“We say 'Truth of the Extinction of Suffering’. If a person practices many
teachings and the way of nothingness, this is not good. Why is
that? Because this annuls all laws and destroys the true storehouse of the
Tathagata. Any practice of this category is the practicing of
nothingness. Someone who practices (truly) the extinction of
suffering acts against what all Tirthikas do. If the practice of
nothingness is the truth of extinction, there are Tirthikas who
also practice the teaching of nothingness; then we must say that they
also possess the truth of extinction. A person says: 'There
is the Tathagatagarbha [Buddha-Womb – the pristine mind under the cover of
illusion]. One cannot see it. But if one does away with all
illusions, one may indeed enter’. It is so. Through the raising
of such a mind [that is, by cultivating such an attitude of mind],
one gains freedom in all things. If a person practices the Way of the hidden
storehouse, selflessness and emptiness, such a person will recycle between
birth and death for countless ages to come, and will suffer sorrow. A person
who does not do such practices may certainly, although it might have illusions,
soon do away with them. Why is that? Because it well knows the
undisclosed storehouse of the Tathagata. This is the Noble
Truth of the Extinction of Suffering. Any person who practices the
extinction in such a way is my disciple. A person who does not
practice the Way thus is someone who practices emptiness. This is not the Noble
Truth of Extinction.”
Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 10 - On the Four Noble Truths.
“Also, emancipation is what
is 'empty and quiet’. There can be no indefiniteness. By indefinite is meant the situation of saying that the icchantika
never changes and that those who committed grave offenses will never attain Buddhahood. Such things
one can never apply. Why not? When that person [icchantika] gains pristine and genuine faith in the
Wonderful Dharma of the Buddha, at that time the person annihilates the icchantika [within himself]. On becoming an upasaka
(a lay follower), the icchantika [in that person] dies forever; the person who has
committed grave offenses also attains Buddhahood when his sins have been expiated. Therefore, we
can never say that there is no change for everyone and that Buddhahood cannot
be attained. With true emancipation,
however, there can be no such cases of annihilation. Also, ‘emptiness and quietude' are things of the Dharma
world. The nature of the Dharma world is true emancipation. True emancipation
is the Tathagata. Also, once the icchantika has died, we can no longer speak of
the icchantika. What is an icchantika? An icchantika cuts off [within himself] all the roots of good
deeds and his mind does not call forth any association with good. Not even a bit of good
thought arises in his mind. Nothing like this occurs in true emancipation. As there
is nothing of this nature, we say true emancipation. True emancipation is the
Tathagata.”
Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 7 - On the Four Aspects.
Also, early in the morning when the sun had just risen, in order to provide the cremation the Tathagata’s body, the people carried in their hands tens of thousands of bundles of fragrant woods such as sandalwood, aloe, goirsa sandalwood, and heavenly wood, which with their core and annual rings, shone out in the wonderful hues of the seven treasures. In firing, the various hues were like painted colors, all these true wonders having arisen of the power of the Buddha, which were blue, yellow, red and white. These were pleasing to the eyes of all beings. All the wood was carefully smeared with various kinds of incense as saffron, aloe, sarjarasa, and others. Flowers such as utpala (Blue Lotus), kumuda (night blooming in the moonlight), padma (lotus red) and pundarika (white lotus) were strewn as adornments. Above all the fragrant woods were hung banners of five colors. They were soft and delicate, like heavenly veils weaved in kauseya, ksuma and silk.
The fragrant woods were laden onto adorned carriages, which glowed in colors such as blue, yellow, red and white. Its poles and spokes were all inlaid with the seven treasures. Each of these carriages was pulled by a joint of four horses, which ran like the wind. In front of each carriage stood 57 banners of ornamental plants, over which were spread thin veils of true gold. Each carriage had 50 wonderful canopies finely decorated with garlands of utpala, kumuda, padma and pundarika. The petals of these flowers were of pure gold, and his calyxes made of diamond. There were many black bees in the flowers, which gathered there, played and amused themselves, sending forth a wonderful music. That song spoke of non-eternal, sorrow, All-Void (absence) non-Self. That song also spoke about what the Bodhisattva originally does (Buddha's transit in the world). Dances, singings, masks dances went on, played by musical instruments such as "cheng", flute, harp, "hsiao" and "shã". From the music, arose a voice, which said: "Oh, woe is the day, woe the day! The world is empty!" In front of each carriage, upasakas stood holding decorated trays with various flowers such as utpala, kumuda, padma, pundarika, and various kinds of incense such as kunkuma and others, and steamy incense, all wonderful. They carried various utensils to prepare meals for the Buddha and the Sangha.
