佛說未曾有正法經

Furthermore, O great king! The rare and wondrous Dharma is profound and difficult to understand; it is the mark of the quiescent cessation of all dharmas. It cannot be grasped, cannot be relinquished, cannot be gathered together, cannot be scattered apart.

It arises through causes and conditions and has no sovereign master. Because it arises from conditions, it is neither self nor other, and all dharmas have no self-nature. Because self-nature is empty, there is nothing to be attained.

Because there is nothing to be attained, all dharmas are quiescent. The mark of quiescence is the mark of reality. The great king should have right faith and thus cultivate and study in this way, and thus contemplate in this way.

If one studies in this way, one departs from all marks; it is neither having something to study nor having nothing to study, neither gain nor loss. If one understands clearly in this way, this is right liberation. The mark of liberation is the dharmas.

The emptiness of the nature of dharmas is the meaning of reality; that is, no attachment and no obstruction. Therefore this is called the unsurpassed rare and wondrous Dharma.

Furthermore, O great king! You should know that the eye-faculty is neither defiled nor pure. Why is this? Because the self-nature of the eye-faculty is fundamentally real. The ear, nose, tongue, and body faculties are likewise neither defiled nor pure, because their self-nature is fundamentally real.

O great king! Form is neither defiled nor pure, and feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness are likewise neither defiled nor pure. Why is this? Because the self-nature of the aggregates is fundamentally real. And so it is even with all dharmas: they are neither defiled nor pure, because their self-nature is fundamentally real.

The great king should know! The mind has no shape or form, so the eye has nothing to contemplate and the mind has nowhere to abide. Within, without, and in between—none can be attained. Why is this? Because the self-nature of the mind is neither defiled nor pure, neither increasing nor decreasing, neither moving nor shifting. Therefore, O great king! You should contemplate things as they truly are, without doubt, and abide in the real Dharma. Because this mind is real, the dharmas are likewise so.

O great king! It is like empty space, which is apart from all marks of form and also does not move or shift. If someone were to say, "I shall defile empty space with smoke, clouds, dust, and frost," would you believe this?

The king replied:

"No! Because empty space has no mark, it cannot be defiled."

The Bodhisattva said:

"The mind is likewise so. From of old it has been fundamentally pure, harboring no defiling dust. So too, even all dharmas: their self-nature is undefiled.

"Furthermore, O great king! All dharmas and the dharma-realm are neither joined nor separate; their fundamental nature is equal, without difference. If anyone understands this clearly, then with respect to all dharmas one is unobstructed, and there is neither increase nor decrease."

When the Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī spoke this Dharma, the king of Magadha awakened to the emptiness of the nature of dharmas. His heart was greatly joyful, and he immediately attained the Forbearance of the Non-arising of Dharmas. Giving rise to a rare and wondrous mind, with palms joined in reverence he addressed the Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī:

"The Bodhisattva possesses great compassion and skillful means. The Dharma that you have spoken is most rare and wondrous, subtle, marvelous, and profound; I have never before heard it. Today I have no further doubt, and my mind has been opened and enlightened."

The Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī said:

"O great king! Do not say, 'My doubt has been removed.' If anyone speaks thus, it means he has not yet severed the marks. For so long as there remains a mark in the mind, that is great doubt.

"The great king should know! The dharmas are quiescent—without speech, without indication, without hearing, without attainment. How then could there be doubt to remove?"

The king said:

"O Bodhisattva! If this is so, then do all the afflictions—greed, hatred, delusion, and the rest—obstruct the mind or not?"

The Bodhisattva said:

"O great king! Earlier I said that empty space is fundamentally pure and cannot be defiled; the meaning is just so. O great king! The mind is fundamentally pure, and the nature of the afflictions is empty. Since these two dharmas are not attainable, how could there be obstruction? Therefore, do not give rise within the mind to any mark of sin or defilement.

"The great king should know! The past mind cannot be attained, the future mind cannot be attained, the present mind cannot be attained—and so it is even with all dharmas. Within the three times there is no coming and no going, no abiding and no grasping, no place to enter and no place to rely upon; it is apart from all deluded thoughts and cannot be measured by knowledge and views. If one is apart from the marks of knowledge and views, that is what the Buddha proclaims. Therefore the wise should contemplate in this way and should understand clearly in this way."

