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What the Buddha Did On His Deathbed Revealed His True Nature
It was his last act of compassion, and it showed his followers that he wasn’t messing around
As the Buddha’s life was coming to an end, he returned to a place he loved — Kushinagara — to see out his last days.
Upon his arrival, he told one of his most trusted devotees that “on this evening, I will take my last breath.”
It was a full moon, just as it was at the time of his birth, and he picked his spot under a beautiful tree to lay to rest.
His plan was to leave planet Earth peacefully and unannounced. However, his most trusted devotee couldn’t help himself. He began spreading the word that Siddhartha Gotama — the Buddha — was in town and that this would be his last night.
As you can imagine, people flocked in their thousands after hearing the news, forming a disorderly queue outside the Buddha’s resting place.
His most trusted devotee felt mortified that he’d disturbed the Buddha’s peace so he tried to convince everyone to stay outside and remain calm. But it was no good.
The Buddha, being Buddha, heeded the call one final time and said, “Send them in.”
As the legend goes, on Buddha’s last night on Earth, right before he took his final few breaths, he accepted hundreds of visitors and patiently taught them Dhamma — the path of liberation.
What his actions teach me
I take away two things:
- The act of service brings meaning to life
- No one wants to retire when they love what they do
For the remainder of this article, I’ll expand on each one to honour the Buddha’s brilliance.
1. The act of service brings meaning to life
Serving people is a beautiful thing, especially when it concerns personal or spiritual growth. It not only enlivens the person receiving the service but the server too.
It’s a win-win for both parties. That’s why the Buddha said:
“A generous heart, kind…
