Pearls of Universe - Volume III

“Also, next, oh good man! For example, all beings take delight in seeing the brightness of the moon. That is why we call the moon 'that which is pleasing to see’. If beings possess greed, malevolence and ignorance, there can be no pleasure in seeing her. The same goes with the Tathagata. The Nature of the Tathagata is pure, good, clean and undefiled. This is what is most pleasing to behold. The beings which are in harmony with the Dharma will not hesitate (and feel pleasure) in seeing; those with evil thoughts will not feel pleasure in seeing. For this reason, we say that the Tathagata is like the brightness of the Moon.”

Read More on Pearls of Universe - Volume III.


CONTENTS
THE MEDICINE OF THE UNIQUE TASTE ..................................... 3
THE UNIQUE TASTE OF THE THREE TREASURES ........................... 4
THE DILEMMA OF DUALITY AND THE MIDDLE PATH ..................... 5
THE BRIGHTNESS AND IGNORANCE .......................................... 8
THE BUDDHA NATURE WITHIN US ......................................... 10
THE CONSCIENCE OF OWNING THE BUDDHA NATURE ................ 12
THE PARABLE OF THE MANDARIN DUCK AND KACALINDIKAKA ...... 13
THE PARABLE OF THE MOON ............................................... 14
THE ETERNAL FULL MOON .................................................. 14
THE TRUE ASPECT OF ORIGINAL KARMA ................................. 15
THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SON .......................................... 17
THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE MOON ........................................... 18
THE WONDERFUL CAUSE OF ENLIGHTENMENT ......................... 18
THE DAWN OF THE GREAT NIRVANA ...................................... 19
THE GREAT SKILLED DOCTOR ............................................... 20
THE MASTER OF THE SUPREME ART ...................................... 21
THE KING OF THE WIND ..................................................... 22
THE SKIN OF THE SNAKE ..................................................... 23
THE WISE MINISTER .......................................................... 24
THE GREAT NIRVANA IN THE EVIL AGE ................................... 25

Holy Actions

The Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "Oh World Honored One! Why do we say 'holy action'?"

(The Buddha said): "Oh good man! 'Holy’ refers to the Buddha-Tathagata. Hence, we say 'holy action'."

(Kashyapa said): "Oh World Honored One! If this refers to the works of all the Buddhas, then, it is not in the reach of practice of Sravakas, Pratyekabuddhas and Bodhisattvas."

(The Buddha said): "Oh good man! The Buddha-World-Honored One abides in Mahaparinirvana and thus opens out, discriminates and explains the meaning. For this reason, we say 'holy action'. Sravakas, Pratyekabuddhas and Bodhisattvas, as soon as they hear [the words of the Buddha], will practice accordingly. Hence, (they will practice) 'holy actions’. Oh good man! As soon as this Bodhisattva-Mahasattva has done this work (action), he attains the stage of fearlessness. Oh good man! If a Bodhisattva attains the stage of fearlessness, he then has no fear of greed, anger, ignorance, birth, old age, illness and death. Also, he does not fear the unfortunate realms of hell, hungry ghosts and animals.

Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 20 - On Holy Actions 2.

The Non-Presumable Turning of the Wheel of Dharma

“Oh good man! For example, there is a situation where we get visual consciousness through the harmonious combination of eyes, color, light and thought. Oh good man! The eye does not think: ‘I shall cause consciousness to arise’. From color, down to thought, never says: ‘I shall cause visual consciousness to arise’. Neither consciousness says: ‘I shall arise by myself.' Oh good man! Such a harmonization of the causal relations of the laws [i.e., of dharmas] is drsti [vision].

Oh good man! It is the same with the Tathagata. Through the harmonious combination of the causal relations of the six paramitas, we obtain drsti. Oh good man! It's the same with the Tathagata. He searches the depths of all things by means of the six paramitas and 37 elements concerning the Enlightenment. Also, we call it the turning of the Wheel of Dharma, as he (the Tathagata), using the throat, tongue, teeth, lips and mouth, and through speech and voice, speaks of Dharma to Kaundinya and others. That is why we do not say that the Tathagata turns the Wheel of Dharma. Oh good man! What is not turned is Dharma, Dharma is the Tathagata. Oh good man! Through the use of flint, by means of friction, by means of use of the hands, and through using autumnal dried grass, we obtain fire. But the flint does not say: ‘I shall cause fire to arise’. Friction, hands and dried grass also do not think: 'I made the fire to arise’. Neither the fire says: 'I shall come by myself’. It is the same with the Tathagata. Through the six paramitas, down to speaking to Kaundinya, there occurs the turning of the Wheel of Dharma. But the Tathagata, too, does not think and say: 'I turn the Wheel of Dharma'. Oh good man! We speak of 'non-emergence' [non-arising, non-acting]. This is the right turn of the Wheel of Dharma. This turning of the Wheel of Dharma is the Tathagata.

Oh good man! Turning the Wheel of Dharma is what takes place in the world of the All-Buddha-World-Honored-One. It is not something that can be known by Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas. Oh good man! The space is no being-born, is not arisen, not done, not built, nor what is created. It is the same with the Tathagata. He is no being-born, or arisen, or built, nor what has been created. Like unto the nature of the Tathagata, is the Buddha-Nature. It is not a being-born, or arisen, or built, nor what has been created.”

Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 20 - On Holy Actions 2.

