"O good man! One who says that the Tathagata ultimately enters Nirvana, or that he does not, does not understand the mind of the Tathagata. That is why he speaks thus.
"O good man! In this Gandhamadana, there are all kinds of rishis, to the number of 53,000, who had all amassed all kinds of virtue in the days of Buddha Kasyapa. Yet, they
did not gain the Right Way. They befriended1 the Buddhas and listen to Wonderful Dharma. Because of such persons, I , the Tathagata, said to Ananda: "I shall enter Nirvana at the end of the third month." All the devas heard this, and their voices reached Gandhamadana. All the rishis, on hearing this, repented and said: "Why did we not, on being born as humans, befriend the Buddha? The appearance of the All-Buddha-Tathagata in this world is as rare as in the case of the udumbara. I shall now go to where the World-Honoured One is and listen to Wonderful Dharma."
"O good man! Then the rishis, to the number of 53,000, came to me. I then, as requested, spoke of Dharma thus: "All you great ones! Material form is non-eternal. Why? Because of the fact that the causal relations of material form are non-eternal. It comes out of a cause of [i.e. a cause which is] non-eternal. How could material form be eternal? The same is the case down to consciousness." All the rishis, on hearing this, attained arhatship.
"O good man! In the castle-town of Kusinagara, there were wrestlers, to the number of 300,000. They belonged to no one. Becoming haughty since they possessed physical power, vitality and wealth, they got drunk and mad. O good man! To subjugate all these wrestlers, I said to Maudgalyayana: "Hold down [tame] these wrestlers!" Then he, all-respectfully, to accord with my instructions, spent five years teaching [them]. But not one wrestler gained Dharma and not one was subjugated. On this account, I, for the sake of the wrestlers, said to Ananda: "In three months’ time, I shall enter Nirvana."
"O good man! On hearing this, all the wrestlers gathered together and made repairs to the road. Three months later, I moved from Vaisali to Kusinagara Castle and on the way saw many wrestlers. Transforming myself into a sramana, I joined the wrestlers: " All of you children! What are you doing?" The wrestlers, on hearing this, became vexed and said: "O you sramana! What do you mean by calling us children?" I then said: "You big group of people, whose number is 300,000, may not even be able to move this small piece of stone. How can I call you anything other than children?" All the wrestlers said: "If you can call us children, know that you must be a great man." I then, at that time, picked up the stone with two fingers. Having witnessed this, all the wrestlers thought that they were possessed of less strength than myself and said: "O you sramana! Can you now move this stone out of the way?" I said: "Why are you so seriously engaged in repairing this road?" " O sramana! Do you not know that the Tathagata Shakyamuni is taking this road and will come to the forest of sal trees and enter Nirvana? For this reason, we are making repairs [to the road] and making it flat." I then praised [them] and said: "Good children! You now possess such a good [attitude of] mind. I shall now make away with this stone." I picked up the stone and cast it up as high as Akanistha Heaven. Then, all the wrestlers, on seeing that the stone hung suspended in the sky, became frightened and wanted to scatter in all directions. I then said: " O wrestlers! Do not be afraid and try to fly in all directions." All the wrestlers said: "O sramana! If you will save and protect us, we shall remain in peace." Then I put my hand on the stone and placed it in the palm of my right hand. On seeing this, the wrestlers grew pleased and said: "O sramana! Is this stone eternal or not eternal?" I then puffed on it with my mouth, and the stone broke into pieces like dust-motes. On seeing this, the wrestlers said: "O sramana! This stone is non-eternal." Then, feeling ashamed, they reproached themselves and said: " How is it that we take pride in our unlimited physical strength, and in life and wealth?" I, seeing through [i.e. reading] their minds, threw off my transformed body, regained my own form, and spoke about Dharma. Seeing all of this, the wrestlers aspired to Enlightenment.
"O good man! In Kusinagara, there lives an artisan called Cunda. This person once, at the place of Buddha Kasyapa, took a great vow: " I shall make the last offering of food to Shakyamuni Buddha when he enters Nirvana." This being the case, I, at Vaisali, looked back to
more likely: did not befriend, etc. - ed.
Upamana and said: "In three months’ time, I shall enter Nirvana at Kusinagara, between the sal trees. Go and let Cunda know of this."
