Summaries of Unique Sections

Below are the chapters, sections, summaries, quotes, and topics/themes found in the sections of the  Mahāparinibbāna sutta that are not found in other texts in the Pāli Canon. The section titles are taken from this website, as a helpful and more concise summary of these lengthy passages.

UNIQUE TO MAHĀPARINIBBĀNA SUTTA

CHAPTER 1

SECTION	SECTION TITLES (from website)	SUMMARY	QUOTES	TOPICS/THEMES
12-15	Part One: In Magadha Counsel to the Bhikkhus	1:12 Buddha gives "comprehensive religious talk on the nature of upright conduct, earnest contemplation, and intelligence" on Vulture’s Peak 1:13-14 Buddha and bikkhus move cities to Ambalatthikâ, Buddha repeats aforementioned "comprehensive religious talk” 1:15 Buddha and bikkhus move cities to Nâlandâ	“[The Blessed One] held that comprehensive religious talk with the brethren on the nature of upright conduct, and of earnest contemplation, and of intelligence.  ‘Great is the fruit, great the advantage of earnest contemplation when set round with upright conduct.  Great is the fruit, great the advantage of intellect when set round with earnest contemplation.  The mind set round with intelligence is freed from the great evils, that is to say, from sensuality, from individuality, from delusion, and from ignorance.” -1:12, 1:14 (repeated twice)	1:12-15 advice/lectures to monks on the nature of upright conduct, earnest contemplation, and intelligence (relationship of "faith, reason, and works”) -Davids 11; comprehensive religious talk on the nature of upright conduct, earnest contemplation, and intelligence (occurrence 1 and 2)
18-19	Sariputta's Lion's Roar	1:18 Buddha gives identical aforementioned "comprehensive religious talk”in the Pavârika mango grove 1:19 Buddha and bikkhus move cities to Pâtaligâma		1:18 comprehensive religious talk on the nature of upright conduct, earnest contemplation, and intelligence (occurrence 3)

CHAPTER 2

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1-12	Part Two: The Journey to Vesali The Four Noble Truths The Four Specific Attainments The Mirror of the Dhamma	2:1 Buddha and brethren move cities to Kotigâma 2:2-3 Buddha discloses the Four Noble Truths: the noble truth of sorrow, the noble truth of the cause of sorrow, the noble truth of the cessation of sorrow, and the noble truth about the path that leads to that cessation; proclaims that grasping these four truths will result in no more craving for existence, no more cause for birth, and thus no more birth 2:4 Buddha gives identical aforementioned "comprehensive religious talk”in Kotigâma 2:5 Buddha and brethren move cities to Nâdika 2:6-7 Ânanda inquires to the Buddha about the fates of deceased individuals from Nâdika; Buddha proclaims posthumous fates of each 2:8-10 Buddha explains to Ânanda the Mirror of Truth, which entails an elect disciple’s own ability to determine that he will no longer be reborn in a state of suffering and is “assured of final salvation" 2:11 Buddha gives identical aforementioned "comprehensive religious talk”in Kotigâma 2:12 Buddha and brethren move cities to Vesâli		2:2 Four Noble Truths 2:4, 2:11 comprehensive religious talk on the nature of upright conduct, earnest contemplation, and intelligence (occurrence 4 and 5) 2:8-10 Mirror of Truth
25-26	Ambapali and the Licchavis	2:25 Buddha gives identical aforementioned "comprehensive religious talk”in Ambapâli's mango grove 2:26 Buddha and bikkhus move cities to Beluva		2:25 comprehensive religious talk on the nature of upright conduct, earnest contemplation, and intelligence (occurrence 6) SAME PATTERN AGAIN; MPNS COMPILER SPRINKLES OTHER PALI TEXTS WITH THIS FORMULA, “COMPREHENSIVE RELIGIOUS TALK” AND THEN MOVING ON TO NEW CITY

CHAPTER 3

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43-66

Part Three: Relinquishing the Will to Live Mara's Former Temptation Ananda's Appeal The Last Admonition

