<p>The question is based on an invalid framework! There was no 'him' in the first place. When the cause of the future arising of the 5 aggregates has been eliminated, there will be no more arising.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-12-14T14:24:54.563Z
2016-12-14T14:34:41.943Z
2016-12-14T14:34:41.943Z
Sankha Kulathantille
<p>Enlightenment (Bodhi) is awakening to a different perspective, in which everything is interconnected and alive, constantly flowing and transforming but never getting born and never dying.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Having directly known the extent of designation and the extent of the objects of designation, the extent of expression and the extent of the objects of expression, the extent of description and the extent of the objects of description, the extent of discernment and the extent of the objects of discernment, the extent to which the cycle revolves: Having directly known that, the monk is released.</p>
<p>But, Master Gotama, the monk whose mind is thus released: Where does he reappear?</p>
<p>&quot;Reappear,' Vaccha, doesn't apply.</p>
<p>In that case, Master Gotama, he does not reappear.</p>
<p>&quot;Does not reappear,' Vaccha, doesn't apply.</p>
<p>...</p>
<p>Of course you're befuddled, Vaccha. Of course you're confused. Deep, Vaccha, is this Dharma, hard to see, hard to realize, tranquil, refined, beyond the scope of conjecture, subtle, to-be-experienced by the wise.</p>
<p>...</p>
<p>Any identity by which one describing the Tathagata would describe him: That the Tathagata has abandoned ... Freed from identity, Vaccha, the Tathagata is deep, boundless, hard to fathom, like the sea. 'Reappears' doesn't apply. 'Does not reappear' doesn't apply.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-03T16:05:35.957Z
2019-03-03T20:11:26.437Z
2020-06-17T09:56:10.877Z
Andriy Volkov
<p>Nothing. That's THE END ! His conscience is gone, and there's nothing left of him. That's the meaning of <strong>parinibbana</strong>.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-12-14T13:06:16.500Z
2016-12-14T13:06:16.500Z
ThisaruG
<p>No detailed description is available for one's state after parinirvana. 
However, please note that budhha who had attained all the Jhanas preferred parinirvana.</p>

<p>Realm of neither perception nor no perception (last Jhanas) can be described as state of permanent ecstasy. Even for this state it is hard to find detailed description.</p>

<p>We can imagine that parinirvana will be beyond description. </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-03T07:55:58.530Z
2019-03-03T07:55:58.530Z
user14936
<p>This is clearly answered by <a href="https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/iti/iti.2.028-049.than.html#iti-044" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Itivuttaka 44</a> with excellent commentary by Thanissaro Bhikkhu:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have
  heard: "Monks, there are these two forms of the Unbinding property.
  Which two? The Unbinding property with fuel remaining, &amp; the Unbinding
  property with no fuel remaining.</p>
  
  <p>And what is the Unbinding property with fuel remaining? There is the
  case where a monk is an arahant whose fermentations have ended, who
  has reached fulfillment, finished the task, laid down the burden,
  attained the true goal, ended the fetter of becoming, and is released
  through right gnosis. His five sense faculties still remain and, owing
  to their being intact, he is cognizant of the agreeable &amp; the
  disagreeable, and is sensitive to pleasure &amp; pain. His ending of
  passion, aversion, &amp; delusion is termed the Unbinding property with
  fuel remaining. (see Note1)</p>
  
  <p>And what is the Unbinding property with no fuel remaining? There is
  the case where a monk is an arahant whose fermentations have ended,
  who has reached fulfillment, finished the task, laid down the burden,
  attained the true goal, ended the fetter of becoming, and is released
  through right gnosis. For him, all that is sensed, being unrelished,
  will grow cold right here. This is termed the Unbinding property with
  no fuel remaining." (see Note2)</p>
  
  <p><strong>Commentary (Note1 and Note2) by Thanissaro Bhikkhu:</strong></p>
  
  <p>With fuel remaining (sa-upadisesa) and with no fuel remaining
  (anupadisesa): The analogy here is to a fire. In the first case, the
  flames are out, but the embers are still glowing. In the second, the
  fire is so thoroughly out that the embers have grown cold. The "fuel"
  here is the <a href="https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/khandha.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">five aggregates</a>. While the arahant is
  still alive, he/she still experiences the five aggregates, but they do
  not burn with the fires of passion, aversion, or delusion. When the
  arahant passes away, there is no longer any experience of aggregates
  here or anywhere else. For a discussion of this point, see <a href="https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/likefire/2-1.html#glowingfire" rel="nofollow noreferrer">The Mind
  Like Fire Unbound, pp. 21-37</a>.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-02T04:36:26.620Z
2018-06-02T04:36:26.620Z
ruben2020
<p>People should stop this type of questions. I am no expert but unless you experience the thing they call nirvana or anything close to that, you'll never understand anything about that. People here can give you all their interpretations but that would only they can give you that much. </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-02T02:59:49.190Z
2018-06-02T02:59:49.190Z
Iam Alpha
<p><strong>Nothing</strong></p>