"O good man! In Rajagriha, there is a rishi who is well practised in the five miraculous powers and whose name is Subhadra. He is 120 years old. He calls himself one versed in all things and is extremely arrogant. Already, at the places of innumerable Buddhas, he has amassed all the roots of good. In order to teach him, I said to Ananda: "I shall enter Nirvana in three months’ time. On hearing of this, Subhadra will come to me and gain a faithful mind. I shall speak several things to him. On giving ear to what I say, he will make away with the defilements."
"O good man! Bimbisara, King of Rajagriha, had a prince called Sudarsana. This prince, through causal relations, gained an evil mind and wished to kill his own father. But he did not know how to. At that time, Devadatta, from the causal relations of his past, gained an evil mind and desired to do harm to me. He practised the Way so as to gain the five miraculous powers, and before long he had gained them. He now established good connections with Sudarsana, displaying various miracles before him. He emerged from where there was no gate, and entered through a gate; he came out of a gate, and entered at a place where there was no gate. At times, he would conjure up an elephant or a horse, a cow, a sheep, a man, or a woman. On seeing this, Sudarsana gained a loving [i.e. attached] mind, a mind of pleasure and of respect. And in consequence, he made various preparations and offered them up in various utensils. And he said: "O great one! I now wish to see the mandarava [a flower]." Then, Devadatta went up to Trayastrimsa Heaven and asked for it from the hand of a deva [god]. Any good that he may have amassed having come to an end, none would give [it to him]. Unable to obtain the flower, he thought: " The mandarava flower has no Self or what belongs to the Self. I shall now take it, and what sin will I [thereby] commit?" As he stepped forward, meaning to take it, he lost his divine power. He came back to himself and was then in Rajagriha. Being ashamed of himself, he could not see [face] Sudarsana.
"And he thought to himself: " I shall now go to the Buddha and ask him to entrust the mass [i.e. the community of the Buddha’s followers] to me. If he agrees, I shall be able freely to give commands to Sariputra and others." Then, Devadatta came to me and said: "O Tathagata! Commit your great mass to my guidance, so that I may teach and give them the Way." I said: " O you madman! I do not entrust the great mass even to the hands of the greatly clever and wise man, Sariputra, whom the world trusts. Why should I entrust it to you, who but swallow your own spittle?" Then Devadatta all the more gained hateful thoughts towards me and said: "You may now have control over your people. But your power will soon fade away." As he said this, the great earth shook six times. Devadatta at once fell to the ground. His body emitted a great storm, which blew up all the dust and made him look foul. Devadatta, seeing this evil effect, said further: "If I now fall into Avichi Hell, I shall certainly repay this great resentment." Then, raising himself, he went to Sudarsana, who queried: "Why, Holy One, do you look so crestfallen and sorrowful? " Devadatta said: "I always look thus, do you not know this?" Sudarsana answered: "Pray tell me why that is. Devadatta said: "I am now on very close terms with you. Other people criticise you and say that what you do goes against reason. I hear this. How can it be that I do not feel worried?" Prince Sudarsana further asked: "In what way do the people of the land criticise me?" Devadatta said: "The people of the land say that you are an "unborn-resentment." Sudarsana said again: "Why am I an "unborn-resentment"? Who says this?" Devadatta said: "When you were not yet born, the augur said: "This son, when grown up, will kill his own father." That is why all other people call you an "unborn-resentment". All of the people of your household call you " good-looking" , just to guard your mind. The royal consort, Vaidehi, on hearing this, gave birth to you on top of a high building, as a result of which you fell to the ground and lost one of your fingers. That is why all the people call you "Balaruci" [= "One without a finger"]. Hearing this, I felt sorry. But I could not tell you this."
Thus, Devadatta taught Sudarsana evil things and made him kill his own father. "If your father dies, I, too, will certainly kill Sramana Gautama."
