The Buddha passed away peacefully at Kushinagar, formerly known as Kusinara in the Malla Kingdom, India, at 80 in 543 BC, or about 2,564 years ago, in the presence of hundreds of his disciples, including the Ven. Ananda.
A few moments before His Mahaparinibbana, or Great Passing-Away, He left His Last Message, which has been known since then as the main pillar of the Buddhist faith: Be your Own Saviour.
Picture: The Parinibbana Temple and Stupa in their present form resulting from the reconstruction efforts made in 1956 in order to commemorate the 2,500th anniversary of the Buddha’s Great Passing-Away, or Buddha Jayanti. Built under the order of King Ashoka, or Emperor Ashoka, during his reign (c. 265-238 BCE; also given as c. 273-232 BCE), the remains of the temple and stupa were originally excavated by a British team supervised by A.C.L. Carlleyle from 1876 to 1877. The image of Reclining Buddha has been enshrined inside the temple.
An excellent video by Dare to Do about the Buddha’s last message: Be Your Own Saviour.