Then the great king addressed the Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī:

"As the Bodhisattva has said, I now understand clearly that the self-nature of the mind and the self-nature of all dharmas are from of old fundamentally pure, undefiled by any obstruction, and without any mark to be attained. Therefore today, before the Bodhisattva, I have gained indestructible faith."

The Bodhisattva said:

"O great king! If this is so, then this is liberation, far removed from all faults."

Having heard the Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī expound the marvelous Dharma, the king of Magadha was greatly joyful. He rose at once and brought fine, supreme, marvelous cloth worth a hundred thousand coins to offer to the Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī, intending to drape the cloth upon the Bodhisattva's body. At that instant, in a single moment, the Bodhisattva vanished, and only a voice was heard in the midst of empty space saying:

"O great king! If there is still the perception of a mark, then I will not receive it. If you wish me to receive it, then do not perceive your own body, do not perceive the body of another, let there be no giver, no recipient of the gift—and so it is even with all dharmas. No longer perceive any marks; be far removed from the grasping mind.

"O great king! As for that cloth to be offered—if you can perceive someone's body, then make the offering to that one."

At that time there was a Bodhisattva named Wisdom-Awakening (Jñāna-bodha). The king then brought that cloth to offer to the Bodhisattva. That Bodhisattva said:

"O great king! If there is still the perception of a mark, then I will not receive it. If I am to receive it, then there must be no clinging to ordinary beings or the dharmas of ordinary beings, no abiding in the trainee state or the dharmas of the trainee, no realizing of the non-trainee state or the dharmas of the non-trainee, no inclining toward the Pratyekabuddha or the dharmas of the Pratyekabuddha, and also no seeking the liberation and Nirvāṇa of the Buddhas and Tathāgatas as a fruit of realization. Thus, with respect to all dharmas, there is no mark to be grasped. The two—the giver and the gift—are both pure, without benefit and without attainment. If anyone gives in this way, then I can receive it."

At that time the great king intended to drape the cloth upon the Bodhisattva's body, but at once the Bodhisattva had vanished, and only a voice was heard in empty space:

"If you can perceive someone's body, then make the offering to that one."

At that time there was a Bodhisattva named Wholesome Quiescent Liberation. The king then brought the cloth to offer, and the Bodhisattva said:

"O great king! If there is still the perception of a mark, then I will not receive it. If I am to receive it, then there must be no longer an 'I' that perceives and a thing that is perceived; it must be neither joined to affliction nor apart from affliction, neither a mind abiding in concentration nor scattered, neither wisdom nor folly, far removed from all grasping and relinquishing. If you give in this way, then it can be received."

At that time the great king intended to drape the cloth upon the Bodhisattva's body, but at once the Bodhisattva vanished, and only a voice was heard in empty space saying:

"If you can perceive someone's body, then make the offering to that one."

Again there was a Bodhisattva named Supreme Attention. The king then brought the cloth to offer. The Bodhisattva said:

"O great king! If there is still the perception of a mark, then I will not receive it. If I am to receive it, then there must be no further marks, no enacting of bodily action, no producing of verbal action, no creating of mental action, no clinging to the aggregates, sense-fields, or elements; one must understand clearly that all dharmas are unattainable, not knowable through knowledge, not measurable through speech, without any place of reliance, and must be settled and clear like empty space. The one who gives in this way—him I will receive."

At that time the great king intended to take the cloth and drape it upon the Bodhisattva's body, but at once the Bodhisattva vanished, and only a voice was heard in empty space:

"If you can perceive someone's body, then make the offering to that one."

Again there was a Bodhisattva named Lofty Intention. The king then brought the cloth to offer, and the Bodhisattva said:

"If there is still a mark to be perceived, then I will not receive it. If I am to receive it, then there must be no further grasping of marks and no mind that seeks. If anyone speaks of giving rise to the mind of unsurpassed enlightenment, that is grasping at a mark and harboring a seeking.

Why is this? Because being apart from the mind that has marks—that is the mind of the great Bodhisattva. Because this mind is equal, the mind of enlightenment is likewise equal.

This mind of enlightenment is the mind of all the Tathāgatas. Because the mind is equal, the dharmas are likewise equal—not two and not different, neither grasped nor relinquished. Because one is apart from grasping and relinquishing, the mark of self does not arise; and when the mark of self has ceased, there is nothing to be sought.

