Chapter 37: On Bodhisattva Lion’s Roar (e)

422 The Mahayana Mapaharinirvana Sutra

Chapter Thirty-Seven: On Bodhisattva Lion’s Roar (e) 423

Chapter Thirty-Seven:

On Bodhisattva Lion’s Roar (e)

Then the six masters became jealous and all gathered at the place of King Prasenajit and said:

"O great King! Your land is clean and quiet all around and is really the place where renunciate

people can live well. Because of this, we have all come here. O great King! Do away, with

right law, what is not conducive to the good of the people. Sramana Gautama is still young and

unripe [immature]. Having not yet learned much, he has nothing to give. Now, in this country

live many elders and virtuous persons, who, boasting of the Kshatriya caste, do not know how

to pay homage. The king must govern the land through law; the world-fleeing [i.e. religious

seekers, mendicants] must look up to virtue. Listen well, O great King! Sramana Gautama is

not one truly of a Kshatriya family. If Sramana Gautama has any parents, why does he have

to take away others’ parents? O great King! It is stated in our sutras that in 1,000 years

there will appear a phantom or apparition. The so-called sramana Gautama is this. On this

account, know well that the sramana is none other than this Gautama. Because of this, know

that Sramana Gautama has no father and no mother. If he has, how can he say: "All things are

non-eternal, suffering, void; and all have no self, no doing, no feeling?" Through occult powers,

he leads beings astray. The ignorant believe, and the wise reject. O great King! The king is

the parent to the land. He is, as it were, like the earth, wind, fire, way, river, bridge, lamp, sun,

and moon. Through law, he dispenses justice. There cannot be any enemy or friend. Sramana

Gautama permits no life. Where we go, he follows, and does not leave us. O great King! Allow

us to compete in our powers of attainment. Should he win, we will become his disciples. If we

win, he shall come under us." The king said: "O great ones! You each have your own way of

practice, and you live in different places. I definitely know that the Tathagata-World-Honoured

One does not cause you any hindrance." The six masters replied: "How is he not a hindrance to

us? Sramana Gautama works miracles, leading all the people and Brahmins astray. He now has

no more to subdue. If you, King, allow us to compete in miracles, the King’s good reputation

will spread to all quarters. If not, evil fame will circulate abroad." The king said: "O great

ones! You do not realise how superior the power of the Way of the Tathagata is. So, you seek

to compete [with him]. I am sure that you will fail." "O great King! Have you already been

spellbound by Gautama? Pray, O King, think well and do not belittle us. The best thing is

actually to put the matter to the test." The king said: "Well said, well said!" The six masters

were pleased and went on their way.

"Then, King Prasenajit came to me, touched the ground, walked around me three times,

drew back, sat to one side, and said to me: "O World-Honoured One! The six masters came

to me to seek permission to compete with you in the power of the Way. I carelessly gave

permission." I said: "It is well, it is well! Only, erect many viharas in the land. Why? If I

compete with them, there will be so many of them who will have to come over to our side that

there will not be any place to accommodate them, as this place is rather too small and confined

to hold them all." O good man! I, at that time, displayed a great many miracles, for the good

of the six masters, from the first to the fifteenth day. Then, an innumerable number of beings

gained faith in the Three Treasures and had no doubt. The number of followers of the six masters

who did away with distorted minds and took refuge in Wonderful Dharma was countless. An

innumerable number of people gained the unretrogressive Bodhi Mind. An innumerable number

of people gained dharanis and samadhi. An innumerable number of beings attained the fruition

of arhatship, rising up from [the level of] srotapanna.

"Then, the six masters repented [felt downcast] and together they went to Saketa and

made people believe in twisted ways of life. They said: "Sramana Gautama teaches what is

empty." O good man! I, at that time, was in Trayastrimsa Heaven and was living the life of

varsika under the shade of the Parijata Tree, delivering a sermon to my mother. Then, the

six masters were greatly pleased and said: "Oh good! The miracles of Gautama have ceased!"

Also, [due to their] teaching an innumerable number of beings, wrong views on life increased and

424 The Mahayana Mapaharinirvana Sutra

spread. Then, Bimbisara, Prasenajit, and the four classes of the Sangha said to Maudgalyayana:

"O virtuous one! Twisted views fill this Jambudvipa. The people are miserable who must be

wending their way towards great gloom. Please, O you virtuous one! Go to Heaven, fall upon

the ground, pay homage and convey our words to the World-Honoured One: [Just as the newlyborn

calf will surely die if milk is not given, so do things stand with us beings. Have pity on us

beings, O Tathagata, and come back down to us]." Then, Maudgalyayana answered their prayer

and as swiftly as a strong man can bend and stretch out his arm, he came up to Heaven and

said to me, the Buddha: "All the four classes of the Buddhist Sangha look up to the Tathagata

and desire to hear directly from you a sermon on Dharma. Bimbisara, Prasenajit, and the four

classes of the Sangha are all falling to the ground, paying homage, and saying: "The beings

of this Jambudvipa are twisted in their views, and this is increasing all the more. They are

walking in great gloom. This is a great pity. This is similar to a new-born calf who is sure to

die if no milk is given [him]. It is the same with us. For the sake of all us beings, condescend,

O Tathagata, to come down to Jambudvipa and live." I, the Buddha, said to Maudgalyayana:

"Hurry to Jambudvipa and tell all the kings and the four classes of people of the Buddhist

Sangha that in seven days I shall be back. For the good of the six masters, I shall come to

Saketa."

"Seven days later, I, the Buddha, surrounded by Sakrodevendra, Brahma, Mara, and an

innumerable number of heavenly beings and all the heavenly ones who were gathered together

in Suddhavasa Heaven, came to the castle of Saketa and let out a lion’s roar, declaring: "Only

in my Doctrine can there be sramanas and Brahmins. All things are non-eternal and with no

self. Nirvana is quiet and is removed from wrongs and worries. In other teachings, people

may say that they have sramanas and Brahmins and that these are the Eternal, the Self, and

Nirvana. But such can never be." Then, innnumerable, boundless numbers of people aspired

to unsurpassed Enlightenment. Then, the six masters said to one another: "If there are no

sramanas and Brahmins in other teachings, how can we expect dana from the world at large?"