The Transience of Physical Existence

“Oh good man! I have expounded the transience of what is non-physical, and the meaning is now established. Also, for your sake, I shall explain the transience of physical existence. This physical [existence] does not have any eternal quality; basically, it has no life. (Once) born, it must die. When the body of a person is still in the womb, at kalala stage (fetal), there is nothing of the life entity [there]. Because it changes when is born. Such things of the objective world as buds, stems and trunks also do not have any entity (a priori), since when born, each one (of these things) changes. On this basis, we know that all physical things are transient. Oh good man! All the sense-faculties of the human change over time; their sense-faculties ['adhyatman-rupa'] are different at kalala stage [fetal stage, seven days after conception], in arbuda phase [second week] ghana [fourth stage], pesi [third week] during pregnancy, at the time of birth, in childhood, in youth, and up to the time of old age. So it is with the 'things of the objective world."

Differences are noted [become manifest] on things as: buds, stems, branches, leaves, flowers and fruits. Also, furthermore, oh good man! The mental perception also differs. Changes occur since the kalala stage (fetal stage) up to the days of old age. The perception of objective things (physical) also differs. The perception differs at the stages of bud, stem, leaf, flower and fruit. The strength differs since the time of kalala up to old age, shape and appearance differ since the time of kalala up to old age; the results (rewards) of karma differ from the time of kalala up to the time of old age, the name differs from the time of kalala up to old age. The so-called sense-faculties of humans break up, return, and associate themselves [in their previous state]. We know that this is impermanent. These things of the objective world as trees break and join together. Thus, we see them as impermanent. A thing emerges gradually. So, we know that it must be non-eternal. As it (the life) gradually emerges from the time of kalala up to the time of old age; so buds, fruits and seeds arise. So we see that a physical thing dies out. Thus, what we see is non-eternal.

Differences are noted from the time of death of the kalala stage up to the time of death of the old age, and since the time of death of the bud up to the time of death of the fruit. Thus, we see that there is impermanence. Common mortals do not know this. As things carry on alike, they conclude and say that what exists is eternal. For this reason, I say non-eternal. If there is the non-eternal, what exists is suffering. If there is suffering, this is nothing more than the impure. Oh good man! When Kashyapa once asked me about this, I had already answered [this question] at that time.”

Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 20 - On Holy Actions 2.

The Transience of Mind

“Oh good man! The mind is non-eternal. Why is that? Because its nature is always stimulated by external things to respond and discriminate things. Oh good man! The nature of what the eye sees is different, and this applies to all the ways down to that of what the mind thinks, which is different. Hence, (it is) non-eternal. Oh good man! The field of cognition of matter ['rupa'] is different, and this applies to where the field of cognition of dharmas is different. Hence, non-eternal. Oh good man! The concomitant elements of visual consciousness are different, and this applies down to (across all the senses) the concomitant elements of mental consciousness, which are different. Hence, non-eternal. Oh good man! If the mind were eternal, visual consciousness alone could call forth all elements. Oh good man! If visual consciousness is different and if this applies down to the mental consciousness which (also) is different, we see that (the mind) is non-eternal. The aspects of the elements look the same (immutable), and these come about and die out moment after moment. Thus, common mortals look and conclude that they are eternal. As all causal relations operate against and break the immutability (of things), we say non-eternal. We gain visual consciousness through the eyes, matter, light and thought. When gustatory consciousness arises, place and cause differ. This is not the causal relation of visual consciousness. The things are thus for all the ways (senses), down to consciousness of thinking, in which things differ. Also, furthermore, oh good man! Because the causal relations of all things dissolve, we say that the mind is non-eternal. The way to practice the non-eternal differs. If the mind were eternal, one would have to practice the non-eternal forever. And one could not meditate on suffering, the Void, and selflessness. And how could one meditate on the Eternal, Bliss, Self, and the Pure? For this reason, the teachings of the Tirthikas are unable to embrace the Eternal, Bliss, Self, and the Pure. Oh good man! You should know that the mind is definitely non-eternal. Also, furthermore, oh good man! As the nature of the mind is different, we say non-eternal. This is as in the case of the so-called nature of the Sravaka’s mind, which is different, as in the case of the Pratyekabuddha, which is different, and the mind of all Buddhas, which is different. There are three kinds of mind [attitude, mindset] amongst the Tirthikas, namely: 1) mind of renunciation, 2) mind of home life, and 3) mind that works against and departs from the home life. There are differences of the concomitant thoughts, such as bliss, sorrow, non-sorrow and non-bliss, greed, anger, and ignorance. Also, there are different mental aspects with the Tirthikas, which are those of the concomitant mind of ignorance, doubt, twisted views, mind of deportment regarding walking and stopping. Oh good man! If the (state of) mind were eternal, one could not discriminate all colors as blue, yellow, red, white, and purple. Oh good man! If the mind were eternal, there could be no forgetting of anything placed in memory. Oh good man! If the mind were eternal, there could be no increase in reading and recitation. Also, furthermore, oh good man! If the mind were eternal, we could not say that one has done, is doing, or will be do. If there is what was done, what is being done, or what will be done, know that this [way of] thinking is definitely non-eternal. Oh good man! If the mind were eternal, there could be no enmity, friendship, or non-enmity and non-friendship [that is, because the state of mind would never change]. If the mind were eternal, there could be no thought, nor what-belongs-to-other, death or birth. If the mind were eternal, no actions could accumulate (karma). Oh good man! For these reasons, know that the nature of mind is different in each case. This difference tells us that what we have here is non-eternal.”

Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 20 - On Holy Actions 2.