2.
The Discourse on Long Duration
388.
The same source.
Seated to one side, the Venerable Bhadda said this to the Venerable Ānanda -
"What now, friend Ānanda, is the cause, what is the condition whereby when the Truth-finder has attained final Nibbāna the Good Teaching does not last long?
But what, friend Ānanda, is the cause, what is the condition whereby when the Truth-finder has attained final Nibbāna the Good Teaching lasts long?"
"Good, good, friend Bhadda! Good indeed is your penetration, friend Bhadda, good is your discernment, excellent is your inquiry. For thus indeed you ask, friend Bhadda - 'What now, friend Ānanda, is the cause, what is the condition whereby when the Truth-finder has attained final Nibbāna the Good Teaching does not last long? But what, friend Ānanda, is the cause, what is the condition whereby when the Truth-finder has attained final Nibbāna the Good Teaching lasts long?'" "Yes, friend." "Because of undevelopment and lack of cultivation of the four establishments of mindfulness, friend, when the Truth-finder has attained final Nibbāna the Good Teaching does not last long. But because of having developed and cultivated the four establishments of mindfulness, friend, when the Truth-finder has attained final Nibbāna the Good Teaching lasts long."
"Which four? Here, friend, a monk dwells observing the body in the body, ardent, fully aware, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure regarding the world; in feelings... etc. In mind... etc. He dwells observing mental phenomena in mental phenomena, ardent, fully aware, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure regarding the world. Because of undevelopment and lack of cultivation of these four establishments of mindfulness, friend, when the Truth-finder has attained final Nibbāna the Good Teaching does not last long. But because of having developed and cultivated these four establishments of mindfulness, friend, when the Truth-finder has attained final Nibbāna the Good Teaching lasts long." The second.