The one who gives in this way—him I can receive."

At that time the great king intended to drape the cloth upon the Bodhisattva's body, but at once the Bodhisattva vanished, and only a voice was heard in empty space:

"If you can perceive someone's body, then make the offering to that one."

Again there was a Bodhisattva named Samādhi-Blossoming. The king then brought the cloth to offer, and that Bodhisattva said:

"If there is still the perception of a mark, then I will not receive it. If I am to receive it, then with respect to all the gateways of samādhi that I have realized, there must yet be no mark and no discrimination; to understand clearly that the nature of all dharmas is unmoving—this is samādhi. If you give in this way, then I will receive it."

At that time the great king intended to drape the cloth upon the Bodhisattva's body, but at once the Bodhisattva had vanished, and only a voice was heard in empty space:

"If you can perceive someone's body, then make the offering to that one."

Again there was a Bodhisattva named Accomplished Intention. The king again brought the cloth to offer, and that Bodhisattva said:

"O great king! If there is still the perception of a mark, then I will not receive it. If I am to receive it, then I must understand clearly that all speech and written words are by their self-nature fundamentally empty, with no mark to be grasped. Whoever gives rise to a mind of craving and seeks the dharmas falls into having marks, and this is not called accomplishment. If one understands clearly that all dharmas are without attainment, then this is the accomplishment of all things. All things are then as one wishes. If you give in this way, then I will receive it."

At that time the great king intended to drape the cloth upon the Bodhisattva's body, but at once the Bodhisattva vanished, and only a voice was heard in empty space:

"If you can perceive someone's body, then make the offering to that one."

Again there was a Bodhisattva named Purity of the Three Spheres. The king then brought the cloth to offer, and that Bodhisattva said:

"O great king! If there is still the perception of a mark, then I will not receive it. If I am to receive it, then there must be no giver and no recipient. The recipient is without attainment, the giver is without attainment; since even the self does not exist, what belongs to the self likewise does not exist. If you give in this way, then I will receive it."

At that time the King intended to bring the cloth and drape it upon the Bodhisattva's body, but the Bodhisattva had vanished, and only a voice was heard in empty space:

"If you can perceive someone's body, then make the offering to that one."

Again there was a Bodhisattva named Dharma-Transformation. The king then brought the cloth to offer, and that Bodhisattva said:

"O great king! If there is still the perception of a mark, then I will not receive it. If I am to receive it, then there must be no taking of the Nirvāṇa of the Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas as a fruit of realization, and also no taking of the Great Parinirvāṇa as a fruit of realization, no departing from the dharma of saṃsāra, and no seeking the dharma of Nirvāṇa. Why is this? Because birth-and-death and Nirvāṇa are both equal. If you give in this way, then I will receive it."

At that time the great king intended to drape the cloth upon the Bodhisattva's body, but the Bodhisattva had vanished, and only a voice was heard in empty space:

"If you can perceive someone's body, then make the offering to that one."

The great king had brought the cloth to offer, but all the great Bodhisattvas concealed their bodies and did not receive it.

The great king then brought that cloth to the place of the venerable Mahākāśyapa and said:

"O venerable Kāśyapa! Among the assembly of Śrāvakas, you are advanced in years and great in virtue, praised by the Buddha as foremost in the practice of austerities (dhūta). I humbly beg you to receive this fine, supreme, marvelous cloth, so that the wish of my offering may be fulfilled."

Kāśyapa said:

"O great king! If there is still the perception of a mark, then I will not receive it. The one whom I would receive does not sever greed, hatred, and delusion, is not stained by attachment, and even ignorance and the craving for existence are likewise not severed; nor does he correspond with emptiness.

He perceives suffering, severs its origin, realizes its cessation, and cultivates the path, yet he does not perceive the Buddha, does not hear the Dharma, does not enter into the number of the assembly; it is not through the knowledge of exhaustion or the knowledge of non-arising that there can be attainment or realization. There is no giver, no recipient, no great fruit, no small fruit, no saṃsāra to weary of, no Nirvāṇa to realize.

The dharmas are pure, far removed from all marks. The one who gives in this way—him I can receive."

The king then intended to drape the cloth upon the venerable one's body, but Kāśyapa too vanished, and only a voice was heard in the midst of empty space saying:

"If you can perceive someone's body, then make the offering to that one."

