Buddha’s Last Sermon

The Buddha’s Last Sermon: Recited by the Christ at the time of the Gemini full moon.

“I am now grown old, O Ananda, and full of years; my journey is drawing to its close,

I have reached the sum of my days,

I am turning eighty years of age.

Just as a worn-out cart cannot be made to move along without much difficulty,

so the body of the Buddha can only be kept going with much additional care.

Therefore, Oh Ananda, be ye lamps unto yourselves.

Rely on yourselves, and do not rely on external help.

Hold fast to the truth as a lamp.

Seek salvation alone in the truth.

Look not for assistance to any one besides yourselves….

Let a brother, as he dwells in the body, so regard the body that he,

being strenuous, thoughtful, and mindful, may, whilst in the world,

overcome the grief which arises from the body’s cravings.  

While subject to sensations let him continue to regard the sensations that he, being strenuous, thoughtful and 

mindful may whilst in the world, overcome the grief which arises from the sensations.  

And so, also, when he thinks or reasons, or feels, let him so regard his thoughts that being strenuous, thoughtful 

and mindful he may, whilst in the world, overcome the grief which arises from the craving due to ideas….

Those who either now or after I am dead,

shall be lamps unto themselves,

relying upon themselves only and not

relying upon any external help…

it is they, Ananda, among my bhikkus,

who shall reach the very height!

But they must be anxious to learn.

 (The Gospel of the Buddha, Paul Carus, 1894)

The full text of the Alice A. Bailey books is available online and can be purchased from www.lucistrust.org/books.