大般涅槃經後分

CHAPTER ON KAUṆḌINYA

Chapter Thirteen—Part Three

At that time, Subhadra heard the Buddha expound the profound and wondrous Dharma of the Great Parinirvana. He immediately attained the Dharma-eye, perceived the purity of the Dharma, delighted in safeguarding the True Dharma, cast aside his former wrong views, and brought forth deep, firm, and steadfast faith in the Buddha-Dharma. He then entreated the Tathagata to permit him to renounce the household life.

The Buddha said, “Excellent, excellent! Come, bhikshu Subhadra! I am truly pleased that you have skillfully entered the Buddha’s path.”

As soon as the Buddha had finished speaking, Subhadra was filled with joyful exhilaration and immense delight. At that very moment, his hair and beard naturally fell away, and he became a śramaṇa. As the water of the wisdom of the Dharma-nature poured into the source of his mind, he was no longer bound or attached. His afflictions were completely extinguished, his mind opened, and he immediately attained the fruit of arhatship.

After attaining the noble fruit, Subhadra came before the Buddha and gazed upon his venerable countenance. He bowed his head and face at the Buddha’s feet in reverence, bared his right shoulder,^[1] knelt with his right knee upon the ground, and respectfully joined his palms. With sorrow and joy intermingled, he deeply reproached himself for the transgressions and errors of his former days and said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One!

How hateful is this harmful body of mine! For many kalpas it has constantly deceived and deluded me, causing me to remain immersed in ignorance and wrong views, drifting and sinking within the Three Realms and among the teachings of non-Buddhist paths. How painful!

How grievous! How greatly harmful! Today I am filled with joy, for through the Tathagata’s grace I have entered the True Dharma.

The World-Honored One’s wisdom is like the great ocean, and his compassionate concern for sentient beings is beyond measure. When I reflect upon myself, even if for many kalpas I were to sacrifice my body in repayment, it would still not suffice to requite the kindness the Buddha has shown me in this brief moment!”

Having spoken these words, Subhadra wept sorrowfully and could not restrain himself. He then said again to the Buddha: “World-Honored One! I am now old and frail and cannot live much longer, yet I have not escaped every form of suffering. I fear that the suffering of impermanence and change may return to oppress me. I beseech the World-Honored One to remain a little longer to instruct me and, out of compassion, save and assist me. Please do not enter nirvana.”

At that time, the World-Honored One remained silent and did not consent. When Subhadra’s entreaty was not fulfilled, he became distressed and anguished and cried aloud: “Alas, alas! The world is about to become empty! The world is about to become empty! Why has this great terror come upon us today, while afflictions burn everywhere? Alas, alas! The merit of sentient beings is no more; the eye of true wisdom is no more!”

After lamenting thus, Subhadra shed tears, choking with grief and sobbing without sound. Blood oozed from his entire body as he wailed aloud. He then cast himself to the ground before the Tathagata, his mind confused and disordered, and lost consciousness.

After a long while, he regained consciousness. His eyes overflowing with tears, he choked with emotion and said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One! I cannot bear to behold the Tathagata forsake all and enter nirvana. The pain and sorrow in my heart cannot be restrained. How could I remain alone with this harmful, provisional body? I would therefore rather extinguish this body myself without delay. I respectfully implore the World-Honored One to enter nirvana only afterward.”

At that time, after Subhadra had spoken these words, he continued to sob in grief without cease and, in that very instant, entered nirvana.

Thereupon, innumerable hundreds of millions of great bodhisattvas, bhikshus, bhikshunis, and all the devas, humans, and asuras of the worlds, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges and beyond reckoning, simultaneously cried out in lamentation: “Alas, alas! Why does the Perfectly Awakened One forsake all in a single day, leaving us with no master, no place of return, no refuge, and no one to follow?”

Overcome by thoughts of remembrance, longing, and grief, they grasped one another’s hands, beat their breasts, and wept in lamentation. Sorrowful, despairing, bewildered, and oblivious to all directions, their grief pervaded the entire trichiliocosm.

At that time, the World-Honored One simultaneously emitted eight kinds of voices,^[2] proclaiming to the entire assembly: “Do not wail loudly like children. Each of you should restrain yourselves and not allow your minds to become confused. Within this vast ocean of birth and death, filled with the suffering of impermanence and transformation, you should diligently cultivate a pure mind. Do not lose mindfulness and wisdom. Quickly seek true wisdom so that you may swiftly escape all realms of existence.

“O great assembly! So long as you assume bodies within the Three Realms, the cycle of suffering has no limit. Therein, ignorance is the master, while craving and attachment are Māra, the demon king. Together they command the body and mind as servants, making them pursue objects throughout all realms and create the karma of birth and death. Greed, anger, and delusion arise, and each successive thought brings harm. Thus, throughout immeasurable kalpas, beings continually undergo suffering. What wise person would not turn back against its source?

“You should know that since the remotest past I have abided in the samadhi of Great Quiescence, in which there are no skandhas, dhatus, or ayatanas. I have forever eliminated every realm of existence and attained the vajra treasury of Great Nirvana—permanence, bliss, self, and purity. Now, while abiding within this great samadhi, I reveal the inconceivable, manifest the power of skillful means, and enter Great Nirvana.

I display dissolution in accordance with worldly phenomena because I wish sentient beings to understand that this physical body is as fleeting as a flash of lightning, and thereby to delight solely in cultivating the mind. Birth and death are a swift current, flowing rapidly and surging powerfully. All phenomena revolve through impermanence and transformation; such is the principle governing them.

“The Tathagata’s nirvana is exceedingly profound and inconceivable. It is the realm of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas, not a state that shravakas or pratyekabuddhas can comprehend.”

The Buddha further told the assembly: “Subhadra formerly made offerings to Buddhas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges and, in the presence of those Buddhas, deeply planted roots of virtue. Because of the power of his great vows, he frequently manifested the renunciant life and practiced within the teachings of the Nirgrantha non-Buddhists. Through wisdom and skillful means, he guided sentient beings who held wrong views and had lost the Right Path, enabling them to attain true wisdom. Relying upon the power of his former vows, Subhadra has now encountered me as I am about to enter nirvana, heard the True Dharma, attained the fruit of arhatship, and thereafter immediately entered nirvana.

“When I first attained awakening, I liberated Ājñāta Kauṇḍinya and his companions; now, as I am about to enter nirvana, I have liberated Subhadra. Nothing remains of the work I had to accomplish. Even if I were to remain in the world longer, it would be no different from today.”

Having spoken these words, the World-Honored One sighed and praised him, saying: “Excellent, excellent! Subhadra has repaid the Buddha’s kindness. The assembly should make offerings to his remains and erect a stupa in which to enshrine and honor them.”

At that time, the entire assembly was overcome with grief and sorrow. Holding back their tears, they obeyed the Buddha’s instructions and used various kinds of fragrant wood, butter, and oil to perform the cremation of Subhadra’s remains. During the cremation, Subhadra emitted dazzling rays of light from within the blazing fire and manifested eighteen kinds of transformation: water poured forth from the upper part of his body and fire issued from the lower part; fire issued from his right side and water poured forth from his left side; from being small he became large, and from being large he became small; [such transformations] filled all of space.

At that time, countless [members of] the great assembly and beings of non-Buddhist paths who held wrong views all aroused the aspiration for bodhi and entered into right view and understanding.

After manifesting such miraculous transformations, Subhadra again appeared within the fire. When the cremation was complete, the entire assembly, deeply grieved and moved, gathered his relics and built a stupa in which to make offerings to them.

THE FINAL INSTRUCTIONS

Chapter One^[3]

At that time, the Buddha instructed Ananda and the great assembly: “After my passing into nirvana, both monastic and lay disciples should diligently preserve and protect this Great Nirvana Sutra. Throughout immeasurable myriads of kotis of asamkhyeya kalpas, I cultivated this exceedingly difficult-to-obtain Dharma of Great Nirvana. I have now expounded it clearly [to the assembly].

“You should know that this Great Nirvana Sutra is the vajra treasury of all Buddhas of the ten directions throughout the three times. It is permanence, bliss, self, and purity, perfect and complete, lacking nothing. All Buddhas enter nirvana through this Nirvana Sutra. This sutra is the ultimate consummation; its principles and meaning penetrate to the furthest extent without error. Through this sutra, the Buddhas relinquish their lives and bodies; therefore, it is called Nirvana.

“If you are firmly resolved to repay the Buddha’s kindness truly, swiftly attain [the fruit of] bodhi, receive the Buddhas’ touch upon your heads [as a prediction of awakening], be born life after life without losing right mindfulness, constantly behold the Buddhas of the ten directions appearing before you, and be guarded and protected by them day and night, so that all may attain the supramundane Dharma, then you must diligently cultivate this Nirvana Sutra.”

The Buddha further told Ananda: “Before attaining Buddhahood, I manifested entry into the non-Buddhist teaching of Udraka Ramaputra, studied and cultivated the four dhyanas and eight samadhis,^[4] and received and practiced his doctrine. Ever since attaining Buddhahood, I have criticized his teaching, gradually encouraging and guiding everyone to enter the Buddha’s path, with Subhadra being the last. The Tathagata used the great torch of wisdom to burn away the banner of wrong views, just as a dry blade of grass cast into a great fire is consumed.

“Ananda! I am also deeply mindful of my relatives in the Sakya clan. After I enter nirvana, you should diligently and energetically admonish and instruct them in wholesome conduct, transmit the wondrous true Dharma to them, and wholeheartedly teach and guide them. Do not allow them to become engrossed in amusements, indulgent and lazy, their minds distracted and pursuing [sense] objects, receiving and practicing deviant teachings.

“Those who have not yet escaped the sufferings of the world within the Three Realms should quickly seek liberation. Amid sensual desire are these five defilements;^[5] therefore, give rise to thoughts of anxiety and fear, [recognizing] that there is no one who can rescue or shelter [you]. Once the human body has been lost, it is exceedingly difficult to obtain again. Therefore, throughout this life, you must remain constantly vigilant, guarding yourselves and reflecting carefully. The great demon of impermanence cannot be escaped through [sentimental] attachment.

