Chapter 21: On Pure Actions (a).
Chapter Twenty-One: On Pure Actions (a)
"O good man! What are the pure actions of a Bodhisattva-mahasattva?
O good man! The Bodhisattva-mahasattva, abiding in the Mahayana Mahaparinirvana, can be perfect in pure actions in seven categories. What are those seven?
They are:
1) knowing Dharma,
2) knowing the meaning,
3) knowing the time,
4) being contented,
5) knowing for oneself,
6) knowing the masses,
7) knowing the difference between respectable and mean.
"O good man! How does a Bodhisattva-mahasattva know Dharma?
O good man! This Bodhisattva-mahasattva knows the twelve types of scripture, which are:
1) sutra,
2) geya,
3) vyakarana,
4) gatha,
5) udana,
6) nidana,
7) avadana,
8) itivrttaka,
9) jataka,
10) vaipulya,
11) adbhutadharma, and
12) upadesa.
"O good man! What is meant by "sutra?" A sutra begins with: "Thus have I heard"
and ends with: "practise with joy". All such are "sutras".
"What is "geya?" It goes like this: "The Buddha said to all bhiksus: In days gone by, I, like you, was ignorant and had no Wisdom, and could not see the Four Truths. For that reason, I had long transmigrated and repeated birth and death and floundered in the great sea of suffering.
What are the Four? They are: 1) Suffering, 2) the Cause of Suffering, 3) Extinction, 4) the Way to the Extinction of Suffering. In days gone by, the Buddha spoke of the sutras.
At that time, there was a sharp-witted person who came to the Buddha to be taught Dharma. He asked others: "What did the Tathagata speak about before?"
The Tathagata, seeing this, said
in a gatha, basing himself on the sutras:
"I, like you, did not see the Four Truths
And as a result floundered long in the sea
Of suffering of birth and death.
By seeing the Four Truths,
One well severs birth and death.
Birth and death done away with,
One no more gains any existence."
This is "geya."
"What is "vyakarana"? There are sutras and vinayas [monastic rules] in which, when
the Tathagata speaks, he gives prophecies to all the heavenly ones, such as: "O you, Ajita! In
days to come, there will be a king named "Sankha". In his reign, you will practise the Way,
attain Buddhahood, and be called Maitreya." This is "vyakarana".
"What is "gatha"? In addition to the sutras and vinaya, there are cases in which a
four-line poem appears, such as:
"Do not do any evil;
Do all that is good.
Purify your mind.
This is the teaching of all Buddhas."
This is "gatha"?
"What is "udana"? The Buddha, at about four in the afternoon, enters a dhyana [meditation].
He speaks about Dharma to the devas [gods]. At that time, the bhiksus [monks] think:
"What is the Tathagata doing?" The Tathagata awakes next morning from the dhyana and,
without being asked by anyone, he, with the power of knowledge that can read the minds of others,
speaks unasked: "O Bhiksus! Know that the life of all devas is extremely long. O all of you
Bhiksus! It is good that you all act for others and do not seek your own profit. It is good that
you seek but little; it is good that you feel contented; it is good that you are quiet [peaceful]!"
It goes like that. In all such scriptures, the Buddha speaks unasked. This is "udana".
202 The Mahayana Mapaharinirvana Sutra
"What is "nidana"? The gathas of all sutras speak for others about the basic roots of
all causes. In Sravasti there was a man who caught a bird in a net. Having caught it, he put
it in a cage, gave it water and cereal, and then let it go. The World-Honoured One knows all
histories from beginning to end and talks about this in a gatha, such as:
"Do not belittle small evil acts,
And do not say that there is no evil that arises.
Small is a drop of water,
But [by accumulation] it fills a great vessel."
This is "nidana".
"What is "avadana"? It is as in the case of the parables that occur in the vinaya. This
is "avadana".
"What is "itivrttaka"? This is as when the Buddha says: "O Bhiksus! Know that what
I speak when I am in the world is the sutras. In the days of Buddha Krakucchanda, it is
called "amrta-drum" [drum of the Immortal]; what appears in the days of Kanakamuni is called
"Dharma-mirror"; what appears in the days of Buddha Kasyapa is called "Void-discriminating".
This is "itivrttaka".
"What is "jataka"? This is when the World-Honoured One [tells of how he], in days gone
by, became a Bodhisattva and practised the Way, such as: "O Bhisksus! Know that, in days
gone by, I gained life as a deer, a brown bear, a reindeer, a hare, the king of a small state, a
chakravartin, a naga, and a garuda. Such are all the bodies one receives when one practises the
Way of a Bodhisattva." This is "jataka".
"What is "vaipulya sutra"? It is none other than the Mahayana vaipulya [extensive]
sutras. What it states is on a large scale. It is like space. This is "vaipulya".
"What is "adbhutadharma"? After the Bodhisattva has just been born, he takes seven
steps without any help from others, sending out great lights, which shine in all ten directions;
or a monkey holds in its hand a pot of honey and offers it to the Tathagata; or a white-headed
dog sits by the Buddha’s side and listens to his sermons; Marapapiyans transforms himself into
a blue cow and walks between tiles and bowls, touching but not damaging them; or, when the
Buddha first enters the devas’ temple, the devas come down and pay him homage. Any sutra
such as this is called "adbhutadharma".
"What do we mean by "upadesa"? It is one [scripture] that discusses the sutras which
contain the Buddha’s sermons and analyses and widely explains the characteristics. Any such
is an "upadesa".
"If any Bodhisattva is well versed in the twelve types of scripture, this is "knowing
Dharma".
"How does a Bodhisattva-mahasattva understand the meaning? A Bodhisattva knows
the meaning of all words and languages. This is knowing the meaning.
"How does a Bodhisattva-mahasattva know the [right] time? O good man! The Bodhisattva,
at a given time, will practise quietude. At another time, he will make effort. At
another time, he will practise equanimity and dhyana. At another time, he will make offerings
to his teacher. At another time, he will practise dana [giving], upholding the moral precepts,
forbearance, effort, and dhyana, thus perfecting prajnaparamita [transcendent Wisdom]. This
is knowing the time.
"In what way does a Bodhisattva-mahasattva feel contented? O good man! The
Bodhisattva-mahasattva knows contentment in his meals, clothing, medicine, in going, coming,
sitting, lying, sleeping, waking, talking and in silence. This is knowing contentment.
"O good man! How does a Bodhisattva-mahasattva know things by himself? The Bodhisattva
knows all about faith, the precepts, rich hearing, equanimity, Wisdom, going and coming,
right remembrance, good deeds, questions and answers. This is knowing of one’s own self.
Chapter Twenty-One: On Pure Actions (a) 203
"How does a Bodhisattva-mahasattva know the masses? Such a Bodhisattva knows:
"This is a Kshatriya, this a Brahmin, this an upasaka, this a sramana. Such a person goes thus,
comes thus, sits thus, stands up thus, delivers sermons thus, and puts questions and answers
thus." This is knowing the masses.
"O good man! In what way does a Bodhisattva-mahasattva know the difference between
"respectable" and "mean"? O good man! There are two kinds of men: one who has faith, and
the other, who has not. O Bodhisattva! Know that he with faith is one who is good, and that he
who has no faith is one who is not good. Also, next, there are two kinds of faithful person. One
always pays visits to viharas, and the other does not. O Bodhisattva! Know that he who goes
is good, and the other who does not should not be called good. There are two kinds of people
who go to viharas. One is he who worships, and the other is he who does not. O Bodhisattva!
Know that he who worships is good, and the other who does not is not to be called good. There
are two kinds of worshipper. One is he who listens to the sermons, and the other is he who
does not listen to the sermons. O Bodhisattva! Know that he who listens to the sermons is one
who is good, and that the other is one who cannot be called good. There are again two kinds
of people who listen to sermons. The one is he who listens with a true mind, and the other is
he who has no true mind. O Bodhisattva! Know that he who listens with a true mind is one
who is good, and that he with no true mind is not to be called good. Of listeners with a true
mind, there are two kinds. One thinks about the meaning, and the other does not think about
the meaning. O Bodhisattva! Know that he who thinks about the meaning is good, and he who
does not think about the meaning is not good. And there are two kinds amongst those who
think about the meaning. One is he who practises the Way as told, and the other is he who does
not practise the Way as told. He who practises the Way as told is one who is good, and he who
does not practise the Way as told is one who is not good. There are, again, two kinds of people
who practise the Way as told. One is he who takes to the Way of the sravaka, who is unable
to releave all beings of all their worries and give them peace and benefit; the second is he who
takes to the unsurpassed Mahayana and gives benefit and peace to the many. O Bodhisattva!
Know that he who gives benefit and peace to the many is unsurpassed and the best.
"O good man! Of all jewels, the cintamani [wish-fulfilling gem] is the most superb; of all
tastes, amrta [ambrosia] is the best. Such a Bodhisattva is the most superb and the best of all
humans and devas. No comparison can express it. O good man! This is what we mean when
we say that the Bodhisattva-mahasattva abides in the Mahayana Great Nirvana Sutra and lives
in the seven good laws. The Bodhisattva, abiding in these seven good laws, can become perfect
in pure action.
"Also, next, O good man! There are pure actions, which are: loving-kindness [“maitri”],
compassion [“karuna”], sympathetic joy [“mudita”], and equanimity [“upeksha”]."
Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "A person who practises kindness segregates
himself from anger; a person who practises compassion segregates himself from anger. And yet
we speak of the "limitless [immeasurable] minds". From the content of the meaning, there must
be three. O World-Honoured One! There are three circumstantial factors in loving-kindness.
One relates to beings, the second to dharmas, and the third to what is unrelated. The same
with compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity. Following this logic, there can only be one,
not four. What relates to beings comes about relative to the five skandhas, and one prays to
give bliss thereto. This is what relates to beings. By what relates to things [dharmas] is meant
giving what beings desire to possess. This is what relates to things. By "unrelated" comes
about [is meant] the Tathagata. This is the "unrelated". Compassion has bearings on the poor
and those in stressed circumstances. The Tathagata, the great teacher, is long since far removed
from poverty and stressed circumstances and is blessed with the highest bliss. If any relation is
had with beings, it obtains thus with the Buddha. The same is the case with things. That is
why we say that any bearing that is had upon the Tathagata is the "relationless". O World-
Honoured One! The field in which compassion becomes related to all beings has bearings upon
204 The Mahayana Mapaharinirvana Sutra
parents, wife, children and relatives. Hence, we say "related to all beings." We say "related
to dharmas". Here, we see no parents, wife, children or relatives. We see here that all things
arise from circumstantial factors. Hence, "related to dharmas". The "unrelated" is not based
on dharmas or beings. Hence, "unrelated". It is the same with compassion, sympathetic joy,
and equanimity. So there must be three things, and not four. O World-Honoured One! There
are two kinds of people. One is a person who practises the Way using his own intellect, and
the other is a person who practises the Way through faith and love. The person who practises
the Way through the intellectual channel generally practises loving-kindness, and the person
who practises the Way through faith and love practises sympathetic joy and equanimity. Hence,
there must be two, and not four. O World-Honoured One! "Immeasurable" means "boundless".
The boundary is unattainable. Hence, "boundless". If [something is] "immeasurable", there can
only be one, not four. If there were four, how could they be immeasurable? Therefore, there
must be one, not four."
The Buddha said to Kasyapa: "O good man! The essence of what the All-Buddha-
Tathagata says is undisclosed. For this reason, it is difficult to know. There are cases where
he speaks about a set of causes and conditions. What there is [here] is just one. It is as when
one says that all things are created things. Or there may be a case where it is said that there
are two kinds. These are the direct and indirect causes, and the result. Or it may be spoken
of as three. These are illusion, action and suffering. Or it may be spoken of as four. These
are ignorance, created existence, birth, and age-and-death. Or it may be spoken of as five, such
as: feeling, craving, cleaving, existence, and birth. Or it may be spoken of as six, which are
the causes and results of the Three Times [past, present and future]. Or things may be spoken
of in terms of seven, which are consciousness, mind-and-body, the six sphere, touch, feeling,
craving, and cleaving. Or one might speak of eight things, which are those [of the twelve links of
interdependent arising], minus the four elements of ignorance, action, birth, and age-and-death,
which makes eight. Or one may speak of nine, as stated in the “Nagara Sutra”. This refers
to the nine, excepting the three elements of ignorance, action, and consciousness. Or one may
speak of eleven, as to Satyakanirgranthaputra. These are the eleven, excepting the one category
of "birth". At times, the Buddha speaks fully of the twelve links of interdependent arising. This
is as when he spoke at Rajagriha to Kasyapa and others about ignorance all the way down to
birth, age, illness, and death. O good man! A single causal relation is, for the benefit of beings,
expounded in various ways. It is the same with the innumerable phases [aspects] of the mind.
O good man! For this reason, do not entertain doubt in regard to the deeply-hidden action of
the All-Buddha-Tathagata."
"O good man! The Tathagata-World-Honoured One enacts great expedients. He speaks
of impermanence as Eternal, and of the Eternal as impermanent. He speaks of Bliss as suffering
and suffering as Bliss; the impure as Pure and the Pure as impure. He speaks of the Self as
selfless and of the selfless as the Self; of non-being as a beings and the real being as a non-being.
A non-substance is spoken of as a substance and a substance as a non-substance. The non-real
is spoken of as real and the real as non-real; the non-field of cognition as a field of cognition
and the field of cognition as a non-field of cognition; non-birth as birth and birth as non-birth;
ignorance as brightness and brightness as ignorance; rupa [form] as non-rupa and non-rupa as
rupa; the non-Way as the Way and the Way as non-Way. O good man! The Tathagata, by
using all such expedients, sets beings to rights. How could we say that anything is wrong with
him?
"O good man! There may be a person who covets wealth. I then, for the sake of that
person, transform myself into a chakravartin and for innumerable ages give things to him in
various ways. Later, I teach him and enable him to abide in unsurpassed Enlightenment. If
there is a person who clings to the five deisres, I fill up that person’s clinging for innumerable
ages with wonderful things that such a person desires to have, and later teach him and make him
attain unsurpassed Enlightenment. If there is a rich person, strong and proud, I serve him for
Chapter Twenty-One: On Pure Actions (a) 205
innumerable hundreds of thousands of years, running errands and waiting upon him, and after
having won over such a person’s mind, I will cause him to attain unsurpasssed Enlightenment.
If there is a person who transgresses, is self-assertive, thinks he is on the right path and quarrels
with others, I shall, for innumerable ages, advise him, remonstrate with him and bring him
round, and then cause him to attain unsurpassed Enlightenment. O good man! The Tathagata,
for innumerable ages, enacts various means, thus causing beings to achieve unsurpassed Enlightenment.
How could anything be wrong here? The All-Buddha-Tathagata may live amidst all
evils, but, like the lotus, he is not tainted [by them]. O good man! You should understand the
four immeasurables [i.e.” Brahma-viharas”] thus.
"O good man! There are four qualities in this limitless mind. The practice accomplished,
one gains birth in the world of Great Brahma. O good man! There are thus four kinds within
the limitless mind. That is why we speak of four. By practising loving-kindness [“maitri”], a
person thoroughly extirpates greed. Practising compassion [“karuna”], a person extirpates anger.
