On the journey, the Buddha was offered a meal of mushrooms by Chunda, a blacksmith. He became ill after the meal, but insisted on continuing as far as Kusinagara. Ananda, his faithful attendant, wept to see the Buddha so ill. The Buddha comforted him saying, “Do not grieve, Ananda. I am old and feeble and cannot live forever. It is natural for everything that is born to die. In three months I shall pass into final Nirvana, a state of ultimate peace and happiness. Call all the monks and nuns together.”