“all Sutras lead to the Mahaparinirvana Sutra”

The following is a near-complete English translation (lacking only the epilogue of the sutra) of the "Southern Edition" of Dharmakshema's Chinese version of the Mahayana Mahaparinirvana Sutra. It was translated into English by the remarkably dedicated and devoted Japanese "Jodo Shinshu" Buddhist, Kosho Yamamoto
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The Mahayana Mahaparinirvana Sutra
 

'Chapter One
Introductory"'
"
Thus have I heard. At one time, the Buddha was staying at Kusinagara in the land of the Mallas, close to the river Ajitavati, where the twin sal trees stood. At that time, the great bhiksus as many as 80 billion hundred thousand were with the World-Honoured One. They surrounded him front and back. On the 15th of the second month, as the Buddha was about to enter Nirvana, he, with his divine power, spoke in a great voice, which filled the whole world and reached the highest of the heavens. It said to all beings in a way each could understand: "Today, the Tathagata [i.e. Buddha] the Alms-deserving and All-Enlightened One, pities, protects and, with an undivided mind, sees beings as he does his [son] Rahula. So, he is the refuge and house of the world. The greatly Enlightened World-Honoured One is about to enter Nirvana. The beings who have doubts may now all ask questions of him."

At that time, early in the morning, the World-Honoured One emitted from his mouth rays of light of various hues, such as: blue, yellow, red, white, crystal, and agate. The rays of light shone all over the 3,000 great-thousand Buddha lands. Also, the ten directions were alike shone upon. All the sins and worries of beings of the six realms, as they were illuminated, were expiated. People saw and heard this, and worry greatly beset them. They all sorrowfully cried and wept: "Oh, the kindest father! Oh, woe is the day! Oh, the sorrow!" They raised their hands, beat their heads and breasts, and cried aloud. Of them, some trembled, wept, and sobbed. At that time, the great earth, the mountains, and great seas all shook. Then, all of them said to one another: "Let us for the present suppress our feelings, let us not be greatly smitten by sorrow! Let us speed to Kusinagara, call at the land of the Mallas, touch the feet of the Tathagata, pay homage and beg: æ°O Tathagata! Please do not enter Parinirvana, but stay one more kalpa [aeon] or less than a kalpaæ±". They pressed their palms together and said again: "The world is empty! Fortune has departed from us beings; evil things will increase in the world. O you! Hurry up, go quickly! Soon the Tathagata [i.e. Buddha] will surely enter Nirvana." They also said: "The world is empty, empty! From now on, no one protects us, and we have none to pay homage to. Poverty-stricken and alone! If we once part from the World-Honoured One, and if doubts arise, whom are we to ask?"

At that time, there were many of the Buddha's disciples there, such as Venerable Mahakatyayana, Vakkula, and Upananda. All such great bhiksus, when they saw the light, shook and were greatly stirred, so much so that they could not hold themselves well. Their minds became muddled, and chaos ruled. They cried aloud and displayed variegated grief. There were present, at that time, 8 million bhiksus. All were arhats [saints]. They were unmolested [unlimited?] in mind and could act as they willed. They were segregated from all illusions, and all their sense-organs were subdued. Like great naga [serpent] kings, they were perfect in great virtue. They were accomplished in the wisdom of the All-Void and perfect in the attainments of their own [in inner attainments?]. They were like the sandalwood forest with sandalwood all around, or like a lion king surrounded by lions. They were perfect in all such virtues. They were the true sons of the Buddha. Early in the morning, when the sun had just risen, they were up from their beds in the places where they lived and were about to use their toothbrushes, when they encountered the light that arose from the Buddha's person. And they said to one another: "Hurry up with bathing and gargling, and be clean." So did they say, and their hair stood on end all over their body, and their blood so ran that they looked like palasa flowers. Tears filled their eyes, which expressed great pain. To benefit and give peace to beings, to establish the Transcendent Truth of the All-Void of Mahayana, to reveal what the Tathagata had by expediency latently taught so that all his sermons would not come to an end, and to subjugate the minds of all beings, they sped to where the Buddha was. They fell down at the Buddha's feet, touched them with their heads, walked around him a 100 thousand times, folded their hands, paid homage, stepped back and sat on one side.

At that time, there were present such women as Kuddara and such bhiksunis [nuns] as Subhadra, Upananda, Sagaramati, and 6 million bhiksunis. They were all great arhats. All "'asravas"' [inner defilements] having been done away with, they were unmolested in mind and could act as they willed. They were parted from all illusion and all their sense-organs were subdued. Like great nagas, they were perfect in virtue. They were accomplished in the Wisdom of the All-Void. Also, early in the morning, after the sun had just risen, their hair stood on end all over their body and their blood so ran through their vessels that they looked like palasa flowers. Tears filled their eyes, which bespoke great sorrow. They desired to benefit beings, to give peace and bliss, and establish the Transcendent Truth of the All-Void of Mahayana. They meant to manifest what the Tathagata had by expediency latently taught, so that all his sermons would not disappear. In order to subjugate the minds of all beings, they sped to where the Buddha was, touched his feet, walked around him a 100 thousand times, folded their hands, paid homage, stepped back and sat on one side.

Of the bhiksunis, there were again those who were the nagas of Bodhisattvas and humans. They had attained the ten stages [of Bodhisattvic development], where they abided unmoved. They were born as females so as to teach beings. They always practised the four limitless minds [of loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity], thereby attaining unlimited power and acting well in place of the Buddha.

At that time there were also Bodhisattva-mahasattvas [great Bodhisattvas] who were as plentiful as the sands of the river Ganges and who were all nagas of men, attaining the level of the ten stages and abiding there unmoved. As an expedient, they had gained life as men and were called Bodhisattvvas Sagaraguna and Aksayamati. Such Bodhisattva-mahasattvas as these headed the number. They all prized Mahayana, abided in it, deeply understood, loved and protected it, and well responded to the call of the world. They took vows and each said: "I shall pass those who have not yet attained the Way to the other shore [i.e. of salvation]. Already over innumerable past kalpas, I have upheld the pure precepts [of morality] and acted as I should have acted. I made the unreleased gain the Way so that they could carry over the seed of the Three Treasures [i.e. Buddha, Dharma, Sangha]. And in the days to come, I shall turn the wheel of Dharma [i.e. teach Buddhism], greatly adorn myself, accomplish all innumerable virtues, and see beings as one views one's only son." They likewise, early in the morning, encountered the light of the Buddha. All their hair stood on end, and all over their body their blood so ran that they looked like palasa flowers. Tears filled their eyes, which spoke of great pain. Also to benefit beings, to give bliss, to manifest what the Tathagata had out of expediency latently taught, and to prevent the sermons from dying out, and to subjugate all beings, they sped to where the Buddha was, walked around him 100 thousand times, folded their hands, paid homage, stepped back and took their seats on one side.

At that time, there were present upasakas [lay followers of Buddha] who were as many as the sands of two Ganges. They had accorded with the five precepts, and their deportment was perfect. These were such upasakas as Untainted-Virtue-King, Highly-Virtuous and others, who headed their number. They deeply cherished the thought of combating such opposites as: sorrow versus bliss, eternal versus non-eternal, pure versus non-pure, self versus non-self, real versus not-real, taking refuge versus not taking refuge, beings versus non-beings, always versus not-always, peace versus non-peace, created versus non-created, disruption versus non-disruption, Nirvana versus non-Nirvana, augmentation versus non-augmentation, and they always thought of combating such opposites of the Dharma elements as stated above.

They also always loved to listen to the unsurpassed Mahayana, acted upon what they had heard and desired to teach others. They upheld well the untainted moral precepts and prized Mahayana. Already they were well contented within themselves and they made others feel well contented who prized Mahayana. They imbibed the unsurpassed Wisdom very well, loved and protected Mahayana. They accorded well with the ways of the world, passed those who had not yet gained the Way to the other shore of life, emancipated those not yet emancipated, and protected the seed of the Three Treasures so that it would not die out and so that, in days to come, they could turn the wheel of Dharma, adorn themselves greatly, deeply taste the pure moral precepts, attain accomplishment in all such virtues, have a great compassionate heart towards all beings, being impartial and not-two, and see all beings just as one views one's own only son.

Also, early in the morning when the sun had just risen, in order to cremate the Tathagata's body, people each held in their hands tens of thousands of bundles of such fragrant wood as sandalwood, aloes, goirsa sandalwood, and heavenly wood, which had annual rings and heart and which all shone out in the wonderful hues of the seven treasures. For example, the various hues were like painted colours, all of which wonders having arisen out of the power of the Buddha, and which were blue, yellow, red, and white. These were pleasing to beings' eyes. All the wood was thickly smeared with such various incense as saffron, alo"e' wood,, sarjarasa, etc. Flowers were strewn as adornments, such as the utpala [blue lotus], kumuda, padma [red lotus] and pundarika [white lotus]. Above all the fragrant wood were hung banners of five colours. They were soft and delicate, like such heavenly veils as kauseya cloth, ksuma, and silken twill. All these fragrant woods were laden onto bejewelled wagons, which shone in such various colours as blue, yellow, red, and white. The thills and spokes were all inlaid with the seven treasures. Each of these wagons was drawn by four horses, which ran like the wind. In front of each wagon stood 57 hanging ensign plants, over which were spread thin nets of true gold. Each wagon had 50 wonderful bejewelled parasols, each having on it the garlands of utpala, kumuda, padma, and pundarika. The petals of these flowers were of pure gold, and the calyxes were of diamond. In the flowers was many a black bee, which gathered there, played and amused themselves, sending forth wonderful music. These spoke of non-eternal, sorrow, All-Void, and non-Self. Also, this sound spoke of what the Bodhisattva originally does. Dances, singing, and mask dances went on, and such musical instruments were played as the "'cheng"', the flute, harp, "'hsiao"' and "'shã. "'And from the music arose a voice, which said: "Oh, woe is the day, woe the day! The world is empty!" In front of each wagon stood upasakas who were holding bejewelled tables, which were laden with various flowers such as the utpala, kumuda, padma, pundarika, and such various incense as kunkuma and others, and fumigating incense, which were all wonderful. They carried in various utensils, to prepare meals for the Buddha and the Sangha. The cooking was done with sandalwood and aloe wood as fuel, done up with the water of eight virtues. The dishes were sweet and beautiful in six tastes: bitter, sour, sweet, hot, salty, and plain. Also the virtues were three: 1) light and soft, 2) pure, and 3) true to cuisine. Equipped with such things, they sped to the land of the Mallas, to the sal forest. They also strew sand all over the ground, spreading kalinga and kambala cloths and silken cloths on it. Such covered all about, for a space of 12 yojanas [yojana= 15-20 kilometres]. For the Buddha and the Sangha, they erected simhasana seats [lions' seats], which were inlaid with the seven treasures. The seats were as high and large as Mount Sumeru. Above these seats were hung bejewelled screens. Garlands of all kinds hung down, and from all the sal trees also hung down wonderful banners and parasols. Wonderful scents were dispersed amongst the trees and various wonderful flowers were set in between. The upasakas all said to one another: "O all beings! If you feel the need, meals, clothing, heads, eyes, limbs and everything awaits you[?]; all will be yours." While giving, greed, anger, defilement, and poisonous [states of] mind fled; no other wish, no thought of any other blessing or pleasure was entertained. Their minds were bent solely upon the unsurpassed, pure Bodhi-mind [Enlightenment mind]. All these upasakas were well established in the Bodhisattvic state. They also said to themselves: "The Tathagata will now take our dishes and enter Nirvana." As they thought this, all their hair stood on end; all over their body their blood so ran that their bodies looked like  palasa flower. Tears filled their eyes, expressing great pain. Each carefully carried in the utensils of the meals on bejewelled wagons. The incense wood, banners, bejewelled parasols, and meals were all sped to where the Buddha was. They touched the feet of the Buddha, made offerings to the Buddha on these, walking around him 100 thousand times. They cried aloud. The earth and heaven melted in sympathy and shook. They beat their breasts and cried. Their tears ran like rain. And they said to one another: "O you! Woe is the day! The world is empty, is empty!" They threw their bodies to the ground before the Tathagata and said to him: "O Tathagata! Please have pity and accept our offerings!"

The World-Honoured-One, aware of the occasion, was silent, and did not take [their offerings]. Thrice they beseeched him, but their supplications went unheard. Failing in their purpose, the upasakas were sad and sat silently. This was as in the case of a compassionate father who has but an only son. This son, of a sudden, becomes ill and dies. The cremation over, the father goes back home and is sunk in great grief. The same was the case with all the upasakas, who wept and were grief-stricken. With all their utensils positioned in a safe place, the upasakas stepped back and sat silently on one side.

At that time, there were upasikas [female lay followers] present, as many as the sands of three Ganges, who were perfect in the five precepts and in deportment. They included such as Ayusguna, Gunamalya, and Visakha who headed the 84,000 and could well protect the True Dharma. In order to carry over innumerable 100 thousand beings to the other shore, they were born as females. They severely checked their own selves in the light of household laws and meditated on their own persons. Like the four vipers [the four great elements of earth, air, fire and water], this carnal body is ever pecked at and supped by innumerable vermin. It smells ill and is defiled. Greed binds. This body is hateful, like the carcass of a dog. This body is impure, from which nine holes leak out defilements. It is like a castle, the blood, flesh, spine, bone and skin forming the outer walls and the hands and legs serving as bastions, the eyes as gunholes, and the head as donjon. The mind-king ["'citta-raja"'] is seated within. Such a carnal castle is what the All-Buddha-World-Honoured One abandons and what common mortals and the ignorant always love and cling to. Such rakshasas [flesh-eating demons] as greed, anger and ignorance sit within. This body is as frail as reed, eranda [foul-smelling "recinus communis" plant], foam, and plantain. This body is non-eternal and does not stay stable even for a second. It is like lightning, madding water, and a mirage. Or it is like drawing a picture on water, which no sooner done than disappears. This body breaks just as easily as a big tree hanging over a river precipice. It does not last long. It is pecked at and devoured by foxes, wolves, owls, eagles, crows, magpies and hungry dogs. Who with a good mind finds joy in such a carnal self? One might sooner fill a cow's footprint with water than fully explain the non-eternal, the non-pure, the ill-smell and defilement of this body; or one could sooner split the great earth and crush it into the size of a pickpurse [weed] seed or even the size of a dust-mote, but never could one fully explain the wrongs and ills of this body. This being so, one ought to discard it like tears or spittle. Because of this, all upasikas train their mind in such dharmas as the Void, formlessness and desirelessness. Thus they very much desire to inquire into and abide in the teaching of the Mahayana sutras. Having listened, they expound them to others. They guard and uphold their vows and deprecate the female form. It is much to be detested and is by nature not unbreakable. Their mind thus ever rightly sees things and crushes the endless wheel of birth and death. They look to Mahayana and are themselves well nourished by it. They feed the minds of those who prize it. They greatly cherish, defend and protect it. Though female in form, they are, truth to tell, none but Bodhisattvas. They accord well with the ways of the world and help those who have not yet gained the other shore and emancipate those not yet emancipated. They uphold the heritage of the Three Treasures, so that it will not die out and so that they can turn the wheel of Dharma in the days to come. They greatly adorn their own persons, living ever true to the prohibitions and accomplishing such virtues. Their compassionate heart extends towards all beings. They are impartial and not-two, just as one would regard one's only son. They also, early in the morning when the sun had just risen, said to one another: "Let us hasten today to the forest of the twin trees!" The upasikas' utensils were twice as many. They took these to where the Buddha was, touched his feet, walked around him 100 thousand times and said: "O World-honoured One! We have with us here meals for the Buddha and the Sangha. O Tathagata! Please have pity and accept our offerings!" The Tathagata was silent and did not take [the offerings]. Their supplication not met, all the upasikas were sad. They stepped back and sat down on one side.

At that time, the Licchavis of Vaisali Castle were present and others as numerous as the sands of four Ganges, who were males, females, big and small, wives and children, relatives, and those of the kings of Jambudvipa [India]. Seeing the Way, they were true to the prohibitions and perfect in deportment. They crushed out the people of other teachings who acted against the Wonderful Dharma. They always said to one another: "We shall have stores of gold and silver for the service of upholding the sweet and endless depths of the Wonderful Dharma, so that it will flourish. Let us hope always to learn Dharma. We shall draw out the tongues of those who slander the Buddha's Wonderful Dharma." They also prayed: "Should there be any bhiksu who transgresses against the prohibitions, we shall turn him back to secular life and have him for labour; if anyone abides in the Wonderful Dharma, we shall esteem and serve him as we do our parents. If priests well practise the Wonderful Dharma, we shall participate in their joy and support them, so that they will increase." They were always glad to lend an ear to the Mahayana sutras. Having listened, they widely expounded to others what they had heard.  All were accomplished in such virtues. They included such Licchavis as [the following persons]: Pure-and-Untainted-Store, Pure-and-Non-Indulgent, Ganges-Water-of-Pure-and-Untainted-Virtue.  All of these said to themselves: "Let us now speed to where the Buddha is!" Various were their utensils of offerings. Each Licchavi had 84,000 elephants all decorated, along with 84,000 four-horse wagons of treasures, 84,000 bright moon gems. There were also bundles of fuel such as heavenly wood, sandalwood, and aloes, all to the number of 84,000. In front of each elephant hung bejewelled hanging ensigns, banners and parasols. Even the smallest of parasols was as wide as one yojana crosswise and lengthwise. Even the shortest of the banners measured 32 yojanas. And the lowest of the bejewelled hanging-ensigns was 100 yojanas high. With these objects of offerings, they went to where the Buddha was, touched his feet, walked around him 100 thousand times and said to him: "O World-Honoured One! We are now here with offerings for you, the Buddha, and the Sangha. Please have pity and accept ours!" The Tathagata was silent and did not accept [the offerings]. Not having gained what they desired, the Licchavis were all sad. By the Buddha's power, they were raised up into the sky seven talas high, where they remained in silence.

At that time, there were, further, ministers and rich laymen as numerous as the sands of five Ganges. They prized Mahayana. If there were any of other teachings slandering the Wonderful Dharma, they would crush such down just as hail and rain do grass and plants. They were Sunlight, World-Protecting, and Dharma-Protecting. These headed their number. Five times as many were their utensils as those who had preceded them. They carried these to the forest of the twin sal trees, touched the Buddha's feet, walked around the Buddha 100 thousand times, and said: "O World-Honoured One! We have brought you and the Sangha utensils of offerings. Please have pity and accept our [gifts]!" The Tathagata was silent and did not accept [them]. Their wish not granted, the rich elders were sad. By the Buddha's divine power, they were raised up seven talas from the ground into the sky, where they remained in silence.

At that time, there were present the King of Vaisali and his consort, the people of the harem, and all the kings of Jambudvipa, excepting Ajatasatru and those of the castle town and villages of his kingdom. They included such as King Taintless-as-the-Moon and others. They took along with them the four military forces [of elephants, horses, infantry and chariots] and desired to go to where the Buddha was. Each king had people and relatives as many as 180 million billion. The chariots and soldiers were drawn by elephants and horses. The elephants were six-tusked and the horses ran like the wind. Their adornments and utensils of offerings were six times as many as those which had preceded them. Of all the bejewelled parasols, even the smallest filled a diameter of 8 yojanas. The smallest of the banners measured 16 yojanas. All these kings abided peacefully in the Wonderful Dharma and detested twisted laws [teachings?]. They esteemed Mahayana and felt deep joy in it. They loved beings as one loves an only son. The fragrance of the meals and drinks which they were holding filled the air for four yojanas all around. They too, early in the morning when the sun had just risen, carried forth all these sweet dishes and went to the forest of twin sal trees where the Tathagata was and said: "O World-Honoured One! We wish to offer these to the Buddha and Sangha. Please have pity, O Tathagata! and accept our final offerings!" The Tathagata, aware of the occasion, would not take [the offerings]. Their wishes unanswered, all these kings were sad. They stepped back and took their seats on one side.

At that time, there were the consorts of the kings as numerous as the sands of seven Ganges, excepting those of King Ajatasatru. So as to save beings, they manifested as females. They always were mindful of their bodily actions and perfumed their minds with the dharmas of the Void, formlessness and desirelessness. They included such as the ladies Wonderful-Three-Worlds and Virtue-Loving. All consorts such as these abided peacefully in the Wonderful Dharma and observed the prohibitions and were perfect in their deportment. They behaved towards beings as one does to one's only son. They all said: "Let us all speed to where the World-Honoured One is." The offerings of these royal consorts were seven times as many as those that had preceded them, and these were: incense, flowers, bejewelled hanging-ensigns, silken cloths, banners, parasols, and the best meals and drinks. Even the smallest of the bejewelled parasols measured 16 yojanas. The lowest of the bejewelled hanging-ensigns measured 68 yojanas. The fragrance of the meals and drinks filled an area of eight yojanas all around. Bearing all these offerings, they went to where the Tathagata was. They touched his feet, walked around him 100 thousand times, and said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! We have with us offerings for the Buddha and the bhiksus. Please have pity and accept our final offerings!" The Tathagata, aware of the occasion, was silent and did not accept [the offerings]. Their requests ungranted, all the consorts were sad. They pulled out their hair, beat their breasts and wailed as though a compassionate mother had newly lost her only son. They stepped back, and sat silently to one side."

'     At that time, there were also devis [goddesses] as numerous as the sands of eight Ganges. Virupaksa headed their number and said: "O sisters! See clearly, see clearly! The best offerings of all these beings are for the Tathagata and the bhiksus. We ought to be serious and make offerings to the Tathagata with all such wonderful utensils as these. He will partake of our offerings and enter Nirvana. O sisters! It is hard to encounter the appearance into the world of the All-Buddha-Tathagata. It is also difficult to make the last offerings. Should the Buddha enter Nirvana, the world will become empty." All these heavenly females loved Mahayana and desired to hear it. Having heart it, they expounded it widely to [other] people. Much prizing Mahayana, they also satisfied those who were dying for it. They protected Mahayana very well. If there were any of other teachings who opposed or were jealous of Mahayana, they severely crushed them out, just as hail does grass. They were observant of the prohibitions and their deportment was perfect. They accorded well with the world, passed across those who had not yet gained the other shore, and turned the wheel of Dharma. They upheld the heritage of the Three Treasures so that it would not die out. They studied Mahayana and greatly adorned themselves. Perfect in all these virtues, they loved beings equally, just as one would love one's only son. They also, early in the morning when the sun had just risen, all took up incense of heavenly wood twice as great in number as those of the human world. The fragrance of all this incense blew away all bad human smells. Their wagons had white roofs and were pulled by four horses. Each wagon had curtains, and on each of the four corners were hung golden bells. Of diverse kind were the incense, flowers, the hanging-ensigns, banners, parasols, wonderful dishes, and mask dances. There were simhasanas [lion thrones], the four legs of which were of pure blue beryl. Behind the simhasanas were couches inlaid with the seven treasures. In front of each couch was an arm-rest of gold. The tree of light was of the seven treasures, and various gems served as lamps. Wonderful flowers were spread on the ground. And having made their offerings, all these devis were sad at heart. Tears welled up and great was their sorrow. In order to benefit beings and make them happy, they had accomplished the unsurpassed practice of the All-Void of Mahayana and they purposed to reveal the Tathagata's undisclosed teaching of expediency. And in order to prevent the various sermons from dying out, they came to where the Buddha was, touched his feet, walked around him 100 thousand times, and said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! Please accept our final offerings." The Tathagata, aware of the occasion, was silent and did not accept [their offerings]. All these devis, their wishes unanswered, were sad. They stepped back, took their seat on one side, and sat [there] silently .

At that time, there lived various naga kings in the four quarters, as many of them as sands of nine Ganges. They were Vasuki, Nanda, and Upananda, who headed up their number. All these naga kings too, early in the morning when the sun had just risen, took up their utensils of offerings, as numerous as those of man and heaven. Carrying these to where the Buddha was, they touched his feet, walked around him 100 thousand times, and said to him: "O Tathagata! Please accept our final offerings." The Tathagata, aware of the occasion, was silent and did not accept [their offerings]. All the naga kings, their wishes not met, were sad. They stepped back and sat to one side.

At that time, there were demon kings as numerous as the sands of ten Ganges. Vaisravana headed their number. They said to one another: "Let us all hasten to where the Buddha is!" Carrying with them various things of offering, twice as many as those of the naga kings, they went to where the Buddha was, touched his feet, walked around him 100 thousand times, and said to him: "O Tathagata! Please have pity and accept the last of our offerings!" The Tathagata, aware of the occasion, was silent and did not accept. Their wishes unfulfilled, they felt sad, stepped back, and sat on one side.

At that time, there were also garuda [mythical bird] kings, as numerous as the sands of 20 Ganges. King Victor-over-Resentment headed their number.
Also, there were gandharva [demigod musician] kings, who were as numerous as the sands of 30 Ganges. King Narada headed their number.
Also, there were kimnara [celestial singer and dancer] kings there, as numerous as the sands of 40 Ganges. King Sudarsana headed their number.
Also, there were mahoraga [snaked-headed beings] kings, who were as numerous as the sands of 50 Ganges. King Mahasudarsana headed their number.
Also, there were asura [contentious, titanic demon] kings, who were as numerous as the sands of 60 Ganges. King Campalu headed their number.
Also, there were danavat [abounding in gifts] kings, who were as numerous as the sands of 70 Ganges. King Water-of-the-Untainted-River and Bhadradatta headed up their number.
Also, there were rakshasa [carnivorous demon] kings, who were as numerous as the sands of 80 Ganges. King Fearful headed their number. Abandoning evil, he did not devour men; even amidst resentment, he showed compassion. His form was ugly to look at, and yet looked right and austere, due to the power of the Buddha.  Also, there were forest kings there, who were as numerous as the sands of 90 Ganges. King Music-and-Odour headed their number.
Also, there were dharani [magic spell]-possessing kings, who were as numerous as the sands of 1,000 Ganges. King Great-Vision-of-Dharani-Upholding headed their number.
Also, there were lustful pretas [ghosts] there, who were as numerous as the sands of 100 thousand Ganges. King Sudarsana headed their number.
Also, there were lustful devis, who were as numerous as the sands of 10 million Ganges. Heavenly-Blue-Wet, Sad-Wet-Corpse, Imperial-Way-Wet and Visakha headed up their number.
Also, there were the preta kings of the earth there, who were as numerous as the sands of a billion Ganges. King Whitely-Wet headed there number.
Also, there were princes, heavenly guardians, and the four guardian angels of the earth, as numerous as the sands of 10 million-billion Ganges.
Also, there were the vayus of the four quarters, as numerous as the sands of 10 million-billion Ganges. These called forth seasonal and unseasonal flowers upon the trees and strewed them between the twin sal trees.
Also, there were as many principal gods of cloud and rain present as the sands of 10 million-billion Ganges, who said to themselves: "When the Tathagata enters Nirvana, we shall call forth rain at the time of the cremation and extinguish the fire. Should there by anyone who feels hot and moans, we shall make the air cool."
Also, there were greatly fragrant elephant kings there, as numerous as the sands of 20 Ganges. They included Rahuhastin, Suvarnavarnahastin, Amrtahastin, Blue-Eye Elephant, Fragrance-desiring Elephant, who headed up their number. They respected and loved Mahayana. As the Buddha was about to enter Nirvana, each took up innumerable, boundless, beautiful lotus flowers and came to where the Buddha was, touched his feet with their heads, stepped back, and sat down to one side.
Also there were lion kings there, as numerous as the sands of 20 Ganges. King Lion's Roar headed their number. To all beings they gave fearlessness. Bearing various flowers and fruits, they came to where the Buddha was, touched his feet with their heads, stepped back, and sat on one side.
Also, there were the kings of flying birds there, as numerous as the sands of 20 Ganges. They included lapwings, wild geese, mandarin ducks, peacocks, and all such birds, and gandharvas, karandas, mynahs, parrots, kokilas, wagtails, kalavinkas, jivamjivakas, and all such birds, bearing flowers and fruit, came to where the Buddha was, touched his feet with their heads, stepped back, and sat to one side.
Also, there were buffaloes, cows, and sheep present, who were as numerous as the sands of 20 Ganges, who all came to the Buddha and gave forth wonderfully fragrant milk. All this milk filled the ditches and pits of Kusinagara Castle. The colour, fragrance and taste [of this milk] was all perfect. This done, they stepped back and sat down to one side.
Also, there were present rishis [sages] from the four lands, who were as numerous as the sands of 20 Ganges. Ksantirsi headed their number. Carrying flowers, incense and fruit, they came to where the Buddha was, touched his feet with their heads, walked around him three times, and said to him: "O World-Honoured One! Please have pity and accept our final offerings!" The Tathagata, aware of the occasion, was silent and did not accept [their offerings]. At this, their wish unanswered, all the rishis were sad. They stepped back and sat on one side.
There were [also] present all the kings of the bees of Jambudvipa [India]. Wonderful-Sound, the King of bees, headed their number. They brought in many flowers, came to where the Buddha was, touched his feet with their heads, walked around him once, stepped back, and sat down to one side.
At that time, the bhiksus [monks] and bhiksunis [nuns] of Jambudvipa were all gathered together, excepting the two venerable ones, Mahakasyapa and Ananda. Also, there were [stretches of] space in between the worlds as numerous as the sands of innumerable asamkhyas [infinitudes] of Ganges, as well as all the mountains of Jambudvipa, of which King Mount Sumeru headed their number. Grand were the adornments of the mountains. Old and luxuriant were the bushes and forests, and the branches and leaves were fully grown, so that they hid the sun. Various were the wonderful flowers which bloomed all around and were beautiful. The grand springs and streams were pure, fragrant, and transparent. Devas, nagas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kimnaras, mahoragas, rishis, charmers, actors, dancers and musicians filled the place. All these heavenly ones of the mountains and others came to where the Buddha was, touched his feet with their heads, stepped back, and sat on one side.
Also, there were present the gods of the four great seas and of the rivers, who were as numerous as the sands of asamkhyas of Ganges and who all had great virtues and heavenly feet. Their offerings were twice as many as those who had preceded them. The lights that emanated from the bodies of these gods and those of the mask dancers so eclipsed the light of the sun and the moon that they were hidden and could not be seen any more. Campaka flowers were strewn upon the waters of River Hiranyavati. They came to where the Buddha was, touched his feet with their heads, stepped back, and sat down on one side.

At this time, the forest of sal trees of Kusinagara changed colour and looked like white cranes. In the sky, a hall of seven treasures spontaneously appeared. Detailed decorations were engraved [upon it]. There were balustrades all round, with gems studded into them. Down [round?] the buildings were streams and the bathing places of ponds, where wonderful lotuses floated. It looked as if one were in Uttarakuru, in the pleasance of Trayastrimsa Heaven. That is how things were in the sal forest, the adornments all lovely and wonderful. The devas, asuras and others all witnessed the scene of the Tathagata's entering Nirvana, and were sunk in sorrow, sad and woebegone."

'     Then the four guardian angels of the earth and Sakrodevendra said to one another: "See! All devas, human beings, and asuras are making preparations and intend to make their final offerings to the Tathagata. We, too, shall do the same. If we can make our final offerings, it will not be hard to be perfect in danaparamita [perfected giving]." At that time, the offerings of the four guardian angels of the earth were twice as many as those that had preceded them. They carried in their hands all such flowers as mandara, mahamandara, kakiruka, makakakiruka, manjusaka, mahamanjusaka, santanika, makasantanika, loving, greatly-loving, samantabhadra, mahasamantabhadra, time, great time, fragrant castle, greatly-fragrant castle, joy, great joy, desire-calling, great desire-calling, fragrant-intoxicating, greatly-fragrant-intoxicating, all-fragrant, greatly-all-fragrant, heavenly-golden leaves, nagapuspa, paricitra, kovidara, and also, carrying wonderful dishes, they came to where the Buddha was and touched his feet with their heads. All the light of these devas outshone the light of the sun and moon, so that these could not be seen. With these utensils, they intended to make offerings to the Buddha. The Tathagata, aware of the occasion, was silent and did not accept [their offerings]. Their wishes not granted, the devas were sad and worried, and they stepped back, and sat to one side.

At that time, Sakrodevendra and the beings of Trayastrimsa Heaven carried up the vessels of their offerings, which were twice as many as those that had preceded them. The flowers which they carried were equally as many. Wonderful was the fragrance, very lovely to smell. They carried the victory hall, Vaijayanta [palace of Sakrodevendra], and many small halls and came to where the Buddha was, touched his feet with their heads, and said to him: "O World-Honoured One! We greatly love and protect Mahayana. O Tathagata! Please accept our dishes." The Tathagata, aware of the occasion, was silent and did not accept [their dishes]. Shakra [Indra, chief of the gods] and all the devas, their wishes not fulfilled, were sad. They stepped back and sat on one side.
The offerings of those up to the sixth heaven increased in size one after the other. There were bejewelled hanging-ensigns, banners, and parasols. Even the smallest of the bejewelled parasols covered the four lands; the smallest of the banners covered the four seas; even the shortest of the hanging-ensigns reached Mahesvara's heaven. Soft breezes blew and sweet sounds arose. Carrying up the sweetest of dishes, they came to where the Buddha was, touched his feet with their heads, and said to him: "O World-Honoured One! Pray, O Tathagata! have pity and accept our last offerings!" The Tathagata, aware of the occasion, was silent, and did not accept [their offerings]. Their wishes not answered, all the devas were sad. They stepped back, and sat to one side.     "

'All the devas up to the highest heaven were gathered there. At that time, Great Brahma and other devas put forth light which shone over the four lands. To the men and devas of the world of desire, the lights of the sun and moon were all hidden. They had bejewelled hanging-ensigns, banners and parasols of coloured silk. Even the smallest banner which hung on Brahma's palace came down to where the sal trees stood. They came to where the Buddha was, touched his feet with their heads, and said to him: "O World-Honoured One! Pray, O Tathagata! have pity and accept our last offerings." The Tathagata, aware of the occasion, was silent and did not accept [their offerings]. At this, the devas, their wishes unfulfilled, were sad. They stepped back and sat on one side.

At that time, Vemacitra, the king of asuras, was present with innumerable great relatives. The light that shone [here] was brighter than that of Brahma. He had bejewelled hanging-ensigns, banners, and parasols. Even the smallest banner covered a thousand worlds. Carrying the sweetest dishes, they came to where the Buddha was, touched his feet with their heads, and said to him: "Pray, O Tathagata! have pity and accept our last offerings!" The Tathagata, aware of the occasion, was silent and did not accept [their offerings]. Their wishes were not answered, so all the asuras were sad. They stepped back and sat on one side.

At that time, Marapapiyas [the Devil] of the world of desire with all his kindred demons and domestic females, and with his innumerable people, opened the gates of hell, sprinkled about pure water, and said: "You now have nothing to do. Only think of the Tathagata, the Alms-deserving, and the All-Enlightened One, take part in joy, and offer your last offerings. You now shall have a long night of peace." Then, Marapapiyas made away with all the big and small swords and the poison and pain of hell. He had rain fall and extinguish the burning fire. Through the Buddha's power, he gained this state of mind. He made all his kindred demons throw away their big and small swords, bows, crossbows, armour, arms, halberds, shields, long hooks, metal hammers, axes, war chariots, and lassoos. What offerings they had were twice as many as those of man and heaven. Even the smallest of the parasols covered the middle-thousand world. They came to where the Buddha was, touched his feet with their heads, and said to him: "We now love and protect Mahayana. O World-Honoured One! Men and women in the world may, for the purpose of making offerings, out of fear, for reasons of cheating others, for profit, and for following others, accept this Mahayana, whether all of it is true or not true. We shall, then, in order to make away with the fear of such ones, enunciate the following dharani [spell]: æ°"'Taki, tatarataki, rokarei, makarokarei, ara, shara, tara, shaka "'....æ± We chant this dharani, for the sake of those who have lost their courage, who may be entertaining fear, who preach for others, who pray that the Dharma shall not die out, who desire to crush out the tirthikas [deluded believers, non-Buddhists], for protecting one's own self, for protecting the Wonderful Dharma, and for protecting Mahayana. Armed with this dharani, one [need] have no fear of a mad elephant, or when crossing wildernesses, marshy lands, or any precipitous places; there can be no fear of water, fire, lions, tigers, wolves, robbers, or kings. O World-Honoured One! Armed with such a dharani, none will have fear. We shall protect the person who has such a dharani, and he will be like a tortoise who guards his six limbs inside his shell. O World-Honoured One! We do not say this just to flatter. In truth, we will make things such that one armed with such a dharani will augment his power. Only we pray, O Tathagata! have pity and accept our last offerings." Then, the Buddha said to Marapapiyas: "I do not accept your offerings; I already have your dharani. This is to make all beings and the four classes of people of the Sangha rest in peace." So saying, the Buddha fell into silence and did not accept Marapapiyas' offerings. Thrice Marapapiyas asked the Buddha to accept them, but the Buddha would not. At this, his wishes unanswered, Marapapiyas was sad, and stepped back, and sat on one side.

At that time, there was present Mahesvararaja with his innumerable kindred and other devas. They carried in their vessels of offerings, which were far more than those of Brahma and Indra, and those of the guardian angels of the earth, men and devas, the eight beings, and non-humans. The preparations which Sakrodevendra had made looked like black against white as when the white of horse-shoe shell is taken up for comparison, and all glory disappears. Even the smallest of the bejewelled parasols covered the 3,000 great-thousand worlds. Carrying such vessels of offerings, they came to where the Buddha was, touched his feet with their heads, walked around him innumerable times, and said to him: "O World-Honoured One! What paltry things we now have with us may [be] equal to offerings made us by mosquitoes and sawflies, to a man throwing a scoop of water into the great ocean, or to trying to assist with a small light that of 100 thousand suns, or trying, in spring and summer when there are so many flowers, with just a single flower to add to the glories of all the flowers, or to the splendour of Mount Sumeru with just a pickpocket seed. How could there be any augmenting of the great ocean, of the brightness of the sun, of all the flowers, and of Sumeru? O World-Honoured One! What little we carry in [to you] here may well be likened to this. We could indeed offer you incense, flowers, mask dances, banners, and parasols of the 3,000 great-thousand worlds, but these are still not worthy of mention. Why not? Because you always undergo pains in the unfortunate realms of hell, hungry pretas, and animals. Because of this, O World-Honoured One! Please have pity and likewise accept our offerings."

Now, in the east, there is a Buddha-land, as many lands far out as the sands of uncountable, innumerable asamkhyas of Ganges, one called Easy-in-Mind-and-Beautiful-in-Sound, and the Buddha [there] is called Equal-to-the-Void, the Tathagata, Alms-deserving, the All-Enlightened One, the All-accomplished One, the Well-gone, the All-knower, the Unsurpassed One, the Best Trainer, the Teacher-of-Heaven-and-Earth, and the Buddha-World-Honoured-One. At that time, the Buddha spoke to his foremost great disciple: "Go now to the land in the west, called "'saha"' ["Endurance" - i.e. our world of hardship!] There is a Buddha in that land called Tathagata Shakyamuni, who is the Alms-deserving, the All-Enlightened One, the All-accomplished One, the Well-gone, the All-knower, the Unsurpassed One, the Best Trainer, the Teacher-of-Heaven-and-Earth, and the Buddha-World-Honoured-One. He will enter Parinirvana before long. O good man! Carry to him the fragrant dishes of this world, the ones fragrant and beautiful, which give peace. Offer this to him. Having taken this, he will enter Parinirvana. O good man! Also, bow before the Buddha, put questions to him, and do away with whatever doubt you have." Then, the Bodhisattva-mahasattva of boundless body, at that, stood up from his seat, touched the Buddha's feet with his head, walked around the Buddha three times, took with him innumerable asamkhyas of Bodhisattvas, left that country and came to this land of Saha [endurance]. At this, the 3,000 great-thousand worlds shook in six ways, the hair of those congregated there - Brahma, Indra, the four guardian angels of the earth, Marapapiyas, and Mahesvara -  at this great shaking of the great earth stood up on end, and their throats and tongues dried up in fear. They were so frightened that they shook and wanted to flee in all directions. As they looked at their own bodies, their light was lost, and gone was all their divine appearance. Then, Dharmarajaputra Manjushri stood up and spoke to those congregated there: "Good people! Do not fear, do not be afraid! Why not? To the east, as many as the sands of innumerable, uncountable asamkhyas of Ganges away, there is a land called Easy-in-Mind-and-Beautiful-in-Sound. The Buddha's name in that land is Tathagata-Equal-to-the-Void, the Alms-deserving, the All-Enlightened One. He possesses the ten epithets of the Buddha. There is a Bodhisattva there, of boundless body. Accompanied by innumerable Bodhisattvas, he desires to come here and make offerings to the Tathagata. By the power of that Buddha, your body now does not shine out. So, gladden yourselves; do not fear!" Then, those congregated saw far off a great number of people from that Buddha whom they saw as though they were their own forms reflected in a mirror. Then, Manjushri said to those congregated there: "You now see the people of that Buddha just as you see the Buddha himself. By the Buddha's power, you can clearly see all the innumerable Buddhas of the nine other Buddha countries." At that, the people congregated there said to one another: "Oh, woe is the day, woe the day! The world is empty. The Tathagata will before long enter Parinirvana.""

'     Now, all the people saw the Bodhisattva of boundless body and his retinue. And they saw that from each pore of the skin of this Bodhisattva there sprung a great lotus, each containing 78 castle towns. Crosswise and lengthwise, each castle was Vaisali Castle. The castle walls and moats were studded with the seven treasures. There were bejewelled avenues of seven rows of tala trees. The people [there] were active, peaceful, rich, and it was comfortable to live in that land. Each castle was of Jambunadasuvarna. Each had in it the trees of the seven treasures. The growths were luxuriant, and rich were the flowers and fruits. Soft breezes blew, emitting sweet sounds, as of heavenly music. The people of the castle, hearing these sounds, felt great pleasure. The moats were filled with wonderful water. It was pure and fragrant and looked like true beryl. On the water, boats of the seven treasures could be seen. People were riding on these. They bathed and enjoyed themselves. Thus there was no end of pleasure. Also, there were lotuses of various colours, such as the utpala, kumuda, padma and pundarika. These looked like great wheels seen crosswise and lengthwise. Above the moats were many gardens. In each were five ponds, in which there were again such flowers as the utpala, kumuda, padma, and pundarika, which resembled great wheels, seen crosswise and lengthwise. They were fragrant and pleasing. The water was pure and soft to the touch. On this could be seen lapwings, wild geese, and mandarin ducks floating. Garden houses of gems were there, each of which was rightly square crosswise and lengthwise, filling an area seven yojanas square. All the walls were made of four treasures: gold, silver, beryl, and crystal. All around were windows, lattice-windows, and handrails of true gold. The ground was of turkistan dwarf and covered in golden sand. In this palace were many streams, springs, and bathing ponds of the seven treasures. Each side-wall had 18 ladder-steps of gold. The plantain was the Jambunadasuvarna and resembled the pleasance of Trayastrimsa Heaven. Each of these castles accommodated 80 thousand kings and each king had with him innumerable consorts and female attendants. All were amusing themselves and were pleased and happy. The same applied to the people who were amusing themselves where they lived. The people [there] heard no teachings other than unsurpassed Mahayana. On each flower was a simhasana, each leg made of beryl. On each seat was spread a white soft silken cloth. The cloth was wonderful, unsurpassed in all the three worlds. On each seat was sat a king, preaching Mahayana to his people. Some were holding books in their hands, reciting, and practising the Way. Thus Mahayana sutras became pupularised. The Bodhisattva of boundless body allowed innumerable people to walk thereabouts, pleased with themselves and abandoning worldly pleasures. All said: "Woe is the day, woe the day! The world is empty. The Tathagata will soon enter Parinirvana."

Then, the Bodhisattva of boundlesss body, followed by innumerable Bodhisattvas and with wonderful divine power, carried out innumerable and various containers of offerings filled with wonderfully fragrant sweet dishes. On encountering the fragrance of these meals, all the taints of illusion died out. Because of the Bodhisattva's divine power, the people saw all such transformations. The size of this Bodhisattva of boundless body was limitless and like space. Excepting the Buddha, none indeed could see the bodily size of this Bodhisattva. The offerings of this Bodhisattva of boundless body were double those that had preceded them and they came to where the Buddha was. They touched the Buddha's feet, folded their hands, paid him homage, and said: "O World-Honoured One! Please have pity and accept our offerings." The Tathagata, aware of the occasion, was silent and did not accept [their offerings]. Three times they asked, but he would not accept. So the Bodhisattva of boundless body and his retinue stepped back and sat on one side. The same was the case with the Bodhisattvas of boundless body of all the Buddha-lands to the south, west and north. They carried in offerings twice as many as those which had preceded them. They came to where the Buddha was, stepped back, and sat on one side. All proceeded in this manner.
Then, there did not remain a space left in the auspicious ground of weal between the sal trees and within 32 yojanas square which was not full of people. At that time, all the space around the persons of the Bodhisattva of boundless body and his retinue who were gathered there from the four quarters looked [merely] like the point-size of a mote, or awl or needle. All the great Bodhisattvas of all the innumerable Buddha lands of the ten directions were gathered together there. In addition, all the people of Jambudvipa were assembled there, except for the pair, Mahakasyapa and Ananda, and also Ajatasatru and his retinue, and the poisonous serpents that harm people, the dung-beetles, haly-vipers, scorpions, and the doers of evil of sixteen kinds. The danavats and asuras had all forsaken their evil designs and had become compassionate-minded. Like fathers, mothers, older and younger sisters, all the people of the 3,000 great-thousand worlds came together and spoke to one another with the same compassionate heart, except for the icchantikas [those most spiritually alienated from Dharma].

Then, by the power of the Buddha, the 3,000 worlds became soft to the touch. There were [no longer] any hills, sand, gravel, thistles or poisonous plants there, but all was [instead] adorned with various treasures as in the case of the Western Paradise of peace and happiness of Buddha Amitayus. At that time, all those congregated there saw the innumerable number of Buddha lands as though seeing their forms reflected in a mirror. The same was the case when they saw the lands of all the Buddhas.

The light that issued from the Tathagata's face was fivefold in colour, and it shone and covered all the great congregation, so that it blotted out the light that came out of the body. Having done this, it again turned back to the Buddha, back to him through his mouth. Then, the heavenly beings and all those congregated there, asuras and others, became greatly afraid, as they saw the Buddha's light entering him through his mouth. Their hair stood on end. And they said: "The light of the Tathagata, having appeared, goes back and enters [him again]. This is not without reason. This indicates that the Buddha has done what he intended to do in the ten directions and now will enter Nirvana as his last act. This must be what it mean to indicate to us. Woe is the world, woe the world! Why is it that the World-Honoured One so forsakes the four limitless minds and does not accept the offerings of man and heaven? The light of Wisdom is now going out eternally. The unsurpassed boat of Dharma is now sinking. Ah, the pain! Woe is the world!" They held up their hands, beat their breasts, and sorrowfully cried out and wept. Their limbs shook, and they did not know how to support themselves. Blood came from  their bodies and ran over the ground."
 

’Chapter Two: On Cunda’

‘     At that time there was present among the congregation an upasaka who was the son of an artisan of this fortress town of Kusinagara. Cunda was his name. He was there with his comrades, fifteen in number. In order that the world should generate good fruit, he abandoned all bodily adornments [to indicate his respect and modesty], stood up, bared his right shoulder, placed his right knee on the ground and, folding his hands, looked up at the Buddha. Sorrowfully and tearfully, he touched the Buddha's feet with his head [i.e. in sign of respect] and said: "O World-Honoured One and bhiksus! Please have pity and accept our last offerings and succour innumerable beings. O World-Honoured One! From now on, we have no master, no parents, no salvation, no protection, no place wherein to take refuge, and no place to go. we shall be poor and hunger-ridden. Following the Tathagata, we desire to gain food for the days to come. Please have pity and accept our petty offerings, and, then, enter Nirvana. O World-Honoured One! This is as in the case of a Kshatriya, Brahmin, Vaishya or Sudra, who, being poor, goes to a far-off country. He works at farming and indeed gains a trained cow. The land is good, flat and square. There is no poor, sandy soil, no harmful weeds, no barrenness and no defilements [there]. What is needful is awaiting the rain from heaven. We say æ°trained cowæ±. This may be likened to the seven actions of the body and mouth, and the good field flat and square to Wisdom. Doing away with the poor soil, harmful weeds, barrenness and defilements refers to Illusion, which we must do away with. O World-Honoured One! I now have with me the trained cow and good soil, and I have tilled the land and done away with all the weeds. I am now only awaiting the Tathagata's sweet rain of Dharma to visit me. The four castes of poverty are none but the carnal body that I possess. I am poor, as I do not possess the superb treasure of Dharma. Pray have pity and cut away our poverty and hardships and rid us innumerable beings of our sorrow and worries. What offerings I make are paltry. But what I may think is that they will satisfy the Tathagata and Sangha. I now have no master, no parents, and no refuge. Please have pity on us, as you have on Rahula [the Buddha's son]."

Then the World-Honoured One, the All-Knowledge [“’sarvajnana“’], the Unsurpassed Trainer, said to Cunda: "This is good, good indeed! I shall now cut off the roots of your poverty and let fall on your field of carnal life the unsurpassed rain of Dharma and call forth the bud of Dharma. You now desire to have from me life, body, power, peace, and unhindered speech. And I shall give to you undying life, body, power, peace, and unhindered speech. Why? O Cunda! In offerings of meals there are two fruits that know of no distinction. What are the two? Firstly, one attains “’anuttarasamyaksambodhi“’ [unsurpassed, complete Enlightenment] when one receives it [a meal-offering]; secondly, one enters Nirvana after receiving it. I will now receive your last offering and let you accomplish danaparamita [perfected giving]."

At that, Cunda said to the Buddha: "You say that there is no difference between the results of these two offerings. But this is not so.  Why not? Because in the former case of receiving dana [a charitable gift], illusion is not yet done away with [in the recipient] and he is not yet perfect in all-knowledge. And he cannot yet cause beings to enjoy danaparamita. As to the latter category of receiving dana, illusion has gone and he is accomplished in all-knowledge and can let all beings be blessed equally with danaparamita. The former man who receives offerings is still a common being, but the latter the heaven of heavens. One that receives dana in the former category is one with 1) a body supported by various kinds of food,  2) a body of illusion,  3) a body where there yet remains the result of illusion, and 4) a non-eternal body. A person who receives dana in the second category has 1) the body of no illusion,  2) the adamantine body,  3) the Dharma body  4) the eternal body,  and 5) the boundless body. How can one say that the results of the dana performed in the two categories are one and do not differ? The person who receives dana in the former category is one not yet accomplished in danaparamita [and other paramitas] up to prajnaparamita [perfected Wisdom]. He only has the fleshly eye, but not the Buddha-eye, nor the eye of Wisdom. The case of the person receiving dana in the latter category is that of one perfect in danaparamita up to prajnaparamita, and also in the fleshly eye up to the eye of Wisdom. How can we say that the results of the two danas are the same and that there is no difference? O World-honoured One! In the case of the former, one who receives dana takes meals which get into his abdomen and get digested, and he gains life, carnal body, power, ease, and unhindered speech. In the case of the latter, the person does not eat, digest, and there are no results of the five things. How can we say that the results of the two danas are one and the same and not different?"