Then the six masters met and went to Vaisali. O good man! I, at that time, was staying in a

mango grove. Then, Amrapali, seeing that I was there, wished to come and see me. I then spoke

to all the bhiksus: "Meditate on what there is to think about [“smrtyupasthana”, mindfulness]

and cultivate Wisdom. As you cultivate this, do not lose yourselves in indolence." What do we

mean by meditating on what is to think about? A bhiksu meditates on his own body and does

not see there the Self or what the Self possesses; also, he meditates on the bodies of others and

also his own and others, and he does not see the Self or what the Self possesses; this can even

extend to what obtains with the mental functions. This is the application of mindfulness, of

awareness.

"What do we mean by cultivating Wisdom? A bhiksu truly sees suffering, the cause of

suffering, [its] extinction, and the Way to [its] extinction. This is cultivating Wisdom.

"What is not being indolent? A bhiksu meditates on the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha,

the moral precepts, equanimity, and heaven. This is where we say that a bhiksu is not indolent

in his mind.

"Amrapali came to me, fell to the ground, walked around me three times from right to

left, paid homage, stepped back, and sat down to one side. O good man! To her I spoke of

Dharma. Having heard [this], she aspired to unsurpassed Bodhi.

"At that time, there were in that castle 500 sons of the Licchavis. They came to me, fell

to the ground, and walked around me from right to left. Having paid homage, they stepped back

and seated themselves to one side. I then, for the sake of the Licchavis, spoke about Dharma:

"O all of you good men! Those who are indolent contract the five karmic fruitions. What are the

five? 1) one is unable freely to gain wealth; 2) evil reputation runs apace [spreads around]; 3)

one does not desire to give to the poverty-stricken people; 4) one does not desire to see the four

classes of people of the Sangha, and 5) one cannot gain the body of a deva. O all you good men!

By non-indolence there comes about the worldly and the supramundane law. One who desires

Chapter Thirty-Seven: On Bodhisattva Lion’s Roar (e) 425

to gain unsurpassed Bodhi must practise non-indolence. Now, there are 13 things that come

about as a result [of indolence]. What are the 13? They are: 1) one takes pleasure in doing what

is worldly, 2) one takes pleasure in speaking useless words, 3) one takes pleasure in sleeping for

a long time, 4) one takes pleasure in speaking about secular things, 5) one always takes pleasure

in making friends with evil persons, 6) one is indolent and lazy, 7) one is always belittled by

others, 8) one hears, but soon forgets, 9) one takes pleasure in living in far-off [provincial] places,

10), one is unable to subdue all one’s sense-organs, 11) one cannot get enough food, 12) one does

not desire quietude, 13) one’s view is not correct. These are the 13." O good man! A person

may well come near to the Buddha and his disciples. Yet there is [still] a great distance. All the

Licchavis said: "We know that we are indolent. Why? If we were not indolent, the Tathagata,

the King of Dharma, would have to appear among us."

"Then, among the congregated, there was the son of a Brahmin called Unsurpassed, who

said to all the Licchavis: "Well said, well said! All is as you say. King Bimbisara once gained

a great victory. The Tathagata-World-Honoured-One appears in his land. This is like the case

of a great pond in which wonderful lotuses grow. Although born in the water, the water cannot

defile them, O you Licchavis! It is the same with the Buddha. Although born in that land, he is

not hindered by what obtains in the secular world. With the All-Buddha-World-Honoured One,

there is no appearing and disappearing. For the good of all beings, he appears in the world,

and is not molested by what obtains in the world. You have lost your way, have got lost in the

five desires, you have befriended these, but you do not know how to befriend the Tathagata and

come to where he is. So we say indolent. When the Buddha appears in Magadha, there is no

indolence to speak of. Why not? The Tathagata-World-Honoured One is like the sun and moon.

He does not appear in the world just for one or two people." When the Licchavis had heard

this, they aspired to unsurpassed Bodhi. Also, they said: "Well said, well said, O you young,

unsurpassed boy! You truly say something wonderful." Then, each of the Licchavis took off his

clothing and gave it to the Unsurpassed one. Receiving these, he gave them all to me and said:

"O World-Honoured One! I have all these from the Licchavis. I pray that you, the Tathagata,

will take pity on all beings and accept what I now desire to offer up to you." Taking pity, I then

accepted them. All the Licchavis folded their hands and said: "Please summon the varsika here

once and accept what we offer." I then accepted the invitation of the Licchavis.

"Then the six masters, on hearing this, all went to Varanasi. Then I, too, went to Varanasi

and stayed on the banks of the river Varana. At that time, there was a rich man in Varanasi

called Treasure-Praising who had abandoned himself to the five desires and was unaware of

impermanence. As I was going there, he spontaneously gained the "white-bone meditation"

and saw all such as the palatial buildings, male and female servants, turn into white bones. He

shook with fear. This was as sharp as a sword, a viper, a robber, or fire. He came out of his

house and came to me. As he walked, he said: "O Sramana Gautama! I feel as if I am being

pursued by robbers; I am greatly frightened. Please help me!"

"I said: "O good man! Peaceful are the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, and there is

nothing to fear." The son of the rich man said: "If there is nothing to fear in the Three

Treasures, I too shall gain fearlessness." I allowed him to renounce domestic life and to get

ordained, so that he could well attain the Way. At that time, the son of the rich man had 50

friends. On hearing that Treasure-Praising had forsaken the domestic life and become ordained,

they obediently entered the Path together.

"The six masters heard of this and moved on to Campa. At that time, the people of

Campa were all followers of the six masters and had not yet heard of the Buddha, Dharma, and

Sangha. And there were many of them who did evil. I then, for their sake, went to Campa. At

that time, a rich man, who had no son to succeed him, lived in the castle. Following the six

masters, he sought a son. Not long after that, his wife became pregnant. The rich man, on being

told of this fact, went to the six masters and spoke of it, greatly pleased: "My wife will bear a

child. Is it a boy or girl?" The six masters answered: "It will surely be a girl." On hearing this,

426 The Mahayana Mapaharinirvana Sutra

the man was sad. Then a wise man came to him and said: "Why are you worried?" The rich

man said: "My wife will bear a child. I did not know if the child to be born would be a boy

or girl. So I asked the six masters, who said: "If what I see is true, the child must be a girl."