3:43-48 Buddha tells Ânanda of interaction where Mâra told him to die “immediately after having reached the great enlightenment,” and how Mâra repeated this request today; repeats 3:7 exactly, summarizes 3:8-10 3:49-63 Ânanda finally requests that the Buddha remain living on through the kalpa, to which the Buddha responds, “The time for making such request is past.”  This is repeated thrice.  Buddha tells Ânanda that the fault is Ânanda’s for not comprehending the Buddha’s hint to ask this before; repetition of Buddha telling Ânanda, I told you this here, and I told you this here, and I told you this here… this has always been coming.  The final nirvâna of the Buddha has always been coming, and now it is within three months. 3:64-66 Buddha's final teachings to the assembled brethren; summarizes most crucial teachings to carry on: “the four earnest meditations, the fourfold great struggle against sin, the four roads to saintship, the five moral powers, the five organs of spiritual sense, the seven kinds of wisdom, and the noble eightfold path”; tells monks that his final passing is imminent, and that they shall carry on the teachings without his physical presence in this world

“Whosoever has thought out and developed, practiced, accumulated, and ascended to the very heights of the four paths to saintship, and so mastered them as to be able to use them as a means of (mental) advancement, and as a basis for edification - he, should he desire it, could remain in the same birth for a kalpa, or for that portion of a kalpa which has yet to run.” (3:54, 56, 59, 60, 62) (5 repetitions) The Buddha has always been destined for this; helping Ânanda to understand that it his time to finally pass away

3:43-63 Buddha summarizes prior interactions with Mâra, puts blame on Ânanda for not asking Buddha to live on through the kalpa; repetition of formula, “Whosever - run,” describing different places Buddha told Ânanda this; expressing frustration with Ânanda for being obtuse?; or explaining to Ânanda that this has been a long time coming.  Preparing Ânanda for the Buddha’s final passing 3:64-66 Buddha summarizes all final teachings to the brethren; Preparing brethren for the Buddha’s final passing

CHAPTER 4

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1, 4-6	Part Four: The Last Meal The Elephant's Look	4:1 Buddha and bikkhus move cities to Bhanda-gâma; mention of “elephant look" 4:4 Buddha gives identical aforementioned "comprehensive religious talk” in Bhanda-gâma 4:5-6 Buddha and bikkhus move cities to Hatthi-gâma, Amba-gâma, Gambu-gâma, and Bhoga-nagara		4:4-6 comprehensive religious talk on the nature of upright conduct, earnest contemplation, and intelligence (occurrence 7)
12-58	The Four Great References The Buddha's Last Meal The Clearing of the Waters Pukkusa the Malla At the Kakuttha River Relieving Cunda's Remorse	4:12 Buddha gives identical aforementioned "comprehensive religious talk” in Bhoga-gâma 4:13 Buddha and bikkhus move cities to Pâvâ 4:14-20 Buddha provides religious instruction for Kunda, then dines with Kunda upon being invited for a meal the following day, tells Kunda to bury leftover boar’s flesh because it is inedible, even to the gods (nearly identical to 2:16-24, when Buddha does the same with Ambapâli, aside from portion about dried boar’s flesh) 4:21-23 Buddha gets direly ill from dried boar’s flesh (dysentery); Buddha and Ânanda move cities to Kusinârâ 4:24-32 Ill Buddha requests that Ânanda lay out his robe to sit on,  and thrice that he fetch the Buddha some water; Ânanda tells Buddha twice that the close water is too muddied by carts going over, yet when upon the third request Ânanda goes to the water, it is clear and pure; Ânanda brings the Buddha the water 4:33-36 Pukkusa proclaims his faith in Âlâra Kâlâma, of whom he is a disciple; admires his ability to pass his time “in a state of mind so calm, so much so that a man though being both conscious and awake, neither sees, nor hears the sound of five hundred carts passing by" 4:37-46 Buddha describes how he did the same thing as Âlâra Kâlâma, but in the presence of falling rain, lightning, and thunder; Pukkasa, more impressed by this than with the feat of his prior teacher, proclaims his faith in the Buddha and asks to become a disciple of the Blessed One; gives Buddha and Ânanda robes, Buddha “aroused and incited and gladdened” Pukkusa with religious discourse (repeated phrasing from 2:17 and 4:20; stock phrasing for when Buddha teaches religious discourse) 4:47-50 Buddha’s body “becomes clear and exceeding bright,” which Buddha reminds Ânanda means one of two things: Buddha’s initial nirvâna, or Buddha’s final nirvâna is imminent 4:51-58 Buddha proclaims his final nirvâna has arrived; explains that Kunda should not be blamed, though his food (dried boar’s skin) is what brought the Buddha to his end	4:20, 46 “Then the Blessed One instructed and aroused and incited and gladdened ____ with religious discourse” (repeated four times, also in 2:16-17 and 2:21-22) 4:58 “Then the Blessed One perceiving how the matter stood, uttered, even at that time, this hymn of exultation: ‘To him who gives shall virtue be increased; In him who curbs himself, no anger can arise; The righteous man casts off all sinfulness, And by the rooting out of lust, and bitterness, And all delusion, doth to Nirvâna reach!’"	4:12 comprehensive religious talk on the nature of upright conduct, earnest contemplation, and intelligence (occurrence 8) 4:14-20 meal formula with teaching, dining, and religious instruction (repeated from SHARED 2:16-24) 4:20, 46 repetition of “instruction, arousal, inciting, gladness through religious discourse” (Imparting teachings to individuals to prepare them for the Buddha’s passing) (also occurs in 2:16-17 and 2:21-22)