“Have compassion for sentient beings and do not kill one another. Even tiny insects should be granted [peace and] freedom from fear. When bodily karma is purified, one will always be born in favorable realms; when verbal karma is purified, one will avoid all evil offenses. Do not eat meat, and do not drink alcohol! Subdue the venomous serpent that is your own mind and cause it to enter the right path. You must deeply contemplate the circumstances in which karma is created: wholesome and unwholesome retributions follow their causes as a shadow follows a form; cause and effect throughout the three times revolve without [ever] being lost.

“[If you allow] this life to pass in vain, then even if you later regret it, it will already be too late. The time has come for me to enter nirvana, and so I leave you these instructions.”

When Ananda heard the Buddha’s words, his body and mind trembled. Bewildered and disoriented, choking with grief, he sank deeply into an ocean of sorrow. His body became insensible, his heart and mind confused and obscured, and he fell before the Tathagata, [motionless] like one who had died.

At that time, Venerable Anuruddha^[6] immediately came to console and counsel Ananda, helping to ease his grief. He said: “Alas! What benefit is there in grieving? The time has come for the Tathagata [soon] to enter nirvana. Though we see him today, tomorrow he will be no more! [Therefore,] you should follow my advice and ask the Tathagata about these four matters.

“First, after the Buddha enters nirvana, the group of six wicked bhiksus^[7] will engage in defiling conduct that disgraces others, and the ill-natured Channa^[8] [will behave wickedly]. How can we live together with them and instruct and teach them?

“Second, while the Tathagata is in the world, the Buddha is the teacher of us all. After the Blessed One’s passing, whom shall we take as our teacher?

“Third, while the Buddha is in the world, we all abide in reliance upon the Buddha. After the Tathagata’s passing, upon what shall we rely in order to abide?

“Fourth, after the Tathagata’s passing, when the treasury of teachings is compiled, how should the opening of all the sutras be recorded?”

At that time, Ananda seemed to awaken from a dream. Hearing Anuruddha’s consolation and reminder to ask the Buddha about the four matters above, he gradually regained awareness. [Although still] unable to restrain his grief, he nevertheless [made an effort to] ask the Buddha about all four matters as stated above.

The Buddha told Ananda: “Why are you so sorrowful and distressed? When the Buddhas have completed their teaching and transformation, and all their work has been accomplished, they enter nirvana in accordance with the Dharma.

“Excellent, excellent, Ananda! The four matters you have asked about are the final questions [before I enter nirvana], and they will bring great benefit to the entire world. Let the great assembly listen attentively and reflect upon them carefully.”

Ananda said to the Buddha: “Blessed One! We vow to listen with utmost attention.”

The Buddha said: “Ananda! Regarding your question: ‘After the Buddha enters nirvana, the group of six [wicked] bhiksus and the ill-natured Channa will engage in defiling conduct that disgraces others. How are we to live together with them and instruct them?’ Ananda! As for the bhiksu Channa, although his disposition is wicked, after I enter nirvana he will gradually be subdued, his heart will become gentle and yielding, and he will abandon his wicked nature.

“Ananda! My younger brother Nanda was originally burdened with intense sensual desire, and his disposition was also unwholesome and harsh. The Tathagata employed skillful means to instruct him, bringing him benefit and joy.

Knowing his faculties and disposition clearly, the Tathagata taught him the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination through prajnaparamita wisdom: ignorance conditions formations; formations condition consciousness... and so on through aging and death, sorrow, grief, suffering, and distress... All constitute a forest of craving and aversion, and all arise from ignorance. All the sufferings caused by impermanence and change fill the Three Realms and revolve throughout the six paths; the root of these great sufferings arises from ignorance.

Through prajnaparamita wisdom, the Tathagata revealed that, by closely contemplating this root [of ignorance] with the pure nature, one can immediately eliminate every fault and harm within the realms of existence. Because the root of ignorance has been extinguished, ignorance must cease; when ignorance ceases, formations must cease... and so on through aging and death, sorrow, grief, suffering, and distress... all cease entirely.

Upon attaining this contemplation, one steadies the mind and immediately enters samadhi. Through the power of samadhi, one enters the First Dhyana and then gradually advances in sequence until entering the Fourth Dhyana. By continuing thus to maintain Right Mindfulness in cultivation, one will thereafter naturally attain the supreme noble fruit and become free from all suffering in the Three Realms.

“Ananda! At that time, the bhikshu Nanda gave rise to profound faith. Following the Dharma taught by the Buddha, he cultivated diligently and, before long, attained the fruit of arhatship.

“Ananda! After I enter nirvana, you should follow the correct method of contemplation that I have taught [above] and use it to instruct and admonish the group of six ill-behaved bhikshus and the bhikshu Channa. If they wholeheartedly rely upon this pure and true Dharma, before long they will naturally attain the supreme noble fruit.

“Ananda! You should know that the great tree of birth and death in the Three Realms grows entirely because of ignorance, [causing sentient beings] to drift and sink in the river of craving, throughout the long night of suffering, within the dark abyss, [forever] circling the pillar of birth and death.

“The six consciousnesses are merely the branches; deluded thought is the root. Ignorance, like waves upon the water, drives consciousness to roam among the six sense objects,^[9] sowing the causes of suffering. With nothing able to restrain it, it freely [works harm] like a [tyrannical] ruler [of a country]. Therefore I say: ‘Ignorance is the [evil] master, causing harm every minute and every moment.’ Sentient beings do not understand [this] and must revolve in birth and death.

“Ananda! Because of ignorance, all sentient beings give rise to the bonds of craving. Obscured by the view that clings to a self,^[10] they allow the eighty-four thousand kinds of afflictions to become masters that command them, leaving body and mind exhausted and without freedom or ease.

“Ananda! If ignorance is destroyed, the Three Realms no longer exist. For this reason, [those who destroy ignorance] are called world-transcending persons.

“Ananda! If one can closely contemplate the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination, [seeing that] there has never been any self whatsoever, and deeply enter the pure source, one can escape the great fiery calamity of the Three Realms.

“Ananda! The Tathagata is one who speaks rightly. [Now] I sincerely deliver this final injunction; the assembly should practice accordingly.

“Ananda! As to your further question, ‘After the Buddha’s passing, whom shall we take as our teacher?’ Ananda! The Vinaya [established by the Buddha] shall be your greatest teacher. By practicing in accordance with it, you can attain exceedingly profound concentration and wisdom and transcend the mundane world.

“Ananda! As to your further question, ‘After the Buddha enters nirvana, upon what shall we rely in order to abide?’ Ananda, rely upon the Four Foundations of Mindfulness and abide with the mind carefully guarded. [The Four Foundations of Mindfulness are:] To contemplate the nature and form of the body as being like empty space is called the foundation of mindfulness of the body; to contemplate all feelings as dwelling neither within, nor without, nor in between is called the foundation of mindfulness of feelings; to contemplate this mind as merely a name, while the nature of a name is separate from [substantial reality],^[11] is called the foundation of mindfulness of mind;

to contemplate all dharmas as [falling into] neither wholesome dharmas nor unwholesome dharmas is called the foundation of mindfulness of dharmas.^[12]

“Ananda! All practitioners should rely upon these Four Foundations of Mindfulness and abide therein.

“Ananda! As to your further question, ‘After the Tathagata’s passing, when the treasury of teachings is compiled, what should be recorded at the beginning of all sutras?’ Ananda, after the Tathagata’s passing, when the treasury of teachings is compiled, the beginning of every sutra should state: ‘Thus have I heard: At one time, the Buddha was dwelling at... and taught this sutra for the fourfold assembly of disciples.’”^[13]

At that time, the Venerable Ananda again addressed the Buddha, asking: “World-Honored One! Whether the Buddha is still dwelling in the world or has already entered nirvana, if a faithful donor presents gold, silver, the seven treasures, and all manner of desirable things as offerings to the Tathagata, how should they be disposed of?”

The Buddha said to Ananda: “While the Buddha is dwelling in the world, the Sangha should be informed of the articles offered to the Buddha. After the Buddha’s passing, all articles that people faithfully offer to the Buddha should be used to make images of the Buddha, robes for the Buddha, banners, canopies adorned with the seven treasures, or to purchase various kinds of incense, oil, and precious flowers to offer to the Buddha. Apart from offerings made to the Buddha, no one may use them for any other purpose. Whoever uses [such offerings] commits the offense of stealing the Buddha’s property.”^[14]

Ananda again addressed the Buddha: “World-Honored One! While the Buddha is dwelling in the world, suppose a person, with wholehearted reverence and veneration, presents gold, silver, jewels, dwellings, halls... robes, food, drink, and all manner of desirable things as offerings to the Tathagata. Then, after the Buddha enters nirvana, suppose another person presents gold, silver, jewels... clothing, food, drink, and all manner of desirable things to an image of the Tathagata, making offerings with wholehearted reverence and veneration.

“World-Honored One! Of these two people who make offerings wholeheartedly, which one gains the greater merit?”

The Buddha said to Ananda: “Both people make offerings wholeheartedly, [and therefore] the merit they gain is no different. Why is this? Although the Buddha has passed into nirvana, the Dharma-body abides forever. Because both make offerings wholeheartedly, their merit is indeed equal.”

Ananda again addressed the Buddha: “World-Honored One! While the Buddha is dwelling in the world, suppose a person wholeheartedly [and reverently] makes offerings to the Tathagata as described above. After the Buddha enters nirvana, suppose another person wholeheartedly [and reverently] makes offerings to and venerates the relics of [the Buddha’s] entire body. World-Honored One! Of these two people, which one gains the greater merit?”

