The Monks of Kauśāmbī

"Furthermore, good son, what is meant, again, by what the whole world does not know, see, or perceive, and yet is what a bodhisattva does know, see, and perceive? Namely, the six recollections. What are these six? Recollection of the Buddha, of the Dharma, of the Saṅgha, of moral discipline, of giving, and of the gods. Good son, what is recollection of the Buddha? The Tathāgata, the worthy one, the fully and rightly awakened one, the one perfect in wisdom and conduct, the well-gone one, the knower of the world, the unsurpassed one, the tamer who guides the true man, the teacher of gods and men, the buddha, the world-honored one — forever unchanging, fully endowed with the ten powers, the four kinds of fearlessness, and the great lion's roar; named the great śramaṇa, the great brahmin, the greatly pure one who has reached, in the end, the far shore; the one none can overcome; the one whose crown no one can see; the one without fear, unstartled and unmoved; the one alone, without companion; the one awakened by himself, without a teacher; of swift wisdom, of great wisdom, of sharp wisdom, of profound wisdom, of the wisdom of liberation, of wisdom shared by none other, of vast and universal wisdom, of ultimate wisdom, accomplished in the treasure of wisdom; the elephant-king among men, the bull-king among men, the dragon-king among men, the true man among men, the lotus among men, the white lotus; the master who tames people, the great donor, the great master of the Dharma — named the great Dharma-master because he knows the Dharma, named the great Dharma-master because he knows its meaning, named the great Dharma-master because he knows the proper time, named the great Dharma-master because he knows sufficiency, named the great Dharma-master because he knows himself, named the great Dharma-master because he knows the assembly, named the great Dharma-master because he knows the various natures of beings, named the great Dharma-master because he knows the sharpness and dullness of every faculty, and named the great Dharma-master because he teaches the middle way.

"What is meant by 'Tathāgata'? It means unchanging, just as every buddha of the past has taught. What is meant by unchanging? Every buddha of the past, for the sake of saving beings, taught the twelve divisions of the scriptures, and the Tathāgata is just the same — it is for this reason that he is named Tathāgata. Every buddha, every world-honored one, arrives at this great nirvāṇa by way of the six perfections, the thirty-seven factors, and the eleven emptinesses, and the Tathāgata is just the same — it is for this reason that the Buddha is named Tathāgata. Every buddha, every world-honored one, for the sake of beings, opens up and reveals the three vehicles according to what is fitting, his own lifespan immeasurable, beyond all reckoning, and the Tathāgata is just the same — it is for this reason that the Buddha is named Tathāgata.

"What is meant by 'worthy'? Every worldly dharma is itself named an enemy, and, because the Buddha should destroy it, he is named worthy. The four demons are a bodhisattva's own enemies, and every buddha, every tathāgata, when he was a bodhisattva, was able, through wisdom, to destroy these four demons — it is for this reason that he is named worthy. Furthermore, "worthy" means keeping far away: when he was a bodhisattva, he should keep far away from immeasurable affliction — it is for this reason that he is named worthy. Furthermore, "worthy" means bliss: every buddha of the past, when he was a bodhisattva, though he underwent every kind of suffering for the sake of beings throughout immeasurable incalculable kalpas, never once lacked bliss, but forever held to it, and the Tathāgata is just the same — it is for this reason that he is named worthy. And, further, "worthy" means that every god and every human should make offering to him with every kind of fragrant flower, garland, banner, and musical performance — it is for this reason that he is named worthy.

"What is meant by 'fully and rightly awakened'? 'Rightly' means free of inversion; 'fully awakened' means having penetrated the four inversions without exception. Furthermore, 'rightly' means austerity; 'fully awakened' means knowing that austerity, as a cause, certainly bears a fruit of suffering. Furthermore, 'rightly' means the middle of the world; 'fully awakened' means knowing with ultimate certainty that cultivating the middle way attains unsurpassed, complete awakening. Furthermore, 'rightly' means what can be counted, measured, and reckoned; 'fully awakened' means what cannot be counted, measured, or reckoned — it is for this reason that the Buddha is named the fully and rightly awakened one. Good son, the śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha, too, both fully know and do not fully know. Why is this? 'Fully knowing' means knowing the five aggregates, the twelve sense-fields, and the eighteen elements, and the śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha, too, are able fully to know these — this is what is meant by fully knowing. What, then, is not fully knowing? Good son, even should the two lesser vehicles, throughout immeasurable kalpas, contemplate a single aggregate of form, they would be unable to know it completely — it is for this very reason that the śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha do not fully know at all.

"What is meant by 'perfect in wisdom and conduct'? 'Wisdom' means attaining an immeasurable wholesome fruit; 'conduct' means the feet themselves; the wholesome fruit is unsurpassed, complete awakening. The feet are moral discipline and wisdom, and, riding upon the feet of discipline and wisdom, one attains unsurpassed, complete awakening — it is for this reason that this is named 'perfect in wisdom and conduct.' Furthermore, 'wisdom' names an incantation, 'conduct' names an auspicious sign, and 'perfection' names a fruit — good son, this is the worldly sense of the terms; in the deeper sense, the incantation is liberation, the auspicious sign is unsurpassed, complete awakening, and the fruit is this great nirvāṇa — it is for this reason that this is named 'perfect in wisdom and conduct.' Furthermore, 'wisdom' names light, 'conduct' names karma, and 'perfection' names a fruit — good son, this is the worldly sense of the terms; light is heedfulness, karma is the six perfections, and the fruit is unsurpassed, complete awakening. Furthermore, 'wisdom' names the three illuminations: the bodhisattva's illumination, every buddha's illumination, and the illumination of the unillumined itself; the bodhisattva's illumination is the perfection of wisdom itself, every buddha's illumination is the buddha eye itself, and the illumination of the unillumined is ultimate emptiness itself; 'conduct' is cultivating every wholesome act, throughout immeasurable kalpas, for the sake of beings; 'perfection' is clearly seeing buddha-nature — it is for this very reason that this is named 'perfect in wisdom and conduct.'

"What is meant by 'well-gone'? 'Well' means lofty, and 'gone' means not lofty — good son, this is the worldly sense of the terms; the lofty is unsurpassed, complete awakening, and the not-lofty is the Tathāgata's own mind itself. Good son, were his mind lofty, he would not be called the Tathāgata — it is for this reason that the Tathāgata is named 'well-gone.' Furthermore, 'well' names a good and wise friend, and 'gone' names the fruit of a good and wise friend — good son, this is the worldly sense of the terms; the good and wise friend is the very first arising of the bodhi-mind, and the fruit is this great nirvāṇa; the Tathāgata never abandons this first arising of the bodhi-mind even as he attains this great nirvāṇa — it is for this reason that the Tathāgata is named 'well-gone.' Furthermore, 'well' names what is fine, and 'gone' names existence itself — good son, this is the worldly sense of the terms; what is fine is seeing buddha-nature, and existence is this great nirvāṇa. Good son, the very nature of nirvāṇa is not, in truth, existence at all; every buddha, every world-honored one, on account of the world, says that it exists. Good son, it is like a worldly person who, having no son in reality, says he has a son, or who, having no path in reality, says he has a path — nirvāṇa is just the same: on account of the world, it is said to exist. Every buddha, every world-honored one, accomplishes this great nirvāṇa, and is therefore named "well-gone."

