The Real Truth

The Bodhisattva Manjushri said to the Buddha: "Oh World Honored One! What means the real truth? "

The Buddha said: "Oh good man! By 'real truth' is meant the Wonderful Dharma. Oh good man! If something is not true, we do not say 'real truth'. Oh good man! There is nothing inverted in the real truth. When there is nothing inverted, we say ‘real truth’. Oh good man! There is no falsehood in the real truth. If the falsehood resides [there], we do not speak of real truth. Oh good man! The real truth is the Mahayana. If not the Mahayana, we do not say 'real truth'. The ‘real truth’ is what the Buddha says, and not what Mara says. If is of Mara and not of the Buddha, we do not say 'real truth'. Oh good man! The ‘real truth’ is a pure and single path, and not two paths. Oh good man! That which is Eternal, Bliss, Self, and Pure is the ‘real truth’."

Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 20 - On Holy Actions 2.

The Three Great Hindrances

The hindrances of defilement are greed, hatred, ignorance and anger at what is unpleasant, the illusion that overshadows the mind, thus hindering the good to shoot out its buds; [the hindrances are also] burning worry, jealousy, stinginess, cheating, flattery, not feeling ashamed of one's own self, not feeling ashamed of others, pride, pride-inordinate, simulative pride, pride of self-esteem, pride of self, distorted pride, arrogance, indolence, self-importance, mutual resentment, arguing (dispute, controversy), wrong living, flattering, cheating using different appearances, pursuing profit by profit, seeking things through wrong ways, seeking a lot, lacking respect, not observing the injunctions, and associating with bad friends.

There is no end to the pursuit of profit, to entwine and bind one's own self, so that all becomes difficult to understand. A person abides in evil desires and greed. A person is greedily intentioned based on heretical views of life regarding his carnal existence, the visions of 'is' and 'not-is’ of life; a person utters a groan or is pleased to doze, yawns or is not satisfied, or eats greedily; his mind is weak and thinks about strange things, does evil with body and takes pleasure in talking much, and all his sense organs are dark, it talks too much and is always overshadowed by the senses such as greed, anger and harming. These are the hindrances of defilement.

The hindrances [which arise] from deeds [karma] are the five deadly sins and the grave diseases.

The hindrances from karmic retribution give one life in the realms of hell, animals, hungry pretas, also in slandering of Wonderful Dharma, and the icchantika. These are the hindrances from retribution.

These three hindrances (defilements, deeds (karma) and retribution) are the evils. However, the Bodhisattva, when practicing the Way through innumerable kalpas, dispensed medicines for all illnesses and always vowed to release beings eternally from the grave illnesses of the three hindrances.

Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 18 - On Actual Illnesses.

Last words of the Tathagata

Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "Oh World Honored One! Please condescend to explain to me the virtue which this Mahayana Great Nirvana Sutra has."

The Buddha said to Kasyapa: "Oh good man! Anyone who hears the name of this sutra gains virtue, which is so great that Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas cannot speak well [on it]. Only the Buddha well knows. Why? Because the world of the Buddha is inconceivable. How much more will be [this virtue] if one possesses, recites, understands and copies it [this sutra]?"

Then all the devas, asuras and people of the world said in a gatha:

"The world of the Buddha is inconceivable.
So too are those (worlds) of the Dharma and the Sangha.
This being the case, we beg that you stay a little longer.
The venerable Mahakashyapa and Ananda,
the two of the Sangha, will soon be here.
Also, the great king Ajatasatru, king of Magadha,
who very much respects the Buddha, the World Honored One, is not here.
Have a little pity and stay awhile,
be with us, the great congregation, and eliminate our doubts."

Then, the Tathagata, for the sake of the great crowd, spoke in a gatha:

"The eldest of my sons is Mahakashyapa.
Ananda makes much effort and may well eliminate your doubts.
Be satisfied with that. Ananda is one who has heard much.
It will understand in a natural way
the eternal and the non-eternal.
For this reason, do not get hurt more."

Then the great crowd offered many things to the Buddha. Their offerings made, they all aspired to unsurpassed Enlightenment. All Bodhisattvas, who were as numerous as the sands of innumerable Ganges, all attained the first "bhumi" [stage of development of Bodhisattva].

Then the World Honored One gave prophecies to Manjushri, Bodhisattva Kasyapa and Cunda. The prophecies given, he said: "All good men! Straighten your minds. Be wary and not indolent. Now, I feel pain in my back and my whole body. Now, I desire lie down."

[And so] he did, like a child or someone who is sick.

"Oh Manjushri! All of you! Disseminate the Great Dharma amongst the four classes of people. I now entrust this sutra to you. Likewise, when Mahakashyapa and Ananda have arrived, entrust them the Wonderful Dharma also."

