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.