Chapter Thirty-Two:
Bodhisattva Highly-Virtuous King (f)
"O good man! When there is the causal relation [of greed], the mind of greed [i.e. the mental
state of greed/desire] comes about; it so exists, and dies with greed. There is the case where
the mind comes about with greed, it so exists, and does not die with greed. There is the case
where it does not come about with greed, it exists with greed, and it so dies. There is the case
where it does not come about with greed, it does not exist with greed, and it so dies.
"How does the mind come about together with greed, exist with greed, and so die? O
good man! If the common mortal does not cut off the mind of greed and practises the mind of
greed, such a person is one whose mind comes about together with greed. All beings do not cut
off the mind of greed. It comes about with greed, and it dies out with greed. To all beings of the
world of desire there is spread a table of the first stage of dhyana. Practised or not practised,
all is ready for accomplishment. Only through causal relations does this come out to one. The
causal relation is none but the fire. So do things obtain with all common mortals. Whether
practised or not practised, the mind comes about along with greed, and it dies along with greed.
Why? Because the root of greed has not been extirpated.
"How does the mind come about along with greed and not die along with greed? The
sravaka disciple gains greed through causal relations. As he is afraid, he meditates on white
bones. This is why we say that the mind comes about along with greed and that it does not
die along with greed. Also, there is the situation where the mind comes about along with greed
and does not die along with greed. There is a sravaka who is not yet accomplished in the four
fruitions [of Hinayana practice]. Through causal relations, he gains a mind of greed, but gaining
the four fruitions, the mind of greed dies. Thus do things go. This is where we say that the
mind comes about along with greed and does not die along with greed.
"When the Bodhisattva-mahasattva gains the immovable stage [i.e. the eighth of the 10
Bodhisattva stages of development], the mind comes about along with greed and does not die
along with greed.
"In what way do we say that the mind does not come about along with greed and that
it dies together with greed? When the Bodhisattva-mahasattva extirpates the mind of greed,
but displays, for the sake of beings, that he yet has greed. As this is for the sake of display,
innumerable, boundless numbers of beings gain, perfect and accomplish good things. This is
where we say that the mind does not come about along with greed, but dies along with greed.
"How do we say that the mind does not come about along with greed and that it does
not die along with greed? This refers to Bodhisattvas other than the arhat, pratyekabuddha,
all Buddhas, and those of the immovable stage. This is where we say that the mind does not
come about along with greed and that it does not die along with greed. For this reason, we do
not say that all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are by nature pure in mind, and we do not say that
they are by nature not pure. O good man! This mind does not melt into that of greed; also it
does not melt into that of anger and ignorance.
"O good man! For example, the sun and moon become obscured from sight by smoke,
dust, cloud, mist, and the Asura [i.e. a Titan who, when fighting the sun and moon, obstructs
their light by spreading out his hands]. Because of these things, no being can see [the sun and
moon]. Though not seen, the nature of the sun and moon does not, after all, melt into one with
the five overshadowings [“panca-avaranani”]. It is the same with the mind. Through causal
relations, the bond of greed comes about. Beings say that the mind melts into one with greed,
but the nature of the mind truly does not melt into one. If the greedy mind were the nature
of greed, and if non-greed were the nature of non-greed, we could not make the mind of greed
greed, and the mind of greed could not become that of non-greed. O good man! For this reason,
the bond of greed cannot defile the mind. All Buddhas have eternally done away with the mind
of greed. On that account, we say that one gains liberation of mind. This is said because all
352 The Mahayana Mapaharinirvana Sutra
beings gain the bond of greed through causal relations, and through causal relations they attain
liberation. O good man! For example, this is as with a precipice in the Himalayas. A man
cannot go along it with a monkey. There might be a place where the monkey can go on his own,
but not the man. Or there might be a place where both man and monkey can go. O good man!
Where both man and monkey can go, a hunter places a table, on which he deposits birdlime
and catches the monkey. As the monkey lacks intellect, he touches the lime with his hands.
Through touching it, his hands get stuck. To free his hands, he touches the lime with his feet.
His feet get stuck. To get his feet free, he bites [at the birdlime] with his mouth. His mouth
further gets stuck. Thus, the five parts [of the monkey] are unable to get free. Then the hunter
pases a staff through the monkey [i.e. kills the monkey] and returns home.
"The steep precipice in the Himalayas is the Right Path, along which the Buddha and
Bodhisattvas walk; the monkey is comparable to all common mortals; the hunter is Marapapiyas;
the birdlime is the bond of greed. Man and monkey being unable to walk together is analogous to
all common mortals being unable to walk together with Marapapiyas. We say that the monkey
can go and that man cannot: this is comparable to the fact that even the tirthikas who have
intelligence and all devils cannot draw one to the bait even with the five desires. We say that
man and monkey go well together: this means that all common mortals and Marapapiyas are
always lost in birth and death and cannot properly practise the Way. Common mortals are
bound up by the five desires, so that Marapapiyas can easily catch them and carry them away.
This is like the hunter who catches the monkey with birdlime and takes him back home.
"O good man! If the king remains in his own country, his body and mind will be at ease;
if abroad, he will have to suffer from many things. So do matters stand with all beings. If one
lives in one’s own domain, one is in peace. But out of one’s own domain, one comes across devils
and has to suffer from all manner of worries. One’s own domain refers to the four thinkings,
and the place of others to the five desires.
"How do we say that one belongs to Mara? All beings see the non-eternal as the Eternal,
the Eternal as the non-Eternal, Suffering as non-Suffering, Bliss as Suffering, the Impure as the
Pure, the Pure as the Impure, the non-Self as the Self, the Self as non-Self, what is not true
Emancipation carelessly as Emancipation, true Emancipation as non-Emancipation, non-Vehicle
as Vehicle, and Vehicle as non-Vehicle. Such people belong to the class of the Maras. One who
belongs to Mara does not have a pure mind.
