The passing away, or the final Nirvana of the Buddha, occurred in 543 BC on a full-moon day in the month of May, known in the Indian calendar as Wesak.

The next pages are a reflection and account of the last 24 hours of Buddha's life.

The Buddha said of enlightenment, “There is a sphere of influence that is beyond the entire field of matter, the entire field of mind, that is neither this world nor another world nor both, neither moon nor sun. This I call neither arising, nor passing away, nor abiding, neither dying nor rebirth. It is without support, without development, without foundation. This is the end of suffering.”