The Discourse about the Great Emancipation

The Second Chapter for Recitation
To whoever, Ānanda, this (thought) occurs: ‘I will lead the Community
of monks’ or ‘I am the instructer of the Community of monks' let him
speak, Ānanda, regarding the Community of monks. But to the
Realised One, Ānanda, this (thought) does not occur: ‘I will lead the
Community of monks’ or ‘I am the instructor of the Community of
monks’. Then why, Ānanda, should the Realised One speak regarding
the Community of monks? 76
I, Ānanda, at present, am old, elderly, of great age, far gone, advanced
in years, I am eighty years old. It is like, Ānanda, an old cart, which
(only) keeps going when shored up with bamboo, just so, Ānanda, I
think the Realised One's body (only) keeps going when shored up with
bamboo.
When the Realised One doesn't pay attention, Ānanda, to any of the
signs, when all feelings have ceased, he lives having established the
76 I cannot understand this section which seems so out of keeping with the
discourses elsewhere. The Buddha was the recognised leader of the
Community, and in the previous section, has himself said: It is not suitable
that I, without having addressed my attendants, without having given notice
to the Community of monks, should attain Final Emancipation, and yet here
he is denying that he is their leader and declaring he has nothing to say to
them!
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