The Last Days of the Buddha
The Mahāparanibbāna Sutta
with Sean Oakes, PhD
5 Thursdays, June 18 - July 16, 2026 | 4-6pm
Read the magnificent story of the end of the Buddha’s life, the source for some of our most beloved teachings.
In the final spring of his life, the elderly Buddha walked miles with his friends and students, heading toward his birthplace of Kapilavatthu. He wouldn’t make it home, dying in a grove of trees near a small village. Throughout the journey he taught students of all levels, and prepared the Saṅgha to thrive in his absence. “The Great Discourse on the Buddha’s Extinguishment” (DN 16) is the longest single discourse in the Pāli Canon, and we’ll dive into this magnificent teaching story, a gem of ancient South Asian literature, and a source for some of our most beloved teachings.
While beginners are welcome, this class will be most relevant for practitioners with some experience in meditation. The class is part of our ongoing Pāli Canon study series, “The Refuge of Dhamma: Exploring the Buddha’s Discourses.” Each class includes significant supplemental materials, guided meditations, and group discussion of the text.
$99
Themes We'll Explore
- Impermanence & letting go
- The Principles of Non-decline: How communities thrive without conflict
- The Mirror of the Teaching: How to assess your own attainment
- How to "Live as your own Refuge"
- Grief, love, and equanimity
- How the Buddha used his final moments as teaching, and prepared the Saṅgha for stability in his absence
This Course is for You If...
- You have some meditation experience and feel ready to engage more deeply with the Buddha’s original teachings
- You’re drawn to learning through story, especially the profound and human account of the Buddha’s final journey
- You want to explore how the Dhamma continues to guide practice in the Buddha’s physical absence
- You value a supportive learning environment that includes study, meditation, and shared inquiry
What You Receive
Live Immersive Sessions
5-Weekly live sessions with practice guidance
Community Connections
Build meaningful relationships through our online forum
Practices Between Sessions
Tools and practices to help you integrate learning into everyday life
Lifetime Access to Course
Revisit the teachings, practices at any time at your own pace
Meet Your Teacher
Sean Oakes, PhD
Sean Oakes, PhD (he/they) teaches Buddhist practice and history with a focus on somatics, trauma resolution, and social justice. He has studied in Theravāda, Zen, and Vajrāyāna Buddhist lineages, including training as a monk in Burma, and was authorized to teach Insight Meditation by Jack Kornfield in 2010. Sean completed the Dedicated Practitioner (DPP1), Mindfulness Meditation and Yoga (MYMT2), and Community Dharma Leader (CDL5) trainings at Spirit Rock. In addition to mentor Jack Kornfield, Dr. Oakes’ primary Buddhist teachers include Sylvia Boorstein and Eugene Cash, Kitissaro and Ṭhānissara, Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu, Anam Thubten, and Sayadaw U Janaka, with whom he ordained as a bhikkhu for a Rains Retreat in 2002.
He studied Yoga with Alice Joanou, Rachel Shaw, Amanda Moran, and David Moreno, and taught mindfulness-based Yoga āsana and prāṇāyāma for 10 years. He studied and performed for many years in music, dance, and performance art, and trained in Somatic Experiencing (SE) and Organic Intelligence (OI) with Steven Hoskinson, integrating the complex systems approach from OI in a distinctively Buddhist approach to trauma resolution. Sean received his PhD in Performance Studies from UC Davis in 2016, writing on states of consciousness in Buddhist meditation and experimental dance, and lives in Northern California on ancestral Pomo territory with his family and beloved community.
- 5-Weekly Live Sessions
- Supportive Online Community
- Weekly Guided Practices
- Lifetime access to the content
- Grow Together Through Dialogue & Reflection
$99
Course Schedule
Schedule
5 Thursdays 4pm – 6 pm PDT
- June 18
- June 25
- July 2
- July 9
- July 16
Course FAQ
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The course is delivered LIVE online over a 5-week period over Zoom.
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Yes, once you’ve completed the course, you will retain lifetime access to all course materials, allowing you to revisit lectures, exercises, and meditations whenever needed.
Spirit Rock offers scholarships for those in need. If the course fees are a barrier, please complete the scholarship form HERE.
We understand that plans can change, and we’re here to help.
If you need to cancel before the course begins, we’ll provide a refund with just a $25 cancellation fee.
For cancellations made by the end of day on June 25, we’ll happily refund your payment, keeping only a $49 course fee.
After June 25, we’re unable to offer refunds. Thank you for your understanding.
To assist you with your cancellation, please reach out to us directly at courses@spiritrock.org. We’ll take care of the process for you.
If you have any questions, we’re here to support you. You can reach us by emailing courses@spiritrock.org