Then, the Tathagata, having thus spoken, laid himself down on his right side, like any child sick in bed, all to disseminate the Dharma to all beings.

Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 17 - On the Questions Raised by the Crowd.

I'm Always Here

Then, all those gathered there, in accordance with the wish of the Buddha, thought so: ‘The Tathagata now accepts our offerings. Before long, he will enter Nirvana.’

Thinking thus, they were both glad and sad. Through the divine power of the Buddha, in a space the size of the tip of a needle, there were gathered together innumerable Buddhas and their retinues, who all sat and ate. What they ate was all equal [the same food], without difference.

Then the devas, asuras and all others wept and were sad. They said: ‘The Tathagata has received our final offerings. Having received them, he will enter Nirvana. To whom can we make offerings now? Now, with the unsurpassed Trainer parted from us, we are all like blind men.’

Then the World Honored One, in order to comfort all those gathered there, spoke in a gatha:

"Do not weep! The Dharma of all Buddhas is thus.
There are already innumerable kalpas since I entered Nirvana.
I have reached the best of the Bliss
and rested myself forever in the peace.

Now, listen with all your heart!
I shall now speak about Nirvana.
I am now segregated from the sense of [the tasting] food;
I now do not feel thirsty.
I shall now, for your sake,
Speak about the vows, step by step

and cause all to be blessed with peace

Listen carefully and practice the eternal Dharma of all Buddhas.
If crows and owls live in a tree
and become friends of each other like brothers,
I will enter Nirvana for eternity.
The Tathagata sees all beings as he sees Rahula.
I will always be the most honored to all beings.
How could I enter Nirvana for eternity?

If snakes, rats and wolves live in a hole
and become friends of each other like brothers,
I will enter Nirvana for eternity.
The Tathagata sees all beings as he sees Rahula.
He always becomes the most honored by the beings.
How can he stay long in Nirvana?

If saptaparna [a bitter plant] transmutes into varsika [jasmine],
if karu [gentian] transmutes into tinduka [diospyros embryoteris],
then I might well enter Nirvana.
The Tathagata sees everyone as he sees Rahula.
How could he abandon compassion
and enter Nirvana for a long time?

If an icchantika could, in his present body,
attain Enlightenment and Bliss in first-grade,
then surely I would enter Nirvana.
The Tathagata sees everyone as he sees Rahula.
How could he abandon compassion
and enter Nirvana for a long time?

If everyone at once attain Enlightenment,
and abandon all evils,
I certainly would reach Nirvana.
The Tathagata sees everyone as he sees Rahula.
How could he abandon compassion
and enter Nirvana for a long time?

If the water (impure) of mosquitoes and flies
could indeed wet the whole earth
and fill the rivers, valleys and seas,
I would enter Nirvana.
My compassionate heart sees everyone as I see Rahula.
I'm always the most honored of all beings,
How could I stay long in Nirvana?

For this reason, seek deeply for the Wonderful Dharma.
Do not be overmuch worried, do not cry, do not weep.
If you desire to act properly,
practice the eternity of the Tathagata;
keep the thought that such a Dharma lives long
and that there is no change.

Also, be aware of the fact that the Three Treasures are all eternal.
This will beget a great protection.
It is as in the case of a dead tree
which, as a result of magic charms, brings forth fruit.
These are the Three Treasures.
 
All of you, the four classes of people! Listen up!
On listening well, the joy will arise and Bodhicitta will come about.
If the Three Treasures come about as (being) eternals
and are like 'Paramartha-satya’ [Ultimate Reality],
This is the utmost of vows of all the Buddhas."

Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 17 - On the Questions Raised by the Crowd.

The Great Nirvana in the Evil Age

“Also, next, oh good man! For example, a milking woman, intending to gain an exorbitant profit, adds 20% water to the milk and sells it to another woman, who again adds 20% water and sells it to a woman who lives close to the castle town. This woman further adds 20% water and sells it to a woman who lives in the castle. This woman buys the milk and takes it to the market and sells it. At that time, there was a person who would get a woman for the sake of his son. He wanted to use a good milk to serve it to his guest. He went to the market and wanted to buy some (milk). The woman selling the milk demanded the normal price. The man said: 'This milk contains a lot of water. So, it is not worth the normal price. Today I have to treat a visitor. Then I'll buy it’. Coming with this milk at home, he cooked some porridge, but it did not have the taste of milk. Although it had no taste of milk, it was far better than any bitter thing, it was a thousand times better. Why? Because of all the tastes, milk is the best.