Hearing this, I thought to myself: "I am old and am unspeakably rich. If the child is not a boy,

I will have no one to give my wealth to." That is why I am worried."The wise man said: "You

are dull-witted. Do you not know whose disciples the brothers Uruvilvakasyapas are? Are they

the disciples of the Buddha or of the six masters? If the six masters are omniscient, why should

the Kasyapas abandon them and become the disciples of the Buddha? Also, are not Sariputra,

Maudgalyayana, all the kings, Bimbisara, and all the royal consorts and Mallika, and all the

rich men of all states like Sudatta, the disciples of the Buddha? Were not all the demons of the

wildernesses, the intoxicated elephant, whose duty it was to guard the property of Ajatasatru,

and Angulimalya, who - gripped by an evil [state of] mind - meant to harm his own mother, not

all subdued by the Tathagata? O rich man! The Tathagata-World-Honoured One is unimpeded

in Wisdom. That is why we say "Buddha". There is no double-tongue in what he says. Hence,

Tathagata. As he is cut off from defilement, he is called "arhat". The World-Honoured One

does not speak in two ways. It is otherwise with the six masters. How can we believe them?

The Tathagata is staying close by here. If you desire to know, go and see the Buddha." Then,

the rich man came to me with this man. He prostrated himself before me, circumambulated

me three times from right to left, folded his hands, and said: "O World-Honoured One! To all

beings you are all-equal and are not two. Enemy and friend are one in your eyes. I am chained

by desire, and enemy and friend cannot be one to me. I now wish to ask the Tathagata about

something worldly. Shame takes hold of me, and I cannot speak out. O World-Honoured One!

My wife will bear a child. The six masters say: "The child is a female." What will it be?" I,

the Buddha, said: "O rich man! You wife will bear a child. It will be a son. There is no doubt

about this. When he is born, he will be fully blessed with virtue." The rich man, on hearing

this, was very happy and went back home. Then, the six masters, hearing the prophesy that

the child would be male and would be full of virtue, became jealous. They made up a poison

mixed in with mango and took it to the rich man, saying: "It is well and good that Gautama

saw things well. Give this to your wife in the month of her parturition. If she takes this, her

child will be fair and right-set [well formed], and your wife will have no trouble." The rich man

received the poisoned medicine and was pleased and gave it to his wife. On taking this, his wife

died. The six masters were glad and went round the castle, saying aloud: "Sramana Gautama

said that the woman would give birth to a boy and that the child would be superb in virtue. The

child is not yet born, but the mother is dead." Then, the rich man came to me and mistrusted

me. Following the way of the people, the man put the corpse in a coffin and carried it out of

the castle and covered it with dry fuel. Then it was set fire to and cremated. I saw this with

the eye of the Way and looked back to Ananda and said: "Bring my robe! I will go there and

destroy the twisted views." Then, Deva Vaisravana said to the general, Manibhadra: "Now, the

Tathagata intends to go to the graveyard. Go quickly, sweep the place, position the lion’s-seat

[“simhasana”], fetch wonderful flowers and adorn the place." Then, the six masters, seeing me

from afar, went to the graveyard and said: "Does Gautama desire to devour the flesh?" At that

time, there were many upasakas [lay Buddhists] who had no Dharma-Eye. Frightened, they said

to me: "The woman is already dead. Please do not go!" Then, Ananda said to them: "Wait

a while. Before long, the Tathagata will manifest the world of all Buddhas." I then went and

seated myself upon the lion’s-seat. The rich man reproached me: "What is said must not be two.

Such a person is the World-Honoured One. The mother has already died. How can there be any

child?" I said: "O rich man! At the time, you made no matter of the life-span of your wife. Your

concern was whether the child to come would be male or female. The All-Buddha-Tathagata is

not double-tongued. Know, therefore, that you will surely get your child." Then, the mother’s

belly broken open by the fire and a child emerged, and sat amid the fire. It was as when the

mandarin duck sits on the lotus seat. The six masters saw this and said: "This is miraculous,

O Gautama! You surely perform magic." The rich man saw and was glad. He reproached the

Chapter Thirty-Seven: On Bodhisattva Lion’s Roar (e) 427

six masters: "If magic, why do you not do it yourself?" I then said to Jivaka: "Enter the fire

and fetch the child out!" Jivaka wanted to go, [but] the six masters came forward and said to

Jivaka: "What miracles Sramana Gautama performs cannot always be so successful. There will

be successes and failures. When it does not succeed, you will have to [suffer] harm yourself.

How can you believe in his word?" Jivaka answered: "The Tathagata enables me to enter Avichi

Hell. The fire cannot burn me. How could it [burn me] when it merely concerns the fire of the

world?" Then Jivaka stepped forward into the fire. It was as if he were entering the cool water

of a great river. Holding the child, he came back and handed it over to me. I then took the

child and said to the rich man: "The life-span of all beings is not fixed. It is like water-foam.

If beings are to harvest serious karmic fruition, fire cannot burn nor poison kill them. It is the

karma of this child, not mine." Then the rich man said: "Well said, O World-Honoured One!

If this child can live, please, O Tathagata, give the child a name!" The Buddha said: "This

child of the rich man is born of fire. Fire is "judai". So this child is to be called Judai." Thus,

those who were congregated there saw this miracle, and innumerable were those who aspired to

unsurpassed Bodhi.

"Then, the six masters went round the six castle-towns and yet could not win the minds

of the people of those places. Ashamed and with lowered heads, they came here to Kusinagara.

Arriving here, they said: "Know, O all you people! Sramana Gautama is a great magician.

He cheats the world, going here and there all over the six castles. For example, he is like a

magician who conjures up the four military units of charioteers, horsemen, elephant-riders, and

infantrymen. Also, he calls forth such things as various necklaces, castles, palaces, rivers, ponds

and trees. That is how things are with Sramana Gautama. He presents himself as a king. For

the purpose of sermons, he becomes a sramana, a Brahmin, a male, a female, a small body, a

big body, or an animal, or demon. Or, at one time he speaks of impermanence, and at another

of Permanence. At one time he speaks of suffering, at another of Bliss. At one time he speaks

of the Self, and at another of selflessness. Or he speaks of Purity, and at another time of

impurity. At one time, he speaks of "is", and at another, he speaks of "not-is". As whatever

is done is false, we say "phantom". For example, by the son and following the son, a person

gains fruition. So do things obtain with Sramana Gautama. He has come from Maya, who is a

phantom. He cannot be other than such a son. Gautama has no true knowledge. All Brahmins

practise penance and uphold the precepts year after year. And yet they say they have no true

knowledge. And Gautama is young and is less in learning and has not yet practised penance.

