佛入涅槃密跡金剛力士哀戀經

In the sala grove at Kusinagara, the Blessed One lay with his head turned northward and entered nirvana. When the Vajrapani Guhyaka saw the Blessed One pass into cessation, he wept bitterly and lamented: “The Blessed One has perfected the unsurpassed and supremely excellent ten powers.[1] Why, then, has he now been altered and destroyed by impermanence, his strength so weakened and impaired? The Tathagata has abandoned me and entered nirvana. From this day onward, I have nowhere to return, no refuge, no one to shelter me, and no one to protect me; I fear calamity may suddenly descend. The poisoned arrow of sorrow has pierced my heart!”

Having spoken, the Vajrapani Guhyaka, overcome by loving attachment and unwilling to leave the Blessed One, felt the fire of grief blaze ever more fiercely, severing his five viscera and crushing his very heart. He fainted and fell to the ground like a collapsing mountain. Only after a long while did he regain consciousness. He rose and then sat down, choking with grief and weeping. Sobbing, he said: “How strange! How strange! The mara of death is truly terrifying! Though the Blessed One accumulated immeasurable merits and paramitas, he has still been destroyed by that mara of death!”

After lamenting and weeping, the Vajrapani Guhyaka said again: “O True Deliverer,[2] I beseech you to awaken for my sake. My merit is now meager, and I have no refuge. Why has the Blessed One abandoned me alone and entered nirvana? From this day onward, I shall forever be separated from the countenance of the Tathagata. I shall no longer behold the quiescence of his three karmas of body, speech, and mind, nor shall I again see the Buddha Bhagavat[3] enter the Buddha-abiding samadhi.”

In former times, whenever the Tathagata entered the Buddha-abiding samadhi, the radiance of his majestic virtue became wondrous beyond compare. His face shone more brightly than a newly opened lotus, like the newly risen sun illuminating the morning. Such was his countenance, yet I shall behold it no more.

Nor shall I again hear the sound like mighty thunder, the wondrous voice the Tathagata uttered amid the great assembly. I shall no longer hear the Tathagata’s true and nondual speech: speech free from error and harm, speech without flattery, speech easy to understand, and speech beloved by all. The Dharma can eradicate the evils of the world and lead to the attainment of amrita; no teaching surpasses the Buddha-Dharma.

Alas! The True Deliverer has entered nirvana forever, leaving sentient beings without anyone to save them. Blind in the wilderness of birth and death and now separated from their teacher, who will show them the way?

The Tathagata was a great, dense cloud capable of raining down the water of amrita, but it has been dispersed by the wind of impermanence. All sentient beings are scorched by the flames of craving. Now that the Tathagata has entered nirvana, who will shower down the rain of Dharma to extinguish those flames of craving?

The Tathagata eradicated conditioned dharmas, realized the unsurpassed path, and became the Great King of Physicians for sentient beings. All beings throughout the world suffer from the illnesses of affliction. Now that the Tathagata has entered nirvana, who will compassionately teach them through the true Dharma and cure their illnesses of the fetters?

The Tathagata knows and remembers kindness. From the time he was still in the womb until now, I have always followed him like a shadow following its form, living in harmony, reverently obeying him, and never acting wrongly. Why has the Tathagata not remembered my utmost sincerity, but abandoned me alone as though he were one who had forgotten a kindness?

Oh, how strange! Oh, how painful! Whom shall this vajra club protect now? I should cast this vajra club away at once! From this day onward, whom shall I attend? Who will compassionately instruct me? When shall I ever again behold the Tathagata’s countenance? The Kings Who Protect the World,[4] who pour forth amrita, commanded me to come and guard the Tathagata; yet now he has abandoned me and entered nirvana! My life has endured only through the Tathagata. Now that he has suddenly abandoned me, upon whom shall I rely to preserve this life?

Alas! Out of compassion for all sentient beings, the Tathagata constantly taught the wondrous Dharma to guide and transform them. Why, then, has the Tathagata entered nirvana today without speaking a single word?

The Tathagata’s omniscience and sphere of knowledge transcend all other wisdom. Therefore, whenever beings had affinities with him, the Tathagata always intended to teach them and bring them benefit. Where, then, must the Tathagata go today that he enters nirvana without teaching or rescuing sentient beings?

The maras and wicked ones who see the Tathagata enter nirvana are all greatly delighted. The Tathagata is the captain of the ship upon the ocean of birth and death, yet today he forever relinquishes the work of rescuing sentient beings. For immeasurable kalpas these beings have drifted with the current of birth and death.