"Good son, what is meant by 'knower of the world'? Good son, 'world' means the five aggregates, and 'knower' means one who knows; every buddha, every world-honored one, knows the five aggregates well — it is for this reason that he is named knower of the world. Furthermore, 'world' means the five desires, and 'knower' means one who does not grasp them; because he does not grasp the five desires, he is named knower of the world. Furthermore, as for being the knower of the world: throughout immeasurable incalculable worlds to the east, whatever every śrāvaka and pratyekabuddha does not know, does not see, and does not understand, every buddha knows entirely, sees entirely, and understands entirely — and it is just the same to the south, west, and north, and in the four intermediate directions, above and below — it is for this reason that the Buddha is named knower of the world. Furthermore, 'world' means every ordinary being, and 'knower' means knowing the wholesome and unwholesome causes and their fruits of every ordinary being — something not known by any śrāvaka or pratyekabuddha, known by the Buddha alone — it is for this reason that the Buddha is named knower of the world. Furthermore, 'world' means the lotus flower, and 'knower' means undefiled — good son, this is the worldly sense of the terms; the lotus flower is the Tathāgata himself, and undefiled means that the Tathāgata is never stained by any of the eight worldly dharmas — it is for this reason that the Buddha is named knower of the world. Furthermore, as for being the knower of the world: every buddha and bodhisattva is named knower of the world. Why is this? Every buddha and bodhisattva sees the world — it is for this reason that he is named knower of the world. Good son, it is like how, because life is sustained through food, food itself is named "life"; every buddha and bodhisattva is just the same: because he sees the world, he is named knower of the world.

"What is meant by 'unsurpassed one'? 'Superior man' means one who cuts something off; 'one with nothing left to cut off' is named the unsurpassed one — every buddha, every world-honored one, is free of affliction entirely, and so has nothing left to cut off — it is for this reason that the Buddha is named the unsurpassed one. Furthermore, 'superior man' means dispute and contention; 'the unsurpassed one' is free of dispute and contention — the Tathāgata engages in no dispute at all — it is for this reason that the Buddha is named the unsurpassed one. Furthermore, 'superior man' means speech that can be refuted; 'the unsurpassed one's' speech cannot be refuted — whatever the Tathāgata says, no being is able to refute it — it is for this reason that the Buddha is named the unsurpassed one. Furthermore, 'superior man' names the highest seat; 'the unsurpassed one' names the seat beyond which there is no higher — no buddha, past, present, or future, ever surpasses him — it is for this reason that the Buddha is named the unsurpassed one. 'Superior' means new, and 'man' means old; every buddha, every world-honored one, embodies this great nirvāṇa, which is neither new nor old — it is for this reason that the Buddha is named the unsurpassed one.

"What is meant by 'the tamer who guides the true man'? He is himself a true man, and, further, tames true men. Good son, the Tathāgata is, in reality, neither a true man nor not a true man; it is on account of taming true men that the Tathāgata is named a true man. Good son, every man and woman, should they be endowed with four dharmas, are named a true man. What are these four? A good and wise friend, the ability to listen to the Dharma, reflecting on its meaning, and practicing in accordance with what is taught. Good son, should any man or woman be endowed with these four dharmas, he or she is named a true man. Good son, should any man lack these four dharmas, he cannot be named a true man at all — why is this? Though his body is that of a true man, his conduct is the same as an animal's. The Tathāgata tames both man and woman alike — it is for this reason that the Buddha is named the tamer who guides the true man. Furthermore, good son, it is like one who trains a horse: there are, in all, four kinds — touching its mane, touching its hide, touching its flesh, and touching its bone — and, according to whichever it responds to, the trainer's own will is thereby fulfilled. The Tathāgata is just the same, taming beings through four kinds of dharma: first, teaching birth, so that they accept the Buddha's own word, like touching the mane, fulfilling the trainer's will; second, teaching birth and old age, so that they accept the Buddha's own word, like touching the mane and hide, fulfilling the trainer's will; third, teaching birth, old age, and illness, so that they accept the Buddha's own word, like touching the mane, hide, and flesh, fulfilling the trainer's will; and fourth, teaching birth, old age, illness, and death, so that they accept the Buddha's own word, like touching the mane, hide, flesh, and bone, fulfilling the trainer's will. Good son, a horse-trainer's taming of a horse is not always certain to succeed; the Tathāgata, the World-Honored One, taming beings, is, however, certainly never in vain — it is for this reason that the Buddha is named the tamer who guides the true man.

"What is meant by 'teacher of gods and men'? A teacher is of two kinds: one who teaches wholesome things, and one who teaches unwholesome things. Every buddha and bodhisattva forever teaches beings with wholesome dharmas. What are these wholesome dharmas? They are wholesome conduct of body, speech, and mind. Every buddha and bodhisattva teaches beings, speaking in this way: 'Good son, you should keep far away from every unwholesome act of the body. Why is this? Because an unwholesome act of the body is something that can indeed be kept far away from, and, being kept far from, one attains liberation — it is for this very reason that I teach you this dharma. Were an unwholesome act something that could not be kept far away from, and liberation thereby attained, I would never, in the end, teach you to keep far from it at all. Should beings, having kept far from unwholesome acts, still fall among the three evil destinies, this could not possibly be so — it is on account of keeping far from them that they accomplish unsurpassed, complete awakening and attain this great nirvāṇa.' It is for this very reason that every buddha and bodhisattva forever teaches and transforms beings with this dharma — and it is just the same for speech and mind — it is for this reason that the Buddha is named the unsurpassed teacher. Furthermore: in ages past, not yet having attained the path, he now has attained it, and teaches beings by means of the very path he has attained; from the very beginning, not yet having cultivated pure conduct, he has now completed its cultivation, and teaches beings by means of what he himself has cultivated; having himself broken through ignorance, he further breaks through ignorance for the sake of beings; having himself attained a pure eye, he further removes the blindness and darkness of beings, causing them to attain a pure eye; having himself known the two truths, he further expounds the two truths for the sake of beings; having himself attained liberation, he further teaches the dharma of liberation for the sake of beings; having himself crossed the boundless great river of birth-and-death, he further causes beings, every one of them, to cross it as well; having himself attained fearlessness, he further teaches beings to be free of fear; having himself attained nirvāṇa, he further expounds this great nirvāṇa for the sake of beings — it is for this reason that the Buddha is named the unsurpassed teacher. "Gods" are named for daytime, since, in the heavens, the day is long and the night short — it is for this reason that they are named gods. Furthermore, "gods" are named for being free of sorrow and distress, forever receiving happiness — it is for this reason that they are named gods. Furthermore, "gods" are named for being like a lamp's light, able to dispel darkness and become a great illumination — it is for this reason that they are named gods; and also because, by breaking through the darkness of unwholesome karma, one attains wholesome karma and is thereby born among the gods above — it is for this reason that they are named gods. Furthermore, "gods" are named for being auspicious, and, on account of this auspiciousness, they are named gods. Furthermore, "gods" are named for the sun, since they possess light — it is for this reason that they are named gods. It is for these reasons that they are named gods. "Men" are named for being able to show great kindness and righteousness; and, further, men are named for having a gentle body and speech; and, further, men are named for holding arrogance; and, further, men are named for being able to break through arrogance. Good son, though every buddha is the unsurpassed great teacher of every being, the scriptures speak of him as the teacher of gods and men. Why is this? Good son, among all beings, only gods and men are able to give rise to the mind of unsurpassed, complete awakening, are able to cultivate the ten wholesome courses of action, and are able to attain the fruit of stream-entry, once-returning, non-returning, arhatship, the path of pratyekabuddhahood, and unsurpassed, complete awakening — it is for this reason that the Buddha is named the teacher of gods and men.

