The Common Mortal

“What do we mean by 'those garbed in illusions'? Such people uphold the prohibitions, observe [moral] deportment, and uphold the Wonderful Dharma. They agree with what the Buddha says, understand what is said and expound it to others, and say: ‘Coveting little is the Way; desiring much is not the Way’, and expound the ‘eight awakened minds of a great man' (this is called the Noble Eightfold Path). To one who transgresses, the Way is shown, so that he confesses and repents. These people make away with sins and know the expedients and secrets of the teachings of the Bodhisattvas. Such a person [of the first category] is a common mortal, not the eighth-person [someone who has reached at the stage of attainment called ‘eighth-person stage’]. The eighth-person is not a common mortal. It is called 'Bodhisattva', but not Buddha.”

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

The Two Sides and the In-Between

The Brahmacarin (called Kasaya) said: "If this carnal body is based on the defilements and karma, can we extirpate the defilements and karma?"

The Buddha said: "It's so, It's so!"

The Brahmacarin further said: "Oh World Honored One! Please be kind enough to analyze and expound to me, so that I can truly hear and immediately cut the bonds."

The Buddha said: "Oh good man! If a person comes to know that the two sides and the in-between are unimpeded [unobstructed], such a person indeed segregates himself from defilements and karma."

"Oh World Honored One! Now I know and have gained the right Dharma-Eye."

The Buddha said: "In what manner do you know?"

"Oh World Honored One! The two sides are 'material form' and 'emancipation of material form', and the in-between is the 'Noble Eightfold Path'. So it is with feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness."

The Buddha said: "Well spoken, well spoken, Oh good man! Now you come to know of the two sides and cut away the defilements and karma."

Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 46 - On Bodhisattva Kaundinya 2.

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Meditate on Suffering

"Oh good man! A wise person meditates deeply on the eight sufferings, and then on the cause of suffering. The cause of suffering is ignorance of craving, which consists of two things: 1) seeking of what is (pleasure) bodily, and 2) seeking wealth. The seeking of what is bodily and seeking wealth are both sources of suffering. Thus, one should know that ignorance of craving is the cause of suffering.

Oh good man! There are two kinds of this ignorance of craving, namely: 1) inner and 2) outer. That which is inner really moulds the karma, whereas that which is external increases it. Also, that which is internal indeed moulds karma, and that which is external moulds the karmic result. By ending with the internal craving, one can indeed do away with the karma. If the external craving is cut off, the karmic fruit goes away. The inner craving moulds the suffering of the world that is to come, whereas the external craving calls forth the suffering of the present life. The wise meditates on the cause of suffering, which is craving. Having meditated on the cause, it does so on the karmic result. The karmic result of suffering is 'clinging' ['upadana' - clinging to existence]. The result of craving is clinging. The karmic result of craving is clinging. The causal relation of this clinging, which is inner and outer craving, calls forth the suffering of craving.

Oh good man! The wise must meditate and think that the craving is causally related to clinging, and clinging is causally related to craving. If a person really extirpates this pair, craving and clinging, there will be no more karmic action; that person no more will suffer from any kind of sorrow (worry). So, the wise should practice well the Noble Eightfold Path and do away with all sufferings.

Oh good man! If any person meditates thus, this is pure action. This is where we say that beings possess an all-wonderful medicine in their poisoned fleshly bodies, and that in the Himalayas, amidst the poisonous grasses, there is an all-wonderful medicinal herb."

Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 44 - On Bodhisattva Kasyapa 5.

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Meditate on Desire

"Also, in addition, oh good man! Someone who is wise meditates on desire. Desire is color, sound, smell, taste, and touch. Oh good man! Thus the Tathagata speaks of the result (effect) in the stage of cause. From these five things, the desire rises to the head. And (these things) are not desire, (are its cause).

Oh good man! A person who is ignorant greedily seeks to partake of these. In these material forms, the person acquires an inverted image. And this acquisition of an inverted image extends down to 'touch'. And from the causal relation of inversion, there arises feeling. That's why I say that from this inverted image the world gains the ten images.

From the causal relation of desire, one harvests evil karmic consequences in the world. The evil is directed to parents, Shramanas, and Brahmins. One does what ought not to do, and does so deliberately, from head to foot. Thus, a person who is wise realizes the fact that this causal relation of evil evokes an covetous mind. Having thus realized the cause of evil, first the wise person meditates on the cause of covetousness, and then thinks about the karmic results. When there is much desire, there will arise many evil results, such as [the realms of] hell, hungry ghosts, animals, human and heavenly. This is what we call realizing evil results.

