Chapter 30: Mahaparinirvana｜The Buddha’s Final Rest

At the age of eighty, the Buddha entered Mahaparinirvana beneath the twin sala trees at Kusinagara. According to Buddhist texts, this was the moment of his final release from the cycle of birth and death.

Gandharan Depictions

Gandharan sculptors gave the Parinirvana scene a prominent place:

• Reclining Buddha: the Buddha lies on his right side, head resting on his hand, eyes gently closed, serene in expression.
• Mourning disciples: Ananda and monks are shown around him, some praying, others weeping.
• Celestial beings: gods and bodhisattvas appear above, visibly moved, indicating a cosmic event.
• Twin sala trees: carved behind the Buddha, marking the sacred site.

The contrast between the Buddha’s serenity and the disciples’ grief is striking. It highlights the transcendence of the Buddha beyond death, while acknowledging the human sorrow of separation.

Parinirvana does not mean extinction but fulfillment. Gandharan art conveys this through the calm majesty of the reclining Buddha, reminding devotees that though the Teacher has departed, the Dharma endures.