The Conscience of Owning the Buddha Nature

The Buddha said to Kasyapa: "It is so, it is so, oh good man! A person may be faithful and true with respect to what the sutras say, or may have practiced all the Samadhis, but until it has learned the Mahaparinirvana, it will say that everything is non-eternal. Once a person has learned this sutra, it may have illusions, but it will be, so to speak, without illusions. It benefits humans and heavenly. Why? Because one sees clearly that one’s own body has the Buddha-Nature within him.

Also, next, oh good man! It is like the case of the mango tree. When its flowers first appear, what there is [at that time] is the transformation phase. When it bears fruit and when it bestows much benefit, we speak of the eternal. Oh good man! Thus, a person may be true and faithful to all the sutras, or may have practiced Samadhis, but while it has not yet given ear to this Great Nirvana Sutra, everything is based on non-eternal. When a person gives ear to this sutra, although [still] having illusions, it is as though it had not illusion. This is why I say that it benefits both humans and heavenly. How? Because that person knows clearly that it has the Buddha-Nature within him. This is the Eternal.”

Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 14 - On the Parable of the Birds.

The Virtue of the Name

The Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "Oh World Honored One! How must this sutra be called? How should the Bodhisattvas-Mahasattvas protect and uphold this sutra?"

The Buddha said to Kasyapa: "The name of this sutra should be 'Mahaparinirvana'. The preceding word (maha) betokens 'good', the middle word (pari) also 'good', and the final word (Nirvana) 'good' too. The meaning [of this sutra] is extremely deep, and what is written [in it] is good. The pureness of its organization is perfect, its action is pure, and it is all-satisfactory as Adamantine Treasury-House. Listen well, listen well! I shall now speak. Oh good man! The word 'maha' betokens 'eternal'. This is like all the great rivers draining into the great ocean. The same happens with this sutra. It crushes out all the bonds of illusions, all the powers of Mara, and then body and life drain into 'Mahaparinirvana'. Hence we say 'Mahaparinirvana'. Oh good man! This is like the case of a doctor who has a secret treatment embracing all the medical treatments for illnesses. Oh good man! It is the same with the Tathagata. All the various wonderful doctrines taught and all its deep meanings hidden find their way into this 'Mahaparinirvana'. That is why we say Mahaparinirvana. Oh good man! It's like a farmer who sows seeds in spring. He entertains a rare wish. When he has finished the harvesting, all his anxiety will end. Oh good man! The same is the case with all beings. If we study other sutras, we always wait for beautiful tastes. When one hears this Mahaparinirvana, [however], ceases the desire to enjoy the beautiful tastes mentioned in other sutras. This Great Nirvana well enables all beings to cross the sea of all existences. Oh good man! Of all footprints, that of the elephant is the best. The same happens with this sutra. Of all the samadhis of the sutras, the (samadhi) of this sutra is the best. Oh good man! Of all the preparations of the field, that done in autumn is the best. The same happens with this sutra. It is the best of all sutras. It is like sarpirmanda, which is the best of all medicines. It heals thoroughly the feverish worries and the frantic thoughts of beings. This Great Nirvana is the foremost of all. Oh good man! It is like the sweet butter which contains the eight tastes. The same also applies to this sutra. It contains the eight tastes. What are the eight? They are: 1) it is eternal, 2) it always is, 3) it is peaceful, 4) it is pure and cool, 5) it does not become old, 6) it does not die, 7) it is taintless, and 8) it is pleasing and happy. These are the eight tastes. It possesses these eight tastes. This is why we say 'Mahaparinirvana'. Now, all Bodhisattvas-Mahasattvas peacefully abide in this and manifest Nirvana in all places. This is why we say 'Mahaparinirvana'. Oh Kasyapa! All good men and women who wish to enter Nirvana through this 'Mahaparinirvana' must study well the fact that the Tathagata is eternal and that the Dharma and Sangha are eternal."

Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 6 - On the Virtue of the Name.

Pearls of the Universe - Volume 7

“The Bodhisattva has no repentance in his mind when he sees that the shila which he upholds is unwavering. Since there is no regret, there is joy in his mind. As he has joy, his mind is happy. As he is happy, his mind is at peace. As his mind is at peace, there arises an unchangeable Samadhi. As the Samadhi is unchangeable, there is true knowing and seeing. Due to true knowing and seeing, there is parting from birth and death. Parting from birth and death, he achieves emancipation ['Vimukti']. As a consequence of emancipation, he clearly sees the Buddha-Nature. This is what we mean when we say that what the Bodhisattva knows, sees and understands is not something that obtains in the world.”

