Toh 119The Sūtra of the Great Parinirvāṇa

Explanation of the Great Nirvāṇa Sūtra (The Great Parinirvāṇa Sūtra)

Background

The Great Parinirvāṇa Sūtra (Mahāparinirvāṇa-sūtra, Sanskrit: yongs su mya ngan las 'das pa chen po'i mdo) is an essential sūtra in the Northern Transmission canon, preserved in the Kangyur, the officially recognized collection of the Buddha’s teachings in the Tibetan tradition. This sūtra was translated from Sanskrit and Tibetan originals, reflecting the profound importance that Mahāyāna sages placed on the Blessed One’s entry into absolute nirvana.

The sūtra was taught at Kuśinagara, when the Buddha was about to enter final parinirvana. Unlike other Pāli accounts, the Great Parinirvāṇa Sūtra in the Northern Transmission extends into a profound meditative journey of the Buddha, showing how he prepared beings for his departure and instructed them in the eternal nature of the Dharma beyond the individual person of a Buddha.

Main Content

During this final period, the Buddha teaches that parinirvana is not total annihilation, but the complete transformation beyond the cycle of saṃsāra. The sūtra emphasizes that all material and mental phenomena are impermanent (anicca), selfless (anattā), and unsatisfactory (dukkha), the three fundamental characteristics of conditioned existence.

The Buddha guides his disciples, especially Ānanda, concerning the true nature of the Tathāgatagarbha, the buddha-nature within all beings. The work of practice is not to seek something different, but to recognize the buddha-nature that is already present. The sūtra also concentrates on the final teachings of the Buddha, creating the transition from the direct leadership of a living Buddha to reliance on the Dharma, the recorded scriptures serving as a compass for later generations.

Practical Meaning

For modern Mahāyāna practitioners, the Great Parinirvāṇa Sūtra has profound significance regarding how to take intelligent tears as an instrument of practice.