Practising sympathetic joy [“mudita”], a person extirpates non-bliss. By practising equanimity,
a person well segregates beings from greed and anger. O good man! For this reason, we speak
of four. It is not one, not two, and not three.
"O good man! As you say, loving-kindness indeed cuts out anger. If things are thus with
compassion, one may say three. Do mot make such a reproof. Why not?
"O good man! Of anger, there are two kinds. One takes life; the other encourages a
person. O good man! Because of this, how could it be other than four?
"Also, next, of anger there are two kinds. One is being angry towards beings, and the
other towards non-beings. By practising loving-kindness, one thoroughly dispels anger towards
beings; by practising compassion, one thoroughly dispels anger towards non-beings.
"Also, next, of anger, there are two kinds. One is based on causal relations and the
other is not. Practising loving-kindness, one cuts away that which is based on causal relations;
practising compassion, one cuts away that which is based on causal relations.
"Also, next, there are two kinds of anger. One is anger that has been accumulated over
a long period in the past, and the other is that which one has just gained. By practising lovingkindness,
one severs the anger from the past, and by practising compassion, one severs the anger
of the present.
"Also, next, there are two kinds of anger. One is anger at holy persons, and the other
at common mortals. By practising loving-kindness, one casts off anger at holy persons; by
practising compassion, one casts off anger at common mortals.
"Also, next, there are two types of anger. One is top-grade, and the other is middle-grade.
The practising of loving-kindness dispels top-grade anger, while practising compassion dispels
middle-grade anger. O good man! For this reason, I say four. How can you reproach me and
speak of three and not four? Thus, O Kasyapa, in this limitless mind, antitheses stand against
one another, and classified, we get four.
"Also, it is four because of the vessel. If there is loving-kindness in the vessel, there can
be no compassion, joy, and equanimity. For this reason, it is four and nothing less.
"O good man! We discriminate according to action. Hence, four. When loving-kindness is
acted upon, there can be no compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity. Hence, four. O good
man! Because of limitlessness, we say four. Now, of the limitless there are four kinds. There
is the case where what there is is the relation of the limitless mind, but not unmolestedness
[unimpededness]. Or there is the case where the limitless mind is unmolested and it does not
stand [depend] upon relations; there is the case where things stand on the relations of the
limitless mind and also on unmolestedness; there is the case where things do not stand on
relations and also not on unmolestedness. What is the limitless that has relations, but is not
unmolested? This is the case where causal relations are had with innumerable and boundless
beings, and yet there is nothing of the kind as the unmolested state of samadhi. Even if gained,
206 The Mahayana Mapaharinirvana Sutra
it does not remain. Or one gains and loses it. What is the limitless that is unmolested and
has no causal relations? It is like desiring to have causal relations with parents, brothers and
sisters and to give them peace and bliss. There can be no limitless causal relations [here].
What is the limitless that has causal relations and is unmolested? This refers to all Buddhas
and Bodhisattvas. What is the limitless with no causal relations and no unmolestedness? The
sravakas and pratyekabuddhas cannot have unlimited relations with beings. Also, they are not
unmolested [i.e. they are constrained by limitations]. O good man! Because of this, we speak
of the "four limitlessnesses". This is not something any sravakas or pratyekabuddhas can know.
This is what applies to the world of the All-Buddha-Tathagata. O good man! The sravakas and
pratyekabuddhas may call these four the things that are limitless. But petty is what is said [by
them]; it is not worth talking of. All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas should be called the "limitless
limitless."
Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! It is thus, it is thus!
It is just as you, the Holy One, say. What obtains in the world of the All-Buddha-Tathagata
does not come within the reach of sravakas and pratyekabuddhas. O World-Honoured One! A
Bodhisattva abides in the Mahayana Mahaparinirvana and gains a heart of loving-kindness. Is
this a great heart of loving-kindness and compassion or not?" The Buddha said: "It is! O good
man! The Bodhisattva sees three things as he lives with all beings, which are: 1) people on
intimate relations [with him], 2) people of hateful relations, and 3) people who are in between.
With those on intimate relations, there are three classes, which are: 1) top, 2) middle, and 3)
low. The same with those involved in hateful relations. This Bodhisattva-mahasattva gives the
highest bliss to those with whom he is on the most intimate relations. He also gives the highest
bliss all-equally to those of the middle and low grades. He gives some degree of bliss to those
whom he hates most, and to a person whose hatred is of middle grade he gives middle-grade
bliss, and to him whose hatred is of a low level, he gives the highest bliss. The Bodhisattva
thus practises from one to the other, and to the one he most hates he gives middle-grade bliss
and to those whom he hates on a middling level and a low level, he gives the highest bliss. He
practises and gives the highest bliss all-equally to those of the top, middle and low grades. When
the highest bliss is given to one whom he most hates, we say that the heart of loving-kindness
has been accomplished. The Bodhisattva, then, whether at the place of his parents or of those
whom he most hates, is all-equal in mind, and there exists no mental state of discrimination. O
good man! One obtains loving-kindness, but this is not called great loving-kindness."
"O World-Honoured One! Why is it that the Bodhisattva achieves such loving-kindness
and yet we do not call it great loving-kindness?" "O good man! We do not call loving-kindness
great loving-kindness, because it [great loving-kindness] is hard to obtain. Why so? For a long
time past, over innumerable kalpas, one has amassed “asravas” [defilements, illusions] and not
practised what is good. For this reason, one is unable to subdue the mind in a day. O good
man! When a pea is dried up, one might try to thrust an awl through it, but one cannot. It is
like that. The “asravas” are as hard as that. Try as one might single-mindedly the whole day
and night through, one cannot yet subdue them. Also, the dog of a house does not fear people,
and the deer of the forest fears man and runs away. Anger is difficult to do away with, like the
dog that guards a house; but the heart of loving-kindness easily flees, like the deer in the forest.
It is therefore hard to subdue this mind. That is why we do not say "great loving-kindness".
Also, next, O good man! When we draw a picture on stone, it always remains thus. But drawn
on water, it disappears immediately and its strength does not remain there. Anger is hard to
do away with, like a drawing that has been done in stone. A good deed easily disappears, like
a picture drawn in water. That is why it is not easy to subdue this mind. A great ball of fire
sustains light for a long while; the brightness of a flash of lightning cannot endure long. It is
the same here. Anger is a fire-ball; loving-kindness is like lightning. That is why this mind is
hard to subdue. Hence, we do not say "great loving-kindness".
Chapter Twenty-One: On Pure Actions (a) 207
"O good man! When a Bodhisattva-mahasattva attains the first soil [“bhumi” - level of
a higher Bodhisattva], this is called "great loving-kindness". Why? O good man! The last [i.e.
most] evil person is the icchantika. When a Bodhisattva of the first “bhumi” practises great
loving-kindness, no discrimination exists in his mind - not even towards an icchantika. As no
wrong is seen, no anger arises. For this reason, we indeed call this "great loving-kindness". O
good man! He deprives all beings of what gives no benefit. This is great loving-kindness. He
desires to give an uncountable amount of benefit and bliss to all beings. This is great compassion.
He plants joy in the minds of all beings. This is great sympathetic joy. There is no guarding or
protecting. This is great equanimity [“upeksha”]. My Dharma does not see one’s own existence
and self; what is seen is that all things are viewed all-equally and with no divided mind. This is
great equanimity. One forsakes one’s own bliss and gives it to others. This is great equanimity
[or: great relinquishment].
"O good man! The only thing there is here is that these four limitless minds well enable
the Bodhisattva to increase and perfect the six paramitas [perfections]. Things are not necessarily
thus regarding others’ actions. O good man! The Bodhisattva-mahasattva first gains the four
limitless minds that pertain to the world. Later, he aspires to unsurpassed Bodhichitta [resolve
to win Enlightenment]. And by degrees he gains what concerns those of the supramundane
world. O good man! From the limitedness of the secular world, one obtains the unlimitedness
of the supramundane world. Hence, we say "great limitlessness."
Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! We say that the
benefitless is done away with and that benefit and bliss are given. Truth to tell, nothing happens.
Thinking thus is surely false. No real fruition comes about. O World-Honoured One! This is
as when a bhiksu meditates on impurity and regards what he is wearing as leather, which it
actually is not. He thinks that what he eats is worms. But here too, it is not really worms.
He regards a beautiful soup as a defiled liquid, but it is not really anything defiled. He regards
the cream that he eats as the marrow of the brain, but actually it is not a brain. He meditates
on the crushed powder of bones and regards it as parched barley flour. And yet it is not really
parched barley flour. The same with the case of the four limitless minds. There is not really
any benefiting of beings, nor any giving to them of bliss. The mouth speaks about bliss being
given. But no such thing comes about. It such a meditation not false? O World-Honoured One!
If it is the case that falsehood does not exist here, but bliss [truly] is given, why is it that all
beings do not gain bliss by the miraculous powers of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas? If no bliss
results in any true sense, it must be as the Buddha says: "I call to mind that in days gone by I
practised loving-kindness and through seven successive stages of the dissolution and re-arising of
the world in this kalpa aeon, I did not get born here. When the world was born, I saw my birth
in the heaven of Brahma, and when the world underwent dissolution, I was born in the heaven
of Abhasvara. Born in the heaven of Brahma, one has unmolested [i.e. unrestricted] power and
cannot ever be subdued. Of the thousand Brahmas, the most superb is Great Brahma. All
beings considered me as the most superb. Thirty-six times I became Sakrodevanamindra, the
King of Trayastrimsa Heaven, and innumerable hundreds of thousands of times a chakravartin.
Only by practising the Way of the heart of loving-kindness did I gain the fruits of man and
heaven." If not true, how could things be in accord with this meaning?"
The Buddha said: Well said, well said, O good man! You are, indeed, brave and fear
nothing." And for Kasyapa’s sake, he spoke in a gatha:
"If one does not feel anger
Even towards a single being
And prays to give bliss to such a being,
This is loving-kindness.
If one has compassion
For all beings,
208 The Mahayana Mapaharinirvana Sutra
This is the holy seed.
Endless is the recompense.
Even if the five-powered rishis filled this earth
And gave to Mahesvara elephants, horses
And their various possessions,
The reward gained would not equal
One sixteenth of one [impulse of] loving-kindness
That is practised."
"O good man! Practising loving-kindness is true and does not come from a false mind.
It is clearly the truth. The loving-kindness of sravakas and pratyekabuddhas is that which is
false. With all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, what there is [there] is the true, and not what is
false. How do we know this? O good man! As the Bodhisattva-mahasattva practises the Way of
Great Nirvana, he meditates upon earth and [mentally] turns it into gold, and meditates upon
gold and turns it into earth, earth into water, water into fire, fire into water, earth into wind,
and wind into earth. All appears as willed, and nothing is false. He meditates upon real beings
and makes them into non-beings, and turns non-beings into real beings. All appears as willed
and nothing is false. O good man! Know that the four limitless minds of a Bodhisattva come
about from true thinking and are not what is untrue.
"Also, next, O good man! Why is it called true thinking? Because it thoroughly does
away with all defilements. O good man! Now, a person who practises loving-kindness uproots all
greed; one who practises compassion uproots anger; one who practises sympathetic joy uproots
unhappiness; one who practises equanimity uproots greed, anger and all the aspects of things
that beings have. Hence, we call this true thinking.
"Also, next, O good man! The four limitless minds of a Bodhisattva-mahasattva form
the root of all good deeds. O good man! If the Bodhisattva-mahasattva does not see a povertystricken
being, there cannot be any arising of compassion. If the compassionate mind does not
arise, there will not arise any thought of giving. By means of the causal relations of giving, he
bestows on beings peace and bliss. These are drink, food, vehicles, clothing, flowers, incense,
bedsteads, houses, and lamps. When giving is done in this way, there is no bond in the mind
and no greed arises. He definitely transfers the merit hereof to unsurpassed Enlightenment. The
mind does not sit on time. The false mind is forever done away with; what is done is not done
out of fear, for fame or profit. It does not seek the world of humans or gods; whatever pleasure is
gained does not evoke arrogance; it does not look for rewards; giving is not done to cheat others;
it does not seek wealth or respect. When giving is performed, no discrimination [distinction]
is made as to whether the recipient has upheld the moral precepts or transgressed, whether he
is a true field of weal or a bad field of weal, whether learned or unlearned. When giving is
performed, no discrimination is drawn between the right and wrong of the vessel; no difference
is seen between the right or wrong time or place. One does not think about whether there is a
famine or plenitude of things and bliss. No discrimination is made as to the cause or the result
thereof, or to worrying about what is right [worthy] or not right about the recipient, or whether
he is rich or not rich. Also, the Bodhisattva does not trouble to look into any difference as to
whether the recipient is a person who gives or one who receives, what the thing is that is given,
or ceasing, or the recompense for what is given. The only thing that is done is that giving is
performed without cessation.
"O good man! If the Bodhisattva looked to the upholding or infringing of the precepts,
or the results thereof, there could not be any giving to the end. If there is no giving, there
cannot be perfection of the danaparamita [transcendent giving]. If there is no danaparamita,
there cannot be any arriving at unsurpassed Enlightenment."
"O good man! As an illustration: there is a man who has been struck by a poisoned
arrow. His relatives call in a doctor to releave him of the poison and mean to extract the arrow.
Chapter Twenty-One: On Pure Actions (a) 209
The man says: "Don’t touch me for a moment! I shall think: [From where did such an arrow
come? Who discharged it? Was it a Kshatriya, a Brahmin, a Vaishya or Sudra]." He also thinks:
"What type of wood is this? Bamboo or willow? By whom was the iron barb made? Is it strong
or soft? What bird does the feather of the arrow come from? Is it from a crow, an owl, or an
eagle? What is the poison made from? Is it man-made or natural? Is it a human poison or from
a poisonous snake?" An ignorant person like this can never reach the end of trying to know about
all these things. Then, his life will depart. O good man! It is the same with the Bodhisattva.
If, when giving, he were to seek to know whether the recipient had upheld or violated the
precepts, what the effect of the gift might be - he would not be able to give, to the very end. If
there is no giving, then danaparamita will not have been accomplished. If danaparamita is not
accomplished, there cannot be the attainment of unsurpassed Enlightenment.
"Also, next, O good man! When the Bodhisattva-mahasattva practises giving, his kind
heart sees all beings equally, like unto his own only son. Additionally when giving, his compassionate
heart bestirs itself, as when a father and mother look at their own son who is ill. When
giving, his heart feels joy, as when the father and mother see their child’s illness cured. When
giving is performed, his mind is away from [not attached to] what is given, as when a father and
mother see their son already grown up and living by himself.
"This Bodhisattva-mahasattva always vows when he benevolently gives food: "I now give
this and share it with all beings and intend that by the causal relations of this act all beings
should attain the food of Great Wisdom and with effort transfer the merit thereof to unsurpassed
Mahayana. I pray that all beings will gain the food of Good Wisdom and that they will not
seek the food of the sravakas and pratyekabuddhas. I pray that all beings will gain the food of
the joy of Dharma and not seek the food of craving. I pray that all beings will gain the food of
prajnaparamita [transcendent Wisdom] in abundance and that they will have the unobstructed
and best root of good, which will grow greater. I pray that all beings will understand and attain
the phase of the Void and perfect the unhindered body and become like space. I pray that all
beings will always pity all for the sake of those who receive and will become a field of blessings."