Oh good man! When I die, for 80 years when the Wonderful Dharma has not yet expired, this sutra will be widely spread in Jambudvipa. At that time, there will be many malicious bhiksus who will cut this sutra into parts and simplify it, so that the color, flavor, taste and beauty of the Wonderful Dharma will be lost. All these evil persons will read this sutra, despoil the deep and essential meaning of the Tathagata, introduce words merely pretentious, decorative and meaningless which belong to the world. They will lop off the front part and add it to the back part of the sutra, or they will lop off the back part and add it to the front, or will put the front and back parts in the middle and the middle at the front and back. Know that such bhiksus are friends of Mara. They will keep and store all impure things and say that the Tathagata gave them permission to do so. This is like the milking woman who added water to the milk. It will be the same with these wicked bhiksus. They will add words of worldly life, despoil the fixed and right words of the sutras, and obstruct the access of the beings to right sermons, to the correct copies, to right understanding, honoring, praising, making offerings to, and respecting [the sutras].

Due to the pursuit of gain, such malicious bhiksus will not disseminate this sutra. The world where its benefits will be obtained will be so limited that does not deserve to be mentioned. This is as in the case of the poor milking woman who adds water to the milk and sells it, so that the porridge that will be done later will not have the taste of milk. The same is the case with this Mahayana Great Nirvana Sutra. Its taste will gradually diminish and [eventually] no flavor will remain. The spirit will depart, and yet it will still be 1,000 times better than the other sutras. It's like with the diluted milk, which is still 1,000 times better than any bitter thing. Why is that? Because this Mahayana Great Nirvana Sutra is the best among all the sutras of the Sravakas class. It's like with milk, which is the best of all tastes. For this reason, we say Great Nirvana.”

Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 16 - On the Bodhisattva.

The Wise Minister

"Oh good man! What the Tathagata says in undisclosed terms is deep, it is not easy to grasp. It is as in the case of a great king who orders his ministers to bring him 'saindhava'. The word, 'saindhava', has four meanings. First, it means 'salt'; secondly, ' utensil'; thirdly, 'water'; and fourthly, 'horse'. Thus, four things have the same name. A wise minister knows the contents of this word. When the king is bathing itself and calls for 'saindhava', it gives him water. When the king is eating and calls for 'saindhava', it gives him salt. When he has finished eating and wants to drink a juice and calls for 'saindhava', it gives him a utensil [a goblet]. When he desires to go out in recreation, it gives him a horse. Thus, the wise minister well grasps the meaning of the words of the great king.

The situation is the same with this Mahayana Great Nirvana Sutra. There are four non-eternals. The wise minister of Mahayana should know them well. If the Buddha appears in the world and says that he is entering into Nirvana, the wise minister should know that the Tathagata is speaking of the non-eternal for those who adhere to 'is', and desires to teach the bhiksus to practice non-eternal. Or he may say: 'The Wonderful Dharma is about to expire’. The wise minister should know that the Tathagata is speaking of suffering for those whose mind adheres to (the concept of) 'bliss', and makes the bhiksus abide in the thought of suffering. Or he may say: 'I am sick and in pain now, all bhiksus expire'. The wise minister should know that the Tathagata is speaking for those attached to the 'self' on the matter of selflessness and desires to make the bhiksus to practice the thought of selflessness. Or he may also say: 'The so-called Void is true emancipation’. The wise minister should know that the Tathagata intends to teach that there is no true emancipation and the 25 existences (at the same time). This is for the bhiksus to practice the Void. Thus, right emancipation is the Void and, therefore, it is immovable. 'Immovable' means that there is no suffering in emancipation. Hence, immovable. This true emancipation is called 'formlessness'. ‘Formlessness’ means that there is no color, voice, smell, taste or touch. Hence, there is no characteristics. Therefore, true emancipation is eternal and unchanging. With this emancipation, there is no non-eternal, nothing hot, no worry and no change. Therefore, this emancipation is called eternal, unchanging, pure, and cold. Or he may say: 'All beings possess the Buddha-Nature'. The wise minister should know that the Tathagata is speaking of the Eternal Dharma and desires the bhiksus to practice the right aspect of the Eternal Dharma. Be aware that any bhiksu who thus practices the Way is truly my disciple. He indeed penetrates the undisclosed storehouse of the Tathagata, just as the minister well grasps the mind of the great king. Oh good man! Thus, the great king also has its undisclosed law. Oh good man! How could it be that the Tathagata would have no such thing? For this reason, it is hard to know the hidden teaching of the Tathagata. Only a wise man can reach the great depths of what I teach. This is what common mortals can well believe.”

Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 16 - On the Bodhisattva.