The Buddha told Ananda: “These two people gain equal merit. Their merit is vast, immeasurable, boundless, and [inexhaustible]. Even if the ocean of suffering were entirely exhausted, their merit would not be exhausted.”

Ananda again addressed the Buddha: “World-Honored One! While the Buddha is dwelling in the world, suppose a person wholeheartedly [and reverently] makes offerings to the Tathagata as described above. After the Buddha enters nirvana, suppose another person likewise wholeheartedly [and reverently] makes the offerings described above to relics comprising half of the Buddha’s body. World-Honored One! Of these two people, which one gains the greater merit?”

The Buddha told Ananda: “Both of those persons make offerings with wholehearted reverence, and therefore the merit they obtain is no different; in both cases it is immeasurable and boundless.

“Ananda! After the Buddha’s parinirvana, suppose a person wholeheartedly and reverently makes offerings to the relics of the Tathagata, even if only to one-fourth, one-eighth, one-sixteenth, one-hundredth, one-thousandth, one ten-thousandth, or one part among innumerable parts as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, down to a portion as small as a mustard seed, and wholeheartedly and reverently makes offerings, pays homage, honors, and praises them. Compared with a person who, while the Buddha is still in the world, wholeheartedly and reverently makes offerings and pays homage to the Tathagata, the merit obtained by these two persons is no different. Their merit is immeasurable, beyond calculation and beyond complete expression.

“Ananda! You should know that whether the Buddha is still in the world or has entered nirvana, if a person wholeheartedly and reverently makes offerings, bows in homage, honors, and praises the Tathagata, the merit obtained in either case is no different.”

The Buddha taught Ananda and the great assembly: “After I enter nirvana, whenever any beings among gods and humans receive my relics, mingling sorrow with joy, feeling both grief and gladness, and then wholeheartedly and reverently make offerings and bow in homage, they will obtain immeasurable and boundless merit.

“Ananda! To behold the relics of the Tathagata is to behold the Buddha; to behold the Buddha is to behold the Dharma; to behold the Dharma is to behold the Sangha; and to behold the Sangha is to behold nirvana.

“Ananda! You should know that, for this reason, the Three Jewels abide eternally without ever changing and can serve as a refuge for all sentient beings.”

Ananda again addressed the Buddha: “World-Honored One! After the Buddha enters nirvana, what procedure should the entire assembly follow in cremating^[15] the Tathagata’s physical body, gathering the relics, and making offerings to them with wholehearted reverence?”

The Buddha told Ananda: “After I enter nirvana, the great assembly should follow the method of cremation used for a wheel-turning sage king.”

Ananda asked again: “What is the method of cremation used for a wheel-turning sage king?”

The Buddha told Ananda: “After a wheel-turning sage king passes away, his remains are preserved for seven days and only then placed in a golden coffin. The coffin is then filled with the finest fragrant oil and sealed. After another seven days, the remains are removed from the golden coffin, bathed with various fragrant waters, and honored with offerings of burning precious incense. The remains are then wrapped and cushioned all around with daula blossoms.^[16] Next, they are wound in a thousand sheets of the finest white silk, layer upon layer. The golden coffin is then again filled with various fragrant oils, after which the remains are placed back inside and the coffin is sealed.

“Only then is the golden coffin conveyed upon a precious carriage made of fragrant wood and adorned with the seven treasures. Various jeweled garlands are hung on all four sides of the carriage, which is further ornamented with every kind of precious decoration. Countless flower banners, flags, and canopies made of the seven treasures surround the carriage; all kinds of subtle and exquisite incense are burned, and every kind of music, like that of the heavenly realms, accompanies the carriage bearing the golden coffin as an offering. Only then is the physical body of the wheel-turning sage king cremated with the finest fragrant wood, ornamented both within and without, together with the finest fragrant oil.

“After the cremation, the relics are gathered, and a precious stupa is erected at a crossroads in the center of the capital to enshrine them. That stupa has four entrances so that all the people may behold the relics together.

“Ananda! That wheel-turning sage king merely relied upon a small measure of merit to inherit the royal throne. He had not truly escaped the realms of conditioned existence and still enjoyed the five sensual pleasures, wives, consorts, and palace women. He had not eliminated even the slightest part of the three poisons—greed, hatred, and delusion—evil views, all afflictions, or the bonds that fetter and drive beings. Yet after his death, people still employ such solemn rites for his cremation, build a stupa, make offerings to his relics, and all come to behold them.

“Ananda! How much more is this so for the Tathagata, who throughout immeasurable, boundless, and innumerable asamkhya kalpas permanently renounced the five sensual pleasures, wives, consorts, and palace women? Regarding all worldly dharmas, the Tathagata was able to shatter them as hail destroys grasses and trees.

What was difficult to undertake diligently, he diligently undertook; what was difficult to practice, he practiced. He diligently and laboriously cultivated every world-transcending ascetic practice of the bodhisattvas. The Tathagata fully possesses all the practices of the Buddhas of the three times throughout the ten directions and such exceedingly profound, subtle, and pure dharmas as moral discipline, meditative concentration, wisdom, liberation, the knowledge and vision of liberation, and the six paramitas.

He fully cultivated the Ten Powers, great compassion, the Four Fearlessnesses, the Three Gates of Liberation, the Eighteen Kinds of Emptiness, the Six Superknowledges, the Five Eyes, the Thirty-Seven Factors of Awakening, the Eighteen Distinctive Qualities not shared with the Two Vehicles, the Thirty-Two Marks, and the Eighty Excellent Characteristics.

“The Tathagata accomplished the lifespan possessed by all Buddhas, the pure worlds of all Buddhas, all dharmas that bring sentient beings to fulfillment, all ascetic practices that are difficult to cultivate, all precepts that embrace wholesome dharmas, all precepts that embrace sentient beings, all precepts that embrace dignified conduct, all merit, all wisdom, all adornments, all great vows, and all skillful means. The Tathagata completely accomplished, without deficiency, all such inconceivable moral conduct, merit, and wisdom.

“The Tathagata eliminated all unwholesome dharmas, all afflictions, and all residual habitual tendencies of the afflictions. The Tathagata thoroughly realized the Four Noble Truths and the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination. Beneath the Bodhi tree, he subdued the four kinds of mara and attained the wisdom of all modes.

He fully cultivated all such subtle and wondrous dharmas, and therefore all Buddhas proclaimed in praise: ‘Excellent, excellent!’ Together, the Buddhas anointed the crown of his Dharma body with the wisdom-water of the Dharma-nature, and only then did he attain anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. For this reason, he is honored as the Teacher of Gods and Humans, the Omniscient One endowed with the Ten Powers, and the Supremely Exalted World-Honored One.

Throughout the realms of gods and humans, none equals the Tathagata.

“The Tathagata regards all sentient beings impartially, loving them as he loves his son Rahula. Therefore, he is honored by the titles: Tathagata, Worthy One, Perfectly and Completely Awakened One, Perfect in Knowledge and Conduct, Well-Gone One, Knower of the World, Unsurpassed One, Tamer of Those to Be Tamed, Teacher of Gods and Humans, Buddha, World-Honored One.

“The Tathagata, out of compassion for the world, has completely fulfilled all teaching and transformation in accordance with conditions. For the sake of sentient beings, he now manifests entry into nirvana and will permit his cremation according to worldly custom, as with a wheel-turning sage king, wishing to enable sentient beings to have the opportunity to make offerings to the Buddha’s relics.”

“Ananda! After I enter nirvana, as with a Wheel-Turning Sage King, preserve my sacred body for seven days before placing it in a golden coffin. Then fill the coffin with the finest fragrant oil and close the lid. On all four sides of the coffin, arrange the seven precious substances in alternating fashion as adornments, and make offerings of precious banners, incense, and flowers.

“After seven days have passed, remove the sacred body from the golden coffin and bathe the Tathagata’s body with all the finest fragrant waters. Then completely wrap and cushion the sacred body with the softest tūla cotton. Next, wrap a thousand exceedingly precious sheets of white silk around the outside of the tūla cotton, completely covering the Tathagata’s body, and place it back in the golden coffin. Then once again fill the golden coffin with the finest fragrant oil and seal the lid.

“Afterward, use only precious woods such as ox-head sandalwood,^[17] aloeswood,^[18] and other fragrant woods to make a carriage of the seven precious substances. Adorn that carriage with every kind of precious object, and use it to convey the golden coffin to the cremation ground.

“At that time, make offerings with sorrowful and grieving hearts, raising innumerable precious banners, precious parasols, and precious fabrics, together with celestial music and countless kinds of incense and flowers, until they fill the sky. All devas, humans, and the innumerable assembly should each use sandalwood, aloeswood, and wondrous fragrant oils to cremate the Tathagata’s physical body, crying out in grief as they mournfully cherish and revere him.

“After the cremation ceremony has been completed, the devas, humans, and the Four Assemblies of disciples should together gather the Buddha’s relics and place them in a vessel made of the seven precious substances. They should then build a stupa of the seven precious substances at the crossroads in the center of the great city and hold offerings to the Buddha’s relics, enabling sentient beings to gain great merit, leave far behind the sufferings and afflictions of the Three Realms, and attain the blissful realm of nirvana.

“Ananda, you should know that after all the Four Assemblies have built a stupa of the seven precious substances to enshrine the Buddha’s relics, they should also know to build three other kinds of stupas and make offerings to them: a stupa for a pratyekabuddha, a stupa for an arhat, and a stupa for a Wheel-Turning Sage King. Such offerings enable people in the world to know where to take refuge.”

Ananda addressed the Buddha: “World-Honored One! The Tathagata appears in the world out of compassion for sentient beings, enabling them to perceive clearly the Ten Powers, Great Compassion, the Four Fearlessnesses, the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination, the Four Noble Truths, and the Three Gates of Liberation. He utters a voice endowed with the eight qualities of Brahma’s voice, which resounds throughout the Three Realms like rolling thunder.