<p>Because there is no person to happen anything, and there is no samsara. So that's The End. When a person achieves nirvana , there is no person anymore. Death is not the end of a person, nirvana is. After achieving nirvana, 'he' can help others to achieve nirvana , and just wait for the physical death. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-12-14T19:46:39.627Z
SN 22.85 Yamaka Sutta supports your answer. http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.085.than.html
Dhamma Dhatu
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-12-16T09:05:20.087Z
@lasan {After achieving nirvana, 'he' can help others to achieve nirvana , and just wait for the physical death.} Is your analogy self-contradicting? 'he' is 'non-being'? Who has this 'physical' who 'wait' who is 'dead'? In the Lotus Sutra, numberless of Bodhisattvas suddenly appeared reported that they were all taught by Buddha Shakyamuni then were questioned, for Buddha only taught 49 years it's impossible to enlighten so many. Buddha answered he has been teaching since eons of time. How do you interpret this?
Mishu 米殊
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-12-16T09:55:00.473Z
@Dhammadhatu I seldom read En sutras. I read your link, thanks. I found this "a monk with no more effluents" in the passage. It's uncertain to me that the Anāśraya (無漏) being translated to 'effluents'...? Dictionary> effluents: liquid waste or sewage discharged... But it's not just about 'waste discharged', it's about dissipate of energy, end of Kleshas (煩惱). If one just read this without understanding the comprehensive Buddhist teaching, it's so easy to misconstrue.
Mishu 米殊
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-12-16T19:10:57.327Z
Not sure 'nothing' is technically correct. Nothing is annihalationism, it requires a subject to make sense. 'no thing' is preferable imo.. The two are subtly different - the former creates a construct, the latter denies them in their entirety.
Ilya Grushevskiy
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-12-17T14:08:58.607Z
'And yet, Socrates, said Parmenides, if a man, fixing his attention on these and the like difficulties, does away with ideas of 'things' and will not admit that every individual thing has its own determinate idea, which is always one and the same, he will have no thing on which his mind can rest; and so he will utterly destroy his power of reasoning, as you seem to me to have particularly noted.' - Plato's Parmenides
Ilya Grushevskiy
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-12-14T16:13:38.663Z
2016-12-14T16:13:38.663Z
lasan
<p>It is something undeclared by The Buddha.</p>

<p>These four views are undeclared by The Buddha:</p>

<ul>
<li>After death a Tathāgata exists</li>
<li>After death a Tathāgata does not exist</li>
<li>After death a Tathāgata both exists &amp; does not exist</li>
<li>After death a Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist</li>
</ul>

<blockquote>
  <p>"Any consciousness by which one describing the Tathagata would
  describe him: That the Tathagata has abandoned, its root destroyed,
  made like a palmyra stump, deprived of the conditions of development,
  not destined for future arising. </p>
  
  <p>Freed from the classification of
  consciousness, Vaccha, the Tathagata is deep, boundless, hard to
  fathom, like the sea. 'Reappears' doesn't apply. 'Does not reappear'
  doesn't apply. 'Both does &amp; does not reappear' doesn't apply. 'Neither
  reappears nor does not reappear' doesn't apply." (Aggi-Vacchagotta
  Sutta, MN 72)</p>
</blockquote>

<hr>

<blockquote>
  <p>"If anyone were to say with regard to a monk whose mind is thus
  released that 'The Tathagata exists after death,' is his view, that
  would be mistaken; that 'The Tathagata does not exist after death'...
  that 'The Tathagata both exists and does not exist after death'...
  that 'The Tathagata neither exists nor does not exist after death' is
  his view, that would be mistaken. </p>
  
  <p>Why? Having directly known the extent of designation and the extent of
  the objects of designation, the extent of expression and the extent of
  the objects of expression, the extent of description and the extent of
  the objects of description, the extent of discernment and the extent
  of the objects of discernment, the extent to which the cycle revolves:
  Having directly known that, the monk is released. [To say that,] 'The
  monk released, having directly known that, does not see, does not know
  is his opinion,' that would be mistaken." (Maha-nidana Sutta, DN 15)</p>
</blockquote>

<p>So it is unknown, unanswered, or undeclared what happens to the Tathagata after death.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-12-17T03:33:38.407Z
2016-12-17T03:33:38.407Z
MischievousSage
<p>I am not as knowledgeable in these matters as many others I see in this Exchange, but it seems to me that the answer to this question might fall under the categories of the 14 Unanswered Questions #'s 11-14 - Pali Canon or the 16 Unwise Reflections - Sabbasava Sutta. (Although the latter seems to focus on self reflection and, so, may not apply to reflections on others).</p>

