Final Teachings Beneath the Sala Trees

In his final moments, the Buddha used his own entering and emerging from the four meditative absorptions to convey his ultimate teaching: a practitioner must master the levels of meditative concentration.

That evening, beside the sala grove in a remote village called Kusinara, the atmosphere felt unusual. The sun had set, yet the sky still held a pale violet hue. The Buddha and the monks had just arrived, and he seemed weary from illness, though his eyes still shone brightly. The monks gathered around him, each knowing that these were his final hours.

Three months earlier, the Buddha had foretold the day of his passing into nirvana. From then on, he led the company of monks traveling through many places, stopping at each point to teach, then setting out again, moving with urgency, as if wanting to use every remaining moment to bring light to the world. And now, in the sala grove, he had reached the final resting point of his journey.

The Buddha asked the assembly: "Does anyone still have any doubts?"

The Venerable Anuruddha observed the minds of all present and, seeing that no one remained entangled, replied: "World-Honored One, the bhikkhus gathered here are pure, and no one has any further doubts."

After speaking his final words, the Buddha asked for a cloth to be spread out. He lay down, his head facing north, his face turned to the west, resting on his right side, and lay still. The assembly looked at him, unable to speak a single word. They did not know what state he was in, for he spoke no more.

With his divine eye, the Venerable Anuruddha observed the Buddha's meditative mind and announced each step to the assembly: "Friends, the World-Honored One has just entered the first absorption. Friends, the World-Honored One has just emerged from the first absorption and entered the second. Friends, the World-Honored One has just emerged from the second absorption and entered the third. The World-Honored One has emerged from the third absorption and entered the fourth. The World-Honored One has emerged from the fourth absorption and entered the third. Then he emerged from the third and entered the second, emerged from the second and entered the first, emerged from the first and entered the second, emerged from the second and entered the third..."

When the World-Honored One reached the third absorption, he passed into nirvana. At that moment, the earth trembled in six ways, the sky lit up, celestial music resounded, and the sala trees burst into blossom out of season as an offering, their fragrance filling the entire forest. The great commotion drew villagers from afar, and the funeral that followed was held with great ceremony.

But why did the Buddha have to pass through each level of absorption, back and forth in this way? By entering and emerging, again and again, what did he wish to convey? This was his final teaching, his ultimate teaching, the very essence of the Buddha's path: a disciple of the Buddha must train so as to enter and emerge freely from the levels of meditative concentration, from the first absorption to the fourth.

Today, few achieve this, simply because we lack focus, lack a clear path, lack full effort, and lack a qualified teacher to show the way. But out of love and reverence for the Buddha, for the Buddha's teachings (Dharma), and for all sentient beings, we must reestablish what is noble in the Buddha's path. We must vow to strive our whole lives for this, and even if we cannot attain the fourth absorption, we should still reach some level. Because even one level is enough to establish within us a burning ideal, and from there, that ideal will spread to everyone around us.

The Meaning of the Story

The Buddha's final teaching was not a long sutra, but his very act of entering and emerging from the four absorptions. He wished to remind us: a practitioner must master the mind, must be at ease in every level of absorption, in order to attain liberation. Even if we cannot yet realize the fourth absorption, we must still nurture that ideal in our hearts, for it is the noble path that every disciple of the Buddha must aspire toward.

Compiled from a dharma talk by the Venerable Thích Chân Quang