This was the last word of the Tathagata!

Then the Blessed One entered into the first stage of deep meditation.  And rising out of the first stage he passed into the second.  And rising out of the second he passed into the third.  And rising out of the third stage he passed into the fourth.  And rising out of the fourth stage of deep meditation he entered into the state of mind to which the infinity of space is alone present.  And passing out of the mere consciousness of the infinity of space he entered into the state of mind to which nothing at all was specially present.  And passing out of the consciousness of no special object he fell into a state between consciousness and unconsciousness.  And passing out of the state between consciousness and unconsciousness he fell into a state in which the consciousness both of sensations and of ideas had wholly passed away.

Then the venerable Ananda said to the venerable Anuruddha:  “O my Lord, O Anuruddha, the Blessed One is dead!”

“Nay! brother Ananda, the Blessed One is not dead.  He has entered into that state in which both sensations and ideas have ceased to be!”

Then the Blessed One passing out of the state in which both sensations and ideas have ceased to be, entered into the state between consciousness and unconsciousness.  And passing out of the state between consciousness and unconsciousness he entered into the state of mind to which nothing at all is specially present.  And passing out of the consciousness of no special object he entered into the state of mind to which the infinity of thought is alone present.  And passing out of the mere consciousness of the infinity of thought he entered into the state of mind to which the infinity of space is alone present.  And passing out of the mere consciousness of the infinity of space he entered into the fourth stage of deep meditation.  And passing out of the fourth stage he entered into the third.  And passing out of the third stage he entered into the second.  And passing out of the second he entered into the first.  And passing out of the first stage of deep meditation he entered the second.  And passing out of the second stage he entered into the third.  And passing out of the third stage he entered into the fourth stage of deep meditation.  And passing out of the last stage of deep meditation he immediately expired.

When the Blessed One died there arose, at the moment of his passing out of existence, a mighty earthquake, terrible and awe-inspiring:  and the thunders of heaven burst forth.

When the Blessed One died, Brahma Sahampati, at the moment of his passing away from existence, uttered this stanza: 

“They all, all beings that have life, shall lay
Aside their complex form—­that aggregation
Of mental and material qualities,
That gives them, or in heaven or on earth,

Their fleeting individuality! 
E’en as the teacher—­being such a one,
Unequalled among all the men that are,
Successor of the prophets of old time,
Mighty by wisdom, and in insight clear—­

                Hath died!”