<p>If that is the case, the question may not have an answer from the Buddha. </p>

<p>I'd appreciate correction if my answer is without merit.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-12-15T19:46:30.357Z
2016-12-15T19:46:30.357Z
GVCOJims
<p>We all know that after Lord Buddha's <em>parinirvana</em>, he will never be born again. So my question is, if Lord Buddha does not have a rebirth after parinirvana, what is actually happening to him (after death)?</p>

<the-buddha><rebirth><death>
What is happening to Lord Buddha after "parinirvana"?
# What is happening to Lord Buddha after "parinirvana"?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-12-14)

We all know that after Lord Buddha's *parinirvana*, he will never be born again. So my question is, if Lord Buddha does not have a rebirth after parinirvana, what is actually happening to him (after death)?

**Tags:** the-buddha, rebirth, death


---

## 9 answers

### Answer by username_7 on 2016-12-14. Score: 7 | Accepted answer

**Nothing**

Because there is no person to happen anything, and there is no samsara. So that's The End. When a person achieves nirvana , there is no person anymore. Death is not the end of a person, nirvana is. After achieving nirvana, 'he' can help others to achieve nirvana , and just wait for the physical death.

> **Comments:**
> **username_8**: SN 22.85 Yamaka Sutta supports your answer. http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn22/sn22.085.than.html  
> **username_9**: @username_7 {After achieving nirvana, 'he' can help others to achieve nirvana , and just wait for the physical death.} Is your analogy self-contradicting? 'he' is 'non-being'? Who has this 'physical' who 'wait' who is 'dead'? In the Lotus Sutra, numberless of Bodhisattvas suddenly appeared reported that they were all taught by Buddha Shakyamuni then were questioned, for Buddha only taught 49 years it's impossible to enlighten so many. Buddha answered he has been teaching since eons of time. How do you interpret this?  
> **username_9**: @Dhammadhatu I seldom read En sutras. I read your link, thanks. I found this "a monk with no more effluents" in the passage. It's uncertain to me that the Anāśraya (無漏) being translated to 'effluents'...? Dictionary> effluents: liquid waste or sewage discharged... But it's not just about 'waste discharged', it's about dissipate of energy, end of Kleshas (煩惱). If one just read this without understanding the comprehensive Buddhist teaching, it's so easy to misconstrue.  
> **username_10**: Not sure 'nothing' is technically correct. Nothing is annihalationism, it requires a subject to make sense. 'no thing' is preferable imo.. The two are subtly different - the former creates a construct, the latter denies them in their entirety.  
> **username_10**: 'And yet, Socrates, said Parmenides, if a man, fixing his attention on these and the like difficulties, does away with ideas of 'things' and will not admit that every individual thing has its own determinate idea, which is always one and the same, he will have no thing on which his mind can rest; and so he will utterly destroy his power of reasoning, as you seem to me to have particularly noted.' - Plato's Parmenides  

---

### Answer by username_11 on 2016-12-17. Score: 5

It is something undeclared by The Buddha.

These four views are undeclared by The Buddha:

* After death a Tathāgata exists
* After death a Tathāgata does not exist
* After death a Tathāgata both exists & does not exist
* After death a Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist

> "Any consciousness by which one describing the Tathagata would
> describe him: That the Tathagata has abandoned, its root destroyed,
> made like a palmyra stump, deprived of the conditions of development,
> not destined for future arising.
>
> Freed from the classification of
> consciousness, Vaccha, the Tathagata is deep, boundless, hard to
> fathom, like the sea. 'Reappears' doesn't apply. 'Does not reappear'
> doesn't apply. 'Both does & does not reappear' doesn't apply. 'Neither
> reappears nor does not reappear' doesn't apply." (Aggi-Vacchagotta
> Sutta, MN 72)

---

> "If anyone were to say with regard to a monk whose mind is thus
> released that 'The Tathagata exists after death,' is his view, that
> would be mistaken; that 'The Tathagata does not exist after death'...
> that 'The Tathagata both exists and does not exist after death'...
> that 'The Tathagata neither exists nor does not exist after death' is
> his view, that would be mistaken.
>
> Why? Having directly known the extent of designation and the extent of
> the objects of designation, the extent of expression and the extent of
> the objects of expression, the extent of description and the extent of
> the objects of description, the extent of discernment and the extent
> of the objects of discernment, the extent to which the cycle revolves:
> Having directly known that, the monk is released. [To say that,] 'The
> monk released, having directly known that, does not see, does not know
> is his opinion,' that would be mistaken." (Maha-nidana Sutta, DN 15)

So it is unknown, unanswered, or undeclared what happens to the Tathagata after death.