Read More on the Nirvana Sutra - Chapter 1 – Introductory.
"Oh good man! Beings do not understand the Middle Path. Sometimes they understand it, and at other times they do not. Oh good man! In order that beings can know, I say that the Buddha-Nature is neither within nor without. Why? Common beings say that the Buddha-Nature is the five skandhas, as though it were contained in a vessel. Or they say that it exists outside the skandhas, as in the Void. That is why the Tathagata says Middle Path. The Buddha-Nature which beings possess is neither the six sense-organs, nor the six sense-fields. Inside and outside come together. So we say Middle Path. That is why the Tathagata says that the Buddha-Nature is none other than the Middle Path. As it is neither within nor without, it is the Middle Path."
Read More on the Nirvana Sutra - Chapter 41 – On the Bodhisattva Kasyapa 2.
Then, I said: "I am very satisfied to have initiated this work with you. Henceforth, we shall meet forever. We will always be together, with single mind. What can this mean? It's like a big building. Am not 'I' to think, but all of 'us'. This big building, one can say, emerges from the Great Void and, in the future, it may even suffer some small cracks or minor material losses. But, will be too solid to crumble."
Scenario: I found myself sitting in a central place, like a round table. People sat in a circle, to whom I lectured. The content of the lecture was based on a precious book and, while lectured, was thinking about what would follow. Among these people were recent friends, but also people who long ago I do not see as, for example, a friend of university for whom I was not looking directly, by being on my back, but I knew she was there.
After the lecture, we headed to a table where many meals were served. We talked of the expectations of our work. Again I said: "I am very satisfied."
I woke up on 12/06/2011, at 03:30 am. It was just a dream from which I awoke with an indescribable feeling of well-being, a full satisfaction. I got up and began to write the little that still remembered. Dream? We were all there. I ask them: where?
Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "Oh World Honored One! What is pure action?"
The Buddha said: "All things are nothing but pure actions."
Bodhisattva Kasyapa said: "Oh World Honored One! All things are not fixed in meaning. Why? The Tathagata calls them either good or not-good. Sometimes, he says that such is the meditation of the four remembrances, or sometimes, the 12 spheres, or the Good Teacher of the Way, or the 12 links of interdependence, or the being, right view, wrong view, the 12 types of sutra, or the two truths, or the Tathagata now says that all things are pure actions. All in all, what do you mean by 'all things'?"
The Buddha said: "Well spoken, well spoken, Oh good man! The All-Wonderful Sutra of Great Nirvana is the Treasure House of all dharmas. It's like the great sea, which stores up all the treasures. It's the same with this Nirvana Sutra. This is the secret repository which contains all the meanings of all words.
Oh good man! Just as Mount Sumeru is the root source of all medicines, so this Sutra is the root source of the precepts of the Bodhisattva.
Oh good man! It's like with the Void, wherein rests all that exists. So it is with this Sutra, which is the abode of the Good Dharma.
Oh good man! It's like the great wind, which no one can hold or quit. So it is with all the Bodhisattvas who practice this sutra. No defilement or evil teaching can suppress them or arrest them.
Oh good man! It is like the diamond, which no one can destroy. Such is the situation with this Sutra, which neither tirthikas or men of evil notions can destroy.
Oh good man! It's like (the grains of) the sands of the Ganges River, which nobody can count. So it is with the meanings of this Sutra. Nobody can truly count them completely.
Oh good man! This Sutra is the banner of the Dharma of all Buddhas, just as things happen with the hoisted ensigns of Shakra.
Oh good man! This Sutra is the merchant who travels the divisions of nirvana, or the great guide which sails the great sea with all merchants.
Oh good man! This Sutra is the light of Dharma of all Bodhisattvas, just like the light of the sun and moon truly destroy the darkness all around.