If someone is able to do away with the evil image, no mind of covetousness will arise. When there is no a covetous mind, does not arise any evil feeling. Without evil feeling, there can be no any evil result. That's why I first do away with the evil image. Once done away with the image of evil, things as such naturally die away. Therefore, the wise person practices the Noble Eightfold Path, in order to do away with the evil image. This is what we call 'pure action'. This is why we say that in the poisonous body of being, there is an all-wonderful medicine, as in the case of the Himalayas, where although there are poisonous grasses, there is an all-wonderful medicine, too."

Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 44 - On Bodhisattva Kasyapa 5.

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Meditate on the Cause of the Image

"How do all the innumerable images come about? One comes to known that they come about from contact. And this contact is of two kinds, namely: 1) contact by defilement, and 2) contact by Emancipation. If the image comes from ignorance, we call this ‘contact by defilement'. What comes about from ‘brightness’ is called ‘contact from Emancipation'. The contact from ignorance calls forth an inverted image, and that from Emancipation calls forth a non-inverted image. When one has meditated on the cause of the image, then meditates on the karmic result."

Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "The inverted image comes about from the image of defilement. All the holy persons, truth to tell, possess inverted images and, however, do not possess defilement. How do I to understand this?"

The Buddha said: "Oh good man! In what way does a holy person possess an inverted image?"

Bodhisattva Kasyapa said: "Oh World Honored One! All the holy ones, on seeing a cow, gain the image of a cow and say this is a cow. Seeing a horse, they gain the image of a horse and say this is a horse. The same applies to man, woman, big and small, house, vehicle, come and go. This is an inversion."

"Oh good man! All beings possess two kinds of images, namely: 1) the current image (conceptual) in the world, and 2) the image from clinging. All holy people have only the image current in the world, but not any image from clinging. All beings gain the image of clinging because of the meditation by evil sensing. All holy persons do not gain the image of clinging because of [their] awakening to good. Hence, all common mortals are classified as of the inverted (image), while the holy people are not so classified, although they may know.

Having meditated on the cause of the image, a person who is wise, then meditates on the karmic results. One suffers such karmic results of evil images in the realms of hell, hungry ghosts, animals, and of humans and heavenly. As I have done away with the image of the evil awakening, I have cut off ignorance and contact. So, the image is gone. When one ends with the image, the person also removes the karmic consequences. To cut off the cause of the image, the wise person practices the Noble Eightfold Path. Oh good man! Anyone who meditates thus is called the one who practices pure deeds.

Oh good man! So I say: 'In the poisonous body of the being there is an all-wonderful medicine. Though in the Himalayas there is a [type of] poisonous grass, there is [also] an all-wonderful medicine '."

Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 44 - On Bodhisattva Kasyapa 5.

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Seventh Kind of People

"The seventh person aspires to cross the great river of birth and death. But without good (deeds) amassed thus far, it sinks amid the waters. On meeting a Good Teacher of the Way, it gains faith. This gain of faith is what we call ' getting out '. Due to faith, it upholds, recites, copies and expounds the 12 types of sutras, and for the sake of beings, it speaks of them extensively. It takes pleasure in giving and practices Wisdom. Born sharp-minded, it firmly abides in faith and Wisdom, and does not retrogress in mind. As it does not retrogress, it steps forward. Stepping forward, it reaches the other shore. Having conquered the heights of a great mountain, it is now segregated from the fear and is blessed with pure peace. Oh good man! (Being on top of) the great mountain on the other shore can be likened to the Tathagata, peace to the Eternity of the Buddha, and the great and high mountain is Great Nirvana.

Oh, good man! All these people on the banks of the river Ganges have hands and feet, but they are difficult to save. It's the same with all beings, too. The Three Jewels of Buddha, Dharma and Sangha truly exist, and the Tathagata always expounds the essentials of all law [Dharma]. There are the Noble Eightfold Path and Mahaparinirvana. All beings can achieve all this. This (Nirvana) is not what comes out of me, or of those noble paths, or of beings. Know that all these things go back to defilement. Because of this, all beings cannot reach Nirvana. "

Read more on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 39, on Bodhisattva Lion's Roar 7.

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