By Paramattha Dhamma Sikkhaya Foundation
Parinibbāna of Arahant Theri Yasodharā Viewers(1)
(Parinibbāna) of Arahant Yasodharā
When Arahant Yasodharā was 78 years old, she reflected and understood that the time was right for her to attain Parinibbāna (Passing away). Accompanied by 500 nuns who were her disciples, she visited the Buddha to ask for forgiveness and permission to pass away. The Buddha knew that the supernormal powers she possessed have never been exhibited to others during her life as an enlightened Arahant. As others including the deities and the Brahmas are likely to have doubts about her enlightenment and her supernormal Psychic powers, the Buddha invited her to exhibit her supernormal powers. She paid homage to the Buddha, rose into the air and exhibited her Psychic powers by creating all types of unbelievable phenomena witnessed by the people, deities and the Brahmas. Then she came down and recollected her past lives with the Buddha aspirant (Bodhisatva) and how she fulfilled the ten perfections and stood by the Buddha aspirant over a period of four incalculables and one hundred thousand world cycles, to support the Buddha aspirant to attain the final goal of becoming a Sammā Sambuddha. The Buddha also recollected her invaluable qualities and though there was nothing that needed to be forgiven, as a tradition that had to be done the Buddha forgave her. Having paid her final homage to the Buddha, she returned to her nunnery to meditate and passed away during the night to attain final Nibbāna (3). The Buddha arranged for her relics to be collected and enshrined in a stūpa. Arahant Yasodharā passed away two years before the passing away of the Buddha
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