How can it be that there is true knowing [here]? Even seven years of penance are not enough

to call forth much results. As against this, it is even less than six years. The ignorant with no

wisdom believe in his teaching. This is like the case of a great magician who greatly cheats the

ignorant. It is the same with Sramana Gautama." O good man! Thus the six masters spread

many false words amongst the people of this castle-town. O good man! Seeing this, I took pity,

and with my miraculous powers I called in all the Bodhisattvas of the ten directions into this

forest, who filled the place and surrounded me in an area 50 yojanas in extent, and I here gave

forth a lion’s roar. O good man! When speaking in a place where there is no one to hear, we

do not say "lion’s roar". When speaking in a congregation of the learned, we truly can say

"lion’s roar". That is to say that all things are non-eternal, suffering, non-Self, and non-Pure,

and that only the Tathagata is the Eternal, Bliss, the Self, and the Pure. Then the six masters

again said: "If Gautama has his Self, we too have it. The Self alluded to is none other than

"seeing". O Gautama! One sees a thing that confronts one. The case of the Self is the same.

What confronts one is the eye and the seeing is the Self."

"The Buddha said to the six masters: "If seeing is the Self, you are wrong. Why? You

take up the analogy of an object and say that we see by it. Now, man uses together the six

sense-organs to one object. If there surely is the Self and we see unfailingly by [means of] the

eye, why is it that we do not cognise all objects with that one sense-organ? If one does not

meet with the six sense-fields, know that there is no Self to talk of. If things are thus with the

428 The Mahayana Mapaharinirvana Sutra

sense-organ of sight, there will be no change even if years pass and the sense-organs become

ripened. As "man" and "object" are different, one sees one’s own self and the other. If it is

thus with the sense-organ of sight, there must be the seeing of one’s own self and the other at

[one and the same] time. If not seen, how can we say that there is the Self?"

"The six masters said: "O Gautama! If there is no Self, who sees?" The Buddha said:

"There are the thing, brightness [light], the mind, and the eye. Thus, the four conjoin and we

see. In these, truth to tell, there is none that sees and none that feels. Beings are upside-down

and say that there is one who sees and feels. Thus all beings are upside-down in their seeing,

and all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are true in seeing things. O you six masters! You may say

that matter is Self. But this is not so. Why not? Matter is not the Self. If matter were the

Self, there could not be any ugly or weakened form. Why not? And why is it that there are

the differences of the four castes? Why is it that there is none but one kind of Brahmin? Why

is it that people belong to the other castes and do not have unrestrictedness? Why is it that

there are deficiencies in the sense-organs and that life is not perfect? Why is it that people do

not all gain the body of all the devas, but gain life in hell, as an animal, preta [ghost] and all

the various forms of life? If one cannot do as one wills, know that this indicates that assuredly

no Self is there. As there is no Self, we speak of the non-eternal. As it is non-eternal, we have

suffering. Because of suffering, it is empty. As it is empty, it is upside down. Being upside

down, all beings repeat birth and death. The same applies to feeling, sensation, volition, and

consciousness. O you six masters! The Tathagata-World-Honoured One is segregated from the

bondage of matter down to the bondage of consciousness. Hence, we say the Eternal, Bliss, the

Self, and the Pure.

"Also, next. Matter is based on causal relations. What is based on causal relations has

no Self. Non-Self is suffering and empty. The body of the Tathagata is not based on causal

relations. Because there are no causal relations, we say that there is the Self. The Self is the

Eternal, Bliss, Self, and the Pure."

"The six masters said: "O Gautama! Matter is non-Self. And down to consciousness,

there is no Self. The Self fills everywhere. It is like space."

"The Buddha said: "If it fills everywhere, we cannot say that we do not see it from the

very beginning. If it is not seen from the very start, we may know that this seeing is what

originally was not is now. If it is what originally was not but is now, this is the non-eternal. If

it is non-eternal, how can one say that it fills [everywhere]? If it fills [everywhere] and exists,

there must be one body in the five realms. If there is one body that can be represented, there

must be that which comes about as one result. If one result comes about, how can we say that

people gain life as humans or as gods?

"You say that it fills [everywhere]. Is it one or many? If the Self is one, there cannot

be any father and son, any enemy and friend, or a neutral person. If the Self is many, all the

five sense-organs man possesses must be all-equal. The same applies to karma and Wisdom.

If things obtain thus, how can we say that there can be those whose sense-organs are perfect

or imperfect, that there are actions that are good and evil, and that there is the difference of

dullness and intellectuality?"

"O Gautama! The Self of all beings knows no boundary line. Dharma and non-Dharma

each has its part to play. If beings act according to Dharma, they will gain good forms; if not,

evil forms will come about. For this reason, it cannot be other than that the karmic results

vary."

"The Buddha said: "O you six masters! If Dharma and non-Dharma must obtain thus,

there cannot be any universality of the Self; if there is universality of the Self, it will extend all

over. If it is so, then even those who practise good must also have parts that are evil and those

who do evil must also have what is good. If not, how can we speak of universality?"

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"O Gautama! For example, we have in a room 100 thousand lamps placed there, and

each lamp is bright, not obstructing the others. It is the same with all beings. The practising

of good and the performing of evil do not get mixed up."

"You say that the Self is like a lamp. But this is not so. Why not? The brightness of

a lamp arises from causal relations. If the lamp is large, the brightness, too, becomes great. It

is not like this with the self of the being. The brightness of the lamp arises out of the lamp

and stays in other places. The self of the being arises out of the body, but cannot stay in other

places. The light of the lamp dwells with the gloom. Why? When one puts a lamp into a dark

room, the brightness is not much to talk of. When there are many lamps, we have brightness.

If the first lamp dispels the gloom, we do not need any further lamps to dispel the gloom. If,

later, lamps are used to dispel the gloom, this means that the first brightness dwells with the

gloom."

"O Gautama! If there is no Self, who is it that does good and evil?"

"The Buddha said: "If the Self does [i.e. performs actions], how can we say [it is] Eternal?

