The Buddha's Farewell...

"Therefore, O 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.

"And how, Ananda, can a brother be a lamp unto
himself, rely on himself only and not on any external
help, holding fast to the truth as his lamp and
seeking salvation in the truth alone, looking not for
assistance to any one besides himself?

Herein, O
Ananda, 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 so 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, or
to reasoning, or to feeling.

"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, but holding
fast to the truth as their lamp, and seeking their
salvation in the truth alone, and shall not look for
assistance to any one besides themselves, it is they,
Ananda, among my bhikkhus, who shall reach the very
topmost height!

But they must be anxious to learn."


A quote from Gautama the Buddha

Paul Carus
"The Buddha's Farewell
_Buddha, The Gospel_
Chicago: The Open Court Publishing Company, 1894
http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/btg/btg94.htm: