Tuesday, December 10, 2024

Final

The Mahaparinibbana Sutta is a Pali text in the Theravāda Buddhist canon that describes the final days of Gautama Buddha, his death, and the distribution of his relics: 

The Mahaparinibbana Sutta is the longest sutta in the Pāli Canon and is also known as the Mahaparinirvana-sutra. It is considered an essential text for understanding the Buddha's teachings on liberation and the significance of his final journey. 
The Mahaparinibbana Sutta describes the Buddha's last days, his passage into nirvana, his funeral, the distribution of his relics, and his release from the cycle of rebirths.
The Mahaparinibbana Sutta is Sutta 16 in the Dīgha Nikāya.
The Mahaparinibbana Sutta is a vivid historical document and a great religious classic. 
The Parinirvana Stupa, or Mahaparinirvana Temple, is a Buddhist temple in Kushinagar, India that is said to be the place of the Buddha's death. 

The Nirvana sutra uses the backdrop of the Buddha's final nirvana to discuss the nature of the Buddha, who is described in this sutra as undying and eternal, without beginning or end.The text also discusses the associated doctrine of buddha-nature (tathāgatagarbha) which is said to be a "hidden treasury" within all living beings that is eternal (nitya), blissful, Self (atman), and pure (shudda).[5] Due to this buddha nature, all beings have the capacity to reach Buddhahood. Some scholars like Michael Radich and Shimoda Masahiro think that the Nirvana sutra might be the earliest source for the idea of buddha-nature.d the true self, which is buddha-nature. Furthermore, the Nirvana sutra discusses the idea of the icchantikas, a class of sentient beings who "have little or no chance of liberation." The icchantika idea is discussed in various ways throughout the different versions of the sutra, and the issue is complex, though as Blum writes the Nirvana sutra seems "ambivalent on whether or not icchantikas can attain buddhahood".

The Nirvana sutra's precise date of origin is uncertain, but its early form may have developed in or by the second century CE. The original Sanskrit text is not extant except for a small number of fragments, but it survives in Chinese and Tibetan translation.The Nirvana sutra was translated into Chinese various times. The most important editions are the 416 CE "six fascicle text" and the 421 CE translation of Dharmakṣema, which is about four times longer than the earlier one. This sutra should not be confused with the early Buddhist Mahāparinibbāna Sutta which is not a Mahayana sutra.

The Nirvana sutra also discusses the teachings of not-self and emptiness, and how they are incomplete unless they are complemented by the teaching of "non-emptiness" an

 The Mahāparinibbāna Sutta is a significant discourse in the Pali Canon, found in the Dīgha Nikāya. It details the final days, teachings, and passing away (parinibbāna) of the Buddha. Below is a summary of its key sections:

1. Setting and Context

The discourse begins in Rājagaha, where the Buddha, sensing his life nearing its end, reflects on the impermanence of all things.

He emphasizes the importance of self-reliance, instructing his followers to "be their own refuge" and to rely on the Dhamma and Vinaya as their guide after his death.

2. Buddha's Journey

The Buddha travels to various places, teaching essential principles to his disciples and lay followers. Significant stops include:

Vesāli, where he delivers a discourse on the importance of mindfulness and bids farewell to the community.

Pāvā, where he eats a meal offered by Cunda, a blacksmith. Following this, the Buddha falls ill but continues his journey.

3. Key Teachings

During his journey, the Buddha reiterates foundational teachings, such as:

The impermanence of all conditioned phenomena.

The importance of practicing the Noble Eightfold Path.

The principles of ethical conduct, meditation, and wisdom.

4. The Buddha's Final Instructions

In Kushinagar, the Buddha gives his final address, encouraging his disciples to strive diligently (appamāda).

He reassures them that the Dhamma is their true teacher and guide.

The Buddha instructs Ānanda, his attendant, to allow all those who wish to pay their respects the opportunity to do so.

5. The Buddha's Passing

The Buddha passes away into parinibbāna under the twin sāla trees in Kushinagar.

His passing is accompanied by profound natural phenomena, symbolizing the significance of the event.

6. Aftermath and Cremation

The Mallas of Kushinagar perform the Buddha's funeral rites with great reverence.

His relics are divided among various kingdoms, and stupas are built to enshrine them, fostering devotion and remembrance.

Impermanence: The Buddha repeatedly reminds his followers that all conditioned things are transient.

Self-reliance: The disciples are urged to take responsibility for their own practice and liberation.

Compassion and Wisdom: The Buddha's interactions in his final days reflect his deep compassion and wisdom.

The Mahāparinibbāna Sutta serves as a profound account of the Buddha's final teachings and inspires practitioners to remain diligent in their pursuit of the Dhamma.


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