Hearing What Cannot Be Heard

At that time, the World-Honored One said to the bodhisattva-mahāsattva Bright Virtuous King of Universal Illumination: "Good son, should any bodhisattva-mahāsattva practice this great Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra, he attains ten kinds of merit shared with no śrāvaka or pratyekabuddha, inconceivable, astonishing to whoever hears of them, neither internal nor external, neither difficult nor easy, neither a mark nor the absence of a mark, not a worldly dharma at all, without any describable appearance, and found nowhere in this world. What are these ten? The first consists of five matters. What are these five? First, being able to hear what one has never heard; second, gaining benefit once one has heard it; third, being able to sever every mind of doubt; fourth, a mind of wisdom, upright and free of any distortion; and fifth, being able to know the Tathāgata's own secret treasury. These are the five matters. What is meant by 'hearing what one has never heard'? Namely, the very deep and subtle treasury: that every being possesses buddha-nature; that the Buddha, the Dharma, and the holy Saṅgha are without any distinction between them; that the Three Jewels' own nature and mark are permanence, bliss, self, and purity; and that not a single buddha ever, in the end, enters nirvāṇa at all, but abides forever, without change. The Tathāgata's own nirvāṇa is neither existent nor non-existent, neither conditioned nor unconditioned, neither subject to outflow nor free of it, neither form nor non-form, neither name nor non-name, neither marked nor unmarked, neither existing nor not existing, neither a thing nor not a thing, neither cause nor effect, neither dependent nor independent, neither illumination nor darkness, neither emergent nor non-emergent, neither permanent nor impermanent, neither severed nor unsevered, neither having a beginning nor an end, neither past, future, nor present, neither the aggregates nor their absence, neither the sense-fields nor their absence, neither the elements nor their absence, and neither the twelve links of dependent origination nor their absence — dharmas of this kind, so very deep and subtle, that one has never before heard, and yet is now able to hear. There is, further, what one has never heard: namely, every scripture of every other school — the four Vedas, the Vyākaraṇa treatise, the Vaiśeṣika treatise, the Kapila treatise — every incantation, medical text, and craft, the eclipses of sun and moon, the movements and changes of the stars, and every chart, diagram, and prophetic record. Texts of this kind, one has never before heard their own secret meaning, and yet now, through this very sūtra, comes to know it. There are, further, the eleven other divisions of scripture, apart from the Vaipulya division, which likewise possess no meaning as deep and secret as this — and yet now, through this very sūtra, one comes to know it as well. Good son, this is what is meant by 'hearing what one has never heard.'"

"As for 'gaining benefit once one has heard it': should one be able to listen to and receive this great Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra, one comes to know fully the very deep meaning and flavor of every Vaipulya Mahāyāna scripture. It is like a man or woman who, in a bright and clear mirror, sees his or her own reflected form, entirely clear and distinct — the mirror of this great nirvāṇa is exactly the same: a bodhisattva who holds it comes to see clearly the very deep meaning of every Mahāyāna scripture. It is also like a person in a dark room, holding a great torch, who sees every object within it — the torch of this great nirvāṇa is exactly the same: a bodhisattva who holds it comes to see the profound and deep meaning of the Mahāyāna. It is also like the sun rising, its thousand rays of light illuminating every mountain's own hidden darkness, causing everyone to see every object from afar — the pure sun of wisdom that is this great nirvāṇa is exactly the same, illuminating the Mahāyāna's own deep and hidden places, causing those of the two lesser vehicles to see the buddha-path from afar."

"As for 'severing every mind of doubt': doubt is of two kinds — doubt about a name, and doubt about a meaning. One who listens to this sūtra severs the mind that doubts a name; one who reflects on its meaning severs the mind that doubts a meaning. Furthermore, good son, doubt is of five kinds: first, doubting whether the Buddha certainly enters nirvāṇa; second, doubting whether the Buddha is ever-abiding; third, doubting whether the Buddha possesses true bliss; fourth, doubting whether the Buddha possesses true purity; and fifth, doubting whether the Buddha possesses a real self. One who listens to this sūtra has his doubt about the Buddha's nirvāṇa forever severed; one who copies it out, recites it, expounds it broadly for others, and reflects on its meaning, has all four remaining doubts forever severed. Furthermore, good son, doubt is of three kinds: first, doubting whether the śrāvaka vehicle exists or not; second, doubting whether the pratyekabuddha vehicle exists or not; and third, doubting whether the buddha vehicle exists or not. One who listens to this sūtra has these three doubts forever extinguished, without any remainder."