O good man! The Bodhisattva-mahasattva, when practising the heart of loving-kindness, should
firmly pray thus in regard to any food that is given.
"Also, next, O good man! When the Bodhisattva-mahasattva, with a heart of lovingkindness,
gives drink [to someone], he should always vow: "I share what I now give with all
beings. By reason of this act, they will walk towards the river of Mahayana and partake of
the water of the eight tastes, so that they can take to the path of unsurpassed Enlightenment,
segregate themselves from the thirst of the sravakas and pratyeka-buddhas, and long for the
unexcelled Buddha Vehicle. [I pray] that they will segregate themselves from the thirst of the
defilements, and long for the food of Dharma, that they will part from the love of birth-anddeath,
entertain loving thoughts towards the Mahayana Mahaparinirvana, be perfect in the
Dharma-Body, gain all samadhis and enter the great sea of Wisdom. I pray that all beings will
partake of the taste of renunciation, abandon greed, and attain silence and quietude. I pray that
all beings become perfect in the countless hundreds of thousands of tastes of Dharma. Perfect
in the taste of Dharma, they will see the Buddha-Nature, and having seen the Buddha-Nature,
they will rain down the rain of Dharma, and having rained down the rain of Dharma, the
Buddha-Nature will overspread all like space. Also, [I pray that] all the other countless beings
will attain the oneness of taste of the Dharma of Mahayana. This is not the taste of all the
sravakas and pratyekabuddhas. I pray that all beings will gain the oneness of sweet taste and
that there will not be any discriminative difference of the six kinds. I pray that all will solely
seek the taste of Dharma, the unhindered taste of Buddhist actions and that they will not seek
other tastes." O good man! When the Bodhisattva-mahasattva, with a heart of loving-kindness,
bestows drink [upon others], he should take such a vow."
"Also, next, O good man! When the Bodhisattva-mahasattva, with his heart of lovingkindness,
gives away vehicles, he should always pray: "I shall share what I now give with all
210 The Mahayana Mapaharinirvana Sutra
beings, and by reason of this I shall cause all beings to become perfect in the Mahayana and abide
in it. And they will not step back from the vehicle which will be unshakable and adamantine.
What will be sought will not be the sravaka or pratyekabuddha vehicle, but the Buddha vehicle,
an unbeaten [indestructible] vehicle, a vehicle that is not weak and is lacking in no part, one
that does not fall over or sink down, the unsurpassed vehicle, the ten-powered vehicle, the greatvirtue
vehicle, the incomparable vehicle, the rarest of vehicles, the difficult-to-find vehicle, the
boundless vehicle, and the omniscient vehicle." O good man! When the Bodhisattva-mahasattva,
with his heart of loving-kindness, gives away a vehicle, he should always take such vows.
"Also, next, O good man! When the Bodhisattva-mahasattva, with his heart of lovingkindness,
gives clothing [to a person], he should always pray: "I shall always share what I now
give with all beings, and through this I shall enable all beings to gain the clothing of repentance
and let the Dharma-world cover their body and rend asunder the clothes of all twisted views. A
robe will be put on parts of the body one foot and six inches. The body that shines is golden; its
touch is soft and unobstructed; its colour is brilliant; its skin is soft and delicate. The Eternal
Light is unending and is colourless. I pray that all beings will gain the colourless body and part
from all colours, and attain Great Nirvana." O good man! When the Bodhisattva-mahasattva
gives away clothing, he should definitely take such vows.
"Also, next, O good man! When the Bodhisattva-mahasattva, practising loving-kindness,
gives flowers, incense, smearing incense, powdered incense or various other kinds of incense, he
should always vow: "I share with all beings what I now give, and I pray that, through this,
all beings will attain the Buddha-flower samadhi, and that I shall enable them to put on their
head the wonderful wig of the seven Bodhi elements. I pray that all beings will look like the
full moon and that their complexion will be wonderful and best. I pray that beings will look
one and be adorned with a hundred blessings. I pray that all beings will gain whatever colour
they desire to have. I pray that all beings will encounter a good friend of the Way and gain
the incense of unhinderedness and do away with all evil smells and defilements. I pray that
all beings will be armed with the roots of good and possess rare gems. I pray that, when they
see, they will feel happy and have no apprehension or sorrow, that they will all be garbed in
every good deed, and that they will have no anxieties. I pray that all beings will be completely
perfect in the incense of the precepts and that the fragrance of this incense will fill all the ten
directions. I pray that all beings will be perfect in the precepts that are stubborn [tenacious],
the unrepenting precepts, and the precepts of all Wisdom; that they will segregate themselves
from all acts of precept-violation, that they will gain a state totally away from the precepts
[not separate from the precepts], the precepts that are unprecedented, the precepts that need
no teacher, the precepts of non-action, the untainted precepts, the last-attained, absolute and
all-equal precepts. There shall be undefiled shila [precepts], no favouring, no vengeance, no
good, no bad, all will be equal, with no hating and no loving. I pray that all beings will gain the
topmost, the Mahayana, and the non-Hinayana precepts. I pray that all beings will be perfect in
shilaparamita [transcendent morality] and also be equal to the precepts attained by all Buddhas.
I pray that all beings may be suffused with the incense of giving, precept-upholding, forbearance,
effort, meditation, and Wisdom. I pray that all beings will be accomplished in the all-wonderful
lotus of Great Nirvana, and that the fragrance thereof will fill the ten directions. I pray that all
beings will partake of the unsurpassed dishes of Great Nirvana of Mahayana and that they will
act as the bee does that calls at a flower, taking along with it only its fragrance. I pray that
all beings will achieve a body suffused with the incense of innumerable virtues." O good man!
The Bodhisattva-mahasattva should definitely always vow as in the above way when he abides
in the heart of loving-kindness and bestows flowers and incense.
"Also, next, O good man! When the Bodhisattva-mahasattva, with a heart of lovingkindness,
gives away bedding, he should always vow: "I pray that I shall share amongst all
beings what I now give and that, through this, all beings will obtain the bed which one sees in
the Buddha-country, that they will attain great Wisdom and dwell in the four dhyanas [deep
Chapter Twenty-One: On Pure Actions (a) 211
meditative states]; [I pray] that they will sleep on the bed which the Bodhisattva uses, not
sleeping on those of the sravakas and pratyekabuddhas. I pray that all beings will sleep on
peaceful beds, abandoning the bed of birth-and-death and will sleep in the lion’s bed of Great
Nirvana. I pray that all beings will gain this bed, and later, for the sake of innumerable other
beings, will move from place to place and manifest the lion’s play [sport] of all divine powers.
I pray that all beings will live in the great palace of Mahayana and will preach the Buddha-
Nature for the benefit of all beings. I pray that all beings will sleep in the unexcelled bed,
one not subject to worldy dharmas. I pray that all beings will gain the bed of patience, thus
parting from birth and death, famine, frost, and hunger. I pray that all beings will attain the
bed of fearlessness and part from all the worries of the vengeance of defilement. I pray that
all beings will gain the untainted bed and look for the unsurpassed right Way. I pray that all
beings will gain the bed of Wonderful Dharma and always be under the protection of a good
friend of the teaching. I pray that all beings will be able to sleep on their right side and abide
in the Dharma of all Buddhas." O good man! When the Bodhisattva-mahasattva, with a heart
of loving-kindness, gives away bedding, he should vow thus.
"Also, next, O good man! When the Bodhisattva-mahasattva, abiding in his heart of
loving-kindness, gives away a house for someone to live in, he should vow: "I shall share what
I now give with all beings and, by this means, I intend to have all beings dwell in the house
of Mahayana and practise the Way as practised by good friends of the Way, so that they will
be able to practise such as great compassion, the six paramitas, the great, true Enlightenment,
the ways and practices that all Bodhisattvas follow, the boundlessly vast ways that are like
space. I pray that all beings will attain the right [state of] mind and segregate themselves from
all evil thoughts. I pray that all beings will peacefully abide in what is Eternal, Bliss, Self,
and Purity, parting from the four inversions [of Truth]. I pray that all beings will learn what
is written about the supramundane. I pray that all beings will unfailingly become the vessels
of unsurpassed Wisdom. I pray that all beings will enter the house of amrta [immortality]. I
pray that all beings will enter the house of Nirvana of Mahayana at their first thought, second
thought, and last thought. I pray that all beings will, in the days to come, dwell in the place
where the Bodhisattvas live." O good man! When the Bodhisattva-mahasattva, with his heart
of loving-kindness, gives away houses, he should definitely always take such vows.
”Also, next, O good man! When the Bodhisattva-mahasattva, from his heart of lovingkindness,
gives away lamp-light [lamps], he should always pray: "I shall share what I now give
with all beings, and through this shall enable beings to be blessed with limitless light and to
abide in the Buddhist teaching. I pray that all beings will gain the light of the lamp. I pray that
all beings will be blessed with the light that is all-wonderful and best. I pray that all beings
will be blessed with eyes that are clear, bright, and unclouded. I pray that all beings will gain
the great Light of Wisdom and grasp the fact that they have no self, no phase of a being, man,
or life. I pray that all beings will see the pristine Buddha-Nature, which is as of space. I pray
that all beings will be blessed with the pure fleshly eye, so that they will be able to see the
depths of the worlds of the ten directions, which are as numerous as the sands of the Ganges.
I pray that all beings will be blessed with the light of the Buddha and will shine over all the
ten directions. I pray that all beings will be blessed with unobstructed insight, so that they will
be able to see the pristine Buddha-Nature. I pray that all beings will be blessed with the light
of great Wisdom and destroy all gloom and the [state of mind of] the icchantika. I pray that
the limited light of all beings will shine over all the innumerable Buddha-lands. I pray that all
beings will light the lamp of Mahayana and be released from the lock of the two vehicles. I
pray that the light with which all beings will be blessed will break the gloom of ignorance for
over a thousand days. I pray that all beings will be blessed with the light of a fire-ball and will
do away with the gloom of the 3,000 great-thousand worlds. I pray that all beings will perfect
the Five Eyes [i.e. the physical eye, the deva-eye, the eye of Wisdom, the Dharma-eye, and the
Eye of a Buddha] and will awaken to the true aspect of all things and attain the teacherless
212 The Mahayana Mapaharinirvana Sutra
light. I pray that all beings will have no clinging views or ignorance. I pray that all beings
will be blessed with the wonderful light of Great Nirvana of the Mahayana and will show all
beings the Buddha-Nature.” O good man! When the Bodhisattva-mahasattva, from his heart
of loving-kindness, gives away lamp-light, he should always vow thus. O good man! “All the
roots of good of all sravakas, pratyekabuddhas, Bodhisattvas, and all Tathagatas have as their
foundation loving-kindness”. O good man! When the Bodhisattva-mahasattva practises the
heart of loving-kindness, he gains all such innumerable roots of good as: [mindfulness of] the
impure [“asubha-smrti” - awareness of the impurity of the carnal body], [meditation upon] the
exhalation and inhalation of the breath [“anapana-smrti”], [awareness of] impermanence, birthand-
death, the four mindfulnesses [“catursmrtyupasthana” - mindfulness of the impurity of the
body, mindfulness of feeling as suffering, mindfulness of the mind as impermanent, and mindfulness
of dharmas as contingent, without a separate, exclusive nature of their own], the seven
expedients, the three views of existence, the twelve links of interdependent arising, meditation
on impermanence, etc., “usmagata, ksanti” [patience], “laukikagradharma” [prime-in-the-world
condition, or first-of-the-world-root-of-good], “darshana-marga” [the path of seeing], “bhavanamarga”
[path of meditation], right-effort-and-at-willness, all roots and powers, the seven factors
of Enlightenment [mindfulness, discriminative investigation of Dharma, vigour in practice, supersensuous
rapture, pacification of body and mind, concentration, and equanimity], the eight
paths [Noble Eightfold Path], the four dhyanas, the four limitless minds, the eight emancipations,
the eight superior places, the ten-all-places, knowledge of mind-reading [“para-cetan-paryayajnana”],
and other divine powers, the utmost-fathoming knowledge, the sravaka-knowledge, the
pratyekabuddha-knowledge, Bodhisattva-knowledge, and Buddha-Knowledge. O good man! All
such have as their foundation loving-kindness. O good man! For this reason, loving-kindness is
true, and is not what is false. “If any person asks about the root of any aspect of good, say that
it is loving-kindness. Thus, this is true and not false.
"O good man! A person who performs good is [one of] true thinking". True thinking is
loving-kindness. Loving-kindness is the Tathagata. Loving-kindness is Mahayana. Mahayana is
loving-kindness. Loving-kindness is the Tathagata. The Tathagata is loving-kindness. O good
man! Loving-kindness is Great Brahma. Great Brahma is loving-kindness. Loving-kindness is
the Tathagata. O good man! Loving-kindness acts as the parent to all beings. The parent
is loving-kindness. Loving-kindness is the Tathagata. O good man! Loving-kindness is what
exists in the inconceivable world of all Buddhas. What exists in the inconceivable world of
all Buddhas is at once loving-kindness. Know that loving-kindness is the Tathagata. O good
man! Loving-kindness is the Buddha-Nature of all beings. Such a Buddha-Nature has long been
overshadowed by defilements. That is why all beings are unable to see. The Buddha-Nature is
loving-kindness. Loving-kindness is the Tathagata. O good man! Loving-kindness is the great
firmament. The great firmament is loving-kindness. Loving-kindness is the Tathagata. O good
man! Loving-kindness is space. Space is loving-kindness. Loving-kindness is the Tathagata. O
good man! Loving-kindness is the Eternal. The Eternal is Dharma. Dharma is the Sangha. The
Sangha is loving-kindness. Loving-kindness is the Tathagata. O good man! Loving-kindness is
Bliss. Bliss is Dharma. Dharma is the Sangha. The Sangha is loving-kindness. Loving-kindness
is the Tathagata. O good man! Loving-kindness is the Pure. The Pure is Dharma. Dharma
is the Sangha. The Sangha is loving-kindness. Loving-kindness is the Tathagata. O good
man! Loving-kindness is the Self. The Self is Dharma. Dharma is the Sangha. The Sangha
is loving-kindness. Loving-kindness is the Tathagata. O good man! Loving-kindness is amrta
[immortality]. Amrta is loving-kindness. Loving-kindness is the Buddha-Nature. The Buddha-
Nature is Dharma. Dharma is the Sangha. The Sangha is loving-kindness. Loving-kindness is
the Tathagata. O good man! Loving-kindness is the supreme Way of all Bodhisattvas. The
Way is loving-kindness. Loving-kindness is the Tathagata. O good man! Loving-kindness is the
limitless world of the All-Buddha-World-Honoured One. The limitless world is loving-kindness.
Know that loving-kindness is the Tathagata."
Chapter Twenty-One: On Pure Actions (a) 213
"O good man! If loving-kindness is non-eternal, the non-eternal is loving-kindness. Know
that this loving-kindness is that of the sravaka [i.e. inferior, not the Ultimate]. If loving-kindness
is suffering, suffering is loving-kindness. Know that this loving-kindness is that of the sravaka.