"Sudarsana had a minister called Varsakara, whom he asked: "Why did the great King name me Ajatasatru?" The minister told him the whole story, which was none other than what Devadatta had told to Sudarsana. Hearing this, Sudarsana shut the minister and his own father up in a place outside the castle and had the place guarded by four kinds of soldier. Queen Vaidehi, on hearing of this, went to where the King was imprisoned. The guards would not let her in. Then the Queen became angry and reproached the guards. Then, all the guards said to the Prince: "O great King! The Queen wishes to see the King. It is difficult to know whether we are to let her in or not?" Sudarsana became vexed, went to his mother, took her by the hair, unsheathed his sword, and meant to kill her. Then Jivaka said: "O great King! Since the beginning of government, however grave, no sin extends to the female. And how can you act thus to the one who gave you birth?" On hearing this, because of Jivaka he released her. And he deprived his father of all such things as clothing, bedding, food, drink, and medicine. Seven days later, the King died. Sudarsana completed the funeral and then repented. Varsakara spoke to him in different ways about various evil things: "O great King! There is no sin in what you have done. Why do you now so repine?" Jivaka said: "O great King! Know that such an action is doubly sinful. The one sin is killing one's own father, and the other killing a srotapanna. No one can make away with such sins other than the Buddha." Sudarsana said: "The Tathagata is pure and has nothing [about him] that is defiled. How can we, the defiled, hope to see him?"
"O good man! Seeing this, I told Ananda: "In three months’ time, I shall enter Nirvana." On hearing of this, Sudarsana came to me. I then spoke of Dharma. Through this, his grave sin reduced and he gained a faith which was not rooted in him. O good man! All my disciples, on hearing of this, could not grasp what was in my mind. So they said: "The Tathagata is definitely going to enter Nirvana."
"O good man! There are two kinds of Bodhisattva. One is real, and the other temporary. The Bodhisattvas of the temporary class, on hearing that I am to enter Nirvana within three months, all gain a retrogressive mind and say: "If the Tathagata is non-eternal and not to live, what can we do? We shall have to undergo great pains for innumerable lives to come. The Tathagata-World-Honoured One is accomplished and perfect in innumerable virtues. And he can do nothing so as to crush out Mara [the devil]. How can we crush out any such?"
"O good man! For the sake of such Bodhisattvas, I say: "The Tathagata is Eternal and does not change." O good man! On hearing this, none of my disciples can grasp what I mean to say, and they say: "It is definite that the Tathagata will not enter Nirvana."
"O good man! Beings acquire this world-view of existence and say: "None of us beings gain any karmic effects after death." To any such, I say: "There are persons who actually receive karmic returns. How do we know it to be as "is"?
"O good man! In days gone by, there was a king in Kusinagara called Sudarsana. To become a child, it took [him] 84,000 years; to become a crown prince 84,000 years, and to become a king also a further 84,000 years. Sitting alone, he thought to himself: "Beings have little virtue. So, life is short. The four enemies [e.g. defilement, the skandhas, death, and Mara; or here: birth, old age, illness, and death] always pursue them and bear down upon them, but they do not feel it and are indolent. Because of this, I shall leave home, practise the Way, and drive away the four enemies, i.e. birth, old age, illness, and death." So he gave orders to his officials and had a house built of seven treasures, outside the castle. The hall having been built, he said to his ministers, officials, harem women, children, and relatives: " Know that I wish to renounce my home. Do you agree?" Then, the ministers and relatives said: "Well said, well said, O King! It is now truly time." So Sudarsana, taking a man along with him, went alone to his house. For 84,000 years he practised compassion. In consequence of this, he became, by degrees, a Chakravartin [world-ruler]. After 30 generations, he became Sakrodevanam; and
for innumerable years he became [various] minor kings. Who could that Sudarsana have been? Do not think thus. I myself was that person. O good man! All my disciples, on hearing this, failed to take my meaning and said: "The Tathagata says that there definitely is Self and what belongs to Self."
"I also said to all beings: " Self is nature. That is to say that all the causal relations, the 12 links of interdependent arising, the five skandhas of beings, the world of mind, all virtuous actions, and the world of Isvara fall within the category of self." On hearing this, all my disciples do not grasp my meaning and say: "The Tathagata says that there definitely is self."
