I found an interesting article by Venerable Dr Mettanando Bhikkhu about how the Buddha died. It's on Buddha Sasana. Mettanando was a physician before he ordained.

I found an interesting article by Venerable Dr Mettanando Bhikkhu about how the Buddha died. It's on Buddha Sasana. Mettanando was a physician before he ordained.

Good read. I agree with the doctor that food poisoning was not the cause of death... this is a common misconception repeated time and time again in books on Buddhism. One must recall that the Buddha contracted his terminal stomach illness (whatever that was) several months before his last meal, as he told Aananda upon fortelling his own death. It was only through iddhi powers that the Buddha suppressed his dysentary (or whatever) until he could convert the last enlightenment-conducive guy around (his name escapes me).

Most people cite the fact that the Buddha stipulated that no one else should share in his last meal as evidence that it was poisoned/rancid. This is an error, for it is said elsewhere that the remains of any food consumed by the Buddha is unfit for human consumption, as it would burn one's throat. We see this idea emerging as a symptom of the parallels between GB and Agni.