Sorrow and its Ending in the Buddha’s Last Days

Abstract

Abstract The stories of the Buddha’s death are a close study of human emotions. They portray the visceral grief felt by some of the Buddha’s disciples at his passing, as well as the therapies of grief the Buddha counsels. The Buddha addresses the sadness of his followers variously and strategically as he offers comforting balm in some cases, and harsh but effective medicine in others. At the same time, the Buddha’s passage into “final nirvana” is an occasion for joy and release. The narrative reveals not only the close relationships the Buddha had with particular disciples whose grief is palpable, but also the cosmic nature of this final moment of the Buddha’s life. The story of the final nirvana holds together multiple truths at once, where love means loss, and where grief and joy commingle.