"As for 'a mind of wisdom, upright and free of any distortion': should the mind harbor any doubt, what it sees is thereby not correct. Every ordinary being who has not yet heard this subtle and wondrous Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra sees things in a distorted way, and even the śrāvaka and the pratyekabuddha, too, see things in a distorted way. What is meant by every ordinary being's own distorted view? Seeing permanence, bliss, self, and purity within what is subject to outflow; seeing impermanence, suffering, impurity, and non-self with regard to the Tathāgata; holding to the notion of a being, a lifespan, and a knower; taking the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception to be nirvāṇa; seeing that Īśvara possesses the eightfold noble path; and holding to the view of existence or the view of annihilation — views of this kind are named distorted. Should a bodhisattva-mahāsattva come to hear this great Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra and practice noble conduct, he thereby comes to sever and remove every one of these distorted views. What is meant by the distorted view of the śrāvaka and the pratyekabuddha? Seeing the bodhisattva descend from Tuṣita, riding a white elephant in transformation, and enter his own mother's womb… and so on, up through his entering parinirvāṇa here at this city of Kuśinagara. Views of this kind are named the distorted view of the śrāvaka and the pratyekabuddha. Good son, should a bodhisattva-mahāsattva listen to and receive this great Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra, he comes to sever and remove every one of these views entirely."

"As for 'being able to know the Tathāgata's own deep and secret meaning': this means precisely this great nirvāṇa itself, that every being possesses buddha-nature, and that, having confessed the four gravest offenses, removed a slandering mind toward the Dharma, exhausted the five gravest offenses, and extinguished the icchantika within oneself, one then attains unsurpassed, complete awakening — this is what is meant by the very deep and secret meaning. Furthermore, good son, what, again, is meant by this very deep meaning? Though one knows that beings, in reality, have no self at all, the fruit of karma is not lost with regard to the future; though one knows that the five aggregates are, in this very place, entirely extinguished, wholesome and unwholesome karma is never, in the end, lost or destroyed; though there is action, there is no one who performs it; though there is a destination reached, there is no one who goes to it; though there is bondage, there is no one bound by it; though there is nirvāṇa, there is no one who is extinguished into it. This is what is meant by the very deep and secret meaning."

At that time, the bodhisattva-mahāsattva Bright Virtuous King of Universal Illumination said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One, as I understand the meaning of what the Buddha has taught, this teaching on 'hearing what was not heard' does not seem correct. Why is this? Should a dharma exist, it should exist as a fixed fact; should a dharma not exist, it should not exist as a fixed fact — what does not exist should not arise, and what exists should not perish. If one has heard something, this is simply 'hearing'; if one has not heard it, this is simply 'not hearing' — how, then, can it be said that one hears what one has not heard? World-Honored One, should something be inherently unable to be heard, this is 'not hearing'; and should it already have been heard, it can no longer be 'not heard.' Why is this? Because it has already been heard. How, then, can it be said that one hears what one has not heard? It is like one who goes — once arrived, he no longer goes; while going, he has not yet arrived. It is likewise like something already born no longer being unborn, and what is unborn remaining unborn; like something already attained no longer being unattained, and what is unattained remaining unattained. 'Having heard, no longer unheard' and 'unheard, remaining unheard' are exactly the same. World-Honored One, should 'not hearing' truly be 'hearing,' then every being, not yet possessing bodhi, should already possess it; not yet having attained nirvāṇa, should already have attained it; and not yet having seen buddha-nature, should already see it — how, then, can it still be said that the bodhisattva of the ten abidings, though he sees buddha-nature, has not yet seen it with full clarity? World-Honored One, should 'not hearing' truly be 'hearing,' then from whom, in ages past, did the Tathāgata himself hear this? And, should you say he did hear it from someone, why does the Tathāgata, in the Āgamas, further say that he had no teacher at all? And should 'not hearing' remain simply 'not hearing,' and the Tathāgata nonetheless attained unsurpassed, complete awakening in this way, then every being, likewise not hearing and remaining not hearing, should equally attain unsurpassed, complete awakening. Should the Tathāgata have come to see buddha-nature without ever hearing this great Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra, then every being, too, without ever hearing this sūtra, should likewise come to see it. World-Honored One, whatever is form, in general, is either visible or invisible; and sound, likewise, is either audible or inaudible — but this great nirvāṇa is neither form nor sound at all, so how can it be said that it can be seen or heard? World-Honored One, what is past is already gone, and so cannot be heard; what is future has not yet arrived, and so likewise cannot be heard; what is present, at the very moment of listening, cannot yet be named 'heard'; and, once heard, the sound has already ceased, and so can no longer be heard. This great nirvāṇa, too, is neither past, future, nor present — and, being none of the three times, it cannot be spoken of at all; and, being unable to be spoken of, it cannot be heard at all. How, then, can it be said that a bodhisattva who cultivates this great Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra hears what he has not heard?"

