[Attaniuri]

The Tibetans talk about people attaining to rainbow bodies after becoming enlightened. But of course in nirvana there is not really any birth or death. Like a cloud turns to rain - it doesn't die - the cloud still exists in the rain - in a different form. So too the Buddha didn't die - he was beyond death - he simply exists in another form (or should I say formless) body, which is said to be in paranirvana.

In order to understand the impermanence or emptiness of ourselves and all compounded phenomena it is necessary to meditate on death and dying but when we do we shall come to an understanding that in reality there is no death or dying, just a transformation.