O good man! If loving-kindness is impure, the impure is loving-kindness. Know that this
loving-kindness is that of the sravaka. O good man! If loving-kindness is non-Self, non-Self
is loving-kindness. Know that this loving-kindness is that of the sravaka. O good man! If
loving-kindness is the mind of defilement, the mind of defilement is loving-kindness. Know that
this loving-kindness is that of the sravaka. O good man! If loving-kindness cannot be called
danaparamita, this is the loving-kindness of non-dana. Know that this loving-kindness is that
of the sravaka. And the same with prajnaparamita. O good man! If loving-kindness cannot
benefit all beings, any such loving-kindness is none but that of the sravaka. O good man! If
loving-kindness does not get into the one mode of the Way, know that this loving-kindness is
that of the sravaka. O good man! If loving-kindness [does not] awaken to all dharmas, know
that this loving-kindness is that of the sravaka. O good man! If loving-kindness cannot see
the Tathagata-Nature, know that this loving-kindness is that of the sravaka. O good man! If
loving-kindness is of the “asravas” [spiritual defilements], such loving-kindness of the “asravas”
is that of the sravaka. O good man! If loving-kindness is the created, the loving-kindness of the
created is that of the sravaka. O good man! If loving-kindness cannot gain the first “bhumi”
[first stage of a higher Bodhisattva], that loving-kindness which is not of the first “bhumi” is,
know, that of the sravaka. O good man! If loving-kindness acquires the ten powers and the four
fearlessnesses of the Buddha, know that this loving-kindness is that of the sravaka. O good man!
If loving-kindness [merely] gains the four fruitions of Hinayana practice, this loving-kindness is
that of the sravaka."
"O good man! If loving-kindness is an is" or not-is", neither is nor not-is", such lovingkindness
is not something that can be known by sravakas and pratyekabuddhas. O good man! If
loving-kindness is inconceivable, Dharma is inconceivable. The Buddha-Nature is inconceivable.
The Tathagata too is inconceivable. O good man! If the Bodhisattva-mahasattva abides in the
Mahaparinirvana of Mahayana and practises loving-kindness, he is not asleep even when resting
in sleep, because he is all-effort. Though awake, he is not awake, because there is no sleeping with
him. Though the gods guard him, there is none that guards, since there is none that does evil.
Though sleeping, there is no dreaming of evil, because he has no evil and is far from sleeping.
After death, he is born in the heaven of Brahma, but there is no birth, as he is unmolested
[unrestricted]. O good man! A person who practises loving-kindness indeed accomplishes such
infinite and boundless virtues. O good man! This all-wonderful sutra of Mahaparinirvana, too,
accomplishes such infinite and boundless virtues. O good man! The All-Buddha-Tathagata,
too, is accomplished in such infinite and boundless virtues."
Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "All thinkings of the Bodhisattva are all true
and the sravakas and pratyekabuddhas are not true. Why are all beings not blessed with joy
and bliss, with the divine powers of the Bodhisattvas? If all beings do not attain bliss, we can
know that the loving-kindness practised by the Bodhisattva is fruitless."
The Buddha said: "O good man! It is not the case that the loving-kindness of the
Bodhisattva does not generate benefit. O good man! Beings can be those who unfailingly
suffer or who do not. To those beings who, without fail, have to suffer, the loving-kindness of
the Bodhisattva has no benefit to bestow. This refers to the icchantika. To those for whom
suffering is not unfailingly their lot, the loving-kindness of the Bodhisattva generates benefit
and all beings enjoy happiness. O good man! It is, for example, like the case of a person who
sees in the distance a lion, tiger, leopard, jackal, wolf, rakshasa [flesh-devouring demon] or other
creature, and fear comes about of itself, or a person who is out walking at night and sees a pole
sticking up out of the ground, and fear arises. O good man! All such people spontaneously gain
fear. When beings see a person practising loving-kindness, bliss spontaneously arises. For this
214 The Mahayana Mapaharinirvana Sutra
reason, we can say that the Bodhisattva’s practising of loving-kindness is true thinking and is
not without benefit.
"O good man! There are innumerable gates to the loving-kindness about which I speak.
These are the divine powers. It is as in the case of Devadatta, who instigated Ajatasatru [to kill
his own father] and who tried to harm the Tathagata. At that time, I was in Rajagriha, begging
alms from house to house. King Ajatasatru let loose a crazed and maddened elephant that he
used for protecting his household possessions, and tried to harm me and my disciples. At that
time, the elephant trampled and killed a good hundred-thousand people. As the people were
being killed, blood flowed. The elephant smelt it and his frenzy increased. I, on seeing the red
colour on the clothing of the followers, said: Blood!" And I saw my disciples run. Those who had
not yet done away with the mind of desire ran in all directions, except for Ananda. Then the
people of Rajagriha wept and cried loudly and said: It is most certain that the Tathagata’s life
will come to an end today. How can the Truly Enlightened One die in the course of just a day?"
Then Devadatta rejoiced: It is very good that Sramana Gautama is going to die. From now
on, there truly will be no more of what obtained before. How good it is that things stand thus!
I have gained my end!" O good man! With the intention of subduing the household elephant,
I entered the samadhi of loving-kindness. I held out my hand and opened it, bringing out five
lions from my five fingers. The elephant, on seeing these, released his urine and excrement, and
threw his body down upon the ground and worshipped me. O good man! I did not [actually]
have any lions on my fingers. Due to the power of good from practising loving-kindness, the
elephant was thus subdued.
"Also, next, O good man! To enter Nirvana, I took my first steps towards Kusinagara.
There were 500 wrestlers who were making the middle part of the road flat. There was a rock
there. All were hard at it, trying to shift the rock, but they could not. I felt pity; loving-kindness
arose. I then, with the big toe of my foot, lifted up this big stone and kicked it up into the air.
It then fell back down upon the palm of my hand. I puffed and made it into powder. It again
gathered itself together and became a stone. This was done to kill the wrestlers’ arrogant minds.
Thus effecting an expedient, I spoke to them of the Way and caused them to aspire to supreme
Enlightenment. O good man! The Tathagata, at that time, kicked up that big stone with his
toes, threw it up into the air and made it come down again onto my right-hand palm. I puffed
on it and turned it into powder and made it join up again. O good man! Know that the power
of goodness of loving-kindness enabled all the wrestlers to see this spectacle. Also, next, O good
man! Here in South India, there is a big castle called Surparaka. In this castle lived a rich man
whose name was Ruci. He led the people. He had already done much good in the past at the
sites of innumerable Buddhas. O good man! All the inhabitants of that castle were pursuing
wrong faiths, serving the Nirgranthas. As I desired to teach this rich man, I travelled on to
this castle town. The distance was 65 yojanas [yojana=15-20 kilometres]. The Buddha covered
the distance on foot, followed by his retinue. This was to teach the people. The Nirgranthas,
on hearing that I was coming to the castle-town, thought: If Sramana Gautama comes here,
everybody will abandon us and not give any more offerings to us. We shall be hard-pressed.
How are we to sustain our lives?" All the Nirgranthas went here and there and said to the
people of the castle-town: "Sramana Gautama is about to come here. But all sramanas are
people who have deserted their parents and have gone east and west. Wherever they go, the
cereal fails and the people suffer from hunger and many have died. Illnesses prevail and there
is no means of saving people. Gautama is a vagabond and is followed by evil rakshasas and
demons. All are lonely solitaries, without father or mother. They come and praise and follow
him. He teaches emptiness. Wherever he goes, there is no peace." The people, on hearing this,
became frightened and touched the feet of Nirgrantha, saying: O great one! What are we to
do?" Nirgrantha answered: "Sramana Gautama, by nature, loves forests, rivers, ponds, and pure
water. If there are any such things, have them destroyed. All of you go out of the town together,
fell the trees, do not leave one standing. Fill the rivers, ponds, and wells with dirty things. Close
Chapter Twenty-One: On Pure Actions (a) 215
the castle gates. Have soldiers with you, stick to the bulwarks and keep unrelenting watch! He
may come, but do not allow him to enter. If he does not come, you will be safe.
We, too, shall think of some means and drive him back. All the people heard this and
respectfully did as they were told. They felled all the trees, made all the watery places dirty,
and strongly armed themselves for protection. O good man! When I arrived there, I could
not see any trees or forest; all I could see were the people bearing arms and standing by the
castle walls on guard. On seeing this, compassion welled up within me, and with a heart full
of loving-kindness I stepped forward. Then all the trees came back and looked just as they had
before. And all the trees, whose number was beyond reckoning, grew again. The water of the
rivers, ponds, wells, and springs was all pure and full, like blue vaidurya. All kinds of flowers
spread out in profusion. The bulwarks looked like dark-blue vaidurya. The people could all
easily see me and my retinue. The gates opened by themselves, with nothing stopping them. All
the weapons changed into various flowers. Led by Ruci, all the people came out to see me. I then
spoke about many things connected with Dharma and caused them all to aspire to unsurpassed
Enlightenment. O good man! I, at that time, called forth all those trees artificially and filled
the streams, rivers, and ponds with pure water. I made the main castle transform itself and
look like dark-blue vaidurya. I let the people all see through me. I made the gates open and
caused all the weapons to be transformed into flowers. O good man! Know that the power of
good of loving-kindness enabled those people to see such things.
"Also, next, O good man! There was in the castle of Sravasti a woman called Vasistha.
She had a son whom she loved very much. This son died from an illness. Then sorrow poisoned
her [mind] and she became mad. She stripped off all her clothing and felt no shame. She
wandered about the crossways and wept and cried: O my child, my child! Where have you
gone?" She walked [unceasingly] around the castle-town and there was no stopping her. But
this woman had already amassed virtue at the place of the Buddha before. O good man! I
could not help but sympathise with her. She saw me and thought of her son [i.e. thought I was
her son] and came back to herself. She came up to me and embraced me as though I were her
own son. I then said to my follower, Ananda: "Go and fetch some clothing and give it to her."
After having given her some clothing, I told her various things of the Way. Having heard about
the Way, the woman was overjoyed and aspired to unsurpassed Enlightenment. O good man! I,
at that time, was not her son; she was not my mother. Also, there was no embracing. O good
man! Know that this was but the power of the good act of loving-kindness, through which that
woman saw such things."
"Also, next, O good man! At the castle of Varanasi, there was an upasika [female lay
Buddhist] called Mahasenadatta, who had already done various good deeds at the places of
innumerable Buddhas before. This upasika invited the Sangha [to be her guests] for 90 days
in the summer and offered the Sangha medicine. At that time, there was a bhiksu who was
seriously ill. A good doctor saw him and prescribed human flesh. If flesh were given, the illness
would at once retreat. If not, his life would be at stake. On hearing the words of the doctor,
the upasika took some gold and went about the town, saying: "Who can sell me human flesh? I
want to buy some. I will give gold equal to the amount of flesh." She went about the town, but
nobody gave her any. Then the upasika cut off some from her own thigh. She made a hot meal,
scented it, and gave it to the bhiksu. After he had partaken of it, his illness was cured. [But]
the pain the upasika had from her wound was so great that she could not stand it and cried
out: "Namo Buddhaya, namo Buddhaya!" [adoration of Buddha]. I was in Sravasti at that time
and heard her voice. Great pity took hold of me for this upasika. The woman, on receiving
some good medicine from me, applied it to her wound. A cure ensued, and all was as before.
I told her wonderful things about the Way. On hearing them, she was overjoyed and aspired
to supreme Bodhi. O good man! I, at that time, did not go to Varanasi Castle, take medicine
with me and smear it over the upasika’s body. O good man! Know that all of this came from
216 The Mahayana Mapaharinirvana Sutra
the power inherent in the good deed of loving-kindness, which enabled the upasika to experience
these things.
"Also, next, O good man! Devadatta, the evil-hearted one, was greedy beyond measure.
He ate a lot of butter and got a headache and a swollen belly, and the pain was so great that he
could not endure it. He said: "Namo Buddhaya, namo Buddhaya!" At that time, I was living in
the castle-town of Ujjaini. Hearing his voice, pity overtook me. Then Devadatta saw me come
to him, rub his head and belly, give him hot salt water and make him partake of it. Having
partaken of it, he regained his health. O good man! I did not go to where Devadatta was, rub
his head and belly, or give him hot water. O good man! All of this arose from the power of
virtue inherent in the good deed of loving-kindness, so that Devadatta was able to see all of this.
"Also, next, O good man! In the state of Kosala, there were 500 robbers. This robberband
plundered and wreaked much havoc. Worried over their misdeeds, King Prasenajit dispatched
some soldiers who, hiding under cover, caught the band. Having been caught, their
eyes were taken out, and they were taken to a dark forest and left there. These robbers had,
in the past, planted virtue under the Buddha. Having lost their eyes and in great pain, they
cried out: "Namo Buddhaya, namo Buddhaya! We now have no one to help us." They wept and
cried out loudly. I was staying at Jetavana at that time. On hearing their cry, loving-kindness
overcame me. Then a cool wind sprang up, which blew and filled the cavities of their eyes with
fragrant medicine. Then their eyes returned, and there was no difference from before. The robbers
opened their eyes and saw that the Buddha was standing before them, preaching Dharma.
Having heard the sermon, the robbers aspired to unsurpassed Enlightenment. O good man! I,
at that time, did not cause the cool wind to arise and waft fragrant medicine; nor did I stand
before them. O good man! Know that this was all the result of the power of the goodness of
loving-kindness that made things thus come about.
"Also, next, O good man! Prince Vidudabha, due to ignorance, did away with his father
and ascended the throne. Also, recalling a long-standing hatred, he killed many of the Shakya
clan [i.e. the Buddha’s own clan]. 12,000 Shakya women were taken prisoner. As a punishment,
their ears and noses were chopped off. Their hands and legs were cut off, and they were thrown
into holes and trenches. Then the females, oppressed by pain, said: "Namo Buddhaya, namo
Buddhaya! We are helpless." They also wept and cried. All of these females had already amassed
virtue in [the time of] Buddhas before. On that occasion I was at the Bamboo Grove. Hearing
their cry, loving-kindness overtook me. All the females saw that I, at that time, had come to
Kapilavastu and that I was washing their wounds with water and applying medicine to them.
Their pain gradually abated, and their ears, noses, hands and legs were restored to them, just
as before. I then, in a simple way, spoke about the essence of Dharma and they all aspired
to unsurpassed Enlightenment. They were ordained at the place of Mahaprajapati [i.e. the
Buddha’s aunt and adoptive mother] and received the upasampada. O good man! It was not
the case that the Tathagata, at that time, went to Kapilavastu and washed their wounds with
water, applied medicine and stopped the pain. O good man! Know that this came about as a
result of the power of good inherent in loving-kindness, which enabled the women to experience
these things.
"It is the same with compassion and sympathetic joy, too. O good man! For this reason,
the thinking [mental state] of loving-kindness practised by the Bodhisattva-mahasattva is true
and not false. O good man! "Limitless" means "inconceivable". What the Bodhisattva does is
inconceivable. What the Buddha does, is also inconceivable. The same applies to this Mahayana
Great Nirvana Sutra, too, which is likewise inconceivable."
Chapter Twenty-Two: On Pure Actions (b) 217
Chapter Twenty-Two: On Pure Actions (b)
"Also, next, O good man! The Bodhisattva-mahasattva, having practised loving-kindness, compassion,
and sympathetic joy attains the stage of the best-loved only son. O good man! Why
do we call this stage that of the "best-loved" and also "only son"? A father and mother, for
example, greatly rejoice when they see their son in peace. The same with the Bodhisattvamahasattva
who abides in this soil [“bhumi”]. He sees all beings just as though they were his
only son. On seeing a person practising good, he greatly rejoices. So we call this stage that of
the best-loved.