"O good man! Once on a different occasion, a bhiksu came to me and asked: "O World- Honoured One! What do we mean by self? Who is self? Why do we say self?" I then said to this bhiksu: " O bhiksu! There is nothing that can be called self or what belongs to self. The eye is what originally was not, but what now is; what once was, but is not now. When appearing, there is nothing which it follows, and when dying, there is no place [for it] to go. There can be the karmic returns, but no one who acted. There is no one who abandons the skandhas and no one who receives them. You ask: What is self? It is an action. How could it be a self? It is craving. O bhiksu! Clap [your] two hands together, and we get a sound. The case of self is also thus. The causal relations of beings, action, and craving are self. O bhiksu! The physical form [“rupa”] of all beings is non-self. There is no physical form in self; there is no self in physical form. So does it apply [all the way down the skandhas] to consciousness. O bhiksu! All tirthikas [non-Buddhists] say that there is self. But it is not away from the skandhas. There is no self other than the skandhas. None can say thus. All the actions of beings are like phantoms, being like a mirage which appears in the hot season. O bhiksu! The five skandhas are all non-eternal, non-bliss, non-self, and non-pure." O good man! Then, there were innumerable bhiksus who, seeing through the five skandhas and the fact that there is no self, and that nothing belongs to self, attained arhatship. O good man! All my disciples, on hearing this, fail to gain my meaning and say: "The Tathagata definitely says that there is no Self."
"O good man! I also say in a sutra: "One acquires this body when three things harmoniously come together. One is the father, the other the mother, and the third the in-between existence2. These three come together, and we get this body." I at times say: "The anagamin [non-returner to samsara] enters Parinirvana; or he enters into the state of an in-between." Or I also say: " The body and organs are perfect and clear: all come about from past actions, as in the case of pure sarpirmanda." O good man! I, at times, say: "The in-between existence which an evil person gains is like the coarse woolen cloth that is found in the world, whereas the in-between existence which a pure, good being gains is like the finely woven, white woolen cloth produced at Varanasi." All of my disciples hear this, do not get my meaning, and say: "The Tathagata says that there is an in-between existence."
"O good man! I also said this to those who had actually committed the deadly sins: "Those who commit the five deadly sins fall into Avichi Hell." I also said: "Bhiksu Dharmaruci, when he dies, will immediately fall into Avichi Hell. There is no place to stay in-between." I also said to the Brahmacarin, Vatsiputriya: "O Brahmacarin! If there were an existence in-between, there would have to be six existences." I also said: "To a non-form being, there can be no in-between existence." O good man! All of my disciples hear this, fail to grasp my meaning, and say: "The Buddha says that there decidedly cannot be any in-between existence."
"O good man! I also say in a sutra: " Also, there is retrogression. Why? Because innumerable bhiksus are indolent and lazy, and do not practise the Way." There are five kinds of retrogression, which are: 1) one likes having many things, 2) having enjoyed, one speaks of worldly things, 3) one loves sleeping, 4) one likes to associate with people of the secular world, 5) having enjoyed, one goes about. Because of all of this, the bhiksu falls back.
Jap. “chuon”: an existence that is supposed to exist after one’s death and before rebirth.
"Of the causal relations of retrogression, there are two types, which are: 1) inner, 2) outer. A person of the arhat stage certainly leaves the inner cause, but not the outer. Due to the external causal relations, defilement raises its head. Due to defilement, retrogression comes about. There was a bhiksu who was called Kutei , who had retrogressed six times. Having retrogressed, he repented and again practised the Way, and it was now the seventh time. Gaining it and being afraid of losing it again, he killed himself.
"I also, at times, say that there is Emancipation, or I speak about six arhats. All of my disciples hear this, do not arrive at my meaning, and say: " The Tathagata says that there decidedly is retrogression."
"O good man! I also say in a sutra: " For example, just as charcoal never turns back into wood, and when an earthen pot is shattered it never serves again as a pot, so does it obtain with defilement. The cutting off [of defilement] by an arhat nevermore becomes reversed." Also, I say: "There are three causes for beings’ having defilement. These are: 1) the defilement is not done away with, 2) the causal relations are not done away with, 3) the person does not think well. And the arhat does not have the two causal relations. The defilement is done away with and there is no thinking about evil things." O good man! All of my disciples hear this, do not grasp my meaning, and say: "The Tathagata says that there never is retrogression." O good man! I say in a sutra that the Tathagata has two kinds of body. One is the carnal body3, and the other is the Dharmakaya4. The carnal body is none but expedient and accommodation. So such a body undergoes birth, old age, illness, and death. It is long, short, black, and white; this is right, that is [not] right; this is learning or non-learning. All my disciples hear this, do not grasp my meaning, and say: "The Tathagata says that the Buddha’s body is but what is created." The Dharmakaya is the Eternal, Bliss, Self, and the Pure; it is eternally segregated from birth, old age, illness, and death. It is not white, nor black, neither is it long nor short; it is not learning, nor non-learning. The Buddha is one who has appeared or one who has not appeared. He is Eternal. He does not move about. There is no change. O good man! All of my disciples hear this, do not grasp my meaning, and say: " The Tathagata says that the body of the Buddha is definitely an uncreated body."