Oh good man! This sutra serves as the best [medicine] for all beings who are suffering from illness. It's like the All-Wonderful King of Medicine of (Mount) Gandhamadana, which thoroughly cures all illnesses.
Oh good man! This Sutra truly serves as a walking stick to the icchantika, as in the case of a weak person who can easily support himself and stand up.
Oh good man! This Sutra truly serves as a bridge for all evil people, just like a bridge even allows all the evil people of the world to pass over it.
Oh good man! This Sutra truly serves as a cool shade to all those who carry their lives in the five realms, where they feel heat due to defilements, serving them as a sunshade that protects well the persons from the heat.
Oh good man! This Sutra is the King of fearlessness, which thoroughly crushes all the devils of defilement, acting as the Lion King, who truly subdues all animals.
Oh good man! This Sutra is a great charmer who can thoroughly crush out all the devils of defilement, just as a charmer makes away with the mountain elf.
Oh good man! This Sutra is like the unsurpassed frost and hail, which crush out all the karmic results of birth and death, just as the hail destroys the fruit trees.
Oh good man! This Sutra is the greatest of medicines to a person who violates sila [the moral precepts], just as the Ajata can truly cure pain of the eyes.
Oh good man! This Sutra keeps all the good dharmas, just like the earth, which serves as a support for all things.
Oh good man! This Sutra is a bright mirror for all beings which violate the precepts, just like a mirror which reflects well all colors and forms.
Oh good man! This Sutra serves as clothing for those who do not feel ashamed of what they did, just like clothing that can well cover and hide the carnal form.
Oh good man! This Sutra serves as a great Treasure House for those who are lacking of good things, just like Gunadevi provides benefits to the poor.
Oh good man! This Sutra serves as the water of amrta [immortality] for those who feel thirst for the Dharma, as the water of the eight tastes, which thoroughly quenches a thirsty person.
Oh good man! This Sutra serves as a bed of Dharma for those who have the worries of defilement, just like the bed of peace that serves the people of the world.
Oh good man! Through this Sutra, the Bodhisattva rises from the first stage up to the tenth. It is the cart upon which are laden the jewelry, paste incense, powdered incense, burning incense and flowers, and the cart in which those of pure castes can ride. It truly surpasses the six paramitas. This is a wonderful land of bliss. It's like the parijata tree of Trayastrimsa Heaven.
Oh good man! This sutra is an adamantine and sharpened hatchet, which can indeed bring down the great tree of all defilements. This is a sharp sword that can truly make away with the taint of ill smell. This is the brave and strong that can thoroughly crush out the adversity of Mara. This is the fire of Wisdom, which burns up the fuel of defilement. This is the storehouse of the causal relations which gives birth to the Pratyekabuddha. This is the storehouse of hearing which gives birth to the Sravakas. This is the eye of all gods which serves as the Right Path to all beings. This is a refuge for all animals. This is where the hungry ghosts gain Emancipation, the holiest of hells, and the unsurpassed utensil for all beings of the ten directions. This is the parent of all Buddhas of the ten directions of past, future, and present. Oh good man! Thus, this Sutra holds within itself all dharmas."
Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 44 - On Bodhisattva Kasyapa 5.
"In the post - The Void as 'Not-Is' - Element – there is this part that worries me: "Oh good man! I never quarrel with the world. Why not? If the worldly knowledge says 'is', I say 'is'; if the worldly knowledge says 'not-is', I also say 'not-is'." It is there that twine myself because, how so this acceptance?"
The Sutra says the following:
Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "Oh World Honored One! You, the Buddha, say that one says 'is' if the worldly knowledge says 'is', and if the worldly knowledge says 'not-is', one says 'not-is'. But what comes to be 'is' and 'not-is' of worldly knowledge?"
The Buddha said: "Oh good man! This is like when the world says: 'The matter is non-eternal, suffering, void, and non-Self', and things go thus down to consciousness. Oh good man! This is what the worldly knowledge says it's an 'is', and I, also, say it's an 'is'. Oh good man! The worldly knowledge says that matter has nothing of the Eternal, Bliss, the Self and the Pure. So it is said about feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness. Oh good man! This is where the worldly knowledge says 'not-is'. I, also, say 'not-is'."
Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 42 - On Bodhisattva Kasyapa 3.