At that time, the World-Honored One praised the bodhisattva-mahāsattva Bright Virtuous King of Universal Illumination: "Excellent, excellent, good son! You now know well that every dharma is like an illusion, like a flame, like a gandharva's city in the sky, like a mark drawn upon water, like foam, and like the plantain tree, empty and without any substance at all — neither a life nor a self, without suffering or pleasure — exactly as the bodhisattva of the ten abidings comes to know and see it." At that moment, within the great assembly, there suddenly appeared a great light — blue that was not seen as blue, yellow not seen as yellow, red not seen as red, white not seen as white; form not seen as form, brightness not seen as brightness; a seeing that was not a seeing, and yet was seen. The great assembly, upon encountering this light, felt their bodies and minds filled with bliss, just as a monk who has entered the lion-king samādhi. At that time, the bodhisattva-mahāsattva Mañjuśrī said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One, who has emitted this present light?" The Tathāgata remained silent and did not answer. The bodhisattva Kāśyapa then asked Mañjuśrī: "For what cause and condition does this light now shine upon the great assembly?" Mañjuśrī, too, remained silent and did not answer. The bodhisattva Boundless Body then asked the bodhisattva Kāśyapa: "To whom does this present light belong?" Kāśyapa, too, remained silent and did not answer. The princely bodhisattva Pure Abiding then asked the bodhisattva Boundless Body: "For what cause and condition does this light appear within the great assembly?" Boundless Body, too, remained silent and did not answer. And so it continued through all five hundred bodhisattvas present — though each in turn was asked, not a single one of them answered.

At that time, the World-Honored One asked Mañjuśrī: "Mañjuśrī, for what cause and condition does this light appear within the great assembly?" Mañjuśrī answered: "World-Honored One, a light of this kind is named wisdom itself; and wisdom is itself ever-abiding, and an ever-abiding dharma has no cause or condition at all — how, then, can the Buddha ask for what cause and condition this light appears? This light is named this great nirvāṇa itself; and this great nirvāṇa is named ever-abiding, and an ever-abiding dharma does not arise from any cause or condition — how, then, can the Buddha ask for what cause and condition this light appears? This light is the Tathāgata himself; and the Tathāgata is himself ever-abiding, and an ever-abiding dharma does not arise from any cause or condition — how, then, can the Tathāgata ask about any cause or condition? This light is named great loving-kindness and great compassion; and great loving-kindness and great compassion are named ever-abiding, and an ever-abiding dharma does not arise from any cause or condition — how, then, can the Tathāgata ask about any cause or condition? This light is recollection of the Buddha itself; and recollection of the Buddha is itself named ever-abiding, and an ever-abiding dharma does not arise from any cause or condition — how, then, can the Tathāgata ask about any cause or condition? This light is itself the path shared with no śrāvaka or pratyekabuddha; and the path shared with no śrāvaka or pratyekabuddha is itself named ever-abiding, and an ever-abiding dharma does not arise from any cause or condition — how, then, can the Tathāgata ask about any cause or condition? World-Honored One, and yet there is, indeed, a cause and condition as well: it is through extinguishing ignorance that the blazing lamp of unsurpassed, complete awakening is thereby kindled." The Buddha said: "Mañjuśrī, do not now enter into the very deep ultimate truth of every dharma — you should explain this by means of worldly truth instead."

