Knowing about someone’s birth and death is the most interesting part of human curiosity. Hence this question relating to Buddha’s death revolves around millions of curious minds. There is a myth around this incidence. So we will try to find out the answer to this question that, Did Buddha Really Die?
Food Poisoning
The most accepted theory is that Buddha died of food poisoning (some say food indigestion). On his 80th birthday, a ceremony was organized by his disciples and villagers. in his presence. He was offered a meal that caused indigestion or poisoning. Some say the food was rice and meat, some say it was rice and mushrooms.
After attending the ceremony for a couple of hours, he started feeling uneasy. He became so weak that he was unable to walk on his own. He was sweating too much. Someone asked to call the doctor (Vaidya) But Buddha denied saying that time to his final salvation is arriving.
The organizer cried
As Buddha was feeling uneasy he was taken to bed. He wished to meet the organizer of this ceremony. The organizer came to the place and seating near the sage’s feet started crying. He told Buddha that he is the sinner because of whom a sage was pushed into tremendous pain. He asked to punish him with whatever punishment he is eligible for.
Buddha asked the organizer to stop crying and said, one who has born, will have to die someday. He blessed the organizer and told him that he has given a self-realized man chance to enter into final salvation. This is a great deed taken place with his hands. Hence the organizer will get showers of blessings.
Last word with disciples
The sage, Buddha then called all his disciples closer. He elaborated on the basic principles of Buddism to them. Few disciples asked questions. Buddha also answers those questions. He asked them all to engage in meditation and follow the sacred path in their lives. He also advised them to dedicate their lives to the betterment of society.
It is said that, while having the last word with his disciples, Buddha was having great pain. He was hardly able to manage to bear the pain. Another version says after this talk, all the disciples immersed into meditation. Buddha left his body in a meditating posture. Some other scholars say he felt on the ground when he died.
Did Buddha poison purposefully?
By the time Buddha was 80, the essence of Buddism was spread like wildfire in the world. A number of his disciples were growing day by day so his rivals. Actually, he was not engaged in any political activity but it is said that some politicians and kings were looking at his movement as a threat to their throne and power.
This threat forced some of the kings to poison Buddha for damaging his movement. This is a hearsay version. This version also says that Devdutta, Buddha’s cousin was unhappy with the treatment given to him. Somebody took the disadvantage of this unrest of Devdutta to poison the sage with aides of Devdutta.
Mahaparinirvana – entering new life consciously
We are talking about the death of Budhha. It is noteworthy to say that, great men have great death. Their demise is not great because it has a huge funeral gathering but it is great because they die in conscious mode. Then how can the person, who dedicated his whole life teaching consciousness, die in a very common and normal way.
The man, who taught being zero in thoughts, emotions, and desires. He taught nothingness and looking at each moment of life full of consciousness. One can imagine at what level of consciousness he could have reached by the time of his death. Hence Buddha did not die, He entered into a new life with the higher most level of consciousness that is, Mahaparinirvana.