to the home of Cunda together with the mendicant Saṅgha, where he sat on the seat spread out and addressed Cunda, “Cunda, please serve me with Sūkaramaddava - a tasty mushroom that you've prepared. And serve the mendicant Saṅgha with the other foods.”

“Yes, sir,” replied Cunda, and did as he was asked.

Then the Buddha addressed Cunda,

“Cunda, Sūkaramaddava - a tasty mushroom that's left over, you should bury it in a pit.

I don't see anyone in this world—with its gods, Māras, and Divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans—who could properly digest it except for the Realized One.”

“Yes, sir,” replied Cunda. 

He did as he was asked, then came back to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down to one side. 

Then the Buddha educated, encouraged, fired up, and inspired him with a Dhamma talk, after which he got up from his seat and left.

After the Buddha had eaten Cunda's meal, he fell severely ill with bloody dysentery, struck by dreadful pains, close to death. But he endured unbothered, with mindfulness and situational awareness.

Then he addressed Ānanda,

“Come, Ānanda, let's go to Kusinārā.”

“Yes, sir,” Ānanda replied.

I've heard the meal of Cunda the smith, the attentive one fell severely ill, with pains, close to death. 

A severe sickness struck the Teacher who had eaten the pork on the turn.

While still purging the Buddha said:

“I'll go to the citadel of Kusinārā.”

Then the Buddha left the road and went to the root of a certain tree, where he addressed Ānanda,

“Go on then, Ānanda, fold my outer robe in four and spread it out for me. I am tired and will sit down.”

“Yes, sir,” replied Ānanda, and did as he was asked.

The Buddha sat on the seat spread out. When he was seated, he said to Venerable Ānanda,

“Go on then, Ānanda, fetch me some water. I am thirsty and will drink.” 

When he said this, Venerable Ānanda said to the Buddha,

“Sir, just now around five hundred carts have passed by. The shallow water has been churned up by their wheels, and it flows cloudy and murky.

The Kakudhā river is not far away, with clear, sweet, cool water, clean, with smooth banks, delightful.

There you can drink and cool your limbs.” 

For a second time, the Buddha asked Ānanda for a drink, and for a second time Ānanda suggested going to the Kakudhā river.

And for a third time, the Buddha said to Ānanda,

“Go on then, Ānanda, fetch me some water. I am thirsty and will drink.”

“Yes, sir,” replied Ānanda. Taking his bowl he went to the river. Now, though the shallow water in that creek had been churned up by wheels, and flowed cloudy and murky, when Ānanda approached, it flowed transparent, clear, and unclouded.

Then Ānanda thought,

“Oh lord, how incredible, how amazing! The Realized One has such psychic power and might!

For though the shallow water in that creek had been churned up by wheels, and flowed cloudy and murky, when I approached it flowed transparent, clear, and unclouded.”

Gathering a bowl of drinking water, he went back to the Buddha, and said to him,

“It's incredible, sir, it's amazing! The Realized One has such psychic power and might!

Just now, though the shallow water in that creek had been churned up by wheels, and flowed cloudy and murky, when I approached it flowed transparent, clear, and unclouded.

Drink the water, Blessed One! Drink the water, Holy One!”

So the Buddha drank the water.