Only the Tathagata could guide them by the true path and enable them to escape that current. The Tathagata forever eradicated the afflictions and manifested great light for ignorant beings. But now that the Tathagata has entered nirvana, beings in the world will fall into still deeper darkness and forever remain obscured by ignorance.

The Vajrapani Guhyaka, filled with sorrow and anguish, said again: “The Tathagata is endowed with the thirty-two marks of a great man, each adorned by a hundred merits.[5] How can they be destroyed, never to be seen again?

Alas, the One Who Vanquished the Evil Maras! Alas, the One Who Turned the Dharma Wheel! Alas, the One Who Extinguished the firefly-like light of the non-Buddhist paths! Alas, the One Who Destroyed the body subject to outflows! Alas, the One Who Built the citadel of wisdom! Alas, the lamp of the true Dharma has been extinguished by the wind of impermanence! Alas, the moon of the true Dharma has been swallowed by Rahu, the asura!”

The Vajrapani Guhyaka said again: “O Great Quiescent True Deliverer, please tell me where you are going today. To which direction? To which land? Has the Tathagata gone to Sravasti or Rajagrha, to Kapilavastu, or to Varanasi? Where in these lands does the Tathagata abide? In which grove—is it the Karanda Bamboo Grove, the Jeta Grove, or the Amra Grove? Where in these groves does the Tathagata abide? On which mountain—is it White Goodness Mountain, Vaideha Mountain, or Grdhrakuta Mountain? On which of these mountains does the Tathagata abide? Please tell me precisely where.”

The eight classes of beings—devas, nagas, yakshas, gandharvas, asuras, garudas, kimnaras, mahoragas, and others—all saw that I constantly followed the Buddha. If they ask me where the Tathagata has gone, how shall I answer them?

In former times, when the Blessed One taught and transformed sentient beings, if his body became even slightly weary, he would rest for a brief while. His mind was devoted to benefiting sentient beings. Why, then, has the Tathagata abandoned them all today, entered nirvana, and ceased to benefit them?

I beseech the Tathagata to awaken for our sake. The fire of sorrow burns within my heart, and I am scarcely able to preserve my life! I humbly beg you to grant me a single word, like a ladleful of cold water extinguishing the flames in my heart. I have now been bitten by the venomous snake of grief; please grant me the agada medicine[6] to remove its poison. The poisoned arrow of sorrow has struck my heart; please grant me the forceps of speech to draw it out. The Tathagata constantly taught the Dharma so that all sentient beings might end the suffering of separation from those they love. Why does the Tathagata not take compassion on me and eliminate these sufferings for me?

Today my heart is filled with grief, and therefore my mind has grown dim and confused. I cannot contemplate and seek out the meaning needed to heal the illness of sorrow within my heart and rid myself of flattering speech. Why does the Blessed One not comfort me?

My reverent, compliant, and tireless heart delighted in gazing upon the Tathagata’s countenance without ever growing weary. Even if I should fall to the ground, I still vow to behold the Tathagata’s countenance. Why does the Tathagata not take compassion on me?

The Bull-King Who Eradicated the Fetters constantly urged me onward. Why does the Blessed One not lead me into nirvana, but leave me behind alone? Having lost the Tathagata, I am oppressed by immeasurable and innumerable sufferings and cannot realize the truth.

Why has the Tathagata abandoned me alone and entered nirvana?

How strange! How strange! Has the Tathagata fallen asleep forever and will not awaken? Has the Tathagata gone away and will not return? It is like a lamp that, once extinguished, cannot shine again; like a jeweled pavilion that, once collapsed, cannot be raised again; like a treasury that, once lost, cannot reappear.

The Vajrapani Guhyaka again raised his hands and wailed aloud. Like the rope supporting Sakra’s banner when it snaps, he fell to the ground and could not rise. After wailing for a long time, his intestines, throat, lips, and tongue became parched and cracked.

He lost consciousness and fell to the ground, regaining awareness only after a long while. As soon as he awakened, because of his attachment to the Tathagata’s body of merit, he tightly grasped the Tathagata’s wheel-marked feet[7] and would not release them. He said: “The Tathagata’s feet are like utpala flowers, like the newly risen sun, radiant and cool.

They stand firm and bear exquisitely beautiful thousand-spoked wheels that no one could paint. A wheel-turning sage-king possesses this mark, but it is indistinct. On the Tathagata’s feet, however, the wheel marks appear complete and clear.