If it is Eternal, how can a person do good at one time and evil at another? If a person does

good or evil at [different] times, how can we say that the Self is boundless? If the Self does,

why would one practise evil things? If the Self is the doer and if it is the wise, how can one

doubt about the selflessness of the being? So, we can say that there can definitely be no Self

in the doctrine of the tirthikas. The Self is none other than the Tathagata. Why? Because his

body is boundless and there exists no doubt. On account of non-doing and non-receiving [of

karmic consequences], we say Eternal. On account of birthlessness and deathlessness, we say

Bliss. As there exists no defilement of illusion, we say Pure. As he does not have the ten aspects

of existence, we say Void [i.e. void of all that causes suffering]. Hence, the Tathagata is none

other than the Eternal, Bliss, the Self, and the Pure, and the Void, and there is no other aspect

to speak of."

"All the tirthikas said: "If the Tathagata is the Eternal, Bliss, the Self, and the Pure and

Void, due to formlessness, what Gautama says cannot be void. Because of this, we now accept

[his words]."

"At that time, the number of tirthikas was innumerable. They renounced the world and

had faith in the Buddha’s teaching. O good man! For this reason, I now, here in this forest of

twin sal trees, give a lion’s roar. The lion’s roar is Great Nirvana. O good man! The twin trees

of the east destroy the non-eternal, and through this one gains the Eternal. The twin trees of

the north destroy the impure and give one the Pure. O good man! The beings that are here,

because of the twin trees, protect the sal trees and will not allow people to take and cut the

twigs and leaves and break [them]. It is the same with me. For the [sake of the] four laws [i.e.

Eternity, Bliss, Self, and Purity], I make people protect and uphold Buddha-Dharma. What

are the four? These are the Eternal, Bliss, the Self, and the Pure. These four twin trees are

protected by the four guardians of the earth. As the four guardians guard this Dharma of mine,

I here enter Parinirvana. O good man! The twin sal trees always bear fruit and give benefit to

countless beings. It is the same with me. I always give benefit to sravakas and pratyekabuddhas.

The flower is comparable to the Self, and the fruit is comparable to Bliss. Because of this, I here

enter into the Great Silence amidst the twin sal trees. The Great Silence is Great Nirvana."

Lion’s Roar said: "Why does the Tathagata enter Nirvana in the second month?"

"O good man! The second month is spring. In the month of spring, all things grow. We

sow seeds and plant roots. Flowers and fruits grow and prosper. The rivers large and small are

full, and hundreds of animals raise their young and give [them] milk. At this time, many a being

entertains the thought of the Eternal. To destroy such a thought of the Eternal [regarding what

is samsaric], I say that all things are non-eternal and that the Tathagata is the Eternal and

Immutable. O good man! Of the six seasons, the stringent [severe] winter and the withering

season are not loved by the people. What is greedily loved is the bright spring, when it is

430 The Mahayana Mapaharinirvana Sutra

peaceful. To destroy the [samsaric notion of] bliss of the people of the world, I speak of the

Eternal and Bliss [of Nirvana]. It is the same with the Self and Purity. “To crush out the worldly

notion of the Self and Purity, the Tathagata speaks of the Self and Purity of true sense”. With

reference to the second month, the Tathagata intends to compare it to the two kinds of Dharma

Body. To say that one does not have bliss in winter is compared to the fact that the wise do

not desire to have the Tathagata be non-eternal and enter Nirvana. To say that a person feels

bliss is compared to the fact that the wise are pleased over the Eternal, Bliss, Self, and Purity

of the Tathagata. The sowing of seeds can be compared to beings’ giving ear to sermons on

Dharma and their feeling pleased, aspiring to unsurpassed Bodhi, and to their planting, thereby,

the seeds of good. The rivers can be compared to the coming of all great Bodhisattvas to my

place and receiving the Great Nirvana Sutra. The hundreds of animals giving milk is comparable

to all those of my disciples who perform good deeds. "Flower" is likened to the seven Bodhi

elements; "fruit" can be compared to the four fruitions. For this reason, I enter Nirvana on this

second month."

Lion’s Roar said: "The Tathagata’s birth, his renouncing of home life, his attainment of

Bodhi, and his first turning of [the Wheel of] Dharma all took place on the eighth day. Why

does this Nirvana take place on the fifteenth?"

The Buddha said: "Well said, well said, O good man! The fifteenth is the day on which

the moon has no waxing or waning. It is the same with the All-Buddha-Tathagata. Entering

Great Nirvana, there is no more waxing and waning. That is why I enter Nirvana on the fifteenth

day. O good man! On the fifteenth, when the moon is full, there are 11 things. What are the

11? They are: 1) it truly dispels the gloom, 2) it indeed enables beings to see the way and

what is not the way, 3) it enables [one to follow] the wrong or right way, 4) it enables beings to

make away with suppressed dampness and blesses them with purity and coolness, 5) it indeed

destroys the arrogance of the fire-worm [firefly], 6) it truly dispels the thought of any robbers, 7)

it indeed dispels beings’ fear of evil beasts, 8) it opens the bloom of the utpala, 9) it thoroughly

closes the petals of the lotus, 10), it calls forth within the traveller the thought of proceeding

along the way, 11) it enables beings to enjoy accepting the five pleasures and to gain joy in many

ways.

"O good man! It is the same with the full moon of the Tathagata, to wit: 1) it truly

dispels the gloom of ignorance, 2) it propounds the right and wrong ways, 3) it clearly shows the

wrong and steep path of birth and death and the level and right [path] of Nirvana, 4) it enables

beings to segregate themselves from greed, ill-will, and ignorance, 5) it destroys the ignorance of

the tirthikas [non-Buddhists], 6) it destroys the bondage of the robbers of defilement, 7) it kills

the mind that fears the five shadowings [“panca-avaranani”], 8) it enables the beings’ minds to

unfold the root of good of all beings, 9) it indeed puts a lid on the mind of the five desires, 10),

it promotes the mind of beings [which desires] to go forwards to Great Nirvana, 11), it enables

all beings to be pleased at [the thought of] Emancipation. For these reasons, I enter Nirvana

on the fifteenth. But, truth to tell, I do not enter Nirvana. The ignorant and the evil among

my disciples say that I definitely enter Nirvana. For example, a mother has many sons. She

abandons them and goes abroad. While she is not yet back, the sons say: "Mother is dead."

But the mother is not dead. That is how matters stand."

Bodhisattva Lioon’s Roar said: "O World-Honoured One! What bhiksu can truly adorn

these sal trees?"

