At his final passing between sal trees at Kusinārā, the Buddha enters and emerges from successive absorptions until fully extinguished; the divinity Sahampati then laments in verse that even such an unrivaled Teacher must lay down the body.

SN 6.15 Full Extinguishment

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kusinārāyaṁ viharati upavattane mallānaṁ sālavane antarena yamakasālānaṁ parinibbānasamaye.

Atha kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi: “handa dāni, bhikkhave, āmantayāmi vo: ‘vayadhammā saṅkhārā, appamādena sampādethā’”ti.

Ayaṁ tathāgatassa pacchimā vācā.

Atha kho bhagavā paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajji. Paṭhamā jhānā vuṭṭhahitvā dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajji. Dutiyā jhānā vuṭṭhahitvā tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajji. Tatiyā jhānā vuṭṭhahitvā catutthaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajji. Catutthā jhānā vuṭṭhahitvā ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ samāpajji. Ākāsānañcāyatanā vuṭṭhahitvā viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ samāpajji. Viññāṇañcāyatanā vuṭṭhahitvā ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ samāpajji. Ākiñcaññāyatanā vuṭṭhahitvā nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ samāpajji. Nevasaññānāsaññāyatanā vuṭṭhahitvā saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajji.

Saññāvedayitanirodhā vuṭṭhahitvā nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ samāpajji. Nevasaññānāsaññāyatanā vuṭṭhahitvā ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ samāpajji. Ākiñcaññāyatanā vuṭṭhahitvā viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ samāpajji. Viññāṇañcāyatanā vuṭṭhahitvā ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ samāpajji. Ākāsānañcāyatanā vuṭṭhahitvā catutthaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajji. Catutthā jhānā vuṭṭhahitvā tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajji. Tatiyā jhānā vuṭṭhahitvā dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajji. Dutiyā jhānā vuṭṭhahitvā paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajji. Paṭhamā jhānā vuṭṭhahitvā dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajji. Dutiyā jhānā vuṭṭhahitvā tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajji. Tatiyā jhānā vuṭṭhahitvā catutthaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajji. Catutthā jhānā vuṭṭhahitvā samanantaraṁ bhagavā parinibbāyi.

Parinibbute bhagavati saha parinibbānā brahmā sahampati imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:

“Sabbeva nikkhipissanti,
bhūtā loke samussayaṁ;
Yattha etādiso satthā,
loke appaṭipuggalo;
Tathāgato balappatto,
sambuddho parinibbuto”ti.

Parinibbute bhagavati saha parinibbānā sakko devānamindo imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:

“Aniccā vata saṅkhārā,
uppādavayadhammino;
Uppajjitvā nirujjhanti,
tesaṁ vūpasamo sukho”ti.

Parinibbute bhagavati saha parinibbānā āyasmā ānando imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:

“Tadāsi yaṁ bhiṁsanakaṁ,
tadāsi lomahaṁsanaṁ;
Sabbākāravarūpete,
sambuddhe parinibbute”ti.

Parinibbute bhagavati saha parinibbānā āyasmā anuruddho imā gāthāyo abhāsi:

“Nāhu assāsapassāso,
ṭhitacittassa tādino;
Anejo santimārabbha,
cakkhumā parinibbuto.

Asallīnena cittena,
vedanaṁ ajjhavāsayi;
Pajjotasseva nibbānaṁ,
vimokkho cetaso ahū”ti.

Dutiyo vaggo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Brahmāsanaṁ devadatto,
Andhakavindo aruṇavatī;
Parinibbānena ca desitaṁ,
Idaṁ brahmapañcakanti.

Brahmasaṁyuttaṁ samattaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā kusinārāyaṁ viharati upavattane mallānaṁ sālavane antarena yamakasālānaṁ parinibbānasamaye.

At one time the Buddha was staying between a pair of sal trees in the sal forest of the Mallas at Upavattana near Kusinārā at the time of his full extinguishment.

Atha kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:

Then the Buddha said to the mendicants:

“handa dāni, bhikkhave, āmantayāmi vo:

“Come now, mendicants, I say to you all:

‘vayadhammā saṅkhārā, appamādena sampādethā’”ti.

‘Conditions fall apart. Persist with diligence.’”

Ayaṁ tathāgatassa pacchimā vācā.

These were the Realized One’s last words.