The Buddha said: "O good man! The Tathagata, already, since innumerable, boundless asamkhyas of kalpas [aeons] ago, has had no body supported by food and illusion, and he has no body where there yet remains the result of illusion. He is the Eternal, the Dharma Body, and the Adamantine Body. O good man! One who has not yet seen “’Buddhata “’[Buddha-Nature, Buddha-Essence, Buddha-ness] is called the illusion-body, the body supported by various kinds of food, and the body where there yet remains the result of illusion. The Bodhisattva, as he partakes of the food [offered to him just before Enlightenment] enters the adamantine samadhi [deepest meditative state]. When that food is digested, he sees “’Buddhata“’ and attains unsurpassed Bodhi [Enlightenment]. That is why I say that the results of the two danas are equal and that they are not different. The Bodhisattva, at that time, crushes the four Maras [Illusion, skandhas, death, and the heavenly Mara]. Now, entering Nirvana, he crushes the four Maras. That is why I say that the results of the two danas are equal and that they are not different. The Bodhisattva, at that time, does not widely speak about the twelve types of Buddhist sutras [categorisation of the Buddhist scriptures into 12 types], but he is versed in these already. Now, upon entering Nirvana, he speaks expansively of them for beings' sake. That is why I say that the results of the two danas are equal and that they are not different. O good man! The body of the Tathagata has not partaken of food and drink for innumerable asamkhyas of kalpas past. But for all sravakas' ["listeners" to the Buddha's teachings] sake, I say that I took the milk-cooked porridge offered by Nanda and Nandabala, the two shepherd women, and that, thereafter, I attained unsurpassed Bodhi. But, in truth, I did not take it. Now, for the sake of the people congregated here, I shall accept your offerings. But, in truth, I do not partake of it."

Then, hearing that the Buddha-World-Honoured One, for the sake of the people congregated there, would take Cunda's last offerings, they were glad and overjoyed, and said in praise: "How wonderful, how wonderful! It is rare, O Cunda! You now have a name; your name is not for nothing. Cunda means æ°understanding wonderful significationsæ±! You have now established such great signification. You build up what is true, you accord with the signification, and gain your name. That is why you are Cunda. You, now, in this life, will gain great name, profit, virtue, and vows. It is rare, O Cunda, to be born as a man and attain the unsurpassed profit which is the most difficult to achieve. It is good, O Cunda! You are the udumbara [plant], which is said to put out flowers only on very rare occasions. It is very rare that the Buddha appears in the world. It is also hard to meet with the Buddha, gain faith, and hear [his] sermons. It is harder still to be able to make the final offerings to him at the time of his entering Nirvana and well attain all this. Well done, well done, O Cunda! You are now perfect in danaparamita. This is as on the 15th of the autumnal month, when the moon is pure and full, when there is not a speck of cloud in the heavens, and all beings look up and [utter] praise. The same is the case with you, whom we look up to and praise. The Buddha now takes your last offerings and makes you perfect in danaparamita. Oh, well done, O Cunda! We say that you are like the full moon, which all people look up to. Well done, O Cunda! Though a man, your mind is of the Buddha. O Cunda! You truly are like the Buddha's son, Rahula. There is no difference."
Then those congregated there said in a gatha [verses]:

"Though born a man, you now stand above the sixth heaven.
I and all others, therefore, praise you and pray.
The holiest of men now enters Nirvana. Pity us and, with speed,
Beseech the Buddha to stay a long time yet in life,
To benefit innumerable beings, to impart to them
The unsurpassed manna of Dharma that Wisdom praises.
If you do not beseech the Buddha, our life will not be perfect.
Because of this, fall to the ground,
Pay homage to the Best Trainer."

At this, Cunda was overjoyed! It was as in the case of a man whose parents have of a sudden passed away and who suddenly come back again. That is how Cunda felt. He stood up again, bowed before the Buddha, and said in a gatha:

"I am glad that I have gained my Way; it is good I have been born a man.
I have done away with greed and anger; I am parted forever
From the three unfortunate realms. I am glad that I have gained benefit,
And meet with the golden ball of treasure,
That I now meet with the Trainer
And that I do not fear, even if  I gain life in the animal realm.
The Buddha is an udumbara, so to speak, one hard to encounter,
And it is hard to gain faith. Having once encountered
And practised the Way, we do away
With the sorrows of the hungry pretas. Also,
He thoroughly crushes the asuras and others. We could sooner
Balance a mustard seed on the point of a needle than
Encounter the Buddha's appearance in the world.
The Buddha is not tainted by worldly ways.
He is like a water lily in water. I am thoroughly cut off
From all the roots of the relative world
And have crossed the waters of birth and death.
It is hard to be born as a man; harder still is it
To encounter the Buddha when he appears in the world.
It is as in the case of a blind turtle
who, in the midst of the ocean, may chance to hit the hole
In a piece of floating wood. I now offer food
And pray that I will attain the unsurpassed reward,
That I will destroy the bond of illusion,
And that it will be strong no more. I do not seek here
To gain a heavenly body. Even having gained that,
One's mind is not so sweet. The Tathagata accepts
This offering of mine. Nothing could ever please me more.
This is like the case of a bad-smelling weed
Which emits a sandalwood fragrance.
I am that weed. The Tathagata accepts my offerings.
This is like the fragrance that issues from the sandalwood.
That is why I am glad. I now in this life
Am blessed with the highest reward.
Shakra, Brahma and all the others come
And make offerings to me. All worlds are
Greatly worried as they now know
That the Buddha will enter Nirvana. They loudly say:
æ°Now there is no Trainer in the world;
Do not discard all beings; view them as one views
One's only son!æ± The Tathagata, in the midst of the priests,
Speaks of the superb Dharma. This may well be compared to Mt. Sumeru,
That sits unmolested amidst a great ocean. The Buddha-Wisdom
Thoroughly dispels the gloom of man. It is as when
The sun rises, all the clouds disperse
And light shines all over. The Tathagata
Thoroughly does away with all illusions. This is
Like the coolness that reigns
When clouds appear in the sky. All beings
Love you and wail. All are floundering
On the bitter waters of birth and death.
Because of this, pray, O World-Honoured One!
Stay long in life and increase the faith of all beings,
Cut off the suffering of birth and death!"

The Buddha said to Cunda: "It is thus, it is thus! All is as you say. It is rare that the Buddha appears in the world. It is as in the case of the udumbara. It is, again, hard to meet with the Buddha and gain faith. To be present at the moment of the Buddha's entering Nirvana, to offer him food and thus accomplish danaparamita is as difficult. O Cunda! Do not be sorry now. Be glad that you now give the final offerings to the Tathagata and accomplish well danaparamita. Do not ask the Buddha to remain long in life. You now should meditate on the world of all Buddhas. All is non-eternal. It is the same with all created things and their natures and characteristics." For the sake of Cunda, he said in a gatha:

"In all the world, whatever is born must die. Life looks long,
But by nature an end there must be.
Whatever flourishes always wanes; met, one must part.
The prime of manhood is not long;
Luxuriance meets with illness.
Life is swallowed by death; nothing exists eternally.
Kings are all unmolested; none can compete.
Yet all of them must perish; so is it with life.
Suffering knows no end; unendingly the wheel turns and turns.
None of the three worlds [of Desire, Form, and Formlessness]
is eternal; all that exists
Is not happy. What exists has a nature and characteristics.
And all is Void. What is destructible comes and goes;
Apprehensions and illnesses follow upon [one's] steps.
The fears of all the wrongs and evils done,
Age, illness, death and decline cause worry.
All these things do not exist forever.
And they easily break up. Resentment attacks one;
All are lined with illusion, as in the case of the silkworm
And the cocoon. None who has wisdom
Finds joy in a place like this. This carnal body is
Where suffering forgathers. All is impure,
Like unto strains, carbuncles, boils, and other such.
No reason is at bottom. The same applies
Even to the heavenly ones who sit above.
All desires do not last. So I do not cling.
One casts off desires, meditates well,
Attains the wonderful Dharma, and one who definitely
Cuts off æ°isæ± [samsaric existence] can today gain Nirvana.
I pass over to the other shore of æ°isæ±
And stand above all sorrows. Thus
I harvest this superb Bliss."

Then Cunda said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! It is so, it is so. All is as you, Holy One, say. What wisdom I possess is paltry and of low grade. I am like a mosquito or sawfly. How can I contemplate the deepest ground of the Tathagata's Nirvana? O World-Honoured One! I am now like any great naga or elephant of a Bodhisattva-mahsattva who has cut off the bond of illusion. I am like Dharmarajaputra Manjushri. O World-Honoured One! It is like one who enters the Order at a young age. Though upholding the precepts, that person is still just of the class of ordinary monks. I, too, am one such. Due to the power of the Buddha and the Bodhisattvas, I am now one of the number of such great Bodhisattvas. That is why I beseech the Tathagata to stay long in life and not enter Nirvana. This is similar to a hunger-stricken man who has nothing more to put out [?]. I only pray that the same will be the case with the World-Honoured One and that he will stay long in life and not enter Nirvana."

Then Dharmarajaputra Manjushri said to Cunda: "O Cunda! Now, do not speak in this way and beseech the Tathagata to stay long in life and not to enter Parinirvana, as in the case of one hungry who now has nothing more to put out. This cannot be. You should now see the nature and characteristics of all things. Seeing things thus, you will gain the All-Void samadhi. If you desire to attain Wonderful Dharma, act thus!"

Cunda asked: "O Manjushri! The Tathagata is the Holiest One and the highest of all heavens and earth. Could the Tathagata who is such be one who is made? If he is one made, he cannot be other than samsaric existence. Foam, for example, quickly rises up and swiftly dies away; the comings and goings [of all things] are like the turning of a wheel. All that is made is like this. I hear that the devas have the longest life. The World-Honoured One is the heaven of heavens. How could he have a life so short as not to reach 100 years? The headman of a village is unmolested [unlimited? unconstrained?] in power, through which he can suppress people. But when virtue deserts him, he becomes poor and mean. He is looked down upon and whipped and made to work for others. Why? Because his power is gone. The same is the case with the World-Honoured One. He is like all things made. If he is the same as all things, he cannot be the heaven of heavens. Why not? Because all things are existences that must suffer birth and death. Therefore, O Manjushri! Do not put the Tathagata on the same level as that of all things made. Also, next, O Manjushri! Do you know this [for a fact] and speak thus? Or is it that you do not know, and say that the Tathagata is on the same level as all things made? If the Tathagata is on the same level as all things made, we cannot call him the heaven of heavens or the unmolested [unlimited?] Dharma-King of the three worlds. For example, a king may be a man of great strength. His power is equal to that of a thousand persons and none can beat him. So this person is called one possessing the power of a thousand persons. The king loves such a one. So, courtly rank is given him, along with a fief. Fiefs and rewards flow towards him bountifully. This person is called one whose power is equal to that of a thousand persons. He is not quite equal to a thousand persons. But what he does is worth much. So we say that he is equal to a thousand persons. The same is the case with the Tathagata. He subdues the Mara of illusion, the Mara of the five skandhas, the Mara of heaven, and the Mara of death. That is why we call him the most honoured one of the three worlds. This is as in the case of a man whose power equals that of a thousand persons. Thus he is accomplished in various, innumerable true virtues. That is why we call him the Tathagata, the Alms-deserving and the All-Enlightened One. O Manjushri! You should not presume upon, imagine, speak about what pertains to the world of the Tathagata as being equal to that which is created. For example, a very rich man begets a son; and the augur predicts that this child will not live. The parents hear this and know that the child will not be able to inherit the family estate, and they look on this child as though it were grass. Now, a short-lived person is not made much of [respected] by sramanas [ascetics], Brahmins, males, females, or people big or small. If the Tathagata is placed on the same level as that which is created, he cannot be respected by all the world, man or heaven. What the Tathagata speaks about is that which does not change and is not different. It is the true Dharma. There is none who receives. Hence, O Manjushri! Do not say that the Tathagata is the same as any created thing.
"Also, next, O Manjushri! It is as in the case of a poor woman who has no house to live in and nobody to take care of her. Added to this, she is very ill and hungry. So she roams about, begs for food, stays in another's house, and gives birth to a child. The owner of the house drives her away. She holds this child and decides to go abroad. On the way, she meets with a bad storm and rain; cold presses down upon her. Mosquitoes, gadflies, bees and poisonous insects noisily attack her. She carries her child and means to cross the Ganges. The water moves quickly, but she holds the child and does not let go her grip on him. The mother and child both drown. This woman, because of her compassionate deed, is born after her death in Brahma's heaven. O Manjushri! Any good man who desires to guard Wonderful Dharma should not say: æ°The Tathagata is like all thingsæ± or æ°he is not soæ±. One should only reproach one's own self and think: æ°I am but ignorant; I do not have the eye of Wisdom.æ± The Tathagata's Wonderful Dharma cannot at all be conceived. Because of this, it is not fitting for us to say that the Tathagata is truly a thing definitely made, or a thing which is not made. What it is right to say is: æ°The Tathagata is definitely an Uncreate [that which was not made]. Because [of this] good arises for us beings and out of the compassionate heart. This is as in the case of the poor woman who, out of love for her child, sacrificed her own self. O good man! With the Bodhisattva who guards Dharma, it is thus. One might well sacrifice one's own self, but one cannot say that the Tathagata is equal to the created. One must say that the Tathagata is an Uncreate. By saying that the Tathagata is an Uncreate, one gains unsurpassed Enlightenment. This is as in the case of the woman born in Brahma's heaven. Why? Through protecting Dharma. What do we mean by protecting Dharma? That is, saying that the Tathagata is an Uncreate. O good man! Such a one does not seek emancipation, yet it comes of itself. It is as in the case of the poor woman who does not seek to be born in Brahma's heaven, and yet Brahma responds. It is like this. O Manjushri! A person may be going on a long journey. On the way, he becomes very tired and puts up at another person's house. While he is asleep, a great fire breaks out. At once he gets up and thinks: æ°I shall now surely die.æ± As he repents, he puts on his clothing. He dies and gets reborn in Trayastrimsa Heaven. Then, after 80 lives, he becomes Great Brahma. After 100 thousand lives, he gets reborn as a man and becomes a chakravartin [world's greatest monarch]. This person does not gain life in the three unfortunate realms. Life is repeated, and he is born in places where peace always reigns. This is how things go. Because of this, one possessing repentance should, O Manjushri, meditate on the Buddha, but not regard him as the same as that which is created. O Manjushri! The tirthikas and those of bent mind may say that the Tathagata is the same as the created. The bhiksu who upholds the precepts should not think that the Tathagata is a created existence. Should one say that the Tathagata is one created, this is nothing but a false statement. After death, such a person will fall into hell, as surely as one is in one's own house. O Manjushri! The Tathagata is truly an Uncreate. One must not say that he is a created being. You should henceforth in this life of birth and death abandon ignorance and take to right Wisdom. Know well that the Tathagata is an Uncreate. One who meditates well on the Tathagata will be perfect in the 32 signs of perfection and will attain unsurpassed Enlightenment."

Then Dharmarajaputra Manjushri praised Cunda and said: "Well spoken, well spoken, O good man! You have already done what will beget you an endless life. You well know that the Tathagata is one eternal and unchanging, and is an Uncreate. You now well shield the Tathagata's created-form existence. One who encounters fire covers his body with clothing because of repentance [?]. This good mind gains him birth in Trayastrimsa Heaven. He becomes Brahma and a chakravartin, and he does not get born into the unfortunate realms and thus will always enjoy peace. That is how things will go with you. As you well shield the created form of the Tathagata, you will in the days to come gain the 32 signs of perfection, the 80 minor marks of excellence, and the 18 characteristics peculiar solely to the Buddha. Your life will become endless, with no more bonds of samsara. There will always be an eternal flow of peace and happiness, and before long a day will come when you will awaken in the light of the Alms-deserving and the All-Enlightened One. O Cunda! The Tathagata himself will speak more expansively later on. And you and I shall shield the created body of the Tathagata. Set aside, for the present, questions of the created and the non-created.
"You should, as you see proper, quickly offer meals. To offer thus is the best of all offerings. The bhiksus, bhiksunis, upasakas and upasikas may have undergone a long journey; they may be extremely tired. Give the purest things as required. Thus speedily giving is the fundamental thing, to be perfect in danaparamita. O Cunda! Give the final offerings to the Buddha and Sangha, more or less, full or not full, quick as the occasion requires. The Tathagata will rightly be entering Parinirvana" Cunda said: "O Manjushri! Why is it that you so greedily care about the meal and make me give more or less, full or not full, in answer to the requirement of the occasion? O Manjushri! The Tathagata in the past practised penance for six years and supported himself. Why could he not now when it is just a matter of a moment? O Manjushri! Do you say that the Tathagata, the Right-Enlightened One, truly means to accept this meal? But I definitely know that the Tathagata is the Dharma-Body and that he is no carnal body that partakes of food."

Then the Buddha said to Manjushri: "It is thus, it is thus. It is as Cunda says. Well said, O Cunda! You have already attained the delicate point of great Wisdom and you now master the Mahayana sutras." Manjushri said to Cunda: "You say that the Tathagata is an Uncreate; the Tathagata's body is of long life. If this is said, the Tathagata will be pleased." Cunda answered: "The Tathagata is not pleased with me alone; he is also pleased with all beings." Manjushri said: "The Tathagata will be pleased with you and with all of us beings." Cunda answered: "Do not say that the Tathagata is pleased. Now, to get pleased is an inverted mind. An inverted mind is birth and death. Birth and death are of created existence. So, O Manjushri! Do not say that the Tathagata is a created existence. If you say that the Tathagata is a created existence, I and you commit an inversion [of truth]. O Manjushri! The Tathagata has no thought of love [attachment]. Now, love is like the case of a milking cow which, loving her own child, feels hunger and thirst, goes and seeks water-grass, and whether satisfied or not, suddenly turns back. The All-Buddha-World-Honoured One does not have such a mind. He sees all as equally as he sees Rahula. To think thus is what applies in the world of Wisdom of the All-Enlightened One. O Manjushri! For example, a carriage drawn by a donkey cannot stand comparison with one drawn by the four trained horses of a king. The case with me and you is also like this. It is impossible to fathom the minute and hidden depths of what is with the Tathagata, even if we try. O Manjushri! The garuda flies innumerable yojanas in the sky. He looks down on the great sea and sees such things of the water as fish, soft-shelled turtles, snapping turtles, crocodiles, tortoises, and nagas, and also his own shadow reflected in the water. He sees all these just as one sees all visible forms in a mirror. The petty wisdom of the common mortal cannot well weigh what comes to his eye. The same is the case with me and you too. We cannot weigh the Tathagata's Wisdom." Manjushri said to Cunda: "It is thus, it is thus. It is as you say. It is not that I do not see this. I only meant to test you regarding what belongs to the world of a Bodhisattva."

Then, the World-Honoured One shot forth from his moth a light of various colours. The light shone brightly on Manjushri's body. Shone upon by this light, Manjushri fathomed this out. Then he said to Cunda: "The Tathagata now shows this wonderful scene. He will enter Nirvana before long. The last offerings that you carried in some time ago will best be offered to the Buddha and then given to all those who are congregated here. O Cunda! Know that it is not without reason that the Tathagata lets shine this light of various colours." On hearing this, Cunda was silent and sad. The Buddha said to Cunda: "It is now time for you to give offerings to the Buddha and congregation. The Tathagata will rightly enter Parinirvana." He then said this a second and a third time. Then, at these words of the Buddha, Cunda cried and wailed, sorrowfully sobbed and said: "Woe is the day, woe is the day! The world is empty."

Also, he said to the great assembly: "Let us all cast down our whole body to the ground and beseech the Buddha not to enter Parinirvana." Then the Buddha said to Cunda: "Do not cry and unsettle your mind. Think that this body is like a plantain, a mirage in the hot season, watery foam, a phantom, a transformed body, the castle of a gandharva, an unfired brick, lightning, a picture drawn on water, a prisoner facing death, ripe fruit, a piece of meat, the warp on a loom which is about to end, and the ups and downs of a mortar. You should think that all created things are like poisonous food and that anything made is possessed of all worries."

At this, Cunda said again to the Buddha: "The Tathagata does not wish to stay long in life. How can we not weep? Woe is the world, woe is the world! The world is empty. I only pray that you Tathagata will pity all us beings. Please stay long and do not enter Nirvana." The Buddha said to Cunda: "Do not say such as æ°Love us and stay long in life.æ± As I pity you and all beings, I today enter Nirvana. Why? This is what is true of all Buddhas. This is so with what is created. That is why all Buddhas say in a gatha:
æ°The law of what is created
Is by nature non-eternal.
Life ended, we leave the world;
Extinction is bliss.æ±
O Cunda! Now, meditate upon all that is made, that is composite. Think that all things are not-Self and are non-eternal, and that nothing endures. This carnal body has innumerable wrongs. All is like watery foam. So, do not weep."

Then Cunda again said to the Buddha: "It is thus, it is thus! All is as you kindly teach me. The Tathagata enters Nirvana for expediency's sake. But I cannot help being sad. Be this as it may, I bethink me and feel glad." The Buddha praised Cunda and said: "Well said, well said! You well know that the Tathagata, following the way of all beings, enters Nirvana for expediency's sake. Hear me well! It is as in the case in which sarasa [eastern bean goose] birds all gather at Lake Anavatapta [Manasarwar?] in the spring months. The same is the case with all Buddhas. All gather here. O Cunda! Think not long or short regarding the life of all Buddhas. All things are like phantoms. The Tathagata lives in between. What he has is expediency; he does not cling. Why not? It is thus with the Dharma of all Buddhas. O Cunda! I now take what you offer. This is to allow you to cross the river of birth and death. Man or heaven who make offerings [to Buddha] for the last time, all gain an unshakable recompense and will be blessed with happiness. Why? Because I am the best field of weal for all beings. If you desire to become a field of weal for all beings, take whatever is given you. Do not tarry long."

Then Cunda, for the sake of the emancipation of all beings, hung his head and suppressed his tears, and said to the Buddha: "Very well, O World-Honoured One! When I am worthy of becoming a field of weal, I shall be able to fathom the Nirvana or non-Nirvana of the Tathagata. Now we and all sravakas and pratyekabuddhas are like mosquitoes or sawflies, and cannot well weigh the Nirvana or non-Nirvana of the Tathagata."

Then Cunda and his relatives all wept sorrowfully and walked around the body of the Tathagata, burnt incense, strew flowers, and most sincerely paid homage to the Buddha, and then stood up together with Manjushri, and brought forward the utensils of offerings.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

“
 
 
 
 

?’Chapter Three: On Grief“’

‘     Not long after Cunda had left that place, the great earth shook in six ways. Thus went things in Brahma's heaven.

Of shaking, there are two kinds: one is a shaking and the other a great shaking. The little shaking is a [mere] shaking and the one that shakes greatly is a great shaking. The one that generates a small sound is a shaking, and the one that generates a great sound is a great shaking. The shaking where only the earth shakes is a shaking, and that where the mountains, forests, rivers, seas and everything else shakes is a great shaking. That which shakes in one direction is a shaking, and that which shakes round and round is a great shaking. The type that moves is a shaking, and the type where beings' minds get shaken is a great shaking. The shaking which occurs when the Bodhisattva comes down from Tushita Heaven to Jambudvipa is a great shaking. The shakings when the Bodhisattva takes birth on this earth, when he leaves home, attains unsurpassed Enlightenment, turns the wheel of Dharma, and enters Parinirvana are great shakings. Today the Tathagata was about to enter Nirvana. That is why the earth shook.

Then, all the heavens, nagas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kimnaras, mahoragas, humans, and non-humans heard this and their hair stood on end and, in one voice, they cried out and wailed. They said in a gatha:
"O Trainer of men! We now bow and beseech you!
We are parting from the Rishi of men. We have no hope
Of being saved. We now see you the Buddha
Enter Nirvana and we are in the sea of suffering.
We are sad and worried, like a calf parting
From its mother cow. Poverty-stricken
And with none to save us are we. We are like one
Stricken with illness who, having no doctor, must
Attend to himself and partake of food
Not suitable for illness. Beings are caught in Illusion.
They are always hindered by views of life.
They are parted from the healing Dharma-King
And they take drugs that are poisonous.
Because of this, the World-Honoured One
Abandons us. This is as when, without a king,
The people in the land get attacked by hunger.
The same is the case with us. We have no shade
Of any tree, no taste of Dharma. Now, hearing
That the Buddha will enter Nirvana, our mind snaps,
Just as a great shaking destroys all places.
The great Rishi enters Nirvana and the sun
Of the Buddha sinks down to the ground.
The waters of Dharma are all dried up. It is certain
That we will die. Beings are extremely worried
As the Tathagata now enters Parinirvana. This is
Like the son of a rich man who has just lost
His parents. The Tathagata enters Nirvana,
And if he is nevermore to return, we and all beings
Shall have no one to protect us. As the Tathagata
Enters Nirvana, the animals and all others are sad and in fear;
Their minds burn in worry. How should we not
Be worried today? The Tathagata abandons us
Just as we cast off tears and spittle. For example,
When the sun first shows itself, its light
Burns brightly. It turns round and shines
By itself, removing all darkness.
The divine light of the Tathagata well does away
With our worries. He is amidst us beings
Like a Mount Sumeru.

"O World-Honoured One! For example, a king brings up many sons. They look right and proper, and he always loves them in his heart. He first teaches them arts, which they all master. Then he gives them over to the hands of candalas. The same is the case here, O World-honoured One! Today we have become the sons of the Dharma-King. We are taught and we abide in right view. We beseech you not to abandon us. If discarded, we shall be like the sons of the king. Please stay long and do not enter Nirvana. O World-Honoured One! For example, the same is the case with one versed in all phases of learning. The same with the Tathagata. Learned in all phases of Dharma, fear yet arises in all phenomena. If the Tathagata lives long in the world, bestowing on us the manna of Dharma and satisfying us, all of us will have no fear of falling into hell.
"O World-Honoured One! There may be a man who first learns his work. He is taken by government officials and is imprisoned. People come and ask him: æ°How are you being treated?æ± æ°Now, I am in great sorrow and worried. If I were only out of prison, I should feel easy and be at peace.æ± So it is. Is is thus with the World-Honoured One! For our sake, you underwent penance. And yet we are not out of birth and death and worry. How could the Tathagata attain peace?
"O World-Honoured One! It is like a great doctor who is versed in prescription and medicine. He teaches his son the secrets of medicinal preparation, but does not teach such to other students. It is thus with the Tathagata. You impart all these secrets to Manjushri alone and exclude us, without looking back. Please, O Tathagata! Do not be stingy; do not exclude us from the secrets of Dharma, as in the case of the great doctor who imparts [his knowledge] solely to his son and excludes other students. The reason why the doctor begrudges sharing his knowledge with the other students lies in the difference in his love. The heart of the Tathagata is always impartial. Why is it that you do not teach us? Please stay long and do not enter Parinirvana.
"O World-Honoured One! It is like one who is old or young, ill or in pain, and is not on a flat road, but is taking a steep path and may suffer hardship. A person sees this, has pity and points out the way that is flat and good. The same with us, O World-Honoured One! æ°Youngæ± alludes to one not yet high in the stature of the Dharma-Body. æ°Oldæ± alludes to one greatly burdened with illusion. æ°Illness and painæ± refers to one who has not yet done away with birth and death. æ°Steep pathæ± alludes to the 25 existences [the types of existence into which we can transmigrate]. O Tathagata! Show us the sweet right path. Please stay long and do not enter Nirvana."

Then, the World-Honoured One said to all the bhiksus: "O you bhiksus! Do not, like all common mortals and devas, be sad; do not wail! Make effort, be mindful, and abide in right thought." Then, all the devas and asuras, having heard what the Buddha said, stopped wailing, like one who has lost a son and, after the funeral service, suppresses his sorrow and wails no more.

Then the World-Honoured One spoke in a gatha for all the congregation:
"All of you! Open your mind, do not greatly distress yourselves.
The teachings of all Buddhas are thus.
So, keep silence. Try not to be indolent, guard
Your mind, abide in right thought,
Segregate your own selves from unlawful acts;
Console yourselves and be happy.

"Also, next, O bhiksus! If you have any doubts, ask now. If you have doubt as to Void versus non-Void, Eternal versus non-Eternal, Suffering versus non-Suffering, dependent versus non-dependent, gone versus not-gone, refuge versus non-refuge, always versus not-always, impermanence versus the Eternal, beings versus non-beings, æ°isæ± versus æ°not-isæ±, the Real versus the not-Real, the True versus the not-True, extinction versus non-extinction, esoteric versus non-esoteric, and the dual versus the non-dual, I shall speak to you accordingly. For your sake, too, I shall first speak of the manna and then enter Nirvana.
"O bhiksus! It is hard to encounter the appearance of the Buddha in the world. It is hard to be born human. It is hard, too, to encounter the Buddha and gain faith. It is also hard to hear the unhearable. It is hard again to uphold and be perfect in the prohibitive injunctions and to attain arhatship. This is like trying to find gold in sand. It is as in the case of the udumbara. O Bhiksus! It is hard to be born a human, by segregating one's self from the eight inopportune situations [vices that bar the way to meeting the Buddha and hearing his teachings].
"O you! Having now met me, do not go away empty-handed. I underwent hardships in the past, and now I gain all such unsurpassed expedients. For your sake, innumerable kalpas ago, I cast away my body, hands, feet, head, eyes, marrow, and brain. In view of this, do not subject your selves to indolence. O Bhiksus! How do we adorn the treasure-castle of Wonderful Dharma? By adorning our own selves with various virtues and rare gems, and being protected by the bulwarks and moats of the precepts [“’shila“’], meditation [“’dhyana“’] and Wisdom [“’prajna“’]. Now, you have met with this castle of Buddhist teaching. Do not take what is false. For example, a merchant may come across a castle of true treasures, yet gather up such rubbish as tiles and gravel, and return home. The same with you. You have come to a castle of treasures, and yet you take what is false. O all you Bhiksus! Do not be satisfied with a low mind. You are now ordained, but you do not love Mahayana that much. O you Bhiksus! You wear on your bodies the kasaya and dyed robes of a priest, but your mind is still not dyed in the pure Dharma of Mahayana. O you Bhiksus! You go to many places and beg alms, but you do not seek the dishes of the Dharma of Mahayana. O Bhiksus! You shave your hair, but you do not shave off the bond of illusion. O you Bhiksus! I now teach you truly. Now I see that all is in harmony and the Dharma nature of the Tathagata is true and unshakable. So, make effort, all of you! Pick yourselves up, be brave and make away with all the bonds of illusion! If the sun of Wisdom of the 10 powers [of Buddhahood] sinks, darkness will reign over you. O you Bhiksus! It is as when the great earth, mountains, and medicinal herbs all become of use to beings. The same is the case with the Dharma of which I speak. It calls forth wonderfully good and sweet dishes of Dharma and provides the best cure for beings' illnesses of illusion. I shall now make all beings my disciples and the four classes of the Buddhist Sangha abide in the undisclosed teaching of Dharma. I, too, abide in this and enter Nirvana. What is the undisclosed storehouse? It is like the three dots [in Sanskrit] of the letter æ°iæ±. If they are in a crosswise line, they make no æ°iæ±. Placed vertically, they again serve no purpose. But when set like the three dots on the brow of Mahesvara, this is æ°iæ±. If the three dots are written separately, this again serves no purpose. So is it also with me. The Dharma of emancipation is also [by itself] not Nirvana. The Tathagata's body is also not Nirvana. Great Wisdom is also not Nirvana. The three things may exist separately, but this does not constitute Nirvana. I now peacefully abide in the three and say that, for the sake of all beings, I enter Nirvana. This is as in the case of the letter æ°iæ±."

Then all the bhiksus, on hearing that the Buddha-World-Honoured One would definitely enter Nirvana, were sad. Their hair stood on end and their tears and noses ran. They fell to the ground, touched the Buddha's feet, walked around his person innumerable times, and said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! You explain very well to us the Eternal, Suffering, the All-Void, and non-Self. Just as all beings leave behind footprints and the best of all footprints are those of the elephant, so with this thought of the non-Eternal: it heads all thoughts. One who makes effort and practises well, does away with all love of greed, of the worlds of rupadhatu and arupadhatu, ignorance, arrogance, and the thought of the non-Eternal in this world of desire. O World-Honoured One! If the Tathagata is away from the thought of the non-Eternal, he should not enter Nirvana now. If not, how can you say: æ°If one practises the meditation upon the non-Eternal, one cuts off from oneself love [craving], ignorance, arrogance, and the non-Eternal of the three worldsæ±? O World-Honoured One! As a farmer, in autumn, deeply tills the land and thus removes all harmful weeds, so it is the same with this thought of the non-Eternal. It thoroughly rids one of the love of greed, the love of the things of the rupadhatu, arupadhatu, ignorance, arrogance, and the thought of the non-Eternal in the world of desire. O World-Honoured One! Of all tillings of the field, that done in autumn is the best. Of all footprints, that of the elephant is best. And of all thoughts, that of the non-eternal is the best. O World-Honoured One! Analogously, when an emperor is to pass away, amnesty is granted to all prisoners. Then he passes away. The same now with the Tathagata. Please cut off the illusions of the bond of ignorance and non-brightness of all beings, give them emancipation, and then enter Nirvana. We are not yet emancipated. Now, does the Tathagata desert us and enter Nirvana? O World-Honoured One! One may be caught by a demon. But as one comes across a good charmer, by dint of incantation, one can well gain one's release. The same is the case with the Tathagata. For the sake of all sravakas, he expels the devil of ignorance, and lets them abide peacefully, as in the case of the letter æ°iæ±, in such Laws as the great Wisdom, emancipation, and others. O World-Honoured One! For example, people may bind up a gandhahastin, but even a good trainer cannot get him under control. All of a sudden, it snaps off the rope and chain and walks away as it wills. The same is the case here. We are not yet rid of the 57 illusions. Why does the World-Honoured One desire to abandon us and enter Nirvana? O World-Honoured One! A person suffering from ague obtains a cure for his ailments by encountering a good doctor. The same with us. There are all ailments and sorrows, ill ways of living, fevers, etc. [here]. We have met with the Tathagata, but the illnesses have not gone, and we have not obtained supernal peace and bliss. How can the Tathagata desire to abandon us and enter Nirvana? An intoxicated person does not himself know who is near or not, mother or sister, and is lost in rudeness and lust, and lacks the faculty of speech, and sleeps in defiled places. There happens to be a good doctor [nearby], who gives him medicine. After taking it, he vomits and regains his health; consciousness [conscience?] asserts itself and repentance catches him. He reproaches himself very much and regards drink as the root of all vile acts. If he could cut himself free from drinking, his ill acts would cease. The same here. O World-Honoured One! For long, we have been repeating birth and death. We were lost in sensual pleasures and greedily took up the five desires. One who is not mother is taken as mother, not sister as sister, not female as female, and not beings as beings. Because of this, transmigration proceeds and one suffers from birth and death. This is like one intoxicated lying in defilement. O Tathagata! Please give us the medicine of Dharma, and let us vomit up the vile drinks of illusion. We are not yet awakened. Why, O Tathagata, do you mean to abandon us and enter Nirvana?
"O World-Honoured One! There may be a man, for example, who may praise the plantain tree and say that it has hardstuff. But this is not so. The same with beings, O World-Honoured One! We may praise and say that people, beings, life, nursing-up, intellect, doer and recipient are all true. But this cannot be. Thus, we practise non-Self. O World-Honoured One! It is as in the case of water in which rice has been washed or the case of dregs, which are of no use any more. The same with the body too. It has no Self or master. For example, O World-Honoured One! [The plant] saptaparna [alstonia scholaris] has no fragrance. It is thus with this carnal body. It has no Self and no master. Thus we meditate on selflessness. You, the Buddha, say: æ°All things have no Self and nothing belonging to Self. O you Bhiksus! Learn and practise [this]!æ± Once this is practised, self-conceit goes away. Self-conceit gone, one enters Nirvana. O World-Honoured One! No tracks of birds exist in the sky. Such can never be. One practising selflessness meditation can have no various views of life. Nothing such as this is possible."

Then, the World-Honoured One praised all the bhiksus and said: "It is good, it is good, that you practise the selflessness meditation." Then all bhiksus said to the Buddhha: "We not only practise the selflessness meditation, but even other meditations, to wit, all those on Suffering, the non-Eternal, and Selflessness. O World-Honoured One! When intoxicated, the mind spins round, and all mountains, rivers, castles, palaces, the sun, moon and stars appear to spin round too. O World-Honoured One! Any person who does not practise the meditation of the non-Eternal and Selflessness cannot be called a sage. Due to indolence, one repeats birth and death. O World-Honoured One! Because of this, we all practise such meditations."

Then the Buddha said to all the bhiksus: "Hear me well, hear me well! Now, you mention the case of an intoxicated person. This refers to knowledge, but not the signification. What do I mean by signification? The intoxicated person sees the sun and moon, which do not move, but he thinks they do. The same is the case with beings. As all illusion and ignorance overhang [the mind], the mind turns upside down and takes Self for non-Self, Eternal for non-Eternal, Purity as non-Pure, and Bliss as sorrow. Overhung by illusion, this thought arises. Though this though arises, the meaning is not gained [realised]. This is as in the case of the intoxicated person who takes what does not move as moving. ’The Self' signifies the Buddha; 'the Eternal' signifies the Dharmakaya; 'Bliss' signifies Nirvana, and 'the Pure' signifies Dharma. Bhiksus, why is it said that one who has the idea of a Self is arrogant and haughty, traversing round Samsara? Bhiksus, although you might say, 'We also cultivate impermanence, suffering, and non-Self', these three kinds of cultivation have no real value/ meaning. I shall now explain the excellent three ways of cultivating Dharma. To think of suffering as Bliss and to think of Bliss as suffering, is perverse Dharma; to think of the impermanent as the Eternal and to think of the Eternal as impermanent is perverse Dharma; to think of the non-Self [anatman]as the Self [atman] and to think of the Self [atman] as non-Self [anatman] is perverse Dharma; to think of the impure as the Pure and to think of the Pure as impure is perverse Dharma. Whoever has these four kinds of perversion, that person does not know the correct cultivation of dharmas. Bhiksus, you give rise to the idea of Bliss with regard to phenomena associated with suffering; the idea of Eternity with regard to phenomena associated with impermanence; the idea of the Self with regard to phenomena without Self; and the idea of Purity with regard to phenomena that are impure. Both the mundane and also the supramundane have the Eternal, Bliss, the Self, and Purity. Mundane teachings [dharmas]have letters and are without meaning [ = referents]; the Supramundane [teachings] have letters and meaning. Why? Because mundane people have these four perversions, they are unacquainted with the [true] meaning/ referents. Why? Having these perverse ideas, their minds and vision are distorted. Through these three perversions, mundane people see suffering in Bliss, impermanence in the Eternal, non-Self in the Self, and impurity in the Pure. These are called perversions/ inversions. Because of these perversions/ inversions, mundane people know the letters but not the meaning [referents]. What is the meaning/ referent? Non-Self is Samsara, the Self is the Tathagata; impermanence is the sravakas and pratyekabuddhas, the Eternal is the Tathagata's Dharmakaya; suffering is all tirthikas, Bliss is Nirvana; the impure is all compounded [samskrta] dharmas , the Pure is the true Dharma that the Buddha and Bodhisattvas have. This is called non-perversion/ non-inversion. By not being inverted [in one's views], one will know [both] the letter and the meaning. If one desires to be freed from the four perverse/ inverted [views - catur-viparita-drsti], one should know the Eternal, Blissful, the Self and the Pure in this manner."

Then, all the bhiksus said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! As you say, if we segregate ourselves from the four inversions, we shall know the Eternal, Bliss, Self, and the Pure. As you have eternally cut off the four inversions, you know well the Eternal, Bliss, Self, and the Pure. If you know well the Eternal, Bliss, Self, and the Pure, why not stay here a kalpa or half a kalpa, and teach us and turn us away from the inversions? And yet you abandon us and desire to enter Nirvana. If you look back at us and teach us, we shall surely listen and practise the Way with all attention. If the Tathagata must at all costs enter Nirvana, how would we be able to remain with this poisoned body and carry out the actions of the Way? We would also follow the Buddha-World-Honoured One and enter Nirvana."

Then the Buddha said to all the bhiksus: "Do not say this. I now leave all the unsurpassed Dharma in the hands of Mahakasyapa. This Kasyapa will henceforth be the one upon whom you may rely. This is as in the case where the Tathagata becomes the one to whom all beings can turn. The same is the case with Mahakasyapa. He will now become your refuge. This is as in the case of a king who has many territories and who goes on a tour of inspection, leaving all affairs of state in the hands of his minister. The same with the Tathagata. All right teachings are left in the hands of Mahakasyapa. Know that all that you have learned up to now about the non-eternal and suffering is not true. In spring, for example, people go bathing in a big pond. They are enjoying themselves, sailing in a boat, when they drop a gem of beryl into the depths of the water, after which it can no longer be seen. Then they all get into the water and search for this gem. They competitively scoop up all such rubbish as tiles, stones, bits of wood, and gravel, and say that they have the beryl. They are glad and take the things out, and see that what they hold in their hands is not true. The gem is still in the water. By the power of the gem itself, the water becomes clear and transparent. As a result, the people see that the gem is still in the water, as clearly as when they look up and see the form of the moon in the sky. At that time, there is a wise man there who, working out a power, slowly gets into the water and gains the gem. O you Bhiksus! Do not abide in the thought of the non-Eternal, Suffering, non-Self, and the not-Pure and be in the situation of those people who take stones, bits of wood, and gravel to be the true gem. You must study well the Way, how to act, wherever you go, and “’meditate on the Self, the Eternal, Bliss, and the Pure“’ [emphasis added]. Know that the outer forms of the four items which you have learnt up to now are inversions and that anyone who desires to practise the Way should act like the wise man who deftly gets hold of the gem. This refers to the so-called thought of Self, and that of the Eternal, Bliss, and Pure."“

’Then all the bhiksus said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! You, the Buddha, said before that all things have no Self, that we should practise this and that, when practised, the thought of Self goes away, and that once the thought of Self is done away with, one does away with arrogance and that, arrogance once done away with, one gains Nirvana. Thus did you say. How might we understand this?"

The Buddha said to all the bhiksus: "Well said, well said! You ask this question and intend to dispel your doubt. Imagine: there is a king, who is dull-witted. He has little wisdom. And there is a doctor, who is obstinate. But the King does not know this and pays him a salary. This doctor uses the products of milk to cure all illnesses. Also, he does not know where the illnesses come from. He may be versed in the medicine of milk, but for him there exists no difference between a cold and a fever. He prescribes milk for all illnesses. This King was unaware that this doctor was ignorant of the pleasing and non-pleasing, the good and bad aspects of milk. But there was a Doctor who knew eight different treatments for illnesses and who was able to cure all diseases. This Doctor was versed in prescription and medicines and had come from a far-off place. And the King's doctor did not know how to ask and learn. He was rash and haughty. So the learned Doctor cordially invited the King's doctor and looked up to him [as an expedient] as his master and asked of him the secret of treatment. He said to the King's doctor: æ°I now invite you and make you my teacher. Please be good enough to teach me.æ± The King's doctor said: æ°If you serve me for 48 years, I will teach you the art of medicine.æ± Then, at these words, the learned Doctor said: æ°I shall do as you tell me. I shall do my best and run errands.æ± Then the King's doctor, taking the learned Doctor along with him, went to see the King. At this, the visiting Doctor explained to the King the various ways of treatment and even other things. He said: æ°Please know, O great King! Know well! This Dharma is like this and you will well cure illnesses.æ± On hearing this, the King recognised the ignorance and lack of knowledge of his own doctor. He at once drove him out of the country. And he respected the new Doctor all the more. Then the new Doctor said to himself: æ°It is now time to teach the King.æ± He said to the King: æ°O great King! If you truly love me, please make me a promise!æ± The King replied: æ°I shall give you, should you desire it, even my right hand or any part of my body.æ± The new Doctor said: æ°You may give me all statuses, but I myself do not wish to have much. What I desire you to do for me is to proclaim to the people of every corner of your land that henceforth they are not to use the milk medicine, which the former doctor told them to use. Why not? Because much harm and poisonous results arise [from it]. Any person who still takes this medicine should be beheaded. If the milk medicine is not used, there will be no untimely deaths; all will go in peace. That is why I ask this of you.æ± Then the King said: æ°What you ask me to do is a trifle. I shall at once issue an order and see to it that anyone who is ill does no take milk as a medicine. Any person who does will be beheaded.æ± At this, the learned Doctor made several kinds of medicine, which tasted pungent, butter, salty, sweet, and sour. With these, treatment was given, and there was no case in which illness could not be cured.
"After some time, the King himself became ill, and the Doctor was called in. The King said: æ°I am now ill. How am I to be cured?æ± The Doctor thought about the illness of the King and saw that the milk medicine was good [here]. So he said to the King: æ°What you are now suffering from can very well be cured by milk. What I said before about the milk medicine was not true. If you take it now, you will be cured. You are now suffering from a fever. It is right that you should take milk.æ± Then the King said to the Doctor: æ°Are you mad? Is it a fever? And you say that if I take milk, it will cure me? Before, you said it was poison. Now you tell me to take it. How is this? Do you mean to cheat me? What the former doctor said was good, [yet] you despised it and said that it was poison, and you made me drive him away. Now you say that it well cures illness. From you you say, the former doctor ought to excel you.æ±
"Then the learned Doctor said to the King: æ°O King! Do not say this, please. A worm eats on [a piece of] wood and [the shape of] a letter comes out. This worm does not know anything of letters. A wise person sees this. But he does not say that this worm understands letters. And he is not overcome by surprise. O great King! Please know: so was it also with the former doctor. To all illnesses he gave medicine made from milk. This is as in the case of the worm that eats on wood, as a result of which a form like a letter emerges. The former doctor did not know how to distinguish between the pleasing and non-pleasing aspects, the good and the bad.æ± Then the King wanted to know: æ°What do you mean he did not know?æ± The guest Doctor answered the King: æ°This milk medicine is harmful, but it is also a manna.æ±  æ°How can you say that this milk is manna?æ±  æ°If you milking cow has not taken the lees, the slippery grass and the wheat refuse, and if the calf fares well, and if the cow was not grazed too high up on the land or in a low and wet place, if the cow is given pure water and not made to run or made to live among the bulls, and if feeding is done regularly, and if the place it lives in is fit, the milk gained from such a cow well does away with all illnesses. This can well be called the manna of medicine. Any other milk is poison.æ±
"On hearing this, the King praised the great Doctor: æ°Well said, well said, O great Doctor! Today, for the first time in my life, I know of the pleasing and non-pleasing, that which is good and not good in the milk medicine. Taking this, I am now well. I shall at once proclaim to the people that they may well take the milk medicine.æ± On hearing this, the people of the country, angry and resentful, said: æ°The great King is now caught by a devil. Is he mad? He cheats us and makes us take milk.æ± All the people, angry and resentful, came to the King. The King said to them: æ°Be not angry, and have no resentment. To take milk or not to take it all comes from the science of medicine. I am not to blame.æ± At this, the great King and the people all jumped for joy. They all the more respected and honoured the Doctor, and made offerings to him. That is
’how all the people took the milk medicine and regained their health.
"Know, O you Bhiksus! The same is the case with the Tathagata, the Alms-deserving, the All-Enlightened-One, the Unsurpassed Best Trainer, the Teacher-of-Heaven-and-Earth, the Buddha-World-Honoured One. He comes as a great Doctor and subdues all tirthikas and bad doctors. In the presence of kings and all people, he says: æ°I shall become the King of doctors and subdue tirthikas.æ± Thus we say: æ°There is no self, no man, no being, no life, no nurturing, no knowing, none that does, and none that receives.æ± O Bhiksus! Know that what the tirthikas say is like the case of a worm that eats upon [a piece of] wood, from which, by chance, there appears what looks like a letter. Because of this, the Tathagata teaches and says no-self. This is to adjust beings and because he is aware of the occasion. Such non-self is, as occasion arises, spoken of, and it is [also] said that there is the Self. This is as in the case of the learned Doctor, who knows well the medicinal and non-medicinal qualities of milk. It is not as with common mortals, who might measure the size of their own self. Common mortals and the ignorant may measure the size of their own self and say, 'It is like the size of a thumb, like a mustard seed, or like the size of a mote.' When the Tathagata speaks of Self, in no case are things thus. That is why he says: 'All things have no Self.'

“Even though he has said that all phenomena [dharmas] are devoid of the Self, it is not that they are completely/ truly devoid of the Self. What is this Self? Any phenomenon [dharma] that is true [satya], real [tattva], eternal [nitya], sovereign/ autonomous/ self-governing [aisvarya], and whose ground/ foundation is unchanging [asraya-aviparinama], is termed 'the Self' [atman]. This is as in the case of the great Doctor who well understands the milk medicine. The same is the case with the Tathagata. For the sake of beings, he says ’there is the Self in all things’ . O you the four classes! Learn Dharma thus!" [Emphasis added].
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

“?’Chapter Four: On Long Life“’

‘     The Buddha said to all the bhiksus: "If you have any doubt about the moral precepts, you are free to ask questions. I shall now explain and fully satisfy you. I have already practised the Way and clearly attained the true nature of the All-Void of all things. O Bhiksus! Only the Tathagata has practised the true nature of the All-Void of all things." He also said to the bhiksus: "If you have any doubts, ask me, all of you!" Then the bhiksus said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! With the wisdom that we have, we can put no questions to the Tathagata, the Alms-deserving and All-Enlightened One. Why not? The world of the Tathagata cannot be known by us. All samadhis cannot be thought of. Whatever is said is not within the compass of our comprehension. So, with what wisdom we have, there can be no posing of questions to the Tathagata. O World-Honoured One! There is a man, for example, who is 120 years old. Suffering from a long illness, he is in bed and cannot get up. His vitality has gone, so that he cannot live long. There is a rich man there who is on his way to far-off places on business. He gives this man a hundred pounds of gold and says: æ°I intend to go on a journey and entrust this treasure to you. After 10 or 20 years, I shall come back, when my business is concluded. When I am home again, give this back to me.æ± The sick old man receives it. And he has none to succeed him. After some time, the illness develops and he dies, and what was entrusted to him cannot be found. The person who entrusted the treasure to him comes back from his journey, looks around, but cannot find the man. One like this, being ignorant, cannot think and weigh the good and bad of entrusting a thing to the hands of another person. So, on coming back, he does not know where to look. Thus the treasure gets lost. O World-honoured One! It is the same with us sravakas. We hear the kind admonition of the Tathagata, but we cannot hold it long. It is as with the old man who is entrusted with treasure. We are ignorant now and do not know what to ask regarding the precepts." The Buddha said to the bhiksus: "If you question me now, it will benefit all beings. That is why I say that you should ask about any doubts you may have." Then, all the bhiksus said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! Imagine, for example: there is a man here of 25, full of vitality and right and proper. He has many treasures, such as gold, silver, beryl, etc. He has his parents, wife, children, relatives, and all his family. Then a man comes and hands over a treasure to him, saying: æ°I have things to do and am about to go on a long journey. My business concluded, I shall be back. When I am back home, return this to me.æ± After this, the young man guards the treasure well, as though it were his own. The [young] man falls ill and says: æ°All this gold was entrusted to my care. When the man gets back home, give this to him.æ± One who is wise knows how to act and weigh things. His business concluded, the man returns, and what he had entrusted [to the other] is all safe, with nothing lost. The same with the World-Honoured One. If the treasure is entrusted to Ananda and the bhiksus, it cannot survive long. Why not? Because all sravakas and Mahakasyapa must pass away and the situation will inevitably be like that of the old man who receives the entrusted goods of the other person. Because of this, all the unsurpassed Buddhist teachings must be entrusted to the hands of all Bodhisattvas. They discuss well and the treasure will live long and flourish for infinite thousands of ages and benefit all beings enormously. This is like the case of the man in the prime of his life who receives the entrusted goods of the other person. Because of this, all Bodhisattvas can well pose questions. What wealth we have may be likened to a mosquito or sawfly. How can we question the Tathagata on the depths of the teaching?" At this, all the sravakas sank into silence.