"What is meant by 'buddha'? 'Buddha' means one who has awakened, both awakening himself and, further, being able to awaken others. Good son, it is like a person who, becoming aware of a thief's presence, renders the thief unable to do anything at all. The bodhisattva-mahāsattva is able to awaken to every immeasurable affliction, and, having awakened to it fully, renders every affliction unable to do anything at all — it is for this reason that he is named buddha. And it is through this very awakening that he is unborn, unaging, unailing, and undying — it is for this reason that he is named buddha.

"As for 'Bhagavān': 'bhaga' means to destroy, and 'vān' means affliction — being able to destroy affliction, he is named Bhagavān. Further, because he is able to accomplish every wholesome dharma; further, because he is able to understand well the meaning of every dharma; because he possesses great merit that none can surpass; because he possesses great renown, spreading throughout the ten directions; further, because he is able to give the great gift of wisdom of every kind; and, further, because, throughout immeasurable incalculable kalpas, he has cast off the female faculty entirely.

"Good son, should any man or woman be able to recollect the Buddha in this way, then, whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, whether by day or by night, whether in light or in darkness, he forever attains an unbroken vision of the Buddha, the World-Honored One.

"Good son, for what reason is he named the Tathāgata, the worthy one, the fully and rightly awakened one, and so on up through Bhagavān, and possesses immeasurable merit and such great renown? Good son, the bodhisattva-mahāsattva, throughout immeasurable incalculable kalpas in ages past, revered his own parents, his preceptor, his teachers, his elders, and the senior monks, and, throughout immeasurable kalpas, forever practiced giving for the sake of beings, firmly upheld the restraining precepts, cultivated and accumulated patience, diligently practiced diligence, meditative concentration, and wisdom, and great loving-kindness, great compassion, great sympathetic joy, and great equanimity — it is for this very reason that he now attains the thirty-two marks, the eighty subsidiary signs, and the vajra body. And, further, the bodhisattva, throughout immeasurable incalculable kalpas in ages past, cultivated and accumulated the faculties of faith, mindfulness, diligence, concentration, and wisdom, revering and making offerings to his teachers and elders, forever seeking the benefit of the Dharma, and never seeking the benefit of food. Whenever the bodhisattva upholds the twelve divisions of the scriptures, whether reading or reciting them, he does so forever for the sake of causing beings to attain liberation, peace, and happiness, and never, in the end, for his own sake. Why is this? The bodhisattva forever cultivates a mind that transcends the world, a mind of renunciation, a mind of the unconditioned, a mind free of contention, a mind free of defilement, a mind free of bondage, a mind free of grasping, a mind free of concealment, a mind free of what is morally indeterminate, a mind free of birth-and-death, a mind free of the net of doubt, a mind free of craving, a mind free of anger, a mind free of delusion, a mind free of arrogance, a mind free of impurity, a mind free of affliction, a mind free of suffering, an immeasurable mind, a vast mind, a mind like empty space, a mind of no-mind, a mind free even of no-mind, a tamed mind, a mind that guards nothing, a mind free of concealment, a mind free of worldliness, a mind of constant concentration, a mind of constant cultivation, a mind of constant liberation, a mind free of seeking any return, a mind free of any personal wish, a mind of wholesome aspiration, a mind free of error, a gentle mind, a mind that abides in nothing, a mind of mastery, a mind free of outflow, a mind fixed on the ultimate meaning, a mind that never turns back, an ever-fresh mind, an upright mind, a mind free of flattery and deceit, a mind of pure goodness, a mind free of reckoning more or less, a mind free of hardness, a mind free of the ordinary being's own mind, a mind free of the śrāvaka's own mind, and a mind free of the pratyekabuddha's own mind; well knowing the realm of mind, knowing the realm where mind arises, knowing the realm where mind abides, and knowing the realm of mind's own mastery — it is for this very reason that he now attains the ten powers, the four kinds of fearlessness, great compassion, the three foundations of mindfulness, and permanence, bliss, self, and purity, and it is for this reason that he comes to be called the Tathāgata, and so on up through Bhagavān. This is what is meant by the bodhisattva-mahāsattva's recollection of the Buddha.

"How does the bodhisattva-mahāsattva recollect the Dharma? Good son, the bodhisattva-mahāsattva reflects that whatever every buddha teaches is the very finest, the very highest, and, on account of this Dharma, is able to cause beings to attain a fruit even in this present life. Only this true Dharma is without any fixed season; it is seen by the Dharma-eye, not by the fleshly eye; and yet it cannot be compared to anything through any simile at all. It neither arises nor issues forth, neither abides nor ceases, has neither a beginning nor an end; it is unconditioned, beyond all number. For one without a dwelling, it becomes a dwelling; for one without refuge, it becomes a refuge; for one without light, it becomes light; for one who has not yet reached the far shore, it causes him to reach it; where there is no fragrance at all, it becomes an unobstructed fragrance; it cannot be seen, and yet is seen; it neither moves nor turns; it is neither long nor short; forever severing every ordinary pleasure, it is itself peaceful bliss, ultimate and subtle beyond measure. It is not form, and severs form, and yet is itself form; and so on, up through: it is not consciousness, and severs consciousness, and yet is itself consciousness. It is not karma, and severs karma; it is not a fetter, and severs every fetter; it is not a thing, and severs every thing, and yet is itself a thing; it is not an element, and severs every element, and yet is itself an element; it is not existence, and severs existence, and yet is itself existence; it is not a sense-field, and severs every sense-field, and yet is itself a sense-field; it is not a cause, and severs every cause, and yet is itself a cause; it is not a fruit, and severs every fruit, and yet is itself a fruit; it is neither unreal nor real, and severs everything real, and yet is itself real; it is neither arisen nor ceased, and forever leaves behind arising and ceasing, and yet is itself cessation; it is neither a mark nor the absence of a mark, and severs every mark, and yet is itself a mark; it is neither a teaching nor not a teaching, and yet is itself a teacher; it is neither fearsome nor peaceful, and severs every fear, and yet is itself peace; it is neither patience nor impatience, and forever severs impatience, and yet is itself patience; it is neither cessation nor non-cessation, and severs every cessation, and yet is itself cessation. It is the very summit of every dharma, able entirely to sever every affliction forever; pure and markless, forever freed of every mark; the ultimate dwelling place of immeasurable beings; able to extinguish the blazing fire of all birth-and-death entirely; it is, indeed, the very place where every buddha dwells and wanders, forever unchanging. This is what is meant by a bodhisattva's recollection of the Dharma.