"O good man! There is a bhiksu who upholds and recites the 12 types of sutra, reads

the words correctly, gains the depths of meaning and, for the sake of all other people, explains

[it], in which there can be the grades of beginning, middle and the ultimate good. To benefit

innumerable people, he speaks about pure actions. Such a bhiksu truly adorns the twin sal

trees."

Lion’s Roar said: "O World-Honoured One! If I rightly guess what you, the Buddha,

mean - Ananda is that bhiksu. Why? Ananda upholds and recites the 12 types of sutra, and

Chapter Thirty-Seven: On Bodhisattva Lion’s Roar (e) 431

speaks correctly to others and expounds the meaning. This is like pouring water and filling

other vessels. So do things pertain with Ananda. What he hears from the Buddha, he speaks

as he has heard it."

"O good man! There is a bhiksu who has gained an unsurpassed heavenly eye and sees

all things of the ten directions and the 3,000 great-thousand worlds in the same way as one sees

a mango that is [resting] in one’s palm. Any such bhiksu can indeed adorn the twin sal trees."

Lion’s Roar said: "Such a person is Aniruddha. Why? Aniruddha sees the things of

the 3,000 great-thousand worlds with his heavenly eye. Even the in-between existences are seen

clearly, without any obstruction."

"O good man! A bhiksu who has little desire and who feels satsfied with what he has,

who cares for silence and quietude, and who makes effort, and whose mind is settled, and whose

Wisdom sees - [he] well adorns the twin sal trees."

Lion’s Roar said: "O World-Honoured One! Such a person is Bhiksu Kasyapa. Why?

Kasyapa has little desire to possess and feels satisfied with what he has and practises Dharma."

"O good man! A bhiksu who desires to benefit beings does not act for profit, abides in

samadhi, and does not quarrel, and is perfect in holy works and in the practice of the All-Void.

Such a bhiksu adorns the twin sal trees."

Lion’s Roar said: "O World-Honoured One! Such is Bhiksu Subhuti. Why? Subhuti

does not quarrel and is holy in his actions, and practises the Way of the Void."

"O good man! Any bhiksu who really practises the miraculous powers and, in the flash of

a moment, can transform himself and is one-minded, and in one meditation attains two fruitions,

which are of fire and water, such a bhiksu truly adorns the twin sal trees."

"O World-Honoured One! Maudgalyayana is one who answers to this description. How?

Because Maugalyayana can indeed perform innumerable miraculous transformations."

"O good man! Any bhiksu who truly practises great Wisdom, clear knowledge, quick

knowledge, Emancipation knowledge, extremely deep knowledge, expansive knowledge, boundless

knowledge, unsurpassed knowledge, and real knowledge, and is perfect and accomplished

in the root of Wisdom, who does not have a whit of discrimination between enemy, friend or

neutral person, who hears that the Tathagata will enter Nirvana and does not have a whit of

apprehension and is not gladdened even when hearing that the Tathagata is Eternal and does

not enter Nirvana - such a bhiksu is a good adornment for the twin sal trees."

Lion’s Roar said: "O World-Honoured One! Sariputra is the one who answers to that

description. Why so? Because Sariputra is accomplished and perfect in such Wisdom."

"O good man! “Any bhiksu who truly says that the being possesses the Buddha-Nature,

that the being obtains the invincible body, which is boundless and is the Eternal, Bliss, the

Self, and the Pure, and that the body-and-mind are unhindered and are armed with eight

unmolestednesses - such a bhiksu adorns well the twin sal trees."

Lion’s Roar said: "O World-Honoured One! Such a person is the Tathagata himself.

Why so? The body of the Tathagata is invincible, unbounded, Eternal, Bliss, the Self, and the

Pure; his body and mind are unhindered and do [indeed] possess the eight unhinderednesses.

O World-Honoured One! It is only the Tathagata who can well adorn the twin sal trees”. One

who does not possess anything such as this does not possess serene brightness. I only pray that

you will, out of great Loving-Kindness and for adornment’s sake, remain here in this sal forest."

The Buddha said: "O good man! All things are by nature non-abiding [non-enduring].

How can you say that the Tathagata should remain? O good man! Abidance falls under the

category of "matter". Causal relations evoke birth. Hence, to abide1. Where there are causal

1 several meanings here: to cease, to stop, to cause to stop, to abide, to dwell; various shades of meanining,

involving a sense of permanence, continuance, or stability - note by Rev. Yamamoto

432 The Mahayana Mapaharinirvana Sutra

relations, we have "non-abiding abiding". The Tathagata is already segregated from all the

bondages of "matter". How can you say: "Pray stay, O Tathagata!"? The same applies to

feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness. O good man! To stay is arrogance. Because of

arrogance, there can be no Emancipation. When there is no Emancipation, we speak of staying.

Who is arrogant and where does he come from? Hence, "non-abiding abiding". The Tathagata

is eternally segregated from all arrogance. How can one say: "Pray, stay, O Tathagata!"? "To

stay" falls under the category of what is created. The Tathagata is already segregated from the

world of what is created. Because of this, it [he] is non-abiding.

"“To abide is the law “[dharma]” of the Void. The Tathagata is already segregated from

the law of the Void. Hence, one “[he]” gains the Eternal, Bliss, the Self, and the Pure”. How

can you say: "Pray, stay, O Tathagata"? To stay is the 25 existences. How can you say: "Pray,

stay, O Tathagata!"?

"To stay is none but all beings. All holy ones are non-going and non-coming. The

Tathagata is already segregated from the phases of going, coming, and staying. How can we

say: "Stay!"?

"Non-abiding is the Boundless Body. In view of the fact that the Body knows no bounds,

how can you say: "I pray that the Tathagata will stay in the sal forest"? If I stay in this forest,

this body of mine is none but a body that is in bondage. If a body knows any boundary line, it

is the non-eternal. The Tathagata is the Eternal. How can you say: "Stay!"?

"Non-abiding is the the Void. The nature of the Tathagata is equal to the Void. How

can one say: "Stay!"?

"Non-abiding is the adamantine samadhi. The adamantine samadhi destroys all abidings.

The adamantine samadhi is the Tathagata. How can we say: "Stay!"?

"Also, non-abiding is a phantom. The Tathagata is equal to a phantom. How can we

say: "Stay!"?

"Also, non-abiding is non-beginning and non-ending. How can we say "abiding"? And

non-abiding is the unbounded world of consciousness2. “The unbounded world of consciousness

is the Tathagata”. How can we say: "Stay!"?