The five-colored radiance of his compassion illuminates the six paths everywhere, transforming sentient beings in accordance with their minds and karma. Some attain the Four Noble Fruits and cultivate the Dharma of the Two Vehicles; some realize the unconditioned path of a pratyekabuddha and completely eradicate their afflictions; some attain the bodhisattva stage beyond birth and cessation; some attain immeasurable dharani gates; some attain the Five Eyes or the Six Supernormal Powers; some escape the Three Evil Realms; some are freed from the Eight Difficulties; and some put an end to the sufferings and afflictions of the human realm, the heavenly realm, or all the Three Realms.

The Tathagata’s pure power of compassion and his Dharma gates of liberation are inconceivable. Therefore, after he enters nirvana, all humans and devas throughout the world and the Four Assemblies of disciples will build a stupa of the seven precious substances and make offerings to his relics. They will certainly gain great merit, enabling sentient beings to escape the sufferings and afflictions of the Three Realms and enter true liberation.

“For this reason, after the Buddha enters nirvana, all humans, devas, and the great assembly throughout the world, wishing to repay the Buddha’s immeasurably profound kindness and compassion, will build a stupa of the seven precious substances and make offerings to the Buddha’s relics. This is fitting.

“World-Honored One! As for the other three kinds of stupas, what benefits do they bring to sentient beings that the Buddha instructs us to build them and respectfully make offerings to them?”

The Buddha told Ananda: “A pratyekabuddha has awakened to the causes and conditions of all dharmas, deeply entered the nature of all dharmas, and escaped all the faults and harms of the realms of existence. He can serve as a field of merit for devas and humans. For this reason, building a stupa and making offerings to a pratyekabuddha yields merit surpassed only by the merit gained from making offerings to the Tathagata’s stupa, and can enable sentient beings to attain the wondrous fruit of liberation.

“Ananda! An arhat has forever ended rebirth in the Three Realms, will assume no subsequent body, has perfected the holy life, and can serve as a field of merit for the world. Therefore, building a stupa and making offerings to an arhat yields merit surpassed by that gained from making offerings to a pratyekabuddha’s stupa, and also enables sentient beings to attain liberation.

“Ananda! Although a Wheel-Turning Sage King has not yet been liberated from the afflictions of the Three Realms, through the power of his merit he rules the four continents and uses the Ten Wholesome Courses of Action to teach, protect, and care for sentient beings. He is therefore revered by sentient beings. Thus, when the Four Assemblies build a stupa and make offerings to a Wheel-Turning Sage King, they too will gain immeasurable merit.”

Ananda again addressed the Buddha: “After the Tathagata enters nirvana, where should all the Four Assemblies cremate the Tathagata’s physical body and gather his relics? May the Buddha instruct us.”

The Buddha told Ananda: “After the Tathagata enters nirvana, if all the Four Assemblies cremate the Tathagata’s physical body within the city of Kushinagara,^[19] the people of that city will later contend over succession to the throne. They will inevitably attack and subdue one another, disputing without end, and this will cause the merit received by each person to be unequal.

“Ananda! All the Four Assemblies should cremate the Tathagata’s physical body outside the city, so that everyone throughout the world may receive merit equally.”

Ananda addressed the Buddha: “After the Tathagata enters nirvana and the cremation ceremony has been completed, once all the Four Assemblies have gathered the relics and securely placed them in a precious vessel, where should they build a stupa of the seven precious substances so that everyone may make offerings with the deepest sincerity and reverence? May the Buddha instruct us.”

The Buddha told Ananda: “After the Tathagata enters nirvana and the cremation ceremony has been completed, once all the Four Assemblies have gathered the relics and securely placed them in a precious vessel made of the seven precious substances, they should build a thirteen-story stupa of the seven precious substances at the crossroads within the city of Kushinagara. Atop the stupa there should be an emblem of the Dharma wheel.

Every kind of fine and precious object should be arranged in alternating fashion as adornments, and all kinds of beautiful flowers and magnificent banners should be used as further decoration. Railings made of the seven precious substances should surround the stupa on all four sides. None of these adornments should be lacking.

Doors should open on each of the stupa’s four sides, and each successive story should have windows facing one another.

“The precious vessel containing the Buddha’s relics should be securely enshrined within that stupa, so that all devas, humans, and the Four Assemblies of disciples may behold, revere, and make offerings to it.

“Ananda! A pratyekabuddha’s stupa should be built eleven stories high and should likewise be fully adorned with every kind of precious object.

“Ananda! An arhat’s stupa should be built four stories high and should likewise be fully adorned with every kind of precious object.

“Ananda! A Wheel-Turning Sage King’s stupa should also be built of the seven precious substances, but it should not have any elevated stories. Why is this? Because he has not yet escaped the sufferings of existence in the Three Realms and still remains within birth and death.”

At that time, Venerable Aniruddha addressed the Buddha: “After the Tathagata enters nirvana and the cremation ceremony has been completed, how should all devas, humans, and the fourfold assembly divide the Buddha’s relics for veneration?”

The Buddha told Aniruddha: “After the Tathagata enters nirvana, devas, humans, and the entire assembly should divide the Buddha’s relics with impartial minds throughout the Three Realms and Six Destinies, enabling all beings in the world to venerate them.”

At that time, Shakra, Lord of the Devas,^[20] addressed the Buddha: “Now, in the presence of the Buddha, I respectfully request one half of all the Tathagata’s bodily relics, so that I may venerate them with the utmost sincerity and reverence.”

The Buddha told the Lord of the Devas: “The Tathagata regards all sentient beings impartially, [loving them all] as he loves Rahula, [my son]. You should not request half of all the Tathagata’s bodily relics. Why is this? It is so that sentient beings may receive equal benefit.

“O Lord of the Devas! I now grant you the relic of one of my upper right teeth. You should take it back to the heavenly realm, build a stupa, and venerate it. This can bring you inexhaustible merit.”

At that time, all the devas, humans, and the entire assembly wept in grief, unable to restrain themselves.

The Blessed One then told the fourfold assembly of disciples: “The Buddha is now entering nirvana. All you devas, humans, and everyone else should not grieve excessively. Why is this?

Although the Buddha enters nirvana, [he leaves behind] relics that will long remain for veneration; moreover, there are the supreme treasures of the Dharma: the Sutra Pitaka, the Vinaya Pitaka, and the Abhidharma Pitaka. For this reason, the Three Jewels and the Four Noble Truths will perpetually abide in the world, enabling sentient beings to return to them for refuge with the utmost sincerity and reverence. Why is this?

To venerate the Buddha’s relics is to venerate the Jewel of the Buddha; to behold [the relics of] the Buddha is to behold the Dharma-body; to behold the Dharma-body is to behold the sages and noble ones; to behold the sages and noble ones is to behold the Four Noble Truths; and to behold the Four Noble Truths is to behold nirvana.

“Therefore, you should know that the Three Jewels perpetually abide, never changing, and can serve as a refuge for the entire world.”

The Buddha further instructed the entire assembly: “Do not grieve excessively. I am now about to enter nirvana in this place. If any among you still have unresolved doubts concerning the precepts, taking refuge, permanence or impermanence, the Three Jewels, the Four Noble Truths, the Six Paramitas, the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination, or any other matter, ask quickly, for this is your final opportunity. [Do not allow yourselves], after the Buddha has entered nirvana, to give rise to doubt and regret.”

The Buddha admonished the entire assembly in this way three times.

At that time, the fourfold assembly of disciples was filled with grief and anguish. Choking with sobs and shedding tears, their hearts were wracked with immeasurable pain. Their thoughts wandered ceaselessly, and in their yearning attachment and sorrow, they felt as though they might die. Yet through the Buddha’s awesome power, each of them was able to restrain their tears of grief. All stood silently and calmly, asking no questions. Why was this? Because all members of the fourfold assembly had already penetrated and clearly understood the precepts, taking refuge, the Three Jewels, the Four Noble Truths, and all the rest; no one had any doubts whatsoever.

At that time, knowing that no one in the fourfold assembly had any remaining doubts, the Buddha praised them, saying: “Excellent, excellent! The entire fourfold assembly has fully understood the Three Jewels and the Four Noble Truths, and no one has any remaining doubts, just as though [you had used] pure water to wash every impurity from your bodies.

“Great assembly! You should practice diligently and vigorously so that you may soon escape [birth and death]. Do not give rise to grief, delusion, or confusion.”

The Blessed One then sat upon the lion throne. With an arm radiant as pure gold, he drew aside the sanghati robe covering his body and revealed his lion-like chest, which shone with the purple-tinged radiance of pure gold.^[21] He then told the entire assembly: “All you devas, humans, and members of the assembly should behold, with the utmost sincerity and reverence, the Tathagata’s physical body, radiant with the purple-tinged light of pure gold.”

At that time, the entire fourfold assembly wholeheartedly gazed upon the pure-gold radiant body of the Greatly Awakened Blessed One without blinking. All experienced immeasurable refreshment, peace, and joy; even a bhikshu who had entered the third dhyana would find it difficult to experience such refreshment, peace, and joy.

After the Blessed One had manifested his pure-gold body for the assembly to behold, he emitted immeasurable and boundless hundreds of thousands of myriads of kotis of dazzling rays of Great Nirvana light. They illuminated all worlds throughout the ten directions, causing even the light of the sun and moon to appear no longer bright.

Having emitted this light, the Buddha again told the entire assembly: “You should know that, for the sake of all sentient beings, the Tathagata has passed through countless kalpas of diligent hardship and toil, even enduring the cutting and mutilation of his body and limbs. He cultivated every difficult ascetic practice that is hard to undertake. Because of his original vow of great compassion, he [manifested] in this world of the five defilements and attained anuttara-samyak-sambodhi.

He obtained this physical body, radiant with the purple-tinged light of pure gold, [indestructible] like vajra, endowed with the thirty-two excellent marks and eighty fine characteristics, and emitting immeasurable brilliant rays that illuminate everywhere. Whoever beholds the Tathagata’s physical body and encounters the Tathagata’s light will invariably attain liberation.”

