DHAMMAYATRA '17 (PART IV): KUSINARA, ENTER OF THE BLESSED ONE INTO MAHA PARINIBBĀNA

Katvāna lokahitamattahitañca nātho

Asītiko'va upavattana kānanam'pi

Yasmim nipajja gatavā nirupādisesam

Nibbānacetiyamaham vandāmi

Kushinagar (Kusinara)

Monastery ruins at the Matha Kuar Shrine

Kushinagar, known as Kusinara in past, was the place where Lord Buddha spent His last moments before He entered into the Maha Parinibbāna. After receiving the last meal offering from Cunda, the metalworker in Pāvā (known as Pawapuri or Fazilnaga today), He, together with His bhikkhu disciples, went to the Kakutthā River to rest, where along the way He met with Pukkusa of the Malla clan. The spot where Lord Buddha had rested with assistance of Ven. Cundaka was believed to be the Matha Kuar Shrine. The river was once located just behind the shrine spot, but it was since disappeared due to various cause and conditions. We paid homage to the blue-sandstone Buddha-rupam here before walking to the Maha Parinibbāna Vihara located just 10 minutes walking distance from the shrine. Maha Parinibbāna Vihara marks the spot where Lord Buddha rested for the very last time between two sāla trees before entering into the great liberation. Here, Lord Buddha accepted His last disciple, Subhadda, and advised Ven. Ananda to follow the Dhamma and Vinaya as their guide after the passing away of the Blessed One. At this site, Tathāgata spoke thus to Ven. Ananda:

Salā tree

"Sabba­phāli­phullā kho, ānanda, yamakasālā akālapupphehi. Te tathāgatassa sarīraṃ okiranti ajjhokiranti abhippakiranti tathāgatassa pūjāya. Dibbānipi mandā­ra­va­pupphāni antalikkhā papatanti, tāni tathāgatassa sarīraṃ okiranti ajjhokiranti abhippakiranti tathāgatassa pūjāya. Dibbānipi candanacuṇṇāni antalikkhā papatanti, tāni tathāgatassa sarīraṃ okiranti ajjhokiranti abhippakiranti tathāgatassa pūjāya. Dibbānipi tūriyāni antalikkhe vajjanti tathāgatassa pūjāya. Dibbānipi saṅgītāni antalikkhe vattanti tathāgatassa pūjāya. Na kho, ānanda, ettāvatā tathāgato sakkato vā hoti garukato vā mānito vā pūjito vā apacito vā. Yo kho, ānanda, bhikkhu vā bhikkhunī vā upāsako vā upāsikā vā dhammā­nu­dhammap­paṭi­panno viharati sāmīcip­paṭi­panno anudhammacārī, so tathāgataṃ sakkaroti garuṃ karoti māneti pūjeti apaciyati, paramāya pūjāya. Tasmātihānanda, dhammā­nu­dhammap­paṭi­pannā viharissāma sāmīcip­paṭi­pannā anu­dhamma­cāri­noti. Evañhi vo, ānanda, sikkhitabban"

"Ānanda, the twin sāla trees are in full bloom, though it is not the flowering season. The blossoms, celestial coral flowers and heavenly sandalwood powder are rained, dropped, scattered and strewn upon the Tathāgata's body in worship of the Tathāgata. The sound of heavenly voices and instruments make music in the air in reverence for the Tathāgata. Yet, Ānanda, it is no thus the Tathāgata is respected, venerated, esteemed, worshiped and honoured in the highest degree. But, Ānanda, whichever bhikkhu or bhikkuni, layman or laywoman, abides by the Dhamma, lives uprightly in the Dhamma, walks in the way of the Dhamma, it is by such that the Tathāgata is respected, venerated, esteemed, worshipped and honoured in the highest degree. Therefore, Ānanda, you should train yourself to abide by the Dhamma, live uprightly in the Dhamma and walk in the way of the Dhamma." 

(translated by Sis Vajira in Last Days of the Buddha)

Here, the message by the Blessed One is clear-cut. For one to respect, venerate and honour the Blessed One to the highest degree, one should abide by the Dhamma, live uprightly by the Dhamma and walk in the way of the Dhamma. This shall be a reminder for all of us practitioners of the Buddha-Dhamma. Before Lord Buddha enters the great liberation, He uttered the last advise to the bhikkhus as such:

Vayadhammā sankhārā,

Apamādena sampādethā!

All conditioned things are subjected to change, strive diligently! This, very last word by Lord Buddha, shall be my motto of life, to keep myself on the right track in the Dhamma learning. At this vihara, we offered another robe to the reclining Buddha-rupam enclosed in the building and chanted while remembering the loss of the Great Teacher.

Maha Parinibbāna Vihara

The reclining Buddha-rupam in the Maha Parinibbāna Vihara

After the passing away of the Blessed One, He was being venerated for a week before He was cremated. He was carried by the Mallas of Kusinara to the Makuta-bandhana, the Mallas' cetiya to be cremated. After Ven Mahā Kassapa and his 500 disciples paid homage and circumambulated the cremation pyre thrice, the remains of the Blessed One was finally set on fire and being cremated. The relics of the Blessed One was then divided into eight portions and distributed to Mallas of Kusinara, King Ajātasattu of Magadha, Licchavis of Vesāli, Sakyas of Kapilavatthu, Bulis of Allakappa, Koliyans of Rāmagāma, Brahmin Vethadipa and Mallas of Pāvā. The urn and the remaining ashes were taken by the Brahmin Dona and Moriyas of Pipphalivana respectively. A stupa was erected on the Blessed One's cremation site to commemorate the cremation event. The cremation stupa is currently known as Ramabhar to the locals. We visited this site before the Matha Kuar Shrine.

Makuta-bandhana Stupa, site of the Blessed One's cremation

In the evening, we visited the Abbot of the Kushinagar Burmese Buddhist Temple and did our chanting at the Royal Thai Temple.

Associating with the Abbot of the Burmese Temple

The Burmese Stupa

A Royal Stupa at the Royal Thai Temple

That's all for Kusinara, the site where the Blessed One rested for the very last time and passes into Maha Parinibbāna.

My Dhammayatra journey continues...