Kushinagar is the ancient Indian city traditionally associated with the Buddha’s final passing away.
Buddhist tradition says the Buddha entered parinirvana at Kushinagar, then called Kushinara, after a long teaching career. Accounts describe him lying between sal trees and giving final instructions to the assembled disciples before his death.
Kushinagar became one of Buddhism’s four principal pilgrimage destinations. The Mahaparinirvana Temple and reclining Buddha image commemorate the event, while the nearby Ramabhar Stupa is traditionally associated with the Buddha’s cremation.
Kushinagar is distinct from Lumbini, the traditional birthplace; Bodh Gaya, the place of enlightenment; and Sarnath, the site of the first sermon. The modern town is in Uttar Pradesh, India, near the Nepal border.