The Buddha then taught: “Great assembly! It is exceedingly difficult to encounter a Buddha appearing in the world, just as it is exceedingly rare to see an udumbara flower.^[22] You, members of the assembly, have encountered me in these final moments; thus, your birth into this life has not been in vain. Through the power of vows made in the distant past, I [manifested] birth in this defiled world. The conditions for teaching and transforming beings have now been fulfilled, and I am about to enter nirvana. You have gazed with utmost sincerity upon the Tathagata’s physical body, radiant with the purple-tinged light of pure gold. Having cultivated such pure wholesome karma, you will receive corresponding [excellent] results in future lives.”

At that time, the Blessed One earnestly repeated these words three times, and then revealed his pure-gold radiant Tathagata-body so that the entire assembly [could see it clearly]. From the seven-jeweled couch, the Buddha rose into the air to a height of approximately one tala tree.^[23] For the first time, he proclaimed to the entire assembly: “I am about to enter nirvana. All you members of the assembly should behold the Tathagata’s physical body, radiant with the purple-tinged light of pure gold.”

The Blessed One then manifested his body rising successively through the air to heights of approximately two tala trees, then three tala trees, and so on. On the seventh occasion, he reached a height of approximately seven tala trees. Each time, he repeated to the assembly: “I am about to enter nirvana. All you members of the assembly should behold, with the utmost sincerity and reverence, the Tathagata’s physical body, radiant with the purple-tinged light of pure gold.”

Then the Buddha descended from the air and sat upon the lion couch. Once again, he proclaimed to the assembly: “I am about to enter nirvana. All you members of the assembly should behold, with the utmost sincerity and reverence, the Tathagata’s physical body, radiant with the purple-tinged light of pure gold.”

Afterward, for the second time, the Blessed One rose from the lion throne and manifested himself soaring into the sky to a height of about one tala tree. Again he told the great assembly: “I am about to enter nirvana. All of you in this great assembly should gaze with the deepest reverence upon the Tathagata’s radiant, purplish-golden body.”

The Buddha then manifested himself soaring into the sky to a height of about two tala trees, then three tala trees... until he reached a height of about seven tala trees. Each time, he repeated to the great assembly: “I am about to enter nirvana. All of you in this great assembly should gaze with the deepest reverence upon the Tathagata’s radiant, purplish-golden body.”

At that time, the Buddha descended from the sky and sat upon the lion throne, once again declaring to the great assembly: “I am about to enter nirvana. All of you in this great assembly should gaze with the deepest reverence upon the Tathagata’s radiant, purplish-golden body.”

Afterward, for the third time, the Blessed One rose from the lion throne and manifested himself soaring into the sky to a height of about one tala tree. Again he told the great assembly: “I am about to enter nirvana. All of you in this great assembly should gaze with the deepest reverence upon the Tathagata’s radiant, purplish-golden body.”

The Buddha then again manifested himself soaring into the sky to a height of about two tala trees, then three tala trees... until he reached a height of about seven tala trees. Each time, he repeated to the great assembly: “I am about to enter nirvana. All of you in this great assembly should gaze with the deepest reverence upon the Tathagata’s radiant, purplish-golden body.”

Afterward, the Buddha descended from the sky and sat upon the lion throne, once again declaring to the great assembly: “I am about to enter nirvana. All of you in this great assembly should gaze with the deepest reverence upon the Tathagata’s radiant, purplish-golden body.”

At that time, the Blessed One revealed the Tathagata’s radiant, purplish-golden body so that the entire great assembly might behold it. Three times he manifested himself soaring into the sky, each time in seven stages, from a height of one tala tree to a height of about seven tala trees; and three times he descended from the sky to sit upon the lion throne.

Thus, on twenty-four occasions in all, he earnestly admonished the great assembly: “I am about to enter nirvana. All of you in this great assembly should gaze with the deepest reverence upon the Tathagata’s radiant, purplish-golden body, [a body] free from fear, a firm and indestructible vajra body. The Tathagata’s physical body is like the udumbara flower, exceedingly difficult to encounter.

“The great assembly should know that I am about to enter nirvana. You should gaze with utmost sincerity upon the Tathagata’s radiant, purplish-golden body. It is like a person tormented by heat and thirst who, upon finding cool, clear water, drinks to complete satisfaction and desires nothing further. So it is with all of you in this great assembly. I am now about to enter nirvana. You should gaze upon me with the deepest reverence, for this is the last time you will be able to see the Tathagata. After this occasion, you will never see me again. All of you in this great assembly should gaze to your full satisfaction, lest you later harbor regret.”

The Buddha then instructed the entire great assembly: “After I enter nirvana, all of you in this great assembly must extensively cultivate [the Dharma methods] so that you may swiftly escape [the suffering of] existence within the Three Realms. You must not be sluggish or indolent, nor lax and heedless, allowing your minds to become distracted.”

At that time, after the light of nirvana had shone upon all [beings throughout all] worlds—the devas, humans, and the Fourfold Assembly of the Buddha’s disciples—and after they had gazed upon the Buddha’s [physical body], the Three Evil Destinies, the Eight Difficulties, and all the afflictions of the heavenly and human realms, together with the gravest offenses, such as the Four Grave Offenses and the Five Heinous Offenses, were all forever eradicated without remainder. All attained liberation.

At that time, after the Blessed One had revealed his radiant, purplish-golden body for the entire great assembly to behold and had earnestly admonished them many times, he drew his sanghati robe over his body once more, as he ordinarily did.

CONDITIONS CEASE AND RETURN TO THE SOURCE

Chapter Two

The Buddha again told the great assembly: “The time has now come; my entire body is racked with pain.”

At that time, as soon as the Blessed One had finished speaking, he entered the First Dhyana, emitted the light of nirvana, contemplated the entire world, and entered the samadhi of quiescent cessation.^[24]

After the Blessed One entered the First Dhyana,^[25] he emerged from the First Dhyana and entered the Second Dhyana; emerging from the Second Dhyana, he entered the Third Dhyana; emerging from the Third Dhyana, he entered the Fourth Dhyana; emerging from the Fourth Dhyana, he entered the Sphere of Infinite Space; emerging from the Sphere of Infinite Space, he entered the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness; emerging from the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness, he entered the Sphere of Nothingness;^[26] emerging from the Sphere of Nothingness, he entered the Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception; emerging from the Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception, he entered the Attainment of Cessation.

Afterward, the Tathagata emerged from the Attainment of Cessation and returned to the Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception; emerging from the Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception, he returned to the Sphere of Nothingness; emerging from the Sphere of Nothingness, he returned to the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness; emerging from the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness, he returned to the Sphere of Infinite Space; emerging from the Sphere of Infinite Space, he returned to the Fourth Dhyana; emerging from the Fourth Dhyana, he returned to the Third Dhyana; emerging from the Third Dhyana, he returned to the Second Dhyana; emerging from the Second Dhyana, he returned to the First Dhyana.

At that time, after the Blessed One had [manifested] entry into all the states of meditative concentration in both forward and reverse order, he addressed the entire great assembly: “With exceedingly profound prajna wisdom, I contemplate throughout the Three Realms:^[27] throughout the Six Destinies [of samsara],^[28] all mountains, great oceans, lands, and all beings living within them. [I clearly see that within] these Three Realms, the [common] fundamental nature is devoid of [substantial reality]; when examined to the ultimate point, all is quiescent and extinguished, identical in character to empty space. There are no names, no cognition, and all existence is forever eradicated.

“[The dharmas within these Three Realms] have always been equal; they do not [inherently possess] conceptions of high or low. There is no seeing, hearing, knowing, or understanding; they cannot be bound, nor can they be liberated. There are no sentient beings and no [sentient beings’] life span; there is neither birth nor arising, neither cessation nor destruction.

They are neither the world nor other than the world. Neither nirvana nor birth-and-death can be reached; these two limits are equally the same, because they are equally identical with all dharmas. [Having seen in this way, one] abides peacefully in serene tranquility, with nothing to be done. The ultimate place of establishment cannot be attained.

One acts in accordance with the Dharma and the non-abiding nature of dharmas, eliminating all characteristics, so that not a single characteristic remains.”

“Such is the characteristic of dharmas. One who clearly knows this is called one who has transcended the world; one who does not clearly know these things cannot escape the root of birth and death. All of you in the great assembly should shatter ignorance and eradicate the root of birth and death.”

After teaching as above, the Blessed One again manifested the entering of transcendent meditative absorption.^[29] Having emerged from the First Dhyana, he immediately entered the Third Dhyana; emerging from the Third Dhyana, he immediately entered the Sphere of Infinite Space; emerging from the Sphere of Infinite Space, he immediately entered the Sphere of Nothingness; emerging from the Sphere of Nothingness, he immediately entered the Attainment of Cessation.

Having emerged from the Attainment of Cessation, the Blessed One immediately entered the Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-perception; emerging from the Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-perception, he immediately entered the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness; emerging from the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness, he immediately entered the Fourth Dhyana; emerging from the Fourth Dhyana, he immediately entered the Second Dhyana; emerging from the Second Dhyana, he immediately entered the First Dhyana.

Having thus manifested transcendent meditative absorption through the states of meditation in both forward and reverse order, the Blessed One again addressed the entire great assembly: “With the wisdom of the Great Prajnaparamita, I contemplate throughout the Three Realms: sentient beings, insentient things, those who hear the Dharma, and those who expound the Dharma—all, ultimately, have no one who is bound and no one who is liberated; there is no subject and no object upon which to rely; nothing can be grasped; there is no departure from the Three Realms and no entry into the realms of existence.

From the beginning, all has been intrinsically pure, without defilement and without affliction, identical to empty space; neither equal nor unequal; entirely free from every stirring thought, conception, and consciousness.

“Such is the characteristic of dharmas, called Great Nirvana. Truly seeing this Dharma is called liberation; for ordinary beings not to clearly know this is called ignorance.”

