"Oh good man! With the 37 factors of Enlightenment, there is no inversion. Therefore, we can speak of 'pure action'. Oh good man! If any Bodhisattva comes to know the root, the cause, what takes in, what augments, the master, what leads, what is superior, what is true, and what is ultimate; such a Bodhisattva is one of pure action.”
Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "Oh World Honored One! In what sense do we say that one knows from the root up to the ultimate?
The Buddha said: "Oh good man! Well spoken, well spoken! What you speak, Bodhisattva, concerns two things. One is for your own good, and the other is for the knowledge of others. Now you know, but since innumerable others beings do not yet understand, then you ask. So, I now praise you once again. Very good, very good! Oh good man! The root of the 37 elements concerning to Enlightenment is desire. The cause is the touch of brightness; that which takes in is 'feeling'; that which augments is 'thought'; the 'master' is 'remembrance' ('mentalizing'); that which leads is dhyana [ meditation]; that which is superior is 'Wisdom'; that which is true is 'Emancipation'; and the ultimate is Great Nirvana.
Oh good man! (Also), all the worries of the world have their rise in craving. All illnesses rest on the food cooked in the previous day. All segregation arises out from quarrelling and disputation. All evils arise out from falsehood. The situation is thus."
Bodhisattva Kasyapa said: "Oh World Honored One! The Tathagata has already established in this sutra that all good things are grounded on non-indolence. Now, you say (that) 'desire' (is the root of the 37 elements concerning to enlightenment). How can I understand this?"
The Buddha said: "Oh good man! If the cause is sought order to the emergence of good things, this is a good desire. If the revealing cause is sought, this is non-indolence. We say in the world that the result depends on the seed; we say that the seed is the cause of the rise, and the soil is the revealing cause. The same is the case here, too."
Bodhisattva Kasyapa said: "Oh World Honored One! The Tathagata says in other sutras that the 37 Enlightenment factors constitute the base. What does this imply?"
"Oh good man! The Tathagata has said before that beings first come to know of the 37 factors of Enlightenment. The Buddha is the root. The awakening depends on desire."
Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 44 - On Bodhisattva Kasyapa 5.
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.
"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.
"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.
"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.
Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "All beings reap the karmic fruit of defilement. Defilement is evil. The defilement that arises from evil defilement is [also] evil. If so, there are two kinds. One is the 'cause' and the other the "result". As the cause is evil, the result is evil. As the fruition is evil, the seed is evil. This is as with the 'nimba' fruit. As the seed is bitter, the flower, fruit, stem, and leaves are all bitter. This is as with the seed of a poisonous tree, where as the seed is poisonous, the fruit is also poisonous. The cause is the being and the result is the being. The cause is impure, and the result is also impure. The cause and the result of defilements are beings, and beings are the cause and result of defilements. If this is indeed the inference, why the Tathagata employs the parable of the grass in the Himalayas which is poisonous, but [also] an all-wonderful medicine? If we say that defilement is the being and the being defilement, how can we say that there is a wonderful medicine in the body of a being?”
The Buddha said: "Well spoken, well spoken, Oh good man! Innumerable beings have the same doubt. You now do well to ask for an answer. I will make this point clear as well. Listen well, listen up! Think well about this. I will establish clearly now and explain this to you.
Oh good man! I speak of the Himalayas in my parable, alluding to beings therein. The poisonous grass refers to defilements, and the all-wonderful medicine refers to pure deeds. Oh good man! When beings practice these pure deeds, we say that they possess an all-wonderful medicine within them."
Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 44 - On Bodhisattva Kasyapa 5.
"We say ‘fruition by repaying obligations’. People in the secular (world) make offerings to their parents. All the parents say: 'We are now reaping the fruits of what we did when nourish [our children]’. When the child indeed repays them, we call this fruition. The case is thus. Such fruition has two causes, namely: 1) the near cause, and 2) the far out cause. The near (cause) are the pure actions which the parents performed in the past; the far out refers to the filial (love) which the child developed. This is the fruition of repaying obligations (debts of gratitude)."
Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 42 - On Bodhisattva Kasyapa 3.
