Gateway to Insight
Chapter 23: The Parinibbāna Chapter
(The Places of the Buddha’s Residence)
(1) The Blessed One, of infinite wisdom, from the time he attained enlightenment, wandered and proclaimed the Buddha’s teachings, leading many people in various regions to enter the Buddhist path through this practice. The places where he stayed to proclaim the Dhamma and Vinaya are eighteen in number.
The first rains retreat, he stayed in the Isipatana Deer Park near the city of Bārāṇasī.
The second, third, and fourth rains retreats, he stayed in the Veḷuvana monastery near the city of Rājagaha.
The fifth rains retreat, he stayed in the Kūṭāgārasālā in the Mahāvana forest near the city of Vesālī.
The sixth rains retreat, he stayed on the Makuḷa mountain in the land of Magadha.
The seventh rains retreat, he ascended to the Tāvatiṃsa heaven to spend the rains retreat on the Paṇḍukambala stone seat, where he taught the seven books of the Abhidhamma to his mother.
The eighth rains retreat, he stayed in the Bhesakalāvana forest in the Bhagga country.
The ninth rains retreat, he stayed in the Pārileyyaka forest.
The tenth and eleventh rains retreats, he stayed in a forest near the Brahmin village of Nāḷaka.
The twelfth rains retreat, he stayed under a Naleru tree, protected by the yakkha Naleru.
The thirteenth rains retreat, he stayed on the Pārileyyaka mountain.
The fourteenth rains retreat, he stayed in the Jetavana Vihāra near the city of Sāvatthī.
The fifteenth rains retreat, he stayed in the Nigrodhārāma near the city of Kapilavatthu to benefit his relatives.
The sixteenth rains retreat, he stayed in the region of Āḷavī to tame the yakkha Āḷavaka.
The seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth rains retreats, he stayed in the Veḷuvana monastery near the city of Rājagaha.
From the twentieth to the twenty-ninth rains retreat, he stayed in the Jetavana Mahāvihāra near the city of Sāvatthī.
From the thirtieth to the thirty-fifth rains retreat, he stayed in the Pubbārāma monastery.
From the thirty-sixth to the forty-fourth rains retreat, he stayed in the Jetavana Mahāvihāra near the city of Sāvatthī.
The forty-fifth rains retreat, he stayed in the village of Veḷuva.
In total, the places where the Lord stayed number eighteen, and the total number of rains retreats is forty-five.
(2) During these forty-five rains retreats, the Lord fulfilled the five duties of a Buddha, which all Buddhas perform in proclaiming the teachings:
- Pubbaṇhe piṇḍapātaṃ: In the morning, he went on his alms round.
- Sāyaṇhe dhammadesanaṃ: In the afternoon, he taught the Dhamma to the general public.
- Padose bhikkhu-ovādaṃ: In the evening, he gave instruction to the monks.
- Aḍḍharatte devapañhānaṃ: In the middle of the night, he answered the questions of the devas.
- Paccuse va gate kāle bhabbābhabbavilocanaṃ: In the pre-dawn hours, he surveyed the world for beings who were ready and not ready for enlightenment.
If he saw a being who was ready and could be taught by a Buddha, he would go himself to teach them. If a being was to be taught by a disciple and had the necessary conditions to be taught by a certain disciple, then the Lord, with his wisdom, would assign that disciple to go and teach them.
(3) The Blessed One, the master, performed these five duties of a Buddha for forty-five years. After the forty-fifth rains retreat, he departed from the village of Veḷuva and wandered on tour until the full moon day of the month of Māgha[1], in the fifth year of the snake cycle. He was staying at the Pāvāla Cetiya when the Victorious One relinquished his life-force, declaring to Māra, “O Māra of evil mind, be at ease. The Parinibbāna of the Tathāgata will not be long from now. In three months from this day, the Tathāgata will enter Parinibbāna.”
After the Blessed One relinquished his life-force in this way, there was a great earthquake, so terrifying it made one’s hair stand on end, and thunder roared. The disciples, led by the Venerable Ānanda, were overcome with grief and sorrow, each and every one of them. Then, the Blessed One went for alms in the city of Vesālī. Returning from his alms round, he turned to look back at the city of Vesālī and said to the Venerable Ānanda, “This is the last time the Tathāgata will see the city of Vesālī.” He then continued his journey to the village of Bhaṇḍa and wandered on tour until he reached the city of Kusinārā. He entered the Sāla grove of the Malla kings, which was the entrance to the city of Kusinārā, and said to the Venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, prepare a couch for me with its head to the north, between the twin Sāla trees, for the Tathāgata, quickly.”
The Venerable Ānanda did as the Lord commanded. At that time, the Blessed One, with full mindfulness and clear comprehension, lay down in the lion’s posture, reclining on his right side, with his left foot placed on his right foot.
(4) At the time when the supreme Buddha was lying on the final deathbed, the place of his entry into Parinibbāna, the Venerable Mahā-Ānanda paid his respects and asked about various duties and practices that should be followed in the time to come.