After teaching thus, the Blessed One again manifested the entering of transcendent meditative absorption. Having emerged from the First Dhyana, he successively entered and emerged from the states of meditation until he entered the Attainment of Cessation. Having emerged from the Attainment of Cessation, he successively reversed the sequence, entering and emerging from the states of meditation until he entered the First Dhyana.

Having thus manifested transcendent meditative absorption through the states of meditation in both forward and reverse order, the Blessed One again instructed the great assembly: “With the Buddha-eye of wisdom, I contemplate throughout the Three Realms: all dharmas have their initial origin in ignorance. The nature of ignorance is intrinsically liberated; even if liberation is sought throughout the ten directions, ultimately it cannot be found. Because the root of ignorance is empty, all its branches are liberated. Because ignorance is liberated, all that follows in succession, down to aging and death,^[30] is likewise liberated. For this cause and condition, I now abide peacefully in the radiance of eternal quiescent cessation, which is called Great Nirvana.”

At that time, Ananda was overwhelmed with grief, sorrow, and anguish. His heart and mind were in turmoil, and his consciousness was dazed like that of a person exceedingly drunk who no longer perceives anything. He could not see the four assemblies, nor did he know whether the Tathagata had entered nirvana.

At that time, the Blessed One had manifested transcendent meditative absorption, entering and emerging from the states of meditation three times. He contemplated the entire dharmadhatu and likewise expounded the Dharma three times for the whole great assembly. Altogether, the Tathagata entered and emerged from the states of meditation twenty-seven times.^[31]

Because Ananda was no longer lucidly aware, whenever the Buddha entered a state of meditation, he asked Aniruddha, “Has the Buddha entered nirvana yet?” In all, he asked twenty-seven times. Each time, Aniruddha, profoundly aware that the Tathagata had only entered a state of meditation, replied, “The Buddha has not yet entered nirvana.”

At that time, the entire great assembly was likewise thrown into confusion, not knowing whether the Tathagata had entered nirvana.

Then, after entering and emerging from the states of meditation three times and instructing the great assembly three times, the Blessed One lay down at full length upon the seven-jeweled couch, resting on his right side, with his head toward the north and his face toward the west. Wondrously beautiful jeweled garlands adorned the seven-jeweled couch. In the sala grove at that time stood eight trees, growing side by side in four pairs: one pair to the west, before the Tathagata; one pair to the east, behind the Tathagata; one pair to the north, above the Tathagata’s head; and one pair to the south, below the Tathagata’s feet.

At that time, the Blessed One lay upon the jeweled couch beneath the sala trees. Around midnight, the Buddha entered the Fourth Dhyana, utterly still, serene, and without a sound. In that very instant, the Buddha entered nirvana.

After the Greatly Awakened Blessed One entered nirvana, the two pairs of trees standing to the east and west of the Buddha in that sala grove immediately joined their canopies into one, while the two pairs of trees standing side by side to the south and north of the Buddha also joined their canopies into one, forming a great parasol that completely covered the jeweled couch upon which the Buddha lay. In an instant, grieving, all those trees turned pure white like the plumage of a white crane. Their branches, leaves, flowers, fruits, bark, and trunks all split apart and fell away; gradually they withered, broke, and fell until nothing remained...

At that time, throughout the immeasurable myriads of kotis of worlds, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, of the Buddhas of the ten directions, all those lands shook violently and emitted every kind of sound, like voices lamenting: “Alas, alas! The world has become empty!”

Those sounds also gave expression to impermanence, suffering, emptiness, grief, and lamentation.

Then all the mountains throughout the worlds of the ten directions—including Mount Mucilinda, Mount Maha Mucilinda, the Iron Ring Mountains, the Great Iron Ring Mountains, Mount Sumeru, Jewel Mountain, Fragrant Mountain, Golden Mountain, Black Mountain, and all the other mountains throughout those lands—simultaneously trembled and collapsed, producing sounds that resounded throughout the worlds, like voices lamenting: “Alas, alas! How has the world, in but an instant, become a place without refuge? The sun of wisdom has set behind the mountain of Great Nirvana! All sentient beings have lost their true compassionate father and lost the deva worthy of universal reverence; henceforth, there is no one upon whom they may gaze with veneration!”

At that time, all the great oceans throughout the worlds of the ten directions became turbid and surged with billowing waves, producing every kind of sound, like voices lamenting: “Alas, alas! The Perfectly Awakened One has departed! Sinful and suffering sentient beings drift endlessly upon the great ocean of birth and death as though through a long, dark night. Bewildered and having lost the true path, upon whom can they rely to attain liberation?”

All rivers, canals, streams, creeks, ponds, lakes, wells, and other bodies of water suddenly overturned and dried up.

Then the earth and empty space throughout all the worlds of the ten directions became desolate and dim, and the sun and moon no longer shone. Darkness and sorrow pervaded the worlds. At that very moment, a violent, obscuring gale suddenly arose, shaking everything with terrifying force and sweeping up dust and sand as though to veil all the worlds.

Upon the earth, every kind of grass, tree, medicinal herb, and great tree suddenly withered and broke; their flowers, fruits, branches, and leaves all fell away until nothing remained.

At that very moment, all the devas [appeared], filling the sky throughout the worlds of the ten directions. Weeping and lamenting in grief, they shook the entire three-thousand-great-thousand world and rained down countless hundreds of thousands of the finest kinds of heavenly incense and flowers, filling the three-thousand-great-thousand world and forming heaps as high as Mount Sumeru in offering to the Tathagata.

From the sky there also rained down countless banners, strings of jewels, precious canopies, and wish-fulfilling gems, all treasures of the heavenly realms. They filled the sky and transformed into a four-sided jeweled dais adorned with pearls, encircled by an interwoven array of the seven precious substances and shining with brilliant radiance, in offering to the Tathagata.

From the sky there also arose countless strains of exceedingly wondrous heavenly music—the sounds of drums, flutes, instrumental music, singing, and every other kind of sound—[seeming to] lament: “Suffering! Suffering! The Buddha has entered nirvana; the world [is now] empty, and all sentient beings must become blind. The rakshasa demons that crave the afflictions will run rampant everywhere; the suffering of impermanence and change will continue without end, and the wheel of pain will never cease to turn!”

At that time, Ananda was so stricken and dazed by grief that he was no longer aware of anything. Not knowing whether the Tathagata had entered nirvana, and seeing before him only extraordinary signs, he turned and asked Aniruddha, “Has the Buddha entered nirvana?”

Aniruddha replied, “The Greatly Awakened Blessed One has entered nirvana!”

As soon as Ananda heard these words, he was overwhelmed with anguish and fell headlong to the ground like a dead man. His breathing ceased entirely, and his consciousness grew dim until he was aware of nothing at all.

Aniruddha then sprinkled cool, pure water upon Ananda’s face [to revive him], helped him to his feet, and consoled him with skillful means, saying, “How sorrowful! How painful! But what can be done? You must not grieve and sorrow so excessively that your mind falls into confusion. The causes and conditions for the Tathagata’s work of teaching and transforming beings have come to an end; none among all devas and humans could have caused him to remain. Suffering, suffering! But what can be done? Who would have thought that today the Teacher of devas and humankind, having completed all that had to be done, could not be induced by anyone to remain? What can be done? Now you and I must restrain this grief together!”

Aniruddha further consoled him: “Ananda! Although the Buddha has entered nirvana, he has left behind his relics and the most exalted treasure of the Dharma, which will forever abide in the world and serve as a refuge for all sentient beings. You and I should now strive diligently to transmit this Dharma treasure to sentient beings, enabling them to escape all suffering. [Only thus can we] repay the Tathagata’s benevolent grace.”

After hearing these words of counsel and consolation, Ananda gradually regained awareness, [but he still] choked with sobs and shed tears, unable to contain his grief.

At that time, throughout an area twelve yojanas square in the sala grove of the city of Kushinagara, the great assembly, together with devas and humans, gathered so densely that even a patch of ground no larger than the point of a needle contained immeasurable numbers of beings, [yet throughout this entire area] not a single empty space remained. [Even so, all those in the great assembly] neither crowded nor obstructed one another.

At that time, countless kotis of bodhisattvas and the entire great assembly were dazed, bewildered, and confused, unable to know whether the Tathagata had entered nirvana, for they saw before them only extraordinary signs and upheavals. With one voice they asked Aniruddha, “Has the Buddha entered nirvana?”

Aniruddha then addressed the great assembly and all devas and humans, saying, “The Greatly Awakened Blessed One has entered nirvana!”

Upon hearing these words, countless people in the great assembly were simultaneously overwhelmed by sorrow. Choking and unable to speak, they all fell headlong to the ground and lost consciousness. Some passed into extinction together with the Buddha. Some became utterly distraught and confused. Some trembled and shook in body and mind. Some clenched their hands, choked with sobs, and shed tears. Some repeatedly beat their breasts and wailed aloud. Some, [unable to contain their anguish,] tore at their hair.

Some cried out, “How painful, how painful! How bitter is this suffering and anguish!”

Some lamented, “Why has the Tathagata entered nirvana in such haste, so very soon?”

Some sighed, “Alas! We have lost a venerable deity.”

Some cried, “Alas! The world [has become] empty! Sentient beings [must henceforth endure] blindness!”

Some lamented, “From this time onward, the great demon of the afflictions will spread everywhere!”

Some cried, “Alas! The wholesome seeds of sentient beings have been cut off and can no longer put forth shoots!”

Some lamented, “Alas! From this time onward, Mara the Evil One will rejoice and cast off his armor, [for no one remains to oppose him]!”

Some reproached their own bodies and minds and contemplated the principle of impermanence; others practiced right contemplation and immediately attained liberation.

Some cried out in anguish, “Now we have nowhere to turn for refuge.”

Among [the great assembly] were also some whose [grief was so intense that] blood oozed from their entire bodies and trickled onto the ground.