"Also, next, O good man! If a person truly sees all things as "is" and general and
individual forms as fixed, know that this person will - when he sees any concrete thing - see as
though looking at a concrete thing. This will apply down to consciousness. When he encounters
consciousness, he will entertain the thought of having had a consciousness [of something]. Seeing
a man, he will see the form of a man; seeing a woman, the form of a woman; seeing the sun,
the form of the sun; seeing the moon, the form of the moon; seeing the form of age, the form of
age; seeing a skandha, the form of a skandha; seeing a sense-sphere, the form of a sense-sphere;
seeing a sense-realm, the form of a sense-realm. Any such person is the kindred of Mara. One
who is the kindred of Mara does not possess a pure mind.
"Also, next, O good man! A person might come to think that the Self is matter [“rupa”],
that the Self exists in matter; that there is matter in the Self, that matter belongs to the Self.
Or he may view the Self as consciousness, or think that the Self exists in consciousness, that
consciousness exists in the Self, that consciousness belongs to the Self. Any such person who
views things thus belongs to Mara; any person who see things thus is not my disciple.
"O good man! My sravaka disciples part from the 12 types of sutra of the Tathagata
and learn and practise the various kinds of books of the tirthikas; not studying the works of
renunciation and silent extinction of a priest, they exclusively perform what secular people do.
What are the works of the secular world? What are the impurities? They receive and keep all
such things as male and female menial servants, fields and houses, elephants, horses, vehicles,
Chapter Thirty-Two: Bodhisattva Highly-Virtuous King (f) 353
donkeys, mules, fowls, dogs, pigs, sheep, and all kinds of cereals, from barley to wheat. They
part from their teachers and priests, and associate with the laity. Acting contrary to the holy
teaching, they address white-clad [i.e. lay] people and say: "The Buddha permits the bhiksus
to receive and keep various impure things." This is where we speak of people learning things of
the secular world.
"There are various disciples who, not acting for Nirvana, approach and give ear to the
12 types of sutra and don priestly robes or greedily eat those things intended for priests who
have come from afar, as though they were their own things. They feel jealousy and resentment
when they hear of the praise and fame of other families. They associate with the king and all
princes, are interested in good and bad fortune [i.e. they go in for fortune-telling], guess at the
waxing and waning of the moon. They love and befriend chess, gambling, chobo [i.e. a gambling
game], throwing arrows into a pot, bhiksunis [nuns], girls, and keeping two sramaneras. They
always visit the houses of butchers, hunters, bars, and the places where candalas live. They sell
and buy, they make food themselves, they receive messengers from neighbouring countries and
give news. Know that such people are kindred to Mara and are no disciples of mine. Thus,
the mind comes about with greed and thus dies with greed. This applies down to the ignorant
mind, which emerges together [with ignorance] and dies out together [with ignorance]. O good
man! For this reason, it is not the case that the nature of the mind is pure or not pure. Hence,
I say that one gains liberation of mind.
"If a person does not receive and store [impure things], but - for the sake of Great Nirvana
- upholds, recites, copies and explains to others the 12 types of sutra, know that such a person
is truly my disciple. Such a person does not perform what belongs to the world of Marapapiyas;
such a person learns and practises the 37 elements of Enlightenment. Learning and practising
the Way, such a person does not come about together with greed and does not die together with
greed. This is what we mean when we say that the Bodhisattva practises the All-Wonderful
Great Nirvana Sutra and perfects and accomplishes the eighth virtue."
"Also, next, O good man! How does the Bodhisattva-mahasattva practise the All-
Wonderful Great Nirvana Sutra and perfect and accomplish the ninth virtue? O good man!
The Bodhisattva-mahasattva practises the Way of the All-Wonderful Great Nirvana Sutra and
first calls forth five things and perfects these. What are the five? These are: 1) faith, 2) a
straight mind, 3) the moral precepts, 4) associating with a good friend, and 5) erudition.
"What is faith? The Bodhisattva-mahasattva believes that there is recompense in the
Three Jewels and in giving. The two truths [i.e. relative and ultimate] and the Way of the One
Vehicle [“ekayana”] are not different. He believes that all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas classify
things into three, so that all beings quickly gain Emancipation. He believes in “Paramarthasatya”
[the truth of Ultimate Reality] and good expedient means. This is faith.
"A person who believes thus cannot be beaten by any sramanas, Brahmins, Marapapiyas,
Brahma, or anyone. When a person grounds himself in this faith, he gains the nature of a holy
sage. One practises giving, and this - whether big or small - all leads to Mahaparinirvana, and
thus one does not fall into birth and death. It is the same with upholding the moral precepts,
hearing the Way, and Wisdom, too. This is faith. Though one may have this faith, one does
not yet see. This is how the Bodhisattva practises the Way of Great Nirvana and perfects the
first thing.
"What is the straight mind? The Bodhisattva-mahasattva maintains a straight mind
towards all beings. All beings flatter, as occasion arises. It is not so with the Bodhisattva. Why
not? Because he knows well that all good things come about through causal relations. The
Bodhisattva-mahasattva sees all the evils and wrongs done by beings. But he does not speak
about these things. Why not? Possibly worries will come about. If defilements raise their head,
this will lead to evil realms. If he sees beings performing some small good deeds, he praises
[them]. What is a good deed? It is the so-called Buddha-Nature. When the Buddha-Nature is
praised, all beings aspire to unsurpassed Enlightenment."
354 The Mahayana Mapaharinirvana Sutra
Then, the All-Shining Bodhisattva-mahasattva Highly-Virtuous King said to the Buddha:
"O World-Honoured One! You say that the Bodhisattva-mahasattva expresses praise and
causes innumerable beings to aspire to unsurpassed Bodhi. But this is not so. Why not? The
Tathagata, in the opening part of the Nirvana Sutra, says that there are three kinds.
