釋迦如來滅度
《周書異記》并《白馬寺記》
The Book of Zhou: Records of Anomalies, together with the Record of the White Horse Temple.
佛告諸弟子，如來於今中夜，當入涅槃。時諸天龍神，國王臣民，他方菩薩雲集。佛為說法，辭滿四十卷，名《大涅槃經》。遂於中夜入諸禪定，寂然而般涅槃。《涅槃經．後分》云：「如來三反入諸禪定，三反示誨眾已，即於中夜，而入涅槃。時大地所有諸山，一時振裂，悉皆崩倒，出大音聲，振吼世界，唱言：『苦哉！』大地虛空，寂然大暗，日月精光，悉無復照。忽然黑風鼓怒，驚振，吹扇，塵沙，彌暗。世界，一切卉木藥草諸樹，悉皆摧折，碎落無餘。江河溪澗流泉，悉皆傾覆枯涸，云云。」《周書異記》云：「周穆王即位五十三年，壬申之歲，二月十五日平旦，暴風忽起，損舍折樹，山川大地宮殿，皆悉震動，鳥獸悲鳴，日午，天陰雲黑。西方有白虹十二道，南北通貫，連夜不滅。王問太史扈多曰：『是何徵也？』扈多卜曰：『西方大聖人入滅，衰相現耳。』此即如來入涅槃之相也。」(梵語涅槃，此云圓寂。謂德無不備名圓，障無不盡名寂，亦云滅度，謂滅煩惱，度生死也。)
The Buddha told his disciples, "Today, at midnight, the Tathagata will enter Nirvana." At that time, countless celestial dragons and spirits, kings, ministers and subjects, and Bodhisattvas from other worlds gathered like clouds. The Buddha taught them the Dharma, and his words filled forty scrolls, called the *Mahaparinirvana Sutra*. Then, at midnight, he entered various states of meditative absorption and, in perfect stillness, attained final Nirvana.
The *Mahaparinirvana Sutra: Later Part* says: "Three times the Tathagata entered various meditative absorptions, and three times he instructed the assembly. Then, at midnight, he entered Nirvana. At that moment, all the mountains on the great earth suddenly split and collapsed all at once, with a great sound that shook the entire world, crying out, 'What suffering!' A great darkness fell over the earth and sky. The light of the sun and moon ceased to shine. Suddenly, a fierce black wind arose in fury, causing great terror, blowing dust and sand, and filling the world with gloom. All plants, medicinal herbs, and trees were shattered and broken into pieces, leaving nothing. Rivers, streams, and springs all overflowed, dried up, and vanished." The *Record of Strange Events in the Zhou Dynasty* says: "In the fifty-third year of King Mu of Zhou's reign, in the year Renshen, at dawn on the fifteenth day of the second month, a sudden violent wind arose, damaging houses and breaking trees. The mountains, rivers, earth, and palaces all trembled, and birds and beasts wailed in sorrow. At noon, the sky grew dark with black clouds. In the west, twelve white rainbows appeared, stretching from north to south, lasting without fading through the night. The king asked the Grand Astrologer Hu Duo, 'What is this omen?' Hu Duo divined and replied, 'The great sage in the west has passed into extinction; these are signs of his decline.' This was the appearance of the Tathagata's entrance into Nirvana." (The Sanskrit word Nirvana is translated as "Perfect Stillness." It means that virtue is complete, hence "Perfect," and all hindrances are gone, hence "Stillness." It is also translated as "Extinction," meaning the extinction of afflictions and crossing beyond birth and death.)
《三教法頌》云：
The "Three Teachings Verse Praise" says:
「周昭甲寅第四帝， 釋迦降生迦維衛，
穆王壬申五十三， 如來八十歸真際。
滅度一千八十年， 教流漢明永平世；
佛先四百二十二， 老子方生定王世。
佛先四百七十七， 孔子靈王時誕質。」