The Parable of the Inseparable Sisters

“Oh Kashyapa! Once, there was a woman who came into the house of a person. She was splendidly decorated. It looked beautiful and her body was adorned with necklaces of various stones. The master of the house saw her and asked: 'What is your name? To whom do you belong?' The woman answered: 'I am Gunamahadevi '. The man of the house asked: 'What do you do wherever you go'? The Devi (Devi is synonymous with Shakti, the feminine aspect of God) said: 'Wherever I go, I give people various things such as gold, silver, beryl (aquamarine), crystal, pearls, coral, lapis lazuli, agate, elephants, horses, vehicles, male or female servants, and boys messengers'. On hearing this, the man of the house felt extremely pleased: ‘Now the fortune is on my side. This is why you're in my house’. He burnt incense, spread flowers, made offerings and worshipped her. Also, outside the gate, he found a mean and ugly woman, whose clothes were tattered, torn, and her appearance defiled by fat and dirty. Her skin was chapped and she looked pale and white. On seeing her, he asked: 'What is your name? To whom do you belong?' The woman answered: 'My name is 'Darkness’.’' He further asked: 'Why 'Darkness'?’ The woman answered: 'Wherever I go, the wealth of that house disappears.' On hearing this, the man brandished a sharp sword and said: 'Go away! If you don't, I will kill you’. The woman said: 'You're a fool and lacking in wisdom’. The man asked: 'Why am I foolish and lacking in wisdom?' She answered: 'The woman in your house is my elder sister. I always accompany her. If you throw me out, she will leave you’. The landlord came in and asked Gunadevi: 'Outside the house there is a woman claiming to be his sister. Is that true?’ Gunadevi said: 'In fact she is my sister. I am always accompanied by her, in comings and goings, and never parted. Wherever I go, I always do the good and she always does evil. I give benefits, and she takes them. If you love me, love her too. If you respect me, respect her too’. The man said at once: 'If there must be both, good and evil, I do not want have anything. Go on in your way both!' Then the two women went to where they were before. When they had left the place where they were before, the man of the house became glad and very happy (and no longer wanted them). Then the two women went to a hut of a poor man. On seeing them, the man invited them to come in and said: ‘Henceforth, stay in my house’. Gunadevi said: ‘We were driven away. Why do you invite us to come in?' The poor man said: 'You now take care of me. I respect your sister because of you. So, I allow both of you to come in’. The situation is like this. Oh Kashyapa! The same goes with the Bodhisattva-Mahasattva. He does not desire to be born in heaven. Being born means that there (in heaven), too, there are aging, illness and death. So, he abandons both, and he is not minded to receive them. Common mortals and the ignorant are unaware of the ills of old age, sickness and death. So they greedily seek the birth and death.”

Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 19 - On Holy Actions 1.