Parinirvana Celebration

Parinirvana celebrates the day when the Buddha is said to have achieved complete nirvana, upon the death of his physical body. Since his enlightenment the Buddha had been free of mental, emotional or spiritual suffering, and with parinirvana, he was also free of the inevitable pains of an aging physical body.

Passages from the Mahaparanibbana Sutta describing the Buddha's last days of life are often read on Parinirvana Day. Other observances include meditation and contemplation about one's own future death and on the deaths of loved ones. This thought process reflects the Buddhist teachings on impermanence and the preciousness of life.