The Buddha crosses the Hiraññavatī and reaches the sāla grove of the Mallas at Kusinārā. He asks Ānanda to prepare a bed between two sāla trees, and lies down on his right side with his head to the north, in the posture of a lion. The twin trees burst into bloom out of season, and flowers, perfumes and music descend from the heavens in offering; the Buddha says that the true way to honour the Tathāgata is to practise in accordance with the Dhamma. Taishō Canon
More sources (10)
Pali Canon
More sources (1)
Different Accounts
The reason for the head to the north: the Chinese Youxing jing and the Ekottarika Āgama say it was because the Buddha's Dhamma would spread to the north; the Pali canon of the Southern tradition gives no reason. The Sanskrit Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra likewise gives no reason, and does not record the blooming of the twin trees or the heavenly offerings.
More differences between accounts (2)
The Chinese Youxing jing calls Kusinārā the Buddha's “birthplace”, meaning the place where in a past life he was King Mahāsudassana. Taishō Canon
Order: the Chinese Fo bannihuan jing says the Buddha first lay down by the river and taught the seven factors of awakening (seven elements of practice that lead to awakening), and only then went to the twin trees. The Sanskrit Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra also has the seven factors of awakening taught on the way to Kusinārā, but spoken by Ānanda. Taishō Canon
Dating
Year 45 after the Awakening, the Buddha aged seventy-nine to eighty, after the , in the evening of the day of the passing; the day is stated in the canonical text, and the later commentaries of the Southern tradition say it was at sunset on the full moon of Vesākha; it can be fixed to the day.
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Research Notes: Reliability, Dating and Sources
- How Reliability Is Assessed
Recorded by five schools: the Pali canon of the Southern tradition, the Chinese Dīrgha Āgama, the Sanskrit Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra, the Chinese Fo bannihuan jing and Bannihuan jing and the Chinese three-fascicle Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra. Attested across multiple schools.
- Dating Evidence and Precision
Stated in the canonical text (the text itself gives the time). Time precision: fixed to the day.
Sources
- 藏譯（德格版）德格版 D6 da 261b4–263a5
- 梵文原典梵文《大般涅槃經》（Waldschmidt）§30.1–30.16
- 梵文原典梵文《大般涅槃經》（Waldschmidt）§32.1–32.10
- 大正藏大正藏 T01 no.1 p.15c
- 大正藏大正藏 T01 no.1 p.21a
- 藏譯（德格版）德格版 D6 da 263a1–263a5
- 梵文原典梵文《大般涅槃經》§30
- 梵文原典梵文《大般涅槃經》§32.4–32.10
- Pali Canon巴利 DN 16:5.1.1–5.3.9
- 大正藏大正藏 T01 no.5 p.168c
- 大正藏大正藏 T01 no.5 p.169a
- 大正藏大正藏 T01 no.6 p.184c
- 大正藏大正藏 T01 no.7 p.199a
- 大正藏大正藏 T24 no.1451 p.392b
- 大正藏大正藏 T02 no.125 p.750c
- Pali Canon巴利 DN 16:5.1.2–5.1.7
- 大正藏大正藏 T01 no.1 p.20c
- 大正藏大正藏 T24 no.1451 p.391c
- 大正藏大正藏 T02 no.99 p.325b
- 大正藏大正藏 T02 no.100 p.413a
- 大正藏大正藏 T01 no.26 p.515b
- 大正藏大正藏 T02 no.125 p.750b
- 大正藏大正藏 T04 no.192 p.46b
- 巴利註解書巴利註釋 Sv，§198