Each toe is slender and long, evenly aligned and fitting closely against the others without any gaps, while the nails are rosy like pure copper. Between each of the Tathagata’s fingers and toes is a delicate web like that of a goose’s foot. His feet are full, with no veins protruding and no wrinkles in the skin.

At that time the kings of the devas, kings of humans, kings of spirits, and naga kings all wore celestial crowns and bowed at the Buddha’s feet. With his wheel-marked feet, the Tathagata traveled throughout the world to teach and transform all sentient beings who had affinities with him, but now the Tathagata’s feet will never be used again!”

In former times, my heart was always joyful. Yet in the brief moment since the Tathagata entered nirvana, my heart has known no joy. This impermanence is exceedingly terrifying, for it can destroy the physical body adorned with immeasurable and inconceivable merits. The Tathagata’s majestic power could bring joy to the bodies and minds of those who beheld him, and his immeasurable power of merit could sustain his body; yet the power of impermanence is truly immense, for it could cause the Tathagata’s body to enter death. Though the Tathagata possessed the sustaining power of his parents, the power of meditative concentration, the power of wisdom, and the power of spiritual penetration, he could not free himself from the power of impermanence.

In the past, Ananda entreated the Blessed One to remain in the world for another kalpa. Why did the Tathagata not accept that request? During the three asamkhya kalpas of former times, the Tathagata practiced hundreds of thousands of difficult disciplines and relinquished all that was difficult to relinquish.

For immeasurable kalpas, the Tathagata attended the Buddhas, revering and making offerings to them, and sought omniscience in order to liberate sentient beings. Yet only a short time has passed, and before the Tathagata has liberated very many people, he has entered nirvana. In former times, while still a bodhisattva, the Tathagata taught and transformed sentient beings without knowing weariness.

Can the Tathagata have grown weary now? Sentient beings amid the defiled Dharma are like a calf only twelve weeks old. How can one depart without allowing it to suckle?

Therefore, please awaken for my sake and allow those beings amid the defiled Dharma to drink their fill of sweet milk.

Sakra and several hundred million devas have come to seek answers. Why does the Tathagata not teach them the Dharma? The Brahma king, lord of a thousand worlds, has joined his palms and entreated you to expound the Dharma.

Why, then, does the Tathagata not fully teach the essentials of Dharma today and fulfill their aspirations? The heavenly king Vaisravana, commanding tens of millions of yakshas, along with Dhrtarastra and the gandharvas, Virudhaka and the kumbhandas, Virupaksa and the various nagas, surround the Tathagata. They came to this place wishing to drink the amrita of Dharma.

Why does the Tathagata not take up excellent medicine and cure their illnesses? The followers of non-Buddhist paths are slandering the Buddha-Dharma. Why does the Tathagata not quickly awaken and destroy those false doctrines?

The lord of the Desire Realm wreaks destruction everywhere. Why does the Tathagata not subdue him? The sravakas are of inferior wisdom; they do not diligently cultivate and have grown weary of extensive learning.

Why does the Tathagata not quickly awaken and briefly teach the essentials of Dharma so that they may know the true path? Even Ananda, who remained close to the Buddha and served as his attendant, has not yet eradicated the roots of the fetters. Why does the Tathagata not instruct Ananda so that he may eliminate all the fetters?

Alas, how strange! The Tathagata is one of such great and steadfast merit, yet in a single morning he has been destroyed by impermanence. This impermanence is like the elephant Dhanapala, which ravaged countless beings and whose immense body was like a mountain. In former times, the Tathagata could subdue so great an elephant. Why, then, has he now been subdued by impermanence and brought to complete cessation?

The naga Apalala could devastate the land of Magadha, sending forth thunder and lightning, gathering dense black clouds, and pouring down hail that destroyed the trees. The Tathagata was able to subdue him, yet today the Tathagata himself has instead been subdued by impermanence.

Though Angulimala was cruel, fierce, and powerful, the Tathagata was still able to tame him. The Blessed One, the Muni, tamed those who could not be tamed, yet he has been destroyed by impermanence. The evil spirits of the wilderness killed people and left the country desolate, but the Tathagata was able to subdue them and cause them to undertake and uphold the precepts. Yet now he himself has been destroyed by the cord of impermanence.

Uruvilva Kasyapa clung to a self and was therefore submerged in the forest of wrong views, unable to escape. Nevertheless, out of compassion the Tathagata manifested eighteen kinds of miraculous transformations to subdue those wrong views. Yet now the Tathagata’s body has been struck down by impermanence.