"How does one recollect the Saṅgha? The holy Saṅgha of every buddha abides in accordance with the Dharma, receiving and following its true and upright teaching, cultivating and practicing in accordance with it; it cannot be beheld, cannot be grasped, cannot be destroyed, cannot be harmed by anyone, and is inconceivable — a true and beneficial field of merit for every being. Though it is a field of merit, it receives and takes nothing at all; it is pure, undefiled, free of outflow, unconditioned, vast and universal, boundless; its mind is gentle and pliant, equal and without duality, free of any agitation or turbidity, forever unchanging. This is what is meant by recollection of the Saṅgha.

"How does one recollect moral discipline? The bodhisattva reflects that there is a moral discipline that is unbroken, unleaking, unbreached, and undefiled, and, though it has no form or color at all, can be guarded and upheld; and, though it has no tangible contact at all, can, through skillful cultivation, be made fully complete, without any fault whatsoever — praised by every buddha and bodhisattva, and itself the very cause of this great Vaipulya Mahāparinirvāṇa. Good son, it is like the great earth, a ship, a garland, a great clan, the great ocean, lye, a dwelling, a sword, a bridge, a skilled physician's own fine medicine, the universal antidote, the wish-fulfilling gem, one's own feet and eyes, or the cool shade of one's own parents — something that cannot be robbed or stolen, cannot be harmed, that fire cannot burn and water cannot sweep away; a great mountain's own staircase, the finest treasure-banner of every buddha and bodhisattva. Should I abide in this precept, I, too, have a share in attaining the fruit of stream-entry — and yet I do not seek it. Why is this? Were I to attain this fruit of stream-entry, I would be unable to save every being broadly. Should I abide in this precept, I attain unsurpassed, complete awakening, and I, too, have a share in this — and this is what I truly desire. Why is this? Were I to attain unsurpassed, complete awakening, I would then be able to expound this wondrous Dharma broadly for the sake of beings, and become their true protector. This is what is meant by the bodhisattva-mahāsattva's recollection of moral discipline.

"How does one recollect giving? The bodhisattva-mahāsattva deeply contemplates that this very act of giving is itself the cause of unsurpassed, complete awakening; every buddha and bodhisattva has drawn near to and cultivated giving of this kind, and I, too, draw near to and cultivate it in just this way — for, without giving generously, one is unable to adorn the fourfold assembly at all. Though giving is unable, in the end, to sever every fetter, it is able to remove and break through the affliction present here and now. Through the very cause and condition of giving, one is forever praised by beings throughout worlds as numerous as the sands of the Gaṅgā, immeasurable and boundless, in every direction. The bodhisattva-mahāsattva, giving beings food, thereby gives them life, and, through this very karmic fruit, remains forever unchanging at the moment he becomes a buddha. Through giving happiness, he attains peace and happiness at the moment he becomes a buddha. When the bodhisattva gives, he seeks wealth in accordance with the Dharma, never encroaching on one person to give to another — and it is for this reason that, becoming a buddha, he attains a pure nirvāṇa. When the bodhisattva gives, he causes beings to obtain what they need without even having to ask for it — and it is for this reason that, becoming a buddha, he attains mastery. Through the cause and condition of my own giving, I cause others to gain strength — and it is for this reason that, becoming a buddha, I obtain the ten powers. Through the cause and condition of giving, I cause others to gain speech — and it is for this reason that, becoming a buddha, I attain the four kinds of unimpeded knowledge. Every buddha and bodhisattva cultivates and accumulates this very giving as the cause of nirvāṇa, and I, too, cultivate and accumulate giving in just this way, as the cause of nirvāṇa — expounded at length within the Avataṃsaka.

"How does one recollect the gods? There are the realms of the Four Heavenly Kings, and so on, up through the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception. Should I have faith, I, too, have a share in attaining the realm of the Four Heavenly Kings. Should I have moral discipline, vast learning, giving, and wisdom, I, too, have a share in attaining the realm of the Four Heavenly Kings, and so on, up through the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception — and yet this is not what I truly desire. Why is this? The realm of the Four Heavenly Kings, and so on, up through the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, are all impermanent, and, being impermanent, bring birth, old age, illness, and death — and it is for this very reason that these are not what I truly desire. It is like an illusory conjuration, which deceives the foolish, while the wise are never confused or attached to it; what is illusory here is precisely the realm of the Four Heavenly Kings, and so on, up through the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception. The foolish are every ordinary being — and I am not the same as an ordinary, foolish person. I have once heard of the heaven of the ultimate meaning, namely, that every buddha and bodhisattva is forever unchanging, and, being ever-abiding, is unborn, unaging, unailing, and undying — and I, for the sake of beings, diligently seek this very heaven of the ultimate meaning. Why is this? The heaven of the ultimate meaning is able to cause beings to remove and sever their own affliction, just like a wish-fulfilling tree. Should I have faith, and, further, have wisdom, I shall then be able to attain this very heaven of the ultimate meaning, and shall then broadly distinguish and expound this heaven of the ultimate meaning for the sake of beings. This is what is meant by the bodhisattva-mahāsattva's recollection of the gods.

"Good son, this is what is meant by a bodhisattva's not being part of the world — this is what the world does not know, see, or perceive, and yet is what a bodhisattva does know, see, and perceive. Good son, should any of my disciples hold that upholding, reciting, copying, and expounding the twelve divisions of the scriptures is entirely without difference from upholding, reciting, copying, expounding, and explaining this Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra, this view is not correct. Why is this? Good son, this Mahāparinirvāṇa is itself the profoundest secret treasury of every buddha, every world-honored one, and, being this profoundest secret treasury of every buddha, it is therefore superior. Good son, it is for this very reason that the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra is most rare, most extraordinary, and inconceivable."

The bodhisattva Kāśyapa said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One, I, too, know that this Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra is most rare, most extraordinary, and inconceivable; that the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Saṅgha are inconceivable; and that a bodhisattva's own bodhi and this great nirvāṇa, too, are inconceivable. World-Honored One, for what reason do you further say that a bodhisattva himself is inconceivable?"