Mañjuśrī said: "World-Honored One, to the east of here, past worlds as numerous as twenty times the sands of the Gaṅgā, there is a buddha-world named Acala. That buddha's own abode measures, in length and breadth alike, a full twelve thousand leagues; its ground is made of the seven treasures, without any earth or stone at all, level, soft, and free of every ditch or pit; its trees are all made of four precious substances — gold, silver, lapis lazuli, and crystal — their flowers and fruit ever flourishing, present at every season without fail; should any being smell the fragrance of these flowers, his body and mind are filled with peace and ease, just as a monk who has entered the third meditative absorption. Surrounding it, further, are three thousand great rivers, whose waters are subtle and wondrous, fully endowed with all eight flavors; should any being bathe within them, the joy and happiness he gains is just as a monk who has entered the second meditative absorption… In that world, there is not a single being who has transgressed any of the four gravest offenses, slandered the true Dharma, or become an icchantika or committed one of the five gravest offenses. That land is perfectly temperate, free of cold, heat, hunger, thirst, and every affliction, free of craving, desire, anger, heedlessness, and envy, and without sun, moon, day, night, or season at all — just like the second level of the Trāyastriṃśa heaven. The people of that land all possess their own light, and not a single one among them harbors any arrogance at all; every one of them is a great bodhisattva, every one endowed with supernormal powers and great merit, their minds all reverencing the true Dharma, riding upon the Mahāyāna, cherishing the Mahāyāna, delighting in the Mahāyāna, and guarding and treasuring the Mahāyāna, accomplished in great wisdom and possessed of the great dhāraṇī, their minds forever holding compassion for every being. That buddha is named the Tathāgata Full-Moon Light, 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 — and, wherever he abides, whatever he expounds, there is not a single being in that land who fails to hear it, just as the bodhisattva-mahāsattva Vaidūryaprabha is, even now, expounding this very great Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra there."

The Buddha said: "Good son, should a bodhisattva-mahāsattva be able to practice this great Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra, whatever he has not yet heard, he comes to hear it entirely. That bodhisattva-mahāsattva Vaidūryaprabha asked the buddha Full-Moon Light this very same question that Bright Virtuous King of Universal Illumination has just asked here, with no difference between them at all. That buddha Full-Moon Light then said to the bodhisattva Vaidūryaprabha: 'Good son, to the west of here, past buddha-lands as numerous as twenty times the sands of the Gaṅgā, there is a world named Sahā, whose land is filled everywhere with mountains, hills, mounds, sand, gravel, and stone, and thorns and poisoned brambles, and where there is forever hunger, thirst, cold, heat, and every affliction… There, there is a buddha named the Tathāgata Śākyamuni, the worthy one, the fully and rightly awakened one, and so on — his great compassion pure and deep, and, out of pity for beings, he now expounds this very great Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra for the great assembly, between the twin sāla trees at the city of Kuśinagara. There is a bodhisattva there named Bright Virtuous King of Universal Illumination, who has already asked this very same question, no different from your own. The Buddha is now answering it — you should go there quickly, and you shall hear it for yourself.' World-Honored One, that bodhisattva Vaidūryaprabha, having heard this, together with eighty-four thousand bodhisattva-mahāsattvas, wished to come here, and so first manifested this auspicious sign — it is on account of this very cause and condition that this light appeared. This is what is meant by 'a cause and condition, and yet not a cause and condition.'" At that time, the bodhisattva Vaidūryaprabha, together with these eighty-four thousand bodhisattvas, bearing every kind of banner, canopy, incense, flower, garland, and music, more excellent even than before, together arrived here, among the twin sāla trees at the city of Kuśinagara, and, with the very offerings they carried, made offering to the Buddha, bowed their heads to his feet, joined their palms in reverence, circled him three times to the right, and, having finished paying their respects, withdrew to sit to one side.

