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SN 6.15PTS (1st ed) SN 1.1572 min read

Full Extinguishment

Parinibbānasutta

After the Buddha became finally extinguished, Brahmā Sahampati led a series of distinguished beings who uttered verses in commemoration.

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

  • 0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 6.15Linked Discourses 6.15
  • 0.22. DutiyavaggaChapter Two

0.3ParinibbānasuttaFull Extinguishment

1.1Ekaṁ 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.1

1.2Atha kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:Then the Buddha said to the mendicants:1.3“handa dāni, bhikkhave, āmantayāmi vo:“Come now, mendicants, I say to you all:1.4‘vayadhammā saṅkhārā, appamādena sampādethā’”ti.‘Conditions fall apart. Persist with diligence.’”2

1.5Ayaṁ tathāgatassa pacchimā vācā.These were the Realized One’s last words.3

2.1Atha 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.4

3.1Saññāvedayitanirodhā 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.

3.2Parinibbute 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:

4.1“Sabbeva nikkhipissanti,“All creatures in this world54.2bhūtā loke samussayaṁ;must lay down this bag of bones.64.3Yattha etādiso satthā,For even a Teacher such as this,4.4loke appaṭipuggalo;unrivaled in the world,4.5Tathāgato balappatto,the Realized One, attained to power,74.6sambuddho parinibbuto”ti.the Buddha was fully quenched.”

5.1Parinibbute bhagavati saha parinibbānā sakko devānamindo imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:When the Buddha was fully quenched, Sakka, lord of gods, spoke this verse:

6.1“Aniccā vata saṅkhārā,“Oh! Conditions are impermanent,86.2uppādavayadhammino;their nature is to rise and fall;6.3Uppajjitvā nirujjhanti,having arisen, they cease;6.4tesaṁ vūpasamo sukho”ti.their settling is such bliss.”

7.1Parinibbute bhagavati saha parinibbānā āyasmā ānando imaṁ gāthaṁ abhāsi:When the Buddha was fully quenched, Venerable Ānanda spoke this verse:9

8.1“Tadāsi yaṁ bhiṁsanakaṁ,“Then there was terror!8.2tadāsi lomahaṁsanaṁ;Then they had goosebumps!8.3Sabbākāravarūpete,When the Buddha, endowed with all fine qualities,8.4sambuddhe parinibbute”ti.was fully quenched.”

9.1Parinibbute bhagavati saha parinibbānā āyasmā anuruddho imā gāthāyo abhāsi:When the Buddha was fully quenched, Venerable Anuruddha spoke this verse:

10.1“Nāhu assāsapassāso,“There was no more breathing1010.2ṭhitacittassa tādino;for the unaffected one of steady heart.10.3Anejo santimārabbha,Imperturbable, committed to peace,10.4cakkhumā parinibbuto.the Clear-eyed One was fully quenched.

11.1Asallīnena cittena,He put up with painful feelings11.2vedanaṁ ajjhavāsayi;without flinching.11.3Pajjotasseva nibbānaṁ,The liberation of his heart11.4vimokkho cetaso ahū”ti.was like the extinguishing of a lamp.”

11.5Dutiyo vaggo.

12.0Tassuddānaṁ

12.1Brahmāsanaṁ devadatto,12.2Andhakavindo aruṇavatī;12.3Parinibbānena ca desitaṁ,12.4Idaṁ brahmapañcakanti.

12.5Brahmasaṁyuttaṁ samattaṁ.The Linked Discourses on the Divinity are complete.

Translator’s notes

  1. This is an excerpt from the Mahāparinibbānasutta, picking up at DN 16:6.7.1.

    ↩ sn6.15:1.1

  2. This is perhaps the briefest summary possible of the Buddha’s teaching. The world as it is, and all the beings in it, are created and sustained through conditions. Since the conditions that sustain them are finite, the conditioned phenomena are also finite and must come to an end. Reflecting on this gives rise to gratitude for the life we have and the opportunities it grants us, and determination to live and practice dedicated to the realization of the unconditioned, Nibbāna.

    ↩ sn6.15:1.4

  3. The commentary says this line was added at the Council.

    ↩ sn6.15:1.5

  4. Even on his deathbed, the Buddha retains mastery over his mind.

    At this point in DN 16:6.8.2, Ānanda and Anuruddha discuss whether the Buddha is dead.

    ↩ sn6.15:2.1

  5. Each of these characters reveal something of themselves in their verses. Sahampati, as a royal deity, emphasizes the universal nature of the teaching and the grandeur of the Buddha.

    ↩ sn6.15:4.1

  6. “Bag of bones” is a loose rendering of samussaya.

    ↩ sn6.15:4.2

  7. The ten powers of a Realized One are detailed at AN 10.21 and MN 12:9.1.

    ↩ sn6.15:4.5

  8. Less creative than Brahmā, Sakka repeats a famous verse spoken by the Buddha at SN 15.20:8.1 and DN 17:2.17.5.

    ↩ sn6.15:6.1

  9. This verse follows Anuruddha’s in DN 16.

    ↩ sn6.15:7.1

  10. Anuruddha was a reclusive meditator who specialized in mindfulness of breathing. Here he remarks on the fact that, since breathing ceases in the fourth absorption (SN 36.11:2.19), the Buddha’s breathing had already stopped before he died.

    ↩ sn6.15:10.1