The Nature of All Things

Venerable Ananda went to the house, leaned against the doorpost and wept, saying, "I am but a learner. I still have to attain perfection. But alas, my teacher, he who is so compassionate towards me, is about to pass away."

Then the Lord asked the monks, "Where is Ananda?"

The monks answered him.

And the Lord said, "Go monks and say to Ananda, 'Friend Ananda, the Lord calls you.' "

When Ananda came, the Lord said to him, "Enough Ananda, do not cry. Have I not taught it is the nature of all things beloved that we must suffer separation from them and be severed from them? For that which is born, come to be and is compounded is also subject to dissolution. How could it be otherwise? For a long time Ananda, you have served the Tathagata* with thoughts of love, words of love and with deeds of love, graciously, unstintingly and wholeheartedly. You have gathered great good. Now put forth energy and soon you too will be free from the defilements."

---The Digha Nikaya---


*A Sanskrit and Pali term meaning  "one who has thus gone" (tathā-gata) or "one who has thus come" (tathā-āgata). It is a title of the Buddha.