The Buddha says: "It's like when ...", indicating that this is an example. So, I think that these words of the Buddha, above, refer to the aspect of ‘Zeal for the Wonderful Dharma’. There are other 9 (nine) selected issues regarding to ‘Do not Quarrel with the World’, and these are in the post: "Like the Utpala - The Blue Lotus”.
In the post "The Quality of Those Who Asks" one reads: "Also, there are two further types of people. One asks about what is difficult; and the other answers well. You're the kind of person who asks well about what is difficult; the Tathagata is one who answers well. Oh, good man! Through these questions well placed, there can be the turning of the Wheel of Dharma, the killing of the great tree of the 12 links of causation, the passage of people across the vast ocean of birth and death, the good fight against the King Marapapiyas, and the overthrow of victorious banner of Papiyas."
"Oh good man! The earth stands on the water. As water is non-eternal, the earth, too, is non-eternal. The water hovers on the wind, and as the wind is non-eternal, the water, too, is non-eternal. The wind rests on the space, and as the space is non-eternal, the wind, too, is not-eternal. If it is non-eternal, how can we say: ‘The Void is eternal and fills the space’? As the Void is empty, it has no past, present or future. As the horns of a hare are not a thing, they have no past, present or future. The things are thus. Therefore, I say: 'As the Buddha-Nature is eternal, it does not fall within the category of the Three Times. As the Void is Void, it does not fall within the category of the Three Times'.
Oh good man! I never quarrel with the world. Why not? If the worldly knowledge says 'is', I say 'is'; if the worldly knowledge says 'not-is', I also say 'not-is'."
Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 42 - On Bodhisattva Kasyapa 3.
"Oh good man! If a person says: ‘The place which one can point out is Void', know that the Void is something non-eternal. Why? We have four directions to point out. If there are the four quadrants, know that the Void, too, must possess the four directions. All that is eternal has no direction to point to. To have directions means that the Void, therefore, is non-eternal. If non-eternal, is not away from the five skandhas. If someone were to say that certainly there is separation of the five skandhas, there would be no place to (it) exist. Oh good man! If anything exists by causal relations, we can know that such a thing is non-eternal. Oh good man! For example, all beings and trees stand on the ground. As the ground is non-eternal, what stands on the ground is, therefore, non-eternal."
Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 42 - On Bodhisattva Kasyapa 3.
"A person may say: 'The Void is, also, both the eternal and the non-eternal'. This is at odds with reason. A person may say that things with common parts join up. The case is not so. Why not? The Void is all-pervading. If it joins up with what is created, what is created should also become all-pervading. If it pervades, everything must be pervading. If everything is all-pervading, everything can be joined into one. We cannot say that can exist both joining and non-joining. A person may say: ‘That which has once joined, joins up again, as in the case of two fingers which meet'. But this is not so. Why not? The joining cannot precede. The joining comes about later. If what did not exist before comes about, this is nothing more than the non-eternal. Therefore, we cannot say: 'The Void is what already was joined and [now] joins’. What one obtains in the world is what which did not exist before, but comes about later. This is as with a thing that has no eternity. If the Void stands in a thing like the fruit in a vessel, if so, it must also be non-eternal. A person may say that if the Void stands in a thing, it is like the fruit in a vessel. But this is not so. Why not? Where the Void in question could exist, not having the vessel at hands? If there is any place [for it] to exist, the Void would have to be many. If many, how could we say eternal, one, and all-pervading? If the Void exists in places outside of the Void, then a thing could well subsist without the Void. So, know that there can be no such thing (dual) as (being) the Void."
Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 42 - On Bodhisattva Kasyapa 3.
"A Person may say: 'The Void is eternal, and its nature is immovable. This (nature) joins with what moves'. But this is not so. Why not? If the Void is eternal, matter, too, must be eternal. If matter is non-eternal, the Void, too, must be non-eternal."
Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 42 - On Bodhisattva Kasyapa 3.