"O good man! As an example: a father and mother become worried in their hearts when
they see their son ill. Commiseration [anguish] poisons their hearts; their minds cannot get
away from the illness. It is thus, too, with the Bodhisattva-mahasattva who abides in this stage.
When he sees beings bound up by the illness of defilement, his heart aches. He is worried, as
if over his own son. Blood comes from all the pores of his skin. That is why we call this stage
that of the only son.
"O good man! A person, in his childhood, will pick up earth, dirty things, tiles, stones,
old bones, and bits of wood and put them into his mouth, at which his father and mother,
fearful of the harm that may ensue therefrom, take hold of the child with their left hand and
take these things away from him with their right. It is the same with the Bodhisattva of this
stage. He sees that all beings have not grown up to the stage of the Dharma-Body and that
non-good is performed with body, mouth and mind. The Bodhisattva sees this and extracts [the
harmful things] with the hand of Wisdom. He does not wish any person to repeat birth and
death, receiving thereby suffering and worry. Hence, this stage is also called the “bhumi” of an
only son.
"O good man! When, for example, a son dies and the father and mother have to part
from their son whom they love, their hearts so ache that they feel that they themselves will
die too. It is the same with the Bodhisattva. When he sees an icchantika [person of the most
deluded, twisted views on life] falling into hell, he himself wishes to be born there, too. Why
so? Because this icchantika, as he experiences pain, may gain a moment of repentance when I
speak to him of Dharma in various ways and enable him to gain a thought of good. Hence, this
stage is called that of an only son.
"O good man! As an example: all a father and mother have is their only son. Asleep
or awake, while walking, standing, sitting or reclining, their mind is always on their son. If any
sin occurs, they give kindly advice, and the boy is thus guided not to do evil again. It is the
same with the Bodhisattva-mahasattva, too. When he sees beings falling into the realms of hell,
hungry ghosts, and animals, his mind is ever upon them and not away from them. He may see
them doing all kinds of evil, and yet he does not become angry or punish them with evil things.
Hence, this stage is called the “bhumi” of an only son."
Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! What the Buddha
speaks is closely guarded words. I am shallow in Wisdom. How can I arrive at the meaning?
If it is the case that all Bodhisattvas abide in the stage of the only son and can do all such
things, why was it that the Tathagata, when born as a king, practising the Bodhisattva Way,
took the life of a Brahmin of a [certain] place? If this stage was gained, there must be some
protection. If it was not yet attained, why did he not fall into hell? If all beings are viewed as
an only son, like Rahula, why did you say to Devadatta: "You eat the tears and spittle of one
ignorant and shameless!"? Why was he made to hear this and to entertain anger and enmity
and evil thoughts, so as to cause blood to come out of the Buddha’s body? When Devadatta
had committed this evil, the Tathagata went on to prophesy, saying: "Devadatta will fall into
hell, where punishment will persist for a kalpa." O World-Honoured One! Subhuti has attained
the “bhumi” of space. Whenever he enters a castle and begs for food, he always looks at the
person. If he should get any feeling of displeasure or jealousy, he ceases begging. Even if he is
218 The Mahayana Mapaharinirvana Sutra
excessively hungry, he will not go and beg. Why not? This Subhuti thinks: "I remember that
in days gone by I gained an evil thought at a place that was a field of merit, and as a result I
fell into a great hell, where I suffered from various pains. I may now not gain anything to eat
all day, but even so, I will not have any ill-will raised against me, so that I would have to fall
into hell and suffer from various mental afflictions." He also thinks in this way: "If people hate
to see me standing, I shall sit all day long and not stand; if people do not like to see me sitting,
I shall stand the whole day and not move. The same with walking and reclining." This Subhuti
thinks thus so as to protect people. How could things be otherwise with the Bodhisattva? How
could a Bodhisattva who has attained the “bhumi” of an only son, O Tathagata, speak thus
rudely and cause people [to entertain] extremely heavy ill-will?"
The Buddha said to Kasyapa: "Now, you should not use such harsh words and say that
the Buddha-Tathagata causes any kind of worry of defilement [any mental affliction due to the
“asravas”] to arise within beings. O good man! The proboscis of a mosquito could sooner gain
the bottom of the sea than that the Tathagata would ever occasion any worry of defilement to
any being. O good man! The great earth could sooner turn out to be immaterial, or water
become solid, fire cool, wind static, the Three Jewels, Buddha-Nature and space impermanent,
than that the Tathagata would ever occasion a cause of worry to any being. O good man!
Even those who have committed the four heavy transgressions, or an icchantika, or those who
slander Wonderful Dharma, could sooner attain in this present life the ten powers, the four
fearlessnesses, the 32 signs of perfection, and the 80 minor marks of excellence than that the
Tathagata would ever occasion the worry of defilement to any being. O good man! Even
sravakas and pratyekabuddhas could sooner exist eternally than that the Tathagata would ever
occasion the worry of defilement to any being. O good man! All the Bodhisattvas of the ten
abodes could sooner commit the four grave offences, become icchantikas and slander Wonderful
Dharma than that the Tathagata would ever give occasion for defilement worry to any being. O
good man! All beings could even soooner cut off the Buddha-Nature and the Tathagata enter
the last of Nirvanas than that the Tathagata would ever, even once, give occasion for the worry
of defilement to any being. O good man! One could sooner catch hold of the wind with a
rope, or crush iron with one’s teeth, or destroy Mount Sumeru with a [finger]-nail than that
the Tathagata would ever occasion the worry of defilement to any being. One could sooner live
with vipers, or put both hands into the mouth of a famished lion, or wash one’s body with the
charcoal of khadira, than ever say that the Tathagata occasions the worry of defilement to any
being. O good man! The Tathagata truly extirpates the bond of worry of all beings and does
not occasion the worry of defilement to any of them.
"O good man! You say that the Tathagata, in days gone by, killed a Brahmin. O good
man! “The Bodhisattva-mahasattva would not purposely kill an ant” [a large, winged black ant].
How could he kill a Brahmin? “The Bodhisattva always, through various means, gives unending
life to beings.” O good man! Now a person who gives food gives life. When the Bodhisattvamahasattva
practises the danaparamita, he always gives beings unlimited life. O good man! By
upholding the precept of non-harming, one gains a long life. When the Bodhisattva-mahasattva
practises the shilaparamita, he gives all beings unlimited life. O good man! If one is mindful
of one’s speech and does not do anything wrong, one gains a long life. When the Bodhisattvamahasattva
practises the ksantiparamita [perfect patience], he always teaches beings not to give
rise to any thought of enmity, to do what is straight, to refrain from what is twisted, and thus
to look to one’s own self and not dispute with others. And through this one is blessed with a
long life. Because of this, when the Bodhisattva-mahasattva practises the ksantiparamita, he
always gives beings long life. O good man! If one makes effort and does good, one will be blessed
with long life. When the Bodhisattva-mahasattva practises the viryaparamita [perfected vigour,
effort], he always urges beings to do good. Having done as told, those beings are blessed with a
long life. Thus, when the Bodhisattva practises the viryaparamita, he already gives beings an
immeasurably long life. When the Bodhisattva-mahasattva practises dhyanaparamita [perfected
Chapter Twenty-Two: On Pure Actions (b) 219
meditation], he urges beings to develop the all-equal mind. Having practised this, beings will be
blessed with long life. Hence, when the Bodhisattva practises the dhyanaparamita, he already
gives beings an immeasurably long life. O good man! A person who is not indolent regarding
Dharma gains a long life. When the Bodhisattva-mahasattva practises the prajnaparamita
[perfected Wisdom], he urges all beings to practise all kinds of good dharmas [things] and is not
indolent. Having thus practised, beings in consequence gain a long life. For this reason, when
the Bodhisattva practises the prajnaparamita, he already bestows on beings unlimited life. O
good man! Because of this, the Bodhisattva-mahasattva does not take the lives of any being to
the end.
"O good man! You asked if one could gain this “bhumi” or not when one has killed a
Brahmin. O good man! I already gained it. Out of love, I took his life. It was not done with
an evil mind. O good man! For example, a father and mother have an only son. They love
him greatly and act against the law. At that time, the father and mother, out of fear, drive
one away or kill. Though they drove [him] away or killed [him], they had no evil mind. In just
the same way, the Bodhisattva-mahasattva acts likewise for reasons of protecting Wonderful
Dharma. Should beings slander Mahayana, he applies kindly lashings, in order to cure them.
Or he may take life in order that what obtained in the past could be mended, thus seeing to
it that the law [Dharma] could be accorded with. The Bodhisattva always thinks: "How might
I best make beings aspire to faith? I shall always act as is best fitted to the occasion." The
Brahmin fell into Avichi Hell after his death. He gained three thoughts. The first thought was:
"Where have I come from to be born here in this way?" And the realisation dawned on him to
the effect that he had been born there from the world of men. His second thought was: "What
is this place where I have now been born?" The realisation dawned that this was Avichi Hell.
The third thought [then] arose: "Through what causal concatenations have I been born here?"
He then came to realise that things had taken this turn because of his slandering of the vaipulya
Mahayana sutras and by his not believing, and by his being killed by the king - thus had he
been born there. Thinking in this way, respect arose towards the Mahayana vaipulya sutras.
Then, after his death, he was born in the world of Tathagata Amrta-Drum. There he lived for
10 kalpas. O good man! I thus, in days gone by, gave this person a life of 10 kalpas. How could
it be said that I killed him?”
"O good man! There is a man who digs up the ground, mows the grass, fells trees, cuts
corpses into pieces, slanders and beats [people]. Would this cause him to be born in hell?"
Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! From what I gather from
what you said, this would be a cause of hell. Why? It is as the Buddha once said to the sravakas:
"O all you Bhiksus! Do not bear any ill will towards any grass or trees. Why not? Because,
due to an evil mind [bad thoughts], all beings fall into hell."
Then the Buddha praised Bodhisattva Kasyapa: "Well said, well said! It is as you say.
Hold fast to the precepts. O good man! If a person falls into hell through an evil mind, this
tells us that the Bodhisattva does not have any evil mind. Why not? Because the Bodhisattvamahasattva
always pities and desires to benefit all beings, down to insects and ants. Why?
Because he is versed in all causal relations and expedients. Through the power of expedients,
he desires to cause beings to plant the seeds of all varieties of virtue. O good man! For this
reason, I, at that time, took life as the best expedient. Yet I did not entertain any evil in my
mind. O good man! According to the doctrine of the Brahmins, there is no karmic result even
if one kills tens of wagons of ants. All such insects and animals that harm man, such as the
mosquito, gadfly, flea, louse, cat, lion, tiger, wolf and bear may be killed in an amount as great as
ten wagon-loads [according to the Brahmins]. Such beings as demons, rakshasas, kumbhandas,
kataputanas and all those made and dried-up devils who harm human beings may well be killed,
without any evil result arising from the killing [according to the Brahmins]. But if one kills an
evil person, karmic consequences ensue. If one kills and there is no repentance that follows, one
gains life in the hell of hungry ghosts [according to the Brahmins]. If one repents and fasts for
220 The Mahayana Mapaharinirvana Sutra
three days, the sin dies out and nothing remains behind. If any harm is caused to an upadhyaya
[teacher of the Vedas, grammar, etc.], to one’s father, mother, a woman or a cow, one will have
to go to hell for innumerable thousands of years [according to the Brahmins].
"O good man! The Buddha and Bodhisattva see three categories of killing, which are
those of the grades 1) low, 2) medium, and 3) high. Low applies to the class of insects and
all kinds of animals, except for the transformation body of the Bodhisattva who may present
himself as such. O good man! The Bodhisattva-mahasattva, through his vows and in certain
circumstances, gets born as an animal. This is killing beings of the lowest class. By reason of
harming life of the lowest grade, one gains life in the realms of hell, animals or hungry ghosts
and suffers from the downmost “duhkha” [pain, mental or physical]. Why so? Because these
animals have done somewhat of good. Hence, one who harms them receives full karmic returns
for his actions. This is killing of the lowest grade. The medium grade of killing concerns
killing [beings] from the category of humans up to the class of anagamins. This is middle-grade
killing. As a result, one gets born in the realms of hell, animals or hungry ghosts and fully
recieves the karmic consequences befitting the middle grade of suffering. This is medium-grade
killing. Top-rank killing relates to killing one’s father or mother, an arhat, pratyekabudda, or
a Bodhisattva of the last established state. This is top-rank killing. In consequence of this,
one falls into the greatest Avichi Hell [the most terrible of all the hells] and endures the karmic
consequences befitting the highest level of suffering. This is top-grade killing. O good man! A
person who kills an icchantika does not suffer from the karmic returns due to the killings of the
three kinds named above. O good man! All those Brahmins are of the class of the icchantika.
For example, such actions as digging the ground, mowing the grass, felling trees, cutting up
corpses, ill-speaking, and lashing do not call forth karmic returns. Killing an icchantika comes
within the same category. No karmic results ensue. Why not? Because no Brahmins and no five
laws to begin with faith, etc. are involved here [Maybe: no Brahmins are concerned with the
"five roots" of faith, vigour, mindfulness, concentration, and Wisdom]. For this reason, killing
[of this kind] does not carry one off to hell.
"O good man! You asked why the Tathagata spoke ill of Devadatta to the effect that he
was an ignorant person who gulped down spittle. You should not speak ill of this, either. Why
not? It is not possible to conceive [i.e. fully understand] what the Buddha-World-Honoured One
says. O good man! True words are loved in the world; or there are cases where what is contrary
to the time [occasion] and law [Buddhist teaching] do not benefit a person. I never speak thus.
O good man! There are situations in which rough, untrue, untimely, unlawful words are not
loved by him who hears them, and do not bring benefit. I also do not speak such words. O
good man! And there are times when, though the language be harsh, it is true and not false. At
such a time, if this teaching gives benefit to all beings, I always speak, even if the listener is not
pleased [to hear my words]. Why? Because the All-Buddha, the Arhat-and-Samyaksambuddha
[Fully Awakened One] knows the best expedient [for any given situation].
"O good man! I once passed hours in the wild, in hamlets and forests. In the forest,
there was a demon called "Wild". He only ate human flesh and blood, and many a being was
killed. And one person from the village was eaten every day. O good man! I, at that time, was
speaking expansively about the essence of Dharma. But he [the demon] was rude, evil, ignorant,
and had no Wisdom, and did not lend an ear to what I was saying regarding Dharma. I then
transformed myself into a very powerful demon, shook his palace so mightily that there was no
peace. Then that demon came out of his palace with his kindred to challenge me. On seeing
me, he lost heart. Frightened, he fell to the ground, wriggled and moaned, and looked as though
he were dead. Pitying him, I rubbed his body with my hand. He regained himself, sat up and
said: "I am glad that I have regained my body and life. This great god possesses great virtue.
Being compassionate, he pardons my hateful acts." He gained a good [state of] mind and faith
at my place [in my presence]. I then re-assumed my body as the Tathagata and spoke to him
Chapter Twenty-Two: On Pure Actions (b) 221
about the various essentials of Dharma. And I made that demon receive from me the precept
of non-harming.