"And non-abiding is the Suramgama Samadhi. “The Suramgama Samadhi knows all

things and yet does not cling. Because of non-clinging, we say Suramgama. The Tathagata is

perfect in the Suramgama Samadhi”. How can we say: "Stay!"?

"Non-abiding is called the "power of place and non-place". The Tathagata is accomplished

in the power of place and non-place. How can we say: "Stay!"?

"Also, non-abiding is called danaparamita [perfected giving]. If there is abiding [solely] in

danaparamita, there can be no arriving at silaparamita [perfected morality] and prajnaparamita

[perfected Wisdom]. For this reason, we say that danaparamita is the non-abiding. The Tathagata

does not abide, down to prajnaparamita. How can one pray that the Tathagata will always

kindly remain in the sal forest?

"Also, non-abiding is the practise of the four thinkings. If the Tathagata abides in the

four thinkings [solely], we cannot say that the Tathagata gains unsurpassed Bodhi and that

there is non-abiding abiding.

"Also, non-abiding is called the boundless world of all beings, and yet he does not stay

there.

"Also, non-abiding is called the "houseless". Houseless means that there is nothing that

exists.

"Not-is means that nothing arises.

2 “muhenhokkai” (Jap.): "muhen" means "boundless", "hokkai" means "what is the object of

consciousness"

Chapter Thirty-Seven: On Bodhisattva Lion’s Roar (e) 433

"Birthlessness means non-death.

"Non-death means formlessness.

"Formlessness means non-binding.

"Non-binding means non-clinging.

"Non-clinging means non-defiled.

"Non-defiled is the good.

"The good is the non-created.

"The non-created is the Eternal of Great Nirvana.”

"The Eternal of Great Nirvana is the Self.

"The Self is the Pure.

"The Pure is Bliss.

"The Eternal, Bliss, the Self, and the Pure are the Tathagata.

"O good man! For example, space is not the east, nor is it the south, nor the west, nor the

north, nor the four directions, nor up or down. It is the same with the Tathagata. He does not

exist in the east, the south, the west, or the north, nor in the four directions, nor up or down. O

good man! People might say that he gains a body, a mouth and a mind, and good or bad karmic

results. But this is not so. Saying that he gains a body, mouth or mind, and good or bad karmic

results is not true. If a person says that the common mortal sees the Buddha-Nature and that

the Bodhisattva of the ten abodes [stages] does not, this is not so. A person might say that the

icchantika, those of the five deadly sins, slanderers of the vaipulya [extensive scriptures], those

committing the four grave offences gain unsurpassed Bodhi. But this is not so. To say that

the Bodhisattva of the six stages gains birth in the three unfortunate realms due to the causal

relations of defilement is not so. Saying that the Bodhisattva-mahasattva gains unsurpassed

Bodhi in the female form is not true. Saying that the icchantika is eternal and that the Three

Jewels are non-eternal is not true. Saying that the Tathagata stays at Kusinagara is not true. O

good man! The Tathagata enters, here at Kusinagara, the cave of the great samadhi of deepest

dhyana [meditation]. Beings cannot see [this], and it is called "Great Nirvana."

Lion’s Roar said: "Why is it that the Tathagata enters the cave of dhyana?"

"O good man! This is to enable beings to attain Emancipation. This is to make them

sow the seeds of good, since they have not yet sown them; to enable the seeds of good now

sown to grow; to enable the unripe seed of good to ripen; to enable the ripened seed to gain

unsurpassed Bodhi; to enable those who belittle Wonderful Dharma to attain to nobleness; to

enable all the indolent to forsake indolence; to enable people to exchange words with such great

gandhahastins as Manjushri; to teach those who take pleasure in reading and reciting deeply

to enjoy dhyana; to teach beings through holy, pure, and heavenly actions; to enable people

to meditate on the unequalled storehouse of deep Dharma; to reproach indolent disciples. The

Tathagata is quietude itself. So, he still cares for dhyana. How is it that you have not yet done

away with defilement and that indolence gains ground? I desire to reproach all evil bhiksus who

keep stores of the eight kinds of impure things, those who are not satisfied with little desire, and

who are not satisfied with what they have, and to make beings respect the dharma of dhyana.

On account of these causal relations, I now enter the cave of dhyana."

Lion’s Roar said: "O World-Honoured One! The formlessness samadhi is Great Nirvana.

Because of this, we say that Nirvana is formless. Why do we say formless?"

"O good man! This derives from the fact that there are not the ten representational

phases. What are these? They are the phases of: 1) colour, 2) sound, 3) smell, 4) taste, 5)

touch, 6) being born, 7) existing [samsarically], 8) breaking up, 9) being born male, and 10)

being born female. It [Nirvana] does not possess these representational forms. Hence, formless.

434 The Mahayana Mapaharinirvana Sutra

"O good man! Whatever represents a form is subject to ignorance. Ignorance evokes

craving; craving evokes bondage; from bondage arises birth; from birth comes about death.

When there is death, there is no eternity. If [one is] not attached to form, there is no ignorance.

When there is no ignorance, there is no craving. When there is no craving, there is no bondage.

When there is no bondage, there arises no birth. When there is no birth, there is no death.

When there is no death, there is the Eternal. Due to this, we say that Nirvana is Eternal."

Lion’s Roar said: "O World-Honoured One! What bhiksu truly cuts himself free from

the ten phases?"

The Buddha said: "O good man! When a bhiksu, time after time, practises well the three

kinds of form, he truly cuts himself free from the ten forms. He practises, time after time, the

settled form of samadhi, time after time the phase of Wisdom, and time after time the phase of

equanimity. These are the three."

Lion’s Roar said: "O World-Honoured One! What are samadhi, Wisdom, and equanimity?

If a settled state is samadhi, all beings have samadhi. Why do we particularly need to

practise samadhi? When the mind stays in a single sense-field, we say samadhi; when other

mental associations come in between, this is not samadhi. If there is no settlement in one state,

this is not all-knowledge. If not all-knowledge, how can we speak of being "settled"? If a single

action is called samadhi, all other actions are not samadhi. If not samadhi, this is not allknowledge.

If not all-knowledge, how can we speak of samadhi? The same applies to Wisdom

and equanimity."

The Buddha said: "O good man! You say that if the mind abides in a single sense-field,

this is samadhi, and that any other causal relations are not samadhi. But this is not so. Why

not? Because all the other sense-fields, too, are a single sense-field. It is the same with action.