"Good son, the bodhisattva-mahāsattva, without any teacher to instruct him, is able to give rise, of himself, to the mind of bodhi; and, having given rise to this mind, diligently cultivates and strives. Even should a great fire burn his own body and head, he would never, in the end, seek rescue, nor abandon his own mind fixed on the Dharma. Why is this? The bodhisattva-mahāsattva constantly reflects to himself: 'Throughout immeasurable incalculable kalpas, whether in hell, among the hungry ghosts, among the animals, among humans, or among the gods, I have been burned by the fire of every fetter, and have never once attained a single settled dharma. This settled dharma is itself unsurpassed, complete awakening. Should I strive for the sake of unsurpassed, complete awakening, I would never, in the end, guard or spare my own body, mind, or life. For the sake of unsurpassed, complete awakening, even should my body be ground to dust as fine as a mote, I would never, in the end, abandon my own diligent striving. Why is this? Because this very mind of diligent striving is itself the cause of unsurpassed, complete awakening.' Good son, that a bodhisattva of this kind, not yet having even seen unsurpassed, complete awakening, is already able to hold nothing back of his own body and life in this way — how much more so, then, once he has seen it — it is for this very reason that a bodhisattva is inconceivable. Further inconceivable is this: the bodhisattva-mahāsattva's own vision of the immeasurable faults of birth-and-death, something beyond the reach of any śrāvaka or pratyekabuddha; though he knows the immeasurable faults and evils of birth-and-death, he undergoes suffering within it for the sake of beings, giving rise to no weariness or aversion at all — it is for this very reason, further, that he is called inconceivable. The bodhisattva-mahāsattva, for the sake of beings, though he is within hell itself, undergoes every suffering and affliction there as though it were the very bliss of the third dhyāna — it is for this very reason, further, that he is called inconceivable. Good son, it is like an elder whose own house has caught fire; the elder, seeing this, flees the house, while his own children remain behind, not yet having escaped the danger of the fire. The elder, at that moment, knowing full well the harm of the fire, nonetheless turns back and rushes to their rescue, for the sake of his children, giving no thought to his own peril. The bodhisattva-mahāsattva is just the same: though he knows that birth-and-death holds many faults and evils, he dwells within it for the sake of beings, without any weariness — it is for this very reason, further, that he is called inconceivable. Good son, immeasurable beings give rise to the mind of bodhi, and, seeing the many faults and evils within birth-and-death, their minds at once fall back and retreat, becoming, instead, śrāvakas or pratyekabuddhas. Should there be a bodhisattva who hears this sūtra, he never, in the end, loses or falls back from the mind of bodhi to become a śrāvaka or pratyekabuddha. A bodhisattva of this kind, though he has not yet even reached the first, unshakable ground, holds a mind that is firm and steadfast, never falling back or retreating — it is for this very reason, further, that he is called inconceivable. Good son, should a person say, 'I am able to swim across the water of the great ocean,' is a statement of this kind conceivable, or not?"

"No, World-Honored One, it is not. A statement of this kind may be either conceivable or inconceivable. Why is this? Should it be a human who crosses it, this is inconceivable. Should it be an asura who crosses it, this is conceivable."

"Good son, I do not speak of an asura here either — I speak precisely of a human being."

"World-Honored One, even among humans, there are those for whom this is conceivable, and those for whom it is inconceivable. World-Honored One, humans, too, are of two kinds: the noble ones, and ordinary beings. For an ordinary being, this is inconceivable; for a noble and wise one, this is conceivable."

"Good son, I speak of an ordinary being, not of a noble one."

"World-Honored One, then, for an ordinary being, this is, in truth, inconceivable."

"Good son, an ordinary being is, in truth, unable to cross the water of the great ocean at all. A bodhisattva of this kind, however, is truly able to cross the great ocean of birth-and-death — it is for this very reason, further, that he is called inconceivable. Good son, should a person be able to hang Mount Sumeru from a single thread of lotus-root fiber, would this be conceivable?"

"No, World-Honored One, it would not."

"Good son, the bodhisattva-mahāsattva, within the space of a single thought, is entirely able to weigh and measure all of birth-and-death — it is for this very reason, further, that he is called inconceivable. Good son, the bodhisattva-mahāsattva, having already, throughout immeasurable incalculable kalpas, forever contemplated birth-and-death as impermanent, without self, without bliss, and without purity, nonetheless distinguishes and expounds permanence, bliss, self, and purity for the sake of beings; and, though he teaches in this way, this is not a wrong view at all — it is for this very reason, further, that he is called inconceivable. Good son, it is like a person who enters water and is not swept away by it, or enters a great, fierce fire and is not burned by it — a matter of this kind is inconceivable. The bodhisattva-mahāsattva is just the same: though he dwells within birth-and-death, he is never afflicted or harmed by birth-and-death — it is for this very reason, further, that he is called inconceivable. Good son, people are of three grades — the superior, the middling, and the inferior. A person of the inferior grade, at the very moment of first entering the womb, thinks to himself: 'I now dwell within a latrine, a place where every kind of filth gathers, amid corpses, amid every kind of thorn, within a place of great darkness.' At the very moment of first emerging from the womb, he thinks further: 'I now emerge from this latrine, emerging from this place of every filth, on up through emerging from this place of great darkness.' A person of the middling grade thinks to himself: 'I now enter into a grove of many trees, into a pure river, into a chamber and dwelling.' It is just the same at the moment of emerging. A person of the superior grade thinks to himself: 'I ascend into a great hall, dwell among a forest of flowers, ride upon a horse or an elephant, and climb a lofty mountain.' It is just the same at the moment of emerging. The bodhisattva-mahāsattva, at the very moment of first entering the womb, knows of himself that he is entering it; while dwelling there, he knows that he dwells there; and, at the moment of emerging, he knows that he emerges — and never once gives rise to a mind of craving or of aversion — and this, though he has not yet even attained the first ground of abiding — it is for this very reason, further, that he is called inconceivable.