Atha kho bhagavā paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajji. Paṭhamā jhānā vuṭṭhahitvā dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajji. Dutiyā jhānā vuṭṭhahitvā tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajji. Tatiyā jhānā vuṭṭhahitvā catutthaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajji. Catutthā jhānā vuṭṭhahitvā ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ samāpajji. Ākāsānañcāyatanā vuṭṭhahitvā viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ samāpajji. Viññāṇañcāyatanā vuṭṭhahitvā ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ samāpajji. Ākiñcaññāyatanā vuṭṭhahitvā nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ samāpajji. Nevasaññānāsaññāyatanā vuṭṭhahitvā saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ samāpajji.

Then the Buddha entered the first absorption. Emerging from that, he entered the second absorption. Emerging from that, he successively entered into and emerged from the third absorption, the fourth absorption, the dimension of infinite space, the dimension of infinite consciousness, the dimension of nothingness, and the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. Then he entered the cessation of perception and feeling.

Saññāvedayitanirodhā vuṭṭhahitvā nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ samāpajji. Nevasaññānāsaññāyatanā vuṭṭhahitvā ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ samāpajji. Ākiñcaññāyatanā vuṭṭhahitvā viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ samāpajji. Viññāṇañcāyatanā vuṭṭhahitvā ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ samāpajji. Ākāsānañcāyatanā vuṭṭhahitvā catutthaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajji. Catutthā jhānā vuṭṭhahitvā tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajji. Tatiyā jhānā vuṭṭhahitvā dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajji. Dutiyā jhānā vuṭṭhahitvā paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajji. Paṭhamā jhānā vuṭṭhahitvā dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajji. Dutiyā jhānā vuṭṭhahitvā tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajji. Tatiyā jhānā vuṭṭhahitvā catutthaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajji. Catutthā jhānā vuṭṭhahitvā samanantaraṁ bhagavā parinibbāyi.

Then he emerged from the cessation of perception and feeling and entered the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. Emerging from that, he successively entered into and emerged from the dimension of nothingness, the dimension of infinite consciousness, the dimension of infinite space, the fourth absorption, the third absorption, the second absorption, and the first absorption. Emerging from that, he successively entered into and emerged from the second absorption and the third absorption. Then he entered the fourth absorption. Emerging from that the Buddha immediately became fully extinguished.

Parinibbute bhagavati saha parinibbānā brahmā sahampati imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:

When the Buddha was fully quenched, along with the full extinguishment, the divinity Sahampati spoke this verse:

“Sabbeva nikkhipissanti,

“All creatures in this world

bhūtā loke samussayaṁ;

must lay down this bag of bones.

Yattha etādiso satthā,

For even a Teacher such as this,

loke appaṭipuggalo;

unrivaled in the world,

Tathāgato balappatto,

the Realized One, attained to power,

sambuddho parinibbuto”ti.

the Buddha was fully quenched.”

Parinibbute bhagavati saha parinibbānā sakko devānamindo imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:

When the Buddha was fully quenched, Sakka, lord of gods, spoke this verse:

“Aniccā vata saṅkhārā,

“Oh! Conditions are impermanent,

uppādavayadhammino;

their nature is to rise and fall;

Uppajjitvā nirujjhanti,

having arisen, they cease;

tesaṁ vūpasamo sukho”ti.

their settling is such bliss.”

Parinibbute bhagavati saha parinibbānā āyasmā ānando imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:

When the Buddha was fully quenched, Venerable Ānanda spoke this verse:

“Tadāsi yaṁ bhiṁsanakaṁ,

“Then there was terror!

tadāsi lomahaṁsanaṁ;

Then they had goosebumps!

Sabbākāravarūpete,

When the Buddha, endowed with all fine qualities,

sambuddhe parinibbute”ti.

was fully quenched.”

Parinibbute bhagavati saha parinibbānā āyasmā anuruddho imā gāthāyo abhāsi:

When the Buddha was fully quenched, Venerable Anuruddha spoke this verse:

“Nāhu assāsapassāso,

“There was no more breathing

ṭhitacittassa tādino;

for the unaffected one of steady heart.

Anejo santimārabbha,

Imperturbable, committed to peace,

cakkhumā parinibbuto.

the Clear-eyed One was fully quenched.

Asallīnena cittena,

He put up with painful feelings

vedanaṁ ajjhavāsayi;

without flinching.

Pajjotasseva nibbānaṁ,

The liberation of his heart

vimokkho cetaso ahū”ti.

was like the extinguishing of a lamp.”

Dutiyo vaggo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Brahmāsanaṁ devadatto,

Andhakavindo aruṇavatī;

Parinibbānena ca desitaṁ,

Idaṁ brahmapañcakanti.

Brahmasaṁyuttaṁ samattaṁ.

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Last updated on July 27, 2026