Also, you say that if beings already have samadhi, there cannot be any need to practise any

further. This, too, is not so. Why not? Samadhi is called "good samadhi". All beings, truth

to tell, do not exist. How can we say that we do not need to practise? When one practises

samadhi on all things abiding in a good samadhi, there is the form of good Wisdom. One sees

no distinction between samadhi and Wisdom. This is equanimity. Also, next, O good man! If

one takes up a form of matter, one cannot meditate on the Eternal and the non-Eternal. This is

samadhi. If one well sees the Eternal and the non-Eternal of matter, this is Wisdom. Samadhi

and Wisdom equally see all things. This is equanimity.

"O good man! A good charioteer can drive a four-horse carriage and run it quickly or

slowly as the occasion requires. As the quickness or slowness matches well with the occasion, we

say equanimity. It is the same with the Bodhisattva. One who has much samadhi also practises

Wisdom; one who has much Wisdom practises samadhi. As samadhi and Wisdom are equal, we

have equanimity. O good man! The Bodhisattva of the ten stages has much power of Wisdom,

but little power of samadhi. Hence, he cannot clearly see the Buddha-Nature. Sravakas and

pratyekabuddhas have much power of samadhi, but little Wisdom. Because of this, they cannot

see the Buddha-Nature. The All-Buddha-World-Honoured One has samadhi and Wisdom in

equal parts and sees well the Buddha-Nature. All is clear and transparent, as when one sees

a mango that is in one’s own palm. One who sees the Buddha-Nature is [of] the phase of

equanimity.

"Samatha means "thoroughly extinguishing", because it thoroughly does away with the

bondage of defilement.

"Also, samatha is called "that which well adjusts", because it well adjusts the evil and

non-good of all the sense-organs.

"Also, samatha is called quietude, as it indeed makes the three actions [of body, mouth

and mind] quiet [calm].

"Also, samatha is called segregation, as it enables beings to part well from the five desires.

Chapter Thirty-Seven: On Bodhisattva Lion’s Roar (e) 435

"Also, samatha is called "purifying well", because it purifies well the three contaminations

of greed, ill-will, and ignorance. Because of this, we say "settledness".

"Vipasyana is called right seeing. Also, it is called seeing clearly. Also, it is called seeing

well. Also, it is called all-seeing. Also, it is called gradual seeing. Also, it is called seeing

individually. This is called Wisdom.

"Equanimity is called all-equal. Also, it is called non-disputation. Also, it is called

non-seeing. Also, it is called non-acting. This is equanimity.

"O good man! There are two kinds of samatha. One is mundane, and the other supramundane.

And there are two [further] kinds. One is accomplished, and the other non-accomplished.

[Those of] the accomplished are all the so-called Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. And the nonaccomplished

are the so-called sravakas and pratyekabuddhas.

"Also, there are three kinds, namely: low, middle, and top. The low relates to common

mortals; middle to sravakas and pratyekabuddhas; and top to all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

Also there are four kinds, namely: 1) retrogressing, 2) abiding, 3) progressing, and 4) greatly

benefiting. Also, there are five kinds, which are the so-called five-knowledge samadhis. These

are: 1) samadhi of non-eating, 2) faultless samadhi, 3) samadhi in which the body and mind

are pure and the mind is one, 4) samadhi in which one feels pleased with both cause and effect,

and 5) samadhi in which one always prays in one’s heart.

"Furthermore, there are six kinds, which are: 1) samadhi in which one meditates on white

bones, 2) samadhi of compassion, 3) samadhi on the twelve links of interdependent arising, 4)

samadhi on anapana [breathing], 5) samadhi on the discriminatory mind of beings, and 6)

samadhi on birth and death. Also, there are seven kinds, namely the so-called seven Bodhi

elements. These are: 1) mindfulness, 2) discernment of Dharma, 3) effort, 4) joy, 5) repose, 6)

concentration, and 7) equanimity.

"Also, there are seven [further] kinds, which are: 1) srotapanna-samadhi, 2) sakrdagamisamadhi,

3) anagami-samadhi, 4) arhat-samadhi, 5) pratyekabuddha-samadhi, 6) Bodhisattvasamadhi,

7) the Tathagata’s All-Awakened Samadhi.

"Also, there are eight kinds, which are none other than the eight Emancipation samadhis.

These are: 1) samadhi in which one gets Emancipated from the notion of matter by meditating on

matter, 2) samadhi in which one seeks Emancipation by meditating further on the external phase

of matter, though internally the matter notion has already been done away with, 3) samadhi in

which one seeks Emancipation and its actualisation in one’s own body through the meditation

on purity, 4) boundlessness-of-space Emancipation samadhi, 5) boundlessness-of-consciousness

Emancipation samadhi, 6)existencelessness Emancipation samadhi, 7) thoughtlessness-nonthoughtlessness

Emancipation samadhi, and 8) cessation Emancipation samadhi.

"Also, there are nine kinds, namely the so-called nine gradual samadhis. These are the

four dhyanas, the four Voids, and the cessation samadhi.

"Also, there are ten kinds, which are the so-called ten all-place samadhis. What are the

ten? They are the all-place samadhis on: 1) earth, 2) water, 3) wind, 4) blue, 5) yellow, 6) red,

7) white, 8) space, 9) consciousness, and 10) non-possession.

"Also, there are innumerable kinds, which are: all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

"O good man! These are the representations of the samadhis.

"O good man! There are two kinds of Wisdom, which are: 1) mundane and 2) supramundane.

"Also, there are three kinds: 1) prajna, 2) vipasyana, and 3) jnana. Prajna is all beings;

vipasyana is all sages; and jnana relates to all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

"Also, prajna is the individual phase of representation, and vipasyana is the general phase

of representation.

"Jnana is the breaking [dissolution] phase of representation.

436 The Mahayana Mapaharinirvana Sutra

"Also, there are four kinds, which are none other than the meditation on the Four Truths.

"O good man! One practises samatha for three purposes. What are these three: They

are: 1) non-indolence, 2) adornment for [with] great Wisdom, and 3) unmolestedness [i.e. unrestrictedness,

freedom].

"Also, next, one practises vipasyana for three purposes. What are these three? They

are: 1) to meditate on the evil karmic consequences of birth and death, 2) to increase the seeds

of good, and 3) to crush out all the defilements.