These words are traditionally said to be the last that the Buddha uttered, “And now, O priests, I take my leave of you; all the constituents of being are transitory; work out your salvation with diligence.” The Buddha showed each disciple "how to rely for salvation upon himself, on his own powers, focused upon redemption by spiritual self-discipline. Here was the strictest sort of humanism in religion.” (Cited in John Noss, Man’s Religions [New York: Macmillan, 1984], pp. 127, 129.)