February 23, 2023
 
The forest of sālā trees fell silent, as if the trees were aware of the great and sacred moment. Suddenly, something shivered, and a supernatural force caused the entire sālā forest to burst into out-of-season blossoms. Every bud, every branch stretched out, covering roots and trunks, blooming sweet and fragrant flowers. Soon, the flowers began to fall and gently showered the Buddha’s robe and body. Hundreds of monks watched in bewilderment as the flowers fell, covering their bodies and filling the forest. Then, celestial music played with thousands of melodies pouring down from the heaven. A strange type of flower, sparkling in multiple hues, floated gently in waves among the trees before descending all at once and covering the spot where the Buddha was resting. Then, fragrant golden powder descended, sparkling and scattering golden dust everywhere… It seems that all of humanity, heaven, and nature wanted to make offerings to the Buddha at this solemn and sacred moment.
 
Many mighty deities from all ten directions of the world gathered to pay homage to the Tathāgata. The area within a radius of twelve yojanas around Kusinārā, Upavattana, and the sālā forest belonging to the Mallā lineage was filled with these deities. Not even a space as small as a mustard seed or a hair was left empty. (Excerpted from Một Cuộc Đời Một Vầng Nhật Nguyệt, volume 6)
 
At that time, the Buddha told Venerable Ānanda:
 
– Ānanda! Two sāla trees have bloomed out of season, and their flowers have fallen around the Tathāgata’s body to make offerings to Him . The trees and flowers in the forest are in full bloom; heavenly flowers and the fragrant golden powder are falling from the sky, accompanied by heavenly music to offer homage to Tathāgata.
 
– However, Ānanda, making offerings to Tathāgata with such material gifts is not called the noble way of making offerings.
 
– Whoever a monk (bhikkhu), a nun (bhikkhuni), a layman devotee (upāsaka), or a laywoman devotee (upāsikā) practices the insight meditation leading to the realization of the Four Noble Truths, attaining the Noble Path and Noble Fruition, and Nibbāna; whoever practices the Noble Eightfold Path and follows the righteous Dhamma; that person is considered to be revering and paying homage to Tathāgata with the noblest offering.
 
At the last watch of that night, when the Buddha was about to enter Parinibbāna (complete cessation), Venerable Ānanda, who was still a stream-enterer, felt self-pity and withdrew to a deserted place. There, he stood crying and lamenting:
 
“I am still at the stage of stream-entry. I must continue practicing insight meditation leading to the realization of the Four Noble Truths, attaining the result of the Arahant Path, the Arahant Fruition, and Nibbāna. I must destroy all cravings, all afflictions with no residue of defilement left, and become an Arahant, but the Buddha, our Master, is about to pass into Nibbāna.”
 
At that time, the Buddha did not see Venerable Ānanda, so he asked the monks:
 
– O monks! Where is Ānanda?
 
The monks said:
 
– Dear Blessed One, Venerable Ānanda withdrew to a deserted place and was crying and lamenting due to feelings of self-pity, Venerable Sir.
 
A monk was instructed by the Buddha to summon Venerable Ānanda to his presence.
 
Venerable Ānanda came to pay homage to the Buddha, and then sat down in a proper place. The Buddha told the Venerable:
 
– Ānanda! The Tathāgata once taught that:
 
The truth is that we live separated from each other and die apart from those we hold dear. As a result, how can our beloved comply with our wishes?
 
Those Dhammas that have already arisen, come into being, and are conditioned by causes, all will inevitably cease and be destroyed, and this process is normal, even if we wish that:
 
– May that Dhamma not be ceased, may it not be destroyed. It’s also impossible.
 
– Ānanda! You are a dedicated attendant serving the Tathāgata with loving-kindness expressed in body, speech, and mind. That is the benefit, the growth in all wholesome dhamma, and the complete cultivation of the Perfections (Paramī).
 
– Ānanda! It would help if you strive diligently; you will surely destroy all defilements that cause re-birth and swiftly attain Arahantship.
 
The Commentary regards the location selected by the Buddha for his Parinibbāna.
 
Despite there being many distinguished countries and great cities, the Buddha chose Kusinārā as the place of his Parinibbāna for three reasons:
 
1- In the past, there was a large city called Kusāvatī, which later became known as Kusinārā. It was ruled by King Mahāsudassana, a universal monarch who governed four continents. If the Buddha had entered Parinibbāna elsewhere, there would have been no reason for him to preach the Mahāsudassanasutta.
 
Therefore, the Buddha chose Kusinārā as the place to enter Parinibbāna, giving him the opportunity to deliver the Mahādassanasutta discourse. Listening to this sutta, people generate pure faith in the Three Jewels and strive diligently to cultivate all wholesome deeds.
 
2- The last disciple of the Buddha was the ascetic Subhadda, who was residing in Kusinārā at that time. No other Arahant Sāvaka disciple was capable of helping him to attain liberation besides the Buddha.
 
Therefore, the Buddha had to come to Kusinārā to help this ascetic, the last disciple of Gotama Buddha.
 
Venerable Subhadda would become an Arahant, before the Buddha passed away.
 
3- The Buddha anticipated that upon hearing the Gotama Buddha had passed away and the cremation ceremony had concluded, many nations were expected to compete for the Buddha’s relics.
 
The Buddha foresaw that only the Brahmin Doṇa could serve as a mediator between messengers from those nations and divide the relics equitably for each country to take back and honor in a Stupa.
 
As the Brahmin Doṇa was residing in Kusinārā, the Buddha decided to pass away in that location. (Exerpted from Ngày Rằm Tháng Tư Trong Phật Giáo by Bhikkhu Dhammarakkhita Hộ Pháp)
 
(To be continued…)

#chuahuongdao #chuahuongdaotemple #sbsstupas
#buddha #buddhism #Dhutanga #dhammajourney
 
Source: Dhammacetiya