"Firstly, you say that if a patient obtains a good doctor, good medicine, and a good
medical attendant, the illness will easily be cured and that if things are otherwise, it will not be
cured.
"Second, you say that the illness fails to get cured, regardless of whether one obtains
such or not.
"Third, you say that whether one obtains these things or not, all will be cured. The same
is the case with all beings.
"If one encounters a good friend, encounters all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and gives
ear to the sermons, one aspires to unsurpassed Enlightenment. If not, there cannot be any
aspiration. So there are the srotapanna, sakrdagamin, anagamin, arhat, and pratyekabuddha.
"Second, a person may encounter a good friend, all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and give
ear to the sermons, but is unable to aspire; even if he does not encounter such, there will be no
aspiration. This refers to the icchantika.
"Third, there is the situation where people all aspire to unsurpassed Enlightenment,
whether they encounter such or not. This refers to the case of the Bodhisattva.
"If it is the case that a person aspires to unsurpassed Enlightenment, how can you explain
and say: "By praising the Buddha-Nature, all beings aspire to unsurpassed Enlightenment?" O
World-Honoured One! If it is the case that whether one encounters a good friend, all Buddhas
and Bodhisattvas and listens to their sermons, or whether one is unable to, one cannot all-equally
aspire to unsurpassed Enlightenment, we can know that this is not so. Why not? Because such
a person attains unsurpassed Enlightenment. Because by means of the Buddha-Nature, even
the icchantika has to attain unsurpassed Enlightenment, whether he gives ear to the sermons or
not.
"O World-Honoured One! You say "icchantika". But what is the icchantika? You say
that he is devoid of the wholsesome root. This also is not so. Why not? Because such a person
is not devoid of the Buddha-Nature. Thus, logically, the Buddha-Nature cannot be lacking [in
anything]. How can you say that the entire root of good has been cut off?
"You previously spoke of the 12 types of sutras and said that there were two kinds of
food, namely: 1) the eternal, and 2) the non-eternal. The eternal refers to the uncut, and the
non-eternal to the cut. The non-eternal can be cut off. So a person falls into hell. The eternal
cannot be cut off. Why not? If the Buddha-Nature is not cut off, there is no icchantika. Why
do you, the Tathagata, speak thus and put forward such a view of the icchantika? O World-
Honoured One! The Buddha-Nature gains one unsurpassed Enlightenment. How is it that you,
the Tathagata, so expansively deliver the sermons of the 12 types of sutras? O World-Honoured
One! For example, the four rivers take their rise from [Lake] Anavatapta. The devas and all
Buddhas might say that the rivers do not flow into the great sea, but turn back to their source.
But this makes no sense. It is the same with the mind of Enlightenment. Anybody with the
Buddha-Nature must attain unsurpassed Enlightenment, whether he has heard the sermons or
not, whether he has upheld the moral precepts or not, whether he has practised giving or not,
whether he has practised the Way or not, whether he has Wisdom or not. O World-Honoured
One! From out of Mount Udayana rises the sun, and it moves right on to the south. The
sun might pray: "I will not go west; I will return east." But nothing like this ever happens.
It is the same with the Buddha-Nature. One may say that non-hearing, non-upholding of the
precepts, non-giving, non-practising of the Way, and non-Wisdom do not bestow unsurpassed
Enlightenment. But such a situation never obtains.
Chapter Thirty-Two: Bodhisattva Highly-Virtuous King (f) 355
"O World-Honoured One! The All-Buddha-Tathagata says that the nature of causality
is "is-not" and "not-is-not". This is not so. Why not? If there is not the nature of cream
in milk, there cannot be any cream. If there the seed of the nyagrodha did not possess the
nature to be as high as 50 feet, it could not gain this quality of 50 feet. If there were no tree
of unsurpassed Enlightenment in the Buddha-Nature, how could one expect to have a tree of
unsurpassed Enlightenment? If causality is neither "is-not" nor "not-is-not", how does this
accord well with reason?"
Then the Buddha expressed praise and said: "Well said, well said, O good man! There are
two types of people in the world who are as rare as the udumbara. One is the person who does
not commit evil deeds; the second is the person who thoroughly confesses when he has sinned.
Such persons are extremely rare. There are two further types of people. One benefits others; the
other remembers well the benefits he has had. Furthermore, there are two kinds of people. One
accepts new rules, and the other looks back to what is now gone and does not forget. Also, there
are two [further] types of people. One does what is new, and the other practises what is old.
Also, there are two [other types of] people. One takes pleasure in giving ear to Dharma, and
the other takes pleasure in speaking of Dharma. Also, there are two [further] types of people.
One asks about what is difficult, and the other answers well. You are the [type of] person who
asks well about what is difficult; the Tathagata is the one who answers well. O good man! By
means of these good questions, there can be the turning of the Wheel of Dharma, the killing
of the great tree of the 12 links of causation, the passing of people across the boundless sea of
birth and death, the good fight against King Marapapiyas, and the smiting down of Papiyas’s
victorious banner.
"O good man! I have spoken thus of the three patients and said that whether there
is encountering or non-encountering of a good doctor, attendance, and good medicine, a cure
results. What does this mean? We say that one "gains" or "does not gain". This refers to the
destined span of life. Why? Now, over the course of innumerable ages, this person has practised
the three good deeds: top, middle, and low. By practising these three good deeds, he gains his
destined span of life. This is as in the case of a person of Uttarakuru, where the life-span is 1,000
years. Now, one may acquire an illness. But no matter whether one gains a good doctor, good
medicine, or good attendance: all ends in a cure. Why? Because one has one’s destined span
of life. O good man! I say: "If one gains a good doctor, good medicine, and good attendance,
one can drive the illness away; if not, the illness will not retreat." Now, what does this mean?
O good man! Such a person’s life-span is not definite. Even though the [expected] end of his
life has not yet been reached, by the nine factors of causal relations, he loses his life. What are
the nine?
"First, he knows well of the unreliability of food and yet, in contradiction of this, he
partakes of it.
