入滅品
Chapter on Entering Cessation of Suffering
能事既畢入泥洹， 舍利以留為佛事。
Their work was done, and they entered Nirvana, leaving behind sacred relics to continue the Buddha's work.
「世尊是年七十有九，於二月十五夜示誨眾已，右脅而臥，背東面西，頭北足南，有娑羅樹八根合為二株，慘然變白，垂覆如來，十方震動，演出苦空哀歎之聲，大海涌沸，川流枯涸，日月無光，黑風鼓扇，草木摧折，諸天哀號，雨天香花，奏天音樂，唱言：『苦哉，苦哉！如何一旦慧日滅沒，一切眾生喪真慈父，失所敬天？』或有隨佛滅者、或有喪失心者、或大叫搥胸者、或悶絕躄地者。
The World-Honored One was seventy-nine years old that year. On the night of the fifteenth day of the second month, after he had finished instructing the assembly, he lay down on his right side, with his back to the east and his face to the west, his head to the north and his feet to the south. Eight sal trees intertwined to form two pairs, and their leaves turned pale with sorrow, drooping down to cover the Tathagata. The ten directions trembled, and sounds of grief and lamentation arose, crying out over suffering and emptiness. The great ocean surged and boiled, rivers and streams ran dry, the sun and moon lost their light, black winds blew and beat down, grasses and trees were broken and shattered. The heavenly beings wailed in grief, raining down heavenly flowers and playing heavenly music, chanting: "How painful, how painful! How can it be that in a single day the Sun of Wisdom has been extinguished, and all living beings have lost their true compassionate father, have lost the heaven they revered?" Some followed the Buddha in passing away, some lost their minds with grief, some cried out and beat their chests, some fainted and collapsed to the ground.
「于時依輪王法用以棺槨，拘尸城人僉議力士四人，請舉佛棺，入城供養，盡其神力竟不能勝，復八力士至十六士舁無少動。樓逗告言：『縱傾城人亦莫能舉。世尊平等，令諸人天得福無異。』棺乃自舉，昇虛空中，高一多羅樹，從拘尸城西門而入，東門而出，復南門入，從北門出，遶城七匝。菩薩、聲聞、帝釋諸天即持寶臺花蓋空中隨覆，幢幡、音樂、種種供養，地上、空中充塞彌滿，悲泣哀慟。
At that time, following the traditions for a universal monarch, a coffin was prepared. The people of Kushinagar all agreed to have four strong men lift the Buddha's coffin and bring it into the city for offerings. But even when they used all their strength, they could not lift it. Eight strong men were added, then sixteen—yet the coffin did not move in the slightest. Then Lodou spoke to them: "Even if the entire city came together, no one could lift it. The World-Honored One, in his perfect equality, wishes all humans and gods to receive blessings without distinction." Then the coffin rose by itself, ascending into the air to the height of one tala tree. It entered the city through the west gate and departed through the east gate. It entered again through the south gate and departed through the north gate, circling the city seven times. Bodhisattvas, voice-hearers, Shakra, and all the gods immediately held jeweled canopies and flower parasols, following in the air and covering the coffin above. Banners, streamers, music, and all kinds of offerings filled both the sky and the ground. Everyone wept and wailed in grief.
「一七日已，大眾即扶如來紫磨金身安庠出棺，置于寶床，持妙香水，灌洗既已，內以兜羅綿褁，外以妙㲲千張如法纏之，仍舊入棺，滿注香油，諸天及人各持無價旃檀沉水，結大香樓，棺置其上，持炬茶毗，火悉殄滅。大眾號慟，不知如來何緣未畢。帝釋答言：『必待迦葉。』迦葉既至，棺自然開，即現二足千輻輪相出于棺外，迦葉見已，慟哭作禮，足還收入。於是力士燭炬爇之，終竟不然。迦葉告言：『大聖寶棺，三界之火所不能焚，何況汝力而能燒耶？』如來胸中三昧之火隨聲而發，迸出棺外，漸漸茶毗，經于七日，香樓乃盡。
After seven days, the people lifted the Tathagata's golden body from the coffin and laid it respectfully on a jeweled bed. They bathed it with fragrant water, wrapped it inside with cotton, and wrapped it outside with a thousand fine cloths according to tradition. Then they placed it back in the coffin and filled it with fragrant oil. Gods and humans alike brought priceless sandalwood and agarwood, built a great fragrant pyre, and placed the coffin on top. They raised torches to cremate it, but the flames all died out. The crowd wailed in grief, not understanding why the Tathagata's cremation would not complete. Indra said, "We must wait for Mahakashyapa."
When Mahakashyapa arrived, the coffin opened on its own, revealing the Tathagata's feet with the thousand-spoked wheel marks extending outside the coffin. Seeing this, Mahakashyapa wept bitterly and bowed in reverence. The feet then drew back inside. The strong men lit their torches and tried to burn the pyre, but it would not catch fire. Mahakashyapa said, "This sacred coffin of the great sage cannot be burned by any fire in all three realms—how much less by your strength alone?" At his words, the fire of samadhi blazed forth from the Tathagata's chest, bursting out from the coffin. The cremation proceeded gradually and lasted seven days, until the fragrant pyre was completely consumed.
「時四天王與江河神急欲舍利歸去供養，見火未滅即以水沃，厥燄轉熾，樓逗語之：『一居天上、一住海中，汝收舍利各還本處，地居之人如何得往而供養耶？』二眾負慚乃退。偶帝釋天持七寶瓶及供具至，其火頓息，視棺儼存，及其千㲲纏佛身者，裡外各一張，宛然如本。帝釋白眾：『請佛所許右牙舍利。』已竟，是時八大國王競爭舍利。帝釋化一梵志，名曰屯屈，前諫諸王：『為民主者，宜無有諍。舍利均分，令諸國土皆有塔廟，開發盲俗，貴知有佛，使普得景福歟。』僉曰：『善哉。』共命屯屈均為八分，各與一甖。諸王得之，悲喜交集，香華、幢幡迎還本國建塔，尚餘灰炭莫不收什，亦謂之灰塔炭塔，以永供養而為佛事。」(賓澄二函參用)
《泥洹經》云：「佛涅槃至慶曆六年丙戌歲，一千九百九十四年。」(澄字函第一卷)
「自慶曆丙戌復至紹興二十七年，歲次丁丑，通前凡二千一百卅五年。」