The first and the last words of the Buddha. - Dosti Regmi

The first and the last words of the Buddha:

First words:

Having become a Perfectly Enlightened One, after 6 long years of wandering and searching, on the full moon day of Baisakha under the Bodhi tree in Bodh Gayā, at the age of sweet 35 (I am also around that age. Honestly I am at my sweet 36), Buddha’s first words were the following:  

“Anekajāti saṁsāraṁ , Sandhāvissaṁ anibbisaṁ

 Gahakārakaṁ gavesanto, Dukkhā jāti punappunaṁ”

“Through many a birth in samsara have I wandered in vain seeking the builder of this house of life, repeated birth is indeed suffering”

“Gahakāraka dittho si, Puna gehaṁ na kāhasi, Sabbā te phāsukā bhaggā, 

Gahakūtaṁ visañkhita,  Visañkhāragataṁ cittaṁ, Tanhānaṁ khāyaṁ ajjhagā”

“O house-builder you are seen, you will not build this house again, for your rafters are broken and your ridgepole shattered. My mind has reached the unconditioned. I have attained the annihilation of the desires” 

These words are expressions of intense and sublime joy that was felt by the Buddha at the moment of full enlightenment. In the first verse, the Buddha referred to the fact that he has been wandering through countless births in the “samsara” which is the cycle of repeated birth and death (Since I do not believe in rebirth, I like to replace these words with the countless cycles of enchantment and disenchantment; I think being happy means birth and being unhappy is death), looking for the builder of this house. Here, the Buddha has referred to the body as the house and craving as the builder responsible for building that house. The Buddha has also stated that he has been searching for the house builder unsuccessfully through repeated cycles of birth and death, the painful and suffering.

In the second verse, the Buddha declared that he has seen the house builder or craving through insight wisdom and that no more houses will be built for him in this birth or future. The Buddha has broken all the rafters, which are the remaining mental defilements and the roof-tree has also been shattered meaning ignorance has been completely eradicated. Finally, the Buddha has confirmed that craving has been completely destroyed and that the mind has reached the un-conditioned state of Nibbāna, which is complete freedom from suffering.

Last words:

The Buddha died at the age of 80 years. He was at the house of a low-caste, blacksmith, he ate the wild boar meat/pork and was dying out of dysentery.

Though it has erroneously been circulated that the last words of Buddha were, " I cannot take your responsibility. You are your own responsibility. Just like I helped myself, Come On! Help yourself. I cannot be a light unto you, Please be a light onto yourself. Appo dipo bhaba" ( And Zens even say, " If you meet the Buddha in the way kill him"), What he reportedly said was:

 Vayadhammā sankhārā, Appamādena sampādethā

  All compounded things are subject to decay, Strive with diligence”

'The translation I like is -

"Everything you touch dies, Live consciously."

Reference: https://drarisworld.wordpress.com/2022/10/05/first-and-last-words-of-lord-gautama-buddha/