"Second, he eats overmuch.
"Third, he eats even when the former food has not yet been digested.
"Fourth, he is not regular in his calls of nature.
"Fifth, even though he is ill, he does not comply with the words of the doctor.
"Sixth, he does not follow the advice of the medical attendants.
"Seventh, he strongly holds things in and does not put them out [i.e. he suffers from
constipation].
"Eighth, he goes about at night. As he goes about at night, the devils come and attack
him.
"Ninth, his room is not very good.
"For this reason, I say that if the patient takes the medicine, his illness will be cured,
and if he does not, it will not be cured. O good man! I said above that the illness will not
356 The Mahayana Mapaharinirvana Sutra
be cured, whether [the medicine is] taken or not. Why? Because the life-span is ended. Hence
I say that the sick person will not gain a cure, whether the medicine is taken or not. So do
things obtain with beings. Anybody who gains Bodhichitta, whether he has met with a good
friend or not, with all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, will Awaken and gain the depths of Dharma.
Why? Because he aspires to Enlightenment. This is like the people of Uttarakuru, who are
blessed with a definite span of age. As I say, those people from the stage of srotapanna up to
pratyekabuddha, when they listen to the words of deep meaning from a good friend, from all
Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, will gain the mind of unsurpassed Enlightenment.
"I say that if a person does not encounter the Buddha and the Bodhisattvas and does
not listen to the words of deep meaning, he cannot aspire to the mind of unsurpassed Enlightenment.
This is as with a person who dies an unnatural death due to the nine kinds of causal
relations which are indefinite. His illness will be cured when he encounters medical treatment
and medicine. If not, it will not be cured. That is why I say that if a person listens to the
words of deep meaning of the Buddha and Bodhisattvas, he aspires to Bodhichitta, and if not,
he cannot.
"I said above that a person might encounter a good friend, the Buddha and the Bodhisattvas
and listen to the words of deep meaning, or he may not. In both cases, he does not
aspire to Bodhichitta. What does this mean? O good man! The icchantika is unable to do away
with the mind of the icchantika, no matter whether he encounters a good friend, the Buddha
or the Bodhisattvas, and listens to the words of deep meaning or not. Why? Because he is
segregated from Wonderful Dharma. The icchantika, too, will gain unsurpassed Enlightenment.
Why? If he aspires to Enlightenment, such a one is no longer an icchantika.
"O good man! Why do we say that even the icchantika, as well, gains unsurpassed
Enlightenment? The icchantika really does not attain unsurpassed Enlightenment. It is as with
the person who faces the end of his life and who cannot be cured by a doctor, good medicine,
or good medical attendance. Why not? Because life has reached the point where he can live no
longer.
"O good man! "Issen" means "faith"; "dai" means "not accompanied". When a person
does not possess faith, we say "issendai". The Buddha-Nature is no "faith". The "being" does
not mean "to possess". Not possessing, how can the person think of cutting off? "Issen" means
"good expedient means", and "dai" "not to possess". When the good expedient means is not
practised, we speak of the "icchantika". We say "Buddha-Nature". It is not to practise the
good expedient means. Beings do not possess this. Not possessing it, how can it be cut off?
"Issen" means "to go forward", and "dai" "not to possess". When a person does not
possess anything that will enable them to go forward, we speak of the icchantika. The Buddha-
Nature is "not going forward" and beings are "not possessing". When there is no possessing,
how can there be any cutting off?
"Issen means "to remember", and dai "not to possess". When a person does not possess
remembrance, we say icchantika. The Buddha-Nature is no remembrance, and beings are no
possessing, so how can a person think of cutting off?
"Issen means "samadhi", and dai "not possessing". When samadhi is not possessed, we
speak of the icchantika. The Buddha-Nature is no samadhi and beings no possessing. When
there is no such possessing, how can one think of ever cutting off?
"Issen means "Wisdom" and dai "not possessing". When a person does not possess Wisdom,
we speak of the icchantika. The Buddha-Nature is no Wisdom and beings "no possessing".
When a person does not possess Wisdom, how can there be cutting off?
"Issen means "non-eternal good" and dai "not possessing". When a person does not
possess the non-eternal good, we say icchantika. The Buddha-Nature is Eternal. It is neither
good, nor non-good. Why? Wonderful Dharma unfailingly arises out of expedient means, but
this Buddha-Nature is not something that arises out of expedient means. So, it is non-good.
Chapter Thirty-Two: Bodhisattva Highly-Virtuous King (f) 357
And why is it not anything good? Because a good result truly comes about. This good result
is none other than unsurpassed Enlightenment.
"Also, because Wonderful Dharma is what we gain after birth. And this Buddha-Nature
is not something we gain after birth. Hence, it is not anything that can be termed good. When
a person is segregated from the Wonderful Dharma that one gains after birth, we say icchantika.
"O good man! For example, there is a king who hears a harp, the sound of which is serene
and wonderful. His mind bewitched, joy and bliss arise, intermingled with loving thoughts, and
it is hard [for him] to part with the superb feeling. He says to his minister: "From where does
that wonderful kind of sound arise?" The minister replies: "That wonderful sound comes from
the harp, sire." The King further says: "Bring me that sound!" Then the minister places the
harp before the seat of the king and says: "O great King! This is the sound!" The King says to
the harp: "Call forth the sound, call forth the sound!" But the harp does not bring forth any
sound. Then the King cuts the strings, and still there is no sound. He tears off the skin, crushes
the wood and breaks everything up into pieces, intending to press the sound out, but no sound
[comes]. Then the King gets angry with the minister and says: "How dare you lie to me!" The
minister says to the King: "Now, this is not the way to get at the good sound. All the causal
relations and good expedient means can indeed call forth the sound."
"It is the same with the Buddha-Nature. There is no place where it rests. Only through
the best expedient means is it able to appear. When it can be seen, one gains unsurpassed
Enlightenment. The icchantika cannot see the Buddha-Nature. [So] how can he make away
with the sins of the three realms?
