Gautama Buddha attained Mahaparinirvana, or final passing away, in the territory of which republican clan?

Introduction / Context:
The life of Gautama Buddha is associated with four major places: his birthplace, the place of enlightenment, the place of his first sermon and the place of his Mahaparinirvana or final passing away. Each of these locations lay within the territories of different republics or clans of ancient northern India. Competitive examinations frequently test your ability to connect each event with the correct place and political unit. This question focuses on the republican clan in whose territory the Buddha attained Mahaparinirvana.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- The event in question is the Mahaparinirvana of the Buddha. - This took place at Kushinagar (Kusinara) in ancient times. - Options list the Mallas, Lichhavis, Sakyas and Palas. - We assume knowledge of the main republican clans of the Buddha's era.

Concept / Approach:
Kushinagar (Kusinara), the place where the Buddha passed into Mahaparinirvana, lay within the territory of the Malla republic. The Mallas were one of several gana sanghas or republican clans of that period. The Sakyas were the clan into which Siddhartha Gautama was born and whose capital was Kapilavastu. The Lichhavis were another prominent republican clan based at Vaishali. The Palas, by contrast, were a much later ruling dynasty of Bengal in the early medieval period and do not belong to the Buddha's time. Therefore, the correct clan connected with the place of Mahaparinirvana is the Mallas.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall the four key places in the Buddha's life: Lumbini (birth), Bodh Gaya (enlightenment), Sarnath (first sermon) and Kushinagar (Mahaparinirvana). Step 2: Identify Kushinagar as the place associated with the Buddha's final passing away. Step 3: Remember that Kushinagar lay in the territory of the Malla republic, which is frequently mentioned in Buddhist texts. Step 4: Recognise that the Sakyas were associated with Kapilavastu and the Buddha's early life, not with his death. Step 5: Note that the Lichhavis were based in Vaishali, important in other stories but not the Mahaparinirvana event. Step 6: Understand that the Palas are a medieval dynasty and therefore not part of the political landscape of the sixth century BCE. Step 7: Conclude that the correct answer is the Mallas.

Verification / Alternative check:
If you consult summaries of Buddhist sacred geography, they repeatedly list the Mallas as the clan that ruled over the region where Kushinagar was located. Theravada traditions especially emphasise the division of the Buddha's relics among various clans, including the Mallas, after his Mahaparinirvana. Textbooks on ancient Indian history also present tables connecting each major event in the Buddha's life with its corresponding place and clan, where you will clearly see Mallas listed for Kushinagar. These consistent references confirm that this is the correct association.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Lichhavis are wrong because their capital was Vaishali, associated with other events, but not with the Mahaparinirvana at Kushinagar.

Sakyas are wrong since they were the Buddha's own clan at Kapilavastu and relate to his birth and early life, not to his death.

Palas are wrong because they were an early medieval dynasty in Bengal that existed many centuries after the time of the Buddha and were not a republican clan of his era.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes see the name Sakyas and assume that all major events of the Buddha's life occurred in their territory, which is not accurate. Others may recognise Lichhavis as an important republican clan and select them without remembering the specific link to Vaishali. To avoid confusion, it is useful to memorise a simple association table: Sakyas with Kapilavastu, Lichhavis with Vaishali and Mallas with Kushinagar. This mapping will help you quickly pick the correct clan in questions about the Buddha's Mahaparinirvana.

Final Answer:
Gautama Buddha attained Mahaparinirvana in the territory of the Mallas.