---

### Answer by username_12 on 2016-12-15. Score: 5

I am not as knowledgeable in these matters as many others I see in this Exchange, but it seems to me that the answer to this question might fall under the categories of the 14 Unanswered Questions #'s 11-14 - Pali Canon or the 16 Unwise Reflections - Sabbasava Sutta. (Although the latter seems to focus on self reflection and, so, may not apply to reflections on others).

If that is the case, the question may not have an answer from the Buddha.

I'd appreciate correction if my answer is without merit.


---

### Answer by username_1 on 2016-12-14. Score: 3

The question is based on an invalid framework! There was no 'him' in the first place. When the cause of the future arising of the 5 aggregates has been eliminated, there will be no more arising.


---

### Answer by username_2 on 2018-06-03. Score: 2

Enlightenment (Bodhi) is awakening to a different perspective, in which everything is interconnected and alive, constantly flowing and transforming but never getting born and never dying.

> Having directly known the extent of designation and the extent of the objects of designation, the extent of expression and the extent of the objects of expression, the extent of description and the extent of the objects of description, the extent of discernment and the extent of the objects of discernment, the extent to which the cycle revolves: Having directly known that, the monk is released.
>
> But, Master Gotama, the monk whose mind is thus released: Where does he reappear?
>
> "Reappear,' Vaccha, doesn't apply.
>
> In that case, Master Gotama, he does not reappear.
>
> "Does not reappear,' Vaccha, doesn't apply.
>
> ...
>
> Of course you're befuddled, Vaccha. Of course you're confused. Deep, Vaccha, is this Dharma, hard to see, hard to realize, tranquil, refined, beyond the scope of conjecture, subtle, to-be-experienced by the wise.
>
> ...
>
> Any identity by which one describing the Tathagata would describe him: That the Tathagata has abandoned ... Freed from identity, Vaccha, the Tathagata is deep, boundless, hard to fathom, like the sea. 'Reappears' doesn't apply. 'Does not reappear' doesn't apply.


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2016-12-14. Score: 1

Nothing. That's THE END ! His conscience is gone, and there's nothing left of him. That's the meaning of **parinibbana**.


---

### Answer by username_4 on 2019-03-03. Score: 0

No detailed description is available for one's state after parinirvana.
However, please note that budhha who had attained all the Jhanas preferred parinirvana.

Realm of neither perception nor no perception (last Jhanas) can be described as state of permanent ecstasy. Even for this state it is hard to find detailed description.

We can imagine that parinirvana will be beyond description.


---

### Answer by username_5 on 2018-06-02. Score: 0

This is clearly answered by [Itivuttaka 44](https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/iti/iti.2.028-049.than.html#iti-044) with excellent commentary by Thanissaro Bhikkhu:

> This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have
> heard: "Monks, there are these two forms of the Unbinding property.
> Which two? The Unbinding property with fuel remaining, & the Unbinding
> property with no fuel remaining.
>
> And what is the Unbinding property with fuel remaining? There is the
> case where a monk is an arahant whose fermentations have ended, who
> has reached fulfillment, finished the task, laid down the burden,
> attained the true goal, ended the fetter of becoming, and is released
> through right gnosis. His five sense faculties still remain and, owing
> to their being intact, he is cognizant of the agreeable & the
> disagreeable, and is sensitive to pleasure & pain. His ending of
> passion, aversion, & delusion is termed the Unbinding property with
> fuel remaining. (see Note1)
>
> And what is the Unbinding property with no fuel remaining? There is
> the case where a monk is an arahant whose fermentations have ended,
> who has reached fulfillment, finished the task, laid down the burden,
> attained the true goal, ended the fetter of becoming, and is released
> through right gnosis. For him, all that is sensed, being unrelished,
> will grow cold right here. This is termed the Unbinding property with
> no fuel remaining." (see Note2)
>
> **Commentary (Note1 and Note2) by Thanissaro Bhikkhu:**
>
> With fuel remaining (sa-upadisesa) and with no fuel remaining
> (anupadisesa): The analogy here is to a fire. In the first case, the
> flames are out, but the embers are still glowing. In the second, the
> fire is so thoroughly out that the embers have grown cold. The "fuel"
> here is the [five aggregates](https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/khandha.html). While the arahant is
> still alive, he/she still experiences the five aggregates, but they do
> not burn with the fires of passion, aversion, or delusion. When the
> arahant passes away, there is no longer any experience of aggregates
> here or anywhere else. For a discussion of this point, see [The Mind
> Like Fire Unbound, pp. 21-37](https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/likefire/2-1.html#glowingfire).


---

### Answer by username_6 on 2018-06-02. Score: -1

People should stop this type of questions. I am no expert but unless you experience the thing they call nirvana or anything close to that, you'll never understand anything about that. People here can give you all their interpretations but that would only they can give you that much.


---