"And that day there was a rich man in the village in the wilds, who was about to die. The
villagers brought him to the demon. The demon, after receiving him, gave him to me. I got him
and named this rich man "Hand-Rich-Man". Then the demon said to me: "O World-Honoured
One! My people and I feed on flesh and blood and [thus] sustain [our] life. I have now received
this shila [rule of moral conduct]. How am I to live?" I replied: "From now on, I shall give
orders to the sravakas. Follow them and go to where they practise the Way, and I shall make
them give you things to eat." O good man! For this reason, I instituted for the bhiksus this
shila: "You shouuld henceforward give food to the field demon. If there are those who, living
themselves, cannot give, such are - you should know - not my disciples, but the relatives of the
heavenly Mara [the devil Mara’s abode is in heaven]." O good man! The Tathagata puts forth
such diverse expedients so as to teach and subdue beings. It is not particularly to cause fear. O
good man! I also beat the law-protecting demon with a wooden stick. And at one time I was
on top of a hill. I pushed a sheep-headed demon down the hill. Also, when in the top of a tree,
I beat a monkey-protecting demon, and [another time] I caused the treasure-guarding elephant
to see five lions, and made vajra-deva fear Satyakanirgrantha. And [another time] I thrust a
needle into an arrow-hair demon. Though I did all these things, there were no demons that were
harmed or killed. It was only to get them to rest in peace in Wonderful Dharma. Thus did I
perform all such expedients.
"O good man! I did not at that time speak ill of Devadatta and did not make him feel
ashamed. He, too, was not so ignorant as to gulp down another person’s spittle. Nor did he
fall into Avichi Hell, there to suffer punishment for a kalpa. Nor did he disrupt the peace of
the Sangha or cause blood to come out of the Buddha’s body. Nor did he commit the four
grave offences, nor did he slander the Wonderful Dharma of the Mahayana sutras. He is no
icchantika, no sravaka, and no pratyekabuddha. O good man! Devadatta does not belong to
the class of the world of the sravakas or pratyekabuddhas. All this is only what all Buddhas can
know. O good man! For this reason, do not reproach [me] and say: "Why should the Tathagata
impeach Devadatta, speak ill of him, and make Devadatta feel ashamed?" Do not doubt things
that concern the world of all Buddhas."
Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! As an example:
when we decoct sugar cane many times, we gain various grades of taste. The case is so with me.
Following as often the words of the Buddha, we gain the various kinds of dharma. These are
those [dharmas] of fleeing the world, of abandoning desire, of quietude, and of Enlightenment.
O World-Honoured One! Another example: if we burn, beat, smelt and temper gold, it becomes
all the brighter and purer, more harmonious, soft, wonderful in its colour, and priceless. And
later gods and men prize it highly as treasure. O World-Honoured One! The same is the case
with the Tathagata, too. If we carefully and respectfully ask questions, we arrive at the depths
of the meaning. By practising the Way profoundly, one can uphold it, and innumerable beings
will aspire to unexcelled Enlightenment and [one] is looked up to and respected by humans and
gods."
Then the Buddha spoke in praise of Bodhisattva Kasyapa: "Well said, well said! O
Bodhisattva-mahasattva! To benefit all beings, you put such questions of deep signification to
the Tathagata. O good man! For this reason, I follow your lead and speak about the deepest
depths of the Mahayana vaipulya. This is the stage of an only son of dearest love."
Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! If all Bodhisattvas
practise the Ways of loving-kindness, compassion, and sympathetic joy and attain the stage of
an only son, what is the stage that one attains when one practises the mind of equanimity?"
The Buddha said: "Well said, well said! You know well when to ask. You see what I desire to
speak about and you ask. When the Bodhisattva-mahasattva practises the mind of equanimity,
he attains the All-Void All-Equal stage, and becomes like Subhuti. O good man! When the
222 The Mahayana Mapaharinirvana Sutra
Bodhisattva-mahasattva dwells in the All-Void All-Equal “bhumi”, he no longer sees parents,
brothers, sisters, children, relatives, good friends of the Way, enemies, those who are hostile
or friendly, those who are neither friendly nor antagonistic, down to the five skandhas, the 18
realms, the 12 spheres, beings, and life. O good man! As an illustration, it is like space, in which
we see no parents, brothers, wife and children, down to beings and life. It is the same regarding
all things. There can be no parents and life. Thus does the Bodhisattva-mahasattva see all
things. His mind is all-equal like space. Why? Because he thoroughly practises the dharma of
the Void [“shunyata”]."
Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! What do you
mean by the Void?" "O good man! Of the Void, there are such as the internal, external,
internal-external Void, the Void of created existence, the Void of the uncreated, the Void of
beginninglessness, the Void of nature, the Void of non-possession, the Void of “Paramarthasatya”,
the Void-Void, and the Great Void.
"How does the Bodhisattva-mahasattva experience the internal Void? This Bodhisattvamahasattva
meditates on the Void of the internal elements [“adhyatma-shunyata”]. That is to
say that the internal elements [the six sense-organs] are void. This means to say that there are
no parents, no persons with ill-will or on friendly terms [with one], none who is indifferent, no
beings, life, Eternal, Bliss, Self, and Purity, Tathagata, Dharma, Sangha, and all good. In these
internal elements, there is the Buddha-Nature. Yet this Buddha-Nature exists neither within
nor without. Why not? Because the Buddha-Nature is eternal and experiences no change.
This is what we mean when we say that the Bodhisattva-mahasattva meditates on the internal
elements.
"The same applies in the case of the external Void [“bahirdha-shunyata”: the six sensefields].
No internal elements exist.
"It is the same with the internal-external Void [“adhyatma-bahirdha-shunyata”]. O good
man! There are only the Tathagata, Dharma, and Sangha, and the Bddha-Nature. This has no
two aspects of the Void. Why not? For the four are the Eternal, Bliss, Self, and the Pure. That
is why we do not say that these four are void. We call this the All-Void of both the internal and
the external.
"O good man! We say "the Void of created existence [“samskrta-shunyata” - the voidness
of formed, conditioned, assembled phenomena]. Whatever is created is all void. Thus there can
be the internal Void, the external Void, the the internal-external Void, the Void of the Eternal,
Bliss, Self, and the Pure, the Void of life, of beings, of the Tathagata, Dharma, and Sangha,
and of “Paramartha-satya.” Of these, the Buddha-Nature is not anything created. Hence, the
Buddha-Nature does not belong to the category of the Void of created existents.
"O good man! How does the Bodhisattva-mahasattva meditate on the Void of the uncreated
[“asamskrta-shunyata”]? Those things of the category of the uncreated are all void. They
are so-called impermanence, suffering, the impure, the non-Self, the five skandhas, the 18 realms,
the 12 spheres, life, beings, the characteristics, the created, the leakable [“asravas”], the internal
elements, and the external elements. Of the uncreated, the four which begin with the Buddha
are not the uncreated. As the nature is good itself, it is not the uncreated; as it is eternal, it is
not the created. This is how the Bodhisattva meditates on the Void of the uncreated.
"How does the Bodhisattva-mahasattva meditate on the Void of the beginningless
[“anavaragra-shunyata”]? This Bodhisattva-mahasattva sees that birth and death are beginningless.
Hence, he sees that all are void and quiet. We say Void. That is to say that the
Eternal, Bliss, Self, and the Pure are all void and quiet, with nothing that changes. So are life,
beings, the Three Jewels, and the uncreated, in all of which the Bodhisattva sees the beginningless
Void.
"How does the Bodhisattva meditate on the Void of nature [“prakrti-shunyata” - Emptiness
of primordial matter]? This Bodhisattva-mahasattva sees that the original nature of all
Chapter Twenty-Two: On Pure Actions (b) 223
elements is all void. These are the five skandhas, the 18 realms, the 12 spheres, the Eternal,
the non-Eternal, suffering, Bliss, the Pure, the impure, Self, and non-Self. In all such things, he
sees no nature of their own. This is how the Bodhisattva-mahasattva meditates on the Void of
nature."
"How does the Bodhisattva-mahasattva meditate on the Void of non-possession? This is
like speaking of a house being empty when there is no child inside. He sees here an uttermost
void. There is no friendliness, no love. The ignorant say that in all directions what there is
is peace; a poor man says that all is void. All such presumptions are either void or non-void.
When the Bodhisattva meditates, it is as with the poor man who says that all is void. This is
how the Bodhisattva-mahasattva meditates on the Void of non-possession.
"How does the Bodhisattva-mahasattva meditate on “Paramartha-shunyata” [the Void
of “Paramartha” - of Ultimate Reality]? O good man! When the Bodhisattva-mahasattva
meditates on the “Paramartha”, he sees that when this eye comes about, it does so from nowhere;
when it dies out, it dies out to nowhere. What originally was not, now is; what was turns
back to nowhere. As we look into the real nature, we see that what there is is eyelessness
and masterlessness. All other things are as in the case of the eye. What is the Void of the
“Paramartha”? It is seeing that there is action and the result thereof, but no maker. Such a
doctrine of voidness is the Void of the “Paramartha”. This is how the Bodhisattva-mahasattva
meditates on the Void of the “Paramartha”.
"How does the Bodhisattva-mahasattva meditate on the Void-Void? This Void-Void is
where the sravakas and pratyekabuddhas get lost. O good man! This is "is" and this is "not-is".
This is the Void-Void. This is this; this is not "this-is-this". This is the Void-Void. O good
man! The Bodhisattva of the ten “bumis” [stages] is only able to know a little of this, which
might well be likened to the size of a dust-mote. How much less must it be with others! O good
man! Thus, the Void-Void is not equal to the Void-Void samadhi of the sravakas. This is the
Void-Void which the Bodhisattva meditates upon.
"O good man! How does the Bodhisattva-mahasattva meditate on the Great Void? O
good man! The Great Void is the prajnaparamita [perfection of Wisdom]. This is the Great
Void. O good man! Attaining such a gate of the Void, the Bodhisattva-mahasattva abides in a
“bhumi” equal to space.
"O good man! As I now, here amongst the congregated, speak about all these kinds
of Void, Bodhisattva-mahasattvas as numerous as the sands of ten Ganges are able to gain
the “bhumi” equal to space. O good man! Abiding in this “bhumi”, nothing hinders the
Bodhisattva-mahasattva in anything; no clinging binds him and no anguish takes hold of his
mind. Hence, we call it the “bhumi” equal to space. O good man! As an illustration, this is as
with space, which does not greedily cling to any lovable colour and does not become angry with
a colour wihich is displeasing. The same with the Bodhisattva-mahasattva who abides in this
“bhumi”. No mind of desire or anger arises towards good or bad colours. O good man! This is
like space, which is vast and great, with nothing to equal it, taking in all things. It is the same
with the Bodhisattva-mahasattva abiding in this “bhumi”. It is vast and great, so that nothing
can bear comparison to it, and it can indeed take in all things. For this reason, we can truly
call it the “bhumi” equal to space. O good man! When the Bodhisattva-mahasattva abides in
this “bhumi”, he can see and know all things. Be it actions, circumstantial factors, the nature
and characteristics [of things], causes, by-causes, the minds of beings, the sense-roots, dhyana,
vehicle, good friends of the Way, upholding of the precepts, or whatever is given - all is seen or
known.
"Also, next, O good man! The Bodhisattva-mahasattva, abiding in this “bhumi”, knows
and yet does not see. How does he know? According to the self-fasting [self-abnegation] doctrine,
one throws one’s own body into deep water, into fire, jumps from a high precipice, always stands
on one leg, bares one’s body and exposes it to heat, always sleeps on ashes, thorns, woven rafters
224 The Mahayana Mapaharinirvana Sutra
[mats], harmful grass, cow dung, and wears coarse hemp clothing, dung-defiled woolen cloth left
in a graveyard, kambala cloth, reindeer or deer skin, fodder clothing; [such fakirs] feed on
vegetables, fruit, lotus roots, oil dregs, cow dung, and roots and fruits. When they go to beg
food, it is only to one house. If the householder says that he has nothing to give them, they
desist. Even if people later call them back, they do not look back. They do not eat salted flesh
or the five varieties of the cow’s products [i.e. fresh milk, cream, fresh butter, clarified butter,
sarpirmanda]. What they consume is dreg-juice and hot water. They uphold shilas [moral
prohibitions] vis-`a-vis cows, hens, dogs, and pheasants. They smear ashes over their bodies,
wear their hair long, worship heaven by sacrificing and killing sheep, first saying a charm.
"For four months they worship fire and for seven days they partake of the wind, offer
hundreds and thousands and billions of flowers to the devas, and all that they desire is to have
their wishes fulfilled. He [the Bodhisattva] knows that all such things can never be the cause of
supreme emancipation. This is knowing. What does he not see? The Bodhisattva-mahasattva
sees that not one person attains true emancipation by such acts. This is not seeing."
"Also, next, O good man! The Bodhisattva-mahasattva both sees and knows. What
does he see? He sees that beings perform twisted practices and unfailingly fall into hell. This
is seeing. What does he know? He knows that all beings come out of hell and gain life as a
human, practise the danaparamita and become perfect in the other paramitas. He knows that
these people unfailingly attain right Enlightenment. This is knowing.
"Also, next, O good man! The Bodhisattva-mahasattva further sees and knows. What
does he see? He sees the Eternal and the non-Eternal, suffering, Bliss, the Pure and the non-Pure,
the Self and the non-Self. This is seeing. What does he know? He knows that all Tathagatas
definitely do not enter Nirvana [i.e. do not truly die and desert the world]. The body of the
Tathagata is adamantine and indestructible. It is not one of defilement. It is also not a body
that emits bad smells and decays. Thus does he know. Also, he knows that all beings possess
the Buddha-Nature. This is knowing.
"Also, next, O good man! The Bodhisattva-mahasattva also knows that the mind of
beings achieves faith. These beings seek Mahayana. He knows that they float down, or float
back, or abide rightly. He knows that beings do gain the other shore. Floating down refers
to common mortals; floating back refers to the shrotapanna up to the pratyekabuddha; rightabiding
refers to all Bodhisattvas, and attaining the other shore to the Tathagata, the Arhat,
the Samyaksambuddha. This is knowing. What does the Bodhisattva see? He abides in the
teaching of the Mahayana Great Nirvana Sutra, practises pure actions, and, with the pure
heavenly [“deva”] eye, sees that all beings commit evil through body, mouth and mind and fall
into the realms of hell, animals, and hungry ghosts. He sees that beings who do good die and are
re-born in the worlds of heaven or humans. There are beings who move from gloom to gloom,
from gloom to light, from light to gloom, and then from light to light. This is seeing.
"Also, next, O good man! The Bodhisattva-mahasattva also knows and sees. He sees
that all beings practise the way of the body, observe shila [morality], and practise the way of the
mind, and that of Wisdom. He sees that a person who does deeds replete with evil in this present
life, or through greed, ill-will and ignorance, harvests karmic returns in hell. He sees a person
practising good in body, upholding shila, cultivating the mind, practising the way of Wisdom,
and being recompensed in this life to some degree and not falling into hell. How can this action
gain rewards in the present life? This comes about when a person confesses all the evils he has
done, repents, and does not commit them any more; when he repents fully, makes offerings to
the Three Treasures, and always reproaches himself. This person, due to his good deeds, does
not fall into hell, but receives in this life karmic returns such as headaches, pain in the eyes,
stomach and back, an untimely death, criticism, slander, lashings, prison or fetters, hunger, and
poverty. He knows that light karmic returns are visited upon a person in this present life. This
is knowing. What does he see? The Bodhisattva-mahasattva sees that a certain person does not
practise the Way in body, shila, mind, and Wisdom, and that that person performs petty bad
Chapter Twenty-Two: On Pure Actions (b) 225
deeds. And all such actions call forth returns in the present life. This person does not confess
his petty bad deeds, does not reproach himself, does not repent, and feels no fear. Such action
increases, and he receives his karmic results in hell. This is seeing.