"O good man! If the icchantika believes in the fact that there is the Buddha-Nature, know
that he cannot fall into the three realms. Also, such a person is not even called an icchantika.
Not believing in the fact that there is the Buddha-Nature, this carries him down into the three
realms. When a person falls into the three realms, he is an icchantika.
"O good man! You say that if there is not the nature of cream in milk, it cannot bring
forth cream; if the seed of the nyagrodha tree does not possess a nature to be 50 feet tall,
there cannot be the fact of 50 feet. An ignorant person might well say this, but not one who
is wise. Why? Because there is no nature. O good man! If there were the nature of cream,
there would be no need to call in the power of causal relations. O good man! Mix water and
milk together and leave them thus for a month, and we will never gain any cream. If a drop of
“phalgu” [ficus oppositifolia: a red powder usually made from wild ginger root] juice is added,
we obtain cream. If there was [already] the phenomenon of cream, why would we need to wait
upon the joint workings of causal relations? The same is the case with the Buddha-Nature of
all beings. Assisted by various causal relations, we [come to] see it; being grounded on various
causal relations, we gain unsurpassed Enlightenment. If things come about assisted by causal
relations, this tells us that there is no nature that may be called its own. As there is no nature
that can be named, one can well attain unsurpassed Enlightenment. O good man! For this
reason, the Bodhisattva-mahasattva always praises the good of a person and does not speak
badly about what is deficient. This is the straight mind.
"Also, next, O good man! What is the straight mind of the Bodhisattva? The
Bodhisattva-mahasattva never does evil. If evil is performed, the Bodhisattva immediately
repents. He never hides [his evil] from his teacher or classmates. His repentance reproaches his
own self, and no more evil is done. Even a small sin he feels as grave. When asked, he answers:
"I did this". When asked: "Is it right or wrong, good or not good?", he answers: "Not good!"
When asked: "Will the sin call forth any result that is good or bad?", he answers: "The result
will be one that is not good." "Who is responsible for this sin? Are not all the Buddhas, Dharma
and Sangha responsible?", he answers: "It is not from the Buddha, Dharma or Sangha. This
is what I did myself." This is what defilements create. By the straight mind, he believes in the
existence of the Buddha-Nature. When a person believes in the Buddha-Nature, he cannot be
358 The Mahayana Mapaharinirvana Sutra
an icchantika. Because of this straight mind, we speak of the Buddha’s disciple. He may be
given a thousand items of clothing, drink, food, bedding, medical attendance, and medicines.
All this cannot be called much. This is the Bodhisattva’s straight mind.
"How does the Bodhisattva practise sila [the moral precepts]? The Bodhisattvamahasattva
upholds sila, but not for birth in the heavens, nor out of fear; nor does he receive
silas against dogs, fowls, cows, and pheasants. He does not violate sila, nor does he fail in it,
or wrong it; nor does he practise any mixed-up silas; nor any sravaka sila. He upholds the sila
of the Bodhisattva-mahasattva, the silaparamita [perfected morality]. He is perfect in the upasampada,
and is not arrogant. This is the sense in which we say that the Bodhisattva practises
the Way of Gret Nirvana and is perfect in the third sila.
"How does the Bodhisattva befriend a good friend? The Bodhisattva-mahasattva always
practises much and expounds to beings the Way, not anything evil, saying that evil never calls
forth a good result. O good man! I am the good teacher of all beings. Hence I thoroughly
destroy the twisted views of the Brahmins. O good man! If any beings befriend me, they gain
birth in the heavens, even though there be reason for them to fall into hell. This is as with
Sunaksatra and others, who, on seeing me, were born in the Rupadhatu Heaven, extirpating the
causal relations of being born in hell. There are such persons as Sariputra and Maudgalyayana,
who were no true good teachers of the Way to beings. Why? Due to gaining the mind of the
icchantika.
"O good man! I once lived in Varanasi. At that time, Sariputra taught two disciples.
The one he taught to meditate upon white bones, and the other to count the number of breaths.
Even after many years, they could gain no meditation. As a result of this, they acquired twisted
views and said: "There is no undefiled dharma of Nirvana. If there were, I would have gained
it. Why? I observe well all the silas that I have to observe." Then, on seeing that these bhiksus
had acquired twisted views, I sent for Sariputra and reproached him: "You do not teach well.
Why do you teach these persons in an inverted way? Your disciples differ in their bent. One is
a washerman, and the other is a goldsmith. The son of a goldsmith may be taught the counting
of the number of breaths, and the washerman to meditate on white bones. As you teach in the
wrong way, these two persons gain wrong views." I then taught these two persons as they ought
to have been taught, and the two, after having been taught, attained arhatship. Therefore, I
am the good teacher of the Way for all beings, and not Sariputra or Maudgalyayana. If any
being who might have the worst fetter of defilement happens to meet me, I can, using the best
expedient means, thoroughly cut away the root.
"My younger brother, Nanda, possessed the greatest of greed, and I did away with it by
putting into effect various good expedients.
"Angulimalya possessed the greatest of malevolence. But on seeing me, he did away with
it.
"King Ajatasatru was extremely ignorant. But on seeing me, he did away with this.
"The rich man, Bakiga , had amassed, in the course of innumerable periods of time, the
heaviest of defilements. But on seeing me, his defilements all departed.
"Any evil or lowly person can win the respect and love of all humans and devas by
befriending me and becoming my disciple.
"Srigupta was extremely evil-minded. But on seeing me, all his perverted views of life
were done away with. On seeing me, he made away with the cause for hell and gained the
[prerequisite] condition for birth in the heavens.
"Kikosendara was about to lose his life. But on seeing me, he gained his life.
"Kausika was about to lose his head, when, on seeing me, he gained the true mind.
"The butcher son of Kisagotami always committed evil. But on seeing me, he did away
with it.