Then, the Buddha, praised all the bhiksus and said: "It is good, it is good that you have all attained the unleakable [undefiled, “’asrava“’-free] mind of the arhat. I also thought of this once myself. Because of these two circumstances [i.e. that the sravakas cannot and the Bodhisattvas can pose questions], I entrust the Mahayana to all the Bodhisattvas and allow this Wonderful Dharma to live long". Then the Buddha said to all the congregation: "O all good men and women! You cannot calculate the length of my life. No unhindered speech of a Bodhisattva can fully express this. You may, if you will, ask me about the precepts or how to take refuge. You may do this a second or third time."

At that time, among those congregated, there was a Bodhisattva-mahasattva of the stage of the boyhood abode [ie. on the 9th of the 10 Bodhisattva levels]. He had been born into a Brahmin family in a hamlet called Tara [?]. His family name was Mahakasyapa. By the divine power of the Buddha, he rose from his seat, bared his right elbow [shoulder?] and walked around the Buddha 100 thousand times, and placing his right knee on the ground and folding his hands, said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! I would now like to ask something of the Buddha. If you will allow me, I desire to speak." The Buddha said to Kasyapa: "The Tathagata, the Alms-deserving and All-Enlightened One allows you to say anything. I shall expound for you, clarify your doubt, and gladden you." Then Bodhisattva Kasyapa again said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! The Tathagata, pitying me, gives me permission. I now shall ask. But the wisdom that I have is petty, like that of a mosquito or sawfly. You, Tathagata-World-Honoured One, are exalted in personal virtue and are surrounded by a retinue as fragrant as sandalwood and as difficult to subdue and as invincible as a lion. The Tathagata's person is like a true diamond. You shine like beryl. All [about you] is true and difficult to break and is surrounded by a great sea of Wisdom. All the Bodhisattva-mahasattvas congregated here are perfect in infinite and boundless depths of virtue. They are like gandhahastins. How can I put questions before such a congregation? Only now, guarded by the Buddha's divine power and by dint of the great dignity of moral virtue of the people congregated here, shall I put some questions to you." He spoke in a gatha:
"How do we gain long life, the Adamantine and Invincible body?
How do we gain great strength? How by this sutra
Do we ultimately attain the other shore? We beseech you
To open the undisclosed door and, for the sake of beings,
Teach us widely. How can we,
For the sake of the masses, become an expansive refuge and, although        Not arhats,
Be equal to arhats? How can we, for the sake of beings,
Foresee Papiyas' [i.e. Mara, the Devil's] disturbances? How can one
clearly distinguish
Between what the Tathagata says and what the Papiyas says?
How does the All-Best-Trainer become pleased in heart
And speak about “’Paramartha-satya“’ [the Truth of the Supreme Reality],
become full in right good,
And speak about the four inversions? How do you do good?
O Great Rishi! Please tell us now.
How do Bodhisattvas fathom the unfathomable nature?
How do they understand the significations
Of the full letter and the half letter [i.e. the word as a composite, made
from joining the Sanskrit alphabets and possessing
meaning, and the alphabetical letters and phonetic
symbols in the case of Sanskrit]?
How can we simultaneously practise two holy actions
Such as the sarasa and karanda [?] that go together?
How can one be like the sun and moon,
Like the evening star and Jupiter?
How can one, not yet aspiring, be called a Bodhisattva?
How can all beings gain fearlessness,
Like Jambunada gold, in which no flaw can ever be detected?
How can one, though living in a defiled land, not be defiled
Like the lotus flower? How do we live amidst illusions
And not get tainted and not attacked by diseases,
As in the case of a doctor who, curing all diseases,
Does not himself get stricken by disease?
How can one be a sea-captain, foundering yet [still]
Amidst the sea of birth and death? How can one abandon
Birth and death, as the serpent does its old skin?
How can one meditate on the Three Treasures
And be like the tree in the heavens
That answers well one's wishes? how can one
Speak about the three Vehicles [of sravaka, pratyekabuddha, and
Bodhisattva]
and the Natureless?
How can one talk of Bliss, being not yet blessed with Bliss?
How can all Bodhisattvas be indestructible ones?
How can one be the eyes and guide for a person born blind?
How can one gain a multifarious head [mind rich in knowledge?]
We beseech you, O Great Rishi! Please explain [this] to us!
How can you who turn the wheel of Dharma
Expand like the moon at the beginning of the month?
How do you show yourself again and gain Nirvana at the end?
How can you, the brave, step forward
And show to man, heaven and Mara the Way?
How does one know “’Dharmata“’ [essence of Reality]
And become blessed with Dharma?
How do all Bodhisattvas make away with all illnesses?
How do they expound to all beings the undisclosed teachings?
How do they expound the Ultimate and the non-Ultimate?
If doubts [can be] done away with, why not definitely explain?
How can one attain the highest and unsurpassed Way?
I now beseech the Tathagata, for the sake of the Bodhisattvas,
To expound the deepest and most wonderful teachings.
Everything has the nature of peace and bliss.
Expound in detail for us, please, O Great Rishi World-Honoured One!
O Great Refuge! O Two-Footed-Honoured One,
The Wonderful-One-of-All-Medicines!
I now desire to enquire all about things,
But I lack Wisdom; even all the Bodhisattvas
Who make utmost effort may not know
Such depths as of the world of all Buddhas."

Then, praising Bodhisattva Kasyapa, the Buddha said : "Well said, well said, O good man! You have not yet arrived at All-Knowledge, but I am he who has attained it. You now ask about the deepest depths of the undisclosed doctrine. Now, O good man! I, sitting under the Bodhi Tree, first attained right Enlightenment. At that time, in all Buddha-lands as numerous as the sands of countless asamkhyas of Ganges, there were Bodhisattvas. They too asked of me the meaning of this deepest doctrine. And what they said and the virtue thereof were thus, the same, not different. Asking thus, great benefits accrue to all beings." Then Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! The power of my wisdom does not extend thus far as to put such deep questions to the Tathagata. O World-Honoured One! This is like a mosquito or sawfly that cannot fly over a great sea or fly round in the high heavens. The same with me. I have no power to ask the Tathagata about this great sea of Wisdom or the meaning of the great depths of space-like extension of “’Dharmata“’. O World-Honoured One! This is like a king who hands over to the hands of the officer in charge of treasures a bright gem that was housed in the knot of his hair, and the officer, on receiving it, increases the guard. The same is the case with me. Having received the depths of the Tathagata's Mahayana teaching, I shall guard it all the more carefully. Why? This is but to make me attain the great depths of Wisdom."

Then the Buddha said to Kasyapa: "O good man! Listen clearly, listen clearly! I shall now tell you the cause of the Tathagata's longevity of life. The Bodhisattva, through this action, gains long life. For this reason, listen with your best attention. Having listened, speak of it to others. O good man! Having thus practised, I attained unsurpassed Bodhi. I, for all beings' sake, now speak of this. O good man! As an example: a prince transgresses against state law and is chained up in prison. The king pities him and, riding on a palanquin, goes himself to the prison because he loves the prince. The same with the Bodhisattva. If he desires to have a long life, he should guard and protect beings and view them as one would one's only son, and abide in great loving-kindness, great compassion, great joy, and great equanimity. Also, he should impart the precept of non-harming to them and teach them to practise all good things. Also, he must let all beings abide peacefully in the five moral precepts and the ten good deeds. Furthermore, he will get into such realms as hell, hungry preta, animal, and asura, and free all these beings from where they are suffering, emancipate those not yet emancipated, pass over those who have not yet gained the other shore, give Nirvana to those who have not yet attained it, and console all who live in fear. Acting thus, the Bodhisattva gains longevity of life and unmolested [unlimited?] freedom in knowing. And when the end comes, he gains life in the high heavens." Then Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! You say that the Bodhisattva-mahasattva regards all beings just as one views one's only son. The thought is too deep, and I cannot fathom it. O World-Honoured One! You say that the Bodhisattva views beings with an all-equal mind and views them as he would look upon his only son. But things are not so. Why not? Amongst the Buddhists, there are those who break the moral precepts, those who commit deadly sins, and those who transgress against Wonderful Dharma. How can it be that he [the Buddha] can have the same [attitude of] mind towards them as towards his only son?" The Buddha said to Kasyapa: "It is so, it is so! I view all beings as I view my own Rahula."

Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! Once, on the 15th of the month, on the day of posadha, among the congregated who were strict and pure in the moral precepts, there was a boy who did not quite seriously observe the three actions of body, mouth and mind. He hid himself in a dark place and secretly listened to what was said. Guhyapada, receiving the divine power of the Buddha, crushed this boy into dust with a vajra [sharpened bar, a double-headed weapon, or a diamond]. O World-Honoured One! Guhyapada acted so badly that the boy's life was taken. How could you look upon all beings as you do your own Rahula?" The Buddha said to Kasyapa: "Do not speak thus! This boy was none but a transformed [illusory, projected] one, not a true one. This was but to repress breaking of the precepts and transgression against Buddha-Dharma, and to remould beings. Even the vajra and also Guhyapada were transformed existences. O Kasyapa! There are in the world those who slander Wonderful Dharma, icchantikas, those who harm others, those who abide in twisted views, those who purposely act contrary to the moral precepts. I pity all and have loving thought, just as one has towards one's only son, as in the case of Rahula. O good man! To illustrate: when the officers of the royal court break state law, the king punishes according to the rules relating to the sins committed and does not leave the officers unpunished. The Tathagata does not act thus. He makes those who violate the precepts undergo such procedures as being driven out, reprimanded, put under surveillance, impeached or banished for non-confirming of the sins committed, for non-repentance, and for non-forsaking of twisted views. The reason, O good man, why the Tathagata imposes the suppressive moral precepts on those who slander Dharma arises from the fact that he desires to show those who transgress that karmic consequences ensue for what one has done. O good man! Know that the Tathagata desires to bestow on evil beings what need not be feared. He emits one, two, or five beams, so that those who encounter this light will be rid of all evil acts. Now, the Tathagata has so many uncountable means of such power. O good man! If you desire to see Dharma which cannot be seen, I will now explain to you all about what you can see. When I have entered Nirvana, a bhiksu who is perfect in the deportment of a bhiksu and who observes Wonderful Dharma may come across one who transgresses. If this bhiksu drives away, reproaches, impeaches, or remoulds such an evil-doer, he will be blessed with weal which one cannot measure or tell of. O good man! To illustrate: there is a tyrant king who does evil things and happens to suffer very seriously from illness. The king of a neighbouring state, hearing of this, mobilises the army to overthrow the state. At this, the king, having no power to resist the attack, repents and tries to do good. And the weal of the king of this neighbouring state will be uncountable. The same with the precept-observing bhiksu. If he drives away or reproaches those who act against Dharma and makes them do good, an incalculable [amount of] weal will be his. O good man! As an illustration: in the fields and around the houses where a rich man dwells grow many poisonous tree. Seeing this, he fells all of them and there is no more of them. Or white hair appears on the head of a young man. He feels ashamed of it, cuts it off and does not allow his hair to grow long. The same is the case with a precept-upholding bhiksu. If he sees any person who breaks the precepts and transgresses against Wonderful Dharma, he should drive away, reproach or impeach such a person. If a good bhiksu, seeing one who transgresses against Dharma, does not drive away, reproach or impeach such a person, know that this bhiksu is the enemy of the Buddhist teaching. If he drives away, reproaches or impeaches such a one, he is my disciple, a true disciple."“

’Bodhisattva Kasyapa said again to the Buddha; "O World-Honoured One! You may say that you look upon all beings equally and treat them as you would an only son such as Rahula. This is not so. O World-honoured One! A person may try to harm you with a sword. Or there may be someone who tries to paint the Buddha's body with sandalwood paste. If it is is the case that you view both persons with the same eye, how could you cure moral offences? If it is the case that this cures moral offences, this does not make sense." The Buddha said to Kasyapa: "An illustration, O good man! The king, minister and prime minister may desire to bring up their sons who are right-set in countenance and sharp in intellect. One of those fathers takes one, two, three, four such sons and hands them over to a strict teacher and says to him: æ°Please teach my sons deportment, good behaviour, the arts, writing and reckoning. These my four sons will study under your guidance. Even if three of my sons die of goading, teach the last with whatever means you may think fit. I may lose the three, but I shall not be vexed.æ± O Kasyapa! Are the father and the teacher responsible for killing?"  "No, O World-Honoured One! Why not? Because a loving mind was at the bottom [of their actions]. What there is [here] is accomplishment, but not an evil mind. Such teaching will be met with good, to a limitless extent."  "O good man! The same is the case with the Tathagata. He views those who transgress Dharma as he views his only son. The Tathagata now entrusts unsurpassed Wonderful Dharma to the hands of kings, ministers, prime ministers, bhiksus, bhiksunis, upasakas and upasikas. All of these kings and the four classes of the Buddhist Sangha will encourage those who practise the Buddhist teaching and enable them increasingly to observe the moral precepts, practise meditation and wisdom. If there are any who miscarry these three phases [aspects?] of Dharma and if there are those who are indolent and who break the moral precepts, the kings, ministers, and the four classes of the Buddhist Sangha will work hard and remould such people. O good man! Should all these kings and the four classes of the Buddhist Sangha be blamed or not?"  "No, indeed, O World-Honoured One!"  "O good man! These kings and the four classes of the Buddhist Sangha are not to be blamed. How could it be that the Tathagata is to be blamed? O good man! The Tathagata well observes such impartiality, looking upon all people as one would one's only son. Such a one who practises the Way is called one who practises the all-equal mind of a Bodhisattva and one who possesses a mind that loves an only son. O good man! The Bodhisattva, practising thus, gains a long life and is now able to see what took place in the past." Bodhisattva Kasyapa said again to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! You say that a Bodhisattva, practising impartiality, can well view beings just as one views one's only son and that such a person gains a long life. But you should not say this. Why not? One who knows Dharma indeed speaks well of filial duty. But back home, he beats his parents with tiles and gravel, [in defiance of] the fact that one's parents are the best field of weal, where much weal comes about, such as is the most difficult of difficult to encounter. Where the person should be making offerings, he performs evil. There is a distinction between what this person knows and what he does. What the Tathagata says is also like this. The Bodhisattva practises impartiality and views beings as an only son, and he gains a long life, can look into the past, and live eternally and there cannot be any change. Now, why is it that the World-Honoured One is like a person with the shortest life in the world? Does not the Tathagata entertain hatred against all beings? O World-Honoured One! What evil acts did you perform in the past? How many evil acts did you commit, so as to gain the shortest life, which does not even extend to 100 years?" The Buddha said to Kasyapa: "O good man! Under what circumstances do you bring across your lips all such rough-hewn words against the Tathagata? The life of the Tathagata is the longest and most superior of longest lives. His eternal Dharma is the unsurpassed of all eternal things." Bodhisattva Kasyapa said again to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! How did you, the Tathagata, gain eternal life?" The Buddha said to Bodhisattva Kasyapa: "O good man! There are eight great rivers, which are 1)Ganges, 2)Yamuna,  3)Sarabhu,  4)Ajitavati,   5)Mahi,  6)Indus,  7)Pasu,  and 8)Sita. All these eight rivers and other small rivers drain into the great ocean. O Kasyapa! All the great rivers of life of all people, heaven, earth and sky drain into the Tathagata's sea of life. Hence, the length of life of the Tathagata is incalculable. Also, next, O Kasyapa! As an illustration: it is like the case of Lake Anavatapta, which carries forth four rivers. The same with the Tathagata. He carries forth all lives. O Kasyapa! As an example: of all eternal things, that of space is the foremost. The same is the case with the Tathagata. He is the foremost of all eternal things. O Kasyapa! This is as in the case of sarpirmanda [most delicious and efficacious medicine], the first of all medicines. The same is the case with the Tathagata. He is the one possessed of the longest life."“ ’Bodhisattva Kasyapa said again to the Buddha: "If the life of the Tathagata is thus, you mast live for a kalpa or [just] less than a kalpa and be delivering sermons in the way the great rain falls."  "O Kasyapa! Do not entertain the thought of extinction regarding the Tathagata. O Kasyapa! There may be amongst the bhiksus, bhiksunis, upasakas, upasikas, or even among the tirthikas a person who possesses the five divine powers or the unmolested [unlimited] power of a rishi. He may live a kalpa or less than a kalpa; he may be able to fly through the air, and be unmolested [unconstrained?] whether he is reclining or sitting. He emits fire from the left side of his body or water from his right side. His body emits smoke and flames like a fire ball. If he desires to live long, he can do as he wills. He can freely lengthen or shorten his life. With such divine power, he has such freedom of power. And how could this not be possible with the Tathagata, who possesses unmolested [unlimited?] power in all things? How could it not be that he can live for half a kalpa, a kalpa,  100 kalpas, 100 thousand kalpas, or innumerable kalpas? On account of this, know that “’the Tathagata is an eternal and unchanging existence“’ [emphasis added]. The Tathagata's body is a transformed body and not one supported by various kinds of food. In order to pass beings to the other shore, he manifests himself amidst poisonous trees. Hence he manifests himself discarding his carnal body and entering Nirvana. Know, O Kasyapa, that the Buddha is an eternal and unchanging existence. O all of you! Practise the Way in this “’Paramartha-satya “’[Truth of the Transcendent Reality], make effort, and practise the Way with one mind; having practised the Way, expound it widely to others."

Then Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! What difference exists between supramundand Dharma and the mundane? You say that the Buddha is an existence eternal and unchanging. If so, in worldly life, too, we have Brahma who is eternal, and also Isvara who is eternal, and no changing is there. The eternal nature of Self too is eternal; even a mote is also said to be eternal. If the Tathagata is an eternal existence, why does the Tathagata not always show [himself] in this way? If it is that you do not exist thus, what difference could we see? Why? Because Brahma, the mote existence, and “’prakriti“’ [primordial matter] also do not manifest thus."

The Buddha said to Kasyapa: "A rich man has many cows, whose colours vary; nonetheless, they are all of one group. They are entrusted to the hands of a cowherd, who takes them to watery or grassy land. Solely sarpirmanda is sought, not fresh milk or cream. The cattleman, having milked the cows, takes the milk himself. When the rich man dies, the cows are stolen by robbers. They get the cows, but having no women, they themselves milk the cows. The robbers say to one another: æ°The rich man fed these cows for sarpirmanda, not for fresh milk or cream. What should we do? Now, sarpirmanda is the best of all tastes in the world. We have no utensils and no place to keep it safe in.æ± They also say to one another: æ°We have a bag made of hide. We shall keep it in that. Although we have a thing to keep the milk in, we do not know how to churn it. It is hard to obtain what we could drink. How could we gain fresh butter?æ± At that, the robbers, because sarpirmanda was what they were after, added water to the milk. But because they added too much water, the fresh milk, cream, and sarpirmanda were all lost. The same with common mortals. There are good teachings. But all are the residues of the Wonderful Dharma of the Tathagata. How? The Tathagata enters Nirvana. Later we steal what was left behind, i.e. the precepts, samadhi, and Wisdom. This is like the robbers stealing the cows. All common mortals obtain the precepts, samadhi, and Wisdom, but they have no means of working them out [perfecting them? implementing them?]. Hence they never gain the eternal precepts, the eternal samadhi, the eternal Wisdom, and emancipation. This is like the robbers' not having the means to work out [bring forth what they want?], thus losing the sarpirmanda; or it is like the robbers' adding water when they meant to gain sarpirmanda. The same with common mortals. Referring to emancipation, beings say that Self, being, life, man, Brahma, Isvara, “’prakriti“’, the precepts, samadhi, Wisdom, emancipation, or Thoughtless-non-thoughtlessness Heaven [“’naivasamjnanasamjnayatana“’] or Nirvana is Nirvana. This, however [i.e. just saying this] does not give one emancipation or Nirvana. This is like the robbers' failing to gain sarpirmanda. Common mortals do small-scale pure actions and make offerings to their parents. Then they gain rebirth in heaven and attain small-scale bliss. This is like the milk to which the robbers added water. And common mortals do not themselves know the fact that one gets born in heaven by small-scale pure actions and making offerings to one's parents. Also, they do not know the moral precepts, samadhi, Wisdom and taking refuge in the Three Treasures. Not knowing [all this], they talk about Eternity, Bliss, Self, and Purity. Though they talk, they do not know what these are. Hence, after taking birth in this life, the Tathagata talks about Eternity, Bliss, Self, and Purity. A chakravartin [world's greatest, just ruler] appears in the world. By the power of virtue, all the robbers pull back, and there is no loss of any cows. Then the chakravartin entrusts the cows to the hands of a cowherd who knows the way. This person works out the means well and obtains sarpirmanda. Due to the sarpirmanda, there is no illness or pain for any being. It is like this. When the chakravartin of the wheel of Dharma appears in the world, all beings abandon these, because they cannot talk about the precepts, samadhi, and Wisdom. This is like the pulling back of the robbers. Then the Tathagata indeed speaks of secular and supramundane things. For the benefit of beings, he lets the Bodhisattva talk as the occasion arises. The Bodhisattva-mahasattva, on gaining sarpirmanda, lets all the innumerable beings gain the unsurpassed manna of Dharma. The Eternity, Bliss, Self, and Purity of the Tathagata thus come about [appear? are realised?]. The Tathagata is one who is eternal and unchanging. This is not in the manner in which common mortals and the ignorant of the world say that Brahma is eternal.  This eternality is always with the Tathagata and not with whatever else. O Kasyapa! All good men and good women should always carefully practise the Way of the two-lettered Buddha, who is eternal [i.e. in Chinese, “’Nyo-rai“’ - consisting of two syllables or characters - means "Tathagata", "One come from Thusness"]. O Kasyapa! Any good man or good woman who practises the Way of the two-lettered, such a one accords with what I do and gets born where I go. If any person practises the two letters and sees it as extinction, know that the Tathagata enters Parinirvana to [in the eyes of] such a one. O good man! Nirvana is the “’Dharmata“’ [True Essence] of all Buddhas."“

’Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "What might the “’Dharmata“’ of the Tathagata mean? O World-Honoured One! I now desire to know about “’Dharmata“’. Have pity and expound this to me extensively. Now, “’Dharmata“’ means æ°abandoning one's bodyæ±. To abandon means æ°not to possessæ±. If not possessed, how can the body exist? If the body exists, how can we say that there is “’Dharmata“’ in the body? If the body possesses “’Dharmata“’, how can the body exist? How can I know of this?" The Buddha said to Kasyapa: "O good man! Do not speak thus - that extinction is “’Dharmata“’. Now, “’Dharmata“’ knows no extinction. O good man! This is as with the no-thought heaven [the fourth dhyana heaven of the rupadhatu - Realm of Form], where there is no thought of matter, though matter is perfectly equipped [provided?]. One might ask: æ°How, then, can devas live there, please and amuse themselves, and have peace, and how do they think, see, and ask?æ±. O good man! The world of the Tathagata is not one which sravakas and pratyekabuddhas can know. Do not so explicate and say that the body of the Tathagata is extinction. O good man! The Tathagata and extinction are matters for the world of Buddhas. It is not within sravakas' and pratyekabuddhas' reach of knowing. O good man! Do not entertain such thoughts as where the Tathagata lives, where he works, where he is to be seen, where he enjoys himself. O good man! Such, too, are things which do not come within the compass of your knowing. Everything regarding the Dharma-Body of all Buddhas and everything regarding the various expedients are beyond the range of [worldly] knowing.
"Also, next, O good man! Practise the teaching of the Buddha, Dharma and the life of the Sangha, and abide in the thought of the Eternal. These three things do not contradict one another. There is no form of the non-eternal [there], no change. Any person practising these three as things which differ fails in the Three Refuges which are pure. This we should know. This is to say that such a person lacks a place to abide in. No precept is fully learned; no fruit can come about of sravakas or pratyekabuddhas. Anyone who abides in the thought of the Eternal in this All-Wonderfulness has a place to take refuge in. O good man! It is like the shadow accompanying a tree. The same is the case with the Tathagata. As there is the Eternal, there is a refuge that can be taken. It is not non-eternal. If it is said that the Tathagata is non-eternal, he cannot be a refuge for all the heavens and people of the world."

Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! It is, for example, like the case of a tree in the darkness, where there is no shadow."  "O Kasyapa! Do not say that there is a tree and that it has no shadow. It is merely that the fleshly eye cannot see it. The same with the Tathagata. His nature is eternal; it does not change. One cannot see [it] without the eye of Wisdom. This is as in the case where no tree-shadow appears in the darkness. Common mortals, after the death of the Buddha, may well say: æ°The Tathagata is non-eternal.æ± This is the same. If one says that the Tathagata is other than Dharma and Sangha, there cannot be the Three Refuges. This is as in the case in which, as your parents are different from each other, there is the non-eternal." Bodhisattva Kasyapa said again to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! Henceforth, I, for the first time, shall, with the Eternalism of the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha, enlighten parents for ages, down to seven generations. It is wonderful indeed! O World-Honoured One! I shall now learn the All-Wonderfulness of the Tathagata, Dharma and Sangha. Having satisfied myself, I shall expound this widely to all others. If they do not have faith in the teaching, I will know that they have long practised the non-Eternal. To such as these I shall be like frost and hail."

Then the Buddha praised Bodhisattva Kasyapa and said: "Well said, well said! You now indeed protect and uphold Wonderful Dharma. Such protection of Dharma is no cheating of people. By the good act of not cheating [deceiving] others, one obtains a long life and becomes well able to read one's past lives."“
 

’Chapter Five: On the Adamantine Body’

‘     Then the World-Honoured One said to Kasyapa: "O good man! The body of the Tathagata is one that is eternal, one that is indestructible, and one that is adamantine, one that is not sustained by various kinds of food. It is the Dharma-Body." Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! We do not see such a body as you speak of. What we see is one which is non-eternal, destructible, of dust, one sustained by various kinds of food. How? In that you, the Tathagata, are now about to enter Nirvana." The Buddha said to Kasyapa: "Do not say that the body of the Tathagata is not strong, can easily be broken, and is the same as that of common mortals. O good man! Know that the body of the Tathagata is as indestructible as that which stands for countless billions of kalpas. It is neither the body of man or heaven, not one that fears, not one sustained by various kinds of food. The body of the Tathagata is one that is not a body and yet is a body. It is one not born and one that does not die. It is one that does not learn or practise. It is one innumerable and boundless and one that does not leave any tracks behind. It knows not and has no form to represent it. It is one ultimately pure. It does not shake. It does not receive, nor does it do [act]. It does not abide, does not make. It is tasteless and unmixed. It is an æ°isæ± and yet is not something created. It is neither action nor fruition [i.e. it is beyond Karma]. It is not one made, not one that dies. It is no mind; it is one not countable [whose dimensions can be reckoned]; It is the All-Wonderful, the one Eternal, and the one not presumable. It is not consciousness and is apart from mind. And yet it does not depart from mind. It is a mind that is all-equal. It is not an æ°isæ±; yet it is what is æ°isæ±. There is no going and no coming [with it]; and yet it goes and comes. It does not break up. It is one indestructible. It does not snap and does not cease. It does not come out, nor does it die out. It is no master and yet a master. It is not one that exists; nor does it not exist. It awakes not, nor does it see. It is no letter, and is not no letter. It is no dhyana [meditation] and is not no dhyana. It cannot be seen and can be well seen. It is no place and yet is a place. It is no abode and yet is an abode. It is not dark and not bright. There is no quietness and yet there is quietness [in it]. It is non-possession, non-receiving, and non-giving. It is pure and untainted. It is no quarrelling and is never fighting. It is what is living and is not what is living. It is no taking and no falling. It is no thing and is not no thing. It is no field of weal and is not no field of weal. It is non-ending and does not end. It is separating and is a total ending. It is Void and is apart from Void. Though not eternal, it is not the case that it dies out moment after moment. There is no defilement and muddling [contamination?]. There is no letter and it is apart from letters. It is no voice and no talking. It is no practising and learning. It is no praising and no weighing. It is not one and is not different. It has no form or characteristics. All is grand adornment. It is not brave and is not afraid. It is no quietness and is not quiet. It is heatless and is not hot. It cannot be seen; there is no form to represent it. The Tathagata succours all beings. While not emancipating, he yet indeed emancipates beings. There being no emancipation, there is the awakening of beings. There being no enlightening, he truly delivers sermons. There being not two, he is immeasurable and is incomparably equal. Being as flat as space, there is no form to represent [him]. Being equal to the nature of beings, he is not the æ°not-isæ±, nor is he the æ°isæ±. He always practises the One Vehicle. He sees the three of beings and does not retrogress, does not change, and cuts off all the roots of illusion. He does not fight or touch. He is non-nature and yet abides in nature. He does not merge and does not disperse. He is not long and not short. He is not round and not square. He is no skandha, sphere or realm, and yet he is the skandha, sphere, and realm. He is non-increasing and is not a lessening. He is no victor, and yet is one not vanquished. The body of the Tathagata is perfect in such innumerable virtues. There is none that he knows, none not known. There is none that is seen and none that is not seen. It is not that there is any creating and not that there is no creating. It is non-world and is not non-world. He does not do and is not non-doing. He is none to depend upon and is not none to depend upon. He is not the four great elements, nor is he not the four great elements. He is no cause and is not no cause. He is no being and is not no being. He is no sramana, no Brahmin. He is the Lion, the Great Lion. He is nobody and not nobody. We cannot express. Other than the oneness of Dharma, no counting is possible. At the time of the Parinirvana, he does not enter parinirvana. The Dharma-Body of the Tathagata is perfect in all such innumerable, wonderful virtues. O Kasyapa! Only the Tathagata knows all such phases [aspects? modalities?] of existence. All [this] is beyond what sravakas and pratyekabuddhas can know. O Kasyapa! The body of the Tathagata is composed of all such virtues. It is not a body maintained or nourished by various foodstuffs. O Kasyapa! The virtue of the true body of the Tathagata is such. How could it suffer from illnesses, the pain of illness, and insecurity? How could it be as brittle as an unfired piece of earthenware? O Kasyapa! The reason why the Tathagata manifests illness and pain all comes from his desire to subdue beings. O good man! Know now that the Tathagata's body is one that is adamantine. From now on, think exclusively of this signification. Never think of a body sustained by food. Also, tell all beings that the body of the Tathagata is the Dharma-Body."

Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! The Tathagata is perfect in all such virtues. How could it be that such a body could suffer from illness and pain, impermanence, and destruction? Henceforth I shall regard the Tathagata's body as of the eternal Dharma-Body and the body of peace. Also, I shall speak of it to all others as such. Yes, indeed, the Tathagata's Dharma-Body is adamantine and indestructible. And yet, I do not know how it could come to be thus." The Buddha said to Kasyapa: "By correctly upholding Wonderful Dharma, one obtains this adamantine body. O Kasyapa! As I have in the past well guarded Dharma, I am now blessed with perfecting this adamantine body, which is eternal and indestructible. O good man! One who upholds Wonderful Dharma does not receive the five precepts and practise deportment, but protects with the sword, bow, arrow, and halberd those bhiksus who uphold the precepts and who are pure." Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! If a bhiksu is unprotected, living alone in the open, in a graveyard, or under a tree, I say that such a one is a true bhiksu. Any bhiksu whose eyes turn to protection is, we may know, a bogus priest." The Buddha said to Kasyapa: "Do not say æ°bogusæ±. There may be a bhiksu who goes where he will, satisfies his personal needs, recites sutras, sits, and meditates. Should anyone come and ask about the Way, he will bestow sermons. He will speak about giving, observing the precepts, virtuous acts, and say that one should desire little and be satisfied. But he is not able to raise the lion's roar of the doctrine, is not surrounded by lions, and is not able to subdue those who do evil. Such a bhiksu cannot realise his own profit, nor is he able to assist others. Know that this person is indolent and lazy. Though he may well uphold the precepts and stick to pure actions, such a person, you should know, can do nothing. Or there may be a bhiksu whose utensils may be full. And he upholds the prohibitive precepts, and always utters the lion's roar, and delivers wonderful sermons on such as the sutras, geya, vyakarana, gatha, udana, itivrttaka, jatakas, vaipulya, and adbutadharma. He thus expounds these nine types of Buddhist sutras. He bestows benefit and peace upon others. Thus he says: æ°Prohibitions are given in the Nirvana Sutra to bhiksus which say that they should not keep menials, cows, sheep, or anything contrary to the prohibitions. Should bhiksus keep such defiled things, they must be taught not to. The Tathagata has stated in the sutras of various schools that any bhiksu who keeps such things must be corrected, just as kings correct bad acts, and must be driven back into secular life.æ± When a bhiksu raises such a lion's roar, anyone who breaks the precepts, on hearing this, will get all angry and harm this priest. If this person dies as a result of this, he is to be called one who upholds the precepts and who benefits both his own self and others. For this reason, kings, ministers, prime ministers and upasakas protect those who deliver sermons. Any person who protects Wonderful Dharma should learn things thus. O Kasyapa! Any person who thus breaks the precepts and who does not protect Wonderful Dharma is to be called a bogus priest. One who is strict in observance of the rules does not gain such a name. O good man! In the past - innumerable, boundless, asamkhyas of kalpas past - there appeared in this town of Kusinagara a Buddha who was the Alms-deserving, the All-Enlightened One, the All-accomplished One, the Well-gone, the All-knower, the Unsurpassed One, the Best Trainer, the Teacher of Heaven and Earth, the Buddha-World-Honoured One, and whose name was æ°Tathagata of Joy-and-Benefit-Augmentation.æ± At that time, the world was wide and gloriously pure, rich and peaceful. The people were at the height of prosperity and no hunger was felt. He [? They?] looked like the Bodhisattvas of the Land of Peace and Happiness. That Buddha-World-Honoured One stayed in the world for an innumerable length of time. Having taught the people, he entered Parinirvana between the twin sal trees. The Buddha having entered Nirvana, the teaching remained in the world for countless billions of years and in the last part of the remaining 40 years the Buddhist teaching had still not died. At that time, there was a bhiksu called æ°Enlightened-Virtuousæ±, who upheld the precepts well and was surrounded by many of his relatives. He raised the lion's roar and preached all the nine types of sutras. He taught, saying: "Do not keep menials, men or women, cows, sheep or whatever might go against the precepts.æ± At that time there were many bhiksus who were acting contrary to the precepts. On hearing this, they entertained ill-will and came upon this bhiksu, brandishing swords and staffs. At that time, there was a king called æ°Virtuousæ±. He heard of this. To protect Dharma, he came to where the bhiksu was delivering his sermons and fought against the evil doers so that the bhiksu did not suffer. The king, however, received wounds all over his body. Then the bhiksu, Enlightened-Virtuous, praised the king, saying: æ°Well done, well done, O King! You are a person who protects Wonderful Dharma. In days to come, you will become the unsurpassed utensil of Dharma.æ± The king listened to his sermon and rejoiced. Then he died and was born in the land of Buddha Akshobhya and became his foremost disciple. The subjects of this king, his relatives and soldiers were all glad and did not retrogress in their Bodhichitta [resolve to gain Enlightenment]. When the day came to depart the world, they were born in the land of Buddha Akshobhya. At the time when Wonderful Dharma is about to die out, one should act and protect Dharma like this. O Kasyapa! The king at that time was I; the bhiksu who delivered the sermon was Buddha Kasyapa. O Kasyapa! One who guards Wonderful Dharma is recompensed with such incalculable fruition. That is why I today adorn my body in various ways and have perfectly achieved the indestructible Dharma-Body."

Bodhisattva Kasyapa further said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! The eternal body of the Tathagata is one carved in stone, as it were." The Buddha said to Kasyapa: "O good man! For that reason, bhiksus, bhiksunis, upasakas, upasikas should all the more make effort and protect Wonderful Dharma. The reward for protecting Wonderful Dharma is extremely great and innumerable. O good man! Because of this, those upasakas who protect Dharma should take the sword and staff and protect such a bhiksu who guards Dharma.  Even though a person upholds the precepts, we cannot call that person one who upholds Mahayana. Even though a person has not received [in formal ceremony] the five precepts, if he protects Wonderful Dharma, such  a one can well be called one of Mahayana. A person who upholds the Wonderful Dharma should take the sword and staff and guard bhiksus." Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! If all bhiksus are to be accompanied by such upasakas with the sword and staff, can we say that they are worthy of the name, or are they unworthy of such? Or is this upholding the precepts or not?" The Buddha said to Kasyapa: "Do not say that such persons are those who transgress the precepts. O good man! After I have entered Nirvana, the world will be evil-ridden and the land devastated, each pillaging the other, and the people will be driven by hunger. At such a time, because of hunger, men may make up their minds, abandon home and enter the Sangha. Such persons are bogus priests. Such, on seeing those persons who are strict in their observance of the precepts, right in their deportment, and pure in their deeds, upholding Wonderful Dharma, will drive such away or kill them or cause harm to them." Bodhisattva Kasyapa said again to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! How can all such persons upholding the precepts and guarding Wonderful Dharma get into villages and castle towns and teach?"  "O good man! That is why I allow those who uphold the precepts to be accompanied by the white-clad people [lay people, non-monks] with the sword and staff. Although all kings, ministers, rich lay men [“’grhapati“’] and upasakas may possess the sword and staff for protecting Dharma, I call this upholding the precepts. You may possess the sword and staff, “’but do not take life“’ [emphasis added]. If things are thus, we call this first-hand upholding of the precepts." Kasyapa said: "Anyone who protects Dharma abides in right view and widely expounds the Mahayana sutras. He does not carry the bejewelled parasols of royal persons, oil pots, unpolished rice, or fruit and seeds. He does not approach a king, minister, or the rich for profit. He does not flatter the danapatis [alms-givers] and is perfect in deportment, and crushes down those who transgress against the precepts and who do evil. Such a person is called a teacher who upholds and protects Dharma. He is a true, good teacher of the Way [“’kalyana-mitra“’ - a "good friend"]. His mind is as expansive as the sea."  "O Kasyapa! Should there be a bhiksu who speaks about Dharma for profit, the people and his relatives will also follow his example and greedily seek profit. This person thus spoils [does harm to] people. O Kasyapa! Of priests there are three kinds: 1) the precept-breaking, mixed-up priest,  2)the ignorant priest,  3)the pure priest. The precept-breaking mixed-up priest can easily be broken [spiritually injured], whereas the precept-observing priest cannot be broken just by profit.
"How is one a precept-breaking mixed-up priest? A bhiksu may be upholding the precepts, but for profit he sits, stands up, goes and comes with precept-breaking people and is on friendly terms with them and does things together with them. This is precept-breaking, hence, æ°mixed-upæ±.
"Why do we call a priest ignorant? A bhiksu may be living in a quiet place, but all his sense-organs are not proper [controlled], his mind is dark and slow at working. He desires little and begs alms. On the day of admonition and freedom [“’pravarana“’], he does not teach pure confession to all the people; seeing many people breaking the precepts, he does not teach them pure confession. Yet he sits with others, talks about the precepts and seeks to be free. Such a one is an ignorant priest.
"Who is the pure priest? There is a bhiksu, a priest whom 100 thousand-billion Maras cannot break. Now, this Bodhisattva is pure in his nature and can train the two types of priest referred to above and make them live among those who are pure. He is the unsurpassed great teacher, who protects Dharma well, who well upholds the precepts. He knows well what is light or grave in the keeping of the precepts and adjusts and benefits people. He does not know anything that is not [characterised by] upholding the precepts; what he knows is what concerns the precepts.
"What does he do to adjust beings? For example, in order to adjust people, the Bodhisattva always enters a village any time and visits the places where widows and prostitutes live. He lives there for many years. This is what sravakas cannot do. This is what is called adjusting and benefiting beings.
"How does he know what is grave? Now, if one sees that the Tathagata admonishes and prohibits something, one should not do it thereafter. Things such as the four grave offences [killing, stealing, committing sexual misconduct, telling lies] are what the priest must not do. If, contrary to this, he purposely does [such things], this indicates that such a person is no longer a bhiksu, no son of the Shakya [Buddha]. This is what is æ°graveæ±.
"What is æ°lightæ±? A person commits light ill deeds and is thrice admonished. Then, he stops doing such again. This is æ°lightæ±. We say æ°non-vinaya which is not provedæ±. A person praises and says that one may receive and take impure things, and says that one accords with the word, and one does not stop doing [this].
"We say æ°right vinaya which is rightly responded [observed?]æ± This is correctly learning the vinaya [rules of monastic discipline], not drawing near to what is contrary to the vinaya, and spiritually sharing pleasure. Thus one ensures that the vinaya is observed. Thus one well understands what one ought to do as a Buddhist and one expounds it well. This is what the vinaya refers to as well understanding the one letter [i.e. the Chinese written character for vinaya]. The same applies to upholding the sutras. O good man! The Buddha-Dharma is incalculable and hard to fathom The same is also the case with the Tathagata. He is beyond knowing." Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! It is so, it is so. It is as you, the Holy One, say. Unbounded and incomprehensible is Buddha-Dharma. Thus, too, is the Tathagata. All stands beyond comprehension; so too the Tathagata. Thus, I know now that the Tathagata is eternal and indestructible and that there is no change with him. I shall now study well and expound it widely to people."

Then the Buddha praised Bodhisattva Kasyapa and said: "Well said, well said! The body of the Tathagata is adamantine and indestructible. You, Bodhisattva, now have the right view and right understanding. If you see clearly thus, you will see the adamantine and indestructible body of the Tathagata just as you see things reflected in a mirror."“
 

’Chapter Six: On the Virtue of the Name’

‘     Then the Tathagata spoke again to Kasyapa: "O good man! You should now uphold all the words, chapters, clauses and all the virtues thereof of this sutra. Any good man or woman who hears the name of this sutra will never get born into the four realms [of hell, hungry ghost, animal, and asura]. Why not? I shall now expound to you all the virtues of this sutra and all that is practised by innumerable boundless Buddhas."

Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! What is this sutra to be called? How should Bodhisattva-mahasattvas uphold this sutra?" The Buddha said to Kasyapa: "The name of this sutra is to be “’Mahaparinirvana“’. The foremost word betokens æ°goodæ±, the middle also æ°goodæ±, and the final æ°goodæ± too. The signification [of this sutra] is extremely deep, and what is written [in it] is good. The pureness of its arrangement is perfect, its action is pure, and its adamantine treasure-house is all-satisfying. Listen well, listen well! I shall now speak. O good man! The word æ°mahaæ± betokens æ°eternalæ±. This is like all the great rivers draining into the great ocean. The same with this sutra. It crushes out all the bonds of illusion and all the qualities of Mara, and then body and life drain into æ°Mahaparinirvanaæ±. Hence we say æ°Mahaparinirvanaæ±. O good man! This is like a doctor who has a secret treatment embracing all medical treatments for disease. O good man! It is the same with the Tathagata. All the various wonderful doctrines taught and all the secret depths of meaning find their way into this Mahaparinirvana. That is why we say Mahaparinirvana. O good man! It is like a farmer who sows seed in spring. He entertains a rare wish. When he has finished the harvesting, all his longing is at an end. O good man! The same is the case with all beings. If we study other sutras, we always long for beautiful tastes. When one once hears this Mahaparinirvana, [however], one long ceases to covet the beautiful tastes mentioned in other sutras. This great Nirvana well enables all beings to cross the sea of all existences. O good man! Of all footprints, that of the elephant is the best. The same with this sutra. Of all the samadhis of the sutras, that of this sutra is the best. O good man! Of all the tillings of the field, that done in autumn is best. The same with this sutra. It is the best of all sutras. It is like sarpirmanda, which is the best of all medicines. It thoroughly cures the feverish worries and madding minds of beings. This Great Nirvana is the foremost of all. O good man! It is like sweet butter which contains the eight tastes. The same also applies to this sutra. It contains the eight tastes. What are the eight? These are: 1) it is eternal,  2) it always is,  3) it is peaceful,  4) it is pure and cool,  5) it does not grow old,  6) it does not die,  7) it is taintless,  and 8) it is pleasing and happy. These are the eight tastes. It possesses these eight tastes. This is why we say æ°Mahaparinirvanaæ±. Now, all Bodhisattva-mahasattvas peacefully abide in this and manifest Nirvana in all places. That is why we say æ°Mahaparinirvnaæ±. O Kasyapa! All good men and women who desire to enter Nirvana by this Mahaparinirvana must study well the fact that the Tathagata is eternal and that the Dharma and Sangha are eternal."

Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "All is wonderful, O World-Honoured One! We cannot conceive of the Tathagata's depths of virtue. The same is the case with the virtues of Dharma and Sangha. This Mahaparinirvana is also inconceivable. One who studies this sutra will gain the right eye of Dharma and become a good doctor. Anybody who has not studied this sutra, we should know, is [like] a blind person, not possessing the eye of Wisdom and overshadowed by ignorance."“’
 

’Chapter Seven: On the Four Aspects ’

‘        The Buddha again spoke to Kasyapa: "O good man! There are four aspects about which a Bodhisattva-mahasattva discriminates and expounds Mahaparinirvana. What are these four? They are: 1) rightness in one's own self,  2) correcting others,  3) complying well [with the teachings] and discussing, and  4) understanding well causal relations.
"O Kasyapa! What is rightness in one's own self? This is as when the Buddha Tathagata expounds Dharma, seeing well the causal relations. This is like a bhiksu seeing a great fire. He says: æ°I would sooner throw myself into this ball of burning fire than ever say that all the twelve types of sutras and the undisclosed teachings are from Mara [the devil]. If one says that the Tathagata, Dharma and Sangha are non-eternal, this is cheating one's own self and also others. I would sooner cut out my tongue with a sharp sword than ever say that the Tathagata, Dharma and Sangha are non-eternal.  I might indeed hear others saying this, but I will never believe it. I shall even pity a person who says such as this. The Tathagata, Dharma and Sangha are inconceivable.æ± One should uphold one's own self well like this. One looks to one's own self as if seeing a fire ball. This is how one sees rightness in one's own self.
"O Kasyapa! How does one correct others? When I was once talking about Dharma, there was a woman nursing a child with milk. She came up to where the Buddha was. She touched my feet with her head and paid homage to me. As she was worried, she was absorbed in herself and took her seat on one side. Fathoming her mind, I especially said to her: æ°Out of love for your child, you have given the child too much cream. You did not weigh up the [matters of] digestion and indigestion.æ± At that, the woman said to me: æ°How wonderful that the World-Honoured One thus reads my mind. Please, O World-Honoured One! Teach me how to give. O World-Honoured One! I gave [my child] too much cream this morning. Possibly it cannot digest it well. Will this not take the child's life? O Tathagata! Please explain things to me.æ± I said: æ°What you gave will be digested by and by and then will enhance life.æ± The woman, on hearing this, was very glad. She spoke again, saying: æ°What the Tathagata speaks is [always] true. So I am glad. The World-Honoured One, in order to teach all beings, makes distinctions and expounds digestion and indigestion, the non-Self and non-eternal of all existences. If the World-Honoured One were to talk first about the Eternal, a person hearing this might say that what he says is the same as what the tirthikas [heterodox believers] say, and discount what he says and go away.æ± I then said to the woman: æ°When the child grows up and becomes big, and when it can come and go by itself, whatever is eaten will be digested, even when indigestible [previously]. The cream that was taken before will not be enough to support [that person]. The same is the case with all my sravaka disciples. It is as in the case of your child. They cannot digest this eternal Dharma. That is why I speak about suffering and impermanence. When all of my sravakas are already perfect in virtue and can stand learning the Mahayana sutras, I then, in this sutra, speak about the six tastes.
æ°What are the six tastes? Suffering is the taste of vinegar; the non-Eternal that of salt; non-Self that of bitterness; Bliss has the taste of sweetness; Self is of pungent taste; and the Eternal is light in taste. In secular life, too, there are three tastes, which are: 1) non-Eternal,  2) non-Self,  and 3) non-Bliss. Illusion is the fuel, and Wisdom is the fire. By this means, we gain the meal of Nirvana. This is the Eternal, Bliss, and Self. All of my disciples taste these as sweet.æ± I also said to the woman: æ°If you happen to go to other places, drive away bad boys from the house and give treasure to good boys.æ± The woman said to me: æ°Indeed, as you instruct me, the rare treasures that I have will be shown to good sons, and not to bad ones.æ±  æ°O sister! The case is the same with me. At the time of entering Parinirvana, the Tathagata's undisclosed and unsurpassed storehouse of Dharma will not be given to sravaka disciples. Just as you do not reveal your treasures to bad sons, it [my storehouse of Dharma] will by all means be entrusted to the Bodhisattvas. This is just like your revealing your treasures to good sons. Why is that? Because the sravaka disciples abide in the thought of change and say that the Tathagata truly dies. But actually I do not. This is like your going to far-away places and not yet coming back home, at which your bad sons say that you have died, whereas you have not died. All Bodhisattvas say that the Tathagata never changes. This is similar to your good sons, who do not say that you are dead. Hence, I entrust the unsurpassed, undisclosed treasure to all Bodhisattvas.æ± O good man! If any person says that the Buddha is Eternal and does not change, know that the Buddha is present in that house. This is corrcting others.
"O Kasyapa! What is æ°complying well and discussingæ±? For example, a person comes and puts a question to the Buddha-World-Honoured One: æ°How can I be a great danapati [giver], not throwing my money away?æ± The Buddha says: æ°Should there be any sramana, Brahmin, or any person who seeks to posess [but] little and is fully contented and will not accept or store any impure things, give such a person a maid or servant. To one who practises pure actions, give him the lust of a female, and to one who does not drink [alcohol] or eat meat, give drink and meat; to one who does not take meals after noon, give him a meal after noon; to one who does not use flowers and incense, give flowers and incense. Such donations give rise to rumour and the fame will fill the world. Not a penny is spent. This is æ°complying well and discussing.æ±"

Then Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! To one who eats flesh, we should not give flesh. Why not? I see a great virtue arising out of abstention from eating flesh." The Buddha praised Kasyapa and said: "Well said, well said! You now come to know my mind well. A Bodhisattva who protects Dharma should be thus. O good man! From now on, I do not permit my sravaka disciples to eat meat. When receiving from a danapati a pristine dana [gift] of faith, think that one is eating the flesh of one's own son." Bodhisattva Kasyapa said further to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! Why is it that the Tathagata does not allow us to eat meat?"  "O good man! “’One who eats meat kills the seed of great compassion."“’ [emph. added].
Kasyapa said again: "Why did you first allow the bhiksus to eat three kinds of pure meat?"  "O Kasyapa! These three kinds of pure meat were so instituted following the need of the occasion." Bodhisattva Kasyapa said again to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! In what circumstances do you not allow the ten impurities or the nine kinds of what is pure?" The Buddha said to Kasyapa: "This also is permitted by gradual steps following the need of the occasion. This is what applies in the actual segregation from eating meat." Bodhisattva Kasyapa said further to the Buddha: "Why is it that the flesh of fish is praised and called beautiful?"  "O good man! I do not say that the flesh of fish is a  beautiful food. I say that sugar can, non-glutinous rice, rock candy, black rock candy, all kinds of wheat, honey, milk, cream, and oil are beautiful foods. Various kinds of clothing material can be stocked, but what can be stocked is those whose colour has faded. How could one greedily stick to [crave after] the flesh of fish?" Kasyapa said again to the Buddha: "If the Tathagata means to prohibit the eating of meat, such things as the five kinds of flavours as milk, cream, fresh butter, clarified butter, and sarpirmanda, all kinds of clothing, silk cloth, horse-shoe shell, hide and leather, bowls of gold and silver should not be received."  "O good man! Do not muddle things up with what the Nirgranthas [Jains] say. Each of the prohibitions which the Tathagata lays down has a different meaning. By this, three pure meats are permitted standing on different grounds and the ten kinds of meat are prohibited by different standpoints. By different standpoints, all are prohibited, until the time of one's death. O Kasyapa! “’I, from now on, tell my disciples to refrain from eating any kind of meat“’. [emphasis added]. O Kasyapa! When one eats meat, this gives out the smell of meat while one is walking, standing, sitting or reclining. People smell this and become fearful. This is as when one comes near a lion. One sees and smells the lion, and fear arises. O good man! When one eats garlic, the dirty smell is unbearable. Other people notice it. They smell the bad smell. They leave that person and go away. Even from far off, people hate to see such a person. They will not come near him. It is the same with one who eats meat. It is a similar situation with all people who, on smelling the meat, become afraid and entertain the thought of death. All living things in the water, on land and in the sky desert such a person and run away. They say that this person is their enemy. Hence the Bodhisattva does not eat meat. In order to save beings, he shows [pretends] that he eats meat. Though he [seems to] eat meat, in actual fact he does not. O good man! Such a Bodhisattva does not even take pure food. How could he eat meat? One hundred years after my death, all the holy sages of the four fruitions [the four stages leading to "arhatship"] will enter Nirvana. The age of Wonderful Dharma will be over, and there will appear the age of Counterfeit Dharma, when the bhiksu will keep the precepts [only] as a matter of form, will recite [only] a little of the sutras, will greedily take food and drink and [excessively] nourish his body. What he wears on his body will be ugly and coarse. He will look wearied and show no dignity. He will feed [farm?] cows and sheep and carry fuel and grass. His beard, nails and hair will be long. He will don the kasaya [priestly robe] but look like a hunter. He will narrow his eyes, walk slowly and look like a cat who is after a rat. He will always mutter: æ°I have attained arhatshipæ±. He will suffer from all kinds of diseases, lie and sleep on dung. Outwardly he will look wise, but inside he will be greedy and jealous. He practises mute [?] like a Brahmin. Truth to tell, he is no shramana [monk], but only tries to appear as such. He is burning with perverted views, ever slandering Wonderful Dharma. One such as this transgresses against the precepts, right action and deportment instituted by the Tathagata. He talks about the fruit of emancipation, but his actions depart from what is pure and he violates Dharma, which is profound and hidden. Each such person, following his own interpretation, will speak contrary to what the sutras and vinaya rules state, saying: æ°The Tathagata allows all of us meatæ±. They will talk thus and say that the Buddha has so spoken. They will dispute and say that they are shramanas and successors to the Buddha's teaching. O good man! At that time, again, there will be shramanas who store cereals, receive fish and meat, prepare meals themselves, and keep oil pots. They will be around bejewelled parasols, leather footgear, kings, ministers and rich people. They will indulge in astrological practices and medical treatments; they will keep servants, gold, silver, beryl, musaragalva [?], agate, crystal, coral, amber, jade, horse-shoe shell, and many kinds of melons [seeds?]. They will learn all arts, painting, plastering, book-making, and all kinds of science, all kinds of seed- sowing and planting of roots, placing of curses, charming, preparation of medicines, theatrical art, music, adorning of their body with fragrances and flowers, gambling, æ°goæ± game [?], and various kinds of handiwork. If any bhiksu rejects such evils, one can say that he is truly my disciple." Then Kasyapa said further to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! The bhiksus, bhiksunis, upasakas and upasikas may have to live depending on people. At the time of the alms-round, one may be given food containing meat. How can one take it and yet be pure?" The Buddha said: "Use water, wash away the meat, and then eat it [the rest of the food]. The utensil may be defiled by meat. But if no taste of meat remains, this may be used. There will be no harm done. If one sees that there is a lot of meat, one should not accept such a meal. One must never eat the meat itself. One who eats it infringes the rule. I now set this rule of segregating one's self from eating meat. If we go into detail, there will be no end of explanations. It is now time that I enter Nirvana. So I must dispense with explanations. This is æ°answering well what is enquired about.æ±
"O Kasyapa! What does æ°well understanding causal relationsæ± mean? The four classes of the Sangha may come to me and say: æ°This is the first time, O Tathagata, that you have told us such a thing. Why is this? You did not tell King Prasenajit about the deeper part of the teaching, and said, at times, that it was æ°deepæ±, and, at other times, æ°shallowæ±; at times, you said that one infringes, and, at other times, that one did not. Why do we say æ°parajayikaæ± [“’parajika, “’means "grave", "extremely serious"], æ°preceptsæ± and æ°pratimokshaæ± [the rules of monastic life, which "set one free"]?
The Buddha said: "æ°Pratimokshaæ± means æ°feeling contentæ±. There is then perfection of deportment; there is no receiving and storing. This is also called  æ°pure lifeæ±.
"æ°Parajayikaæ± means æ°the four unfortunate realmsæ±. It also means falling into hell, down to Avichi Hell [the most terrible of the eight hot hells]; as to slowness or swiftness, it is swifter than rushing rain. One who hears [of this], fears, strictly upholds the precepts, and never acts contrary to [correct moral] deportment. Trained in contentment, he will never receive what is not pure. Also, the parajayika augments [the realms of] hell, animals and hungry pretas. For these reasons, we say æ°parajayikaæ±.
"æ°Pratimokshaæ± does away with the evil and perverted actions of body, mouth and mind.
"æ°Preceptsæ± refers to moral deportment, the deep meaning of the sutras, and the signification of good, and segregating oneself from accepting impure things and from all causal relations with impure things. Also, the precepts segregate one from such as the four grave offences, the thirteen samghavasesas, two aniyatans, thirty naihsargika-prayascittikas, ninety-one payatikas, four desaniyas, siksakaraniya, seven ways of adhikaranasamatha, etc. Or there may be a person who transgresses against all the precepts. What are all of them? This refers to the four grave offences right down to the seven ways of adhikaranasamatha. Or there may be a person who slanders the deep signification of the Buddhist sutras of Wonderful Dharma or who is all-accomplished as an icchantika, who has no possibility of ever encountering the Buddhist teaching by any means. Such people say of themselves that they are clear-headed and wise. They are equal to all sins. They conceal all the evils done that may be light or grave in nature, just as a tortoise hides its six limbs under its shell. They never once repent any such sins. Because of this non-repentance, their sins increase day and night. All such bhiksus do not confess all their sins. As they hide these within, they gradually grow. The Tathagata, aware of all this, prohibits by gradual steps and not at a time."

Then, good men and women said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! The Tathagata knew all such things. Why did you not previously suppress [them]? Or, O World-Honoured One, does this not mean all beings' falling into Avichi Hell? For example, many people, desiring to go to other places, miss the right way and take the wrong. These people, not knowing what is wrong, say that they are taking the right way. This is as in the case of one who does not ask about right or wrong. In the same way, people take the wrong path regarding the Buddhist teaching. The Tathagata ought first to show the right path and let all bhiksus know how this violates the injunctions and what is right. You should thus show the prohibitions. Why? Because we say that the Tathagata, the Right-Enlightened One, is one who is true [truthful]. He sees the right path. And the Tathagata is the god of gods, and he indeed talks about the superb virtues of the ten good deeds and the meanings thereof. Thus we respectfully beseech you first to institute the precepts." The Buddha said: "O good man! If you say that the Tathagata, for the sake of beings, talks about the superb virtues of the ten good deeds, this indicates that he sees beings like his son, Rahula. How can you reproach him and ask if he lets beings not fall into hell? Should I see but one person falling into Avichi Hell, I would, for the sake of that person, stay in the world for a kalpa or less than a kalpa. I have great compassion for all beings. How could I cheat one whom I regard as my son and let him fall into hell? O good man! It is like a person in the land of a king who dons the kasaya. There is a hole in it, and he sees and later repairs it. The same with the Tathagata. Seeing a person falling into hell, he causes repairs [to be made] and bestows the precepts for good deeds. O good man! This is like a chakravartin who, for the sake of beings, first speaks about the ten good deeds. Later, the time comes when he occasionally sees people doing evil. Then the king passes a law and roots it out. Having rooted out all evil, the king effects the administration of a chakravartin. O good man! The same with me. I have things to say, but I do not set laws first. Always, first, the bhiksu does wrong; then, accordingly, admonition is given. And the people who love the Way are pleased to practise [accordingly]. Such people can well see the Dharma-Body of the Tathagata. This is like the chakraratna [wheel treasure], the all-wonderful quality of a chakravartin, which is hard to conceive. The same in the case with the Tathagata. He is beyond knowing. The two treasures of Dharma and Sangha are also beyond conceiving. The one who talks and those who listen are also beyond knowing. This is how to understand causal relations well. Thus the Bodhisattva discriminates and explains the meaning of the four aspects. This is the causal relations referring to the Great Nirvana of Mahayana.
"And next: æ°correcting oneselfæ± is to gain this Mahaparinirvana. æ°Correcting othersæ± is what I say to bhiksus, telling them that the Tathagata is Eternal and Unchanging. æ°Answering questionsæ±, O Kasyapa, by your question, I now explain this all-wonderful doctrine for the sake of Bodhisattvas, bhiksus, bhiksunis, upasakas and upasikas. By æ°causal relationsæ± I open the eyes of sravakas and pratyekabuddhas, as they do not comprehend the deep meaning of such as the above, and as they do not have occasion to hear about the fact that the three dots of the æ°iæ± accomplish emancipation, Nirvana, and Mahaprajna, and also the hidden store. I now make the sense clear and discriminate and, for the sake of all sravakas, open the eye of Wisdom.
"People may say: æ°How could all such four things be merged into one? Isn't that nonsense?æ± Then one may say back: æ°Could there be any difference in the following four of space, non-possession, immovability, and unhinderedness?æ± Can we say that it is nonsense?"  "No, O World-Honoured One! All the four expressions amount to one and the same. They mean but the Void. The same is the case with what is made by æ°correctness in oneselfæ±, æ°correcting othersæ±, æ°answering questions put to oneæ±, and æ°well understanding causal relationsæ±. That is to say that what there is here is the oneness of Great Nirvana and that nothing is different [i.e. there is no dualism or differentiation]."
The Buddha said to Kasyapa: "Or there may be good men and women who may say: æ°The Tathagata is non-eternal. How can we know that he is non-eternal? The Buddha says that when the fire of illusion is extinguished, there is Nirvana. This is as when there is nothing [left over] to be seen when the fire is extinguished. The same is the case when all illusions are annihilated. This, he says, is Nirvana. How can the Tathagata claim that he is the Dharma eternal and unchanging? The Buddha says that when we part from existence, there is Nirvana. In this Nirvana, there cannot be anything that exists. How, then, can the Tathagata be eternal and unchanging? When a piece of clothing is torn, we do not call it anything. The same with Nirvana. When all illusions are done away with, there can be no thing. How can the Tathagata be eternal and unchanging? The Buddha says that separation from desire and arrival at quietude is Nirvana. If a person's head is cut off, there is no head any more. The same with separation from desire and arrival at quietude. What there is is Voidness. There is nothing there. Hence, Nirvana. How can the Tathagata be eternal and unchanging? The Buddha says:
[This is as in the case of heated iron.
When beaten by a hammer, sparks shoot out.
These flash and die out; nothing remains.
The same applies to attaining emancipation.
Once the muddle of carnal desire has been crossed,
One gains the immovable state.
One no longer has a place to move to].
How can the Tathagata be one eternal and unchanging?æ± O Kasyapa! One who reproaches me thus commits slander, which is wrong. O Kasyapa! You must not entertain such a notion and say that the nature of the Tathagata perishes. O Kasyapa! We do not place the annihilation of illusion in the category of matter [“’rupa“’]. Why not? Because of the fact of the ultimacy of Eternity. Hence, we say Eternal. [Nirvanic] quietude has nothing to supercede it. All phenomenal existences are done away with, with nothing remaining. This indicates what is fresh, clear, eternal, and unretrogressive. That is why we say that Nirvana is eternal. It is the same with the Tathagata. He is eternal, with no change. æ°Stars sweepæ±. This refers to illusion. Once swept, all is gone and no trace remains of any existence. This indicates that all Tathagatas are those who have done away with illusion and are no longer in the five realms. This means that the Tathagata is one eternal and that there is no change [with him]. Also next, O Kasyapa! It is the Dharma which is the teacher of all Buddhas. Hence, the Tathagata respectfully makes offerings. As the Dharma is eternal, so too are all Buddhas eternal."“

’Bodhisattva Kasyapa said again to the Buddha: "If the flame of illusion dies out, the Tathagata must also die out. This indicates that there can be no ground where the Tathagata is eternal. This is similar to the situation in which hot iron slag can no longer be seen when the red colour disappears. The same with the Tathagata and illusion. Gone, there is no other pace to go to. And it is like the case of iron. The heat and the red colour gone, there remains nothing to be seen. The same with the Tathagata. Once extinguished, what remains is non-eternal. The fire of illusion done away with, he enters Nirvana. This tells us that the Tathagata is non-eternal."  "O good man! The iron you speak of refers to common mortals. Illusion done away with, the common mortal comes about again. That is why we say non-eternal. This is not the case with the Tathagata. Gone, there is no coming about. Hence, eternal." Kasyapa further said to the Buddha: "If we place the colour-robbed iron back into the fire, the red colour will return. It it is thus with the Tathgata, illusion will again form. If illusion again forms, this is nothing but the non-eternal." The Buddha said: "O Kasyapa! Do not say that the Tathagata is non-eternal. Why not? Because the Tathagata is one Eternal. O good man! When wood is burnt, extinction comes about, and there remain behind the ashes. When illusion is done away with, there remains Nirvana. All such parables as of the torn garment, beheading and broken earthenware enunciate the same truth. All such things have such names as torn garment, beheading, and broken earthenware. O Kasyapa! The iron that has become cold can be made hot again. But this is not the case with the Tathagata. Illusion once done away with, what there is is utmost purity and coolness. The blazing flame never comes back again. O Kasyapa! Know that the situation of innumerable beings is like that of the iron. With the blazing fire of Wisdom free from the “’asravas“’ [defilements], I now burn off the bonds of illusion of all beings." Kasyapa said further: "It is good, it is good that I now clearly see what the Tathagata means when he says that all Buddhas are eternal." The Buddha said: "O Kasyapa! Imagine, for example, a chakravartin [world-ruler] in the back of his palace. At one time he is in the back garden. Though this king is not among the attendant females, we cannot say that his life is at an end. O good man! The same is true of the Tathagata. Though not in Jambudvipa [this world], but in Nirvana, we cannot say that he is non-eternal. He is now out of the world of innumerable illusions and is now in the all-wonderful world of peace and happiness. He sits amidst the flowers of Enlightenment; he sees and amuses himself."

Kasyapa again asked the Buddha: "The Buddha says that you have already crossed over the great ocean of illusion. If you are beyond the sea of illusion, why did you take in [marry] Yasodhara and beget Rahula? From this, we can  know that the Tathagata has not yet severed himself from the bonds of illusion and crossed the sea. Please, O Tathagata! Enlighten me upon this point." The Buddha said to Kasyapa: "Do not say that if the Tathagata had long crossed the great sea of illusion, there could be no reason for him to take Yasodhara [as his wife] and bring forth Rahula and that, in consequence, the Tathagata could not have yet severed himself from the bonds of illusion and crossed the great sea of illusion. O good man! This Great Nirvana calls forth a thing of great significance. Listen to me with your best attention. I shall speak for all the world. Do not become surprised and entertain doubt. If the Bodhisattva-mahasattva reaches Great Nirvana, such a high and wide thing as Mount Sumeru could indeed be placed inside a mustard seed. If beings are standing on Mount Sumeru [at that time], they will feel neither narrowed down nor oppressed. There will be no sense of having come or gone anywhere. All will be just as before, with nothing different. Only one who has himself crossed the ocean [of illusion] will be able to see that this Bodhisattva has put the 3,000 great-thousand worlds into a mustard seed and is back in his own abode again. O good man! Also, the Bodhisattva-mahasattva may enter into Great Nirvana and place the 3,000 great-thousand worlds into a pore of his skin, and yet the original place may ever be like this [may remain unchanged?]. O good man! Also, the Bodhisattva-mahasattva may enter into Nirvana, cut off the 3,000 great-thousand Buddha-lands of all directions, place them on the point of a needle and strike [?] the other Buddha-lands as though passing them through a jujube leaf, and the living beings therein would not entertain any thought of going or coming. Only one who is emancipated could see this and also the original place. Such is the case. O good man! Also, there could be a Bodhisattva-mahasattva who abides in Great Nirvana and who cuts off the 3,000 great-thousand Buddha-lands and puts them on his right-hand palm and as in the case of the potter's wheel throws them onto other mote worlds. And not a single being would entertain any idea of having gone or come. Only one who is emancipated would be able to see this. And so it is too with the original place. O good man! Also, a Bodhisattva-mahasattva who has attained Great Nirvana can snip off innumerable Buddha-lands of all the ten directions and put them all into his own body. And the people living therein do not feel narrow or oppressed or have any feeling of having been moved or of where they are standing. Only one who has been saved can see this. The same with the original abode. O good man! There might also be a Bodhisattva-mahasattva who has entered Nirvana and who has placed the lands of the ten directions into a dust-mote. The beings inside also do not feel constricted or oppressed or have any sense of going or coming. Only one emancipated sees this well. It is the same with what happens in the original abode. O good man! When this Bodhisattva abides in Great Nirvana, he well manifests various innumerable transformations. Hence, Mahaparinirvana. All such divine miracles which this Bodhisattva-mahasattva displays can never be weighed or known by any [ordinary] being. How could you know why the Tathagata committed himself to a life of love and desire and begat Rahula? O good man! It is now a long time since I [first] experienced this Great Nirvana and manifested many divine miracles. It is as alluded to in the “’Surangama Sutra“’, in which I have already variously manifested such in ten million suns and moons and in ten million Jambudvipas of the 3,000 great-thousand worlds. And I attain Nirvana in the 3,000 great-thousand worlds and in Jambudvipa. I do indeed attain it. And I find my way into the mother's womb and make the parents think of me as their child. But I am never one who was born through the conjoining of love and desire; I have been far removed from [sensual] love for innumerable kalpas. This body of mine is the Dharma-Body. Following the way of the world, I manifest myself in a motherly womb. O good man! In this Jambudvipa, in the Lumbini gardens, I manifested birth from the womb of Mother Maya. After birth, I took seven steps to the east and proclaimed: æ°I am the most honoured and best of all men, devas and asuras.æ± My parents and men and devas, on witnessing this, were joyous beyond words and wonderstruck. All these people said that I was a child. But, for innumerable kalpas past, I had been segregated from any such thing. Such a body as this is the Dharma-Body, not one born of flesh and blood, sinews, bones and marrow. Following the way of the world, I appeared as a child. I took seven steps to the south and proclaimed that I would become the best field of weal for the sake of innumerable beings. Taking seven steps to the west, I indicated that life was now ended, that I would part from age and death, and that this was the last of my bodies. Taking seven steps to the north, I manifested that I would cross all the seas of birth and death of all existences. Taking seven steps to the east, I revealed that I would become the guide to all beings. Taking seven steps to the four corners, I revealed that I would cut off the roots of various illusions and the natures of the four Maras, becoming the Tathagata, the Alms-deserving, the All-Enlightened One. Taking seven steps heavenwards, I proclaimed that I would never be tainted by impurities. Taking seven steps netherwards, I proclaimed that the rain of Dharma would extinguish the fire of hell, so that beings born there would be blessed with peace and bliss.“ ’To a person who violated the prohibitions, I manifested myself as frost and hail. After 7 days of life in Jambudvipa, I manifested shaving my head. All said I was the first child to have his head shaved. All men and devas, the king of Marapapiyas, shramanas and Brahmins can never see the usnisa [protuberance on top of the Buddha's head] of my head. How could they possibly take a blade and shave it? There can never be any person who could take a blade and reach my head. I shaved my head innumerable kalpas past. But to follow the ways of the secular world, I showed that I shaved it [as a young Prince]. After my birth, my parents took me to the temple of the gods and showed me to Mahesvara, who, on seeing me, folded his hands and stepped to one side. I had already, since innumerable kalpas past, done away with any such ceremony as entering the devas' temple. But just to follow the ways of secular life, I manifested this. In the life of Jambudvipa, I let people make a hole in my ear lobe. Nobody in the world can make a hole in my ear lobe. To follow the way of secular life, I manifested this. Also, they made hanging lion earrings out of all the gems and adorned my ear lobes. But since innumerable kalpas past, I had already dispensed with adornments. Just to follow what obtains in secular life, I manifested this. I went to school and showed that I learnt reading and writing. But I had already been accomplished in all such for innumerable kalpas past. As I passed my eyes through all the beings of the three worlds, I saw none who could be my teacher. But to comply with the ways of secular life, I displayed myself going to school. That is why I am called Tathagata, the Alms-deserving, and All-Enlightened One. The same with driving an elephant, riding round on a horse, wrestling, and the learning of various arts, too. In Jambudvipa, I manifested myself as a young prince. All beings saw me as a royal prince enjoying and pleasing himself amidst the life of the five desires. But innumerable kalpas past, I had already discarded such as the five desires. Just to comply with what obtains in secular life, I manifested this. The augur saw me and said that if I did not abandon home and seek the Way, I would become a chakravartin and king of Jambudvipa. All beings believed this. But I had already discarded the throne of a chakravartin and was the Dharma-King. In Jambudvipa I renounced female attendants and the five desires, saw age, illness, death, and the shramana, and abandoned home and sought the Way. All beings said that Prince Siddhartha then for the first time abandoned home and became a shramana. But already innumerable kalpas before, I had abandoned home, become a shramana, practised the Way, merely to comply with what obtained in secular life. And I manifested this. I had already abandoned home in Jambudvipa and received upasampada [full ordination]. I made effort, practised the Way and attained such fruitions of the Way as the shrotapanna ["stream-enterer" - a monk who will only be born between two and seven more times before gaining liberation], sakridagamin [once-returner], anagamin ["never-returner" to this world], and arhat [saint]. I manifested this. Everybody said it was easy and not difficult to attain arhatship. But I had already, innumerable kalpas in the past, attained arhatship. In order to pass beings to the shore of Enlightenment, I sat under the Bodhi Tree on the Bodhimanda [seat of Enlightenment] of grass and defeated all the Maras [demons]. But I had already, innumerably long kalpas back in the past, defeated the Maras. In order to subdue strong beings, I manifested this scene. I also display answering the calls of nature of the two kinds and breathing in and out. All beings say that I answer the calls of nature and breathe in and out. But with this body of mine, I have no fruition of karma and no worries. I merely accord with the way of worldly life. That is why I manifest such. I also show that I receive offerings made to me by the faithful. But I have no hunger or thirst in this body of mine, and I [just] comply with the worldly way of life. I display myself thus. I also follow the worldly way of life of all others and sleep. But I accomplished the depths of Wisdom innumerable kalpas past and did away with such actions as going and coming, all such pains as of the head, eye, stomach, and back, and the whole of my body, and hard-to-cure carbuncles, all of which are the results of past karma, and washing my hands and feet in a basin, washing my face, gargling, using the toothbrush and all such things as apply in the world. People say that I do all these things. But I do not. My hands and feet are as pure as lotuses and my mouth is clean, and smells like an utpala [lotus]. Everyone says that I am a man. But I am now no man. I also manifest receiving pamsukula [discarded clothes], washing, sewing and mending. But I have long since not used such clothing. Everybody says that Rahula is my son, that Suddhodana was my father and Maya my mother, that I carried on a secular career in my life, that I enjoyed peace and happiness [as a young prince], and that I abandoned all such things and sought the Way. People further say: æ°The prince of this king, of the great clan of Gautama, renounced worldly pleasures and sought the supramundane.æ± But I had long since been away from worldly love and desire. I merely displayed all such things. Everybody says that I am a man. But truth to tell, I am not. O good man! I manifest myself in Jambudvipa and often enter Nirvana. But in truth I do not enter Nirvana at all. Yet all people say that the Tathagata is now dying. But the nature of the Tathagata, truth to tell, eternally does not die out. So you should know that I am one Eternal and Unchanging. O good man! Great Nirvana is none but the Dharma world of the All-Buddha-Tathagatas. I also manifest myself in this Jambudvipa. People say that I first [as Siddhartha] attained Buddhahood. But since innumerable kalpas past, I had done what needed to be done and I only accorded with the way of the world. That is why I, in this Jambudvipa, displayed renunciation and attainment of Buddhahood. I also [seemingly] did not accord with the prohibitions and committed the four grave offences. People saw me and said I transgressed. But for innumerable kalpas past I have been according with the prohibitions, and nothing was amiss. Also, in Jambudvipa I was an icchantika. People all saw me as an icchantika. But truth to tell, I was no icchantica. If I had been an icchantika, how could I have attained unsurpassed Enlightenment? I also showed myself in Jambudvipa as disturbing the peace of the Buddhist Sangha. People said that I was a Buddhist priest who was breaking the peace of the Sangha. I also manifested myself in Jambudvipa as protecting Wonderful Dharma. People see this and say that this is protection of Dharma. They are all surprised. All Buddhas do this and there is nothing [here] to be surprised about. I also in this Jambudvipa manifested myself as Marapapiyas. People said that this was Marapapiyas. People said that this was "papiyas" ["very wicked"]. But I had been away from evil for innumerable kalpas past; I am pure, I am not defiled and am like the lotus. I also manifest myself in Jambudvipa as a female Buddha. People see this and say that it is strange that a female should attain unsurpassed Enlightenment. The Tathagata, after all, has never once been a female. In order to subdue people, I manifested as a female. As I pity beings, I also manifest in various coloured images. I also manifest myself amidst the four unfortunate realms of Jambudvipa. How could I be born in the unfortunate realms through evil actions? In order to pass beings to the other shore, I get born as such. I also get born as Brahma in Jambudvipa and make those who serve Brahma abide in Wonderful Dharma. But, truth to tell, I am not Brahma. But all people say that I am truly Brahma. I also manifest myself as devas and fill all the temples of the devas. But the same is the case [here too]. I also manifest myself as visiting brothels in this Jambudvipa. But my mind knows no lust; I am as pure and untained as the lotus. To teach those steeped in desire and lust, I stand on the crossroads and speak about the wonderful Doctrine. But in truth I have no lust or defiled mind. People say that I guard females. I also in Jambudvipa manifest myself in the house of menials and maids. All this is to lead them onto the path of Wonderful Dharma. But truth to tell, I never once debased myself and performed evil deeds and became [intimate with?] menials and maids. And in Jambudvipa I manifest myself as a teacher and lead children into Wonderful Dharma. In Jambudvipa I also enter various drinking houses and gambling dens. This is to participate in the games and quarrels and all to succour beings. And yet I have no experience of such evil relations. And yet all people say that I do such things. I also lived long amidst the tombstones as a great eagle, so as to succour flying birds. And yet people said I was a true eagle. But I have long since been separate from such a life. All this was to succour such birds and eagles. I also manifested myself in Jambudvipa as a great rich man. This was to make innumerable people be blessed with peace and abide in Wonderful Dharma. Furthermore, I become a king, minister, prince or prime minister. Amongst such people, I rank first in all cases. In order to practise Wonderful Dharma, I become a king. Also, there was a time in Jambudvipa when numerous epidemics arose and many people suffered. First, I gave medicine and later spoke about Wonderful Dharma, and made them attain unsurpassed Enlightenment. Everybody said that there was then, at that time, a time of illness. Also, there was a time in Jambudvipa when a famine broke out. I gave people the food they needed, I spoke about All-Wonderful Dharma and led them into unsurpassed Enlightenment. Also, to an æ°isæ±-minded person, I speak about the non-eternal; to one æ°pleasure-mindedæ±, I speak about suffering. To one who clings to self, selflessness is expounded. To one who clings to purity, impurity is expounded. To one who clings to the three worlds, Dharma is expounded, to make him renounce the world. To pass beings to the other shore, the wonderful medicine of Dharma is prescribed. In order to fell the trees of illusion, those of the unsurpassed medicine of Dharma are planted. To save all tirthikas, Wonderful Dharma is expounded. Although I act as a teacher to beings, no thought of a teacher to all beings resides in me. Since I intend to succour all those of lower social status, I gain life amongst them and talk about Dharma. And no evil acts will react within me. The Tathagata-Right-Enlightened One is ever in Parinirvana. Hence, I say æ°Eternal and Unchangingæ±. As in Jambudvipa, so do things also obtain in Purvavideha, Aparagodana and Uttarakuru. As in the four lands, so also in the 3,000 great-thousand worlds. As to the 25 existences, things are as stated expansively in the “’Surangama Sutra“’. Hence, æ°Parinirvanaæ±. The Bodhisattva-mahasattva who abides in Parinirvana can well display such miracles and transformations and has no fear. O Kasyapa! Say not, therefore, that Rahula is the son of the Buddha. Why not? Because innumerable kalpas ago I had already done away with all existences of desire. That is why we say that the Tathagata is Eternal and Unchanging."

Kasyapa said further: "O Tathagata! Why do we say eternal? You, the Buddha, say that when the light of a lamp has gone out, there is no direction or place to be named [as to where it has gone]. The same is the case with the Tathagata. Once dead, there can be no direction or place that can be named." The Buddha said: "O Kasyapa! You should not say: æ°When the light of a lamp has gone out, there is not direction or place to be named. The same is the case with the Tathagata. When there is extinction, there can be no direction or place to be named.æ± O good man! When a lamp is lit by a man or woman, any lamp, big or small, [has to be] filled with oil. When there is oil [there], the lamp keeps alight. When the oil is spent, the light also disappears, along with it. That light going out can be compared to the extinction of illusion. Although the light has gone out, the utensil [vessel, lamp-holder] remains behind. The same is the case with the Tathagata. Although illusion has gone, the Dharma-Body remains forever. O good man! What does this mean? Does it mean that both the light and and the lamp disappear? Is it so?" Kasyapa answered: "No, O World-Honoured One! Both do not disappear at the same time. And yet, it is [still] non-eternal. If the Dharma-Body is compared to the lamp, the lamp is [actually] non-eternal, so the Dharma-Body must also be non-eternal."  "O good man! You should not [try to] refute in this manner. We speak in the world of a æ°utensilæ±. The Tathagata-World-Honoured One is the unsurpassed utensil of Dharma. A utensil of the world can be non-eternal, but not that of the Tathagata. Of all things, Nirvana is eternal. The Tathagata has this. Thus he is eternal. Also, O good man! You say that the light of the lamp goes out. This is [like] the Nirvana attained by an arhat. Because all the illusions of greed and craving are done away with, we can compare this to the lamplight going out. The anagamin yet has greed. As there is still greed left, we cannot say that this is the same as the lamplight's going out. That is why I said in the past in an undisclosed [cryptic? unexplained? unexplicated?] way that it was like a dying lamp. It is not that Nirvana is to be equated with the dying off of the lamplight. The anagamin does not come about [get reborn] time and again. He does not come back to the 25 existences. Again, he does not gain any more the smelly body, the body of vermin, the body that is fed, the poisonous body. Such is an æ°anagaminæ± [one "not coming" into bodily existence again]. If a body arises again, this is an æ°agaminæ± [one "coming" into bodily existence]. When the body does not arise again, this is an æ°anagaminæ±. What is possessed of coming and going is æ°agaminæ±. What has no coming or going  [no birth and death] is æ°anagaminæ±.“

’     Then Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! You, the Buddha, say that the All-Buddha-World-Honoured One has an undisclosed storehouse. But this is not so. Why not? The All-Buddha-World-Honoured One has privately-spoken words, but not an undisclosed storehouse [a teaching not made known]. For example, this is analogous to the case of a magician, his mechanical appliances, and his wooden image. One may see the motions of bending, stretching, and looking up and down, but one does not know that inside there is a man who makes things proceed thus. But with the Buddha's teaching, it is not like this. His teaching enables all beings to know and see. How can one say that the All-Buddha-World-Honoured One has anything undisclosed?" The Buddha praised Kasyapa and said: "Well said, well said, O good man! It is just as you say. The Tathagata, truth to tell, does not keep anything hidden. How so? It is as in the case of the full moon in autumn, when it is all open, bare, clear, pure and cloudless, so that all people can see it. What the Tathagata says is also the same. It is open, bare, clear, pure and cloudless. Dull people do not understand and speak of a secret in connection with it. The wise, understanding the matter, do not say that there is anything secretly stored away. O good man! There is a man here who stores gold and silver amounting to “’yis“’ and “’yis“’ [a Chinese unit of number]. Being a miser, he does not give to the poor and help them. Anything stored in this fashion could be called æ°secretly storedæ± [secretly withheld]. It is not thus with the Tathagata. Over the course of innumerable long kalpas, he stores wonderful laws [doctrines? truths?] and rare treasures. He does not begrudge [anything]; he always gives to all beings. How [then] can we say that he secretly stores [truths away]? O good man! There is a man here who is lacking a part of his body, such as an eye, hand or leg. He feels shy and does not allow others to see. As all people do not see it, they say æ°secretly concealedæ±. It is not so with the Tathagata. He is perfect in Wonderful Dharma and lacking in nothing, allowing all others to see. How could one say that the Tathgata secretly stores [conceals/ withholds] things? O good man! A poor man, for example, has debts. He fears the man to whom he owes money. He hides and does not wish to show himself. Here we may speak of hiding. The case is not the same with the Tathagata. He does not shoulder the mundane laws [phenomena? truths?] of all beings, but does their supramundane laws. But he does not hide such. Why not? Because he always thinks of beings as his own only son and expounds [to them] unsurpassed Dharma. O good man! There is a rich man, for example, who has much wealth. He only has one son. He loves this son very much and cannot forget him. He shows all his wealth to his son. So is it with the Tathagata. He views all beings as his own only son. O good man! This is as in the case of worldly people. Men and women conceal their genitalia behind clothing, because such are ugly things to look upon. Here we speak of "concealing". It is not thus with the Tathagata. He has long since done away with genitalia. As he does not have such, there is no reason for concealment. O good man! The Brahmins do not like to have their words and what they say heard by Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Sudras. Why not? Because there are many things in their words that are wrong and wicked. But the Tathagata's Wonderful Dharma is such that it is lovely in its beginning, lovely in its middle and lovely in its conclusion. So we cannot speak here of a thing hidden or stored away. O good man! For example, there is here a rich man who only has a single son. He always thinks of, and loves, this boy. He takes the boy to a teacher to be taught. Apprehensive that things might not progress quickly, he takes the boy back home. As he loves him, he teaches him the alphabet day and night very patiently. Yet he does not teach him the vyakarana [a popular work for language study; a kind of grammar]. Why not? Because the child is small and is not up to such lessons. O good man! Now, the rich man finishes teaching the alphabet. But is the boy ready to be taught the vyakarana?"  "No, O World-Honoured One!"  "Is the rich man concealing anything from the child?"  "No, O World-Honoured One! Why not? Because the child is too young. So he does not teach [him the more advanced matters]. It is not that the boy is not taught because the man begrudges him [such lessons]. Why not? If there is any jealousy or grudging [involved], we may say he conceals things. It is not thus with the Tathagata. How could we say that he hides and conceals?" The Buddha said: "Well said, well said, O good man! It is as you say. If there is any anger, jealousy or begrudging, we can well say that he is concealing things. The Tathagata has no anger or jealousy. How can you say that he hides things away? O good man! The great rich man is the Tathagata himself. The only child is [all] beings. The Tathagata views all beings as he views his only son. Teaching his only son relates to the sravaka disciples, the alphabet, and the nine types of sutras; the vyakarana relates to the vaipulya [extensive] Mahayana sutras. Since all the sravaka disciples do not possess the power of Wisdom, the Tathagata teaches them the alphabet, i.e. the nine types of sutra. And he does not yet speak of the vyakarana, i.e. the vaipulya Mahayana. O good man! When the rich man's son has grown up and is able to cope with the lessons, if the vyakarana is not taught then, we may well speak of "concealment". If all sravakas are grown up and can indeed cope with the Mahayana vyakarana lessons, but the Tathagata begrudges [them this] and does not teach them [the vyakarana], we could well say that the Tathagata begrudges, hides and conceals the teaching. But this is not so with the Tathagata. The Tathagata does not conceal [anything]. This is as with the rich man who, having taught the alphabet, next teaches the vyakarana. I also do the same. To all my disciples I have spoken about the alphabet and the nine types of sutra. Having done so, I now, after this, talk about the vyakarana. This is none other than the Tathagata's eternal and unchanging nature.“
’     "Also, next, O good man! It is as in the summer months, when great clouds call forth thunder and great rain, as a result of which all farmers can sow [their] seeds and harvest things. Those who do not sow cannot expect to harvest. It is not through the workings of the naga kings that one cannot harvest. And these naga kings also do not store [hold things back]. The same with me. I let fall the great rain of the Great Nirvana Sutra. Those beings who sow good seeds harvest the buds and fruit of Wisdom. Those who have not sown can expect nothing. The Tathagata is not to blame if they gain nothing. The Tathagata does not hide anything away."

Kasyapa said again: "I now definitely know that the Tathagata-World-Honoured One never hides and conceals [anything away]. You, the Buddha, say that the vyakarana refers to the eternal and unchanging nature of the Buddha-Tathagata. But this cannot be the meaning. Why not? Because the Buddha said before, in a gatha:
æ°All Buddhas, pratyekabuddhas, and sravakas
Abandon the non-eternal body.
How could this not be so with common mortals?æ±
Now you say æ°eternalæ± and æ°unchangingæ±. What does this mean?" The Buddha said: "O good man! As I had to teach the sravaka disciples the alphabet, I spoke thus in the gatha. O good man! King Prasenajit lost his mother. He cried sorrowfully. He loved her and could not bear the sorrow. He came to me. I asked: æ°O King! Why are you so afflicted with sorrow?æ± The King said: æ°The Queen Mother of the state has died, O World-Honoured One! If anyone can bring my mother back to life, I will give away my state, elephants, horses, the seven treasures, and even my life; thus will I reward him.æ± I said to the king: æ°O great King! Please do not lose yourself in worry and sorrow! Do not weep! When life ends for a person, this is death. All Buddhas, sravakas, pratyekabuddhas and disciples have to part with this body. How could common mortals not have to?æ± O good man! To teach the king the alphabet, I spoke thus in this gatha. I now expound to my sravaka disciples the vyakarana and say that the Tathagata is eternal and that he does not change. If any person says that the Tathagata is non-eternal, how could this man's tongue not drop off?"
Kasyapa further replied: "You said:
æ°Nothing is hoarded, and I feel
Satisfied with the meal I take. It is
As in the case of the bird that flies in the sky,
Whose tracks are hard to trace.æ±
What might this mean? O World-Honoured One! Of all those congregated here, who might be one who does not hoard? Who might be called one satisfied with [his] food? Who are those who fly through the sky and whose tracks cannot be traced? And where does one go to when one leaves this place?"

The Buddha said: "O good man! Hoarding is nothing but of wealth and treasure. O good man! Of hoarding, there are two kinds: one of what is created and the other of what is non-created. The hoarding of the created is what sravakas do; the hoarding of the non-created is what the Tathagata does.
"O good man! Of priests, there are two kinds. One is of the created, and the other is of the non-created. The priest of the created is the sravaka. The sravaka priest does not hoard. Male or female menials are unlawful things; so is storing rice, bean paste, sesame and large and small beans in a storehouse. If someone were to say that the Tathagata permits the keeping of servants, male or female, and such other things, his tongue would shrink. I say that all my sravaka disciples are æ°non-storingæ±. Or they are those satisfied with their food. If a person greedily seeks food, such a person is not satisfied.
"Saying that it is hard to trace the tracks means that one is close to unsurpassed Enlightenment. I say: æ°The person goes, but there is no place to go toæ±."
Kasyapa further said: "The priest of the created does not hoard. How can the priest of the non-created do so? The priest of the non-created is the Tathagata. How could the Tathagata hoard things up?"
"Hoarding means æ°storing away and concealingæ±. Thus the Tathagata expounds [truths] and does not begrudge [anyone anything]. How could we say that he hoards things away?
"Saying that the tracks are untraceable relates to Nirvana. In Nirvana there remains no trace of the sun, moon, stars, constellations, cold, heat, wind, rain, birth, age, illness, death, or the 25 existences. Nirvana is segregated from apprehension, sorrow and illusion. Such is the abode of Nirvana and the Tathagata, who is Eternal and does not change. Hence, the Tathagata comes here to the forest of sal trees and enters Parinirvana by [means of?] the Great Nirvana."
The Buddha said to Kasyapa: "æ°Greatæ± means wide and extensive in nature. It is as when we speak of a æ°great manæ±, when the life-span of [that] man is infinite. As this man abides in Wonderful Dharma, we call him æ°superior to all menæ±. It is as in the case of the æ°eight awakened minds of a great manæ± about which I speak. If a person makes this an æ°isæ±, many persons would also be thus. If a person possesses the eight qualities, he is the best. The Nirvana of which we speak has no pox or warts. O good man! For example, [imagine] a man here who has been hit by a poisoned arrow and who is in great pain. A learned doctor comes and extracts the poisoned arrow and applies a superb medicine. As a result the pain goes away, and the man gains peace. This doctor visits castles, towns and hamlets. He goes to where people suffer from the pain of the pox or warts, applies his art and removes the pain. O good man! The same is the case with the Tathagata. Having attained all-equal Enlightenment, he becomes a great doctor. Seeing all beings of Jambudvipa hit by the poisoned arrows of the illusions of lust, anger and ignorance and suffering in the course of innumerable kalpas, he applies the sweet medicine of the Mahayana sutras. The treatment completed, he moves on to other places where people are suffering from the poisonous arrows of illusion. There he [also] manifests his attaining of Enlightenment and gives treatment [to the afflicted]. Thus we speak of æ°Mahaparinirvanaæ±.
"Mahaparinirvana is the place where all get emancipated. Wherever there are people to be subjugated [i.e. their defilements removed], he manifests himself. On account of this truly great meaning, we say Great Nirvana."“

’     Bodhisattva Kasyapa said further to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! Do all the so-called doctors thoroughly cure the pain of the pox and warts? Or do they not?"  "O good man! There are two kinds of pain relative to the pox and warts. One is curable and the other is incurable. The doctor cures what is curable, but not what is incurable."
Kasyapa said again: "According to what the Buddha says, the Tathagata has cured all the beings of Jambudvipa. The treatment completed, how could there still be beings who have not yet attained Nirvana? If it is the case that not everyone has as yet attained Nirvana, how can the Tathagata say: æ°The treatment completed, I move on to other placesæ±?"  "O good man! There are two kinds of beings in Jambudvipa. There are: those who have faith, and the others, who do not. Those with faith can be cured. Why? Because such a person can definitely attain Nirvana, which has no pox or warts."

"O World-Honoured One! What can Nirvana be?"  "O good man! Nirvana is emancipation [“’vimukti“’ - liberation]." Kasyapa again said: "Is emancipation a thing or not a thing?" The Buddha said: "What is no thing is the emancipation of the sravakas and pratyekabuddhas; what is a thing is the emancipation of the All-Buddha-Tathagata. The case being thus, O good man, emancipation is a thing and not a thing. The Tathagata speaks to all sravakas and presents it as no thing."  "O World-Honoured One! If it is not a thing, how can sravakas and pratyekabuddhas live?"  "O good man! That which is such as Thoughtlessness-non-Thoughtlessness Heaven is also both a thing and not a thing. The Self, too, is not a thing. One might argue, saying: æ°If  Thoughtlessness-non-Thoughtlessness Heaven is not a thing, how can a person live and come and go, advance and stand still?æ± All such matters relate to the world of all Buddhas; they are not what sravakas and pratyekabuddhas can rightly know. It is thus. The same with emancipation. We also speak of matter [“’rupa“’ = matter, form, body] and non-matter [“’arupa“’ = non-matter, non-form, non-body], and it is presented as not a thing. Also, we speak of thought and thoughtlessness, and this is presented as thoughtlessness. All such things belong to the world of all Buddhas and are not what sravakas and pratyekabuddhas may know."

