Mahāparinibbāna-sutta

views updated

Mahāparinibbāna-sutta (The Discourse on the Great Decease). The sixteenth discourse in the Long Collection of Discourses (Dīgha Nikāya) of the Buddhist Pāli canon. The text describes the events leading up to the Buddha's death and his travels during the last few months of his life, and records his final utterance: ‘Decay is inherent in all composite things: work with diligence.’