2011-09-26

The Dharma and the Person


The Buddha said: "Being based on Dharma means nothing more than basing oneself on the Mahaparinirvana of the Tathagata. All Buddhist teachings are nothing more than 'Dharmata' [essence of Dharma, essence of Reality]. This 'Dharmata' is the Tathagata. Hence, the Tathagata is Eternal and Unchanging. Any person who says that the Tathagata is non-Eternal does not know the 'Dharmata'. Such a person is not someone to base oneself upon. All the four (kinds) of persons mentioned above appear in the world, protect, act and become a refuge [for all beings]. Why? Because they thoroughly understand the deepest points of what the Tathagata says and know that the Tathagata is Eternal and Unchanging. It is not good to say that the Tathagata is non-Eternal and that He changes.

The four (kinds) of people, when they (appear) as such, are the Tathagata. Why? Because such kinds (of people) well understand and speak about the
undisclosed words of the Tathagata. Someone who well understands what is deeply hidden and knows that the Tathagata is Eternal and Unchanging, will never, for profit, says that the Tathagata is non-Eternal. Such a person is someone to base oneself upon - why not on those four (kinds) of people?”

Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 8 - On the Four Dependables.

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