Today it’s seven days since the ascetic Gotama attained final extinguishment. That’s why I carry this coral-tree flower.’ Some of the monks there who were not yet free from desire threw up their arms and cried, collapsed on the ground, and rolled back and forth, lamenting, ‘The Buddha, the Happy One, has attained final extinguishment too soon—too soon has the eye of the world been put out!’ But the monks there who were free from desire bore it with mindfulness and full awareness, saying, ‘All phenomena are impermanent. How could it be any different?’ ‘Please stop grieving, stop lamenting. Didn’t the Buddha warn us that we must be separated from everyone and everything dear and agreeable to us?