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.