Kushinagar - actual place

This is the main place to visit in Kushinagar. The building on the left hosts the very old statue of the lying buddha. The one on the right is also a very old stupa.






This used to be a monastery about 2000 years ago






This local guy told me that this stupa is set on the very place where the buddha died



A young boy absolutely wanted to sell me these flowers, even though I wouldn't give him any money. So though I'm not used to these kinds of "poojas" but I finally bought these flowers and put them on the top of the stupa.






When he died, smilingly, the buddha reached the stage of parinibbana (or pariniravana in sanskrit). Nobody really knows what it is, but Goenka, who says he already reached the first of the four stages of enlightenment (which is a first contact with the nibbana), says that he experienced in his life what he is experiencing after his final death (that means without any following reincarnation).



His last words were perhaps his most beautiful words : "All component things in the world are impermanent and decaying. Work out your own salvation with diligence."



It is said that Ananda, the buddha's closest disciple, came here to get some water for him just before his last discourse.