In this way the great king brought the cloth to offer to five hundred great Śrāvakas, but every one of them concealed his body and did not receive it.

Then the great king thought: "These assemblies of Śrāvakas and Bodhisattvas all refuse to receive the cloth of my offering. Now I shall bring it back to the inner palace to present to my consort and my kinsfolk; surely they will all receive it." Having thought thus, the king brought the cloth into the palace, intending to give it to them, but the great king did not see his consort. He thought again to give it to the palace ladies, but he could not see them anywhere either.

In this way the king successively contemplated all the chambers, the palace halls, and the city—all were utterly empty, and he saw nothing at all. The great king thought again: "This fine, supreme, marvelous cloth cannot be offered." Having thought thus, the king intended to take the cloth and drape it upon his own body, but at once he could no longer see where his own body was. He only heard a voice in the midst of empty space: "If you can perceive someone's body, then make the offering to that one.

O great king! Now contemplate yourself: where is the mark of your physical form?"

The king contemplated himself but did not perceive his own mark; and when he contemplated others, it was likewise. The marks of himself and of others could not be attained. If anyone perceives in this way, that is to perceive the real Dharma. The real Dharma is far removed from all views. Because it is apart from all views, one therefore abides in the dharma of equality.

When he heard this spoken in the midst of empty space, the great king departed from the mind that has marks and severed the perception of doubt, as though awakening to enlightenment from the midst of sleep. At once his kinsfolk, his consorts and ladies, his dwellings, palace halls, and city walls all manifested their marks of form and returned as before. The king then came to the place of the great assembly of Bodhisattvas and once again beheld all the marks of the Bodhisattvas just as before, without difference.

Then the great king came before the Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī and said:

"The great assembly of Bodhisattvas just now—where did they go, that I could not see them?"

Mañjuśrī said:

"O great king! Do not doubt. This great assembly, in their mark, fundamentally did not come; so where would they go?

"O great king! Now do you see this assembly here or not?"

The king replied:

"Yes, I see them."

The Bodhisattva asked:

"How does the king see them?"

The king replied:

"As one perceives the real Dharma, so I contemplate this assembly likewise."

The Bodhisattva asked:

"This real Dharma—how does the king perceive it?"

The king replied:

"The real Dharma is apart from all marks; it is not contemplated with the eye, it is not within, not without, not in between. Therefore it is said that the marks of the two dharmas cannot be attained."

The Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī then said to the king:

"The great king should know! In the past the king committed evil. I have heard the Buddha prophesy that in a future life you would fall into an evil destiny—is this so?"

The king said to the Bodhisattva:

"O Great Being, it is not so. The Buddha, the World-Honored One, has never said that anyone falls into an evil destiny or that anyone realizes Nirvāṇa. Why is this? Because within the real Dharma there are not two separate things."

The Bodhisattva said again:

"O great king! It is not so. As the Buddha has said, the fruits of good and evil karma reflect and respond in just this way. If it is said thus, then what is the meaning?"

The great king said:

"O Great Being, Bodhisattva! According to my understanding, the Buddhas and Tathāgatas, in accordance with skillful means, skillfully speak of birth-and-death and Nirvāṇa, so that sentient beings may weary of the suffering of saṃsāra and incline toward the bliss of Nirvāṇa. But if one speaks in accordance with reality, then saṃsāra and Nirvāṇa are both equal. Why is this? Because all dharmas are empty and have no self-nature. The nature of those dharmas is the nature of the dharma-realm. Within the nature of the dharma-realm there are not two separate things. By reason of this meaning, the dharmas have no place of arising and no place of abiding, no craving and no weariness. Now I have right faith and no longer have fear or dread."

The Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī said:

"Excellent, O great king! What you have said is most clear; this is to be apart from all that has marks."

The king said:

"O Bodhisattva! My self-nature is empty—then who is the one that speaks? The Dharma is fundamentally markless—then from what does one depart? As the Buddha has said, within the real Dharma the mark of self is fundamentally apart from the sentient and the non-sentient. The dharmas have no doer, and also there is no recipient."

The Bodhisattva said:

"O great king! Within the real Dharma, although you have understood clearly, there yet arises attachment."

The king asked:

"How can one depart from attachment?"

The Bodhisattva replied:

"Not to destroy the mark of the evil realms—that is non-attachment."