"Oh good man! A person may say: 'The Void co-exists with the unobstructed ‘is'. Or someone might say: 'The Void exists within a thing. It's like the fruit within a vessel'. Neither is the case. There are three kinds of co-existence, namely: 1) things made differently become one, as in the case of flying birds which gather together in a tree; 2) two things common among themselves become one, as in the case of two sheep which come into contact; 3) co-existence of pairs of those who gather to exist in one place. We say 'different things meet’. There are two kinds of differences. One is a ‘thing’ (object), and the other is the Void. If Voidness joins with the thing, this Voidness must be non-eternal. If a thing joins with the Void, the thing ceases to be one-sided (individual, uneven, asymmetrical). If there is nothing that is one-sided, it is again non-eternal."
Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 42 - On Bodhisattva Kasyapa 3.
"Oh good man! The people of the world can say: 'Anywhere in the world where there is no hindrance [obstacle] is the Void'. A place where there is nothing to hinder is an all over ‘is’. How can there be any partial existence? If it is an all over 'is', we can know that there is no Void in other places. If it is partial, this is a thing countable. If countable, it is non-eternal."
Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 42 - On Bodhisattva Kasyapa 3.
"Oh good man! Also, some people say: 'Now, the Void is nothing more than these three things: 1) Void, 2) Real, and 3) Real-Void'. If we say that this is the Void, we should know that the Void is non-eternal. Why? Because it has no actual place to exist. If it is said that it really is this, we can know that the Void is non-eternal. Why? Because is not empty. If we say 'Real-Void', we can know that the Void is also non-eternal. Why? Because nothing can exist in two places. Hence, the Void is Empty."
Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 42 - On Bodhisattva Kasyapa 3.
"Also, some people say that the Void is gradual. If it is gradual, it can be a caitasika (mental factor). If countable (measurable), it falls into the category of the Three Times. If it belongs to Three Times, how can it be Eternal?"
Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 42 - On Bodhisattva Kasyapa 3.
"Oh good man! And someone says that the Void is a place where one lives. If it is a place where one lives, it is matter. And all places are non-sentient and fall into the category of the Three Times. How could the Void not be Eternal and not fall into the category of the Three Times? If there is any place on which to speak, we should know that the Void cannot exist [there]."
Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 42 - On Bodhisattva Kasyapa 3.
"Also, in addition, oh good man! All tirthikas say that the Void is light. If light, it is matter. If the Void is matter, it is non-eternal. If non-eternal, it falls into the category of the Three Times. How can the tirthikas say that it is not of the Three Times? If it is of the Three Times, is not the Void. And how can anyone say that the Void is non-eternal?"
Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 42 - On Bodhisattva Kasyapa 3.
The Buddha said: “Oh good man! You can say that Nirvana does not fall within the category of the Three Times and thus is Void. But this is not so. Why not? 'Nirvana is an existence, something visible, that which is true, matter, the footprint, the sentence and the word, that which is, characteristics, the by-cause, the refuge which one takes, quietude, light, peace, and the other shore’. That is why we can say that it does not fall within the category of the Three Times. With the nature of the Void, there is nothing like that. That's why we say 'not-is'. If there were anything other than this (a 'not-is'), we could certainly say that it falls into the category of the Three Times. If the Voidness were a thing of 'is', it could not be other thing than of category of the Three Times."
Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 42 - On Bodhisattva Kasyapa 3.
No phenomenon has its own nature, which can be called 'self'. Why? Because them, the phenomena, result from a symmetry breaking of a higher order, due to impurities. This symmetry breaking imposes the discrimination as an essential aspect of reality. However, the so-called nature of all phenomena is a product of causal relations, nothing more, so 'is'; these phenomena, due to the temporary appearance, have as inexorable fate their ‘dissolution' in the All-Void, so 'not-is'.
“What is effort? There is a Monk who wants to purify the actions of his body, mouth and mind, and segregates himself from all evil deeds, accumulating all the good deeds. This is effort. Such a person focuses his mind on the six spheres, namely: 1) Buddha, 2) Dharma, 3) Sangha, 4) Shila [the moral precepts], 5) offerings, and 6) sky. This is right thinking. The Samadhi resultant from right thinking is right meditation. Someone who abides in right meditation sees all things as Void. This is right Wisdom. Someone perfect in right Wisdom segregates himself from all the bonds of defilements. This is Emancipation.
The person who got the Emancipation, praises it to all beings and says that this Emancipation is Eternal and Unchanging. This is the correct praising of Emancipation. This is unsurpassed Mahaparinirvana.”
Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 33, on Bodhisattva Lion's Roar 1.
