have continued to make a profound impression on me ever since.
The Dhamma he presented to the monks at the start of his illness
took the form of a warning to them that the illness had begun
a process of uprooting the very source of his physical existence,
including all his bodily functions, which were destined to steadily
deteriorate, break down, and finally fail altogether. He began:“I have been investigating matters concerning the life and death
of this body for nearly sixty years now and I have found nothing
in the physical khandha that is worthy of the least attachment
or that would cause me to regret its passing away. I ceased to
have doubts about such things the moment I realized Dhamma’s
Supreme Truth. Whether they exist inside of the body or outside
of it, all material substances are composed of the same physical
elements. They gradually break down and decompose with each
passing day, and thus are always reverting back to their funda-
mental natural state. Although we imagine the body belonging
to us, in truth it is just a conglomeration of physical elements that
are commonly found everywhere on this earth.
“What most concerns me now is my students who have
come here from all over the country. I worry that you will not
have gained a firm basis of Dhamma in your hearts before I pass
away. That is why I have always warned you against being com-
placent about the kilesas, which are the source of an endless pro-
cession of births and deaths. Never assume that the kilesas are
insignificant, or somehow harmless, and thus fail to tackle them
seriously while the time is still right. Once death overtakes you,
it will be impossible to take any action against them. Don’t say I
didn’t warn you!