[All those in the great assembly], belonging to different classes of beings and speaking different languages, raised their voices in lamentation, shaking all the worlds.

At that time, Sikhin, the Great Brahma Heaven King and lord of the Saha world, knowing that the Buddha had entered nirvana, descended through the sky together with the devas of the First Dhyana Heaven. He wailed aloud, choked with sobs, and streamed tears. Prostrating himself before the Tathagata’s body, he then collapsed upon the ground and lost consciousness. Only after a long while did he revive. Unable to restrain his grief, he stood before the Buddha’s body and recited these verses of lamentation:

In former times the Blessed One made a vow,

And for our sake appeared within the Saha world;

Concealing his immeasurable sovereign powers,

He used fitting teachings to deliver sentient beings.

With skillful means he taught according to each listener,

So that every one of them attained peace and joy;

Encouraging and guiding them to escape suffering,

Toward nirvana, the final destination.

The Tathagata was like a loving mother cherishing her children,

Ever nourishing them with the milk of great compassion;

Who could have thought that one morning he would suddenly depart,

Leaving devas and humans helpless, with no refuge!

How painful! The wholesome sprouts of sentient beings

No longer have the ambrosia that enables them to grow;

Henceforth those wholesome sprouts must wither and perish,

While evil karma drags beings into the evil destinies.

The world is empty—what can be done?

The eye of true and right wisdom has been extinguished!

Sentient beings wander into the darkness of night,

Submerged in the Three Realms, revolving in suffering!

Who will save sentient beings from their transgressions?

By relying upon the Buddha’s relics, may they attain liberation;

I pray that the power of the Tathagata’s great compassion

Will shelter and rescue me, freeing me from suffering.

Who could have thought that, amid the anguish of this realm,

The Tathagata would forsake us and enter nirvana!

At that time, Shakra, Lord of the Devas, descended from the sky together with the great assembly [of devas], crying out in lamentation, “Suffering! Suffering!”

The great Lord Shakra cried aloud in grief, tears streaming from his eyes. He prostrated himself before the body of the Tathagata, then collapsed unconscious upon the ground. Only after a long while did he revive. Choked with anguish, he knelt and bowed low before the Buddha’s body, reciting these verses of lamentation:

For countless kalpas the Tathagata practiced austerities,

All out of compassion for every sentient being.

Having attained the path of unsurpassed perfect enlightenment,

He nurtured sentient beings as though they were his own children.

The wholesome Dharma he bestowed was precious medicine,

Curing illness better than any skilled physician;

The cloud of great loving-kindness and compassion shaded all beings,

And the rain of wisdom’s nectar fell everywhere.

The sun of wisdom dispelled ignorance,

And deluded beings encountered the noble path;

The bright moon of loving-kindness illuminated the six destinies,

And through his grace, beings in the Three Realms escaped suffering.

Who could have thought that today he would cease his great compassion,

Enter the realm of nirvana, and no longer be seen!

Where now may we find your great compassion?

How could you abandon sentient beings without regret?

We, the myriad beings within the Three Realms,

Are like calves near death after losing their mother;

The fourfold assembly clasp hands and lament,

Beating their breasts in grief and shaking the Three Realms.

How bitter, how bitter! O people of the world,

Why have we suddenly been left orphaned?

Our merit is exhausted—how great our suffering!

The sprouts of goodness wither and will never grow green again.

May the treasure of the Dharma and the Buddha’s relics

Shine upon us and help us escape the realm of suffering!

Alas! How agonizing is our plight!

When shall we ever meet the Tathagata again?

At that time, Venerable Aniruddha wept sorrowfully, overcome by immeasurable anguish. He then knelt and bowed low before the Buddha’s body, reciting these verses of mournful lamentation:

The perfectly enlightened Dharma King nurtured us,

And through the milk of Dharma, our Dharma-bodies grew;

Yet the Dharma-bodies of sentient beings are still incomplete,

And our provisions of wisdom remain meager!

If only the voice of Dharma might forever continue teaching,

So that all sentient beings who hear it may awaken to the Path;

And the five-colored radiance of great loving-kindness might shine forth,

Helping all sentient beings attain liberation.

Why has it ceased so soon, entering nirvana?

Amid their suffering, where can sentient beings seek refuge?

The greatly compassionate World-Honored One is now no more;

Bereft and helpless, we shall surely die!

Although we clearly understand the World-Honored One’s skillful means,

Still, we cannot refrain from grieving!

The fourfold assembly is bewildered, their minds scattered and confused;

Their sorrow and anguish shake the entire Three Realms!

The World-Honored One alone has entered the abode of peace and joy;

What hope remains for sentient beings in their terrible suffering?

In former times, for our sake, the World-Honored One

Through many kalpas gave up his head and severed his hands and feet;

Now that he has attained the path of unsurpassed perfect enlightenment,

Why did he not remain long, but so soon enter extinction?

We of the fourfold assembly remain amid ignorance,

While Mara, the demon king, rejoices and casts off his armor!

How sorrowful! May the greatly compassionate World-Honored One

Let the loving radiance of his relics shine upon all beings.

We further pray that the World-Honored One, out of compassion for the fourfold assembly,

Will bless and protect the treasure of the Dharma so that it may be transmitted without end!

How bitter that we cannot die along with you;

What value is there in this little remnant of life?

How bitter! This agony is unbearable!

Never again shall we have the opportunity to meet the Tathagata!

At that time, Venerable Ananda, who had long lain unconscious, gradually revived. Clutching his head and beating his breast, he choked with sobs and shed tears, unable to restrain his grief. He knelt and bowed low before the Buddha’s body, reciting these verses of lamentation:

Through the power of the World-Honored One’s vows,

I was blessed to be born together with him in the Shakya clan;

Since the Tathagata attained perfect enlightenment,

I have attended him closely for twenty years.

Though I served him with all my heart, my devotion was not yet fulfilled;

Yet suddenly he has brought it to an end and entered nirvana.

How sorrowful! How bitter, how grievous!

Throughout the endless long night, my heart aches beyond measure!

I have not yet freed myself from all doubts,

And the shell of ignorance remains firm around me.

Before the World-Honored One helped me break through it,

How could he so soon enter nirvana?

I am like a tender newborn infant

Who, having lost its mother, must surely die before long;

How could the World-Honored One bear to abandon me

And alone enjoy peace and joy beyond the Three Realms?

I now repent before the World-Honored One;

I have attended the Buddha for fully twenty years.

Whether walking, standing, lying down, or sitting, I was often indolent

And did not sufficiently gladden the World-Honored One.

May the perfectly enlightened one of great loving-kindness and compassion

Bestow nectar upon me, that I may attain peace and joy.

I vow that throughout innumerable kalpas to come,

I shall always remain close by and attend the World-Honored One.

I reverently pray that the World-Honored One will emit his loving radiance,

Illuminating the whole world and delivering me.

How agonizing! Words cannot express it!

Choked with grief, I cannot fully recount the Buddha’s kindness!

At that time, innumerable kotis of bodhisattvas, as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, together with the entire great assembly of devas and humans, clasped one another’s hands and wept in sorrow. Tears streamed down their faces, and none could restrain their anguish. They then urged one another to hold back their sorrowful tears and arranged innumerable beautiful and fragrant flowers, such as mandara flowers, maha-mandara flowers, manjushaka flowers, and maha-manjushaka flowers; innumerable kinds of sandalwood and precious agarwood [obtained from] distant coastal regions and from the realms of devas and humans; hundreds of thousands of myriads of blended fragrances; innumerable kinds of powdered incense and scented water;

as well as jeweled parasols, precious banners, precious pearl necklaces, and other offerings that filled the whole of space.

They brought them before the body of the Tathagata and, grieving in anguish, [presented them as] offerings.

At that time, the entire great assembly and all the people—men and women, young and old—within the city of Kushinagara wept with sorrow and anguish. Each prepared innumerable beautiful and fragrant flowers, together with banners, parasols, and other offerings, surpassing even those described above. Together they brought them before the body of the Tathagata and, grieving in anguish, [presented them as] offerings.

At that time, the Four Heavenly Kings and the great assembly of devas all wept with sorrow and anguish. Each also prepared innumerable fragrant flowers and every kind of offering, three times as abundant as those described above. Their faces streaming with tears, they went together to the Tathagata and brought all the offerings before his body, grieving in anguish as they [presented them as] offerings.

[The heavenly kings and great assemblies of devas in] the [remaining] five heavens^[32] did likewise, [each preparing offerings] more abundant than those described above [and presenting them to the Tathagata].

The devas of the Form Realm and the Formless Realm also did likewise, [each preparing offerings] more abundant than those described above and bringing them [to present as] offerings to the Tathagata.

THE MAHAPARINIRVANA SUTRA

END OF FASCICLE FORTY-ONE

ANNOTATIONS

1. Baring the right shoulder: a gesture expressing reverence. This custom originated in ancient India and was commonly practiced by bhikshus to express reverence for the Buddha before asking him a question.

2. Eight kinds of voice: this refers to the Buddha’s spiritual power, whereby his spoken voice possesses eight excellent qualities, enabling all kinds of sentient beings to understand clearly in their respective languages.

3. All Chinese editions designate the section beginning here as the first chapter, reckoning according to the Latter Portion. Thus, the continuation of the Kaundinya Chapter is called “The Remainder of the Kaundinya Chapter” or “The Final Section of the Kaundinya Chapter.” We have continued the enumeration from the preceding portion and therefore call it “Chapter Thirteen, Part Four,” for the convenience of our readers.

4. The four dhyanas and eight samadhis: successive levels of attainment for practitioners of meditation. The four dhyanas comprise the First Dhyana, Second Dhyana, Third Dhyana, and Fourth Dhyana, all of which remain within the sphere of the Form Realm. The eight samadhis include the four levels of concentration within the Form Realm represented by the four dhyanas, together with the four levels of concentration belonging to the Formless Realm: the Sphere of Infinite Space, the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness, the Sphere of Nothingness, and the Sphere of Neither Perception nor Non-perception.