"Also, there is the case where one knows but does not see. How does one know and not
see? All beings know that they have the Buddha-Nature, but, overshadowed by defilements,
cannot see it. This is knowing but not seeing. Also, there is the situation where one knows
and sees somewhat. The Bodhisattva-mahasattvas of the ten “bhumis” know that all beings
have the Buddha-Nature, but they cannot see it clearly. This is like on a dark night, where
one cannot see clearly. Also, there is both seeing and knowing. This is the situation of the
All-Buddha-Tathagata, where he both sees and knows.
"Also, there are cases in which one sees and knows, and, not seeing, one does not know.
Seeing and knowing refers to what pertains in the world of letters, language, men and women,
vehicles, pots, trays, houses, castles, clothing, eating, drinking, mountains, rivers, gardens,
forests, beings, and life. This is seeing and knowing. What is not seeing and not knowing? This
is all the minute words of the sages themselves, and men and women, and gardens and forests,
in which these do not exist. This is not seeing and not knowing.
"Also, there is a situation in which one knows but does not see. One knows where to
give, where to dedicate [offerings], one who receives, and the fact that results accrue from the
things that have been done. This is knowing. How does one not see? There are cases where
one does [not] see what is given, the place whereto dedication is made, one who is given, and
the results of causality. This is not seeing. The Bodhisattva-mahasattva knows eight types of
knowing. This is what is known by the five eyes of the Tathagata."
Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! What profit does
the Bodhisattva-mahasattva gain from such kinds of knowing?" The Buddha said: "O good
man! The Bodhisattva-mahasattva gains the four unhinderednesses [“catasrah-pratisamvidah”
- analytical knowledges, discriminations] from such knowings, which are unhinderedness in:
1) Dharma [“dharma-pratisamvit”], 2) meaning [“artha-pratisamvit”], 3) language [“niruktipratisamvit”],
and 4) eloquence [“pratibhana-pratisamvit “ - ready wit].
"In the unhindered knowledge of dharmas, one knows all things and their names.
"In the unhindered knowledge of meaning, one knows all about the meaning of things [of
the Dharma], arriving at the meaning by the names established for them.
"In unhindered knowledge of language, one knows the morphological, phonological,
prosodical, and oratorical aspects of words.
"In unhindered knowledge of eloquence, the Bodhisattva-mahasattva has no hindrance
in oratory, and is unmoved. He has no fear, and it is difficult to defeat him. O good man! If the
Bodhisattva thus sees and knows, we may say that he is armed with the four-fold unhindered
knowledge.
"Also, next, O good man! In unhindered knowledge of Dharma, the Bodhisattvamahasattva
knows the dharmas of the sravaka, pratyekabuddha, Bodhisattva, and all Buddhas.
"In unhindered knowledge of the meaning, he knows that, though there are three vehicles,
these enter into one and he sees therein no distinction.
"In unhindered knowledge of language, the Bodhisattva-mahasattva gives varyious names
to a thing. Even in the course of innumerable kalpas, one could not fully name them all. The
sravakas and pratyekabuddhas are not equal to this.
"In unhindered knowledge of eloquence, the Bodhisattva-mahasattva, in the course of
innumerable kalpas, talks about all dharmas to all beings, and his speech is endless in regard to
names and meanings, and all about ideas. Also, next, O good man! By unhindered knowledge
of dharmas is meant that, though the Bodhisattva-mahasattva is versed in all dharmas, he has
no clinging to them.
226 The Mahayana Mapaharinirvana Sutra
"By unhindered knowledge of the meaning is meant that though the Bodhisattvamahasattva
is versed in all meanings, he has no clinging to them.
"By unhindered knowledge of language is meant that though the Bodhisattva-mahasattva
knows the meaning [relevant language], he has no clinging to this.
"Unhindered knowledge of eloquence means that though the Bodhisattva-mahasattva
knows that this eloquence is best, he has no clinging to it. Why? “If one clings, one is not called
a Bodhisattva."
Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! If one does not
cling, one cannot come to know of Dharma. If one knows of Dharma, this is nothing but
clinging. If one does not cling, there can be no knowing. How can the Tathagata say that
one knows Dharma and yet does not cling?" The Buddha said: "O good man! Clinging is not
unhinderedness [unobstructed knowledge]. Where there is no clinging, there is unhinderedness.
O good man! Hence, any Bodhisattva who has any clinging is not one unhindered. If not
unhindered, he is no Bodhisattva. Know that such a person is a common mortal.
"Why do we say that clinging is of the common mortal? All common mortals cling
to matter [“rupa” - body, form] down to consciousness [“vijnana”; the five skandhas are here
meant]. When one clings to matter, this clinging evokes a mind of greed; because of greed, one
gets bound up by matter down to consciousness. Because of such bondage, one cannot escape
from the great suffering of birth, ageing, illness, death, apprehension, and sorrow, nor from all
the [various] kinds of defilement. Hence, due to his clinging, we call a person a common mortal.
For this reason, no common mortal possesses the fourfold unhindered knowledge.
"O good man! The Bodhisattva-mahasattva has already, over innumerable asamkhyas
of kalpas past, seen through the characteristics of all things; through knowing, he knows the
meaning. As he knows the characteristics of all things and the meanings, he does not cling to
matter. The same with consciousness, too. With no clinging, the Bodhisattva does not have
any greed for matter. Nor does he have greed for consciousness. Not having any greed, he is
not bound by matter. Nor is he bound by consciousness. Because he is not bound, he can
indeed become emancipated from birth, age, illness, death, the great sufferings of apprehension
and sorrow, and all the defilements. For this reason, all Bodhisattvas possess the fourfold
unhindered knowledge. O good man! Hence, for the sake of my disciples, I have spoken in the
twelve types of scripture about clinging and spoken of it as being bound by Mara. Without
clinging, one becomes emancipated from Mara’s hands. For example, in worldly life, one who
has committed a sin [crime] gets chained up by the king. A person without sin cannot be taken
prisoner by the king. It is the same with the Bodhisattva-mahasattva. A person possessed
of clinging is bound up by Mara. One with no clinging is not bound up by Mara. Thus, the
Bodhisattva-mahasattva has no clinging.
"Also, next, O good man! We say "unhindered knowledge of Dharma". The Bodhisattvamahasattva
well upholds the words [of Dharma] and does not forget [them]. Upholding is like
[the actions of] the earth, mountains, eyes, clouds, man, and mother. The same is the case with
all things.
"We say "unhindered knowledge of the meaning". Now, the Bodhisattva may know the
names of all things and yet not know the meaning. When one is unhindered in the meaning,
one comes to know of the signification.
"How does one know of the signification? We say "upholding like the earth". This is
analogous to the way in which the earth supports all beings and non-beings. Hence, "earth" is
referred to, to symbolise "support".
"O good man! We say "support of the mountains". The Bodhisattva-mahasattva thinks
thus: "Why do we say that mountains support? The mountains well support the earth and
there is no shaking. Hence, "to support".
"Why do we say that the eye supports? The eye well supports light. Hence, "support".
Chapter Twenty-Two: On Pure Actions (b) 227
"Why do we say that clouds support? Clouds are called the "air of the nagas" [snakebeings,
dragons]. The air of the nagas supports water. Hence, "support".
"Why do we say that man supports? Man well supports Dharma and non-Dharma.
Hence, "support".
"Why do we say that a mother supports? A mother well supports her child. Hence,
"support".
"The Bodhisattva-mahasattva knows well the names and meanings of all things. It is
thus.
"We say "unhindered knowledge of language". The Bodhisattva-mahasattva may use
various idioms [words] to speak about a single meaning. But there is no signification. It is as in
the case of the names of man, woman, house, vehicle, beings, etc. Why is there no signification?
O good man! We say "signification". But this is of the world of Bodhisattvas and all Buddhas.
Idioms [words] belong to the world of common mortals. By knowing the meaning, one gains
unhinderedness in language.
"We say "unhindered knowledge of eloquence". The Bodhisattva-mahasattva knows the
language and the meaning as he goes on talking for a period of innumerable asamkhyas of kalpas.
This is unhinderedness in eloquence.
"O good man! The Bodhisattva, for innumerable, boundless, asamkhyas of kalpas, practises
secular dharmas. By practising, he gains unhinderedness in dharmas.
"Also, for innumerable, boundless asamkhyas of kalpas, he practises the “Paramartha”.
Thus, he gains unhinderedness in meaning.
"Also, for innumerable, boundless asamkhyas of kalpas, he practises the vyakaranas.
Hence, he gains unhinderedness in language.
"Also, for innumerable asamkhyas of kalpas, he practises secular eloquence, and he gains
unhinderedness in eloquence.
"O good man! No one can say that the sravakas and pratyekabuddhas gain this fourfold
unhindered knowledge. O good man! In the nine types of scripture, I say that sravakas and
pratyekabuddhas do possess the fourfold unhindered knowledge. But, truth to tell, no sravakas
or pratyekabuddhas can have any such knowledge. Why not? The Bodhisattva-mahasattva
particularly practises such fourfold unhindered knowledge in order to save beings.
"The pratyekabuddha practises the Way of extinction and seeks a lonely place. With
him, there is no saving of beings, no resorting to miracles; instead, he is silent, without talking,
all day long. How can he have unhindered Wisdom? Why does he sit silently and not teach? He
does not speak about Dharma and enable beings to gain the usmagata, murdana, laukikagradharma,
shrotapanna, sakrdagamin, arhat, pratyekabuddha, or Bodhisattva-mahasattva [level].
He does not cause others to gain unsurpassed Bodhichitta. Why not? O good man! When the
pratyekabuddha appears in the world, there are not the nine types of scripture. Hence, there
can be no unhinderedness in language and eloquence with the pratyekabuddha. O good man!
The pratyekabuddha knows all about Dharmas, but he is not unhindered in Dharma. Why not?
Unhinderedness in Dharma is "knowing the words." The pratyekabuddha knows the words, but
is not blessed with unhinderedness in words. Why not? Because he does not know the two
words, "eternal" and "abiding". That is why the pratyekabuddha cannot gain unhinderedness
in Dharma. He knows of the meaning, but he is not blessed with unhinderedness [of understanding]
in the meaning. If he truly understood the meaning, he would have to know that all beings
possess the Buddha-Nature. The meaning of Buddha-Nature is none other than unsurpassed
Enlightenment. Thus, the pratyekabuddha does not possess unhindered knowledge of meaning.
So, for him there cannot be unhindered Wisdom in all things of the four categories.
"Why does the sravaka not have the fourfold unhindered knowledge? He does not have
the three kinds of best expedient. What are the three? First, using soft [gentle] words, followed
by accepting Dharma; secondly, using harsh words, followed by melting into the teaching;
228 The Mahayana Mapaharinirvana Sutra
thirdly, neither softness nor harshness, followed by the teaching. As the sravaka does not have
these three, he cannot have the fourfold unhindered knowledge. Also, next, the sravaka and
pratyekabuddha, after all, do not know language and meaning. With them, there is no knowing
of the world of unmolested Wisdom; they do not have the ten powers and the four fearlessnesses.
They, after all, cannot cross the great sea of the 12 links of interdependent arising. They do
not know well the differences between beings, as to whether they are sharp-witted or born dull.
They cannot yet eradicate the doubting mind regarding the two phases of truth [relative, worldly
truth, and Absolute, Supramundane Truth]. They do not know the various aspects of beings’
mental activities. They cannot speak well about the All-Void of “Paramartha-satya” [Absolute,
Supramundate Truth]. For this reason, these two vehicles [of pratyekabuddha and sravaka] do
not possess the fourfold unhindered knowledge."
Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! If sravakas and
pratyekabuddhas do not possess the fourfold unhindered knowledge, why, O World-Honoured
One, do we say that Shariputra is the foremost in Wisdom, Mahamaudgalyayana the foremost
in divine powers, and Mahakausthila the foremost in the fourfold unhindered knowledge? If
this is not the case, why do you say so?" Then the World-Honoured One praised Kasyapa and
said: "Well said, well said! O good man! The Ganges, for example, contains an immeasurable
volume of water. The great volume of water of the Indus cannot be known. The water of the
Oxus, too, cannot be known; the volume of water of Lake Anavatapta is also immeasurable. The
water of the great sea is immeasurable. The volume of all this water [together] is immeasurable.
But actually, there can be more or less, their not all being the same. It is the same with the
fourfold unhindered knowledge of sravakas, pratyekabuddhas, and Bodhisattvas. O good man!
We can never say that they are the same. O good man! For the sake of common mortals, I say
that Mahakausthila is the foremost in the fourfold unhindered knowledge. What you ask about
stands thus. O good man! Amongst the sravakas, there may be one who has one of the four
unhindered kinds of knowledge, or one who has two. But there is no case where a sravaka has
the four."
Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! You spoke above in this chapter
on pure actions about the fourfold unhindered knowing and seeing, and you say that in the
knowing and seeing of the Bodhisattva, there is nothing that is gained and his mind has nothing
that is not gained. O World-Honoured One! Now, this Bodhisattva-mahasattva has, truth to
tell, nothing to gain. If there is still something to be gained in his mind, he is not a Bodhisattva;
he is a common mortal. How can the Tathagata say that the Bodhisattva still has something
to gain?" The Buddha said: "O good man! Well said, well said! You again ask that of which
I desire to speak. O good man! The Bodhisattva-mahasattva has nothing to gain. Having
nothing to gain is the fourfold unhindered knowledge. O good man! Why is having nothing
to gain unhinderedness? If there is something still to be gained, this is a hindrance. A person
who has a hindrance is one who has the four inversions [distorted views]. O good man! As the
Bodhisattva-mahasattva does not have the four inversions, he has unhinderedness. Hence, we
say that the Bodhisattva is a person who has nothing more to gain.
"Also, next, O good man! This ungainedness is Wisdom. As the Bodhisattva-mahasattva
gains this Wisdom, we say that he has ungainedness. Still having something to gain means
ignorance. When the Bodhisattva has eternally dispelled the gloom of ignorance, he has nothing
more to gain. Hence, we say that the Bodhisattva is a person who has nothing more to gain.
"Also, next, O good man! Having nothing more to gain is Great Nirvana. Abiding in
peace in this Great Nirvana, the Bodhisattva-mahasattva sees no nature, no characteristics in
any thing. Hence, we say that the Bodhisattva has nothing more to gain.
"Having [the need] to possess means the 25 existences. The Bodhisattva has long segregated
himself from the 25 existences and attained Great Nirvana. Thus, we say that the
Bodhisattva has nothing more to gain hold of.
Chapter Twenty-Two: On Pure Actions (b) 229
"Also, next, O good man! Not having to possess means Mahayana. The Bodhisattvamahasattva
does not abide in any dharma. Hence, he gains Mahayana. So, we say that the
Bodhisattva has nothing more to gain.