At that time, the World-Honored One asked this bodhisattva: "Good son, have you arrived by coming, or have you arrived without coming?" The bodhisattva Vaidūryaprabha said: "World-Honored One, whether arrived or not arrived, there is, in either case, no coming at all — as I contemplate this meaning, there is, in truth, no coming whatsoever. World-Honored One, should conditioned formations be permanent, there is likewise no coming; and should they be impermanent, there is, likewise, no coming either. It is only one who holds to a notion of a fixed nature in beings who sees any coming or not-coming at all — and I, now, see no fixed nature in beings at all, so how could I speak of coming or not-coming? One with arrogance sees a going and coming; one without arrogance sees no going and coming at all. One who grasps at conditioned action sees a going and coming; one free of such grasping sees none at all. One who sees the Tathāgata as, in the end, entering nirvāṇa sees a going and coming; one who does not see the Tathāgata this way sees none at all. One who has not heard of buddha-nature sees a going and coming; one who has heard of buddha-nature sees none at all. One who sees the śrāvaka and the pratyekabuddha as possessing nirvāṇa sees a going and coming; one who does not see them this way sees none at all. One who sees the śrāvaka and the pratyekabuddha as possessing permanence, bliss, self, and purity sees a going and coming; one who does not see them this way sees none at all. One who sees the Tathāgata as lacking permanence, bliss, self, and purity sees a going and coming; one who sees the Tathāgata as possessing them sees none at all. World-Honored One, let us set this matter aside for now — I wish to ask a question, and beg only that you show me compassion, and grant me your permission to ask it." The Buddha said: "Good son, ask as you wish — now is precisely the right time, and I shall explain and distinguish it fully for your sake. Why is this? Every buddha is difficult to encounter, like the udumbara flower, and the Dharma, too, is exactly as difficult to hear — and, among the twelve divisions of scripture, the Vaipulya division is more difficult still. You should therefore listen and receive it with a single, undivided mind." At that time, the bodhisattva-mahāsattva Vaidūryaprabha, having received this permission along with this admonition, said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One, how can a bodhisattva-mahāsattva be able to practice this great Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra and hear what he has not heard?"

At that time, the Tathāgata praised him, saying: "Excellent, excellent, good son! You now wish to exhaust the very sea of this great Mahāyāna, this great nirvāṇa, and you have come, exactly now, upon one able to explain it well for you. Whatever nets of doubt and poisoned arrows you now carry, I am the great physician, able to draw them out skillfully. You have not yet fully clarified buddha-nature — I possess the torch of wisdom, able to illuminate it for you. You now wish to cross the great river of birth-and-death — I am able to become, for your sake, the great captain of the ship. You hold toward me the notion of a father and mother — and I, too, hold toward you the mind one holds toward one's own newborn child. Your own mind now craves the treasure of the true Dharma, and you have encountered, in me, one abundantly able to bestow it upon you. Listen closely, listen closely, and reflect well upon it! I shall now explain and expound it fully, distinguishing every part, for your sake. Good son, for one who wishes to hear the Dharma, now is precisely the right time; and, having heard the Dharma, he should give rise to reverent faith, listening and receiving it with a sincere mind, with reverence and respect, seeking no fault at all in the true Dharma, harboring no thought of craving, anger, or delusion, and paying no attention to the Dharma-teacher's own caste, whether fine or lowly. And, having heard the Dharma, he should give rise to no arrogance at all, and should not do so for the sake of receiving reverence, renown, or personal gain, but for the sake of the ambrosial benefit of the Dharma that saves the world. Nor should he give rise to this thought: 'Having heard the Dharma, let me first save myself, and only then save others; let me first liberate myself, and only then liberate others; let me first bring myself peace, and only then bring peace to others; let me first attain nirvāṇa myself, and only then cause others to attain it.' Toward the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Saṅgha, he should give rise to a notion of their equality; toward birth-and-death, he should give rise to a notion of its great suffering; toward this great nirvāṇa, he should give rise to a notion of permanence, bliss, self, and purity; he should put others first, and himself only after; he should hold to the Mahāyāna, and not to the two lesser vehicles; toward every dharma, he should abide in nothing at all, and should not cling exclusively to the mark of any dharma, nor give rise to any notion of craving among any dharma, but should forever give rise to the mark of truly knowing the Dharma and truly seeing the Dharma. Good son, should you be able to listen to the Dharma with a sincere mind in exactly this way, this is precisely what is meant by hearing what you have not heard."