"Good son, unsurpassed, complete awakening truly cannot be compared to anything through any simile at all. Good son, the mind, too, cannot be compared to anything through any simile at all — and yet both can be spoken of nonetheless. The bodhisattva-mahāsattva, without any teacher's place to consult and study under, is able to attain the very dharma of unsurpassed, complete awakening; and, having attained this dharma, his mind holds no stinginess at all, and he forever expounds it for the sake of beings — it is for this very reason, further, that he is called inconceivable. Good son, the bodhisattva-mahāsattva has a bodily withdrawal that is not verbal, a verbal withdrawal that is not bodily, and a withdrawal that is neither bodily nor verbal. Bodily withdrawal means withdrawing from killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct — this is called bodily withdrawal. Verbal withdrawal, not bodily, means withdrawing from false speech, divisive speech, harsh speech, and idle speech — this is called verbal withdrawal. The withdrawal that is neither bodily nor verbal means withdrawing from craving and envy, from anger, and from wrong view — good son, this is what is meant by the withdrawal that is neither bodily nor verbal. Good son, the bodhisattva-mahāsattva sees no single dharma that is itself the body, the act, or the one who withdraws — and yet there truly is a withdrawal — it is for this very reason, further, that he is called inconceivable; and it is just the same for speech. Good son, from the body, one withdraws from the body; from speech, one withdraws from speech; and, through wisdom, one withdraws from what is neither body nor speech. Good son, this wisdom truly exists, and yet it is unable to cause the bodhisattva to withdraw from anything at all. Why is this? Good son, there is not a single dharma able to destroy or to act, since every conditioned dharma has a nature that arises differently and ceases differently — and it is for this very reason that this wisdom is unable to withdraw from anything. Good son, wisdom cannot destroy, fire cannot burn, water cannot dissolve, wind cannot move, earth cannot support, birth cannot give birth, old age cannot age, abiding cannot abide, destruction cannot destroy, craving cannot crave, anger cannot be angry, and delusion cannot be deluded — since every conditioned nature arises differently and ceases differently, the bodhisattva-mahāsattva never once gives rise to the thought, 'I, through this wisdom, destroy every affliction,' even as he says of himself, 'I destroy affliction.' Though he speaks in this way, it is not false at all — it is for this very reason, further, that he is called inconceivable."

Kāśyapa said further: "World-Honored One, I now, for the first time, understand that a bodhisattva-mahāsattva is inconceivable, and that the Buddha, the Dharma, the Saṅgha, this Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra, and whoever upholds it, and bodhi and nirvāṇa themselves, are all inconceivable. World-Honored One, how long, then, will this unsurpassed Buddha-dharma abide, and after how long a time will it perish?"

"Good son, so long as this Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra, together with its five practices — namely, noble conduct, pure conduct, heavenly conduct, sick conduct, and infant-like conduct — so long as my disciples are able to uphold, recite, copy, and expound its meaning, and are revered, honored, praised, and given every kind of offering by beings, one should know that, at that time, the Buddha-dharma has not yet perished. Good son, should this Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra, though fully circulated, find that, at that very time, my disciples largely transgress the restraining precepts, commit every kind of evil, and are unable to revere and believe in a scripture of this kind — and, on account of this disbelief, are unable to uphold, recite, copy, and explain its meaning, and are not revered or given offerings by others, and, seeing one who does uphold it, disparage and slander him, saying, 'You are a follower of the six heterodox teachers, not a disciple of the Buddha' — one should know that the Buddha-dharma is about to perish before long."

The bodhisattva Kāśyapa said further to the Buddha: "World-Honored One, I have personally heard from the Buddha this very teaching, that the Dharma of the buddha Kāśyapa abided in the world for only seven days, and then perished entirely. World-Honored One, did the tathāgata Kāśyapa possess this very sūtra, or not? If he did possess it, how can it be said to have perished? And if he did not possess it, how can it be said that this Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra is the secret treasury of every tathāgata?"

The Buddha said: "Good son, I have already said that only Mañjuśrī fully understands this meaning. I shall now explain it once more — listen closely, with an earnest mind. Good son, every buddha, every world-honored one, has two kinds of dharma: worldly dharma, and the dharma of the ultimate meaning. Worldly dharma is subject to destruction and perishing; the dharma of the ultimate meaning is not subject to destruction. There is, further, a twofold division: impermanence, no-self, no bliss, and no purity, and permanence, bliss, self, and purity. Impermanence, no-self, no bliss, and no purity are subject to destruction; permanence, bliss, self, and purity are not subject to destruction. There is, further, a twofold division: what the two lesser vehicles uphold, and what a bodhisattva upholds. What the two lesser vehicles uphold is subject to destruction; what a bodhisattva upholds is not subject to destruction. There is, further, a twofold division: the external, and the internal. External dharma is subject to destruction; internal dharma is not subject to destruction. There is, further, a twofold division: the conditioned, and the unconditioned. Conditioned dharma is subject to destruction; unconditioned dharma is not subject to destruction. There is, further, a twofold division: what can be attained, and what cannot be attained. What can be attained is subject to destruction; what cannot be attained is not subject to destruction. There is, further, a twofold division: what is shared in common, and what is not shared in common. What is shared in common is subject to destruction; what is not shared in common is not subject to destruction. There is, further, a twofold division: what pertains to humans, and what pertains to the gods. What pertains to humans is subject to destruction; what pertains to the gods is not subject to destruction. There is, further, a twofold division: the eleven other divisions of the scriptures, and the Vaipulya scriptures. The eleven other divisions of the scriptures are subject to destruction; the Vaipulya scriptures are not subject to destruction. Good son, should my disciples uphold, recite, copy, and explain the Vaipulya scriptures, revering them, making offerings to them, honoring and praising them, one should know that, at that time, the Buddha-dharma does not perish.

"Good son, as for what you have just now asked, whether the tathāgata Kāśyapa possessed this very sūtra — good son, this Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra is, in every case, the secret treasury of every buddha. Why is this? Though every buddha possesses the eleven other divisions of the scriptures, these do not teach buddha-nature, do not teach that the Tathāgata is permanence, bliss, self, and purity, and do not teach that every buddha, every world-honored one, never, in the ultimate sense, actually enters parinirvāṇa at all — and it is for this very reason that this sūtra is named the Tathāgata's own secret treasury. Because the eleven other divisions of the scriptures do not teach this, it is therefore named a "treasury." It is like a person's seven treasures, which are never brought out for ordinary use, and are therefore called a "treasury." Good son, the reason such a person stores and accumulates these possessions is for the sake of a future need. What kind of future need? Namely: when grain becomes costly, when bandits come to invade the country, when one encounters an evil king, in order to ransom one's own life, or when the roads become difficult and impassable, and wealth becomes hard to obtain — at such a time, these treasures are finally brought out and used. Good son, the secret treasury of every buddha, every tathāgata, is just the same: for the sake of a future age, when evil monks hoard impure possessions, teach the fourfold assembly that the Tathāgata, in the ultimate sense, actually enters parinirvāṇa, recite worldly texts while showing no reverence for the Buddha's own scriptures — when evils of this kind appear in the world, the Tathāgata, wishing to eliminate these very evils and cause beings to keep far from wrongful livelihood and improper gain, then expounds this very sūtra. Should this scripture, this secret treasury, perish and no longer appear in the world, one should know that, at that time, the Buddha-dharma has indeed perished.