"O good man! I say in a sutra: "What are the 12 links of interdependence? From ignorance comes about action, from action consicousness, from consciousness mind-and-body, from mind-and-body the six spheres [of sense], from the six spheres touch, from touch feeling, from feeling craving, from craving cleaving, from cleaving existence, from existence birth, and from birth ageing-and-death, apprehension and sorrow." O good man! All of my disciples hear of this, do not grasp my meaning, and say: "The Tathagata says that the 12 links of interdependence are decidedly the created."
"I once gave a bhiksu an injunction and said: "The 12 links of interdependence are the Buddha, non-Buddha, characteristics, and the Eternal."
"O good man! There is a case where the 12 links of interdependence arise from causal relations. Also, there is a case where they arise out of causal relations and yet are not the 12 links of interdependence. Also, there is a case where they come about from causal relations and are the 12 links of interdependence. Also, there is a case where they are those which have come about neither from causal relations nor from the 12 links of interdependence.
"We say that there is a case where they have not come about from the causal relations of the 12 links of interdependence. This is said referring to the 12 links of interdependence of the future.
"We say that there is a case where they come about from causal relations and yet are not the 12 links of interdependence. This refers to the five skandhas of an arhat.
3 Jap. “shoshin; “ "sho"= essential nature; "shin"= mind, consciousness - so this translation of "carnal
body" is not clear here - ed.
4 Jap. “hosshin” = Dharma Body, Dharma Mind
"We say that there is a case where they come about from causal relations and are the 12 links of interdependence. This refers to the 12 links of interdependence of the five skandhas of the common mortal.
"We say that there is a case where they are not those come about from causal relations and are also not the 12 links of interdependence. This refers to space and Nirvana.
"O good man! All of my disciples hear of this, do not come to my meaning, and say: "The Tathagata says that the 12 links of interdependence are definitely uncreated."
"O good man! I say in a sutra: " All beings do good and evil actions. When they die, the four great elements immediately break up. With those whose deeds are pure and good, their minds travel upwards; those whose deeds are solely evil travel downwards." O good man! All of my disciples hear this, fail to grasp my meaning, and say: "The Tathagata says that the mind is definitely eternal."
"O good man! I once said to Bimbisara: "Know, O great King, that form [“rupa”] is non-eternal. Why? Because it comes about from a cause of the non-eternal. If this form comes about from a cause of the non-eternal, how can the wise say that this is eternal? If form is eternal, there will not be any breaking up [of it] and no coming about of all sorrows. Now, we see that this form breaks up and becomes dispersed. Hence, we must know that form is non-eternal. The same applies down to consciousness, too." O good man! All of my disciples hear this, do not get my meaning, and say: "The Tathagata says that the mind can definitely be cut off."
"O good man! I say in a sutra: "All of my disciples receive all incense and flowers, gold, silver, gems, wife, child, male and female servants, and the eight impure things, and yet they gain the Right Path. Having attained it, they do not abandon it." They hear this, do not grasp my meaning, and say: " The Tathagata says that one may accept the things of the five desires and that this does not obstruct the Holy Way."
"And, at one time, I say: " There cannot be a case where men of secular life attain the Right Path." O good man! All of my disciples hear of this, do not grasp my meaning, and say: "The Tathagata says that partaking of the five desires definitely obstructs the Right Path."
"O good man! I say in a sutra: " Severing defilement, one does not yet gain Emancipation. This is as in the case where one lives in the world of desire and practises the laukikagradharma [insight into the world]." O good man! All of my disciples hear of this, fail to grasp my meaning, and say: "Tathagata says that the laukikagradharma is nothing but a thing of the world of desire."