CHAPTER 5

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1-9	Part Five: At Kusinara Last Place of Rest The Grief of the Gods	5:1 Buddha and bikkhus go to the Sâla Grove of the Mallas 5:2-6- Buddha lays under Sâla trees, which, although out of season, bloom and sprinkle the Buddha’s body with white flowers; flowers rain down from the heavens, heavenly music plays from the sky; the Buddha is honored 5:7-9 Buddha expresses displeasure with disciple Upâvana for standing in front of him		5:1-9 Buddha honored by heavens, preparation for his final passing
11-15	The Grief of the Gods Ananda's Concern	5:11-15 Buddha describes the spirits and gods that are present to witness him before his final passing; groups them into those who are of worldly mind in both the sky and on earth who “tear their hair and weep” and proclaim that the Blessed One dies too soon, and those who are “free from passion,” “calm and self-possessed,” who recognize the impermanence of all things and who understand that the Buddha must too pass	5:12-14 “'There are spirits, Ânanda, in the sky, but of worldly mind, who tear their hair and weep, who stretch forth their arms and weep, who fall prostrate on the ground, and roll to and fro in anguish at the thought: “Too soon will the Blessed One die!  Too soon will the Happy One pass away!  Full soon will the Eye of the World disappear from sight!”  But the spirits who are free from passion bear it, calm and self-possessed, mindful of the saying  which begins, “Impermanent indeed are all component things.  How then is it possible [whereas anything whatever, when born, brought into being, and organized, contains within itself the inherent necessity of dissolution - how then is it possible that such a being should not be dissolved?  No such condition can exist!”]’"	5:11-15 Buddha describes the gods and spirits, those who lament and those who understand impermanence; reactions to the final death of the Buddha (gods)
23-26	Four Places of Pilgrimage	5:23 Ânanda asks how to conduct selves with women; Buddha teaches to refrain from women 5:24-26 Ânanda asks what to do with the Buddha’s remains; Buddha explains how his body shall be treated like that of “a king of kings," wrapped in cloth and placed in vessels of iron and burned, then bones and ashes to be placed in an erected dâgaba (honorary funerary mound)		5:23-26 Imparting teachings to prepare for Buddha’s passing; Ânanda’s final questions (teachings on women, what to be done with Buddha’s body)
32-35	Ananda's Grief	5:32-35 Ânanda weeps, laments that the Buddha is about to pass and Ânanda thinks he is “ till but a learner, one who has yet to work out his own perfection”, not ready for the Buddha to pass; the Buddha reminds Ânanda of impermanence, tells him not to lament, that he has all intentions of “love, kind and good,” and that he shall remain “earnest in effort” and will “soon be free from the great evils”; ensures Ânanda that he can and will continue on the path without the presence of the Buddha in this world		5:32-35 Preparing Ânanda for the Buddha’s final passing
37-40	Praise of Ananda	5:37-40 Buddha continues to praise Ânanda to brethren; “four wonderful and marvelous qualities in Ânanda”; Buddha describes “four wonderful and marvelous qualities in a king of kings,” as well, claiming these present in Ânanda, as well		5:37-40 Praising Ânanda to the brethren, preparing all for the Buddha’s final passing
45-59	Lamentation of the Mallas The Last Convert	5:45-51 Buddha tells Ânanda to inform Kusinârâ officials (Mallas) that the Buddha will pass away in the last watch of the night, and that now is their chance to visit the Tathâgata in his last hours; the people lament; Ânanda groups visitors for efficiency and so that more may visit the Buddha before he passes; all of the Mallas visit the Blessed One in the first watch of the night 5:52-59 The mendicant Subhadda, a non-believer, attempts to visit the Buddha due to doubt in his non-belief, which Ânanda denies him three times; the Buddha overheard this and allows Subhadda to visit him/enter		5:45-51 Preparing all for the Buddha’s final passing
61-62; 64-67	The Lion's Roar	5:61-62 Buddha tells Subhadda that the matter of whether individuals understand is according to their own assertion;  claims that wherever the noble eightfold path is found, true saintliness is found; the other teachings are "void of true saints”; proclaims that in his teaching, “may the brethren live the perfect life, that the world be not bereft of those who have reached the highest fruit" 5:64-67 Buddha tells Subhadda he may be accepted by the brethren at the end of a four month probation, which Subhadda consents to; Buddha then tells Ânanda to receive Subhadda into the order.  Subhadda became “the last disciple whom the Blessed One himself converted."		5:61-62 Buddha instills faith in his teachings into Subhadda, the final convert