"Good son, this Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra is forever unchanging — how, then, can you object by asking whether the buddha Kāśyapa possessed this very sūtra? Good son, at the time of the buddha Kāśyapa, every being's own craving was slight, and wisdom flourished; every bodhisattva-mahāsattva was gentle and pliant, easy to transform, possessed of great awesome virtue, retaining every teaching without forgetting it, like a great elephant-king, the whole world entirely pure. Every being knew, entirely, that the Tathāgata never, in the ultimate sense, actually enters parinirvāṇa, but abides forever, unchanging — and, though this scripture did exist at that time, there was no need to expound it. Good son, beings of the present age hold much affliction, are foolish and quick to forget, lack wisdom, hold much doubt within the net of uncertainty, have not established the root of faith, and the world itself is impure; every being alike supposes the Tathāgata to be impermanent, subject to change, and to enter, in the end, this great nirvāṇa — and it is for this very reason that the Tathāgata now expounds this very scripture. Good son, the Dharma of the buddha Kāśyapa, in truth, likewise never perished at all. Why is this? Because it is forever unchanging. Good son, should there be beings who see self where there is no self, and no-self where there is self; who see permanence where there is impermanence, and impermanence where there is permanence; who see bliss where there is no bliss, and no bliss where there is bliss; who see purity where there is impurity, and impurity where there is purity; who see cessation where there is no cessation, and no cessation where there is cessation; who see a transgression where there is none, and no transgression where there is one; who see a light offense as grave, and a grave offense as light; who see a non-vehicle as a vehicle, and a vehicle as a non-vehicle; who see a non-path as the path, and the path as a non-path; who see what is truly bodhi as not bodhi, and mistakenly see what is truly not bodhi as bodhi; who see suffering as not suffering, origination as not origination, cessation as not cessation, and the real as not real; who see what is truly worldly truth as the ultimate truth, and the ultimate truth as worldly truth; who see refuge as not refuge, and non-refuge as refuge; who name the Buddha's own true word the word of Māra, and take what is truly the word of Māra to be the word of the Buddha — it is at a time such as this that every buddha then teaches this Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra. Good son, one might more readily say that a mosquito's proboscis could drain the great ocean to its very bottom than say that the Tathāgata's own Dharma has perished. One might more readily say that a mere breath could blow Mount Sumeru apart and scatter it than say that the Tathāgata's own Dharma has perished. One might more readily say that a rope could bind a raging wind than say that the Tathāgata's own Dharma has perished. One might more readily say that a lotus flower could grow within the fire of the khadira tree than say that the Tathāgata's own Dharma has perished. One might more readily say that the universal antidote itself could become a poison than say that the Tathāgata's own Dharma has perished. One might more readily say that the moon could be made hot, or the sun made cold, than say that the Tathāgata's own Dharma has perished. One might more readily say that each of the four great elements could abandon its own nature than say that the Tathāgata's own Dharma has perished.

"Good son, should a buddha, upon first appearing in the world and attaining unsurpassed, complete awakening, not yet have any disciple who understands its most profound meaning, and should this buddha, this world-honored one, then enter parinirvāṇa, one should know that this Dharma will not abide long in the world. Furthermore, good son, should a buddha, upon first appearing and attaining unsurpassed, complete awakening, have disciples who understand its most profound meaning, then, though this buddha enters parinirvāṇa, one should know that this Dharma will abide long in the world.

"Furthermore, good son, should a buddha, upon first appearing and attaining unsurpassed, complete awakening, have disciples who understand its most profound meaning, and yet lack devoted lay patrons who revere and honor the Buddha-dharma, and should this buddha then enter parinirvāṇa, one should know that this Dharma will not abide long in the world. Furthermore, good son, should a buddha, upon first appearing and attaining unsurpassed, complete awakening, have many disciples who understand its most profound meaning, and have devoted lay patrons who revere and honor the Buddha-dharma, then, though this buddha enters parinirvāṇa, one should know that the Buddha-dharma will abide long in the world.

"Furthermore, good son, should a buddha, upon first appearing and attaining unsurpassed, complete awakening, have disciples who understand its most profound meaning, and have devoted lay patrons who revere and honor the Buddha-dharma, and yet should these disciples expound the scriptures and the Dharma out of craving for personal gain, and not for the sake of nirvāṇa, and should this buddha then enter final extinction, one should know that this Dharma will not abide long in the world. Furthermore, good son, should a buddha, upon first appearing and attaining unsurpassed, complete awakening, have disciples who understand its most profound meaning, and, further, have devoted lay patrons who revere and honor the Buddha-dharma, and should these disciples, whatever they expound, do so without craving for personal gain, but for the sake of seeking nirvāṇa, then, though this buddha enters final extinction, one should know that this Dharma will abide long in the world.

"Furthermore, good son, should a buddha, upon first appearing and attaining unsurpassed, complete awakening, have disciples who understand its most profound meaning, and, further, have devoted lay patrons who revere and honor the Buddha-dharma, and yet should these disciples frequently give rise to disputes, each accusing the other of being in the wrong, and should this buddha then enter parinirvāṇa, one should know that this Dharma will not abide long in the world. Furthermore, good son, should a buddha, upon first appearing and attaining unsurpassed, complete awakening, have disciples who understand its most profound meaning, and, further, have devoted lay patrons who revere and honor the Buddha-dharma, and should these disciples cultivate the dharma of harmony and mutual respect, never accusing one another, but honoring one another instead, then, though this buddha enters parinirvāṇa, one should know that this Dharma will abide long, and will not perish.

"Furthermore, good son, should a buddha, upon first appearing and attaining unsurpassed, complete awakening, have disciples who understand its most profound meaning, and, further, have devoted lay patrons who revere and honor the Buddha-dharma, and should these disciples expound the Dharma for the sake of this great nirvāṇa, honoring one another and giving rise to no dispute at all, and yet hoard every kind of impure possession, and, further, praise themselves, saying, 'I have attained the fruit of stream-entry,' or even, 'the fruit of arhatship' — and should this buddha then enter parinirvāṇa, one should know that this Dharma will not abide long in the world. Furthermore, good son, should a buddha, upon first appearing and attaining unsurpassed, complete awakening, have disciples who understand its most profound meaning, and, further, have devoted lay patrons who revere and honor the Buddha-dharma, and should these disciples expound the scriptures and the Dharma for the sake of this great nirvāṇa, cultivating harmony and mutual respect well, honoring one another, hoarding no impure possession of any kind, and never claiming for themselves the attainment of stream-entry, or even of arhatship, then, though this buddha, this world-honored one, enters final extinction, one should know that this Dharma will abide long in the world.