"And also I say: " The usmagata, murdhana, ksanti, and the laukikagradharma are no other than gaining the four dhyanas, from the first to the fourth." All of my disciples hear of this, do not grasp my meaning, and say: " The Tathagata says that the laukikagradharma is nothing but a thing of the world of form."
"And also I say: "All the tirthikas were already able to cut off the defilements that stood in the way of the four dhyanas. Practising the usmagata, murdhana, ksanti, and laukikagradharma, and meditating on the Four Truths, the person obtains the fruition of the anagamin." All of my disciples hear of this, do not get my meaning, and say: "The Tathagata says that the laukikagradharma exists in the world of non-form."
"O good man! I say in a sutra: "Of the four kinds of dana [giving], there are three which are pure. The four are: 1) the giver believes in cause, result, and dana, but the recipient does not, 2) the recipient believes in cause, result, and dana, but the giver does not, 3) both giver and recipient have faith, and 4) both giver and recipient have no faith. Of these four kinds of dana, the first three are pure." All of my disciples hear of this, do not grasp my meaning, and say: "The Tathagata says that dana is but the mind."
"O good man! I once said: " When one gives, one gives five things. What are the five? These are: 1) matter, 2) power, 3) peace, 4) life, and 5) oratorical prowess. The causal relations of such come back as returns to the one who gives." All of my disciples hear of this, do not grasp my meaning, and say: "The Buddha says that dana is nothing but the five skandhas."
"O good man! I once said: "Nirvana is what is cut off, and where defilement is eternally annihilated, and where nothing remains behind. This is as in the case of the light of a lamp. When gone, there is no [re]-appearing of a thing. It is the same with Nirvana.
"We say "Void". This is where there is no place that can be named. For example, in worldly life we say "like the Void", when there is nothing [there] to be possessed. This is apratisamkhya-nirodha [i.e. when the causal relations for something to exist have gone, nothing can come about], where there is nothing to be possessed. If there is something that can be named, there must be causal relations. When there are causal relations, there can be extinction. When there are not, there is no extinction." All of my disciples hear of this, do not grasp my meaning, and say: "The Buddha says that there are not three uncreates."
"O good man! I once said to Maudgalyayana: " O Maudgalyayana! Nirvana is the sentence and the line, the forestep [forward step], the ultimate, fearlessness, the great teacher, great fruition, the ultimate knowledge, great ksanti [patience], and unhindered samadhi. This is the great world of Dharma, the taste of amrta [deathlessness] and is difficult to see. O Maudgalyayana! If it is said that there is no Nirvana, how can it be that a person who slanders falls into hell?" O good man! All of my disciples hear this, do not grasp my meaning, and say: "The Tathagata says that there is Nirvana."
"Once, I said to Maudgalyayana: "O Maudgalyayana! The eye is not inflexible. So does it obtain with the carnal body. All is not inflexible. Being not inflexible, we say Void. Where the food goes on [down], and where it turns round and is digested, all sounds are Void." All of my disciples hear of this, do not grasp my meaning, and say: " The Tathagata says that the uncreated Void definitely exists."
"Also, once I said to Maudgalyayana: " O Maudgalyayana! There is a person who has not yet attained the fruition of srotapanna. When abiding in ksanti, he cuts himself off from the karmic results of the three unfortunate realms. Know that it [samsaric existence] does not die out by the causal relation of intellect." All of my disciples hear this, fail to grasp my meaning, and say: "The Tathagata says that there definitely exists the apratisamkhya-nirodha."
"O good man! I, at one time, said to Bhiksu Bhadrapala: "You, Bhiksu, should meditate on form. Nothing of the past, future, present, near, far, coarse, or delicate is the Self or what belongs to the Self. Thus meditating, the bhiksu truly cuts off the craving for form." Bhadrapala also said: " What is form?" I said: " The four great elements are form and the four skandhas are called "name" [i.e. what is mental]." All of my disciples hear of this, do not grasp my meaning, and say: "The Tathagata says that form is definitely the four great elements."
"O good man! For example, by means of a mirror, an image appears. It is the same with matter too. By means of the four great elements, things come about, such as [what is] coarse, delicate, non-slippery, slippery, blue, yellow, red, white, long, short, square, round, wrong, angled, light, heavy, cold, hot, hungry, thirsty, smoky, cloudy, dusty, and misty. This is why we say that matter comes about like sound or form. All of my disciples hear this, do not grasp my meaning, and say: " The Tathagata says that as there are the four great elements, there can be the works of matter."