All sentient beings possess little merit, and the ocean of wisdom has been dried up by the sun of impermanence. Mount Sumeru of true wisdom has been shattered by the vajra club of impermanence. The Buddha’s tree of merit, which constantly bore the flowers of Dharma and fruits of the path, has been cut down by the axe of impermanence.

The vast light of wisdom, whose renown resounded throughout the world and which had the power to burn the firewood of conditioned existence, has now been extinguished by the waters of impermanence. No Dharma can obstruct the power of impermanence, nor can the wise master it. Even the power of a diligent and courageous mind, of steadfast might, of a gentle and far-reaching mind, and of quiescent concentration that has subdued the faculties cannot escape it.

Alas! Impermanence is so cruel! It makes no distinction between good and evil people, between the virtuous and the nonvirtuous, and so forth; all are destroyed by it.

When the Vajrapani Guhyaka had spoken these words, the earth trembled, mountain peaks collapsed, great stars fell, and fires blazed in the four directions. The sun, moon, and stars all lost their light, and none among devas or humans felt any joy. The Guhyaka continued his lament: “Today my body cannot rise by itself. I am about to sink into the earth. Darkness fills my vision, my mind is confused, and I remember nothing. My lips and tongue are parched and burning, my words are disordered, and my voice is hoarse. Death draws near, and my life is about to end. Yet the Tathagata has abandoned me forever and entered nirvana!” Thus did the Guhyaka use many sorrowful words and manifold expressions to reveal his loving attachment to the Tathagata.

Then Sakra said:

“Enough, enough! That is sufficient! Can you not now recall some of the words spoken by the Great Sage?[8] The Buddha taught the bhiksus: ‘All conditioned phenomena are impermanent and cannot abide for long.

They are unreliable, for their nature is to change. Everything that comes together will disperse and perish. One who is high above will surely fall to the ground; where there is gathering, there will surely be separation; where there is birth, there will surely be death.

All conditioned phenomena are like a tree standing on the bank of a deep river; like a drawing upon water; like a bubble; like dew upon a branch, unable to remain for long; or like a city of the gandharvas, appearing only temporarily before one’s eyes. Human life passes swiftly, flying faster than a shot arrow, outstripping the swiftest under heaven, and moving more rapidly than the moon and sun. You should clearly understand that impermanence destroys in this way.

If the Buddha’s work had not been completed, the Tathagata would not have entered nirvana. Since the Buddha’s work was complete, he entered nirvana and entrusted the Buddha-Dharma to devas and humans. He also entrusted this important responsibility to his sravaka disciples, and then proceeded to the fearless state of quiescent cessation.

He has extinguished the suffering of all modes of existence and will never again undergo birth.’ Therefore, you must not grieve excessively!”

Notes:

[1] The Ten Powers 十力: The ten powers of the Tathagata’s wisdom. They are: 1. The power of wisdom that knows what is possible and what is impossible; 2. The power of wisdom that knows karmic retribution throughout the three times; 3. The power of wisdom that knows all dhyanas, liberations, and samadhis; 4. The power of wisdom that knows the dispositions of sentient beings’ minds; 5. The power of wisdom that knows their various kinds of understanding; 6. The power of wisdom that knows the various dhatus; 7. The power of wisdom that knows all paths leading to their respective destinations; 8. The power of unobstructed wisdom of the divine eye; 9. The uncontaminated power of wisdom that knows former lives; 10. The power of wisdom that knows the permanent eradication of habitual tendencies.

[2] True Deliverer 真濟: A designation for the Buddha.

[3] Bhagavat 婆伽婆: Also transliterated as Bạc-già-phạm, Bà-già-phạm, Bà-già-bạn, and Bạc-a-phạm. It is one of the epithets of the Buddhas.

[4] Kings Who Protect the World 護世之王: The Four Heavenly Kings.

[5] Hundred merits 百福: Also called the adornment of a hundred excellences, the adornment of a hundred meritorious virtues, or the adornment of a hundred merits. Of the Tathagata’s thirty-two excellent marks, each is formed through the adornment of a hundred merits.

[6] Agada medicine 阿伽陀藥: Translated into Chinese as health-giving, immortality, freedom from illness, universal remover, priceless, and medicine of deathlessness. It is an excellent medicine of immeasurable value that, when taken, can eliminate every kind of illness.

[7] Wheel mark 相輪: Also called the spoked-wheel mark. On the soles of the Buddha’s feet is the image of a thousand-spoked wheel.

[8] Great Sage 大仙: The Nirvana Sutra calls the Buddha the Great Sage.