Chapter Thirty-Two: Bodhisattva Highly-Virtuous King (f) 359
"On seeing me, Sendaibiku became unwavering in the observance of sila, so that he would
even abandon his life rather than violate sila, as in the case of Sokebiku [i.e. the "grass-bound
bhiksu". So named due to the fact that once this bhiksu was deprived of all his clothing by
robbers and then was tied up to grass and thus left out in the sun. But the bhiksu did not try
to rend himself free from the grass, as he thought this would kill the grass. The king saw this
and freed him. The king was greatly impressed by this holy action and later himself joined the
Sangha]. For this reason, Ananda is said to have stated that a semi-pure action is a good teacher
of the Way. But the case with me is not so. I say that a fully pure action is the good teacher
of the Way. This is how the Bodhisattva practises the Way of Great Nirvana and perfects the
fourth action of befriending a good teacher of the Way.
"How does the Bodhisattva-mahasattva perfect rich hearing? The Bodhisattva, for the
sake of Great Nirvana, copies, recites, understands and expounds the 12 types of sutras. This,
we say, is how the Bodhisattva perfects rich hearing.
"Excluding the 11 types of sutras, the Bodhisattva upholds, recites, copies and expounds
the vaipulya. This, we say, is how the Bodhisattva perfects rich hearing.
"Excluding the 12 types of sutras, the Bodhisattva upholds, copies, studies and expounds
the All-Wonderful Sutra of Great Nirvana. This is also the perfection of rich hearing by the
Bodhisattva.
"Even if one takes up the whole of this sutra, but upholds a four-line gatha, or even
excludes this gatha, but believes in the fact that the Tathagata is Eternal and Does Not Change
- even this can be the perfection of the Bodhisattva’s rich hearing.
"Also, a person may even make away with this, but only know that the Tathagata does
not always deliver sermons. And even this is the perfection of rich hearing by the Bodhisattva.
Why? Because there is no thing that can be termed Dharma nature itself. The Tathagata talks
of Dharma. But there exists nothing such as that which can be talked about. This, we say, is
how the Bodhsiattva practises the Way of Great Nirvana and is perfect in the fifth rich hearing.
"O good man! There may be a good man or good woman who, for the sake of Great
Nirvana, perfects or accomplishes the five things and does what is difficult to do, endures what
cannot be endured, and gives what cannot be given.
"How does the Bodhisattva do well that which is difficult to do? When he hears that a
man just takes a sesame seed for food and attains unsurpassed Enlightenment, he believes this,
and for a period of innumerable asamkhyas of kalpas, he partakes of a single sesame seed. If he
hears that he attains unsurpassed Enlightenment by entering fire, he will go into the burning
fires of Avichi Hell for a period of innumerable kalpas. This is where we say that the Bodhisattva
does what is difficult to do.
"How does the Bodhisattva endure what is difficult to endure? If he hears that one can
attain Great Nirvana by bearing the hardships of having his hand struck by a staff or a sword
or a stone, he will, for a period of innumerable asamkhyas of kalpas, subject his body [to such]
and will not make it a pain [i.e. he will not regard this as painful]. This is where we say that
the Bodhisattva endures well what is difficult to endure.
"How does the Bodhisattva give what is hard to give? If he hears that by giving away
to others one’s national castle, one’s wife and children, one’s head, eyes, or marrow, one gains
unsurpassed Enlightenment, he will for a period of innumerable asamkhyas of kalpas give away
his castle town, his wife and children, his head, eyes and marrow to others. This is how we
speak of the Bodhisattva’s giving away what is hard to give away.
"The Bodhisattva does what is difficult to do, but he in no way says: "This is what I
did." This applies to what is difficult to endure and what is difficult to give away.
"O good man! For example, there are [two] parents who have a child. They love this
child very much. They give this son fine clothes and the best dishes when the occasion requires
360 The Mahayana Mapaharinirvana Sutra
such, and the child has no feeling of anything lacking. If their son becomes arrogant and
speaks unpleasing words, they suppress their anger out of their love; they do not even think
to themselves that they have given this son of theirs clothing and food. It is the same with
the Bodhisattva-mahasattva, too. He views all beings as though they were his only son. If
the son suffers from illness, the parents also suffer. They seek a doctor, medicine, and medical
attendance. When the illness has departed, they do not think that they have cured their son
of his illness and done away with it. It is the same with the Bodhisattva. Seeing that all
beings suffer from the illness of defilement, compassion awakens in his mind. And he speaks of
Dharma. When a person listens to his sermons, all defilements flee. When the defilements have
gone, he does not think or say that he has done away with the sufferings of defilement. Should
any such thought occur to him, he would not be able to attain unsurpassed Enlightenment. He
only thinks that he has never spoken of the Way to a being and has thus cut off the fetter of
defilement. The Bodhisattva-mahasattva experiences no anger or joy towards beings. Why not?
Because he practises the samadhi of the All-Void. On practising the samadhi of the All-Void,
to whom could the Bodhisattva evince any anger or joy? O good man! For example, a forest
becomes consumed by a great fire and gets burnt down, or is felled by man, or gets inundated
with water. But do the forest-trees grow angry or become pleased? It is the same with the
Bodhisattva-mahasattva. He possesses no anger or joy towards any being. Why not? Because
he practises the samadhi of the All-Void."
Then the All-Shining Bodhisattva-mahasattva Highly-Virtuous King said to the Buddha:
"O World-Honoured One! Is the nature of all things void? Or is it void when we practise the
Void? If the nature is All-Void, there cannot be any gaining of the All-Void by practising the
All-Void. How can the Tathagata say that one gains the All-Void by practising the All-Void?
If the nature is not All-Void, there cannot be any gaining of the All-Void by practising the
All-Void."