Read more at Pearls of the Universe - Volume 7.

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Abstract of Nirvana Sutra Chapter 36

“Oh, good man! The practice of Shila [precepts of morality] is for the quietness of our own body. The practice of Samadhi is for the quietness of our own mind. The practice of Wisdom is for crushing out doubt. To crush out doubt is to practice the Way. Practice the Way is to see the Buddha Nature. See the Buddha Nature is to attain unsurpassed Enlightenment. Attain unsurpassed Enlightenment is to arrive at unsurpassed Great Nirvana. Arrive at Great Nirvana is to segregate all beings from birth and death, all defilements, all [worldly] existences, all realms, all truths of beings. Cut off [these] births and deaths, and satya [presumably ‘worldly truths’] is to attain the Eternal, Bliss, the Self and the Pure."

Read more on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 36, on Bodhisattva Lion's Roar 4.

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Why We Practice

“Oh, good man! The practice of Shila [precepts of morality] is for the quietness of our own body. The practice of Samadhi is for the quietness of our own mind. The practice of Wisdom is for crushing out doubt. To crush out doubt is to practice the Way. Practice the Way is to see the Buddha Nature. See the Buddha Nature is to attain unsurpassed Enlightenment. Attain unsurpassed Enlightenment is to arrive at unsurpassed Great Nirvana. Arrive at Great Nirvana is to segregate all beings from birth and death, all defilements, all [worldly] existences, all realms, all truths of beings. Cut off [these] births and deaths, and satya [presumably ‘worldly truths’] is to attain the Eternal, Bliss, the Self and the Pure."

Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 36, on Bodhisattva Lion's Roar 4.

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How to Practice Wisdom

"How does one practice Wisdom? Someone who practices wisdom and think: 'If I practice such Wisdom, I shall attain Emancipation and save those in the three unfortunate realms. Who is that indeed benefits all beings, crossing them to the other shore beyond birth and death? It's difficult [to be present when] the Buddha appears in the world. It is an event as rare as coming across the flowering of the Udumbara. I shall now thoroughly cut away the bonds of all defilements. I shall gain the fruition of Emancipation. On this account, I shall now learn to practice Wisdom, I shall burst the bonds of defilements, and attain Emancipation'. Any person who practices the Way thus, is not someone who practices Wisdom.

How does a person truly practice Wisdom? The wise person meditates on the sorrows of birth, old age and death. All beings are overshadowed by ignorance and do not know how to practice the unsurpassed Right Path. He prays: "I pray that my body will suffer great sorrows in lieu of all beings. Let all the poverty, degradation, thoughts of precept’s transgression, all the actions of greed, anger and ignorance of all beings gather over me. I pray that all beings will not acquire a mind of greed, and will not be bound up in body-and-mind. I pray that all beings will soon cross the sea of birth and death, so that I need not face them and feel sorrow. I pray for everyone to attain unsurpassed Enlightenment." When a person practices the Way thus, it sees no Wisdom, no form of Wisdom, nor any who practices Wisdom, and nor the fruition to be achieved. This is practicing Wisdom.

Oh, good man! Someone who thereby practices Shila, Samadhi and Wisdom is a Bodhisattva; one who cannot thereby practice Shila, Samadhi and Wisdom is a Sravaka."

Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 35, on Bodhisattva Lion's Roar 3.

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How to Practice Samadhi

"How does one practice Samadhi? If one, when practicing samadhi, does it to enlighten himself, for profit, not for the sake of all beings, not for the practice of Dharma, but by greed, by defiled food, for sexual reasons, due to impurities of the nine holes, for disputes, for beating and killing others; any person who practices Samadhi thus, is not someone who practices Samadhi.

Oh, good man! What is the true practice of Samadhi? Someone who practices for the sake of all beings, to deploy in the minds of beings the all-equal idea, the non-retroactive Dharma, the holy mind, to enable beings to attain the Mahayana, to guard the Unsurpassed Dharma, for beings do not retrogress from Enlightenment, for them to gain the Surangama (Samadhi), the Vajra Samadhi, Dharanis [i.e., long mantras or magic spells], to enable beings to obtain the four unhinderednesses (wisdom), to enable beings to see the Buddha Nature. And when practicing thus, one sees no Samadhi, nor form of Samadhi, nor a person who practices this, nor any results to be achieved. Oh, good man! If things indeed proceed thus, we say that this person is practicing Samadhi."

Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 35, on Bodhisattva Lion's Roar 3.

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