"O good man! In days past, Prince Bodhi said: "Should a bhiksu who upholds sila gain an evil thought, know that at that moment he loses sila."
"I then said: " O Prince! There are seven kinds of sila. When things come about by body and mouth, there comes about non-expressible form [i.e. the secondary "rupa" that comes about from receiving sila]. Through the causal relation of this non-expressible form, we do not say that we lose sila, although the thing itself rests in the category of the evil-non-definable. It is yet the upholding of sila. Why do we say " non-expressible form" ? Because it constitutes no cause of any different form; nor is it the fruition of any different form." O good man! All of my disciples hear this, do not grasp my meaning, and say: "The Buddha says that there is a non-expressible form."
"O good man! I say in other sutras: "Sila checks evil things. If one does not do evil, this is the upholding of sila." All my disciples hear this, do not grasp my meaning, and say: "The Tathagata says that there definitely is no non-expressible form."
"O good man! I say in a sutra: " The skandhas from form down to consciousness of a holy person have come about from the causal relations of ignorance. It is the same whith what obtains regarding the things of all common mortals, too. From ignorance comes about craving. Know that this craving is ignorance. From craving comes about cleaving. Know that this cleaving is ignorance and craving. From cleaving comes about existence. Know that this existence is ignorance, craving, and cleaving. From existence comes about feeling. Know that this feeling is action and existence. From the causal relation of feeling come about such as mind-and-body, ignorance, craving, cleaving, existence, action, feeling, touch, consciousness, and the six [sense] spheres. Because of this, feeling is nothing but of the 12 links of interdependence." O good man! All of my disciples hear this, do not grasp my meaning, and say: " The Tathagata says that there is no caitta [mental factor]."
"O good man! I say in a sutra: " From the four things of eye, form, light, and evil desire comes about visual cognition. The evil desire is ignorance. As the nature of desire seeks to possess, we call this craving. From the causal relation of craving comes about cleaving, and this cleaving is called action. From the causal relation of action comes about consciousness, and consciousness is related to mind-and-body. Mind-and-body is related to the six spheres; the six spheres are related to touch, touch to conception, conception to feeling, craving, faith, effort, dhyana, and Wisdom. All such things come about by touch, and yet they are not touch itself." O good man! All of my disciples hear of this, do not grasp my meaning, and say: "The Tathagata says that the caitta exists."
"O good man! I, at one time, said: " There is but one existence. This extends to two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine up to twenty-five." All of my disciples hear this, do not get my meaning, and say: "The Tathagata says that there are five existences or six existences."
"O good man! I once lived in Kapilavastu, in the nyagrodha gardens, when Kolita came to me and said: "What is an upasaka?"
"I then said: " Any male or female who is perfect in all the sense-organs and who takes the three refuges [in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha] is an upasaka [lay Buddhist]."
"Kolita said: "O World-Honoured One! What is a partial upasaka?"
"I said: " Anyone who has taken refuge in the Three Treasures [of Buddha, Dharma and Sangha] and who has received one sila [moral precept] is a partial upasaka." All of my disciples hear this, do not grasp my meaning, and say: "The Tathagata says that even a person who is imperfect can well gain the upasaka sila."
"O good man! I once was dwelling on the banks of the Ganges, when Katyayana came to me and said: "O World-Honoured One! I teach people to take the ritual of purification. This may go on for a day, a night, a time, or for a thought-moment. Can such a person accomplish the ritual of purification?" I said: "O bhiksu! This person accomplishes good, but not purification." All of my disciples hear of this, do not get my meaning, and say: " The Tathagata says that a person completely gains the eight purifications."
"O good man! I say in a sutra: "Any person who commits the four grave offences is no bhiksu. Such a bhiksu is one who transgresses sila or one who has forgotten sila. He cannot call forth the bud of good. For example, this is as with a burnt-out seed, from which one cannot expect any fruit. If the crown of the tala tree is damaged, no fruit can come about. It is the same with the bhiksu who commits the grave offences, too." All of my disciples hear of this, do not get my meaning, and say: " The Tathagata says that any bhiksu who has committed the grave offences loses the sila of a bhiksu."