CHAPTER 6

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1-15	Part Six: The Passing Away The Blessed One's Final Exhortation How the Blessed One Passed into Nibbana The World's Echo	6:1 Buddha ensures Ânanda that, despite his passing, “the truths and rules of the order” will now be the Teacher of the tradition 6:2-4 Thrice repeated: “When I am gone, ___”; explaining how monks in the order should be addressed, explaining how the order may abolish the “lesser and minor precepts”, and how the “higher penalty” shall be imposed on the brother Khanna 6:5-9 Last requests to the brethren for enquiries; none were had; upon four requests, monks were silent; brethren have all achieved complete understanding 6:10 Final words of the Buddha 6:11-13 Buddha enters into and passes through the four states of meditation, then passes through the five states of mind, then back through the five states of mind, then back through the four stages of meditation, then back through the four stages of meditation again, then “passing out of the last stage of deep meditation he immediately expired" 6:14-15 Upon the Buddha’s death, an earthquake occurs and thunder sounds from the heavens; Brahmâ, traditionally the highest god in Indian theology, speaks a stanza (reaction of the “exalted God of the theologians”)	6:2-4 “When I am gone, ___” (thrice repeated) 6:5-6 “The Blessed One addressed the brethren and said, ‘It may be, brethren, that there may be doubt or misgiving in the mind f some brother as to the Buddha, or the truth, or the path, or the way.  Enquire, brethren, freely.  Do not have to reproach yourselves afterwards with the thought, “Our teacher was face to face with us, and we could not bring ourselves to enquire of the Blessed One when we were face to face with him.” (thrice repeated, twice in full in the text; followed every time by silence of the brethren) 6:10 “Then the Blessed One addressed the brethren, and said, ‘Behold now, brethren, I exhort you, saying, “Decay is inherent in all component things!  Work out your salvation with diligence!”’ This was the last word of the Tathâgata!" 6:15 “When the Blessed One died, Brahmâ Sahampati, at the moment of his passing away from existence, uttered this stanza: ‘They all, all beings that have life, shall lay Aside their complex form - that aggregation Of mental and material qualities, That gives them, or in heaven or on earth, Their fleeting individuality!  Even as the teacher - being such a one, Unequalled among all the men that are, Successor of the prophets of old time, Mighty by wisdom, and in insight clear - Hath died!’"	6:1 Imparting final teachings to Ânanda to prepare him for the final passing; preparing Ânanda for the Buddha’s final passing 6:2-10 Imparting final teachings to the brethren to prepare them for the final passing; they are silent, they are ready; preparing brethren for the Buddha’s final passing 6:11-13 Buddha’s final nirvana 6:14 Reaction of the earth; reactions following the Buddha’s final passing (earth) 6:15 Brahmâ Sahampati’s stanza; Brahma’s reaction to the final passing; reactions following the Buddha’s final passing (Brahmâ)
17-35	The World's Echo Homage to the Remains	6:17 Anuruddha’s stanza (reaction of the “holy, thoughtful Arahat”) 6:18 Ânanda’s stanza (reaction of the “loving, childlike disciple”) 6:19 The brethren who were not ready lament, and those who were ready understand impermanence 6:20 Anuruddha reminds brethren that the Buddha taught impermanence, and that this condition must exist; posits that “even the spirits” will reproach them (repeated in 6:41) 6:21 Repetition of 5:12-14 6:22-24 Anuruddha and Ânanda disseminate the news of the Buddha’s passing 6:25-30 The Mallas of Kusinârâ take preliminary steps to prepare the Buddha’s body for cremation 6:31-35 the Gods and the Mallas pay their respects to the body of the Blessed One; repetition of 5:24-26 to instruct on how to treat the body; Mallas prepare the body	6:17 “When the Blessed One died, the venerable Anuruddha, at the moment of his passing away from existence, uttered these stanzas: ‘When he who from all craving want was free, Who to Nirvâna’s tranquil state had reached, When the great stage finished his span of life, No gasping struggle vexed that steadfast heart!  