MahaParinirvana of Budhha is the last entry of the Buddha into Nirvana. It is one of the historical events of Buddhism, but this is sometimes mistakenly used as a description of the story of the Buddha's enlightenment, which is the pinnacle of his spiritual journey. The article looks at the profound meaning of the Buddha enlightment story and its connection to his MahaParinirvana.
The Path to Enlightenment
Buddha’s journey to Nirvana begins with Siddhartha Gautama, the future Buddha, being born to a royal family in Lumbini, which is now a part of Nepal, in the year 563 BCE. Growing up in palatial comfort, Siddhartha was deeply disturbed by the suffering in the world around him: old age, illness, and death. He left the palace life with the intention of finding a means to end human suffering.
Siddhartha had learned from various spiritual masters and was practicing extreme asceticism. But soon he realized that neither worldly indulgence nor extreme self-mortification would be able to give him what he was searching for. It was then he found that enlightenment could be achieved by following the "Middle Way," neither indulgence nor denial.
The Moment of Enlightenment
He finally sat under the Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya, India, promising not to get up until he had discovered the truth. He sat there during the night of the full moon and went into deep meditation, facing numerous temptations and distractions, personified by the demon Mara, who symbolized illusion and attachments that hinder spiritual progress.
Mara tried his best to keep Siddhartha off by illusions of beauty, fear, and doubt. Still, Siddhartha was unshakable in his focus and the moment sun started rising he became completely enlightened. He came to know about Four Noble Truths: the truth that indeed suffering exists; that suffering results from attachment; that suffering could end; and finally there is the way that can put an end to suffering-Eightfold Path.
This was the time when Siddhartha became Buddha, "the Awakened One." This enlightenment of Siddhartha was not in terms of intellectual understanding but great understanding with regard to life and suffering as well as a way to overcome suffering. The image of the Buddha under Bodhi tree meditation is the most recognized image of the Buddhism.
Teaching Dharma
He started preaching people how to be free after the enlightenment. In Buddha’s first sermon at Sarnath, he explained all about the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. That is known as "DhammacakkappavattanaSutta" or "Setting in Motion the Wheel of Dharma".
For the rest of his life, for 45 years, Buddha roamed all over the Indian sub-continent preaching his teaching. It was now that the followers realized that whoever belonged to whatever group in the society understood that this path to enlightenment had nothing to do with the monk or ascetic but was opened for each one who had a willingness to practice mindfulness, ethical conduct, and wisdom.
MahaParinirvana: The Last Passing
The Buddha's teachings and influence spread widely, and his followers held him in the esteem of a divine figure. But the Buddha, as with all beings, was under the law of impermanence. When he reached about the age of 80, he knew that his time in this world was drawing to an end.
He then proceeded to Kushinagar to spend his last days. He laid himself between two trees and entered very deep meditation and slipped away calmly; this is called MahaParinirvana of Buddha, the ultimate Nirvana beyond birth and death.
Buddha’s last words and teachings were, "All conditioned things are impermanent. Strive on with diligence." He reminded them of the struggle for enlightenment continuing after his death. Parinirvana is a term commonly found in Buddhism; it refers to emancipation from the birth-death-rebirth cycle, but the accomplishment of the Buddha means the ultimate release from suffering, and thus it marks the end of his passage through the cycles.
MahaParinirvana of Buddha thus presents the culmination phase of the Buddha, while it goes not separate with his enlightenment tale. The enlightened truth of the Buddha formed a path for Buddhists, and when he disappears in MahaParinirvana, then only the ultimate result of truth remains. Thus, it reminds one of the accomplishment and overcoming of misery or suffering because everybody can realize wisdom, ethical activity, and meditation for them. He inspired millions of people around the world to walk on the path towards liberation with the message of compassion, mindfulness, and wisdom in the teachings of the Buddha.
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