He listened as the Buddha explained everything. Then he went into a vihāra, stood leaning against the doorframe, and wept, recounting many things. The supreme Teacher sent a monk to call the Venerable Ānanda. He praised the virtues of Ānanda in many ways and then sent the Venerable Ānanda to inform the Malla kings.
The Malla kings, their sons, their daughters-in-law, and their wives heard the news and were overcome with grief. Filled with sorrow, they went together into the Sāla grove to be with the Teacher in time. A multitude of deities also gathered, thronging the area. In the last watch of the night, the Victorious One addressed the monks, saying, “Handa dāni, bhikkhave, āmantayāmi vo: Vayadhammā saṅkhārā, appamādena sampādethā.” (Behold now, monks, I exhort you: All conditioned things are subject to decay. Strive on with heedfulness.)
Having said this, he entered the first jhāna. Emerging from the first jhāna, he entered the second jhāna, the third jhāna, the fourth jhāna, the sphere of infinite space the sphere of infinite consciousness, the sphere of nothingness, the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, and the cessation of perception and feeling. He then emerged from the cessation of perception and feeling and descended back to the sphere of nothingness, and in reverse order all the way back to the first jhāna. Then he entered them again in forward order up to the fourth jhāna. Emerging from the fourth jhāna, he entered Parinibbāna between those two trees.
(5) The assembly of the Buddha’s followers, with the Malla kings of the city of Kusinārā as their leaders, made arrangements to cremate the sacred body of the Blessed One. People, along with deities, paid homage with dancing, singing, music, garlands of flowers, and perfumes for six days. On the seventh day, they moved the supreme body to carry it out to the south and to cremate it south of the royal palace, but the sacred body would not move at all. The eight Malla kings who were the leaders asked the Venerable Anuruddha. “This goes against the wishes of the devas.” They then agreed to move the supreme body, carrying it out to the north, entering the city through the northern gate, passing through the middle of the city, and exiting through the eastern gate. They then cremated the supreme body of the Blessed One at the Makutabandhana Cetiya[2] of the Malla kings, to the east of the city.
(6) When the Malla kings lit the pyre, the Venerable Mahākassapa was still traveling from the land of Pāvā and had not yet arrived. The fire would not burn. When the Venerable Mahākassapa arrived, the pair of feet of the Ten-Powered One emerged from the golden coffin. The Venerable Mahākassapa, along with his retinue of 500 monks, paid homage to the feet, and then the pyre ignited on its own. The sacred body of the Blessed One was consumed completely, leaving no ash, like oil consumed by fire, with only the pure bone relics remaining. The Malla kings of the city of Kusinārā, with their spearmen, elephant troops, horse troops, chariot troops, and soldiers of all ranks surrounding them, collected the bone relics of the Victor over Māra. They paid homage to them with dancing, singing, music, garlands, and all kinds of perfumes for another seven days in the assembly hall.
(7) At that time, King Ajātasattu of Magadha, son of Queen Videhi; the Licchavi princes of the city of Vesālī; the Sakyan princes of the city of Kapilavatthu; the Buli princes of the city of Allakappa; the Koliya princes of the city of Rāmagāma; the Brahmin of Veṭhadīpa; and the princes of the city of Pāvā heard the news that the Blessed One had entered Parinibbāna in the city of Kusinārā. They sent envoys to request a share of the sacred relics. The Malla kings refused to share them, and they argued to the point where a war was about to break out over the matter. Then, the Brahmin Doṇa spoke up, saying, “We should come to a peaceful and agreeable arrangement.” And he divided the sacred relics into eight equal portions. Doṇa the teacher, who was in charge of the division, received only the tumba, the vessel that was used to measure the relics.
The Moriya princes of the city of Pipphalivana also sent an envoy to request a share of the sacred relics. The Malla kings said, “We have already divided all the sacred relics. You may take the embers (aṅgāra) from the place where the cremation took place.” The Moriya princes then took the embers from the cremation site.
(8) At that time, King Ajātasattu of Magadha built a stupa and paid homage to the sacred relics of the Blessed One in the city of Rājagaha. The Licchavi princes of the city of Vesālī did so in the city of Vesālī. The Sakyan princes of the city of Kapilavatthu did so in the city of Kapilavatthu. The Buli princes of the city of Allakappa did so in the city of Allakappa. The Koliya princes of Rāmagāma did so in Rāmagāma. The Brahmin of Veṭhadīpa did so in the land of Veṭhadīpa. The Malla princes of the city of Pāvā did so in the city of Pāvā. The Malla princes of the city of Kusinārā did so in the city of Kusinārā. The Brahmin Doṇa also built one in the city of Kusinārā. The Moriya princes of the city of Pipphalivana did so in the city of Pipphalivana.
In total, there were eight stupas enshrining the sacred relics. The total becomes nine with the stupa enshrining the measuring vessel, and ten with the stupa enshrining the embers.
(End of Chapter 23: The Parinibbāna Chapter)
[1] This is the day that Buddhists celebrate Māgha Pūjā to commemorate the relinquishing of the life-force by the Blessed One.
[2] The Makutabandhana Cetiya was a ceremonial hall used for the coronation of the Malla kings, hence its name. It was called a “cetiya” because it was exquisitely and artistically decorated.