"Furthermore, good son, should a buddha, upon first appearing and attaining unsurpassed, complete awakening, have disciples who, further, hoard no impure possessions at all, and do not claim for themselves the attainment of stream-entry, or even of arhatship, and yet, each holding to his own particular view, speak in every kind of divergent way, saying: 'Elders, the four gravest offenses and the seven means of settling disputes that every buddha has established, and, likewise, the twelve divisions of the scriptures, are, for the sake of beings, at times restricted and at times relaxed. Why is this? The Buddha knows that different lands and different times require different things, and that beings differ in their sharp and dull faculties — and it is for this very reason that the Tathāgata, at times, restricts, and, at times, relaxes, teaching with varying degrees of strictness. Good son, it is like a skilled physician, who, for one illness, prescribes milk, and, for another, forbids it — permitting it for a fever, and forbidding it for a chill. The Tathāgata is just the same: observing the root of each being's own affliction and illness, he both permits and forbids accordingly. Elders, I have personally heard this very meaning from the Buddha himself — only I truly know its meaning; you are unable to know it. Only I truly understand the Vinaya; you are unable to understand it. I know the scriptures; you do not' — and should this buddha then enter final extinction, one should know that this Dharma will not abide long in the world. Furthermore, good son, should a buddha, upon first appearing and attaining unsurpassed, complete awakening, have disciples who, further, never say, 'I have attained the fruit of stream-entry,' or even, 'of arhatship,' nor say, 'Every buddha, every world-honored one, for the sake of beings, at times restricts and at times relaxes the teaching. Elders, I have personally heard this very meaning, this very Dharma, this very Vinaya, from the Buddha himself' — but instead say, 'Elders, we should rely upon the Tathāgata's own twelve divisions of the scriptures; should this meaning accord with them, I shall uphold it; and should it not, I shall set it aside' — then, though this buddha, this world-honored one, enters parinirvāṇa, one should know that this Dharma will abide long in the world.

"Good son, when my own Dharma is about to perish, there will be śrāvaka disciples who say that a soul exists, and others who say the soul is empty; who say an intermediate state between death and rebirth exists, and others who say it does not; who say the three time-periods exist, and others who say they do not; who say the three vehicles exist, and others who say they do not; who say that everything exists, and others who say that nothing exists; who say that beings have both a beginning and an end, and others who say that beings have neither beginning nor end; who say that the twelve links of dependent origination are conditioned dharmas, and others who say that dependent origination is unconditioned; who say that the Tathāgata truly suffered from illness and austerity, and others who say that the Tathāgata never truly suffered illness or austerity; who say that the Tathāgata does not permit monks to eat ten kinds of meat — what are these ten? Human, snake, elephant, horse, donkey, dog, lion, pig, fox, and monkey — every other kind being permitted; while others say that none at all are permitted. Some say that a monk must not engage in five particular acts — what are these five? Selling a living being, a blade, wine, buttermilk-and-sand mixtures, and sesame oil — every other trade being permitted. Some say that a monk is not permitted to enter five particular kinds of dwelling — what are these five? A butcher's house, a brothel, a wine-shop, a royal palace, and an outcaste's dwelling — every other dwelling being permitted. Some say that a monk is not permitted to wear silk garments, while every other material is permitted. Some say that the Tathāgata permits monks to receive and keep robes, food, and bedding each worth as much as a hundred thousand ounces of gold; while others say this is not permitted. Some say that nirvāṇa is permanence, bliss, self, and purity; while others say that nirvāṇa is simply the exhaustion of every fetter, with no further, separate dharma to be named nirvāṇa at all — just as woven thread is named a garment, and, once the garment is worn out, this is called "having no garment," with no separate thing that is, in reality, named "no garment" — the very substance of nirvāṇa, they say, is just the same. Good son, at that very time, among my own disciples, those who teach correctly will be few, and those who teach wrongly will be many; those who accept the true Dharma will be few, and those who accept wrong dharma will be many; those who accept the Buddha's own word will be few, and those who accept the word of Māra will be many.

"Good son, at that very time, there will be, in the kingdom of Kauśāmbī, two groups of disciples: arhats, and precept-breakers. The precept-breaking group will number, in all, five hundred, while the arhat group will number one hundred. Those who break the precepts will say: 'The Tathāgata has, in the ultimate sense, truly entered parinirvāṇa — I have personally heard this very meaning from the Buddha himself. As for the four gravest offenses the Tathāgata established, whether one keeps them or transgresses them, there is no fault in it either way. I myself have already attained the fruit of arhatship, and the four kinds of unimpeded knowledge — and yet even an arhat may transgress these four gravest offenses. Were these four gravest offenses a real transgression, an arhat could never, in the end, commit them at all. The Tathāgata, while living in the world, taught that they should be firmly upheld, but, as he approached parinirvāṇa, released everyone from them entirely.' An arhat monk will answer: 'Elders, you should not say that the Tathāgata has, in the ultimate sense, truly entered parinirvāṇa — I know that the Tathāgata is forever unchanging. Whether the Tathāgata is living in the world or has entered parinirvāṇa, there is no difference at all in the transgression of these four gravest offenses. To say that an arhat transgresses these four gravest offenses is simply not correct. Why is this? Even a mere stream-enterer does not transgress these precepts — how much less, then, an arhat? Should you, elders, say, "I am an arhat" — a true arhat, in fact, never once gives rise to the very notion, "I have attained arhatship." An arhat speaks only of wholesome dharmas, and never speaks of what is unwholesome. What you elders have said is purely contrary to the Dharma. Should anyone here have access to the twelve divisions of the scriptures, he would know for certain that you, elders, are not arhats at all.' Good son, at that time, the precept-breaking monks, together, thereupon took the life of this arhat. Good son, at that time, the demon king Māra, seizing upon the mutual resentment and anger between these two groups, caused all six hundred of these monks to be killed together. At that time, ordinary beings all together lamented, saying: 'Alas, the Buddha-dharma has, with this, perished entirely!' And yet my own true Dharma had not, in reality, perished at all. At that very time, there were, within that same kingdom, one hundred and twenty thousand great bodhisattvas, well upholding my own Dharma — how, then, could it be said that my Dharma had perished? At that very time, there was not, within all of Jambudvīpa, a single monk who was truly my own disciple. At that time, Māra Pāpīyas set a great fire to burn every scripture there was, and, among whatever remained, the brahmins together stole them, gathering them up in every place and incorporating them into their own scriptures. It is for this very reason that lesser bodhisattvas, before a buddha has yet appeared in the world, generally come to believe the brahmins' own words instead. Though these brahmins claim, 'We, too, observe fasting and precepts,' these other tenets, in truth, possess no such thing at all. And though these followers of other tenets, likewise, claim, 'We, too, teach self, bliss, and purity,' they, in truth, understand nothing of the true meaning of self, bliss, and purity — they merely take a single character, or two, a single phrase, or two, from the Buddha's own Dharma, and claim that their own scriptures already contain this very meaning."

At that time, the immeasurable, boundless, incalculable assembly gathered between the twin sāla trees at Kuśinagara, having heard these words, all together cried out: "The world is empty! The world is empty!"

The bodhisattva Kāśyapa addressed the great assembly: "You should not, for now, give yourselves over to sorrow and weeping — the world is not empty. The Tathāgata abides forever, without any change, and it is just the same for the Dharma and the Saṅgha." At that time, the great assembly, having heard these words, at once ceased their weeping, and all together gave rise to the mind of unsurpassed, complete awakening.