"O good man! The nature of all things is originally All-Void. Why? Because we cannot
hold in our hands the nature of all things. O good man! The nature of matter cannot be held
in one’s hand. What is the nature of matter? Matter is not earth, water, fire, or wind. And
[yet] it does not part from the nature of earth, water, fire, and wind. It is not blue, yellow, red,
or white. And it does not part from blue, yellow, red, or white. It is not is; it is not is-not. How
can we say that matter has its own nature?
"As its nature is impossible to catch hold of, we say "all-void". It is the same with all
things. As there is similarity and continuity, common mortals see and say that the nature of
all things is not all-void. The Bodhisattva-mahasattva perfects the five things. So he sees that
the original nature of all things is all-silence. O good man! If there is any sramana or Brahmin
who sees that the nature of all things is not all-void, know that such a one is no sramana, or no
Brahmin. Such a person cannot practise prajnaparamita and attain Great Nirvana. He cannot
see all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas face to face; he is the kindred of Mara. O good man! The
nature of all things is originally All-Void. And when the Bodhisattva practises the All-Void, he
sees the All-Void of all things.
"O good man! The nature of all things is impermanent. So, extinction well extinguishes
extinction. If things were not impermanent, extinction could not extinguish. Any created thing
has the phase of birth. So, a birth can call forth a birth. As there is the phase of extinction,
this phase of extinction well calls forth extinction.
"All things have the characteristic of suffering; on account of this, suffering evokes suffering.
O good man! The nature of salt is salty. So it indeed makes other things taste salty.
Rock candy is sweet by nature. So it indeed makes other things [taste] sweet. Vinegar is sour
by nature. So it makes other things taste sour. Ginger is pungent by nature. So it makes other
things taste pungent. Haritaki tastes bitter. So it makes other things taste bitter. The mango
[“amra”] tastes light. So it makes other things taste light. Poison truly harms others. The
amrta’s [i.e. ambrosia’s] nature makes a person immortal. Also, mixed with alien things, it
Chapter Thirty-Two: Bodhisattva Highly-Virtuous King (f) 361
enables such not to die. The case is the same with the Bodhisattva who practises the All-Void.
When he practises the All-Void, he sees the nature of all things to be all-void and silent."
The All-Shining Bodhisattva-mahasattva Highly-Virtuous King further said: "If salt can
make what is not salty salty, and if, thus practising the samadhi of the All-Void, matters stand
thus, we can know that this is definitely not what is good, not what is wonderful, but that the
nature is upside down. The samadhi of the All-Void sees only the All-Void. The Void is not a
thing. What thing is there there to see?"
"O good man! The samadhi of the All-Void makes what is not void void and silent. It
is nothing that is upside down. This is as when what is not salty is made to become salty. The
case is the same with this samadhi of the All-Void. It makes what is not void void. O good
man! Greed is by nature "is" and is nothing of the nature of the void. If greed is by nature
all-void, beings, through causal relations, could not fall into hell. If they fall into hell, how can
it be that the nature of greed is all-void? O good man! The nature of matter is "is". What is
its nature? It is what is upside down [i.e. an inversion of the truth]. Being upside down, beings
acquire desire. If this desire were not upside down, how could beings acquire desire? As desire
comes about, know that the nature of matter is not that which is not "is". For this reason, the
practice of the samadhi of the All-Void is not upside down.
"O good man! When every common mortal sees a woman, there arises the form of a
woman. Not so with the Bodhisattva. Even on seeing a woman, he does not gain the form of a
woman. Gaining no form of a woman, there arises no desire. As no desire comes about, this is
nothing that is upside down. When worldly people see a woman, the Bodhisattva accordingly
says: "There is a woman". If a man is seen and the Bodhisattva says: "This is a woman", this
is an inversion. For this reason I said to Jyoti: "You Brahmin! If you call day night, this is an
inversion; if you call night day, this again is an inversion. That which is day is the form of day,
and that which is night is the form of night. How can this be an inversion?" O good man! If a
Bodhisattva abides in the ninth soil, he sees that a thing has a nature. Because of this view of
the world, he does not see the Buddha-Nature. If the Buddha-Nature is seen, there will be no
seeing of a nature in any thing. When he practises this samadhi of the All-Void, he does not see
any nature in all things. As he does not see this, he sees the Buddha-Nature.
"All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas speak of two aspects. The one is the nature of "is", and
the other is that of "not-is". For the sake of beings, they say that there is a nature in a thing. For
the sake of holy ones, they say that there is no nature in things. In order to let a person of the
non-Void see the Void, that person is made to practise the samadhi of the All-Void. With those
persons who see no nature in all things, what there is is the All-Void, because they practise the
Void. For this reason, a person sees the Void by practising the Void. O good man! You say that
if one sees the Void, this means that the Void is equal to no thing, and ask what that thing is
that one must see. O good man! It is thus, it is thus. The Bodhisattva-mahasattva sees nothing.
To say that one sees nothing means that one possesses nothing. To say that there is nothing
possessed equals all things. If the Bodhisattva-mahasattva practises the Way of Great Nirvana,
he sees nothing in all things. If something is seen, this tells us that one sees no Buddha-Nature.
One cannot [in such circumstances] practise prajnaparamita and gain Mahaparinirvana. For
this reason, the Bodhisattva sees that all things are characterised by having nothing that can
be possessed.
"O good man! It is not only the case that the Bodhisattva, by seeing this samadhi, sees
the Void. He sees that prajnaparamita is Void, dhyanaparamita is Void, viriyaparamita is Void,
ksantiparamita is Void, silaparamita is Void, danaparamita is Void, matter is Void, the eye is
Void, consciousness, too, is Void, the Tathagata is Void, and Mahaparinirvana is Void. Thus,
the Bodhisattva sees things as Void.
"That is why I said to Ananda at Kapilavastu: "Do not be sad, do not cry and weep."