Then Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! Please condescend to explain to me what pertains to Mahaparinirvana and the meaning of emancipation." The Buddha praised Kasyapa, saying: "Well said, well said, O good man! True emancipation means segregation of one's own self from all the bonds of illusion. If one truly attains emancipation and segregation of one's own self from the bonds of illusion, there is no self, or nothing to conjoin as in the case of [the sexual union between] parents, as a result of which a child is born. True emancipation is not like that. That is why emancipation is birthlessness. O Kasyapa! It is like sarpirmanda, which is pure in its nature. The same is the case with the Tathagata. He is not what arises through the conjoining of parents, as a result of which a child comes about. His nature is pure. [The Tathagata's] displaying of parents is [an expedient means for helping] to pass beings over to the other shore. True emancipation is the Tathagata. The Tathagata and emancipation are not two, are not different. It is as when we sow seeds in spring and autumn, for instance, when it is warm and wet and as a result of which the seeds shoot out buds. True emancipation is not thus.
"Also, emancipation is nothingness. Nothingness is emancipation. Emancipation is the Tathagata and the Tathagata nothingness. It is not anything that come about from doing [action]. Such doing is like a castle building. True emancipation does not come about in this way [i.e. is not a compounded, constructed thing]. For this reason, emancipation is at once the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is the non-created. A potter makes a pot, which breaks to pieces again. Things are not like that in emancipation. True emancipation is birthlessness and deathlessness. That is why emancipation is the Tathagata. “

'He is birthlessness, non-extinction, agelessness, and is undying, unbreakable and indestructible. He is not anything created. Hence we say that the Tathagata enters Great Nirvana.
"What do we mean by agelessness and deathlessness? Age relates to what moves and changes. One's hair becomes white, and lines appear on one's face. By death is meant the breaking up [disintegration] of the body, as a result of which life departs. Nothing of this kind arises in emancipation. Since nothing of this kind arises, we say emancipation. With the Tathagata, too, there arise no such things of created existence as the turning white of the hair or the appearing of lines on the face. Thus, no ageing occurs in the case of the Tathagata. As there is no ageing, there is no death.
"Also, emancipation means ill-lessness. By illness is meant the 404 diseases, and all other [ailments] which come to one from without and spoil the body. When such do not come about, we say emancipation. When no illness arises, there is true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata. The Tathagata has no illness. Thus there comes about no illness in the Dharma-Body. This state of no illness is the Tathagata. Death is the breaking up of the body and the ending of life. There is no death here [in emancipation]. What there is is the deathless ["'amrta"' - the state of immortality], which is true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata. The Tathagata is accomplished in such virtues [blessings?]. How could we [ever] say that the Tathagata is non-eternal? Anything such as the non-eternal can never exist there. It is an Adamantine Body. How could it be non-eternal? As a result, we do not say that there is any ending of life with the Tathagata. With the Tathagata, what there is is purity; there is no defilement. The Tathagata's body does not get defiled by the womb. It is like the pundarika-lotus, whose nature is pure. The same with the Tathagata and emancipation. Thus, emancipation is at once the Tathagata. That is why the Tathagata is pure and undefiled.
"And with emancipation, such things as the "'asravas"' [defilements, "leakings"], the pox and warts, and all other such things, are done away with. The same with the Tathagata. He has no defilements and no pox or warts.
"Also, with emancipation, there can be no fighting or refutation [confrontation? disputation?]. For example, the hunger-ridden entertain the thought of greed and grabbing when they see others taking food. With emancipation, the case is not thus.
"Also, emancipation is peace and quietude. Ordinary people say that peace and quietude are of Mahesvara. But such is a lie. True quietude means utmost emancipation. Utmost emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation means peace and safety. The place where robbers are present has no peace and safety. The place where purity and peace reign is a place of peace and quietude. As there is no fear in this emancipation, we say peace and quietude. Hence, peace and quietude are true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata. The Tathagata is Dharma."
'     "Also, emancipation has no equal. By equal, we may take up the case of a king who has equals in the neighbouring kingdoms. The case of true emancipation is not such. Having no equal is like the case of a chakravartin, who has no equal. The same with emancipation. There is nothing equal to it. To have no equal is true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata-chakravartin. Thus, there is none who is his equal. There can be no talk [here] of an equal.
"Also, emancipation is non-apprehension. One who has apprehension may be likened to a king who fears and slanders the strong neighbouring state, and has apprehension. Now, with emancipation there is nothing of the kind. This is like annihilating enmity, as a consequence of which there is no longer any apprehension. The same is the case with emancipation. It has no apprehension or fear. Non-apprehension is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is non-apprehension or non-joy. For example, a woman has an only son. As a result of war, he goes to a far-off place. News comes, saying that the boy has met with ill fortune, as a consequence of which the mother is worried. Later, she hears of his safety and because of this is glad. Now, with emancipation there is nothing of the kind. When there is no apprehensioon or joy, there is true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, there is no dust or defilement in emancipation as when in the spring months, after sundown, the wind raises up a cloud of dust. Now, in emancipation, nothing of this kind obtains. Where there is no cloud of dust, there is true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata. This is like a bright gem resting in the knot of dressed hair on the head of a chakravartin, where there is no fleck of defilement. The nature of emancipation is thus: it has no defilement. Non-defilement can be likened to true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata. True gold does not contain any sand or stone. This is true treasure. When one gains this, one feels [one has gained true] wealth. The nature of emancipation is also such a true emancipation. This true treasure can be likened to true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata. When an unglazed pot breaks, there issues a neighing [cracking?] sound. With the adamantine treasure pot, things are otherwise. Now, emancipation emits no neighing [cracking?] sound. The adamantine treasure pot is like true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata. Hence, the body of the Tathagata cannot be destroyed. We say that it neighs [crackles?]. This is as when castor seeds are put into a blazing fire, which flames up and sends forth a popping sound. It is like that. Now, emancipation has nothing of the kind. The adamantine pot of true treasure emits no cracking or breaking sound. Even if innumerable hundreds of thousands of people were to shoot arrows at it, none caould break this pot. What emits no cracking or breaking sound is true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata. A poor man is in debt to other people. So he gets bound up and chained in fetters and is punished by whipping, and has to suffer from all [kinds of] worries and pains. Now, with emancipation, there is nothing of this kind. There is no debt to pay. This is like a rich person who possesses innumerable "'yis"' of treasure and whose power is unbounded, who owes nothing to other people. The case of emancipation is thus. It has a countless stock of wealth of Dharma and rare treasures, having full power and owing nothing to others. Owing nothing to others may be likened to true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is æ°not being oppressedæ±. This may be contrasted with spring, when one walks in the heat, with summer, when one tastes what is sweet, and with winter, when one encounters the cold. In true emancipation there is nothing of any kind that does not appeal to one's wishes.The absence of anything to oppress one may be likened to true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata. As to non-oppression, we may take up the case of a man who, having greedily partaken of fish, drinks milk again. Such a man as this is not far from death. In true emancipation, there is nothing of the kind. If he obtains ambrosia ["'amrta"'] or good medicine, worry leaves him. True emancipation is like that. Ambrosia and good medicine can be likened to emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata. How can we speak of being oppressed or not oppressed? For example, a common mortal is arrogant and self-important. And he thinks: æ°Of all things, nothing can harm meæ±. And he holds in his hand a serpent, a tiger, or a noxious insect. The destined time of death not coming, this person meets with an untimely death. In true emancipation, there comes about nothing of the kind. We say æ°not being oppressedæ±. This can be likened to a chakravartin's divine gem, which kills all noxious insects, such as the dung-beetle and the 96 noxious insects [i.e. the total number of tirthikas thought to be existing at the time of the Buddha]. As one comes into contact with the glow of this divine gem, all poison dissipates. Things are thus with true emancipation. All die away from the 25 existences. The annihilation of poison is analogous to true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata. Also, æ°not being oppressedæ± is like space, for example. Thus is emancipation. Space is comparable to true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata. Also, being oppressed is like holding a lamp close to dry grass. When it is too close, the grass catches fire. The case is thus. There is nothing of the kind in true emancipation. Also, æ°non-oppressedæ± is like the sun and moon, which do not come too close to all beings. Such is the situation with emancipation. It does not come pressing down upon beings. Non-oppression is true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is the immovable Dharma. It is in contrast to enmity and friendliness, which do not exist in true emancipation. Also, immovability can be likened to a chakravartin. There will be no one who will befriend him. None becomes his friend. That the king has no friend can be likened to true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata. The Tathagata is Dharma. Also, the æ°immovableæ± may be contrasted with white cloth, which can easily be dyed. It is not thus with emancipation. Also, this æ°immovableæ± may be likened to varsiki [jasminum sambac]. Also, making it smell badly and blue in colour is impossible. The same with emancipation. Try as we might, we cannot make it smell badly or change colour. For this reason, emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is what is rare. There is nothing rare, for example, about a water lily growing in water. When it grows in fire, this is something rare. People see this and are gladdened. What is rare can be likened to true emancipaiton. True emancipation is the Tathagata. This Tathagata is the Dharma-Body. Also, æ°rareæ± may be compared with a baby. It has no teeth, but as it grows up, these appear. It is not so with emancipation. There is no birth and no non-birth.
"Also, emancipation is what is æ°empty and quietæ±. There can be no indefiniteness. By indefinite is meant the situation of saying that the icchantika never shifts and that one committing grave offences never attains Buddhahood. Such can never apply. Why not? When that [icchantika] person gains pristine faith in the Buddha's Wonderful Dharma, at that time the person annihilates the icchantika [within himself]. On becoming an upasaka, the icchantika [in that person] dies away; the person who has committed grave offences also attains Buddhahood when his sins have been expiated. Thus we can never say that there is no shifting at all and that no Buddhahood can be attained. With true emancipation, there can be no such case of annihilation. Also, æ°emptiness and quietudeæ± are things of the Dharma world. The nature of the Dharma world is true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata. Also, once the icchantika has died out, we can no more talk of the icchantika.
"What is an icchantika? An icchantika cuts off [within himself] all the roots of good deeds and his mind does not call forth any association with good. Not even a bit of a thought of good arises. Nothing such as this ever occurs in true emancipation. As there is nothing of this kind, we say true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is called æ°immeasurableæ±. For example, we can measure the volume of cereal. But true emancipation is not like this. It is like the great ocean, whose volume we cannot measure. Emancipation is like that. We cannot measure [it]. True emancipation is immeasurable. True emancipation is the Tathagata."
'     "Also, true emancipation is called æ°immeasurableæ± [innumerable? boundless?] It is like the varied karma results which a single person has. The same is the case with emancipation. It has innumerable returns. Innumerable returns means true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is wide and great and like the great sea, to which nothing is equal. The same with emancipation. Nothing can be its equal. What has no equal is true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is the highest. It is like the firmament, which is the highest, with nothing coming to be its equal. The same is the case with emancipation. What is the highest and incomparable is true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is the æ°impassableæ±. It is like the den of a lion, before [into?] which no animal dares pass. The same, too, is the case with emancipation. No one can well pass through it. What is impassable is true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is the æ°uppermostæ±. For example, north is the highest of all directions. The same is also the case with emancipation. Nothing surpasses it. Whatever is uppermost is true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is the up of the uppermost. For example, compared with the east, north is the uppermost. The same with emancipation. Nothing surpasses it. What is the uppermost is true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also emancipation is the law of constancy. For example, when a man's or deva's body breaks up, life departs. This is always so. It [this law] is not non-constant. It is the same with emancipation. It is not non-constant. What is not non-constant is emancipaiton. True emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is the strongly abiding. It is as in the case of the khadira [acacia catechu, the extract from which - "'catechu"' - is much used as a medicine, an astringent and tonic], sandalwood, and aloe wood, whose quality is strength and faithfulness. The same with emancipation. Its quality is strength and faithfulness. Whatever is strong and faithful is emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is the not-empty. For example, the body of bamboo and reed is empty inside. This is not the case with emancipation. Know that emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is what cannot be defiled. For example, there is a wall. While the upper coating is still not finished, mosquitoes and gadflies come and rest and play on it. When it is painted and finished with pictures and decorated with sculptures, the insects, scenting the smell of the paint, do not stay on it. True emancipation may be likened to such non-staying. True emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is unboundedness. Villages and towns all have boundaries. This is not so with emancipation. It is like space, which has no boundaries. Emancipation of such kind is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is what cannot be seen. It is just as the tracks of birds that flew across the sky cannot be traced. What is unable to be seen as such can well be likened to true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, extremely deep is what the Buddhas and bodhisattvas look up to. A dutiful son serves his parents, and the virtue thereof is extremely deep. It is so. Extremely deep refers to emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is what one cannot see. For example, a man cannot see the top of his own head. The same is the case with emancipation. Sravakas and pratyekabuddhas cannot see [it]. What cannot be seen is true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is the houseless. This is as in the case of the Void, which has no house. The same with emancipation. The house [here] refers to the 25 existences. æ°Houselessæ± is true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is what cannot be held in one's hand. The amalaka can certainly be held in a man's hand. Not so emancipation. It cannot be held in one's hand. Whatever cannot be held in one's hand is emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is what one cannot grasp in one's hand. This is as in the case of a phantom, which one cannot grasp in one's hand. The same also with emancipation. Whatever it is not possible to grasp in one's hand is emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation has no carnal body. For example, one has a body, on and in which can come about such as the pox, leprosy, all kinds of carbuncles, craziness and dryings-up. In true emancipation, no such diseases and illnesses come about. What is without suchlike diseases and illnesses is true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is oneness of taste. It is like milk, which is one in its taste. The same with emancipation, which is one in its taste. Such oneness in taste is true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is purity. This is as in the case of water which has no mud [in it], is clear, unmoving and pure. The same with emancipation. It is clean, unmoving and pure. Whatever is clean, unmoving and pure is true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is single in taste. It is like the rain in the sky, which is one in taste and pure. That which is one in taste and is pure can be likened to true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is exclusion [?]. It is like the full moon that does not have any clouded part. So goes it with emancipation. It has no clouded part. What has no clouded part is true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is quietude. A man has a fever. When cured, he feels quiet. Emancipation is thus. One feels quiet. When one feels quiet, there is true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, true emancipation is equalness [impartiality? equanimity?]. For example, a field has [in it] poisonous serpents, rats and wolves, all of which mean to kill others. It is not so with emancipation. There is no thought of killing. Having no thought of killing is true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata. Also, equalness may be compared to the mind of parents, who view their children all-equally. Thus is emancipation. The mind is all-equal. This all-equal mind is true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata."
'     "Also, emancipation is not having any other place [to dwell]. For example, there is a man here who only lives in the best of all places, having no other place to live in. The same with emancipation. It has no other place to live in. Having no other different place to live in is true emancipation. True emanciption is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is feeling satisfied. Take the case of a hungry man who, on encountering sweet dishes, devours them, and there is no end of eating. The case of emancipation is not like this. If one partakes of milk-cooked porridge, one no longer feels the need to eat. No longer feeling any need to eat may well be likened to emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is segregation. It is like a person tied up, who cuts the rope and gains his freedom. The same is the case with emancipation. One cuts off all the bonds of doubt. Such cutting off of all the bonds of doubt is true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is gaining the other shore. A big river, for example, has this shore and the yonder shore. It is not thus with emancipation. Although it does not have this side, there is the yonder shore. What has this other shore is true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is silence. The surface of a great sea swells, for example, and there arise many sounds. With emancipation things are not so. Emancipation such as this is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is the All-Wonderful. If haritaki [a purgative bitter fruit] is added to any medicine, that medicine will come to taste bitter. But emancipation is not like this. It becomes sweet. The taste of sweetness can be likened to true emancipation.
"Also, emancipation makes away with all illusions. This may be likened to the case of a learned doctor who mixes up all drugs and cures all illnesses. The same is also the case with emancipation. It thoroughly makes away with illusion. What makes away with illusion is true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata."
'     "Also, emancipation has no oppressedness [constriction? crampedness?]. For example, a small house cannot take in many people. The case is otherwise with emancipation, which can take in many. What takes in many is true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is analogous to annihilating all loving [lustful] casts of mind and not having carnal appetites. A female has many phases of love [lust]. This is not so with emancipation. Emancipation of this kind is the Tathagata. The Tathagata does not possess such illusions as greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance, etc.
"Also, emancipation is lovelessness [desirelessness]. Love is of two kinds. One is hungry [craving] love and the other love of Dharma. True love is not possessed of hungry love. As there is love for all beings, there is the love of Dharma. Such love of Dharma is true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is not possessed of atmatmiya [fixation on self and what belongs to self]. Such emancipation is the Tathagata. The Tathagata is Dharma.
"Also, emancipation is extinction. It is removed from all kinds of greed. Such emancipation is the Tathagata. The Tathagata is Dharma.
"Also, emancipation is succouring. It thoroughly succours all those who have fear. Such emancipation is the Tathagata. The Tathagata is Dharma.
"Also, emancipation is the place to which one returns. One who partakes of such emancipation does not seek any other place to take refuge in. For example, a man who depends on the king does not look for other kings to depend upon. Yet even when one depends on the king, there can be a situation in which change comes about. For one who depends upon emancipation, there is no change any more. Where there is no change, there is true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata.
""Also, emancipation is fearlessness. It is like the lion, who has no fear of any beast. The same is the case with emancipation. It has no fear of any Maras. Fearlessness is true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation knows no narrowness. On a narrow path, two persons cannot walk [side by side]. It is not thus with emancipation. Such emancipation is the Tathagata. Also, there is the case of non-narrowness. For example, a man falls into a well just because of his fear of a tiger. The situation with emancipation is not like this. Such emancipation is the Tathagata. Again, there is the case of non-narrowness. On a great sea, one abandons a small, wrecked ship. Sailing in a strong ship, one crosses the sea and arrives at the place [destination], and one's mind is blessed with peace. The same is the case with emancipation. The mind is happy. The attainment of happiness is true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation stands above all causes and by-causes [conditions]. For example, from milk we get cream, from cream, we get butter; and from butter, we get sarpirmanda. True emancipation has none of these causes. The causeless is true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation thoroughly subdues arrogance. [Think of] a great king who belittles a petty king. The case is not thus with emancipation. Such emancipation is the Tathagata. The Tathagata is Dharma.
"Also, emancipation subdues all kinds of indolence. One who is indolent is greedy. With true emancipation, nothing such as this comes about. This is true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation does away with non-brightness [i.e. darkness]. This is as with best butter. When the scum and dirt are removed, we get sarpirmanda. The same with emancipation. As a result of excluding the scum of ignorance, true brightness shines forth. Such brightness is true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is quietude, the pure æ°oneæ±, the æ°not-twoæ± [non-dual]. This is like the elephant of the wilderness, who is without comparison. The same is the situation with emancipation. It is the one, the not-two, which is true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is strong and full of truth. The stems of the bamboo, reed, and castor-oil plants are empty, but the seeds are strong and truthful. Other than the Buddha-Tathagata, all of humankind and heaven are not strong and full of truth. True emancipation is remote from all illusions. Such emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation awakens and augments [expands? enhances?] one. True emancipation is like that. Such emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation relinquishes all existences. For example, a man, after partaking of food, may vomit. Emancipation is also like this. It relinquishes all existences. The relinquishing of all existences is true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is a decision [?]. This is as in the case of the fragrance from varsiki [jasminum sambac], which is not found in saptaparna [alstonia scholaris]. The same is the case with emancipation. Such emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is water. For example, water comes above all other elements of the earth and thoroughly moistens all trees, grass and seeds. It is the same with emancipation. It thoroughly moistens all beings. Such emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is entering. If there is a gate, this [means] that this is the entrance-way. It is as in a place where there is gold which one can get. Emancipation is thus. It is like a gate. One who practises selflessness can indeed enter. Such emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is what is good. For example, a disciple follows the injunctions of his teacher well and we call this good. So, too, with emancipation. Such emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is called the supramundane Law [Dharma]. Of all things, this is the one which supercedes all others. It is like the case of butter, which is the best of all tastes. Thus is it [too] with emancipation. Such emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is the immovable. For example, the wind cannot move a gate. True emancipation is like this. Such emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is the waveless. The great sea has waves. But this is not the case with emancipation. Such emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is like a royal palace. Emancipation is like that. Know that emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is what is useful. Jambunada gold has many uses. Nobody speaks ill of it. The same applies to emancipation. There is nothing bad about it. What has nothing bad about it is true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is giving up the actions of one's childhood days. It is the same with emancipation. It does away with the five skandhas. Abandoning the five skandhas is true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is the utmost. A person fettered in bonds obtains freedom and, after washing and cleaning himself, returns home. It is the same with emancipation. It is pure to the utmost. This utmost purity is true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is the bliss that is not expelled. Because desire, malevolence and ignorance have already been vomited out. As an example: a man swallows a poisonous drug by mistake. To expel the poison, he takes a drug. Once the poison is out, he is cured, feels well and gains peace. It is the same with emancipation. Having cast out all illusions and the poison that binds one, the body gains peace. So we speak of æ°non-expelled peaceæ±. Non-expelled peace is true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation rids one of the four poisonous serpents of illusion [i.e. desire, hatred, ignorance and arrogance]. The getting rid of illusion is true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is segregating oneself from all existences, excising all suffering, obtaining all aspects of peace, and eternally cutting off desire, ill-will and ignorance, and severing oneself from the roots of all illusions. Cutting the roots of illusion is emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata."
'     "Moreover, emancipation is termed that which severs all conditioned phenomena [samskrta-dharmas], gives rise to all untainted [anasrava], wholseome qualities / phenomena and eliminates the various paths/ approaches, that is to say, Self, non-Self, not-Self and not non-Self. It merely severs attachment and does not sever the view of the Self/ the seeing of the Self/ the vision of the Self [atma-drsti]. The view of the Self is termed the 'Buddha-dhatu' [Buddha-Nature]. The Buddha-dhatu is true emancipation, and true emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is the æ°not-empty-emptyæ±. æ°Empty-emptyæ± is non-possession. Non-possession is the emancipation which the tirthikas and Nirgrantha Jnatiputras [Jains] presume upon [base themselves upon?]. But, in truth, the Nirgranthas do not possess emancipation. So we say æ°empty-emptyæ±. Not-empty-empty is true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is the æ°not-emptyæ±. The pot in which we put water, drink, milk, cream, butter, honey, etc., can well be called the water pot and suchlike, even when there is no water, drink, cream, butter, honey or any other thing in it. And yet, we cannot say that the pot is either empty or not-empty. If we say empty, there cannot be any colour, smell, taste or touch. If we say not-empty, what we see is that there is nothing in it such as water, drink or any other thing. We can say neither matter ["'rupa"'] nor non-matter ["'arupa"']; we can say neither empty nor not-empty. If we say empty, there can be no Eternity, Bliss, Self, and Purity. If not-empty, who is the one blessed with Eternity, Bliss, Self, and Purity? Thus, we should say neither empty nor not-empty. Empty will entail [the notion] that the 25 existences, all illusions, suffering, the phases of life, and all actual actions do not exist. When there is no cream in the pot, we may say empty. Not-empty points to Truth, to whatever is Good, Eternal, Bliss, Self, Pure, Immovable and Unchanging. It is as in the case of taste and touch regarding the pot. That is why we say not-empty. In consequence, we may say that emancipation is as in the case of the pot. The pot will break in certain circumstances. But this is not so with emancipation. It cannot break. What is indestructible is true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata.
"Also, emancipation is severing oneself from love [i.e. blind love, craving]. For example, there is a man here who may longingly desire to become Sakrodevanamindra, Brahma, and Mahesvara. Emancipation is other than this. Once unsurpassed Enlightenment has been attained, there is no love [craving] and no doubt. Not having love or doubt is true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata. We cannot say that there is love or doubt in emancipation.
"Also, emancipation cuts off all greed, all external appearances, all bonds, all illusions, all births and deaths, all causes and conditions, all karma results. Such emancipation is the Tathagata. The Tathagata is Nirvana. When all beings [come to] fear birth and death and illusion, they take refuge in the Three Treasures. This is like a herd of deer who fear the hunter and run away. One jump may be likened to one refuge, and three such jumps to three refuges. From the three jumps, peace comes. It is the same with all beings. When one fears the four Maras and the evil-minded hunter, one takes the three Refuges [in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha]. As a result of the three Refuges, one gains peace. Gaining peace is true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata. The Tathagata is Nirvana. Nirvana is the Infinite. The Infinite is the Buddha-Nature. Buddha-Nature is definiteness. Definiteness is unsurpassed Enlightenment."

Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! If it is the case that Nirvana, the Buddha-Nature, definiteness, and the Tathagata are one and the same, why do we say æ°three Refugesæ±?" The Buddha said to Kasyapa: "All beings fear birth and death. So they take the three Refuges. By the three Refuges, we mean Buddha-Nature, Definiteness, and Nirvana. O good man! There are cases in which the name, Dharma, is one, but the meaning differs. There are cases in which the names of Dharma and the meanings are both different. We say that the name is one, but the meaning differs. This refers to the situation where we say that the Buddha is eternal, Dharma is eternal, and the bhiksu is eternal. Also, Nirvana and space are eternal. This is a case where the name [word] is one, but the signification is different. We say that both the word and the signification differ. The Buddha is called æ°Enlightenmentæ±, Dharma is called æ°No-Awakingæ± [?], the Sangha æ°Harmonyæ±, and Nirvana æ°Emancipationæ±. Space is called æ°non-goodæ±, and also æ°not-coveredæ±. There are cases in which the word and the signification both differ. O good man! The case of the three Refuges is also like this. The world and the signification both differ. How can we say one? That is why I said to Mahaprajapati [the Buddha's aunt, who raised him]: æ°O Gautami! Do not make offerings to me; make them to the Sangha! If offerings are made to the Sangha, this amounts to offerings being made to the three Refuges.æ± Mahaprajapati answered, saying: æ°Among the priests, there are no Buddha and no Dharma. How can we say that offerings made to the Sangha constitute offerings made to the Three Refuges?æ± I said: æ°If you do as I say, this will mean that you have made offerings to the Buddha. For the purpose of emancipation, offering is made to Dharma. When all priests receive this, this is an offering made to the Sangha.æ± O good man! At times the Tathagata speaks about one thing and makes it refer to three; he speaks about three and makes it one. All such things are what have to do with the world of all Buddhas. They are not what sravakas and pratyekabuddhas can know."

Kasyapa said further: "You, the Buddha, say that utmost peace is Nirvana. How can this be? Now, Nirvana means relinquishing the body and intellect. If one relinquishes the body and intellect, who is it that can become blessed with peace?" The Buddha said: "O good man! As an example: there is a man here. He eats some food. After partaking of it, he feels sick, desires to go out and vomit. After vomiting, he comes back. A person who was with him asks: æ°Have you got rid of the trouble you had? You have come back here again.æ± Such may be the case. The same applies to the Tathagata. He fully segregates himself from the 25 existences and eternally gains Nirvana, which is peace and bliss. There can [then] be no more of the topsy-turvy inversions, no ending and no extinction. All feeling is done away with. This is the bliss of non-feeling. This non-feeling is eternal Bliss. We can never say that the Tathagata feels Bliss. So, utmost Bliss is none but Nirvana. Nirvana is true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata."

Kasyapa further said: "Are birthlessness and desirelessness emancipation?"  "It is so, it is so. O good man! Birthlessness and desirelessness are emancipation. Such emancipation is the Tathagata." Kasyapa said further: "You say that birthlessness and desirelessness are emancipation. Space, too, by its nature, is birthlessness and desirelessness. It must be the Tathagata. The nature of the Tathagata must be emancipation." The Buddha said to Kasyapa: "O good man! It is not so."  "Why, O World-Honoured One, is that not so?"  "O good man! The kalavinka and jivamjivaka [birds] have clear and wonderful voices. How can we compare their voices to those of the crow and magpie? What do you say to that?"  "We cannot, O World-Honoured One! The voices of the crow and magpie cannot bear comparison 100 thousand and "'wan"' [a Chinese unit of number] times." Kasyapa said again: "The voices of the kalavinka and others are wonderful; so is their body. O Tathagata! How can we compare them to those of the crow and magpie? This is little different from comparing a mustard seed to Mount Sumeru. The same is the case with the Buddha and space. The voice of the kalavinka can well be compared to that of the Buddha; but the voices of the crow and magpie cannot bear comparison with that of the Buddha." Then the Buddha praised Kasyapa and said: "Well said, well said, O good man! You now grasp what is most difficult to understand. The Tathagata, at times, as occasion requires, takes the case of space and compares it to emancipation. Such emancipation is the Tathagata. True emancipation, [however], cannot bear comparison with man or heaven. And space itself, truth to tell, is not fit for [such] comparison. To teach beings, a comparison is sought with what cannot, in its true sense, serve the purpose. Know that emancipation is the Tathagata; the nature of the Tathagata is this emancipation. Emancipation and the Tathagata are not two, they are not different. O good man! We say æ°non-comparableæ±. We cannot take [for purposes of analogy] what cannot be compared. When there is a connection, then we can compare [two things]. Is is as when it says in the sutras, for example: æ°The visage is as right-set as that of the full moon; the white elephant is as fresh and clear as the snow of the Himalayas.æ± Now, the full moon cannot be the same as a face, and the Himalayas and the white elephant cannot be equals. O good man! It is not possible to express emancipation by parables. [Yet] in order to teach beings, parables are resorted to. Through parables, we realise the nature of all things. Matters stand thus." " 'Kasyapa said further: "Why is it that the Tathagata resorts to two kinds of parables?" The Buddha siad: "O good man! For example, there is a person here who holds a sword in his hand and with an angry mind means to harm the Tathagata. But the Tathagata is glad, and has no angry face. Can this man harm the Tathagata and actualise the deadly sin?"  "No, O World-Honoured One! Why not? Because the body of the Tathagata cannot be destroyed. Why not? Because it is not anything of the compounded carnal body. What there is is "'Dharmata"' [Dharma-Nature]. The principle of "'Dharmata"' is indestructible. How can this man hope to break the Buddha-Body? Because of his evil thought, this person falls into Avichi Hell. Thus we can make use of parables and come to know of Wonderful Dharma." Then the Buddha praised Bodhisattva Kasyapa: "Well said, well said! You already said what I wanted to say. Also, O good man! For example, an evil person means to harm his own mother. He lives in the fields and hides himself under a haystack. His mother brings out food to him. Then the man entertains an evil thought, steps forward and sharpens his sword. His mother, seeing this, slips away and hides under the stack. The man thrusts his sword into the haystack from all sides. Having done so, he is glad and thinks that he has killed his mother. Then his mother comes out of the haystack and returns home. What does this imply? Does this man have to suffer in Avichi Hell or not?"  "O World-Honoured One! We cannot definitely say which one [is the case]. Why not? If we say that he has equalled [destined himself for?] Avichi Hell, [in such a case] his mother's body would need to get hurt. But if it is not hurt, how can we say that the man has harmed her? If he is guiltless, how comes it that he entertained the thought of having actually killed his mother and how could he have been so glad? How can we say that he is guiltless? Though he has not actually committed this deadly sin, this is nothing other than a deadly sin. From this, we may know only through parables the true nature of a thing." Praising Kasyapa, the Buddha said: "Well said, well said, O good man! For this reason, I resort to many expedients and parables and explain emancipation. We could well employ innumerable asamkhyas of parables, yet parables cannot thoroughly explain all. If occasion arises, we might resort to parables, or the occasion might not permit parables. Thus, emancipation has such virtues. If we explain Nirvana, Nirvana and the Tathagata have innumerable virtues. We speak of æ°Great Nirvanaæ±." Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! I now know that there is no ending of things referring to where the Tathagata goes. If the place is unending, life too must be unending." The Buddha said: "Well said, well said! You now protect Wonderful Dharma indeed. Any good men or women who desire to cut off the bonds of illusion and all bonds should protect Wonderful Dharma thus.""
 

’Chapter Eight: On the Four Dependables’

‘     The Buddha further said to Kasyapa: "O good man! In this all-wonderful “’Mahaparinirvana Sutra“’, there appear four kinds of men. These well protect, establish and think of Wonderful Dharma. They benefit others very much and pity the world. They become the refuges of the world and give peace and bliss to man and god. What are the four [categories]? A man appears in the world and possesses illusion. This is the first category. Those persons of the grades of srotapanna and sakridagamin are the second. Those of the grade of anagamin are the third. Those of the stage of arhat are the fourth. Such four kinds of person appear, benefit and pity the world. They become the refuges of the world and give peace and bliss to man and heaven.
"What do we mean by those garbed in illusion? Such people uphold the prohibitions, observe [moral] deportment, and uphold Wonderful Dharma. They accord with what the Buddha says, understand what is said and expound it to others, and say: æ°Coveting little is the Way; desiring much is not the Wayæ±, and expound the æ°eight awakened minds of a great manæ±. To one who transgresses, the Way is shown, so that he confesses and repents. These people make away with sins and know the expedients and secrets of the teachings of the Bodhisattvas. Such [of this category] is a common mortal, not the eighth person [one who has arrived at the stage of attainment called æ°eighth-person stageæ±]. The eighth person is no common mortal. He is called æ°Bodhisattvaæ±, but not Buddha.
"The people of the second category are those of the stages of srotapanna and sakridagamin. Having encountered Wonderful Dharma, they uphold it. They follow and listen to the words of the Buddha and act as they have heard. Having heard, they write down what they have heard, uphold what they have heard, recite it and expound the teaching to others. There can be [with these people] no such thing as not writing down, not receiving, upholding and expounding the teaching to others. With them there could never be anything such as saying that the Buddha allows them to keep servants and what is impure. This refers to the people of the second category. They have not as yet attained the second and third places of abode. They are called æ°Bodhisattvasæ±. They have already received the Buddha's prophecy that they will [one day] attain Buddhahood.
"The people of the third category are those of the stage of anagamin. With them there can never be such things as slandering Wonderful Dharma, keeping servants, male or female, having impure things, or holding [keeping?] the books of the tirthikas, being hindered by foreign ["guest" - minor?] illusions, or being bound up by various old [inherent] illusions, saving for themselves the true sharira [relics] of the Tathagata, getting attacked by eternal illnesses or the four great poisonous serpents [greed, anger, ignorance and arrogance], and insisting upon self. They talk about selflessness, but never talk about, or cling to, worldly things. They speak about, and uphold, Mahayana, but their body is never soiled by the 80,000 germs. They are forever removed from sensual appetite, and even in their dreams they never ejaculate impure things. At the last moment of their life, they are never afraid. What does æ°anagaminæ± mean? [It means that] this person never comes back. As already stated, no wrongs or illnesses ever catch hold of him. He goes, returns and cycles around. He is called a Bodhisattva. Receiving his prophecy [to Buddhahood], he, not long after that, attains unsurpassed Enlightenment. This is the person of the third category.
"The fourth is the arhat. An arhat is he who cuts through the bonds of illusion and who has made away with the heavy weight that rests on his shoulders, and who has attained what he wanted to have. All things having been accomplished, he lives on the tenth level. Attaining an unmolested state of Wisdom, he does what others desire to have and manifests various images. If he desires to accomplish the Buddha-Way as it should be accomplished, he can well do so. One who can so accomplish innumerable virtues is an arhat.
"Such are the four kinds of people who appear, benefit and pity the world. They thus become the refuges of the world and give peace and bliss to man and god. They are the most honoured and the most superb of all men and gods. It is as in the case of the Tathagata, who is the most superb of men and gods and is the Refuge of the world."

Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! I do not take refuge in these four beings. Why not? It is as stated in the “’Ghosila Sutra“’ [?], in which the Buddha addresses Ghosila. There you say: æ°Devas, Maras, and Brahma may desire destruction, present themselves in the forms of Buddhas, perfectly adorn themselves with such as the 32 signs of perfection [which the Buddha is said to possess] and the 80 minor marks of excellence, and the light of a halo, measuring 8 feet, a face perfectly round as at the time of the full moon, and a white tuft of hair in the centre of the brow, whiter than horse-shoe shell or snow. Should they appear thus adorned, look carefully to see if these are genuine. Having made sure [that these are not genuine], subdue them.æ± O World-Honoured One! Maras and others can present themselves as Buddhas. Why might they not be able to present themselves as the four sages, the arhat to begin with, as sitting or sleeping in the air, emitting water from the left-hand side of their body and fire from the right, and emitting blazing flames from their body like a fire-ball? For these reasons, I cannot have faith in this; I dare not accept such, even when taught. I shall not take refuge in them." The Buddha said: "O good man! “’If you have doubt in what I say, it is for you not to accept it“’ [emphasis added]. Even more so when you have to deal with such people. This being so, weigh up a thing well and find out if it is good or not, if it is for you to do or not. Acting thus, one becomes blessed with peace and bliss in the long night [i.e. our life in samsara]. O good man! There is here a dog with his mind set upon stealing. At night he enters a man's house. When the servants come to know of this, they angrily shout: æ°Get out this instant, or we will kill you!æ± The burglar-dog hears this, runs out of the house and never comes back again. From now on, act like this, and drive away the Papiyas [Evil One, Devil], saying: æ°O Papiyas! Do not present yourself in such a form. Should you dare, we shall bind you up with five ropes.æ± On hearing this, Mara will hide away. He will never again show himself like some burgler-dog." Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! It is as you, the Buddha, said to the rich man, Ghosila. Anybody who can thus conquer Mara will surely draw close to Parinirvana. O Tathagata! How is it that you particularly speak of these four kinds of people and say that we should take refuge in them? What such people say cannot be trusted." The Buddha said to Kasyapa: "O good man! I address the sravakas who have [only] fleshly eyes and say that I subdue Mara. I do not say this to those of the Mahayana. Those of the sravaka class fall under the category of the fleshly eye, though they may possess the heavenly eye. Those who practise Mahayana may also possess fleshly eyes, but they are those who have the Buddha-Eye. How so? These Mahayana sutras are called the Buddha vehicle. Such a Buddha vehicle is most superb. O good man! There are, for example, brave and courageous people and also those who are cowardly and weak and who come and hang on. The strong always teach the weak and say: æ°Take the bow like this, the arrow like this, and learn [how to handle] the halberd, the long hook, and the policeman's lassoo.æ± Also, the strong man will say: æ°Now, the fate of those who fight is like walking on sword-blades. But one must not have fear. When one sees man or god, think that they are petty and weak. One must be brave at heart.æ± There may also be a man who, though not brave, presents himself as brave and, armed with a bow, a sword and many other things, goes to the battlefield. Then that person will cry out loudly: æ°Don't fear these people. If they see that you are not afraid, they will know and soon disperse like the robber-dog.æ± O good man! The same is the case with the Tathagata. To all sravakas, he says: æ°Do not be afraid of Marapapiyas. If Marapapiyas, clad as a Buddha, comes to you, make effort and harden your mind, so that he will draw back.汓
’     "O good man! It is as in the case of a strong man who does not give ear to what others say. The same is the case with one who learns Mahayana. He hears the teachings of the various sutras of deep thought; he has joy and is not afraid. Why? Because one such who abides in Mahayana has in the past made innumerable offerings to innumerable millions and billions of Buddhas and worshipped them, and he has no mind that fears Maras, who might be as innumerable as billions and thousands and who may come and attack that person. He is not afraid. O good man! For example, a man possesses agasti [a healing plant] and does not fear any poisonous snakes. Through this drug, poison loses all its power. The same with this Mahayana sutra. Just as in the case of the drug, no person will fear any Maras or poisons. It thoroughly crushes the enemy, who can never stand up again. Also, next, O good man! For example, there is a naga who, by nature, is very evil-minded. When it desires to harm people, it approaches with the eye [?] or cheats with the breath [?]. Hence, the lion, tiger, leopard, jackal, wolf and dog all fear [it]. When all these evil animals hear its voice, see its form or touch its body, there is not one that does not lose its life. But there is one who knows a good spell, which enables all such evil and poisonous ones as nagas, garudas, elephants, lions, leopards and wolves to be tamed, so that one can well ride on them. These creatures, as they encounter this marvellous spell, become tamed. It is thus with sravakas and pratyekabuddhas. Seeing Marapapiyas, they all become frightened. And [so] Marapapiyas does not feel afraid and does evil. The same is the case with those who practise Mahayana. They see that all sravakas are afraid of evil acts and do not have faith in this Mahayana. First, expedients are resorted to, as a result of which all Maras are conquered, so that they become tame and can now stand [function?] as vehicles to carry things in. Through this, they variously teach wonderful doctrines. Seeing the Maras are afraid, the sravakas and pratyekabuddhas become wonder-struck and gain faith and joy in the Wonderful Dharma of this unsurpassed Mahayana. They say: æ°From now on, we must not cause obstruction to Wonderful Dharma.æ± Also, next, O good man! The sravakas and pratyekabuddhas entertain fear regarding all illusions. Those who study Mahayana have no such fears. By practising Mahayana, one gains such power. As a result, all that was said above is for sravakas and pratyekabuddhas to do away with Maras, and not for Mahayana itself. This all-wonderful Mahayana sutra cannot easily be made away with. All is extremely wonderful. One who hears it and knows that the Tathagata is Eternal is very rare. Such a person is like the udumbara [bloom]. There may appear people who, after my death, listen to the teachings of such a wonderful Mahayana sutra and gain faith. Know that such people will not fall into the unfortunate realms in the ages of the future, for 100 thousand billion kalpas to come."
Then the Buddha said to Bodhisattva Kasyapa: "O good man! After my entering Nirvana, there may be 100 thousand innumerable people who will slander and not believe in this all-wonderful Great Nirvana Sutra." Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! Sooner or later, people will slander this sutra. O World-Honoured One! What good and pure people will come and save such as those who commit slander?" The Buddha said to Kasyapa: "O good man! For 40 years after my entering Nirvana, this sutra will flourish in Jambudvipa. Then, it will disappear. O good man! In a land, for example, where one can get sugar cane, rice, rock candy, butter, cream and sarpirmanda, people will say: æ°This is the best of the most tasty [food].æ± Or there may be people who may be living on maize and panic grass [?] and who may say that what they eat is the best of all food. Such are people of poor fortune, due to their karmic results. The ears of the fortunate will never hear of millet or barnyard grass. What they will eat will be rice, bran, sugar cane, rock candy, and sarpirmanda. It is the same with this wonderful Sutra of Great Nirvana. Those born dull-minded and unfortunate will not wish to listen, just like those dull and little-fortunate people who hate rice bran and rock candy. It is thus with the two vehicles [i.e. sravakas and pratyekabuddhas], the people of which will hate this unsurpassed Nirvana Sutra. [But] there are people who are gladdened on hearing this sutra and who, having heard it, feel pleased and do not slander it. This is like those of good fortune who eat rice bran. O good man! For example, there is a king who lives in the depths of the mountains, located in a precipitous place, difficult of approach. He has sugar cane, rice bran, and rock candy, but since these are difficult to obtain, he begrudges and stores them away, and does not eat them. Fearing that they may run out, he only eats millet and barnyard grass. Then, the king of a different land, hearing of this and feeling pity, sends rice bran and sugar cane to him. The king receives these and divides them amongst the people of his land, who all eat them. Having eaten them, they are all gladdened and say: æ°Because of that king, we have now been blessed with this food.æ± O good man! It is the same with the four kinds of people. They become the generals of this great teaching. One of the four kinds of people sees that countless Bodhisattvas of other countries study, copy, or have others copy, Mahayana sutras of this kind, for gain, fame, understanding, reliance, for trading for other sutras, but that they do not speak of it to others. Hence, he takes this all-wonderful sutra over there and gives it to the Bodhisattvas, so that they might aspire to unsurpassed Bodhichitta [Enlightenment-mind] and rest peacefully in Enlightenment. A Bodhisattva, on obtaining this sutra, speaks of it to others, who, through it, become blessed with the amrta [ambrosia] of the Mahayana teaching. All of this is what has been brought forth by this single Bodhisattva. He enables others to hear what they have not heard before. This is like the people who, through the power of that king, enjoy rare dishes. The case is similar.
"Also, O good man! Wherever this all-wondeful Great Nirvana Sutra goes, that place - you may know - is indestructible. The people living there are also alike adamantine. Any person who hears this sutra will attain unsurpassed Enlightenment and never draw back from it. Such persons will gain whatever they wish to have. O you Bhiksus! Uphold well what I say to you today. Any persons who do not hear this sutra, are, you should know, much to be pitied. Why so? Because such cannot uphold the deep meaning of such a Mahayana sutra as this."

Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! It is is the case that after the Tathagata's decease this Mahayana Great Nirvana Sutra will flourish in Jambudvipa for a period of 40 years and that after that it will disappear; when and how will it come back again?" The Buddha said: "O good man! For a period of 80 years after the ending of the age of Wonderful Dharma and during the 40 years preceding it, this sutra will greatly flourish in Jambudvipa."
Kasyapa further said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! When the age of Wonderful Dharma has ended and when the correct observance of the precepts no longer prevails, when unlawful teachings prevail, when there is no longer any person to be found who takes the right path -  who might be the ones who will give good ear to the teaching, uphold and recite it, and cause this sutra to circulate in the world, so that people make offerings, respect, copy and expound such a sutra? Please have pity on beings, O Tathagata, and analyse and expound this widely, so that all Bodhisattvas may hear Dharma, uphold it and never pull back from unsurpassed Bodhichitta."

Then the Buddha praised Kasyapa and said: "Well said, well said, O good man! You now put such a question. O good man! If beings, at the river Hiranyavati, at the seat of the Tathagata, aspire to Enlightenment, they will, in this evil world, uphold a sutra such as this and not slander it. O good man! There may be beings at the seats of all Tathagatas as many as the sands of the Ganges who aspire to Enlightenment and do not slander Dharma in the evil world, but love this sutra, [yet] are not able to analyse and expound it to others. O good man! There may be beings at the seats of all Buddhas as numerous as the sands of two Ganges who aspire to Enlightenment, do not slander Dharma in this evil world, rightly understand it, have faith, are gladdened, uphold and recite it, [but] are not able, for the sake of the world, to expound and speak about it to others. Or there may be beings who at the seats of all Tathagatas as numerous as the sands of three Ganges aspire to Enlightenment, slander Dharma in this evil world, uphold, recite and copy this sutra and expound it to others, [yet] are not able to gain the depths of its meaning. Or there may be beings who, at the seats of all Tathagatas, as numerous as the sands of four Ganges, aspire to Enlightenment and in the evil world do not slander but uphold, reicte and copy this sutra and expound one-sixteenth part of its meaning, [although they are as] yet not perfect. Or there may be beings who, at the seats of all Tathagatas as numerous as the sands of five Ganges, aspire to Enlightenment, do not slander in this evil world, but uphold, recite and copy this sutra and speak about eight sixteenths of it. Or there may be beings who, at the seats of all Tathagats as numerous as the sands of six Ganges, aspire to Enlightenment and, in the evil world, do not slander this Dharma, but uphold, recite, and copy this sutra and expound twelve sixteenths of it to others. Or there may be beings at the seats of all Tathagatas as numerous as the sands of seven Ganges who, in the evil world, do not slander the Dharma, but uphold, recite, and copy this sutra and speak about fourteen sixteenths of it. Or there may be beings who at the seats of all Tathagatas as numerous as the sands of eight Ganges aspire to Enlightenment and, in this evil world, do not slander, but uphold, reicte, and copy this sutra and also cause others to copy it, they themselves listening well to what is said in this sutra and making others listen well too, reciting and protecting, strongly upholding and - as they pity all beings  - making offerings to this sutra, urging others also to make offerings, to honour, respect, recite, and worship it and thus perfectly understand and penetrate its meaning. “’That is to say that the Tathagata is Eternal and Unchanging, that he is the utmost peace itself, and that“’ “’all beings have the Buddha-Nature“’ [“’buddhata“’] [emphasis added]. They well attain all the teachings of the Tathagata, make offerings to all such Buddhas and build up a house of unsurpassed Wonderful Dharma, uphold and protect it. If a person, for the first time, aspires to unsurpassed Enlightenment, know that such a person will assuredly, in the days to come, well build up the house of Wonderful Dharma, uphold and protect it. This you should know of the persons who become the guardians of Dharma. Why? Because such persons will, in the days to come, surely protect Wonderful Dharma.
"O good man! There may be an evil-minded bhiksu who, on hearing that I am now going to enter Nirvana, may not feel any apprehension or sadness, but instead will say: æ°The Tathagata is now entering Parinirvana. How pleasing is it that he does so! When the Tathagata was alive, he stood in the way of our profit. He is now entering Nirvana. Who else will get in our way? If nobody hinders [me], I shall come to profit as in former days. While in life, the Tathagata was too strict regarding the prohibitions. When he now enters Nirvana, we shall discard all of these. The kasaya [Buddhist robe] given me was originally simply meant as a matter of form. I will now discard it, as I would a banner the size of a head.æ± Such a person slanders this Mahayana sutra and transgresses.
"O good man! You, now, should uphold [this sutra] and think: æ°If beings are perfect in innumerable virtues, they will indeed believe in this Mahayana sutra and, having faith in it, will uphold it. There may also be other beings apart from these who may feel joy in Dharma, and if this sutra is widely expounded to such persons they will, after listening to it, well make away with all the sins amassed during past innumerable asamkhyas of kalpas. Those who do not believe in this sutra will, in this life, get attacked by innumerable illnesses and will be spoken ill of by all people. After [death?], they will be disparaged by others. [In life] they will look ill and their finances will not go well. Or they may gain a little, but that will be very coarse and of bad quality. They will be poor and of low social rank, all their life long. They may gain life [get reborn] in families where slandering and evil relations obtain. The time comes when one must depart this life, when it may be the age of wars or when people may be taking up arms; or when emperors and kings may be practising tyranny; or enmity and vengeance may incessantly visit one. There may be a good friend [a good Buddhsit teacher], but they [i.e. those disbelievers in this sutra] will not have occasion to meet him. It will be hard for them to earn their living. They may gain to some extent, but the apprehension of hunger will bear down upon them. They will only be known to people of low standing, and kings and ministers will not look back [give them a second glance]. They may have occasion to talk with reason, but nobody will believe them. Such people do not go to good places. It is like a bird whose wings are broken. The same with such a person. In the life to come, he will not be able to gain a good place in the world of man or heaven. If one well believes in such a Mahayana sutra as this, the rough and coarse form that one may have had at birth will come to look right and correct, by virtue of the power of the sutra; dignity and colour will increase day by day, and man and god will be pleased to look at him. They will respect and love him, and not a moment will be lost in their regard of him. Kings, ministers and family people will listen to, respect and believe him. If any of my sravaka disciples are desirous of doing the first rare thing [most rare act?], they should  preach such a Mahayana sutra to all the world. O good man! Frost and mist may strongly desire to remain as they are, but this is only up until the time of the sunrise. Once the sun is out, all goes away and nothing remains behind. O good man! The evil acts done by these people also amount to the same. The power [which one may have] in the present life only continues up to seeing the rise of the sun of Great Nirvana. When the sun of this Great Nirvana has risen, all the evils that have been done will die out. Also, next, O good man! For example, one might abandon one's home, shave one's head, put on the kasaya robe, and might not yet receive the ten precepts of a shramana. Or a rich person might come and invite all the priests [to his house], and those who have not received the precepts may get invited, along with the others. They may not have received the precepts as yet, and yet may still be counted as priests. O good man! It is like this with a person who first aspires to Enlightenment, studies this Mahayana Great Nirvana Sutra, keeps, copies and recites it. He may not yet have attained the level of the ten stages [of a Bodhisattva], and yet he will be counted as being one of those of the ten stages. If a person, whether a disciple or not, [even] out of greed or fear or for profit, [chances to] hear just one gatha of this sutra and, having heard it, does not slander it - know that this person is already close to unsurpassed Enlightenment. O good man! For this reason, I say that the four persons will become the refuges of the world. Thus I say, O good man, that such persons will never say that what the Buddha said is not what he said. Nothing of the kind occurs. That is why I say that such four kinds of people become the refuges of the world. O good man! Make offerings to these four kinds of people."  "O World-Honoured One! How am I to know who such are, and how am I to make offerings?" The Buddha said to Kasyapa: "Anyone who upholds and protects Wonderful Dharma should be invited. One should abandon one's life [become a monk?] and make offerings. This is as I say in my Mahayana sutra:
æ°To any person versed in Dharma,
No matter whether young or old,
Offerings should be made;
One should respect and worship him,
As the Brahmin worships fire.
To anyone versed in Dharma, young or old,
Offerings should be made.
Such a person should be respected and worshipped,
As all devas serve Shakra.æ±"

Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "Things must proceed as you, the Buddha, say, and we should pay respect to teachers and elders. I have a doubt, which you will [perhaps] kindly dispel for me. If there is an aged person who has long been upholding the precepts and who asks a young person to tell him what he has not heard before - does this [young] person have to be given respect? If so, this cannot be an upholding of the precepts. Or, there may be a young person who has been upholding the precepts and who may ask about what he has not heard from a person who has broken the precepts. Has one to pay respect to such a person? Or, a world-fleeing person might give ear to what a layman says regarding things he has not heard before. Should one pay respect to such a person? The obverse of this would be that the world-fleeing person should not pay respect to the layman, but the young and small should pay respect to the aged, because these aged persons have received the upasampada earlier and their deportment is accomplished. Hence one should pay them respect and make them offerings. According to the Buddha, violation of the precepts is not permitted in the house of the Buddha. It is as in the case of a paddy-field grown over with panic-grass. Also, just as the Buddha says, there is one who abides in Dharma, to whom offerings must be made, whether that person is old or young, in such a way as people serve Shakra. How can these two cases be understood? Now, could it not be that those were false words of the Tathagata which stated that even the precept-obseving person may well transgress? Why does the Tathagata say such a thing? Also, the World-Honoured One says in other sutras that violation of the precepts can certainly be cured [atoned?]. It is not easy to understand the meaning of suchlike [statements]."

The Buddha said to Kasyapa: "O good man! I speak thus in the gatha for the sake of those Bodhisattvas of the days to come who will study Mahayana; I do not do so for the sake of sravakas. As I said above, when the days of Wonderful Dharma come to an end and when the right precepts are violated, when violation of the precepts increases in extent and when evil deeds go unchecked, when [saints?] are hidden and not one is to be met with, when bhiksus accept or keep impure things and servants, there will appear one of these four who will shave his head and practise the Way. All the bhiksus [of that time] will receive and keep impure things and servants, knowing no difference between the pure and impure, rules and non-rules. This person, intending to teach such bhiksus, softens the light and does not get mixed up with evil and well knows what needs to be done and what the Buddha does. He sees others committing grave offences, yet he sits silent and does not take part [in such offences]. Why not? Because I appear in the world to establish and protect the right teaching. That is why I sit silently and do not reproach [the offenders]. O good man! Such a person, though violating [the rules], is not classed as one who violates the rules of a disciple, because of his protecting of the teaching.
"O good man! A king dies from an illness, for example, and his son, the crown prince, is still young and not yet able to ascend the throne. There is a candala [a despised mixed-caste person, born of a Sudra father and Brahmin mother] who is rich and whose wealth is inestimable. He has many relatives. In the end, using force, he takes advantage of the weak condition of the state and usurps the throne. Before long, the people, upasakas, Brahmins and others revolt and flee to far-distant countries. There are people who do not flee, but who do not wish to see the king, such as the rich and the Brahmins who will not leave their native land, just like the trees, which grow where they find themselves and where they die. The candala king, seeing the subjects leaving the country, sends candala men to block all the roads. Also, after seven days, he has men beat drums and proclaim to all the Brahmins: æ°To any person who performs the ceremony of abhiseka [a consecration ceremony, involving sprinkling water on the head], half of the land will be given!æ±. They hear this, but no Brahmin comes forward. All say: æ°How could a Brahmin do such a thing?æ± The candala king further says: æ°If no Brahmin comes to be my teacher, I shall assuredly make the Brahmins live, eat, sleep and work together with the candalas. If any Brahmin comes and sprinkles water on my head, I will give him half my land. As it is said, so shall it be done. Also, all-wonderful amrita [ambrosia], that thing of Trayastrimsa Heaven which works all the miracles of deathlessness, will also be given to such a man.æ± At that time, there was the son of a Brahmin, one very young. He was perfect in pure actions, wore his hair long, and was well versed in incantations. He went to the king and said: æ°O great King! What you, King, say will all be carried out by me.æ± The king was pleased and let this boy perform the abhiseka. All the Brahmins heard about this and were vexed. They reproached the boy, saying: æ°You, the son of a Brahmin! How could you perform the abhiseka on a candala?æ± Then the king gave the boy half of his kingdom. And together they reigned over the kigdom. A long time passed. Then the Brahmin boy said to the king: æ°I rejected my family tradition and came to you to become your teacher, and I taught you, King, all the intricate contents of incantation. And yet you do not befriend me.æ± Then the king answered: æ°In what way do I not befriend you?æ± The Brahmin boy said: æ°I have not yet tasted the amrita which the late king left in your hands.æ± The king said: æ°Well said! O my great teacher! I did not know. If you desire to use it, please take this [amrita] to your home.æ± Then the Brahmin boy, at the king's word, took the amrita home and invited all the ministers, and partook of it. All the ministers, having had it, said to the king: æ°It is wonderful that the great teacher has the amrita.æ± On hearing this, the king said to his teacher: æ°How is it, O great teacher, that you taste the amrita with all the ministers and yet do not show any of it to me?æ± Then the Brahmin boy gave the king a poisonous potion. On taking the poison, the king became mad and fell to the ground. He lay there unconscious, like a dead man. Then the Brahmin boy called back the previous king, restored him to the throne and said: æ°The lion's seat [i.e. throne] cannot, by law, be occupied by any candala. I have not yet heard since of old that a candala ever sat on the royal throne. It can never be that a candala could reign over the state and govern the people. O great King! You should now succeed the former king and govern the state righteously and lawfully.æ± Having thus disposed of things, he gave an antidote potion to the candala and let him awaken. After he had awoken, he was driven out of the country. Now, this boy, acting as he did, did not lose the prestige of the Brahmins. And others, on hearing of what had happened, praised his deed and said that this was a thing unheard of. They said: æ°Well done, well done! You have indeed got rid of the candala king.æ± It is the same with me. O good man! After my entry into Nirvana, the Bodhisattvas who guard Wonderful Dharma will also act thus. Using expedient means, they will behave just like those priests who transgress against the precepts, who are priests only in name and who receive and store up impure things. And when they see a person who, though [seemingly] violating the precepts, nevertheless cures those evil bhiksus who are transgressing against the prohibitions, they will go to him, respect and worship him, and do all such things as offering the four things [i.e. clothing, drink, bedding, and medicine] and sutras and utensils. If these things are not ready at hand, they should devise means and go to danapatis, beg from them and then give [their gifts]. To do this, they may store up the eight impure things [i.e. such as gold, silver, manservants, maidservants, cows, sheep, grain, and storehouses]. Why? Because this can mend [the ways of] the evil-acting bhiksus. This is as in the case of the boy who conquered the candala. Then, the Bodhisattvas may again respect and worship this person. Though the person may also receive and store up the eight things, this can well pass by with impunity. Why? Because this Bodhisattva desires to reject and cure all wicked bhiksus and to enable the pure-hearted bhiksus to live in peace and to enable the vaipulya Mahayana sutras to prevail in the world and benefit heaven and earth. O good man! That is why I put the two gathas in the sutra and had all Bodhisattvas praise those who protect Dharma. This is similar to the upasakas and Brahmins who all praised the boy, saying: æ°Well done, well done!æ± The same will also apply to Dharma-protecting Bodhisattvas. Should anyone see a Dharma-protecting person working with precept-breaking persons, and say that that person is committing a sin, know that the person [who says this] is himself inviting misfortune upon his own self, and that the person who protects Dharma has no connections with sin. O good man! If any bhiksu breaks the precepts and, out of arrogance, does not repent, such is really a breach of the prohibitions. A Bodhisattva who, while committing a violation, does so to protect Dharma, is not called one who commits a violation. Why not? Because he has no arrogance, but confesses and repents. That is why I repeat in the sutra and say in the gatha:

æ°If there is a person who knows Dharma,
Whether that person is old or young, such a one should be revered,
Respected and worshipped, just as in the case
Of the Brahmins who pay worship to fire and serve
Shakra of the second heaven [i.e. Trayastrimsa].æ±

On account of this, not for those wishing to learn the sravaka teaching, but for Bodhisattvas do I speak thus in the gatha."

Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! If it is the case that the Bodhisattva-mahasattva may thus act without restraint as regards the precepts, can the shila [precepts] originally received remain intact and genuine?" The Buddha said: "O good man! Do not speak thus. Why not? The shila first received remains intact and is not forfeited. If one transgresses, one repents. Having repented, one is pure. O good man! When a bank [riverbank? dam?] is old and has holes in it, water inevitably leaks out. Why? Because nobody has had it repaired. When once repaired, water cannot leak out. It is the same with the Bodhisattva. When shila is violated, there follows posadha [confession?], receiving [anew?] shila, and the hours of freedom come. The monastic duties are carried out, but the vinaya rules are not as in the case of the bank with holes in it through which water leaks out. Why not? If there is no one who upholds shila, the size of the Sangha will decrease and there will come about moral laxity and indolence, which will grow. If there are those who are pure in their deeds and who observe the precepts, the original shila remains perfect and holds good. O good man! A person who is loose [careless?] in the Vehicle [i.e., overall direction of Mahayana Buddha-Dharma] is [indeed] loose, and a person who is loose regarding the precepts is not loose. The Bodhisattva-mahasattva is not loose regarding the teachings of this Mahayana [i.e. awakening to the real state of existence]. This is the observance of the precepts. He guards well Wonderful Dharma and bathes himself in the waters of Mahayana. Thus, though the Bodhisattva violates the precepts, he is not [truly] loose as regards the precepts."
Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "There are four kinds of people in the Sangha. It is as with the mango, where it is difficult to know when it is ripe. How can we know the difference between a violation and a non-violation of the precepts?" The Buddha said: "O good man! Basing oneself on the all-wonderful Great Nirvana Sutra, it is easy to know. How can one know by looking into the Great Nirvana Sutra? As an example: a farmer plants rice, and weeds out the tares [weeds] in the paddy-field. One looks at the field with the fleshly eye and says that it is a fine field. But when harvesting comes around, we now see that the tares and rice are different. Thus, eight things indeed defile the priest. If thoroughly done away with, we see that he is pure. When a person observes the precepts and does not violate them, this is hard to distinguish with the fleshly eye. If evil arises, this is easy to see. It is as in the case of the tares in the paddy-field, which can easily be seen. The same with the bhiksu. If he is able to make away with the eight impure poisonous serpents, we call him pure and a holy field of weal. He will be made offerings by man and god. It is not easy to see the karma-results of pure deeds clearly with the fleshly eye.
"Also, next, O good man! [Imagine that] there was a forest of kalaka [bambusa vulgaris]. The trees were numerous, among which there was one called tinduka [diospyros embryoteris]. The fruits of the kalaka and tinduka look alike, and it is difficult to distinguish them one from the other. When the fruit was ripe, a woman picked it all. Only one part was tinduka, ten parts being kalaka. The woman, not knowing [the difference], took these to the market and spread them out for sale and sold them. Dull-minded people and children, not knowing [such] things well, bought the kalaka, ate it and died. A learned person heard about this and asked the woman: æ°O woman! Where did you get this from?æ± At that, the woman pointed out the direction. Everybody said: æ°In that direction, there are innumerable kalaka trees; only one is tinduka.æ± All the people, learning of this, laughed, cast away the fruit and went away. The case is thus.
"O good man! It is the same with the eight impure things regarding beings. Amongst people, there are many who take eight such things. Only one is pure, he who observes the precepts and does not take the eight impure things. He knows well that all people receive and store up things contrary to the precepts, and yet he acts together [with them] and does not leave them. He is like the one tinduka amongst all the trees in the forest. There is an upasaka who sees  bhiksus all transgressing. So he does not pay respect or make offerings along with [the other people]. If this person does desire to offer something [however], he first asks: æ°O great ones! Is it right to receive and store up eight such things? Are these things which the Buddha has permitted or not?æ± If the answer is that the Buddha has permitted them, he will ask: æ°Can you attend the posadha and pravarana?æ± Thus does this upasaka ask. At this, all answer: æ°The Tathagata pities and permits us eight such things.æ± Then, the upasaka says: æ°In Jetavana, there were many bhiksus who said that the Buddha had permitted the possession of gold and silver, or that he did not. If any bhiksus said that the Buddha had permitted [such things], those persons in the æ°not permittedæ± camp did not live together [with those who said gold, etc. was permitted], did not talk [with them] about the precepts, or confess [to them], or drink the water of the same river and did not share with those others what brought in profit. How can you say that the Buddha gave permission? The Buddha, the god of all gods, may well receive such, but you, the Sangha, may not.æ² If there are those who receive such, do not talk about the precepts [with them], or confess or do karman [the ritualistic actions of a bhiksu when receiving shila or making confession], but act as the Sangha should act. If one talks together [with the unrighteous monks] about shila, confesses [to them], or does karman, and thus participates in the works of the Sangha, one will, after death, assuredly fall into hell. This is like all those who lost their life through eating the kalaka.
"Also, next, O good man! For example, there is in the city a drug merchant. He has a wonderfully sweet medicine which comes from the Himalayas. He also sells many other drugs. All of them taste sweet and look alike. People very much desire to buy [the drugs], but cannot distinguish [the different types]. They go to the druggist and ask: æ°Do you sell the drug from the Himalayas?æ± The druggist says: æ°Yes!æ± A man picks up a drug which is not the one from the Himalayas. The merchant cheats the customer and says to him: æ°This is the sweet drug that I have from the Himalayas.æ± But the buyer is unable to tell the difference. He buys it and takes it back home, thinking: æ°I have got the drug from the Himalayas.æ± The situation is like that.
"O Kasyapa! Among the sravaka priests, there are those who are priests in name only, and there are the true ones, or those who stick together in harmony; also, those who observe the precepts and those who violate them. All will be made offerings, will be respected and worshipped. But this upasaka cannot, just by looking, make out which is which. This is like the situation of the man who could not see whether the drug he had was from the Himalayas. Who are the ones who observe, and who those who violate, the precepts? Who is a true priest, and who a priest in name only? One with the heavenly eye can well see this. O Kasyapa! If this upasaka knows that [such-and-such] a person is one who transgresses, he will not give him anything, bow or worship him. If he knows that [such-and-such] a person receives and stores the eight impure things, he will not give what he has, not worship or make offerings. Any [bhiksu] who violates the precepts should not be respected or worshipped just because of the kasaya-robe which he wears."

Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "Well said, well said! What the Tathagata says is true, not false. I shall accept [your] word with the greatest respect, for example, just as if I had received an adamantine treasure. Just as the Buddha says, these bhiksus should stand [base themselves?] on four things.
"What are the four? They should be based on Dharma, not the person; on the meaning, not the letter; on Wisdom, not on consciousness; on import-embracing sutras, not on non-import-embracing sutras. They should well know these four things, but not four such persons."

The Buddha said: "Being based on Dharma means nothing other than basing oneself on the Mahaparinirvana of the Tathagata. All Buddhist teachings are none but “’Dharmata“’ [essence of Dharma, essence of Reality]. This “’Dharmata“’ is the Tathagata. Hence, the Tathagata is Eternal and Unchanging. Any person who says that the Tathagata is non-eternal does not know “’Dharmata“’. Such a person is not one to base oneself upon. All the four persons mentioned above appear in the world, protect, realise and become a refuge [for all beings]. Why? Because they thoroughly understand the deepest points of what the Tathagata says and know that the Tathagata is Eternal and Unchanging. It is not good to say that the Tathagata is non-eternal and that he changes.
"The four persons, when they are such, are the Tathagata. Why? Because such well understand and speak about the undisclosed words of the Tathagata. One who well understands what is deeply hidden and knows that the Tathagata is Eternal and Unchanging will never, for profit, say that the Tathagata is non-eternal. Such a person is one to base oneself upon - why not on those four persons?
"Basing oneself upon Dharma means basing oneself upon “’Dharmata“’; not basing oneself on man refers to the sravaka [?]. “’Dharmata“’ is the Tathagata, and the sravaka is the created. The Tathagata is Eternal, but the sravaka is non-eternal.
"O good man! A man might violate the precepts and, for gain, say that the Tathagata is non-eternal and that he changes. Such a person is not one to take refuge in. O good man! This is a definite rule.
"We say that we base ourselves on the meaning, not the words. The meaning connotes being fully Enlightened. Full Enlightenment means non-weak. Non-weak is satisfaction. Satsfaction means that the Tathagata is Eternal and Unchanging. That the Tathagata is Eternal and Unchanging means that Dharma is eternal. That Dharma is eternal mens that the Sangha is eternal. This is basing oneself on the meaning. Do not base yourself on the words. What words are we not to base ourselves on? These are discursive and decorative words. They [people sticking to the letter, rather than the spirit?] seek out all too greedily and unendingly all the innumerable sutras of the Buddha. Wickedly, skilfully and flatteringly, they cheat and put on the semblance of friendliness, and displaying thus, they seek profit. Garbed in white, they take up posts [run errands?]. They also loudly proclaim: æ°The Buddha allows the bhiksus to keep all [kinds of] menials and impure things, to trade in gold, silver, rare gems, to store rice, to trade in cows, sheep, elephants, and horses, and thus to seek profit. And also there may arise a famine, and out of pity for the children, the bhiksus may look for gain [profit], store things up, and put up in a house, prepare food by their own hand, and support themselves, instead of from receiving [the alms of others].æ± All such words are not to be depended upon.
"We say that we base ourselves [depend] upon Wisdom and not upon consciousness. The Wisdom alluded to is the Tathagata. If any sravaka does not well understand the virtues of the Tathagata, such a consciousness is not to be depended upon. If he knows that the Tathagata is the Dharma-Body, such true Wisdom can indeed be depended upon. If a person sees the expedient body of the Tathagata and says that it belongs to the five skandhas, the eighteen realms [i.e. the six sense-organs, the six sense-fields, and the six consciousnesses], and the twelve spheres [the six sense-organs and the six sense-fields], and that it arises from feeding, such is not to be depended upon. This means that even consciousness is not to be depended upon. If a sutra says thus, it cannot be depended upon.
"We say that we should base ourselves on the import-embracing sutras [those which dig deep into the true spirit of Buddha-Dharma], and not on the non-import-embracing sutras. The non-import-embracing sutras are the sravaka vehicle. Hearing even the depth-plumbing storehouse of the Buddha-Tathagata, doubts raise their heads as regards all things and the person does not realise that this storehouse arises from the sea of great Wisdom, as in the case of a child who cannot distinguish one thing from another. This is the non-grasping of the meaning.
"The attainment of the meaning is nothing other than the true Wisdom of the Bodhisattva. It flows forth from out of the unhindered great Wisdom of his mind, as with an adult, for whom there is nothing not known. This is attainment of the meaning.“
’     "Also, the sravaka vehicle is the non-grasping [non-understanding] of the [real] meaning, and unsurpassed Mahayana is the grasping of the meaning. If a person says that the Tathagata is non-eternal and that he changes, this indicates that this person has not yet arrived at [an understanding of] the meaning. If a person says that the Tathagata is Eternal and Unchanging, this shows that that person has arrived at the meaning. If a person says that what the sravaka says can be understood, this indicates non-grasping of the meaning. If a person says that the Tathagata is a product of feeding, this is non-grasping of the meaning. If a person says that the Tathagata is Eternal and Unchanging, this is full grasping of the meaning. If a person says that the Tathagata enters Nirvana as in the case of fuel that has burnt out, this is non-grasping of the meaning. If a person says that the Tathagata enters the world of “’Dharmata“’, this is grasping the meaning.
"We cannot depend upon the teaching of the sravaka. Why not? Because the Tathagata, through expediency, articulates the teaching of the sravaka just to save beings. This is like the rich man who teaches his son the alphabet. O good man! The sravaka vehicle is analogous to the situation where a person first tills his land, but has not yet arrived at the harvest. Such is the non-grasping of the meaning. For this reason, one cannot depend upon the sravaka vehicle. One should take refuge in the teachings of Mahayana. Why? In order to save beings, through expediency the Tathagata expounds Mahayana. Hence, one cannot depend [?]. This is grasping the meaning. One should well know of these four things to depend upon.
"Also, next, we say that we base ourselves upon meaning. Meaning is the honest mind. æ°Honest mindæ± means æ°lightæ±. Light means æ°non-weakæ±. Non-weak is the Tathagata.
"Also, æ°lightæ± is Wisdom. The honest mind is the Eternal. The Eternal is the Tathagata. [Knowing] that the Eternal is the Tathagata is to depend upon Dharma.
"Dharma is the Eternal. It also means boundless. It is hard to know. One cannot hold or bind it. And yet one may well see it. If a person says that he cannot see it, one cannot depend upon such a one. That is why we say that we can depend upon Dharma and not upon the person.
"Also, if a person says that the all-wonderful world is non-eternal, such is not to be depended upon. That is why we base ourselves upon the meaning and not the words. To say that æ°trueæ± depends upon æ°Wisdomæ± means that the Sangha is eternal, non-created, and unchanging, and that they do not store away the eight impure things. For this reason, we depend upon Wisdom and not on consciousness. If a person says that consciousness makes and consciousness receives, there is no harmony of the Sangha. Why not? Now, harmony means non-possession. If it is non-possession, how could one say æ°eternalæ±? On account of this, consciousness is not to be depended upon.
"We say æ°meaningæ±. æ°Meaningæ± means æ°being satisfiedæ±. This is never, to the end, seeking to cheat, to display deportment, pureness and with arrogance to show that one is of a high position, and thus greedily to seek profit. Also, it is not to show attachment to what the Tathagata says for reasons of expediency. This is arriving at the meaning. If a person abides in this, we may say that this person abides in “’Paramartha-satya“’ [Ultimate Reality]. That is why we say that we base ourselves on the meaning of the sutras and not on the non-grasping of the meaning.“
’     "Non-grasping of the meaning relates to what is stated in the sutras saying that all can be snuffed out, all is non-eternal, all is suffering, all is void, and all is selfless. This is non-grasping of the meaning. How so? Because such a person is not able to grasp the intended meaning, only the appearance of [literal] meaning. This causes all beings to fall into Avichi Hell. Why? Because of attachment, as a result of which a person does not grasp the meaning.
"A person [might] say that all gets extinguished, implying that the entrance of the Tathagata into Nirvana constitutes extinction.
"A person [might] say that all is non-eternal, meaning that even Nirvana is non-eternal, and the same with suffering, void, and non-self too. That is why we say that such is non-grasping of the import of the sutras. One cannot depend upon such. O good man! There might be a person who says that the Tathagata, pitying all beings, looks to what is apt for the occasion. As he knows what is right for the occasion, he speaks of what is light as heavy and what is heavy as light. The Tathagata knows that all his disciples are supplied with whatever they need by danapatis. So the Buddha does not allow such persons to receive or keep menials, male or female, gold, silver and gems, or to trade in impure things. When the disciples are not thus supplied by danapatis, as when there is a famine and food is scarce, he allows them, for the purpose of establishing and protecting Wonderful Dharma, to receive menials, male or female, gold, silver, vehicles, fields, houses and rice, and to trade in what they have. Although one is allowed to receive and keep such things, these must be given by faithful danapatis. Then, all such four things are what can be depended upon. If the precepts, abhidharma and sutras do not differ from these four, one may depend upon these. If a person says that there are times and non-times, Dharma to be protected and Dharma not to be protected, and that the Tathagata allows all bhiksus to receive and keep such impure things, such should not be depended upon. If the precepts, abhidharma and sutras agree with these, such three cannot be depended upon. I speak about these four things for the sake of all beings with fleshly eyes, but it is not for those who have the eye of Wisdom. That is why I speak about these four things and say that they are the things to be depended upon. æ°Dharmaæ± is “’Dharmata“’; æ°meaningæ± is saying that the Tathagata is Eternal and Unchanging; æ°Wisdomæ± is knowing that all beings have Buddha-Nature [“’Buddhata“’]; æ°grasping the meaningæ± means being well versed in all Mahayana sutras."“
 

’Chapter Nine: On Wrong and Right’

‘     Then Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! Are we to depend upon the four kinds of people mentioned above?" The Buddha said: "It is thus, it is thus! O good man! What I say can be depended upon. Why? Because there are four Maras. What are the four? It looks [seems? appears?] as though people hold the sutras and precepts of what Mara has said[?]."

Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! You, the Buddha, say that there are four Maras. How can we distinguish what Mara says from what the Buddha says? There are people who behave as Mara says and those who follow what the Buddha says. How are we to know these [apart]?" The Buddha said to Kasyapa: "Seven hundred years after my entering Parinirvana, this Marapapiyas will spoil my Wonderful Dharma. It is like a hunter donning priestly garb. Marapapiyas will also act thus. He will present himself in the form of a bhiksu, bhiksuni, upasaka or upasika. Or he may display himself as a srotapanna or any other grade up to arhat. Or he may display himself as a living Buddha. The created body of the king Mara will present itself as a non-created body, thus violating Wonderful Dharma. When violating Wonderful Dharma, this Marapapiyas will say: æ°The Bodhisattva, once, left Tushita Heaven and came down to this earth, to the castle of Kapilavastu, and lived in the palace of Suddhodana. By the conjoint carnal desires of father and mother, he gained birth and manhood. A man, born amongst men, can never be respected by all heaven and earth.æ±"
"He will also say: æ°In the long past, he underwent penance, offered up his head, eyes, marrow, state, wife and children. Because of this, he attained Enlightenment. As a result, he is now respected by man and god, gandharva, asura, kimnara and mahoraga.æ± If any sutras or vinayas say thus, know that they are all nothing but what has come out of the mouth of Mara. O good man! The sutras and vinayas may say: æ°It is already a long, long time ago that the Tathagata perfected Enlightenment. He now attains Enlightenment, all to save beings. He thus shows himself as being born from the conjoint carnal desires of father and mother. He manifests thus just to accord with what applies in the world.æ± Know that any such sutra or vinaya is truly from the Tathagata. Any person who follows what Mara says is the kindred of Mara; a person who follows the word of the Buddha is a Bodhisattva.
"Any person who says that it is unbelievable that the Buddha walked seven steps in the ten directions when he was born is one who but follows what Mara says. If a person says that the Tathagata walked seven steps in the ten directions when he was born, all this to manifest himself expediently, such a person stands on [bases his words on?] the sutras and vinayas which the Tathagata has delivered. Any person who follows what Mara says is kindred to Mara. Anyone who follows what the Buddha has said is a Bodhisattva.
"Or a person might say that when the Bodhisattva was born, his father, the King, sent men to the heavenly shrines, at which the gods, on seeing him, all came down and worshipped him. Hence, he is the Buddha. Then someone will commit slander and say: æ°Heaven appeared first and the Buddha later. How could the heavens worship the Buddha?æ± Whatever is said like this is nothing but the word of Marapapiyas. If any sutra says that the Buddha went to where the devas were and that all such gods as Mahesvara, Great Brahma and Sakrodevanamindra, folding their hands and touching the Buddha's feet with their heads, worshipped him, such a sutra or vinaya is from the Buddha. Any person who follows what Mara says is the kindred of Mara. Any person who follows what the Buddha says is a Bodhisattva.
"If any sutra or vinaya says that the Bodhisattva, when as yet a crown prince, had wives [concubines?] all around out of carnal desire, lived in the depths of the palace [i.e. in the harem?] and fully tasted the five desires and enjoyed himself, such is a sutra or vinaya of Marapapiyas. Any sutra or vinaya that says: æ°The Bodhisattva had long since abandoned all desires, wife and son, and did not receive [in attachment] the wonderful desires of Trayastrimsa Heaven, but abandoned these as though they were spittle and tears. How could he have human desires? He shaved his head, became a priest, and practised the Way.æ± Such are the sermons of the Buddha. Any person who follows the sutras and vinayas of Mara is the kindred of Mara; any person who follows the sutras and vinayas of the Buddha is a Bodhisattva.
"If a person says that the Buddha, in Sravasti, at the Jetavana vihara, permitted all bhiksus what they wanted to have, such as male or female servants, pages, cows, sheep, elephants, horses, donkeys, mules, hens, cats, gold, silver, beryl, pearls, crystals, musaragalva [?], agate, coral, amber, horse-shoe shell, jade, copper, or iron kettles, big or small copper basins; that they were allowed to till the land, sow seeds and plant, sell or barter things, that they were permitted to store rice, that the Buddha pitied the bhiksus and allowed them all such things out of his compassion -  all such sutras and vinayas are those of Mara.“
’     "Or someone might say that the Buddha stayed in Sravasti, at the Jetavana vihara, where the nirdara demon lived, and, relative to a Brahmin called Kuteitoku and King Prasenajit, said: æ°O Bhiksus! You should not receive gold, silver, beryl, crystals, pearls, musaragalva, agate, coral, amber, horse-shoe shell, jade, male or female domestic servants, pages, boys, girls, cows, sheep, elephants, horses, donkeys, mules, hens, pigs, cats, dogs or other animals; iron or copper kettles, big or small basins, sheets of various colours, and beds; or such necessary things or [do such] activities of [worldly] life as: [building] houses, tilling the soil, sowing seed, selling things in the market-place, making meals with your own hands, polishing or pounding with your own hands, doing incantations for a living, training hawks, looking at the constellations, working charms, guessing at the waxing and waning of the moon, telling a man or woman's fortune, saying good or bad things about a person's dreams, guessing or foretelling and saying that this is a man or woman, or saying that this is not a male or this is not a female, talking about the 64 marks of excellence [said to exist in the houses of the tirthikas], or saying that there are 18 dharanis [spells] by which people can be led astray; or talking about any of the arts, any worldly things, using powdered incense, curna [for strewing on seats, stupas, etc.], smearing incense [for the hands and body to give off a pleasant aroma], fumigating incense, using various kinds of leis [bronze wine-vessels?], [practising] the arts of hairdressing, cunningly cheating and flattering, and thus greedily seeking profit, loving stupid and noisy quarters, joking and laughing, [walking?] and preaching. [Such bhiksus] greedily eat fish, make poisons, and rub in fragrant oils. They possess gem parasols and leather footgear. They make boxes, chests, fans, and various pictures and statues. They store up cereals and rice, big and small varieties of wheat and beans, and various melons [seeds?]. They come near [fraternise with? consort with?] kings, princes, ministers and all kinds of females, laugh loudly or sit silently. They entertain doubts regarding all things, talk a lot and talk carelessly; they like to wear good clothes, which may be long or short, lovely or unlovely, good or bad. They themselves praise all such things in the presence of the giver. They frequent and roam about these dirty quarters, the places where one finds taverns, prostitutes and gamblers, all of which places I do not allow the bhiksus to be in. They should give up seeking the Way; they must be turned back to worldly life and used for labour [go out to work]. For example, this is like the tare in the paddy field, which has to be uprooted, so as not to be found any more. Know that what is prohibited in the sutras and vinayas constitutes the injunctions of the Tathagata. Any person who follows the word of Mara is the kindred of Mara; anyone who follows the word of the Buddha is a Bodhisattva.
"Or a person might say: æ°The Bodhisattva goes to the temple of the devas to make offerings to such as Brahma, Mahesvara, Skanda and Katyayana. Why? He enters there merely to conquer the devas. Things can never be other than this.æ± If it is said: æ°Even if the Bodhisattva gets into arguments with the tirthikas, he cannot know of their deportments, sayings and arts, and he cannot cause quarrelling servants to come to terms; he cannot be respected by males or females, kings or ministers; he does not know how to prepare medicines; that is why he is called "Tathagata". Whatever he knows is what is wicked; also, the Tathagata sees neither enemy or friend; his mind is all-equal; one may take a sword and cut him; or one could smear incense over his body, and he would not have any sense of gain or loss. He sits in the middle. This is why we say "Tathagata."æ± Any sutra that says this is one of Mara's.
"Or a person might say: æ°The Bodhisattva behaves thus: he goes into the houses of other teachings, teaches them to abandon domestic life and practise the Way, to come to know of deportment and manners; he teaches them to know of what is written and how arts are performed, and how one quells arguments and disputes. He is the highest of all people, boys and girls, people of the royal harem, the royal consorts, ordinary people, rich persons, Brahmins, kings, ministers, or the poor. Furthermore, he is respected by these and he also knows all such things. He may come across various views of life, and yet he does not entertain any loving [clinging?] thought. This is like the lotus, which does not become soiled by defilement. In order to save beings, he practises various expedients and lives a worldly life.æ± Any such sutras and vinayas are the sermons of the Tathagata. One who follows what Mara says is kindred to Mara; anyone who follows what the Buddha says is a great Bodhisattva.
"Or a person might say: æ°The Tathagata expounded the sutras and vinaya to me. Of all the wicked sins, those [classed as] light and heavy and the sthulatyaya are all grave. In our vinaya, we do not commit these, to the end. I have long put forward such a Law, but you do not believe it. How could I throw away my own vinaya and come to your vinaya? Your vinaya is nothing but what Mara says. Ours is what the Buddha says. The Tathagata has already given the nine types of formulations of Dharma [i.e. Hinayana teaching]. Such nine formulations constitute our sutras and vinaya. I have never once heard of a sentence or word of the vaipulya sutras [i.e. the extensive sutras of Mahayana]. Where, in all the innumerable sutras and vinayas, do we come across the name of vaipulya sutra? In none of these have we ever heard of the ten types of sutras. If there are any such, they must surely be the work of Devadatta [the Buddha's malicious, jealous cousin]. Devadatta is a wicked person. In order to destroy good teachings, he makes up the vaipulya. We do not believe in any such sutras. This is what the sutras say. Why? Because they say this and that about the Buddhist doctrine. All such things are stated [only] in your sutras; ours do not contain any such [teachings]. In our sutras and vinayas, the Tathagata says: [æ°After my entering Nirvana, there may come about, in evil ages, distorted sutras and vinayas. These are the so-called Mahayana sutras. In ages to come, there will be all such wicked bhiksus.æ±]. I, then, say: æ°There are further the vaipulya sutras other than the nine types of sutras.æ± A person who thoroughly accepts the signification says that he well understands the sutras and vinayas, segregates himself from all that is impure and is so delicate and pure that one could well compare him to the full moon.
"If a person says: æ°The Tathagata gave explanations for each sutra and vinaya, as numerous as the sands of the river Ganges, but our vinaya does not contain any such. There is none such. If there are [such expositions], how is it that the Tathagata does not expound them in my vinaya? So, I cannot believe in themæ± -  if a person speaks thus, know that this person is committing a sin. A person might further say: æ°Such sutras and vinaya [the Hinayana?] I shall well uphold. Why? Because they are the cause of good doctrine, of being satisfied, of desiring little, of cutting off illusions, and one gains Wisdom and Nirvana.æ± Any person who says so is no disciple of mine. If a person says: æ°The Tathagata gave us the vaipulya sutras so as to save beingsæ±, such a person is my true disciple. Any person who does not accept the vaipulya sutras is no disciple of mine. Such a person is not one who has become a priest because of the Buddhist teaching. Such a person is one wicked in mind and is none but a disciple of the tirthikas. Such sutras and vinayas as mentioned above are what the Buddha gave out. If not thus, they are nothing other than what Mara says. Any person who follows what Mara says is the kindred of Mara; anyone who follows what the Buddha says is a Bodhisattva.
"Also, next, O good man! If it is said: æ°Since the Tathagata is not perfect in innumerable virtues, he is non-eternal and must change. He abides in the All-Void and expounds non-Self. This is not the way of the worldæ±, any such sutra or vinaya is of Mara. If a sutra says: æ°The true Enlightenment of the Tathagata is beyond knowing. Also, he is perfect in innumerable asamkhyas of virtues. Therefore, he is Eternal and there can be no changeæ±, any such sutra or vinaya is what the Buddha said. Any person who follows what Mara says is Mara's kindred. Any person who follows what the Buddha says is a Bodhisattva.
"Or a person might say: æ°There is in the world a bhiksu who, not committing any parajika [the gravest of offences], is held by the world to have transgressed, like cutting down the tala tree [?]æ±. But in truth, this bhiksu did not transgress. Why not? I always say: æ°The case of one who commits any one of the parajikas is like cutting a stone in two: it can never again become one.æ± If a person says that he has obtained what supercedes man's power [Pali: “’uttarimanussa-dhamma“’], he commits parajika. Why? Because he has not actually attained anything, yet pretends to have done so [i.e. he is telling lies]. Any such person retrogresses from the world of man and the Doctrine. This is a parajika. There is a bhiksu who desires little, feels contented, upholds the precepts, is pure and sits in a quiet place. The king or minister sees this bhiksu and says that he has attained arhatship, steps forward, praises, respects and worships him. Also, he says: æ°Such a great master will attain unsurpassed Enlightenment, having thus abandoned life.æ± The bhiksu hears this and says to the king: æ°I have, truth to tell, not yet attained the fruition of a shramana. O King! Please do not speak to me about the dharma of non-satisfaction [non-contentment?]. If one acquiesces when told that one will reach as far as unsurpassed Enlightenment, this is nothing but not knowing contentment. If I were to accept your statement and agree, I should surely purchase the reproaches of all Buddhas. To feel contented is the virtue that is praised by all Buddhas. That is why I mean pleasingly [happily?] to practise the Way to the end of my life and attain a state in which I can feel satisfied. Also, to feel satisfied is to know that I have definitely attained the fruition of the Way. You, King, say that I have attained it. I do not accept your word. Thus I am satisfied.æ± Then the king said: æ°O great teacher! You truly have attained arhatship and do not differ from the Buddha.æ±
Then the king made it known to all those in and out, and to those of the royal harem and to the royal spouse, that this person had attained arhatship. As a result, all who heard this felt respect, made offerings, and honoured him. Such a person is pure in his deeds. Hence, he makes all others gain great benefit, and truly this bhiksu did not commit any parajika. Why not? Because he went before others, entertained joy in his own mind, praised and made offerings. How could any such bhiksu have committed a sin? If it is said that this person has sinned, know that such a sutra is from Mara. Also, there is a bhiksu who speaks about the great depths of the undisclosed sutras of the Buddha, saying that all beings have Buddha-Nature, that by this nature they cut off [all] the innumerable billion illusions and thereby attain unsurpassed Enlightenment, except for the icchantika. Then, the king or minister listens and says: æ°O Bhiksu! Have you attained Buddhahood or not? Do you have Buddha-Nature or not?æ± The bhiksu replies: æ°I must have Buddha-Nature within me. I cannot, however, be clear as to whether I shall attain it [Enlightenment] or not.æ± The king says: æ°O great one! If you do not become an icchantika, there is no doubt that you will attain Buddhahood.æ± The bhiksu says: æ°Yes, it must truly be as you, King, say.æ± This person says that he must surely have Buddha-Nature. Yet, he does not commit parajika [by saying so]. Also, there is a bhiksu who, at the time he is ordained, thinks to himself: æ°I shall assuredly attain unsurpassed Enlightenment.æ± Such a man may not yet accomplish unsurpassed Enlightenment. But he gains incalculable, boundless weal and it is difficult to appraise it. If anyone says that this person has committed parajika, then there cannot be any person who has not committed parajika. Why not? Because, once, 80 million kalpas ago, I had already segregated myself from all defilement. I had little desire, felt contented, was accomplished in deportment, practised the unsurpassed Dharma of the Tathagata, and myself surely knew that I had Buddha-Nature. Hence I attained unsurpassed Enlightenment and I can be called æ°Buddhaæ±. And there is great compassion. Such a sutra or vinaya is a sermon of the Buddha. Any person who cannot act in accordance [with such] is a kindred of Mara; one who acts in accordance is a great Bodhisattva.“
’     "Or a person might say: æ°There cannot be anything such as the four grave offences, the thirteen samghavasesas, the two aniyatans, the 30 naihsargika-prayascittikas, 91 payattikas, four ways of repentance, various ways of learning, seven ways of adhikarana-samatha, and also there can be no sthulatyayas, no five deadly sins, and no icchantikas. Should a bhiksu violate all such shilas and fall into hell, all tirthikas would be born in heaven. Why? Because they do not have any precepts to transgress against. This shows that the Tathagata means to frighten people. That is why he gives out these precepts. The Buddha has said that when the bhiksus desire to satisfy their carnal desires, they should take off their priestly garb, put on worldly dress and do so. A person might also think that carnal, lustful desire is no sin, that even in the days of the Tathagata there was a bhiksu who satisfied carnal lust and yet attained right emancipation; or that there was one who, after death, got born in heaven; that all such things have a precedent and that it is not just what I alone am doing. One may commit the four grave offences, the five deadly sins and all impure acts, and even then one can [still] attain true and right emancipation. The Tathagata may say that if one commits duskrta acts [minor offences, punishable by confession], one falls into hell and will remain there for 8 million years, which is the number of years of the sun and moon of Trayastrimsa Heaven. But this is what the Tathagata says to frighten people. They say that no difference exists between the grave and light [sin], the parajika [serious sin] and the duskrta [venial sin]. All these vinaya teachers falsely say that all these [rules] were instituted by the Buddha. Know definitely that these were not instituted by the Buddha.æ± All such sutras and vinayas that say thus are from Mara.
"Or a person might say that if one transgresses against even the smaller or minutest of all precepts, an evil fruit will come forth and that there is no limit to the number of karmic consequences. Realising this, one should guard one's self like the tortoise, who hides his six limbs in his shell. If there is any person versed in the vinaya who says, æ°One transgresses, but no karmic consequences ensueæ±, one should not approach such a person, as already indicated by the Buddha:
æ°One thing overstepped,
This is mrsavada [telling lies].
If one sees no after-life,
There is no sin that will not be committed.æ±
For this reason, one should not come near to such a person. What is pure in this Buddhist teaching is thus. And could it be that one who has violated the sthulatyaya, the samghavasesa and the parajika can pass as not having sinned? Because of this, one should be on guard and protect such Dharma. If not guarded against, where can there be any prohibition? I now say in the sutras: æ°For any commissions of the four grave offences or any small duskrtas, one should take pain to remedy such. If one does not guard against [transgressing] the prohibitions, what possibility can there be of seeing the Buddha-Nature?
æ°All beings possess the Buddha-Nature. Only by observing the precepts can one see it. When one sees the Buddha-Nature, one attains unsurpassed Enlightenment. In the nine types of sutras, there is no vaipulya sutra. That is why they do not speak about the Buddha-Nature. Although these sutras do not refer to it, there is assuredly the vaipulya in them.æ± One who speaks thus is my true disciple."
Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! We do not see in the nine types of sutras any references to beings possessing the Buddha-Nature, which you say they have. If we say that they have this, might it not be that we are guilty of infringing the parajika?" The Buddha said: "O good man! They [who say thus] do not violate the parajika. For example, O good man! If any person says that in the great ocean there are only the seven gems, not the eight, that person has not sinned. If a person says that there is no mention of Buddha-Nature in the nine types of sutra, there cannot be any commission of sin [here]. Why not? I say that in the Mahayana ocean of great Wisdom there is the Buddha-Nature. As the two vehicles do not know or see [this], there can be no talk of [their] having committed any sin, even if they say that it does not exist. Such a thing is what the Buddha alone knows and what sravakas and pratyekabuddhas cannot know. O good man! Not having ever heard of the great depths of the undisclosed Dharma of the Tathagata, how can a person be expected to know of the existence of the Buddha-Nature? What is the undisclosed storehouse? It is none other than the vaipulya sutras. O good man! There may be tirthikas who talk about the eternal self or the æ°not-isæ± of the self. The case is not thus with the Tathagata. He says that there is the Self, or - at other times - that there is not. This is the Middle Path.
"Or a person might say: æ°The Buddha talks about the Middle Path. All beings possess Buddha-Nature. As illusion overspreads [them], they do not know or see. Thus, an expedient is applied to cut the roots of illusion.æ± A person who speaks thus does not commit the four grave offences. This we should know. Any person who does not speak thus infringes the parajika.
"Or a person might say: æ°I have already attained unsurpassed Enlightenment! Why? Because I have the Buddha-Nature. Any person possessing the Buddha-Nature has assuredly attained unsurpassed Enlightenment. Consequently, I attain Enlightenment.æ± Then, one should know, such a person infringes the parajika. Why so? There surely is the Buddha-Nature. But not yet having practised the best expedient of the Way, the person has not yet seen it. Having not yet seen it, there can be no attaining of unsurpassed Enlightenment. O good man! On this account, the teaching of the Buddha is profound in its meaning and difficult to fathom."

Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! A king asks: æ°How does a bhiksu get drawn to supramundane Dharma?æ±" The Buddha said to Kasyapa: "A bhiksu may, for profit or food, flatter, state things wrongly or cheat, and say things such as: æ°How might all the world believe that I am truly a real bhiksu, so that I can thereby arrive at great profit and fame?æ± Such a bhiksu, because of the darkness of his mind, always thinks and prays: æ°I have not yet, in truth, arrived at the four attainments of a sravaka. How might I be able to make the world think that I have gained all of these? How might I be able to make upasakas and upasikas think of me as a sage who has fully perfected all the the true virtues?æ± Thus does he think. What is done is all for profit, not for the Way. In his goings and comings, in his going out and coming in, in moving forwards and standing still, he looks peaceful. In his manner of dress and of holding his bowl, the [monk-like] deportment is not lost. Alone, he sits in a lonely place and looks like an arhat. So people think: [æ°This is the foremost of bhiksus. Fully exerting himself, he practises the Way of extinctionæ±]. [He thinks]: æ°As a result of this, I will assuredly gain disciples. People will also certainly offer me clothing, food, drink, bedding, and medicine. All females will respect and love me.æ± Any person who acts in this manner acts against the uttarimanussa-dhamma.
"Also, there is a bhiksu who sits in a lonely place, desiring to build up unsurpassed Wonderful Dharma. Though no arhat, he intends to have others call him an arhat, a lovable bhiksu, a good bhiksu, and a quiet bhiksu. He thus effectively makes innumerable people arrive at faith. Hence, I let all the innumerable bhiksus befriend him like a relative. Through this, I can teach and make the precept-breaking bhiksus and upasakas and upasikas uphold the precepts. In consequence, Wonderful Dharma will be established, the unsurpassed meaning of the great principle of the Tathagata will shine forth and the vaipulya Mahayana teaching will be revered, thus emancipating all innumerable beings, so that they will come to know the light or heavy significations of the sutras and vinayas which the Tathagata has delivered.
"Also, a person might say: æ°I now have the Buddha-Nature. There is a sutra which is called the storehouse of the Tathagata. In that sutra, I shall surely attain the Buddhist teaching and cut out innumerable billion bonds of illusion. I shall speak to innumerable upasakas: ["You all have the Buddha-Nature. You and I sit together on the Path of the Tathagata and will attain unsurpassed Enlightenment and do away with all the innumerable bonds of illusion"].æ± One like this does not violate the uttarimanussa-dhamma; he is a Bodhisattva.
"æ°One who commits duskrta will fall into hell for a period of 8 million years of the days of Trayastrimsa Heaven, and he will have to undergo punishment for the sins he has committed. How much worse will it be when he transgresses the sthulatyaya?æ± Thus does a person say. Should there be any bhiksu among those of the Mahahana gathered here who have violated the sthulatyaya, such is not to be befriended.
"What are the sthulatyaya of the Mahayana sutras? For example, a rich man erects a Buddhist temple and adorns it with various garlands, and offers this to the Buddha. There is a bhiksu who, on seeing the thread which passes through the garland, takes it without asking. This is sthulatyaya. Whether knowingly or not, he violates in this manner. If, with a greedy [desire-filled?] mind, one causes damage to a Buddhist stupa, this is sthulatyaya. One should not come near [associate closely with?] a person who acts in this way. Or a king or minister, on seeing that a stupa is old and damaaged, and intending to have it repaired, makes offerings to the sharira [relics] and finds in it a rare gem, which he gives to a bhiksu. On gaining the gem, the bhiksu uses it as he wills. Such a bhiksu is one who is defiled and who will most possibly [probably?] call forth quarrels. No good upasaka should approach such a bhiksu, make offerings or pay respect to him. Such a bhiksu is termed æ°rootlessæ±. Such a bhiksu is also termed æ°two-rootedæ± [= bisexual! Perhaps more accurately, hermaphrodite], or one in whom the root is indefinable. By indefinably-rooted is meant the case of a person whose body becomes that of a female when the desire to be female arises and becomes that of a male when the desire to be male arises. Any such bhiksu is æ°evil-rootedæ±. He is neither male nor female, neither a bhiksu nor a lay-person. One must not come near such a bhiksu, nor make offerings to him or pay him respect. One who abides in the Buddhist teaching and the law of a bhiksu should have a sympathizing mind, protect and bring up [take care of?] beings. Even to an ant, one must give the mind of fearlessness. This is a shramana's law. One segregates oneself from drinks and incense. This is the law of the shramana. One must not tell lies, nor should one think of lying. This is the law of the shramana. One does not cause a greedy mind [feeling of greed or desire] to raise its head. The same applies even in dreams. This is the law of the shramana."

Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! If a bhiksu becomes a captive of carnal lust in a dream, does this violate Dharma or not?" The Buddha said: "No. One should call up the thought of an evil smell against carnal desire. If no pure mind [inner mood of lust-free purity] ever raises its head, segregate the mind from the worry and love of the female. If in a dream one becomes captive to carnal lust, [one should] repent for the act when awake. One should abide in the thought of the bhiksu who, when going begging on his alms-round, receives offerings [with the attitude of disgust of one who] eats the flesh of his own son in the days of a famine. If carnal desire asserts itself, quickly discard such a thought. All such is the teaching of the Buddha's sutras and vinaya. One following what Mara says is the kindred of Mara; one who follows what the Buddha says is a Bodhisattva.
"Or a person might say: æ°Stand on one leg, remain silent and say nothing, throw yourself into deep water or into fire, or jump from a high precipice, not fearing the steepness; take poison, fast, lie down on ashes, bind your legs, kill beings, and tell fortunes by directions and the way a person takes.æ± Or a person might say: æ°The Tathagata allows candalas, rootless persons, hermaphrodites, indefinables, the decrepit to become ordained and to accomplish the Way.æ± Such are the words of Mara. Or a person might say: æ°The Buddha has already permitted us to consume the five tastes of milk from the cow, oil and honey, except silken clothing and leather footwear, etc.æ± Or a person might say: æ°The Buddha has already permitted the putting on of the maharanga [?], also the storing of all kinds of seeds. But all grass and trees have life. The Buddha, having spoken thus, enters Nirvana.æ± Should any sutra and vinaya say thus, know that such is what Mara says. I also do not permit one leg to be held up [i.e. standing on one leg, in the manner of some fakirs]. For Dharma, all such postures as walking, standing, sitting and reclining are permitted. Also, someone might say: æ°Take poison, fast, burn the body with fire, bind your hands and feet, kill people, divine directions and ways, make leather footgear decorated with white horse-shoe shell and ivory; the Buddha has permitted the storing up of seeds. Grass and plants have life. He has permitted the putting on of the maharanga.æ± If a person says that the World-Honoured One has said this, such a person is the kindred of the tirthikas. Any person such as this is not my disciple. I have only permitted the five tastes of the cow, oil, honey, and also silken cloth. I say that the four great elements [earth, air, fire and water] do not have life. Should any sutra or vinaya say thus, such is what the Buddha has said. Any person who acts in accordance with the word of the Buddha is, one should know, my disciple. Any person who does not follow the word of the Buddha is a kindred of Mara. Any person who acts in accordance with the Buddha's sutras and vinaya is, one should know, a great Bodhisattva. O good man! I have now extensively, for your sake, thus spoken about the difference between what Mara says and what the Buddha says."

Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! I have now come to know the difference between the word of Mara and that of the Buddha. In consequence, I shall be able to fathom the depths of the Buddhist teaching."

Then the Buddha praised Kasyapa and said: "Well said, well said, O good man! You have now clearly gained the meaning. You are clever and wise."“
 
 
 

,?’Chapter Ten: On the Four Truths’

‘     The Buddha also said to Kasyapa: "Noble Son! It is not appropriate to term suffering as the Noble Truth [of suffering]. Why is that? If one were to term suffering 'the Noble Truth of Suffering', then cattle, sheep, donkeys, horses and the denizens of hell would also have the Noble Truth [of Suffering]. Noble Son! Whoever thinks that the extremely profound [gambhira] domain/ sphere/ realm [visaya] of the Tathagata - the eternal, untransforming Dharmakaya [Body of Truth] - is a body nourished by food, such a person does not know of the virtues and power which the Tathagata possesses. This [i.e. such ignorance of the true nature of the Buddha] is 'suffering'. Why so? Due to ignorance. A person views Dharma as non-Dharma, and non-Dharma as Dharma. Know that this person will fall into the unfortunate realms and repeat birth and death. This will increase the bonds of illusion and worry will grow. If he comes to know that the Tathagata is Eternal, one with whom there comes about no change, or if he hears the word æ°eternalæ±, he will obtain birth in heaven. And on gaining emancipation, he will actually see that the Tathagata is Eternal and Unchanging. When this is well seen, he will say: æ°I heard about this in the past. Now that I am emancipated, I know this. As I was ignorant regarding the Ultimate, I have been repeating birth and death to no end. Today, I am enlightened as regards true knowledge.æ± If knowledge reaches this stage, this is truly practising suffering. There is much to profit from. One may well practise this, but if one does not know things to be thus, no profit will result. This is what is called knowing suffering. This is the noble truth of suffering. If one does not practise thus, this is suffering and not the noble truth of suffering.
"We say æ°truth of the cause of sufferingæ±. A person does not truly know the Wonderful Dharma and receives what is impure. This is the case of menials. Non-Dharma is called Wonderful Dharma. A person annuls what is right and won't allow it to live. On account of this, that person does not know “’Dharmata“’ [essence of Reality]. Not knowing this, he repeats birth and death and suffers greatly. He does not get born in heaven and gain right emancipation. If a person has deep Wisdom and does not transgress against Wonderful Dharma, he will in consequence be born in heaven and attain right emancipation. If a person does not know where suffering arises and says that there cannot be any Wonderful Dharma or what is Eternal, and that all turns to nothingness, that person, in consequence, will repeat transmigration for innumerable kalpas to come, suffering all kinds of sorrow. If a person says that Dharma is Eternal and that there is no change, this is knowing the cause, and this is the noble truth of the cause of suffering. If one does not so practise, this is the cause of suffering and not the noble truth of the cause.
"We say æ°truth of the extinction of sufferingæ±. If a person practises many things [teachings?] and the way of nothingness, this is non-good. Why so? Because this annuls all laws and breaks the true storehouse of the Tathagata. Any practice of this category is the practising of nothingness. One who practises the extinction of suffering acts against what all tirthikas do. If the practice of nothingness is the truth of extinction, there are tirthikas who also practise the teaching of nothingness; we must say that they too possess the truth of extinction. A person says: æ°There is the Tathagatagarbha [Buddha-Womb - the pristine mind under cover of illusion]. One cannot see this. But if one does away with all illusions, one may indeed enter.æ± It is thus. By the raising of such a mind [i.e. by cultivating such an attitude of mind], one gains freedom in all things. If a person practises the Way of the hidden storehouse,  selflessness, and emptiness, such a person repeats birth and death for innumerable ages to come and suffers from sorrow. A person who does not do such practices may certainly, even though he might have illusion, soon do away with it. Why so? Because he well knows the undisclosed [secret, hidden] storehouse of the Tathagata. This is the noble truth of the extinction of suffering. Any person who practises extinction in such a way is my disciple. A person not practising the Way thus is one who practises emptiness. This is not the noble truth of extinction.
"We say æ°noble truth of the Wayæ±. This is none but the treasures of Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, and right emancipation. All people say with an upside-down mind: æ°There is no Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, or right emancipation. Birth and death are like phantoms.æ± They hold such views. As a result, they repeat birth and death through the three worlds [of Desire, Form, and Formlessness], suffering there greatly for a long time to come. If the person awakens and comes to see that the Tathagata is Eternal, that no change comes to him, and that the same applies to Dharma, Sangha, and emancipation, by this one thought the person obtains unmolested [unrestricted] freedom for innumerable ages to come and he may enjoy it as he wills. Why? Because once in the past, due to the four inversions, I took non-Dharma as Dharma and was met by innumerable karmic consequences. When I had made away with such a view, I attained true awakening to Buddhahood. This is the noble truth of the Way. Any person who says that the Three Treasures are non-eternal and holds this view of life, then this is a false way of practice and is not the noble truth of the Way. If a person practises the Way thus and has it [sees it?] as Eternal, such a person is my disciple. He abides in the true view of life and practises the teaching of the Four Noble Truths."

Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! I now, for the first time, know and practise the great depths of the Four Noble Truths."
 