"The need to possess is the path of the sravaka and pratyekabudda. The Bodhisattva has
segregated himself from the paths of the two vehicles. Hence, he gains the Buddha-Way. So, we
say that the Bodhisattva has nothing more to gain.
"Also, next, O good man! Having no need to possess anything is the vaipulya sutra.
When the Bodhisattva recites such a sutra, he gains Great Nirvana. Hence, we say that the
Bodhisattva has nothing more to gain. The need to possess is the 11 types of scripture. The
Bodhisattva does not practise [these]; he exclusively expounds the Mahayana vaipulya sutras.
So, we say that the Bodhisattva does not need to gain anything.
"Also, next, O good man! Not having to gain anything is Emptiness [“shunyata”]. In
the world, when there is nothing there, we say empty. The Bodhisattva attains this Emptiness
samadhi [meditative state]. Because there is nothing to see. Hence, we say that the Bodhisattva
has nothing to gain.
"The need to possess is the wheel of birth and death. As all common mortals repeat
birth and death, they have things to see. The Bodhisattva has long segregated himself from all
births and deaths. Hence, we say that the Bodhisattva has nothing more to gain.
"Also, next, O good man! Not to possess is the Eternal, Bliss, Self, and the Pure. When
the Bodhisattva-mahasattva sees the Buddha-Nature, he gains the Eternal, Bliss, Self, and the
Pure. Hence, we say that the Bodhisattva has nothing to gain.
"Having something to gain is the non-Eternal, non-Bliss, non-Self, and the non-Pure.
Hence, we say that the Bodhisattva is a person who has nothing to gain.
"Also, next, O good man! That there is nothing to gain is the All-Void of “Paramarthasatya”
[Ultimate Truth]. When the Bodhisattva-mahasattva meditates on the All-Void of
“Paramartha-satya”, he sees nothing. Hence, we say that the Bodhisattva is a person who
has nothing to gain."
"That one still has something to gain equates with the five distorted views [“pancadrstayah”].
As the Bodhisattva has eternally segregated himself from the five distorted views,
he gains the All-Void of “Paramartha-satya”. Hence, we say that the Bodhisattva has nothing
more to gain.
"Also, next, O good man! That there is nothing more to be gained, this is unsurpassed
Bodhi [Enlightenment]. When the Bodhisattva-mahasattva gains unsurpassed Bodhi, there is
nothing more to see. Hence, we say that the Bodhisattva has nothing more to gain.
"What still has more to be gained is the Enlightenment of the sravaka and pratyekabuddha.
The Bodhisattva is eternally away from the Enlightenment of the two vehicles. Hence, we
say that the Bodhisattva has nothing more to gain.
"O good man! What you ask about has nothing more to gain. What I say, also has
nothing more to gain. Any person who says that there is still a thing to be gained is one of
Mara’s kindred and not my disciple."
Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! As you expound to me the
ungainedness of Enlightenment [i.e. that it is not a separate thing that can be grasped hold
of], an innumerable number of beings cut themselves away from the mind that has an image
of existence. Hence, I particularly ask of you to explain to me what has nothing more to be
gained, and to enable innumerable beings to segregate themselves from Mara’s clan and become
the Buddha’s disciples."
Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "O World-Honoured One! You said before in
a gatha, for Cunda’s sake:
"What originally was is now no longer;
230 The Mahayana Mapaharinirvana Sutra
What originally was not, now is.
There can be no such thing as "is" pertaining
In the Three Times [of past, present, and future]."
"O World-Honoured One! What might this mean?" The Buddha said: "O good man! As
I desire to teach all beings, I say this. I also say this for the sake of sravakas and pratyekabuddhas.
Also, I say this to the Prince of Dharma, Manjushri. It is not the case that I said this to Cunda
alone. At that time, Manjushri wished to put a question to me. Fathoming [reading] his mind,
I spoke thus. When I spoke thus, Manjushri understood."
Bodhisattva Kasyapa said: "O World-Honoured One! How many persons could there be
of the class of Manjushri, who could thus gain the point? Please, O Tathagata, for the sake of
all beings, explain expansively once again." "O good man! Listen carefully, listen carefully! I
shall now explain it again in detail especially for you. I said "originally was not". There was
originally no prajnaparamita. As there was no prajnaparamita, there are now so many bonds
of defilement. If any sramana, Brahmin, deva, Mara, Brahma, or human were to say: "The
Tathagata had defilement in the past, has defilement in the present or will have defilement in
the future", this is not so.
"Also, next, O good man! I said "originally was". In days gone by I had a body gained
through the union of father and mother. And in consequence, I do not now have an adamantine
Dharma-Body [i.e. if the Buddha as Buddha had ever been produced by parents like an ordinary,
mortal being, he would not now be able to have an adamantine Dharma-Body. Precise meaning
not clear here and in the following]. "I said: "originally was not". I did not have the 32 signs
of perfection and the 80 minor marks of excellence. As I did not have the 32 signs of perfection
and the 80 minor marks of excellence, I now have the 404 illnesses. If any sramana, Brahmin,
deva, Brahma, or human says: ’The Tathagata has had, all the way through past, present and
future, the suffering of illness’, this is not so."
"Also, next, O good man! I said: "originally was". I once had the non-Eternal, non-Bliss,
non-Self, and the non-Pure. As I had the non-Eternal, non-Bliss, non-Self, and the non-Pure,
there is now no unsurpassed Enlightenment.
"I said: "originally was not". I did not see the Buddha-Nature. Not seeing it, there are
the non-Eternal, non-Bliss, non-Self, and the non-Pure. If any sramana, Brahmin, deva, Mara,
Brahma, or human says: "The Tathagata does not, throughout all the past, present and future,
possess the Eternal, Bliss, Self, and the Pure", such can never be [i.e. this is an utterly untrue
statement].
"Also, next, O good man! I said: "originally was". Common mortals might have the
idea of practising penance and say that one [thus] arrives at unsurpassed Enlightenment. For
this reason, one cannot now crush out the four Maras.
"I said: "originally was not". That is to say that there were originally no six paramitas.
Not having the six paramitas, the common mortal has the thought of practising penance and
says that he can attain unsurpassed Enlightenment. A sramana, Brahmin, deva, Mara, Brahma,
or human might say: "The Tathagata, all through the past, future and present, did penance."
But such can never be [stated].
"Also, next, O good man! I said: "originally was". I had in the past a body sustained
by various kinds of food. As I had a body supported by various kinds of food, I cannot have
a boundless body now. "Originally was not" says that there were not the 37 factors assisting
towards Enlightenment. As there were not the 37 factors assisting towards Enlightenment,
there is now the body supported by various kinds of food. Some sramana, Brahmin, deva,
Mara, Brahma, or human might say: "The Tathagata, all through the past, future, and present,
has a food-supported body." But such can never be [truly stated].
"Also, next, O good man! I said: "originally was", meaning that I originally had a mind
that clung to all things. So, there cannot now be any samadhi of the ultimate Void.
Chapter Twenty-Two: On Pure Actions (b) 231
"I said: "originally was not", meaning that I did not originally have the true meaning
of the Middle Path. And as I did not have the true meaning of the Middle Path, I now have
clinging to all things. If any sramana, Brahmin, deva, Mara, Brahma, or human says: "The
Tathagata, all through past, future and present, has a body that has [samsarically] existed",
this is not so.
"Also, next, O good man! I said: "originally was". When I first attained this unsurpassed
Enlightenment, there were dull-headed sravaka disciples. As I had dull-headed sravaka disciples,
I could not speak about the truth of the one vehicle.
"I said: "originally was not". There was no sharp-witted elephant king such as Bodhisattva
Kasyapa. As there was none sharp-witted like Kasyapa, I resorted to the expedient
of the three vehicles, which I enlarged upon. If any sramana, Brahmin, deva, Mara, Brahma,
or human says: "The Tathagata has, all through the past, future, and present, preached the
Dharma of the three vehicles", this is not so.
"Also, next, O good man! I said: "originally was". I formerly said: "In three months’
time, I shall enter Parinirvana between the sal trees." That is why I cannot now preach the
doctrine of the great vaipulya sutra, “Mahaparinirvana”.
"I said: "originally was not", meaning that there were no such great Bodhisattvas as
Manjushri and the others. As there were not, we now say: "The Tathagata is non-eternal." If
any sramana, Brahmin, deva, Mara, Brahma, or human says: "The Tathagata, all through the
past, future and present, is non-eternal", this is not true.
"O good man! Although the Tathagata knows all things he says that he does not know,
because of all beings. He sees all things. But he says that he does not so see. Speaking about
what has form, he says formless; speaking about things that have no form, he say that there are
forms [there]. Speaking about what has form, he says "formless". The same applies to the Self,
Bliss, and the Pure. Speaking about the three vehicles, he say one vehicle, speaking about one
vehicle, he says, as the case may be [according to the situation], three vehicles. He says that
an abbreviated form is one that is full, and a full one abbreviated. He says that the four grave
offences are the sthulatyayas, and the sthulatyayas are the four grave offences. He says that
transgression is non-infringement, and that non-infringement is an infringement. He says that a
venial sin is grave, and a grave sin venial. Why so? Because the Tathagata sees the root of beings’
abilities. O good man! The Tathagata speaks thus, but nothing is wrong at bottom. Why not?
Whatever is false constitutes sin. The Tathagata is totally segregated from sin. How could he
say anything false? O good man! Although the Tathagata does not resort to falsehood, he will
do so as an expedient and as it serves the occasion when he sees that all beings gain the benefit
of Dharma. O good man! To the Tathagata, all worldly truths are “Paramartha-satya”. And
he also enables beings to attain “Paramartha-satya”. If all beings did not attain “Paramarthasatya”,
all Buddhas, to the end, would not speak of worldly truth. O good man! When the
Tathagata at times speaks of worldly truth, beings say that the Tathagata is speaking about
“Paramartha-satya”. When he at times speaks about “Paramartha-satya, “beings say that the
Buddha is speaking about worldly truth. All of this comes from the deepest depths of the world
of all Buddhas. This is not something that can be understood by sravakas and pratyekabuddhas.
O good man! For this reason, do not hastily contest and say that the Bodhisattva-mahasattva
possesses nothing. The Bodhisattva always abides in “Paramartha-satya”. How could anyone
criticise him and say that he has nothing?"
Kasyapa said: "O World-Honoured One! You say that “Paramartha-satya” is the Way,
Enlightenment, and Nirvana. If we say that the Bodhisattva possesses the Way, Enlightenment,
and Nirvana, this is nothing other than the non-Eternal. Why? If Dharma is eternal, one
cannot gain it. It is like space. Who can gain it? O World-Honoured One! In worldly life, what
originaly was not, but is now, is called the non-Eternal. The same with the Way. If the Way
can be gained, this is nothing but the non-Eternal. If Dharma is the Eternal, there can be no
232 The Mahayana Mapaharinirvana Sutra
gaining of anything, no arising, as in the case of the Buddha-Nature, which knows no gaining
and no arising. O good man! Now, the Way is non-matter, not non-matter, not long, not short,
not high, not low, not arising, not extinction, not red, not white, not blue, not yellow, not "is",
not "is-not". How could the Tathagata speak of it as "what can be gained"? The same applies
to Enlightenment and Nirvana."
The Buddha said: "It is thus, it is thus. O good man! There are two kinds of Way.
One is eternal, and the other non-eternal. Enlightenment, too, is of two kinds. One is eternal,
and the other non-eternal. The same applies to Nirvana, too. What the tirthikas say regarding
the Way relates to the non-eternal; what is said within Buddhism relates to the Eternal. The
Enlightenment of the sravaka and pratyekabuddha relates to the non-eternal. The Enlightenment
of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas is the Eternal. The emancipation of the tirthikas is non-eternal,
and that of the Buddhist is eternal. O good man! The Way, Enlightenment, and Nirvana are all
eternal. All beings are always overshadowed by innumerable defilements, and as they lack the
eye of Wisdom, they cannot see. But in order to see, all beings practise shila [morality], samadhi
[meditative absorption], and Wisdom. By practising these, they see the Way, Enlightenment,
and Nirvana. The nature and characteristics of the Way do not suffer from birth and death.
Hence, it is hard to grasp.
"O good man! With the Way, there is no colour or form to be seen, nor any weight to be
known. Yet there is its function. O good man! A being’s mind is not long, not short, not coarse,
not minute, not bound nor unbound, nor is it anything visible, but it still appears as though
it were visible. Hence, I said to Sudatta: "O rich man! Make the mind the king of the castle.
If the mind is not guarded, the body and mouth will not be guarded. If the mind is guarded,
the body and mouth, too, will be guarded. When the body and mouth are not well guarded,
all beings fall into the three unfortunate realms. If beings guard their body and mouth well,
they can attain the Nirvana of humans and gods. "Gaining" speaks of truth. "Not gaining"
speaks of non-truth." O good man! It is the same with the Way, Enlightenment, and Nirvana.
There can be the "is" and the Eternal. If there were [only] the "not-is", how could there be a
cutting away of all defilements? Because of the "is", all Bodhisattvas are able to see clearly and
to know.
"O good man! There are two kinds of seeing. One is seeing by outer signs [indications],
and the other by fathoming. What is seeing by outer signs? It is like seeing fire from afar, when
one sees the smoke. Actually, one does not see the fire. Though one does not see it, nothing is
false [here]. We see a crane in the sky, and say that we see water. Though we do not see water,
this is not false. We see the flower and the leaf, and we say that we see the root. Though we do
not see the root, this is not false. We see a cow’s horns far off through the hedges, and we say
that we can see a cow. Though we do not see the cow, this is nevertheless not false. We see a
pregnant woman and say that we see carnal desire. We do not [actually] see carnal desire, but
this is not false. Also, we see the fresh leaves of a tree and say that we see water. Though we
do not [actually] see it, this is not false. We see a cloud, and we say that we see rain. Though
the rain [itself] is not seen, this is not false. Seeing the actions of the body and mouth, we say
that we see the mind. The mind is not seen, but this is not false. This is seeing by outer signs.
"What is seeing by fathoming? It is like seeing the colour of the eye. O good man! A
man’s eye is pure and does not get broken [damaged by looking]. It is like seeing a mango
held in one’s own palm. The same is the case where the Bodhisattva clearly sees the Way,
Enlightenment, and Nirvana. Though he sees thus, there are no characteristics to be seen. For
this reason, in days past I said to Shariputra: "O Shariputra! The Tathagata alone knows, sees
and realises all that the world, such as sramanas, Brahmins, devas, Maras, Brahmas, or humans,
do not see and realise. It is the same with the Bodhisattvas. O Shariputra! What all the world
knows, sees and realises, I and the Bodhisattvas also know, see and realise. What the world and
beings do not know, see and realise, is also known, seen and realised [by the Buddha and the
Bodhisattvas]. It must be thus. The world and beings know, see and realise, and they say that
Chapter Twenty-Two: On Pure Actions (b) 233
they know, see and realise. O Shariputra! The Tathagata knows, sees and realises all, yet he
does not say that he knows, sees and realises. So do things also obtain with the Bodhisattvas.
Why? If the Tathagata shows that he knows, sees and realises, he is no Buddha-World-Honoured
One. He is a common mortal. It is the same with the Bodhisattva, too."