Ananda said: "O Tathagata-World-Honoured One! Now, all my relatives are dead. How can I
362 The Mahayana Mapaharinirvana Sutra
not weep? The Tathagata was born in this castle-town together with me, and we are all related
to the Shakya clan. How is it that the Tathagata alone is not sad and does not worry, but
displays such a bright visage?"
"O good man! I then said: "O Ananda! You think that Kapilavastu truly exists, whereas
I see that all is empty and silent and that there is nothing that exists. You see all the Shakyas
as your relatives. But I see totally nothing therein, because I practise the All-Void. That is
why you gain sorrow and pain, and I look all the more bright. As all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas
practise the samadhi of the All-Void, they do not show any sorrow or worry." This is how the
Bodhisattva practises the Way of the All-Wonderful Sutra of Great Nirvana and perfects and
accomplishes the ninth virtue.
"Also, next, O good man! How does the Bodhisattva practise the teaching of the All-
Wonderful Sutra of Great Nirvana and perfect the last and tenth virtue [i.e. after, for example,
the practice of the All-Void]?
"O good man! The Bodhisattva practises the 37 factors leading to Enlightenment, gains
the Eternal, Bliss, the Self, and the Pure, and then, for the sake of beings, classifies and expounds
the Sutra of Great Nirvana and reveals the Buddha-Nature. Anybody of the stages of
srotapanna, sakrdagamin, anagamin, arhat, pratyekabuddha or Bodhisattva who believes in this
word will attain Mahaparinirvana. Any person who does not believe repeats the cycle of birth
and death."
Then the All-Shining Bodhisattva-mahasattva Highly-Virtuous King said to the Buddha:
"O World-Honoured One! Who are the beings who do not respect the sutras?"
"O good man! After my entering Nirvana, there will be sravaka disciples who are ignorant
and violate the precepts and take pleasure in disputation. They will cast away the 12 types of
sutra and recite and copy the documents of the various schools of the tirthikas, keep all impure
things, and say that these are things that were permitted by the Buddha. Such people will
trade sandalwood for common wood, gold for brass, silver for solder, silk for wool, and amrta
[ambrosia] for bad poison.
"What do I mean when I say that sandalwood is traded for common wood? My disciples,
for the sake of alms, will preach Dharma to all the white-clad [i.e. the laity]. People will lose
interest and not give ear. They will sit high and the bhiksus low. Besides, they will offer various
kinds of food and drink. But they will not listen. This is what we mean by trading sandalwood
for common wood.
"What do we mean by trading gold for brass? The brass may be likened to colour, sound,
smell, taste, and touch, and gold to the moral precepts. All my disciples will violate the precepts
they have received for reason of things. So we say they trade gold for brass.
"Why do we say trading silver for solder? We liken silver to the ten good deeds and
solder to the ten evil deeds. All my disciples will abandon the ten good deeds, performing the
ten evil deeds. So we say they trade silver for solder.
"How does a person trade silk for wool? Wool is likened to non-repentance and shamelessness,
and silk to having a sense of shame. All my disciples will abandon repentance and not
feel ashamed. This is why we say that they will relinquish silk for wool.
"How does one trade amrta for poison? Poison can be likened to the various alms offered,
and amrta to undefiled Dharma. All my disciples will praise their own selves for profit in the
presence of the laity and will claim that they have attained that which is undefiled. This is what
we mean when we say they will trade amrta for poison.
"Due to such bhiksus of evil designs, even when this All-Wonderful Sutra of Great Nirvana
flourishes in Jambudvipa and when all disciples recite, copy, and preach it, and cause it to
flourish, these will be killed by such evil bhiksus. Then, all such bhiksus of evil designs will
gather together and take oaths: "If any person upholds, copies, recites, or studies the Great
Chapter Thirty-Two: Bodhisattva Highly-Virtuous King (f) 363
Nirvana Sutra, we will not sit together with them, not talk or exchange words with them. Why
not? The Great Nirvana Sutra is not a sutra of the Buddha’s. Why not? It is a work of
perverted views. These perverted views are none but of the six masters. What the six masters
say is no sutra of the Buddha. Why not? All Buddhas say that all things are impermanent,
non-Self, non-bliss, and non-pure. When it is said that all things are the Eternal, Bliss, Self,
and the Pure, how could this be a sutra of the Buddha’s? All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas permit
the bhiksus to store up various things. The six masters do not allow their disciples to store up
anything. How could all this be what the Buddha says? All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas do not
tell their disciples to refrain from the five tastes [i.e. the five varieties of milk product] and from
eating meat. The six masters do not permit the five kinds of salt, the five tastes of the cow, and
fat and blood. How could the prohibiting of these be the right teaching of the Buddha’s sutra?
All Buddhas and Bodhisattvas preach the three vehicles. But this sutra speaks only of One. It
speaks of Great Nirvana. How could anything such be the right teaching of the Buddha? All
Buddhas ultimately enter Nirvana. This sutra says that the Buddha is the Eternal, Bliss, the
Self, and the Pure, and that he does not enter Nirvana. This sutra does not have any place
amongst the 12 types of sutras. This is what Mara says. This is no sermon of the Buddha’s."
"O good man! Any such person might be my disciple, but he is unable to believe in this
sutra. O good man! If, at such a juncture, there should be any person who believes in this sutra,
or in even half a line [of it], know that such a person is truly my disciple. With such faith, one
will see the Buddha-Nature and enter Nirvana."
Then, the All-Shining Bodhisattva Highly-Virtuous King said to the Buddha: "O World-
Honoured One! It is very well, it is very well that the Tathagata today thoroughly opens up
the Great Nirvana Sutra. O World-Honoured One! I have now, through this, come to know of
a single or half a line of this Great Nirvana Sutra. As I come to understand a line or half a line,
I now see somewhat of the Buddha-Nature, which you the Buddha speak about. I too shall be
able to attain Great Nirvana. This is how we speak of the Bodhisattva’s practising the Way
of the All-Wonderful Sutra of Great Nirvana and of his perfecting and accomplishing the tenth
virtue."