All resolute, and with unshaken mind, He calmly triumphed o’er the pain of death. E’en as bright flame dies away, so was His last deliverance from the bonds of life!’" 6:18 “When the Blessed One died, the venerable Ânanda, at the moment of his passing away from existence, uttered this stanza: ’Then was there terror!  Then stood the hair on end!  When he endowed with every grace - The supreme Buddha - died!"" 6:19 “When the Blessed One died, of those of the brethren who were not yet free from the passions, some stretched out their arms and wept, and some fell headlong on the ground, rolling to and fro in anguish at the thought: “Too soon has the Blessed One died!  Too soon has the Happy One passed away from existence!  Too soon has the Light gone out in the world!'  But of those brethren who were free from the passions (the Arahats) bore their grief collected and composed at the thought: 'Impermanent are all component things!  How is it possible that [they should not be dissolved?’" (repeated from 5:12-14, nearly identical phrasing) 6:21 “'There are spirits, brother Ânanda, in the sky, but of worldly mind, who dishevel their hair and weep, and stretch forth their arms and weep, fall prostrate on the ground, and roll to and fro in anguish at the thought: “Too soon will the Blessed One die!  Too soon will the Happy One pass away! Too soon has the Light gone out in the world!"  There are spirits too, Ânanda, on the earth, and of worldly mind, who [“tear their hair … in the world!”] But the spirits who are free from passion bear it, calm and self-possessed, mindful of the saying  which begins, “Impermanent indeed are all component things.  How then is it possible that such a being should not be dissolved?]”’” (third repetition, after 5:12-14 and 6:19) 6:24 “And when they had heard this saying of the venerable Ânanda, the Mallas, with their young men and their maidens and their wives, were grieved, and sad, and afflicted at heart.  And some of them wept, disheveling their hair, and some stretched forth their arms and wept, and some fell prostrate on the ground, and some reeled to and fro in anguish at the thought: 'Too soon has the Blessed One died!  Too soon has the Happy One passed away from existence!  Too soon has the Light gone out in the world!'' (fourth repetition, from 5:12-14, 6:19, and 6:21; nearly identical phrasing, but this one lacks the counter-side/duality of those who understand impermanence)	6:17-18 (as well as 6:15 and 6:16): “The way in which the death of the Buddha would be regarded, as the early Buddhist thought, by four representative persons” (Davids 118); reactions following the Buddha’s final passing (Anuruddha and Ânanda) 6:19-21 Reactions following the Buddha’s final passing (brethren) 6:24- Reactions following the Buddha’s final passing (the Mallas and their families)
42-62	Partition of the Relics	6:42-50 The lighting of the funeral pile; lit itself, only leaving behind relics of his bones; streams from the sky put out the fire, and the Mallas honored the relics of the Buddha with perfumes and music 6:51-62 The partitioning of the relics; many groups and individuals desire them, so Dona the Brâhman is told to partition them into eight equal parts; each of the eight groups/individuals made a mound for the relics and held a feast; the relics thus had been distributed, and the sutra ends		6:42-62 The cremation of the Buddha and distribution of relics