The king said:

"Just so! Just so! According to my understanding, the mark of the evil realms does not move or shift; it is neither destroyed nor grasped, and there is nothing to fear or dread. Now I have departed from all attachments, and forever there will no longer arise any perception of that which has marks. It is like a Bodhisattva who has attained Forbearance and no longer has thoughts of the three poisons."

At that time the Bodhisattva Wisdom-Banner said to the king:

"O great king! With respect to the path of wisdom, the king has attained purity, has departed from the defilements of the dust, and has become replete with Forbearance."

The king said to the Bodhisattva:

"The dharmas are utterly pure, vast and immeasurable. The afflictions cannot defile them, and Nirvāṇa cannot be attained. Only the Buddha, the World-Honored One, is able to realize and know this for himself."

When the Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī and the Great Beings entered the king's palace and spoke the true Dharma, the king of Magadha attained the Forbearance of the Non-arising of Dharmas. In the king's palace there were thirty-two maidens. After they beheld the Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī employ spiritual powers and transformations, all of them gave rise to the mind of unsurpassed enlightenment. In the assembly five hundred persons attained the pure Dharma-eye. All the people in the city of Rājagṛha brought renowned, fragrant, beautiful incense and flowers and gathered before the gate of the king's palace to make offerings to the Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī and the great assembly.

Then the Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī, beholding with compassion all the people of the city, in order to benefit them, placed his toe upon the ground. At once the surface of the earth all turned the color of vaiḍūrya, transparent and brilliantly radiant, illuminating both within and without. At that time all the people in the city, whether male or female, were all able to behold the Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī and the great assembly without obstruction—just as a round, bright mirror clearly reflects one's own face. All the people gazed upon the marks of the Bodhisattva likewise. Then the Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī, for their sake, spoke the Dharma, and in the city eighty-four thousand persons attained the pure Dharma-eye, and five hundred persons gave rise to the mind of unsurpassed enlightenment.

After the Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī had received the offering of food and drink from the king of Magadha and had expounded the Dharma for the king's sake, the kinsfolk in the king's palace and even all the people gained benefit and bliss, gave rise to a rare and wondrous mind, and were greatly joyful.

The Bodhisattva Mañjuśrī then rose, and together with the great assembly of Bodhisattvas gradually departed from the king's palace. At that time the king of Magadha, his attendants, and his kinsfolk paid homage, gave thanks, and followed the Bodhisattva to the assembly of the Buddha. The Bodhisattva had come out of the king's palace and walked along slowly. Along the way, the Bodhisattva saw a man beneath the root of a tree, weeping bitterly and saying:

"I have committed the karma of killing—truly fearful! In a future life I shall certainly fall into hell. How can I be saved and delivered?"

Seeing this man thus, the Bodhisattva contemplated and knew that his roots and conditions had ripened and that he could be transformed and delivered. The Bodhisattva then conjured a man exactly resembling him and approached close beside him, likewise weeping bitterly and saying thus:

"I have committed the karma of killing—most fearful! In a future life I shall certainly fall into hell."

After hearing this, the other man then said to the conjured man:

"I too have committed such karma of killing. Since we have met one another here, who has the means to be saved and delivered?"

The conjured man then said to the other man:

"We have committed grave sins. Though we are greatly afraid, there is no one who can save us. Only the Buddha, the World-Honored One, possesses the great means to save and deliver. We should go together to the place of the Buddha."

Having said this, the conjured man then went ahead. Seeing this, the other man also followed him to the place of the Buddha. After arriving at the Buddha's assembly, the conjured man bowed his head and face down to the Buddha's feet and said:

"O World-Honored One! I have committed the karma of killing and fear falling into hell. I beg the Buddha in his compassion to save and deliver me."

The World-Honored One then praised him:

"Excellent! Excellent! O good man! Now, before the Buddha, you have spoken words of truth. What you have done is called speaking truthfully. According to what you have said, the one who commits the karma of killing—from which mind of yours does the mark of sin arise: past, future, or present? If it arises from the past mind, the past has already ceased and the mind cannot be attained. If it arises from the future mind, the future has not yet come and the mind cannot be attained. If it arises from the present mind, the present does not stay and the mind likewise cannot be attained. Since none of the three times can be attained, then there is no doing. Because there is no doing, where do you perceive the mark of that sin?