"O good man! In a sutra I spoke, for Cunda’s sake, of the four kinds of bhiksu. These are: 1) ultimate arrival at the Way, 2) showing of the Way, 3) receiving of the Way, and 4) the defiled Way. One who commits the four grave offences belongs to those defiling the Way. All of my disciples hear of this, fail to get my meaning, and say: "The Tathagata says that the bhiksu who commits the four grave offences does not violate sila."
"O good man! I said in a sutra to all bhiksus: "All such as the one vehicle, one Way, one action, one condition, and all from one vehicle up to the condition give beings great quietude. These eternally excise all such as bondage, apprehension, suffering, and the suffering of suffering, and lead all beings to one existence." All of my disciples hear of this, do not get my meaning, and say: "The Tathagata says that all from srotapanna up to arhat achieve the Buddhist end."
"O good man! I say in a sutra: " The srotapanna repeats comings and goings between the world of humans and that of devas [gods] seven times, and then attains Parinirvana. The sakrdagamin has only one life as man or god and then attains Parinirvana. The anagamin comprises five kinds. One may attain, in between, Parinirvana or go up proceeding and gain it in the highest heaven. With those of the stage of arhat, there are two kinds, which are gaining [Nirvana] 1) in the present life and 2) in the next life. In the present life, they cut away defilement and the five skandhas; and in the next life, too, they cut away defilement and the five skandhas." All of my disciples hear of this, fail to get my meaning, and say: "The Tathagata says that one may go up from the stage of srotapanna up to the stage of arhat and yet cannot be perfect in the Buddhist Way."
"O good man! I say in this sutra: "In detail, there are six things in the Buddha-Nature, namely: 1) the Eternal, 2) the Real, 3) the True, 4) the Good, 5) the Pure, and 6) the Visible." All of my disciples hear of this, do not grasp my meaning, and say: " The Buddha says that the Buddha-Nature of beings exists outside of us beings."
"O good man! I also say: "The Buddha-Nature of the being is like the Void. The Void is not past, not future, and not present. it is not in, nor out; it is not within the boundaries of colour, sound, taste, and touch. It is the same with the Buddha-Nature." All of my disciples hear of this, do not get my meaning, and say: " The Buddha says that the Buddha-Nature of beings exists outside of the beings."
"O good man! I once said: " People such as those who have committed the four grave offences, the icchantikas, slanderers of the vaipulya sutras, and those who have committed the five deadly sins, all have the Buddha-Nature. Such persons do not possess good actions to depend upon. The Buddha-Nature is the Good in itself." All of my disciples hear of this, do not grasp my meaning, and say: " The Buddha says that the Buddha-Nature of beings exists outside of beings."
"O good man! I also once said: "The being himself is the Buddha-Nature. Why? Other than the being himself, there is no gaining of the attainment of unsurpassed Enlightenment. That is why I resorted to the parable of the elephant to Prasenajit. The blind persons, when speaking of the elephant, do not give us the elephant. Yet, what they say is not totally away from it. It is the same with beings who may be speaking of form down to consciousness and saying that such is the Buddha-Nature. The case is the same. Though not the Buddha-Nature itself, yet it is not quite away from it. I also gave the king the parable of a harp. The same is the case with the Buddha-Nature, too." O good man! All of my disciples hear of this, do not grasp my meaning, and speak variously, like the blind man who asks about [the appearance of] milk. So do things stand with the Buddha-Nature.
"For this reason, I at times say: "People such as those who commit the four grave offences, slanderers of the vaipulya sutras, those committing the five deadly sins, and the icchantikas, possess the Buddha-Nature." Or I say: "No".
"O good man! I say in various sutras: " When one person appears in the world, many gain benefit. Never do two Chakravartins appear in one country, nor two Buddhas in one world. Nor under the four heavens do the eight guardians of the land appear, and no two Paranirmitavasavartins. No such thing can happen. And I say that I journey from Jambudvipa and Avichi Hell up to Akanistha heaven." All of my disciples hear of this, do not grasp my meaning, and say: "The Buddha says that there is no Buddha in the ten directions." And I also say in all Mahayana sutras that there are the Buddhas in all the ten directions."
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