204. Once, when I was resting under the Goatherd’s Banyan Tree on the banks of the Nerañjara River just after my enlightenment, Māra came to see me and said: ‘Pass away now, now is a good time for the Lord to die.’ But I replied to Māra saying: ‘I shall not die until the monks, the nuns, the laymen and the laywomen have become deeply learned, wise and well trained, remembering the teachings, proficient in the greater and lesser doctrines, virtuous and learned, not until they are able to tell it to others, teach it, make it known, establish it, open it up, explain it and make it clear, not until they are able to refute false doctrines taught by the others and to spread the convincing and liberating truth abroad. I shall not die until the holy life has become successful, widespread, well-regarded and popular, not until it has become well proclaimed among both gods and humans.’
D.II,113 (DN 16)
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