"O good man! The mind has no place of abiding; it is neither within, without, nor in between. The mind has no form or mark; it is neither blue, yellow, red, nor white. The mind has no doing, because there is no doer. The mind is not illusory, because it is fundamentally real. The mind has no boundary, because it is not measured. The mind has no grasping or relinquishing, because it is neither good nor evil. The mind does not move or shift, because it neither arises nor ceases. The mind is like empty space, because it has no obstruction. The mind has no defilement or purity, because it is apart from all number.

"O good man! Those who have wisdom should contemplate in this way. Whoever contemplates in this way—that is, seeks all dharmas, yet the mind cannot be attained. Why is this? Because the self-nature of the mind is the very nature of all dharmas. The emptiness of the nature of dharmas is the real nature. By reason of this meaning, you should not, through error and confusion, give rise to fear."

Hearing the Buddha expound the real Dharma, the conjured man was greatly joyful and said to the Buddha:

"How truly rare and wondrous, O World-Honored One! You have clearly explained the pure self-nature of the dharma-realm. I now have awakened to the emptiness of the nature of sinful karma, and so I am not afraid. I wish, within the Buddha-Dharma, to leave the household life, cultivate the path, and uphold the practice of purity. I humbly beg the World-Honored One to receive me."

The Buddha said:

"Excellent! O good man! Now the time is right; I receive you."

At that time, in but a moment, the conjured man's beard and hair fell away of themselves, the kāṣāya robe was put upon his body, and he took on the mark of a bhikṣu. He addressed the Buddha:

"O World-Honored One! Now I shall enter Nirvāṇa. I humbly beg the Buddha to permit it."

The Buddha said:

"As you wish."

At that time, through the power of the Buddha's awesome spiritual might, the conjured man rose up into empty space to the height of seven tāla trees, conjured fire and burned his own body until nothing at all remained, just like that empty space.

After beholding the conjured man leave the household life and hearing the Buddha expound the Dharma, the man who had truly committed the karma then thought: "This man committed the karma of sin just as I did, yet he has been liberated first. I too should beg the Buddha to transform and deliver me." Having thought thus, he then bowed down to the Buddha's feet and said:

"O World-Honored One! I have committed the karma of killing and fear that in a future life I shall fall into the great hell. I humbly beg the Buddha in his compassion to extend his heart and save and deliver me."

The Buddha said:

"Excellent, O good man! Before the Buddha you have spoken words of truth. The karma you have committed—in which mind does it arise? What is the mark of the karma of sin?"

Because this man's wholesome roots had ripened, after he heard the Buddha's question, fierce fire issued forth from the pores of his body and burned all around his body. He then said:

"I now take refuge in the Buddha. I beg you to extend your heart and save and deliver me."

Then the World-Honored One extended his golden arm above the crown of the man's head. At once the fire upon that man's body was extinguished; he was free of suffering and affliction and gained great delight. With pure faith, palms joined, he said before the Buddha:

"How truly rare and wondrous, O World-Honored One! Earlier I heard the Buddha expound the pure Dharma, the dharma-realm, apart from marks. Now I have awakened to the emptiness of the nature of sinful karma, and so I no longer have thoughts of fear. I too wish, within the esoteric Dharma, to leave the household life, cultivate, uphold, and practice purity. I humbly beg the Buddha to receive me."

The Buddha said:

"Excellent! The time is right; I receive you."

At once this man's beard and hair fell away of themselves, the kāṣāya robe was put upon his body, and he took on the mark of a bhikṣu like one of a hundred years' standing. His faculties were settled, his bearing dignified and composed, and his aspiration was fulfilled.

Then the World-Honored One expounded the Dharma of the Four Truths for him. Having heard the Dharma, he then departed far from the defilements of the dust and attained the pure Dharma-eye. He contemplated very thoroughly the principle of the truths, and right within the assembly he realized the fruit of Arhatship and said to the Buddha:

"O World-Honored One! Now I wish to enter Nirvāṇa. I humbly beg the Buddha to permit it."

The Buddha said:

"As you wish."

At that time the bhikṣu rose up into empty space to the height of seven tāla trees, conjured fire, and burned his own body until nothing at all remained. At that time, in the assembly, a hundred thousand devas and humans gave rise to a rare and wondrous mind and all reverently bowed to the Buddha.

— End of the Fifth Fascicle —