[无量香光 · 显密文库 · 手机站]
fowap.goodweb.net.cn
{返回首页}


28. The Last Days of the Buddha
 
{返回 Life of the Buddha 文集}
{返回网页版}
点击:1706

(Part Two) 28. The Last Days of the Buddha

After his 55th year, many incidents in the life of the Buddha were recorded without an exact indication of the year in which they happened. However, the incidents occurring in his eightieth year were dated and recorded in the Maha Parinibbana Sutta.

When the Buddha reached his eightieth year, he felt that his days in this world were coming to an end. Although he had suffered the sicknesses and effects of old age like any other man, he was different from ordinary men. With his mental powers, developed through advanced mental training, he was able to overcome certain painful feelings of the body. His mind was always sparkling like a radiant diamond, even though his body was beginning to weaken.

In this last year of his life, he decided to spend his last days in the peaceful and simple surroundings of Kusinaga, a small village in northern India. He preferred to leave behind him the large and prosperous cities such as Rajagaha and Savatthi with their crowds, their merchants and kings.

The starting point of his journey to the country was Rajagaha, the capital of Magadha. He journeyed on foot, accompanied by Venerable Ananda and many disciples. It was a long journey and the party travelled through many cities and villages on their way. By this time, Venerable Rahula and Yasodhara had already passed away, and so had the Buddha's two chief disciples, Venerable Moggallana and Venerable Sariputta.

During the journey, the Buddha's thoughts turned to the welfare of the order of monks. Many of his teachings were concerned with advising on how the monks should behave to ensure that the order would carry on after his death. He reminded his disciples to practice all the truths that he had taught them.

One teaching he gave reminded the disciples to practise the seven factors of enlightenment. Another teaching was on the four ways to check whether a teaching was a true teaching of the Buddha or not, by comparing it with the
Vinaya (the disciplinary rules for the order) and the suttas (discourses of the Buddha).

There was one teaching which the Buddha gave again and again during the many stops on his last journey. It was a sermon on the fruits of following the three divisions of the Noble Eightfold Path — morality, concentration and wisdom — which would help his disciples put an end to all sufferings.


{返回 Life of the Buddha 文集}
{返回网页版}
{返回首页}

上一篇:29. The Buddhas Last Meal
下一篇:27. The Buddhas Last Illness
 18. Ambapalis Gift
 21. The Serpent King
 10. Alavaka, the Demon
 12. King Bimbisaras Offer
 26. The Two Chief Disciples
 19. The First Five Monks
 15. The Golden Bowl
 17. The Sun of Enlightenment Shine..
 27. The Story of Poor Sopaka
 13. The Tragedy of King Bimbisara..
全文 标题
 
【佛教文章随机阅读】
 佛教与环保(宗泽)[栏目:佛教期刊文章选摘]
 惟有断恶修善,才能离苦得乐[栏目:净空法师·开示集六]
 与祖师同行 伍 时时觉地花 开发智慧烦恼断[栏目:与祖师同行·明一法师说公案]
 莲宗妙谛—净语三则[栏目:黄念祖居士]
 杂阿含经卷第三十二[栏目:杂阿含经新译·悟慈法师]
 如何帮助亲人趋入佛道[栏目:咏给明珠多杰仁波切]
 宗镜录卷第八十七[栏目:永明延寿大师]
 普贤放生组的故事——大连组[栏目:菩提洲·佛子心语]
 乌龟和鸡蛋 Turtles and Chicken Eggs[栏目:初步参禅的方法 Basic of Chan]
 念佛法门(释智谕法师著)[栏目:净土宗文集]


{返回首页}

△TOP

- 手机版 -
[无量香光·显密文库·佛教文集]
教育、非赢利、公益性的佛教文化传播
白玛若拙佛教文化传播工作室制作
www.goodweb.net.cn Copyrights reserved
(2003-2015)
站长信箱:yjp990@163.com