 

’Chapter Eleven: On the Four Inversions’

‘     The Buddha said to Kasyapa: "We speak of the æ°four inversionsæ±. æ°Inversionæ± is spoken of when we entertain the idea of suffering where there is no suffering. æ°Non-sufferingæ± is the Tathagata. The idea of suffering arises when a person thinks that all Tathagatas are non-eternal and that they change. If a person says that the Tathagata changes, this is [the concept of] suffering and constitutes a great sin. If a person says that the Tathagata relinquishes this body of suffering and enters Nirvana, and that this is like fuel being all burned up, as a result of which the fire dies out, this is having the idea of suffering vis-ã¡-vis non-suffering. This is an inversion [of the truth]. A person might say: æ°Saying that the Tathagata is Eternal is a Self-centred view. From this Self-centred view arise innumerable sins. Thus, one should say that the Tathagata is non-Eternal, and by [saying] this I shall gain Bliss.æ± The Tathagata's being non-Eternal would entail suffering. If [there is] suffering, how could one expect [to find] Bliss therein? When the idea of Bliss occurs [in such a connection], we say æ°inversionæ±. This is said because the thought of suffering arises in [what truly is] Bliss. Bliss is the Tathagata. Suffering is the non-Eternal of the Tathagata. If a person says that the Tathagata is non-Eternal, this is a thought of suffering in Bliss. The Tathagata's being Eternal is Bliss. If I say that the Tathagata is Eternal, how can I enter Nirvana? If I say that the Tathagata is non-suffering, how could I cast away my body and enter Nirvana? When a person has the thought of suffering in Bliss, we say that this is an inversion. This is the first inversion.
"The idea of the Eternal vis-ã¡-vis the non-Eternal, and the idea of the non-Eternal vis-ã¡-vis the Eternal, are inversions. The non-Eternal is the non-practising of the Void. When one does not practise the Void, life is shortened. If one says: æ°Not practising the Void and quietude, one attains eternal lifeæ±, this is an inversion. This is the second inversion.
"The thought of Self regarding non-Self, and the thought of non-Self regarding Self, are inversions. The people of the world say that there is Self, and within Buddhism, too, we say that there is Self. The people of the world say that there is Self, but there is no Buddha-Nature. This is having the idea of Self in [what is] non-Self. This is an inversion. “’The Self spoken of in Buddhism is the Buddha-Nature“’ [emphasis added]. The people of the world say that there is no Self in Buddhism. This is the idea of the non-Self in the Self. æ°It is definite that there is no Self in the Buddhist teaching. That is why the Tathagata tells his disciples to practise selflessness.æ± If such is said, this is an inversion. This is the third inversion.
"The non-Pure in the Pure, and the Pure in the non-Pure, are inversions. The Pure relates to the Eternal of the Tathagata. It is not a food-supported body, not a body of illusion. It is not a carnal body, not a body made up of sinews and bones. If one says that the Tathagata is non-Eternal, a food-supported body, bound together by sinews and bones, and that Dharma, Sangha, and emancipation die out, this is an inversion. We say that the idea of the non-Pure in the Pure is an inversion. A person might say that there is not a whit of what is non-Pure in his mind, that as there is not a single thing that is not Pure, he gets into a place which is Pure, and that as the person practises the meditation of the non-Pure which the Tathagata spoke about, whatever was said above must be false. If a person speaks thus, this is an inversion. This is the fourth inversion."

Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! I have now for the first time gained the right view. O World-Honoured One! Until now, all of us were those who abided in wrong thought."“
 
 
 
 

’Chapter Twelve: On the Nature of the Tathagata [Tathagatagarbha]’

‘     Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! Is there Self in the 25 existences or not?" The Buddha said: "O good man! “’æ°Selfæ± means æ°Tathagatagarbha汓’ [Buddha-Womb, Buddha-Embryo, Buddha-Nature] [emphasis added]. Every being has Buddha-Nature. This is the Self. Such Self has, from the very beginning, been under cover of innumerable defilements. That is why man cannot see it. O good man! [Imagine that] there is a poor woman here. She has true gold concealed in her house. But none of the people of her house, whether big or small, know of it. But there is a stranger, who, through expediency, says to the poor woman: æ°I shall employ you. You must now go and weed the land!æ± The woman answers: æ°I cannot do this now. If you let my son see where the gold is hidden, I will soon work for you.æ± The man says: æ°I know the way. I shall point it out to your son.æ± The woman further says: æ°Nobody of my house, whether big or small, knows [of this]. How can you?æ± The man says: æ°I shall now make it clear.æ± The woman says further: æ°I desire to see. Pray let me.æ± The man digs out the gold that had lain hidden. The woman sees it, is gladdened, and begins to respect that person. O good man! The case is the same with the Buddha-Nature which man has. Nobody can see it. This is analogous to the gold which the poor woman possessed and yet could not see. O good man! I now let persons see the Buddha-Nature that they possess, which is overspread by defilements. This is analogous to the poor woman who cannot see the gold, even though she possesses it. The Tathagata now reveals to all beings the storehouse of Enlightenment, which is the Buddha-Nature, as it is called. If all beings see this, they are gladdened and will take refuge in the Tathagata. The good expedient is the Tathagata, and the poor woman is all the innumerable beings, and the cask of true gold is the Buddha-Nature.
"Also, next, O good man! As an example: a woman has a child who, while yet very young, is seized by illness. Worried by this, the woman seeks out a good doctor. The good doctor comes and compounds three medicines, which are butter, milk, and rock candy. This he gives her, to have it taken by the child. Then he says to the woman: æ°When the child has taken the medicine, do not give any milk to the child for some time. When the medicine has worked its way out, you may then give milk.æ± Then the woman applies a bitter substance to her nipple and says to the child: æ°Do not touch it [i.e. her nipple]. My nipple is poisonous.æ± The child is dying for the milk and wants to have it. [But] on hearing of the poison, it runs away. After the medicine has done its work, the mother washes her nipple, calls in her child and gives it [her nipple]. Although hungry, the child, having heard about the poison, will not come to it. The mother then says: æ°I only put poison on my nipple so as to give you the medicine. As you have already taken the medicine, I have washed the poison off. Come! Take my nipple. It is not bitter any more.æ± On hearing this, the child slowly comes back and takes it. O good man! The case is the same with the Tathagata. In order to save beings, he gives them the teaching of non-Self. Having practised the Way thus, beings do away with the [cast of] mind that clings to self and gain Nirvana. All of this is to do away with people's wrong concepts, to show them the Way and cause them to stand above, to show them that they adhere to self, that what obtains in the world is all false and not true, and to make them practise non-Self and purify themselves. This is similar to the woman's applying a bitter substance to her nipple out of love for her child. It is the same with the Tathagata. For practising the Void, I say that all do not have the Self. This is like the woman's cleaning her nipple and calling for her child to partake of her milk. The case is the same with me, too: I speak of the Tathagatagarbha. For this reason, the bhiksus do not entertain fear. It is analogous to the child who hears its mother, slowly comes back and takes the milk. The situation is the same with the bhiksus. They should know well that the Tathagata hides nothing."

Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! Really, there cannot be any case in which there is Self. Why not? When a child is born, it knows nothing. If there is a Self, the child would have to have knowledge when it is born into the world. Hence we can know that there is no Self. If a Self definitely existed, there could not be any loss of knowing. If it were true that all beings eternally possessed Buddha-Nature, there could be no breaking away. If there is no destruction, how can there be the differences of Kshatriya, Brahmin, Vaishya, Sudra, candala, and animals? Now, the effects of karma are various, and differences exist in life. If there definitely is a Self, there cannot be any victory or defeat with beings. From this, we can definitely know that the Buddha-Nature is eternal Dharma. If the Buddha-Nature is definitely eternal, why do we say speak of such things as killing, stealing, lust, forked tongue, ill-speaking, lying, flattering, greed, hatred, and wrong views? If there really is eternally the nature of Self, why is it that a person becomes intoxicated or mad? If the nature of Self is eternal, the blind should be able to see, the deaf hear, the dumb talk, and the lame walk. If the Self is eternal, fire, great floods of water, poison, swords, evil persons and animals cannot [need not?] be avoided. If the Self is eternal, what has basically changed cannot be forgotten or lost. If forgotten, how  can a person say: æ°I have seen this person somewhere [before]æ±? If the Self is eternal, there cannot be old age or youth, no ups or downs, no remembering of what has passed away. If the Self is eternal, where does it abide or live? Is it the case that tears, spittle, blue, yellow, red, and white are to remain in all things? If the Self is eternal, it will fill the body as in the case of sesame seed, in which there is no space left in between. When the body is cut up into small pieces, the Self, too, would have to be cut up?"

The Buddha said to Kasyapa: "O good man! As an analogy: there is in the household of a king a great wrestler. He has an adamantine bead on his brow. This man wrestles with other wrestlers. When [once] the head of another person touches his brow, the bead goes into the wrestler's flesh, and there is no knowing where it is. A boil comes up there. A good doctor is called in to cure it. At that time, there is a good doctor with a bright mind. He knows well how to diagnose and prescribe medicine. Now, he sees that this boil has appeared due to the bead's having got into the wrestler's body. He realises that this bead has entered the flesh and remains there. Then, the good doctor asks the wrestler: æ°Where is that bead that was on your brow?æ± The wrestler is surprised and answers: æ°O great teacher and doctor! Has not the bead on my brow got lost? Where could the bead be now? Is this not a miracle [that you know about it]?æ± He is worried and weeps. Then, the doctor pacifies the wrestler: æ°Do not be over-concerned. When you fought, the gem entered your body. It is now under your skin and can be seen, looming up. As you fought, the poison of anger so burned that the gem got into your body and you did not feel it.æ± But the wrestler does not believe the doctor's words. æ°If it is under my skin, how is it that it does not come out because of the impure pus and blood? If it is in my sinews, we cannot possibly see it. Why do you mean to cheat me?æ± Then, the doctor takes up a mirror and holds it in front of the wrestler's face. The gem appears clearly in the mirror. The wrestler sees it, is surprised and is all wonder. It is like that. O good man! The case is the same with all beings. They do not come near to a good teacher of the Way. So, they cannot see the Buddha-Nature which is within, even though they possess it. And they are reigned over by greed, lust, anger, and ignorance. So they fall into the realms of hell, animals, hungry ghosts, asuras, candalas, and get born in such various houses as Kshatriya, Brahmin, Vaishya and Sudra. The karma generated by the mind leads a person, though born a human, into such lives as a cripple, lame, deaf, blind or dumb person, and to the 25 existences, where such as greed, lust, anger and ignorance reign over the mind, and the person is unable to know of the presence of the Buddha-Nature. The wrestler says that the gem has gone away, even though it is [actually] in his body. The same with beings, too. Not having come into contact with a good teacher of the Way, they do not know the Tathagata's hidden treasure and do not study selflessness. For example, even when a person is told of the unholy self, he cannot know the true quality of the Self. The same is true of my disciples. As they do not befriend a good teacher of the Way, they practise non-Self and do not know where it [Self] is. They do not know the true nature of selflessness. How, then, could they know the true nature of the Self itself? Thus, O good man, the Tathagata says that all beings possess the Buddha-Nature. This is like the good doctor's making the wrestler see where the adamantine jewel rests. All these beings are reigned over by innumerable defilements and thus do not know the whereabouts of the Buddha-Nature. When illusion is dispelled, there arises knowledge and brightness. This is like the wrestler's seeing the gem in the mirror. O good man! It is thus the case that what rests undisclosed [latent?] in the Tathagata is innumerable and is difficult for beings to think about.
"Also, O good man! As an example, there is a medicine in the Himalayas called æ°pleasing tasteæ±. It tastes very sweet. It grows hidden under a deep growth of plants, and we cannot easily see it. But from its scent, one can come to know the whereabouts of this medicine. In days gone by, there was a chakravartin who, placing wooden tubes here and there in the Himalayas, collected this medicine. When it had ripened, it flowed out and entered the tubes. It tasted truly right. When the king died, this medicine became sour, salty, sweet, bitter, or hot, or light. Thus, what is one, tastes differently according to the different places. The true taste of the medicine remains in the mountains; it is like the full moon. Any common mortal, sterile in virtue, may work hard, dig, and try, but cannot get it. Only a chakravartin, high in virtue, appearing in the world can arrive at the true value of this medicine because of happy circumstantial concatenations. The same is the case [here]. O good man! The taste of the hidden store of the Tathagata is also like this. Overspread by all the growths of defilement, the beings clad in ignorance cannot hope to see it. We speak of the æ°one tasteæ±. This applies, for instance, to the Buddha-Nature. On account of the presence of defilement, several tastes appear, such as the realms of hell, animals, hungry pretas, devas, human beings, men, women, non-men, non-women, Kshatriya, Brahmin, Vaishya and Sudra.
"The Buddha-Nature is strong and vigorous. It is hard to destroy. Therefore, there is nothing that can kill it. If there were something that could indeed kill it, Buddha-Nature would die. [But] nothing can ever destroy such Buddha-Nature. Nothing of this nature can ever be cut. “’The nature of Self is nothing other than the hidden storehouse of the Tathagata“’ [emphasis added]. Such a storehouse can never be smashed, set on fire, or done away with. Although it is not possible to destroy or see it, one can know of it when one attains unsurpassed Enlightenment. Hence, there is indeed nothing that can kill it." Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "If nothing can kill it, no karmic consequences would ensue from evil actions." The Buddha said to Kasyapa: "There truly is [such a thing as] killing. How? O good man! “’The Buddha-Nature of beings rests within the five skandhas“’ [emphasis added]. If the five skandhas are destroyed, this is killing [of those skandhas]. If one harms a living thing, one gains the unfortunate realms. Through the working of karma, one transmigrates through such realms as Kshatriya, Brahmin, Vaishya, Sudra, candala, or man, woman, non-man, non-woman, and the 25 variegated existences. A person who has not reached the holy stage of a sage is waywardly bound up by attachment to self. All such phases [modes?] of existence, whether big or small, are like barnyard grass, like rice or a bean, or like the thumb. Thus do they [i.e. ignorant beings] loosely imagine things. There can be no true shape in wild fancies. The shape of Self that seeks to flee from the world is Buddha-Nature. This is the best way of conceiving of the Self.
"And next, O good man! As an analogy: there is a man here who knows well what is hidden [under the ground]. He takes a sharp hoe, digs into the ground and hits upon such things as stones and gravel. All goes through and nothing hinders [i.e. the hoe digs through everything, without being obstructed]. Only when the diamond comes in its way, can the hoe not dig through. Now, no sword or hatchet can destroy a diamond. O good man! The Buddha-Nature of beings is like this. It is something that all those people who discuss things, Marapapiyas, all men and devas cannot destroy. What characterises the five skandhas is [the phenomenon of] what occurs and what is done. Whatever occurs and is done can certainly be destroyed, like stones and sand. “’The True Self of the Buddha-Nature is like the diamond, which cannot be crushed“’ [emphasis added]. Hence, we call the destroying of the five skandhas the killing of life. O good man! Know well most definitely that the Buddhist teaching is not within the boundaries of conceiving.
"O good man! The vaipulya sutras are like amrta [ambrosia, nectar] and poison." Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "Why, O Tathagata, do you say that the vaipulya sutras are [both] amrta and poison?" The Buddha said: "O good man! Do you desire to be informed about the hidden storehouse of the Tathagata?" Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "I now really do desire to learn the signification of the hidden store of the Tathagata."
Then the Tathagata said in a gatha:

"There is a person who takes amrta [ambrosia/ nectar], harms life, and dies early,
Or another, who takes amrta and gains a long life,
Or one who takes poison and gains life,
Or another who takes poison and dies.
The unhindered [unobstructed?] Wisdom, which is amrta, is none other
Than the Mahayana sutras. And such Mahayana sutras are what also
Contain poison. It is
Like butter, sarpirmanda or rock candy,
Which, when taken and digested, act as medicine
If not digested, then they are nothing but poison.
It is the same with the vaipulya sutras.
The wise make of them amrta, and the ignorant, not knowing
The value of the Buddha-Nature, make of them poison.
Sravakas and pratyekabuddhas make of the Mahayana amrta.
This is like milk, which is foremost in taste.
Those who work thus and make progress
Ride in the Mahayana, gain the shore of Nirvana, and become
Elephant kings of men. [Such] beings know of the Buddha-Nature,
As with Kasyapa. This superb amrta is
Birthlessness and deathlessness. O Kasyapa!
You whould now analyse the Three Refuges:
Just as is the intrinsic being [svabhava] of the Three Refuges,
So indeed  is my intrinsic being [svabhava].
If a person is able truly to discern
That his/ her intrinsic being possesses the Buddha-dhatu [Buddha-Nature],
Then you should know that such a person
Will enter into the Secret Matrix [ = the Tathagatagarbha].
That person who knows the Self [atman] and what belongs to the Self [atmiya]
Has already transcended the mundane world [emphasis added].
The nature of the Three Jewels, the Buddha, the Dharma [and the Sangha]
Is supreme and most worthy of respect;
As in the verse which I have uttered,
The meaning of its nature is thus."

Then, Kasyapa said in a gatha:

"I do not know how to take refuge
In the Three Treasures, how
To take refuge in unsurpassed fearlessness.
Knowing not the place of the Three Treasures, how can one
Gain fearlessness? How can one who takes refuge
In the Buddha gain peace, how can one take refuge in Dharma?
Condescend to tell me of this! How does one gain
Unmolestedness, and how non-unmolestedness?
How does one take refuge in the Sangha and thereby
Attain unsurpassed benefit?
How does one gain true sermons, how
Buddhahood in the days to come?
If one does not attain it in the days to come,
How can one take refuge in the Three Treasures?
I have nothing to foresee; I shall work my way up step by step.
Without conceiving, can a person think of having a child? If
It is definitely in embryo, we can indeed say
That we have a child. If the child is in the womb,
It will not be long before it emerges.
This is the meaning vis-ã¡-vis a child. The same
Pertains to the karma of man.
The ignorant cannot know what the Buddha says.
By ignorance, the wheel of birth and death turns.
One who is an upasaka in name only cannot know
The true meaning. Condescend to explain [matters] to me
And cut away the web of doubt.
Oh, the great Wisdom of the Tathagata! Have pity
And explain! I pray, open the closed door
Of the treasure-house of the Tathagata."
"O Kasyapa! I will now for your sake
Open the closed door of the storehouse and uproot your doubt.
Give ear to what I say with all your heart!
You, all you Bodhisattvas, and the seventh Buddha [i.e. Buddha Kasyapa]
Have the same name.
One who takes refuge in the Buddha is a true upasaka.
He no longer takes refuge in all the other gods.
One who takes refuge in Dharma cuts himself away
From harming others. One who takes refuge
In the holy Sangha does not take refuge in tirthikas.
Thus taking refuge in the Three Treasures,
One attains fearlessness."

Kasyapa said to the Buddha:

"I take refuge in the Three Treasures.
This is the right path, and this is the world of all Buddhas.
The fact that the two Treasures are equal
Possesses always the nature of great Wisdom.
The nature of the Self and the Buddha-Nature
Do not differ. This is the path the Buddha praises;
This is where man rightly steps forwards
And when one abides in peace.
This is true Enlightenment.
This is Buddhahood. I, too, am a “’Sugata“’ [Well-Gone One = Buddha],
And am on the way to unsurpassed Enlightenment praised by all.
This is the best amrta.
This is where there is no [samsaric] existence to name."

Then, the Buddha said to Kasyapa: "O good man! Do not view the Three Treasures as all sravakas and common mortals do. In this Mahayana, there is no distinction between the Three Treasures. Why not? The Buddha-Nature contains within it the Dharma and Sangha. To teach sravakas and common mortals, discrimination is resorted to and the three different aspects are spoken of regarding the Three Treasures. Following the way of the world,  distinction is talked about regarding the Three Treasures. O good man! The Bodhisattva will think: æ°This "I" now takes refuge in the Buddha. If this I attains Enlightenment and Buddhahood, I shall not pay respect, worship or make offerings to all the Buddhas. Why not? For all Buddhas are all-equal. They are all taken refuge in by all beings. If one desires to pay respect to the Dharma-Body and the sharira [relics], one should also pay respect to the stupas of all Buddhas. Why? To guide in all beings. It also makes beings conceive in me a thought of the stupa, to make them worship and make offerings [?]. Such beings make my Dharma-Body the place wherein they take refuge. All beings are grounded upon what is not true and what is false. I shall now, step by step, reveal true Dharma. If there are people who take refuge in monks who are not of the right calibre, I shall become the true refuge for them. If there are those who see the three refuges as distinct, I shall become a single place wherein they can take refuge. So there cannot be any distinction between the three refuges. To one born blind, I shall be his eyes, and to sravakas and pratyekabuddhas I shall become the true refuge.æ± O good man! Such Bodhisattvas enact the works of the Buddha for the sake of innumerable evil beings and all wise people. O good man! There is, as an example, a person here who goes to the battlefield and thinks: æ°I am the first of all the first of all of these. All soldiers depend on me.æ± Also, it is like the prince who thinks: æ°I shall conquer all other princes, succeed to the works of a great emperor, gain unmolested [unrestricted] power, and make all other princes pay homage to me. So, let me not entertain a whit of thought of self-surrender.æ± As with the prince of the king, so too with the minister. O good man! The case is the same with the Bodhisattva-mahasattva, and he thinks: æ°How do the three become one with me?æ± O good man! I make it [in my teaching?] that the thre things are Nirvana. The Tathagata is the unsurpassed one. For example, the head is the highest part of a man's body, not the other limbs or the hands and legs. The same is the case with the Buddha. He is the most respected, not Dharma or the Sangha. In order to teach the world, he manifests himself diversely. It is like going up a ladder. This being the case, do not regard the three refuges as different, as do common mortals and the ignorant. Abide in the Mahayana as bravely and decisively as a sharp sword."

Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "I ask about what I know, not what I do not know. I ask about untainted pure actions for the sake of the greatly courageous Bodhisattvas, so that the Tathagata will, for the sake of the Bodhisattvas, proclaim what is wonderful and expound [it], and thus [the Bodhisattvas will] desire to praise the Mahayana vaipulya sutras. The Tathagata, the great Compassionate One, now speaks. I too shall peacefully abide in it. The pure actions of the Bodhisattva are well proclaimed in the Great Nirvana Sutra. O World-Honoured One! I shall now, for the sake of all beings, disseminate the undisclosed store of the Tathagata. Also, I shall now well attest to, and know, the three refuges. If any being believes strongly in the teaching of the Great Nirvana Sutra, such a being will all-naturally clearly attain the three refuges. Why? Because the close-guarded store of the Tathagata possesses the Buddha-Nature. Any person who disseminates this sutra says that one possesses the Buddha-Nature within one's body. Any such person does not, far out, take refuge in the three [?]. Why not? Because one in the life to come perfects the Three Treasures. Because of this, sravakas, pratyekabuddhas, and all others come, worship and pay homage to me. O good man [?]! Because of this, learn Mahayana sutras."
Kasyapa further said: "Buddha-Nature thus cannot be known. The 32 signs of perfection and the 80 minor marks of excellence are also of wonder."

Then the Buddha praised Bodhisattva Kasyapa: "Well said, well said, O good man! You have accomplished the deepest and sharpest of Wisdom. I shall now tell you how one enters the Tathagatagarbha. If Self lives, this is the teaching of æ°isæ±. It does not part from suffering. If Self does not exist, there can be no benefit, even if one practises pure actions. If one says that all things do not possess Self, this is but the æ°not-isæ± theory [“’ucchedika-drsti“’ - i.e. the world-view of the total negation of any existence, which is the theory of sheer emptiness]. If one says that Self exists, this is the æ°ever isæ± theory [“’sasvata-drsti“’ - an erroneous view of life which takes existence as concrete and changeless]. If one says that all things are non-eternal, this is the æ°not-isæ± view. If one says that all things exist, this is the æ°ever isæ± view. If one says that all is suffering, this is the æ°not-isæ±. If one says that all things are bliss, this is the æ°ever isæ±. If a person practises the Way of the æ°ever isæ± of all things, such a person falls into the heresy of æ°not-isæ± [?]. A person who practises the Way according to which all things become extinct falls into æ°ever isæ± [?]. This is like the measuring worm, which carries its hind-legs forward by the action of its front-legs. It is the same with the person who practises the æ°ever isæ± and the æ°not-isæ±. The æ°not-isæ± stands on [depends on? is based on?] the æ°ever isæ±. Because of this, those of other teachings who practise suffering are called æ°not-goodæ±. Those of other teachings who practise bliss are called æ°goodæ±. Those of other teachings who practise non-Self are those of illusion. Those of other teachings who practise the æ°ever isæ± say that the Tathagata secretly stores [truths away]. So-called Nirvana does not have any grotto or house to live in. Those of other teachings who practise the æ°not-isæ± refers to property; those of other teachings who practise the æ°ever isæ± refers to Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, and right emancipation. Know that the Middle Path of the Buddha negates the two planes and tells of true Dharma. Even common mortals and the dull abide in it and have no doubt. It is as when the weak and the sick take butter, as a result of which they feel light in spirit.
"The nature of the two of æ°isæ± and æ°not-isæ± is not definite. For example, the natures of the four elements [earth, water, fire and wind] are not the same. Each differs from the other. A good doctor well sees that each stands against [in contradistinction to? in opposition to? in contrast with?] the other. He sees it through even by the one-sided phase of what takes place [?]. O good man! It is the same with the Tathagata. He acts like a good doctor towards all beings. He knows the difference between the internal and external nature of illusion and crushes it out, and reveals the fact that the undisclosed store of the Tathagata is pure and that the Buddha-Nature is eternal and does not change. If a person says æ°isæ±, he must be on guard that his Wisdom does not get tainted; if a person says æ°not-isæ±, this is nothing but falsehood. If one says æ°isæ±, one cannot sit unsaid [?]. Also, one could not play with words and dispute; only seek to know the true nature of all things. Common mortals play with words and dispute, betraying their own ignorance as to the Tathagata's undisclosed store. When it comes to the question of suffering, the ignorant say that the body is non-eternal and all is suffering. Also, they do not know that there is also the nature of Bliss in the body. If the Eternal is alluded to, common mortals say that all bodies are non-eternal, like unfired tiles. One with Wisdom discriminates things and does not say that all is non-eternal. Why not? Because man possesses the seed of the Buddha-Nature. When non-Self is talked about, common mortals say that there cannot be Self in the Buddhist teaching. One who is wise should know that non-Self is a temporary existence and is not true. Knowing thus, one should not have any doubt. When the hidden Tathagatagarbha is stated as being empty and quiet, common mortals will think of ceasing and extinction. “’One who is wise knows that the Tathagata is Eternal and Unchanging.“’ “’If Emancipation is stated to be something like a phantom, common mortals say that the person who attains Emancipation is one who wears away to nothingness; a person with Wisdom thinks that he is a man-lion and that, though he comes and goes, he is Eternal and does not change. “’[Emphasis added].“’
“’     "If it is stated that ignorance resides in all things, common mortals hear this and think of two different existences, the æ°brightæ± and the æ°non-brightæ±. The wise man sees that the nature is not-two and that the nature of the not-two is the real nature ["self-nature"]. If it is stated that things sit on [depend on?] consciousness, common mortals say æ°twoæ±, which are “’samskara“’ [volition, mental impulse] and “’vijnana“’ [consciousness]. But the wise know that its nature is not-two and that the nature of the not-two is the “’svabhavika “’["own-nature", "self-nature"]. If we speak of the æ°ten good deedsæ± and æ°ten evil deedsæ±, of what can be made and what cannot be made, of good realms and evil realms, white teaching [“’sukladharma = saddharma“’ = Wonderful Dharma] and black teaching [“’krsnadharma “’ = Pali “’kanhadhamma“’], common mortals conceive of two things. But the wise know that the nature is not-two and that the nature of the not-two is the real nature. When it is stated that all things end in suffering, common morals say that this is two. But the wise know that the nature is not-two and that the nature of the not-two is the real nature. If we state that all things made are non-eternal and that the undisclosed store of the Tathagata, too, is non-eternal, common mortals say two. But the wise know that the nature is not-two and that not-two is the real nature. If all things have no Self and the undisclosed store of the Tathagata has no Self, common mortals say that the nature is two. But the wise know that it is not-two and that not-two is the real nature. There cannot be the two things of Self and non-Self. This is what the undisclosed store of the Tathagata refers to. This is what is praised by uncountable, innumerable, boundless numbers of all Buddhas. I, now, in this all-perfect sutra, explain all. There is the not-two in the nature and characteristics of Self and non-Self. You should take things thus. O good man! You should strongly uphold and think about such sutras. I have already stated in the “’Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra“’ that there are not the two phases [aspects? phenomena?] of Self and non-Self. The case is thus. From fresh milk we get cream, from cream fresh butter, from fresh butter clarified butter, and from clarified butter sarpirmanda. Does the nature of the cream come from the milk itself, or from without? And the same is the case with sarpirmanda. If it comes from without, it is something made by another and not something come out of the milk itself. If it does not come out of the milk, the milk has nothing to do with its coming about. If it comes out of the milk itself, it cannot come out in a similar way and continuously. If it comes out continuously, it cannot come out together. If it does not come out together, the five tastes cannot be for once only. Though not for once only, it cannot definitely come about from other places. Know that in milk there is already the phase [element?aspect?] of cream. As it possesses much sweetness, it cannot change. The same with sarpirmanda. When the cow feeds on the grass of watery places, its blood changes and we get milk. If the cow feeds on sweet grass, the milk becomes sweet, and if on bitter grass, the milk becomes bitter. In the Himalayas, there is a type of grass called pinodhni. If the cow feeds on this, it will produce pure sarpirmanda and there will be no such colour as blue, yellow, red, white or black. The grass and cereals work upon [affect?] the colour and taste of the milk. Two aspects come out of all beings by the karmic relations of brightness and ignorance. When the gloom changes, brightness comes about. The case is the same with the good and not-good of all things. There can be no two aspects."
Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! You, the Buddha, say that there is cream in milk. What does this mean? O World-Honoured One! If there definitely is cream in milk and if it is true that it cannot be seen because of the minuteness of its size, how can we say that cream comes about through the causal relations of milk? When things orginally have no root element, we can say that a thing is born. If it exists already, how can we say that life comes about? It it is the case that there definitely is cream in milk, there must be milk in all grass. Likewise, there must be grass in milk, too. If the situation is that there definitely is no cream in milk, how can cream come out of the milk? If there is no root element but it later comes about, how could it be that grass cannot grow in milk?"  "O good man! Do not say that there definitely is cream in milk or that there is not cream in milk. Also, do not say that it comes from outside. If there is definitely cream in milk, how can it be that thing and taste differ? That is why you should not say there definitely is cream in milk. If there definitely is no cream in milk, why is it that something different does not come about in the milk? If poison is put into milk, the cream will kill a person. That is why you should not say that there definitely is no cream in the milk. Further, if we say that cream comes from outside, why is it that cream does not come about in water? Because of this, do not say that cream comes from anywhere else. O good man! As the cow feeds on grass, its blood changes into white. Grass and blood die out and the power of virtue of beings changes and we gain milk. This milk comes out of grass and blood, but we cannot say that there are the two. All we can say is that conditions so bring it about. This we can say. From cream up to sarpirmanda, things go thus. The case [here] is the same. Because of this, we can rightly say that there is the taste of the cow. This milk dies away, and in consequence there comes about cream. What is the condition? It is sour or warm. Because of this, we can say that it comes from conditions. The situation is the same with the others, up to sarpirmanda. Because of this, we cannot say that there definitely is no cream in milk. If it comes from elsewhere, it must exist separately from the milk. This cannot be. O good man! The same is the case with brightness and ignorance. [Of that which is] bound up by all illusions, we say ignorant. If linked to all good things, there can be brightness. That is why we say that there can be no two things. So, I said: æ°There is a grass in the Himalayas called pinodhni, which, if eaten by the cow, produces sarpirmanda.æ± The same is the case with the Buddha-Nature.
"O good man! Beings are sterile in fortune and do not come across this grass. The same applies to the Buddha-Nature. As defilement overspreds [them], beings cannot see. For example, the water of the great ocean tastes salty all the same, but it contains in it the best of water, as in the case of milk. Also, the Himalayas are perfect in various virtues and produce various medicines, but there are also poisonous herbs. It is the same with the bodies of all beings. There are the four poisonous serpents, but there is also present the great king of all-wonderful medicine. So-called Buddha-Nature is not something that has been made. Only, it is overspread by defilement. Only a person who thoroughly cuts it away, whether he be a Kshatriya, Brahmin, Vaishya or Sudra sees the Buddha-Nature and attains unsurpassed Enlightenment. For example, should the thunder roll in the sky, the clouds disperse and all the tusks of the elephant will be covered with flower-petals. If there is no thunder, the flowers do not come about. Also, this is as in the case where there is no denotative name. The same is also the case with the Buddha-Nature of [all] beings. It is always overspread by various defilements and is not seen. That is why I say that beings do not possess the Self. If one is blessed with hearing the all-wonderful “’Mahaparinirvana Sutra“’, one sees the Buddha-Nature. This is as in the case of the flowers on the tusks of the elephant. One may hear all about the samadhis of the sutras. But if one does not hear this sutra, one cannot get to the wonderful form of the Tathagata. If is as when there is no thunder, when one no longer sees flowers on the tusks of the elephant. On hearing this sutra, one comes to know of the undisclosed [latent?] Buddha-Nature, about which the Tathagata speaks. This is like seeing the flowers on the tusks of the elephant. On hearing this sutra, all innumerable beings come to know that this is the Buddha-Nature. Because of this, I speak about Great Nirvana and say that I augment [expand?] the Dharma-Body, the undisclosed store of the Tathagata. This is as with the thunder, when flowers fall upon the tusks of the elephant. As this long upholds and nurtures the great meaning, this is called æ°Mahaparinirvanaæ±. If any good man or woman learns this all-wonderful Sutra of Great Nirvana, they should know that they are doing a work of thanksgiving and are true disciples of the Buddha."

Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "It is exceptionally wonderful, O World-Honoured One! The so-called Buddha-Nature is profound to know; it is hard to see and attain. Sravakas and pratyekabuddhas cannot hope to partake of it." The Buddha siad: "O good man! It is thus, it is thus! It is just as you praise [it]; it does not differ from what I say."

Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! To what extent is the Buddha-Nature profound and how difficult is it to perceive and get into?"   "O good man! [As an analogy]: 100 blind persons consult a good doctor for a cure. With that, the doctor opens up the membrane of the eye with a golden barb [blade?] and then, holding up one finger, asks: æ°Can you see this?æ± The blind person says: æ°I cannot see it yet.æ± Then, the doctor holds up two fingers, and three fingers. Then, the person says that he can see to some extent. O good man! When this wonderful Sutra of Great Nirvana is one that has as yet not been delivered by the Tathagta, the same is the case. Although innumerable Bodhisattvas may well perfectly practise the paramitas [spiritual perfections], they might only reach the stage of the ten abodes [“’bhumis“’] and yet may not be able to see the Buddha-Nature. If the Tathagata speaks, they may see to some extent. When these Bodhisattvas have seen all, they will say: æ°Oh, wonderful, O World-Honoured One! We have been repeating birth and death and have been worried by selflessness.æ± O good man! Such Bodhisattvas may well reach the stage of the ten soils [“’bhumis “’ - stages of Bodhisattva development], and yet they cannot clearly see the Buddha-Nature. How could sravakas and pratyekabuddhas well see [it]?
"Also, next, O good man! For example, one sees geese flying far off in the sky and wonders if they [really] are geese or the sky. One looks carefully and sees this indistinctly. The case of the Bodhisattvas may also be like this; they see but a small part of the nature of the Tathagata. How could sravakas and pratyekabuddhas well see [it]?
"O good man! The same is the case with an intoxicated man who has a long way to walk, but can only see the way indistinctly. This is the case with the Bodhisattvas at the stage of the ten abodes [“’bhumis“’] who can only see a small part of the nature of the Tathagata.
"O good man! There is a thirsty person who has to travel a long way through the wilderness. Thirst presses down upon him so much that he looks for water everywhere. Then, he sees the foliage of a tree with a white crane on it. Having lost his capacity to judge, the person cannot tell if this is a tree or water. He tries hard to see. Then he sees that it is a white crane and the foliage of a tree. It is similar to the Bodhisattvas of the stage of the ten abodes, who sees but a small part of the nature of the Tathagata.
"O good man! For example, there is here a man who is in the middle of a great ocean. Far out, an innumerable hundred thousand yojanas away, he sees a great galleon, the rudder tower and storied building [parts of the ship]. He looks and thinks to himself: æ°Is this a rudder tower or is it the sky?æ± He looks for a long time and his mind becomes fixed, and he comes to know that it is a rudder tower. The same is the case with the Bodhisattva of the stage of the ten “’bhumis“’, who sees within himself the nature of the Tathagata.
"For example, there is here a prince who is weak in physique and who passes the night in playing, and it is now dawn. He tries but cannot see clearly. The case is like this. The Bodhisattva of the stage of the ten “’bumis“’ thus sees the nature of the Tathagata within himself. And, likewise, what he sees is not clear.
"Also, next, O good man! For example, a government official, driven by routine work of this kind, comes home late in the evening. There is a flash of lightning for a moment, and he sees a group of cows. Then he thinks: æ°Is this a group of cows, or a cloud, or a house?æ± He looks for a good while and comes to the conclusion that they are cows. And yet, he cannot be too sure. The Bodhisattva of the stage of the ten “’bhumis“’ sees the nature of the Tathagata within himself, and yet he cannot see it clearly. The situation is like this.
"Also, next, O good man! A bhiksu who upholds the precepts looks at some water in which there are no worms. And yet, he sees a worm, and thinks to himself: æ°Is the thing that moves in the water a worm or a bit of dust?æ± He stares at it for a good while. Even after he has realised that it is a piece of dust, he is not quite sure. It seems so. The same is the case with the Bodhisattva of the stage of the ten “’bhumis“’, who thus sees within himself the nature of the Tathagata. Nothing is very clear.
"Also, next, O good man! For example, a man sees a child in the darkness, far off. He thinks: æ°Is this a cow, a man, or a bird?æ± He keeps gazing at it for a goodly while. He now sees that it is a child, and yet he does not see it very clearly. It is thus. The same applies to the Bodhisattva who is at the stage of the ten “’bhumis“’ and who sees within himself the nature of the Tathagata. Nothing is completely clear.
"Also, next, O good man! There is a person who, in the darkness of the night, sees the image of a Bodhisattva and thinks: æ°Can this be the image of a Bodhisattva, of Mahesvara, of Great Brahma, or of someone in monastic garb?æ± The person gazes at it a good while and comes to think that it is the form of a Bodhisattva; and yet, he does not see it very clearly. It is the same with the Bodhisattva of the ten “’bhumis“’ who sees within himself the nature of the Tathagata. Nothing seems to be very clear.
"O good man! The Buddha-Nature that one has is the deepest and the most difficult [thing] to see. Only the Buddha can know it well. It is not within the reach of sravakas and pratyekabuddhas. O good man! The wise should see thus and know of the nature of the Tathagata."

Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! The Buddha-Nature is very delicate and difficult to know. How can one perceive it well with the fleshly eye?" The Buddha said to Kasyapa: "O good man! Even Thoughtlessness-non-thoughtlessness Heaven is also not within reach of the two vehicles. When one accords with the sutras, one can well see it by dint of the power of faith. O good man! The same is the case with sravakas and pratyekabuddhas who accord with the Nirvana Sutra and who see in themselves the nature of the Tathagata. O good man! Because of this, one should make effort and learn the Great Nirvana Sutra. O good man! The Buddha Nature as such can only be known by the Buddha alone and is not within the reach of sravakas and pratyekabuddhas."“

’     Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! Unholy common mortals possess the nature of common mortals and [yet] say that they possess Self." The Buddha said: "As an example of this: two persons are friends. One is a prince, and the other a poor man. They associate with each other. Then the poor man, on seeing that the Prince possesses a very bright sword, covets it. The Prince later flees to other countries, taking the sword with him. The poor man later puts up at the house of another person and, in his sleep, cries out: æ°The sword! The sword!æ± A person nearby hears this and goes to the king. The king says: æ°You said "sword". Tell me where it is.æ± The person tells of it in detail. æ°O King! You can cut up my body and cut off my feet, and yet you will not be able to get the sword. I was once on close terms with the Prince. Before, we were together, and I saw it. But I did not touch it. And how could I take it?æ± The King asks further: æ°What was the sword like which you say you saw?æ± The man answers: æ°O great King! It was like a ewe's horn.æ± The King, on hearing this, smiles in amusement and says: æ°Don't worry. In all my storehouse, we do not have any such sword. How could you have seen it with the Prince?æ± Then the King asks all his ministers: æ°Have you ever seen a sword of this kind?æ± So speaking, he dies.
"Then another prince ascends the throne. He also asks the ministers: æ°Have you ever seen in the governmental storehouse any sword of this kind?æ± All the ministers say: æ°We once saw it.æ±  æ°What was the sword like?æ± They replied: æ°It was like a ewe's horn.æ±  æ°How could there be any such sword in my storehouse?æ± Four kings, one after the other, ask and check, but they cannot gain it.
"Some time later, the Prince who has fled the country returns and becomes King. On ascending the throne, he asks the ministers: 'Have you ever seen the sword?' They reply: 'O great King! Its colour was pure, and it was like an utpala-lotus.' They also answer: 'It was like the horn of a ram.' They further reply: 'It was red and like a fire ball.' They answer,too: 'It was like a black serpent.' Then the King laughs: 'All of you have not, in truth, seen my sword.'
"Noble Son! A Bodhisattva-mahasattva is also like that - he appears in the world and expounds the true nature of the Self. After he has expounded it, he departs, as for example like the prince who takes the wondrous sword and flees to another country. Foolish ordinary people say, 'Everybody has Self! Everybody has Self", like the poor man who, lodging at another's house, cries out, 'The sword! The sword!' Sravakas and pratyekabuddhas ask people, 'What attributes does the Self have?', to which they reply, 'I have seen the attributes of the Self - it is the size of a thumb' or they say, 'It is like [a grain of rice], or 'It is like [a grain of] millet', or there are some who say, 'It is the Self's attribute to abide within the heart, burning like the sun'. In this manner people do not know the nature of the Self, [just] as, for example, the various ministers do not know the nature of the sword. While a Bodhisattva discourses thus about the quality of the Self, ordinary people do not but impute various false concepts to the Self, just as when asked about the attributes of the sword the [ministers] reply that it is like the horn of a ram. These ordinary people generate false views in succession from one on to the other. In order to eliminate such false views, the Tathagata reveals and discourses on the non-existence of a self, just as when the prince tells his various ministers that there is no such sword in his treasury. Noble Son, the True Self that the Tathagata expounds today is called the Buddha-dhatu (Buddha-Nature). This manner of Buddha-dhatu is shown in the Buddha-Dharma with the example of the real sword. Noble Son, should there be any ordinary person who is able well to expound this, then he [speaks] in accordance with unsurpassed Buddha-Dharma. Should there be anyone who is well able to distinguish this in accordance with what has been expounded regarding it, then you should know that he has the nature of a Bodhisattva.

Complete Nirvana Sutra (2)

?’Chapter Thirteen: On Letters’

‘     The Buddha said to Bodhisattva Kasyapa: "All such different opinions, fortune-telling, language, and letters are what the Buddha spoke [?] and not what was said by tirthikas." Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! How do you, the Tathagata, tell [of] the root concept of letters?" The Buddha said: "O good man! First, the half-letter [i.e. the phonic alphabet of Sanskrit] is taught and is made the root-concept. This holds good for all written things, fortune-telling, sentences, all elements and realities. Common mortals learn the foundation of letters. Later, they come to know what is right and what is not."
Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! What is the meaning of the letter?"  "O good man! It stands on fourteen phonic bases, which constitute the meanings. The so-called letter is Nirvana. Being Eternal, it does not flow away. What does not flow away knows no end. What knows no end is the Adamantine Body of the Tathagata. These fourteen constitute the foundation of letters.
"æ°Aæ± is so called because it does not get destroyed. What is indestructible is the Three Treasures. For example, this is like the diamond. It is also so called because it does not flow away. What does not flow away is the Tathagata. In the nine holes [i.e. outlets of the body: two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, mouth, two outlets for excretion] of the Tathagata, there is nothing that flows away. So, it is the unflowing [“’anasrava“’? - non-defilement?]. And there are nine holes. Hence, it is æ°non-flowingæ±. Non-flowing is the Eternal; the Eternal is the Tathagata. The Tathagata is not that which has been created. Hence, he is non-flowing. Also, æ°aæ± is virtue. Virtue is the Three Treasures. For this reason, we say æ°aæ±.
"Next, æ°ã¥æ± stands for æ°ã¥cã¥ryaæ±. What does æ°ã¥cã¥ryaæ± mean? In worldly life, we can call him a æ°holy personæ±. Why do we say æ°holy personæ±? æ°Holyæ± means æ°non-attachedæ±. It means æ°of little desireæ± and æ°feeling contentedæ±. Also, it is called æ°pureæ±. It thoroughly passes beings across the great sea of the three worlds of birth and death. That is why we say æ°holyæ±.
"Also, æ°ã¥æ± means æ°institutionæ± [implementation?], which is to act in accordance with the pure precepts and observe deportment.
"Also, æ°ã¥æ± means to depend upon a holy person. This is to learn his comings and goings and all that he does. The three holy ones are given offerings, respected and worshipped. One faithfully serves one's parents and studies the Mahayana. Good men and women uphold the prohibitions. And all Bodhisattvas are called æ°holy onesæ±. æ°á¥æ± also means æ°orderæ±. It says: æ°Come and do this; you should not do it like that.æ± So do things go. One who checks and suppresses non-deportment is a holy one. That is why we say æ°ã¥æ±.“
’"æ°Iæ± is the Buddhist teaching. Pure action is extensive, pure and untainted. It is, for example, like the full moon. æ°Do thus, not like that; this is right, that is not right; this is a sermon of the Buddha, and this is what Mara says.æ± Hence, we say æ°iæ±.
"We say æ°ãÊæ±. The meaning of the Buddhist teaching is wonderful and profound. It is as when we call the laws [dharmas?] of Mahesvara and Brahma unmolested [unlimited?]. Well upheld, it [Buddhist teaching?] is the protection of Dharma.
"Also, unmolestedness [unlimitedness? unrestrictedness?] is called the four protections of the world. As these four are unmolested, one well takes in and protects the Great Nirvana Sutra, and one unmolestedly expounds and disseminates [it].
"Also, next, æ°ãÊæ± stands for the unmolested [unhindered? unstinting?] dissemination of Dharma to beings.
"Also, next, æ°ãÊæ± is the unmolested [unconstrained?]. It asks and says what is right. This is nothing other than the learning of the vaipulya sutras.
"Also, next, æ°ãÊæ± stands for the crushing out of jealousy. When the barnyard grass has been thoroughly weeded out, everything changes into what is auspicious. So we say æ°ãÊæ±.
"æ°Uæ± stands for Great Nirvana, the Highest, the most superb, the pinnacle of pinnacles of all sutras.
"Also, next, æ°uæ± stands for the nature of the Tathagata, which no sravakas and pratyekabuddhas hear about. This is like Uttarakuru being the best of all places. If any Bodhisattva indeed hears this sutra, he is the highest and most superb. Hence, we say æ°uæ±.
"æ°â½æ± is, for example, like cow's milk, which is the best of all tastes. The nature of the Tathagata is also like that. Of all sutras, this is the holiest and best. Anyone who slanders [it] is none but a cow.
"Also, next, æ°ä½æ± is called æ°not-wiseæ±. A person thoroughly slanders the delicate and hidden storehouse of the Tathagata. Know that this person is most to be pitied. Parting from the hidden storehouse of the Tathagata, he speaks about no-Self. Henc, we say æ°ä½æ±.
"æ°Eæ± is the “’Dharmata“’ and Nirvana of all Buddhas. Hence, we say æ±eæ².
"æ°Aiæ± means æ°Tathagataæ±.
"Also, æ°aiæ± refers to the goings and comings, bendings and stretchings, and the deeds of the Tathagata, by which not one amongst all beings is [not] benefited. Hence, æ°aiæ±.
"æ°Oæ± stands for illusion; illusion is æ°asravaæ± [defilement]. The Tathagata is eternally free from illusion. Hence, æ°oæ±.
"æ°Auæ± means Mahayana. It stands for the utmost of all the fourteen sounds. The case of the Mahayana sutras is also like this. They are the ultimate of all sutras and shastras. Hence, æ°auæ±.
"æ°Amæ± makes away with all impurities. In the Buddhist teachings, all gold, silver and treasures are abandoned. Hence, æ°amæ±.
"æ°Ahæ± means æ°superb vehicleæ±. Why? This Mahayana sutra, this Great Nirvana Sutra, is the most superlative of all sutras. Hence, æ°ahæ±.
"æ°Kaæ± calls forth great compassion towards all beings. The thought of a son arises, as towards Rahula. It means æ°wonderfully goodæ±. Hence, æ°kaæ±.
"æ°Khaæ± stands for æ°non-good friendæ±. æ°Non-good friendæ± means mixed and defiled. He does not believe in the hidden store of the Tathagata. Hence, æ°khaæ±.
"æ°Gaæ± means æ°storeæ±. æ°Storeæ± means the undisclosed store of the Tathagata. All beings have the Buddha-Nature. Hence, æ°gaæ±.
"æ°Ghaæ± is the eternal sound of the Tathagata. What is the eternal sound of the Tathagata? The so-called Tathagata is eternal and does not suffer change. Hence, æ°ghaæ±.
"æ°Naæ± represents the breaking [destructible? impermanent?] characterstics of all beings. Hence, æ°naæ±.
"æ°Caæ± means æ°to practiseæ±. As it subdues all beings, we say æ°practiseæ±.
"æ°Chaæ± means æ°Tathagataæ±, who houses [shades? protects?] all beings, as in the case of a great parasol. Hence, æ°chaæ±.
"æ°Jaæ± means æ°right [true?] emancipationæ±. There arises [in this] no ageing. Hence, æ°jaæ±.
"æ°Jhaæ± stands for the great proliferation of defilements, as in the case of a great forest. Hence, æ°jhaæ±.
"æ°Naæ± means æ°Wisdomæ±. It means true “’Dharmata“’. Hence, æ°naæ±.
"æ°Taæ± signifies speech delivered about dharmas in Jambudvipa, showing a half-body [?], as in the case of the half-moon. Hence, æ°taæ±.
"æ°Thaæ± represents the perfection of the Dharma-Body, as in the case of the full moon. Hence, æ°thaæ±.
"æ°Daæ± represents an ignorant bhiksu who does not know the Eternal and the non-Eternal, as in the case of a child. Hence, æ°daæ±.
"æ°Dhaæ± represents a person who feels no obligation towards his teacher, as in the case of a ram. Hence, æ°dhaæ±.
"æ°Naæ± represents lack of knowledge of the meaning of what is holy, as in the case of a tirthika. Hence, æ°naæ±.
"æ°Taæ± represents the Tathagata, who says to all bhiksus: æ°Come away from fright and fear. I shall now deliver sermons on Wonderful Dharma.æ± Hence, æ°taæ±.
"æ°Thaæ± means æ°ignoranceæ±. Beings repeat birth and death and bind themselves, as in the case of a silkworm or dung-beetle. Hence, æ°thaæ±.
"æ°Daæ± means æ°great givingæ±. This is the so-called Mahayana. Hence, æ°daæ±.
"æ°Dhaæ± praises æ°virtueæ±. It is as in the case of the Three Treasures, which are like Mount Sumeru, soaring up, grand, extensive and, yet, not inclining to one side. Hence, æ°dhaæ±.
"æ°Naæ± alludes to the Three Treasures, which stand peacefully rooted, not inclining to one side or moving, like the threshold of a gate. Hence, æ°naæ±.
"æ°Paæ± means æ°invertedæ±. If a person says that the Three Treasures expire, this shows that that person himself entertains doubt. Hence, æ°paæ±.
"æ°Phaæ± refers to the ill-fortune of the world. If a person says that when ill-fortune arises in the world, the Three Treasures also expire, this indicates that that person is ignorant, that he has no knowledge, and that he acts against the holy will. Hence, æ°phaæ±.
"æ°Baæ± refers to the ten powers of the Buddha. Hence, æ°baæ±.
"æ°Bhaæ± refers to the shouldering of what is heavy. It can stand bearing the heaviness of Wonderful Dharma. Know that such a person is a great Bodhisattva. Hence, æ°bhaæ±.
"æ°Maæ± refers to all Bodhisattvas who strictly uphold all the institutions [rules?]. This is so-called Mahayana Mahaparinirvana. Hence, æ°maæ±.
"æ°Yaæ± alludes to all those Bodhisattvas who, for the benefit of beings, preach the Mahayana doctrine in all places. Hence, æ°yaæ±.
"æ°Raæ± crushes out greed, anger and ignorance, and disseminates Wonderful Dharma. Hence, æ°raæ±.
"æ°Laæ± relates to the sravaka vehicle, which moves, changes, and has no place to live in [i.e. no permanent abode?]. Mahayana is safe and firm and there is no inclining or moving [with it]. Abandoning the sravaka vehicle, one makes effort and practises the unsurpassed Mahayana. Hence, æ°laæ±.
"æ°Vaæ± means that the World-Honoured One is he who showers down upon all beings the great rain of the Dharma. He is, as it were, a so-called fortune-telling sutra. Hence, æ°vaæ±.
"æ°â®aæ± means to part from the three arrows [the three barbs of greed, malevolence and ignorance?]. Hence, æ°ä®aæ±.
"æ°Saæ± means æ°perfectionæ±. If one truly hears this Great Nirvana Sutra, one already hears and upholds all about Mahayana sutras. Hence, æ°saæ±.
"æ°Saæ± means that Wonderful Dharma is expounded to all beings, so that people feel blessed. Hence, æ°saæ±.
"æ°Haæ± bespeaks the mind's state of gladness. How wonderful is it that the World-Honoured One departs from all actions; strange is it  that the Tathagata enters Parinirvana. Hence, æ°haæ±.
"æ°Lhamæ± signifies æ°Maraæ±. Innumerable Maras are unable to destroy the hidden storehouse of the Tathagata. Hence, æ°lhamæ±.
"The four letters, r,r, l, l, have four meanings. These are Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, and Abhidharma. Abhidharma relates to what obtains in the world. It shows that Devadatta destroys the Sangha. He transforms himself into various forms, faces and concrete forms. The case is like this. All this is to establish vinaya. The wise should clearly see through this and not entertain any fear. This is following what obtains in the world. Hence, r,r,l,l.
"The inhalation of breath is the sound which one gets when the tongue accords with the nose [?]. We gain the meaning by the long, short, or the one that supercedes the sound [?]. All differ according to the actions of tongue and teeth.
"All such meanings of the letters well enable beings to purify their verbal actions. The Buddha-Nature of beings does not first become pure when assisted by letters [?]. Why not? Because that nature is originally pure. Also, while co-existing with the five skandhas, the 18 realms and the 12 spheres [of the senses], the Buddha-Nature is not one with the five skandhas, the 18 realms and the 12 spheres. Because of this, all beings should take refuge in the Bodhisattvas and others. Because of the [existence of the] Buddha-Nature [within them], beings are viewed with equal [non-discriminating] eyes, and there is no difference. Hence, the half-letters form the basis of all sutras, all written material, and sentences.
"Also, the meaning of the half-letters refers to the root of all defilements. So they are called half-letters. The full letters are the root of all good dharmas and speech. For example, those of the world who do evil are called half-letters, and those who do good full-letters. Thus, all sutras and the Abhidharmas are based upon the half-letters. People may say that the Tathagata and true emancipation fall under the category of the half-letters. But this is not so. Why not? Because these [two] part from [i.e. are separate from] letters. Because of this, the Tathagata is unmolested [unconstrained?], unattached, and fully emancipated in all things. How do we arrive at the meaning of the letters? If one comes to think that the Tathagata appears in the world and does away with the half-letters, this is understanding the meaning of the letters. Any person who follows the meaning of the half-letters is one who does not know the nature of the Tathagata. What is the the meaning of the letterless? One who associates with those who practise the teaching of evil belongs to the letterless. Also, although a person may associate with those who do good, if he does not know the difference between the Eternal and the non-Eternal, the constant and the non-constant of the Tathagata, and the two Treasures of Dharma and Sangha, between vinaya and non-vinaya, sutras and non-sutras, the words of Mara and those of the Buddha, such a person is one who is letterless. This do I state regarding how one is letterless. O good man! For this reason, you should part from the half-letter and arrive at the meaning of the complete letters."

Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! I shall now thoroughly learn the number of letters. I have encountered the unsurpassed teacher. I have now received the kindly injunctions of the Tathagata."

The Buddha praised Kasyapa and said: "Well said, well said. A person who is intent upon Wonderful Dharma should learn things thus."“
 
 

’Chapter Fourteen: On the Parable of the Birds’

‘     The Buddha said further to Kasyapa: "O good man! There are two species of birds, one the kacalindikaka and the other the mandarin duck. In playing or stopping [resting?], they always act together; they do not separate. The same is the case with suffering, the non-eternal, and non-Self. They do not separate."

Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! In what way do things obtain with suffering, the non-eternal, and non-Self as with the mandarin duck and the kacalindikaka?" The Buddha said: "O good man! What is contrary to Dharma is suffering, and what is contrary to Dharma is bliss. What is contrary to Dharma is the eternal and what is contrary to Dharma is the non-eternal. What is contrary to Dharma is self and what is contrary to Dharma is non-Self. For example, it is as in the case in which rice differes from hemp and wheat, and hemp and wheat from beans, millet and sugar cane. With all of these, the non-eternal are the buds, flowers and leaves. When the fruit ripens and when man uses it, we say eternal. Why? Because the nature is true."

Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! If these are eternal, are they equal to the Tathagata?"  "O good man! Do not speak in such a way. Why not? If one says that the Tathagata is like Mount Sumeru, does this imply that he will break up, as Sumeru must break up when the time comes for it to disintegrate? O good man! Do not view things thus. O good man! “’With all things, excepting Nirvana, not one thing is eternal“’ [emphasis added]. Merely to conform with the ways of secular truth, we say that the fruit is eternal." Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! It is good, it is good. It is as the Buddha says." The Buddha said to Kasyapa: "It is thus, it is thus, O good man! A person may be true to what the sutras say or may have practised all the samadhis, but until he has learned Mahaparinirvana, he will say that all is non-eternal. When a person has learned this sutra, he may have illusion, but he is, so to speak, without illusion. It [learning this sutra] well benefits man and heaven Why? Because “’one clearly sees that one's own body has the Buddha Nature within. This is the Eternal. “’[Emphasis added].“’
“’     "Also, next, O good man! It is like the case of the mango tree. When its flower first appears, what there is [at that time] is the changing phase. When it bears fruit and when it bestows much benefit, we speak of the eternal. O good man! A person may thus be true to all the sutras or may have practised samadhis, but when he has not yet given ear to this Great Nirvana Sutra, all is based on the non-eternal. When a person gives ear to this sutra, although [still] possessing illusion, it is as though he had no illusion. That is to say that it benefits both man and heaven. How? Because that person clearly knows that he has the Buddha-Nature within. This is the Eternal.
"Also, next, O good man! When an ingot of gold melts, this is the phase of the non-eternal. Once molten, it becomes gold. When it greatly benefits a person, we say eternal. The case is like this. Thus, O good man, a person may be true to all sutras or may have practised all samadhis, but if he has not yet given ear to this Great Nirvana Sutra, all is non-eternal. When a person has given ear to this sutra, he may well have illusion, but it is as though he did not. It thus benefits all men and gods. Why? Because the person clearly comes to know that he has the Buddha-Nature within. This is the Eternal.
"Also, next, O good man! Sesame, for example, when not yet pressed, is non-eternal. Once the pressing has been done and the oil has been extracted, the sesame gives great benefit. This is the eternal. O good man! A person may be true to all sutras or may have practised samadhis, but not yet having heard of Great Nirvana, all is non-eternal [for that person]. Having heard this sutra, though yet bound by illusion, a person is equal [equivalent] to possessing no illusion. Benefits accrue to any human or god. Why? Because that person realises that he has the Buddha-Nature within him. This is the Eternal.
"Also, next, O good man! It is as in the case in which all rivers drain into the sea. All sutras and samadhis flow into the Mahayana Great Nirvana Sutra. How so? Because it ultimately expounds the Buddha-Nature. That is why I say: æ°Some dharmas are eternal; some dharmas are non-eternal. With non-Self, too, things amount to the same.æ± It is thus that I say.

Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! The Tathagata is already segregated from the poisonous arrows of apprehension and suffering. Apprehension and suffering are heaven [devas?]; the Tathagata is no heaven [deva?]. Apprehension and suffering are human; the Tathagata is no human. Apprehension and suffering are the 25 existences. Hence, there can exist no apprehension or suffering with the Tathagata. How could one say that the Tathagata is apprehension and suffering?"  "O good man! In No-Thought Heaven [“’avrha“’], what obtains is thoughtlessness. If thoughtless, there can be no life. If there is no life, how can there be the five skandhas, the 18 realms and twelve spheres? Hence, we cannot say that the life of No-Thought Heaven has any place to exist. O good man! For example, the god of a tree lives in the tree. We cannot definitely say that he lives in the branch, the knot, the trunk, or the leaf. Though we cannot name the place, we cannot say that he does not exist. The life of No-Thought Heaven is also like that. O good man! The case of Buddha-Dharma is likewise thus. It is very deep and unfathomable. The Tathagata has no apprehension, suffering or worry. Yet, he evinces great compassion towards beings, has apprehension and sorrow, and views them as he views Rahula.
"Also, next, the life of No-Thought Heaven can only be known by the Buddha. It is beyond the ken of others. Also, the same applies to Thoughtlessness-non-Thoughtlessness Heaven. O Kasyapa! The nature of the Tathagata is pure and untainted, and is like a transformed body. How can there be any apprehension, suffering or worry? If the Tathagata has no apprehension or suffering, how can he bestow benefit upon beings and disseminate the Buddhist teaching? If æ°noæ±, how can we say that he sees beings as he sees Rahula? If he does not see beings as he sees his Rahula, any such statement can only be false. Hence, O good man, the Buddha is inconceivable, Dharma is inconceivable, the nature of beings is inconceivable, and the life of No-Thought Heaven is inconceivable. Whether the Tathagata has any apprehension or not is for the world of the Buddha [to know]. It is not what sravakas or pratyekabuddhas can fathom out.
"O good man! For example, a house cannot stand in the air as it is for a moment. If one says that a house cannot remain in the air, this is not something that can be said. For this reason, one should not say: æ°A house in the air can stand or not.æ± A common mortal may say that a house stands in the air. But there is no place in the air where it can remain. Why not? Because, by nature, it has no place to stay. O good man! The same is the case with the mind. Do not say that its abode is in the five skandhas, the 18 realms, or the 12 spheres. The same with the life of No-Thought Heaven. Regarding any apprehension and sorrow of the Tathagata it is also like this. If he has no apprehension and sorrow, how can we say that he views [all beings] with an all-equal eye, as though viewing Rahula? A person might well say that he has [apprehension and sorrow], yet how [then] can one say that his nature is like the Void?
"O good man! As an example: a magician may conjure up such diverse things as a palace, killing, long life, binding or undoing, gold, silver, beryl, treasures, forests, and trees. But these have no place where they exist. The same with the Tathagata. Following the way of the world, he displays apprehension and sorrow. There can be [in actuality] no such forms [i.e. no such things as these with him]. O good man! The Tathagata has already entered Parinirvana. How could there be any apprehension, sorrow, or worry? Now the Tathagata enters Nirvana. If anyone says that this is the non-eternal, know that this person has apprehension and sorrow. No one can truly know whether the Tathagata has apprehension or not.
"Also, next, O good man! As an example: a person who lives in a low social sphere can certainly know what obtains in the lower sphere of life. But he cannot know what obtains in the middle or upper spheres of life. A person of the middle sphere knows what obtains in the middle sphere, but not in the upper. A person of the upper sphere knows about that upper sphere, but not about the middle or lower spheres. It is the same with sravakas and pratyekabuddhas. Likewise, a person only knows what is of his own sphere. It is not thus with the Tathagata. He knows his own sphere, as well as those of others. That is why we say that the Tathagata is unhindered. He manifests phantoms and follows the ways of the world. The fleshly eyes of common mortals see this. They say that it is true. They may desire to know the unhindered and unsurpassed Wisdom of the Tathagata, but this never comes about. Only the Buddha knows what is apprehension and what is not. Hence, different things possess the Self and different things do not possess the Self. This is what we mean when we say that things obtain as in the case of the mandarin duck and the kacalindikaka.
"Also, next, O good man! The Buddhist teaching is like the mandarin duck [and kacalindikaka] who go about together. The mandarin duck and the kacalindikaka seek out uplands in midsummer when the water is high and deposit their young there. This is to bring raise them. Later, they play as they originaly ought to. The same with the appearance of the Tathagata. He teaches innumerable beings and enables them to abide in Wonderful Dharma. This is like the mandarin duck and the kacalindikaka seeking out uplands and safely depositing their young ones there. The same with the Tathagata. He enables beings to act as they ought to act and enables them to enter Mahaparinirvana. O good man! That is to say that suffering is one teaching [dharma?] and bliss is a different one [dharma?]. All created things are sorrow; Nirvana is Bliss. It is most wonderful and destroys created things [i.e. lifts one beyond the created sphere]."
Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! How do beings attain Nirvana and gain the pre-eminent Bliss?" The Buddha said: "O good man! As stated, the fusion of composites is age-and-death.

æ°If strict in one's way of life and not indolent,
This is amrta [the deathless, ambrosia]. To be indolent and not strict
In one's way of life is death. Non-indolence gains one
The deathless place; indolence always
Leads one to death.æ±

"Indolence is of the created, the foremost of suffering. Non-indolence is Nirvana, the foremost of amrta and Bliss. The created is a place of death, the foremost of suffering. Nirvana is deathlessness, the most wonderful Bliss. Indolence calls in [i.e. is generative of?] the created. This too is spoken of: eternal Bliss, deathlessness, and the Body Indestructible. What is indolence and what is not? The unholy common mortal [i.e. a tirthika] is of indolence and eternal death; the world-fleeing holy one [“’shramana“’] belongs to the class of non-indolence, in whom age-and-death has no abode. Why not? He gains the foremost of eternal Bliss and Nirvana. The holy persons of the supramundane stage have no indolence and there exists [for them] no age-and-death. Why not? They enter into the foremost stage of eternal Nirvana. Hence, Suffering and Bliss are two different things; Self and non-Self are two different things.
"A man stands on the ground and looks up at the sky, where he can see no trace of where the birds have flown. The same is the case [here]. O good man! The same is the case with beings. They do not possess the heavenly eye. Immersed in illusion, they cannot see the nature of the Tathagata, which they possess. For this reason, I now expound the [hitherto] undisclosed teaching on selflessness. Why? “’A person who lacks the heavenly eye does not know the True Self“’ [emphasis added]. Because he estimates Self in the wrong way. All things created by illusion are non-eternal. That is why I say that the Eternal and the non-Eternal are two different things.

"If one with effort and courage
Gains the summit of a mountain,
One sees the plains, the expanse of the fields
And all beings. As one
Gains the great palace of Wisdom and the seat
That is topless [topmost?] and wonderful,
One already makes away with apprehension and suffering
And sees the apprehension of beings.

"The Tathagata cuts off innumerable illusions, lives in the mountain of Wisdom, and sees beings who live amidst innumerable billions of illusions."

Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! Things are not as stated in the gatha. Why not? One who enters Nirvana has no apprehension or joy. How can such a person gain the palace of Wisdom? Moreover, living on the summit of the mountain, how can one see beings?"

The Buddha said: "O good man! The palace of Wisdom is Nirvana.“ ’The person with no apprehension is the Tathagata; the person who has apprehension is the common mortal. The common mortal has apprehension and the Tathagata has not. The summit of Mount Sumeru is true emancipation. One who incessantly makes effort is like Mount Sumeru, which knows of no shaking. The earth is a thing created. All common mortals live peacefully on the earth and do all [manner of] things. Wisdom is true Awakening. A person away from existence is one eternal. This is the Tathagata. The Tathagata has pity for the innumerable beings who are exposed to the poisonous arrows of all existences. That is why we say that the Tathagata has apprehension."
Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! If the Tathagata has apprehension and sorrow, he could not be the All-Enlightened One." The Buddha said to Kasyapa: "All depends on the circumstances. As he sees that his presence is called for to save beings, the Tathagata manifests himself. Though manifesting himself in life, there is yet [here] truly no life. That is why we call the Tathagata one who is Eternal. The case is like that of the kacalindikaka and the mandarin duck."“
 
 

?’Chapter Fifteen: On the Parable of the Moon’

‘     The Buddha said to Kasyapa: "As an example: there is a man here who, as he sees that the moon is not yet out, says that the moon has departed, and entertains the thought that the moon has sunk down. But this moon, by its nature, does not sink down. When it appears on the other side of the world, the people of the other side say that the moon is out. Why? Since Mount Sumeru obstructs [vision], the moon cannot reveal itself. The moon is always out. It has, by nature, no coming out or sinking down. The same is the case with the Tathagata, the Alms-deserving, the All-Enlightened One. He manifests himself in the 3,000 great-thousand worlds; or he gives the semblance of having parents in Jambudvipa or of entering Nirvana in Jambudvipa. The Tathagata, by nature, does not enter Nirvana. But all beings say that he truly enters Parinirvana. The case is analogous to the sinking of the moon. O good man! The Tathagata, by nature, does not possess the nature of birth and death. To succour beings, he manifests [his] birth and death.
"O good man! On the other side of this full moon, we have the half-moon; on this side, we have the half-moon and on the other side, the full moon is seen. The people of Jambudvipa, when they see the first moon, say that it is the first day, and have in mind the idea of a new month. Seeing the full moon, they say that it is the 15th day of the month and entertain the notion of the full moon. But this moon has, truth to tell, no waxing or waning [with it]. Only due to Mount Sumeru does it show a semblance of waxing and waning. O good man! The same is the case with the Tathagata. In Jambudvipa, he manifests birth and enters Nirvana. His first coming out [appearance in the world] is the first of the month. Everybody says that this boy is first born [?]. He strides seven paces. This is like the moon on the second day. Or he shows himself studying. This is like the moon on the third day. He displays renunciation. This is like the moon of the eighth day. He emits the all-wonderful light of Wisdom and subdues an innumerable number of beings and the army of Mara. This may be likened to the full moon of the 15th day. Or he manifests the 32 signs of perfection and the 80 minor marks of excellence. He thus adorns himself and manifests Nirvana. He is like the eclipse of the moon. Thus, what beings see is not the same. Some see a half-moon, others a full moon, and still others an eclipse. But this moon, by its nature, knows of no waxing or eclipsing. It is always the full moon. The body of the Tathagata is like this. For this reason, we say eternal and unchanging.
"Also, next, O good man! For example, by the full moon, everything comes out [appears?]. In all places as in towns, hamlets, mountains, swamps, under-water [?], wells or ponds, and in water utensils, the moon manifests itself. Beings may be travelling 100 or 100 thousand yojanas, and the moon always accompanies them. Common mortals and the ignorant think loosely and say: æ°I see all such in the castle town, in the house, and here in the swampy ground. Is it the true moon, or not the true one?æ± Each person thinks about the size of the moon and says:“ ’æ°It is like the mouth of a kettle.æ± Or a person says: æ°It is like a wheel.æ± Or some may say: æ°It is like 45 yojanas [in size].æ± All see the light of the moon. Some see it as round as a golden basin. The nature of this moon is one in itself, but different beings see it in different forms. O good man! The same is the case regarding the Tathagata. He appears in the world. Man and god might think: æ°The Tathagata is now before us and lives.æ± The deaf and dumb see the Tathagata as one deaf or dumb. Diverse are the languages which beings speak. Eack thinks that the Tathagata speaks as he or she speaks, or thinks: æ°At my house, the Tathagata received offerings.æ± Or a person might see the size of the Tathagata as being very large and immeasurable; or someone might see him as very small; or a person might mistake him for a sravaka, or a pratyekabuddha; or various tithikas might think and say: æ°The Tathagata is now in my line of thought [following my line of thought?] and is practising the Wayæ±; or a person might think: æ°The Tathagata has appeared for me alone.æ± The true nature of the Tathagata is like that of the moon. That is to say that it is the Dharma-Body, the Body of birthlessness, or that of expediency. He responds to the call of the world, being innumerable in [his] manifestations. The original karma manifests itself in accordance with the differing localities. This is as in the case of the moon. For this reason, the Tathagata is eternal and unchanging.
"Also, next, O good man! Rahula-asura-raja covers the moon with his hands. The people of the world all then say that this is an eclipse of the moon. But Rahula-asura-raja cannot cause any eclipse to the moon. He merely obstructs the light of the moon. The moon is round. There is no part that drops away. Only as a result of the obstruction is the full play of light checked. Once the hands are withdrawn, the people of the world say that the moon has regained its power. All say that this moon suffers a lot. But even 100 thousand asura kings cannot cause it suffering. The case is like this. The same is the case with the Tathagata. Beings give rise to evil thoughts about the Tathagata, cause blood to flow, commit the five deadly sins, and act [as] icchantikas. Things are shown in such a way. For the sake of the beings to come, such things are displayed as acting against the Sangha, transgressing Dharma, and causing hindrances. Maras as innumerable as 100 thousand billion cannot hope to cause blood to flow from the body of the Buddha. Why not? Because the body of the Tathagata is not possessed of flesh, blood, sinews, marrow or bones. The Tathagata truly has no worry of disintegration. Beings say: æ°Dharma and Sangha have broken [disintegrated, dissolved] and the Tathagata is dead.æ± But the Tathagata, by nature, is all true and there is no change or dissolution [with him]. Following the way of the world, he manifests himself thus.
"Also, next, O good man! Two people have a fight with a sword and staff, cause bodily injury and draw blood, and death results. But if they had no thought [intention] of killing, the karmic consequence will be light, not heavy. The same is the case [here]. Even in relation to the Tathagata, if a person has no intention of killing [him], the same applies to this action. It is light and is not heavy. The same is the case with the Tathagata. To guide beings in the days to come, he displays karmic consequences.
"Also, next O good man! This is like the doctor who makes effort and imparts basic medical knowledge to his son, saying that this is the root medicine, this is for taste, that is for colour [etc.], so as to enable his son to become familiarised with the various properties [of medicines]. The son pays heed to what his father says, makes effort, learns and comes to understand all the [different] types of medicine. The time comes when his father dies. The son yearns, cries, and says: æ°Father taught me, saying that this is root medicine, this is of the stem, this the flower, and this for colour.æ± It is the same with the Tathagata. In order to guide us, he gives beings restrictions. So one should try to act in accordance [with those restrictions] and not contrary [to them]. For those people of the five deadly sins, for those slandering Wonderful Dharma, for the icchantika, and for those who may do such [deeds] in days to come, he manifests such. All this is for the days after the Buddha's death, for the bhiksus to know that these are important points in the sutras, these are the heavy and light aspects of the precepts, these the passages of the Abhidharma which are weighty and not weighty. This is to enable them [ i.e. beings] to be like the doctor's son.
"Also, next, O good man! Humans see, once every six months, a lunar eclipse. And in the heavens above, just for a time, we see the lunar eclipse. Why? Because the days are longer there in the heavens and shorter in the human world. O good man! It is the same with the Tathagata. Both gods and humans say: æ°The Tathagata's life is short.æ± This is as with the beings of the heavens who see the eclipse of the moon often for a short time. The Tathagata, likewise, for a short time manifests 100 thousand million billion Nirvanas, crushing out the Maras of illusion, of the skandhas, and of death. Hence, 100 thousand million billion heavenly Maras all know that the Tathagata enters Nirvana. Also, he displays 100 thousand innumerable karmas. All this comes from the fact that he follows the various natures of the world. Thus does it go with his manifestations. They are innumerable, boundless and inconceivable. For this reason, the Tathagata is eternal and unchanging.
"Also, next, O good man! Beings take delight, for example, in seeing the bright moon. That is why we call the moon æ°that which is pleasing to seeæ±. If beings possess greed, malevolence and ignorance, there can be no pleasure in [such] seeing. The same with the Tathagata. The Tathagata's nature is pure, good, clean and undefiled. This is what is most pleasing to behold. Beings who are in harmony with Dharma will not shun [such] seeing; those with evil minds are not pleased by [such] seeing. Hence we say that the Tathagata is like the bright moon.
"Also, next, O good man! Regarding sunrise, there are three differences of time, which are: spring, summer, and winter. In winter, the days are short; spring is in-between, and summer is the longest. The same with the Tathagata. In the 3,000 great-thousand worlds, to all those short-lived [beings] and sravakas, he manifests a short life. Those seeing it all say: æ°The Tathagata's life is short.æ± This is comparable to a winter's day. To Bodhisattvas he manifests a medium-length life. It may last for a kalpa or less. This is similar to a spring day. Only the Buddha can know the life of the Buddha. This, for example, is like a summer's day. O good man! The Tathagata's delicate and undisclosed teaching of Mahayana vaipulya is given to the world like a great downpour of Dharma. If any person in the days to come upholds, reveals, understands [such teachings] and benefits beings, know that such a person is a true Bodhisattva. This is the sweet rain of heaven that falls in the summer. If sravakas and pratyekabuddhas hear the hidden teaching of the Buddha-Tathagata, this is like encountering great cold on a winter's day. If a Bodhisattva hears the hidden teaching, i.e. that the Tathagata is eternal and unchanging, this is like the burgeoning that comes about in spring. And the Tathagata's nature is neither long nor short; he only manifests himself for the sake of the world. This is the true nature of all Buddhas.
"Also, next, O good man! For example, stars are not seen in the daytime. But everybody says: æ°The stars die out in the daytime.æ± But actually they do not die. The reason that they are not seen arises from the fact that the sun is shining brightly. The same with the Tathagata. The sravakas and pratyekabuddhas cannot see. This is as in the case of the stars that cannot be seen in the daytime.
"Also, next, O good man! For example, in the gloom of the night, sun and moon are not seen. The ignorant say: æ°The sun and the moon have died.æ± But, in truth, the sun and moon are not lost. The case is like this. At the time when the Tathagata's Wonderful Dharma dies out, the Three Treasures are also not seen. This is the analogous situation. It is not that they have eternally gone. Hence, one should know indeed that the Tathagata is eternal and that he does not change. Why not? Because the true nature of the Three Treasures does not get tainted by any illusions.
"Also, next, O good man! For example, in the dark half of the month, a comet may appear at night, shining brightly like a flame. And soon it will die away. Beings see this and [say that it] foreshadows ill-fortune. The case is analogous to all pratyekabuddhas, too. Coming out in the Buddha-less days, beings see and say: æ°The Tathagata has truly died.æ± And they entertain thoughts of apprehension and sorrow. But, truth to tell, the Tathagata has not died. It is as with the sun and moon, which know of no extinction.
"Also, next, O good man! For example, when the sun rises, all the mist disperses. The situation is the same regarding this Great Nirvana Sutra. If one should once give ear to it, all ill and the karma of Avichi Hell will die out. Nobody can fathom what obtains in this Great Nirvana, which expounds the hidden store of the nature of the Tathagata. For this reason, good men and women entertain the thought that the Tathagata is Eternal, that he does not change, that Dharma does not cease to be, and that the Sangha Treasure does not die out. Hence, we should employ means, make effort, and learn this sutra. Such a person, in the course of time, will attain unsurpassed Enlightenment. That is why this sutra is said to contain innumerable virtues, and is also called one that knows no end of Enlightenment. Because of this endlessness, we can say Mahaparinirvana. The light of Good shines as in the sun's days. As it is boundless, we say Great Nirvana.“
 
 

?’Chapter Sixteen: On the Bodhisattva’

‘     "Also, next, O good man! Of all lights, the light of the sun and the moon is unsurpassed. No other lights are their equal. The same with the light of Great Nirvana, which is the most wonderful of all the lights of the sutras and samadhis. It is one which cannot be reached by any of the lights of any of the sutras and samadhis. Why not? Because the light of Great Nirvana thoroughly gets into the pores of the skin. Though beings may not possess Bodhichitta, it yet causes Bodhi. That is why we say æ°Mahaparinirvanaæ±."

Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! You say that the light of Great Nirvana penetrates the pores of the skin of all beings and that it calls forth the Bodhi mind, if beings do not have it. This is not so. Why not? If that is so, what difference can there be between those who have performed the four grave offences, those who have committed the five deadly sins, and the icchantikas, and those who uphold the pure precepts and practise every good deed, if it is the case that the light penetrates the pores of the skin and causes Bodhi [Enlightenment] to come about? If there exists no difference, how is it that the Tathagata speaks about the significations of the four things to stand [rely?] upon [“’catvari-pratisaranani“’]? O World-Honoured One! In contradiction of the fact that, as you the Buddha say, if one once hears Great Nirvana, all defilements will be annihilated, you, the Tathagata, stated before that even if a person gives rise to Bodhichitta [resolve to gain Enlightenment] at the place of Buddhas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, there are [yet] those who do not gain the meaning of Great Nirvana. How could a person make away with the root of defilement without gaining the meaning?"

The Buddha said: "O good man! All people, other than the icchantikas, gain the cause of Enlightenment as soon as they hear this sutra. If the voice of Dharma and the light [of Great Nirvana] penetrate the pores of their skin, they [such people] will unfailingly attain unsurpassed Enlightenment. Why so? If anybody truly makes offerings and pays homage to all the Buddhas, they will surely gain occasion to hear the Great Nirvana Sutra. Persons not endowed with good fortune will not be blessed with hearing this sutra. Why not? A person of great virtue will indeed be able to give ear to something as important as this. Common mortals and those less in grade cannot easily give ear to it. What is that which is Great? It is nothing other than the hidden store of all Buddhas, which is the Tathagata-Nature. That is why we say important."

Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! How can a person who has not yet given rise to Bodhichitta hope for the cause of Enlightenment?"
The Buddha said to Kasyapa: "If anyone who has heard this Great Nirvana Sutra says that he will never give rise to Bodhichitta and [thus] commits slander, such a person will see a rakshasa in a dream and feel afraid. And the rakshasa will say: æ°Hey, O good man! If no Bodhichitta comes about in you, I shall assuredly take your life.æ± Feeling afraid and awakening from his dream, the person will aspire to Bodhi. After death, that person will be born in the three evil realms or in the world of humans or gods, and he will think about Bodhichitta. Know that this person is a great Bodhisattva. Thus the great divine power of this Nirvana Sutra well enables a person who has not aspired to Enlightenment to attain the cause of Enlightenment. O good man! This is how a Bodhisattva aspires to Bodhi. It is not that there is no cause. Thus, the wonderful Mahayana sutras are what the Buddha spoke.
"Also, next, O good man! A great rain-cloud gathers in the sky, and the rain falls upon the earth. The water does not remain on the dead trees, rocky mountains, plateaux and hills. But as it flows down to the paddy-fields down below, all the ponds become full, benefiting innumerable people. The case is the same with this Great Nirvana Sutra. It pours down the great rain of Dharma, benefiting beings. Only the icchantika does not aspire to Enlightenment.
"Also, next, O good man! For example, a burnt seed will not call forth buds, even if the rain falls on it for a period of 100 thousand million kalpas. There can never be a situation in which this seed will bring forth buds. The same with the icchantika. No bud of Enlightenment springs forth, even if the icchantika gives ear to this all-wonderful Great Nirvana Sutra. Such can never happen. Why not? Because such a person has totally annihilated the root of good. As with the burnt seed, no root or bud of Bodhichitta will shoot forth.
"Also, next, O good man! For example, we deposit a bright gem in muddy water. But by virtue of the gem, the water of itself becomes clear. But even this, if placed in mud, cannot make the mud clear. The same with this all-wonderful Great Nirvana Sutra. If placed in the defiled water of people guilty of the five deadly sins and those who have committed the four grave offences too, it can indeed still call forth Bodhichitta. But in the mud of the icchantika, even after 100 thousand million years, the water cannot become clear and it cannot call forth Bodhichitta. Why not? Because this icchantika has totally annihilated the root of good and is not worth that much. The man could listen to this Great Nirvana Sutra for 100 thousand million years, and yet there could be no giving rise to the Bodhichitta [inside him]. Why not? Because he has no good mind.
"Also, next, O good man! For example, there is a medicinal tree, whose name is æ°king of medicinesæ±. Of all medicines, this is the best. It can well be mixed with milk, cream, honey, butter, water, or juice; or it can be made into powder or pills, or one can apply it to wounds, or cauterize the body with it, or apply it to the eyes; or one can look at it or smell it. It cures all illnesses and diseases of beings. This medicine tree does not say to itself: æ°If beings take [my] root, they should not take the leaves; if they take the leaves, they should not take the root; if they take the wood, they should not take the bark; if they take the bark, they should not take the wood.æ± Although the tree does not think in this way, it nevertheless can cure all illnesses and diseases. The case is similar. O good man! The same is also the case with this Nirvana Sutra. It can thoroughly make away with all evil actions, the four grave offences and the five deadly sins, and any such evil actions in and out [of thought, word or deed?]. Any person who has not yet aspired to Bodhichitta, will indeed come to aspire to it. How so? Because this all-wonderful sutra is the King of all sutras, as the medicine tree is the king of all medicines. There may be those who have learnt this Great Nirvana Sutra or those who have not. Or they may have heard the name of this sutra and, on hearing it, may entertain respect and believe [in it]. And through this, all the great illnesses of defilement will be annulled. Only the icchantika cannot hope to attain unsurpassed Enlightenment, as in the case of the all-wonderful medicine, which, though it does indeed cure all illnesses and diseases, cannot cure those persons who are on the brink of death.
"Also, next, O good man! One may have a wound in one's hand. If one pours poison into it, this poison will get in; if there is no wound, the poison will not get in. The same with the icchantika. There is no cause for Bodhichitta. It is like one who has no wound in his hand. So there can be no entry. The so-called wound is the cause of unsurpassed Enlightenment; the poison is the unsurpassed wonderful medicine. The one who has no wound is an icchantika.
"Also, next, O good man! A diamond is something which no one indeed can break. It truly cuts all things, excepting tortoise shell and goat's horn. The same with this sutra. It indeed places all beings safely on the path to Enlightenment. Only, it cannot make the icchantika class of people gain the cause of Enlightenment.
"Also, next, O good man! One may well cut off the branch or stem of the urslane, sal or niskara [trees], but the branches will grow back, just as before; but with the tala [fan palm] tree, when a branch is cut off, no branch can grow back [in its place]. The case is analogous. If one hears this Great Nirvana Sutra, even those people of the four grave offences and the five deadly sins can still indeed cultivate the cause of Bodhichitta. With the icchantika, things cannot be thus. Even on hearing this beautiful sutra, he cannot arrive at the cause of Enlightenment. Also, next, O good man! The same is the case with khadira [acacia catechu] and tinduka [diospiros embryoteris], which when once their branches are cut off, never put forth shoots again. It is the same with the icchantika. He may hear this Great Nirvana Sutra, but no cause of Bodhichitta will ensue. Also, next, O good man! It is as in the case of the great rain that never remains in the sky. The same with this all-wonderful Great Nirvana Sutra. This sutra rains down the rain of Dharma. It does not stay upon the icchantika. The whole body of the icchantika is so minutely made as might well be compared to a diamond, which never allows other things to get in. The same is the case [here]."
Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "Just as you say in your gatha:

æ°A person does not see or do good;
What he does is evil.
This is much to be dreaded, as in the case
Of a road that is steep and hard to pass.æ±

"O World-Honoured One! What is the meaning of this?" The Buddha said: "O good man! We say that we æ°do not seeæ±, which means that we do not see the Buddha-Nature. æ°Goodæ± refers to unsurpassed Enlightenment. We say that we æ°do not doæ±, which means to say that we do not come near a good friend [good teacher of Buddhism]. We æ°but seeæ± means to say that we see things as having no causal relations. By evil is meant slandering the vaipulya Mahayana sutras. æ°To doæ± corresponds to the icchantika's saying that there cannot be any vaipulya. Because of this, there is no occasion for the icchantika's mind to turn to what is pure and good. What is æ°Good Dharmaæ±? It is Nirvana. One who walks along the way to Nirvana indeed practises what is wise and good. With the icchantika, there is nothing that is wise and good. As a result, there can be no turning towards Nirvana. That one should æ°dreadæ± means the dread of slandering Wonderful Dharma. Whom do we fear? It is the wise. Why? Because a person who slanders, possesses no good mind and no expedients. The way that is hardgoing alludes to all practises."

Kasyapa said further: "You, the Tathagata, say:

æ°How do we see what is done?
How do we get to Good Dharma,
And where is the place that knows no dread? It is
As with the flat kingly road.æ±

What does this mean?"

The Buddha said: "O good man! æ°To see what is doneæ± is simply laying bare all evils done. When all the evils done since the beginning of birth and death have once been laid bare, one gains a place where there is nowhere further to go. As a result, what there is here is fearlessness. For example, this is as in the case of the royal road from which all robbers hide. Thus bared, evils all become annihilated, and there remains nothing behind.
"Also, next, æ°not to see what one doesæ± means that the icchantika does not see all that he does. This icchantika, out of arrogance, does many an evil deed. And in doing so, he has no fear. As a result, he cannot gain Nirvana. For example, this is as in the case of a monkey that tries to grab at the moon reflected in a watery surface. O good man! Even if all innumerable beings attain unsurpassed Enlightenment at a time [at one time? eventually?], none of the Tathagatas sees the icchantika attaining Enlightenment. For this reason, we say that æ°what is done is not seenæ±. Also, whose action is not seen? It is that of the Tathagata. The Buddha, for the sake of beings, says that there is the Buddha-Nature. The icchantika, repeating lives, cannot know or see [the Buddha-Nature]. That is why we say that one does not see what the Tathagata does. Also, the icchantika thinks that the Tathagata enters Nirvana for good, saying that all is transient, just as, when the flame goes out, the oil too is spent. Why? Because this person's evil actions have not come to an end. If there is here a Bodhisattva who transfers [the merit of] all the good deeds he has done towards unsurpassed Enlightenment, those of the icchantika class commit slander and do not believe. Despite even this, all Bodhisattvas carry on giving as ever and desire to attain Enlightenment. Why? This is how things proceed with the laws [dharmas?] of all Buddhas.

æ°Evil is done, but the result does not
Appear at once. It appears
Like cream that comes from milk.
This is as when ash is placed over a fire
And the ignorant carelesly step on it.æ±

"The iccantika is the eyeless. So he does not see the path of arhatship, the path along which the arhat does not take the steep and arduous path of life-and-death. Being eyeless, he slanders the vaipulya and does not desire to practise the Way, like the arhat who tries to learn compassion. Likewise, the icchantika does not practise the vaipulya. There may be a person who says: æ°I do not believe in the sutras of the sravaka. I believe in Mahayana, recite the sutras and expound [them]. So I am now a Bodhisattva. All beings possess the Buddha-Nature. Because of the Buddha-Nature, beings possess within themselves the 10 powers, the 32 signs of perfection, and the 80 minor marks of excellence. What I say does not differ from what the Buddha says. You now destroy, together with me, a countless number of defilements, just as in the case where one breaks a water pot. By destroying the bond of defilement, I can now see unsurpassed Enlightenment.æ± The person may say this. Although he speaks in this way, he does not believe that people have within them the Tathagata-Nature. Just for the sake of profit, this person speaks in this way, following what is written. One who so talks is one evil. Such an evil person will not gain the result, as of milk becoming cream. For example, a king's emissary talks well and deftly practises expedients and has duties in foreign lands. Even if it means his life, he does not leave unsaid , to the end, what he has to say on behalf of the king. The same with the wise man, too. He does not care much about his own safety, but always talks about the hidden doctrine of Mahayana vaipulya and says that all beings possess the Buddha-Nature.
"O good man! There is an icchantika, who impersonates an arhat and lives in a quiet place, slandering the vaipulya Mahayana sutras. Everybody, on seeing him, says that he is a true arhat, a great Bodhisattva. This icchantika, an evil bhiksu, lives in a quiet place and breaks the law of [such] a quiet place. Seeing others obtaining benefit, he experiences jealousy and says: æ°All the vaipulya Mahayana sutras are what Marapapiyas speaks.æ± Or he might say: æ°The Tathagata is non-eternal.æ± He transgresses against Wonderful Dharma and causes disruption in the Sangha. Such words as these are those of Mara and not a doctrine that is good and meek. Such is what is evil. This person does evil, but the consequences of those evil actions do not manifest immediately, as cream [does not immediately] arise from milk; or when ashes are placed over a fire, the ignorant make light of it and step on it. The icchantika is such a person. Hence, we should know that the all-wonderful vaipulya sutras of Mahayana are definitely pure. This is as in the case of the mani [jewel, gem] which, when placed in muddy water, makes the water clean and transparent. It is the same with the Mahayana sutras, also.
"Further, O good man! For example, it is as in the case of a lotus bud, which, when the sun shines upon it, does not fail to open. The same is the case with beings. Should one encounter the sun of Great Nirvana, anyone unacquainted with Enlightenment will aspire to it and sow the seed of Enlightenment. That is why I say: æ°When the light of Great Nirvana penetrates the pores of the skin, this immediately begets the wonderful cause of Enlightenment.æ± The icchantika possesses the Buddha-Nature, but overspread by innumerable defilements, he cannot hope to get out [of his cocoon of defilements], analogous to the silkworm. For this reason, he cannot gain the all-wonderful cause of Enlightenment, but repeats birth and death unendingly.
"Also, next, O good man! For example, it is as with the utpala, padma, kumuda or pundarika [lotuses], which even though born in the mud, do not get tainted by the mud. With any person who studies the all-wonderful Great Nirvana Sutra, the same is the case. The person has defilement, yet is not tainted by it. Why not? Because of the power which knows the nature of the Tathagata. For example, O good man! There is a land where there is a great deal of cool wind. If it comes into contact with the body and the pores of beings' skin, it well makes away with all the worry [irritation? unpleasantness?] of suppressed dampness. The same with this Mahayana Great Nirvana Sutra. It enters the pores of beings' skin and engenders the delicate [causal] relations of Enlightenment. However, the situation is otherwise with the icchantika. Why? Because he is no vessel of Dharma.
"Also, next, O good man! For example, a good doctor knows eight kinds of medicine and cures illnesses, excepting the asadhya [illness which is incurable]. The same is the situation with all sutras, dhyanas and samadhis. These cure all the defilements of greed, ill-will and ignorance, and indeed extract the poisonous arrows, but cannot cure the four grave offences and the five deadly sins.
"O good man! Also, there is a good doctor who knows more than eight treatments, by which he thoroughly cures all beings' illnesses. Only the asadhya he is unable to cure. The same is the case with this Mahayana Great Nirvana Sutra. It truly cures the worries of beings and allows them to rest in peace in the Tathagata's all-wonderful cause [that cause which makes one become a Tathagata?], and makes those aspire to Enlightenment who have not yet aspired to Enlightenment, except for the icchantika, who is sure to die.
"Also, next, O good man! A good doctor can indeed cure the blind with wonderful medicines, and the blind can see all the forms of the sun, moon and the constellations. Only those congenitally blind, he cannot cure. The case is like this. The same with this Mahayana Great Nirvana Sutra. It well opens the eyes of sravakas and pratyekabuddhas and bestows on them the eye of Wisdom and enables them to rest in peace in the innumerably large number of Mahayana sutras. Even those who have not aspired to Enlightenment, such as those who have committed the four grave offences and the five deadly sins, may also aspire to Enlightenment, excepting the congenitally blind  icchantikas.
"Also, next, O good man! For example, a good doctor knows eight types of treatment and cures all illnesses and pains of beings. Various kinds of treatment and medicine are prescribed according to the illness. In the case of vomiting and loose bowels, medicine is smeared over the body and sprinkled on the nose, or cauterization or cleansing medicine is used, or given in pills and powders. Medicine is given in all such ways. Yet the poor and ignorant do not wish to take it. Pitying them, the good doctor takes them to his own house and presses the medicine upon them. Due to the power of the medicine, the illnesses disappear. There is a female patient, whose navel cord [umbilical cord?] does not come out. After the medicine has been taken, it comes out at once and makes the child feel easy. The same with this Mahayana Great Nirvana Sutra. Wherever it may go, [if it ] be in the home of any being, all worries get extracted, such as those of the four grave offences and the five deadly sins, and those not yet aspiring to Enlightenment are made to awaken to it, except the icchantika."

Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! The four grave offences and the five deadly sins are the gravest of all ill deeds. It is like cutting [a branch off] the tala tree, as a result of which no new branch will appear. How can the mind with no aspiration for Enlightenment harbour the cause of Enlightenment?" The Buddha said: "O good man! For example, these people have dreams in which they fall into hell and suffer pain there and repent, saying: æ°Oh, this pain! We have invited this upon ourselves. If we can only get out of this, we shall certainly care about Enlightenment. What we have is the worst [of suffering].æ± On awakening from their dream, they come to see the great recompense of Wonderful Dharma awaiting them. It is like the child who gradually grows up and thinks: æ°This is the doctor, who knows best about prescriptions and medicines. When I was still in the womb, he gave my mother medicine. As a consequence of this, she was in peace, and by reason of these circumstantial factors, I was out of danger. Oh, how dreadul that my mother had to undergo great pain. For ten months she guarded and carried me. After my birth, she took care that I should not be too dry or too damp, and saw to my excretions; she gave me milk and fed me. For all of this, I must pay her back what I owe her, see to her feelings, be obedient to her and serve her.æ±.
"A person may have committed the four grave offences and the five deadly sins. But if at the moment of passing away from this world he thinks of this Mahayana Great Nirvana Sutra, this will engender the cause of Enlightenment, even if a person may be in hell, or born as an animal, hungry ghost, or be born in heaven or as a human, except the icchantika.
"Also, next, O good man! For example, a good doctor and his son know a great deal and far surpass others. They know wonderful charms and antidotes to poisons. The case may be as that of deadly snake venom, naga or adder, but their [the doctor and his son's] medicinal charms effect release. This good medicine is smeared on a leather boot, and if the boot touches the insect poison, the poison loses its virulence, except for that of the æ°mahanagaæ±. The same with the Mahayana Great Nirvana Sutra. Those beings who have committed the four grave offences or the five deadly sins all get detoxified and attain Enlightenment. This is analogous to the detoxified leather footgear. A person who has no Bodhichitta gains it and awakens to unsurpassed Enlightenment. All this comes about through the working of the divine medicine of the Mahayana Great Nirvana Sutra. All beings are deposited in peace, except the mahanaga and the icchantika.
"Also, next, O good man! A man may have invented a new poison and smeared it on a drum, which, when it is beaten in a crowd, lets the sound come by [lets out a great sound?]. No one wishes to hear it. But anyone who does hear it dies, except for him who is immune to death. The same is the case with this Mahayana Great Nirvana Sutra. Any person of any place or profession, on hearing this sound, makes away with all such [defilements] as greed, ill-will and ignorance. There may be those who do not think about it, yet, because of the great power generated by the Great Nirvana Sutra, defilement disappears and the bond breaks. Even those of the four grave offences and the five deadly sins, when they hear this sutra, engender the cause of unsurpassed Enlightenment and, by degrees, cut off the bonds of defilement, except for the icchantika, who is immune to dying.
"Also, next, O good man! For example, as twilight falls, all stop work. A person whose work is not completed always waits till sunrise. Those who practise Mahayana practise all kinds of sutras and samadhis, but they always wait till [for?] the sunrise of the Mahayana Great Nirvana Sutra. On hearing this undisclosed teaching of the Tathagata, they give rise to actions for Enlightenment, and then abide in Wonderful Dharma. This is as in the case of the rain that falls from the sky upon all things, gives moisture, benefits and increases work, so that it does away with famine, and a rich harvest results. The same is the case with the innumerable amount of undisclosed rain of the Dharma of the Tathagata. It indeed makes away with fevers. The appearance in the world of this sutra is like fruit which benefits and makes all happy, enabling beings to see the Tathagata-Nature. Of all the flowers of Dharma, 8,000 sravakas get blessed with their prophecy [to Buddhahood] and accomplish the great fruition. In autumn, harvesting is done and in winter storing, and there is nothing more to do. The same with the icchantika. With all good laws [dharmas?], there is nothing more to do.
"Also, next, O good man! There is a doctor, who hears that the son of a certain person has been taken [possessed?] by a demon. So he sends a messenger with a wonderful medicine, saying to him: æ°Take this medicine and give it to the person. If the person encounters various demons of evil design, the virtue of this medicine will drive such away. Should you be late in going, I shall go myself. I will not have this boy die. If the person who is ill sees the messenger and this virtue of mine, all worries will disappear and there will be peace.æ± The same is the case with this Mahayana Great Nirvana Sutra. If all bhiksus, bhiksunis, upasakas, upasikas, and even tirthikas hold this sutra, read, grasp and expound it to other persons, or copy or have others copy it, all such actions will become the cause of Enlightenment. Even those who have committed the four grave offences and the five deadly sins, or those who are caught by wicked demons or poison or evil, as soon as they hear this sutra, will do away with all evil. This is just as in the case of that doctor, on seeing whom all devils flee. Know that this person is a true Bodhisattva. Why? Because he has been able to hear the Great Nirvana Sutra even for a little while; also, because he thinks of the eternal nature of the Tathagata. Anyone who has it [i.e. this sutra] even for a little while gains such benefit. How could this not be all the more the case when one copies, upholds and reads it? Other than the icchantika, all [of the above] are Bodhisattvas.“
’"Also, next, O good man! It is as in the case of a deaf person, who cannot hear. The same is the case with the icchantika. Also, he may desire to hear the teaching of this wondeful sutra, yet he cannot. Why not? Because he has not sown the seed for it.
"Also, next, O good man! For example, a good doctor knows all about medicine and prescription. In addition, he has extensive knowledge of innumerable charms. This doctor, received in audience by the king, said: æ°O King! You have an illness that will take your life.æ± The king replied: æ°You have not seen inside me. How can you say that I have an illness that will assuredly take my life?æ± The doctor said further: æ°If you don't believe me, please take this purgative. Once the purgative has been taken, you, King, can look into it [your body] yourself.æ± And the king deliberately did not take the purgative. The good doctor, through charms, effected means [to show] that, in the [normally] hidden parts of the king's body, poxes and pimples came out, and also whites [?] came out, mixed up with worms and blood. Seeing this, the king became greatly frightened and praised the skill of the doctor: æ°Well done, well done! I did not take up [accept? implement?] what you said before. I now know that you do great things for me.æ± He then respected the doctor like his own parent. The same with this Mahayana Great Nirvana Sutra. From all beings, whether greedy or not greedy, this sutra extracts defilements. All these beings see this sutra even in their dreams, respect it, and make offerings to it. This is similar to the king who respects the skilful doctor. This great skilful doctor does not diagnose a person who is sure to die. The same is the case with this Mahayana Great Nirvana Sutra. The exception is the icchantika: he has no means of being cured.“
’     "Also, next, O good man! A good doctor knows eight ways of treatment and cures all illnesses. But