What happened during the Buddha’s final journey to Kusinara?

During his final journey at age 80, the Buddha, weakened by age and illness, accepted a final meal from a smith named Chunda. Shortly after, he became severely ill and traveled to Kusinara.1

Upon arriving, he lay on his right side between two trees, which blossomed out of season. During this time, he provided final instructions to his disciples, including:

• Guidance for the future: He declared that the dharma and the vinaya should serve as the monks' teacher after his passing.1
• Pilgrimage sites: He identified four sacred locations for lay people to visit: the sites of his birth, enlightenment, first teaching, and passage into nirvana.1
• Final exhortation: He asked his assembled disciples if they had any remaining doubts. Finding none, he urged them to strive with diligence, noting that all conditioned things are transient.1

He then entered into deep meditative absorption and passed into nirvana. These events are famously chronicled in the Mahaparinibbana Sutta.12