5. This refers to the Saha world, for it contains all five defilements, namely the defilement of the kalpa, the defilement of views, the defilement of afflictions, the defilement of sentient beings, and the defilement of lifespan.

6. Anuruddha (阿那律) is a transliteration of the Sanskrit name Aniruddha. The original Chinese text uses Aniloudou (阿泥樓豆), which refers to this same person.

There are also many other transliterations, such as Aniloutuo, Anilütuo, Aniloutuo, Anulütuo, Analüti, and so forth. This name is translated by meaning as Unextinguished, As One Wishes, Free from Greed, Unobstructed, Good Intention, and so forth. He was one of the Buddha’s Ten Great Disciples and was praised by the Buddha as foremost in the divine eye.

He was also one of the princes who renounced the household life at the same time as Venerable Ananda. We have not used the name Aniloudou found in the original text, but have chosen Anuruddha because it is more familiar to many readers, as this name appears more frequently in many other sutras and treatises.

7. The six bad bhikshus: namely, the Group of Six Bhikshus, a group of ill-natured bhikshus who, even while the Buddha was still in the world, frequently committed many acts that violated the precepts, thereby bringing disrepute upon the Sangha. For this reason, Venerable Anuruddha raised this matter as a question before the Buddha entered nirvana.

8. Chandaka, transliterated from the Sanskrit Chandaka, was an arrogant and malicious bhikshu; he was also one of the Group of Six Bhikshus. Chandaka was the attendant and charioteer of Prince Siddhartha while the prince was still in the royal palace.

After the Buddha attained enlightenment, he requested permission to renounce the household life and undertake cultivation. Relying on the fact that he had formerly been close to the Buddha, he looked down upon the other bhikshus and frequently committed misconduct and used abusive speech. He was therefore commonly called Foul-mouthed Chandaka or Ill-natured Chandaka.

After the Buddha’s passing, the Sangha once disciplined him through the penalty of brahmadanda, complete social silence. Ultimately, he followed Venerable Ananda, received instruction, and attained arhatship.

9. The six sense objects (six dusts): the objects cognized by the sense faculties, comprising forms, sounds, odors, tastes, tangible objects, and dharmas.

10. The view that clings to a self (the view of self or attachment to self): the view that there is a real self existing independently of the objects external to it, which are called the external world. This perception is mistaken and does not accord with reality, which exists through the conjunction of causes and conditions; the so-called self is no exception.

11. The nature of a name is separate from the entity (the nature of names is detached): names are assigned by human beings to distinguish things. Once a name has been established, however, people regard that name as the thing itself. Thus, if one remains bound solely to the name, one can no longer recognize the entity of the thing. For example, the expression “sour tamarind” (the name) is used to indicate the tamarind fruit (the thing), yet the reality of a tamarind is not merely sour, much less confined within that name alone. Therefore, it is said that the nature of a name is separate from the entity.

12. The cultivation of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness presented here differs from that found in Hinayana scriptures, according to which practitioners contemplate the body as impure, feelings as suffering, the mind as impermanent, and dharmas as without self.

13. The instructions left by the Buddha and recorded at the beginning of all sutras serve as attestations, affirming the authenticity and benefit of the scriptures. First, the person who recorded them had indeed heard and understood them exactly in this manner (“Thus have I heard”). Second, the events recounted in the sutra are clearly established in time and place (“At one time, the Buddha was at…”). Third, because the teachings in the sutra were addressed to the fourfold assembly of the Buddha’s disciples, they are assuredly practical and necessary for the cultivation leading to liberation.

14. In compassion, the Buddha left this instruction, surely having foreseen that people in later generations would neglect cultivation because they received and enjoyed articles offered to the Three Jewels. Therefore, those who still remember and obey this instruction cannot indulge themselves in the enjoyment of articles offered by donors, but must constantly remain mindful of diligently cultivating and practicing.

15. Cremation: the term derives from the Sanskrit jhāpita and is also pronounced shewei (闍維). It denotes the rite of cremating the physical remains of a Buddha or an eminent Buddhist monk. In Chinese, this term is translated as “burning by fire” (焚燒).

16. Tūla flower: its Sanskrit name is tūla, also transcribed as duoluo or duluo, and so forth. It is a flower that is white and exceedingly soft and delicate; its name is translated as cotton flower or fine cotton flower. The original Chinese text uses “tūla cotton,” which is redundant because it combines both a phonetic transcription and a translation of the meaning.

17. Gośīrṣaka-candana, or Ox-Head Sandalwood, is an exceedingly precious variety of sandalwood found only on Ox-Head Mountain, and is therefore called Ox-Head Sandalwood. This mountain rises to a great height, and its summit resembles the head of an ox; hence it is called Ox-Head Mountain. (According to the Collection of Names and Meanings [名義集], fascicle 3.) According to fascicle 18 of the Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom, this fragrant sandalwood cannot be found anywhere other than on this mountain.

18. Sinking wood, also called agarwood, is known in Sanskrit as agaru. It is a precious, fragrant wood that sinks when placed in water and is therefore called “sinking wood.” Agarwood is a special portion within the heartwood of the tree. The black variety is exceedingly fragrant and precious and is called “black sinking wood.” (According to the Commentary on the Materia Medica [本草註].)

19. Kushinagara: the name of this city is transliterated from the Sanskrit Kuśinagara. The Chinese text sometimes uses Kushi or Kushinajia, both of which derive from this same name. We have consistently rendered it with a single name for the reader’s convenience.

20. Śakrodevānām Indrah: the name of the celestial sovereign Shakra, the king of the Trayastrimsha Heaven, also called the Heaven of the Thirty-Three.

21. Pure gold with a purple hue (purple refined gold or purple refined yellow gold): refined pure gold regarded as the most precious variety, brilliant in color with a reddish-purple sheen.

22. Udumbara: the name of this flower is transliterated from the Sanskrit Udumbara and is therefore also pronounced udumbala, udumbara, udumbatla, and so forth, all referring to this same kind of flower. Its Chinese translation means “auspicious portent,” that is, a flower that heralds a favorable omen. The first section of fascicle 4 of the Words and Phrases of the Lotus Sutra states that this flower blooms only once every three thousand years and that, when it blooms, a Wheel-Turning Sage King will certainly appear in the world. Buddhist scriptures generally use the image of the udumbara flower as a comparison for something exceedingly rare, especially the appearance of a Buddha in the world.

23. Tāla: the name of this tree is transliterated from the Sanskrit tāla. Its scientific name is Borassus flabelliformis.

It grows widely in India, Myanmar, Śrī Lanka, and certain tropical regions of Africa. The tree is tall and large, grows straight, bears large white flowers, and produces edible fruit that turns red when ripe. Its leaves have large, broad blades upon which characters were formerly written and preserved.

They are called pattra-tāla leaves, or palm leaves. In particular, during the earliest period in which Buddhist scriptures were written down, these palm leaves were used chiefly for recording them; hence they were called palm-leaf scriptures. The tree’s average height is approximately seventy to eighty ancient feet, each ancient foot measuring about 0.33 meters.

However, the Huiyuan Yinyi states that people in ancient times conventionally reckoned this tree’s height as ten zhang, or one hundred ancient feet, and used it as a unit for measuring height. If so, a height level with one tāla tree would be somewhat more than thirty meters.

24. The concentration of quiescent cessation, or the great concentration of quiescent cessation: one of the Tathagata’s Seven Kinds of the Unsurpassed, namely, Unsurpassed Abiding. This means that although the Tathagata manifests throughout all realms of ordinary and noble beings, devas and humans, he inherently and constantly abides in the concentration of quiescent cessation.

In this, no one other than a Buddha can surpass him; hence it is called Unsurpassed Abiding. Now, as the Tathagata is about to manifest nirvana, he first reveals to the great assembly that he enters the concentration of quiescent cessation; in truth, however, he constantly abides in this concentration. In the following passage, the Buddha manifests entering and emerging from every meditative realm in successive order, yet he never departs from this concentration of quiescent cessation.

25. The original Chinese text contains a passage that repeats the meaning of the preceding sentence. We suspect this resulted from an error in the block carving, since in the swastika-script edition these two portions appear on different pages. In translating, we have recorded the meaning in full but have not included the passage whose meaning is repetitive.

26. The sphere of nothingness: the original Chinese text uses “the sphere of non-application,” another name for the sphere of nothingness. We have chosen the name “sphere of nothingness” because it has appeared many times in this sutra and is also more familiar to many readers.

27. The three realms: namely, the desire realm, the form realm, and the formless realm. No sentient being exists outside these three realms.

28. The six paths of samsara: the realms of devas, humans, asuras, hell beings, hungry ghosts, and animals. All beings within the cycle of samsara fall into one of these six paths according to the force of their karma.

29. Transcendent meditation, or surpassing meditation, more commonly termed transcendent samadhi, refers to the manner in which Buddhas and bodhisattvas freely enter and emerge from meditative concentrations without following the usual sequence observed by shravakas, such as proceeding from the first dhyana to the second dhyana, the third dhyana, and so forth. Through transcendent samadhi, a practitioner may directly enter any meditative realm at will, without having to follow a sequence. It is therefore also called sovereign concentration.

30. Successively through aging and death: this sentence concisely expresses all twelve links of dependent origination, from ignorance through aging and death (jara-marana).

31. From the first dhyana through the concentration of cessation are nine meditative realms; traversed three times in all, they amount to twenty-seven passages.

32. Among the six heavens of the desire realm (the Six Desire Heavens), apart from the heaven of the Four Heavenly Kings, there are five other heavens: the Trayastrimsha Heaven, the Yama Heaven, the Tushita Heaven, the Heaven of Delight in Creation, and the Heaven of Mastery over Others’ Creations. Each heaven has a heavenly king who presides over its assembly of devas.