"Good son, there is not-hearing-hearing, not-hearing-not-hearing, hearing-not-hearing, and hearing-hearing. Good son, it is like unborn-born, unborn-unborn, born-unborn, and born-born; like unarrived-arrived, unarrived-unarrived, arrived-unarrived, and arrived-arrived." "World-Honored One, what is meant by 'unborn-born'?" "Good son, abiding in worldly truth, at the very moment one first emerges from the womb — this is what is meant by unborn-born. What is meant by 'unborn-unborn'? Good son, this great nirvāṇa has no mark of birth at all — this is what is meant by unborn-unborn. What is meant by 'born-unborn'? Good son, the moment of death, in worldly truth — this is what is meant by born-unborn. What is meant by 'born-born'? Good son, this refers to every ordinary being. Why is this? Because birth after birth is unbroken in him — every dharma subject to outflow arises, thought after thought — this is what is meant by born-born. The bodhisattva of the fourth abiding is named born-unborn. Why is this? Because he has mastery over his own birth — this is what is meant by born-unborn. Good son, this is what is meant by the internal dharma. What is the external dharma? Not-yet-arisen-arisen, not-yet-arisen-not-yet-arisen, arisen-not-yet-arisen, and arisen-arisen. Good son, it is like a seed: before its sprout has arisen, it must first obtain the combination of the four great elements and the labor of human cultivation, and only then does it arise — this is what is meant by not-yet-arisen-arisen. What is meant by not-yet-arisen-not-yet-arisen? It is like a ruined seed, or one that has not yet met with the right conditions — beings of this kind are named not-yet-arisen-not-yet-arisen. What is meant by arisen-not-yet-arisen? It is like a sprout that has already arisen but has not yet grown further — this is what is meant by arisen-not-yet-arisen. What is meant by arisen-arisen? It is like a sprout that continues to grow — for, were 'arisen' not itself 'not-yet-arisen' again in this way, there could be no further growth at all. Every dharma subject to outflow is exactly the same — this is what is meant by the external dharma's own arisen-arisen."

The bodhisattva-mahāsattva Vaidūryaprabha said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One, should a dharma subject to outflow possess birth at all, is this birth permanent, or is it impermanent? Should birth itself be permanent, then a dharma subject to outflow would have no birth at all; and should birth itself be impermanent, then what is subject to outflow would, in that case, be permanent. World-Honored One, should birth be able to give rise to itself, then birth itself has no fixed nature of its own; and should it be able to give rise to something else, then for what cause and condition does it fail to give rise to what is free of outflow? World-Honored One, should birth already exist before something has arisen, how, then, can it now be named 'arising' at all? And should birth not exist before something has arisen, why, then, is empty space not likewise said to be 'arising'?" The Buddha said: "Excellent, excellent, good son! 'Unborn-born' cannot be spoken of; 'born-born,' too, cannot be spoken of; 'born-unborn,' too, cannot be spoken of; 'unborn-unborn,' too, cannot be spoken of; 'born' alone cannot be spoken of; 'unborn' alone cannot be spoken of — and yet, because there is a cause and condition, it can, indeed, be spoken of after all… Good son, do not now enter into the very deep concentration on emptiness — why is this? Because the great assembly is dull of faculty. Good son, the arising of a conditioned dharma is itself permanent — and yet, since its abiding is impermanent, its arising, too, is impermanent; its abiding is itself permanent — and yet, since it arises from arising, its abiding, too, is impermanent; its changing is itself permanent — and yet, since the dharma itself is impermanent, its changing, too, is impermanent; its perishing is itself permanent — and yet, since it was originally absent and now exists, its perishing, too, is impermanent. Good son, by their own nature, arising, abiding, changing, and perishing are all, indeed, permanent — and yet, because they perish, thought after thought, they cannot be spoken of as permanent; it is this great nirvāṇa alone, able to sever and extinguish them entirely, that is named impermanent. Good son, before a dharma subject to outflow has arisen, it already possesses the nature of arising, and so arising is able to give rise to it; a dharma free of outflow, however, has originally no nature of arising at all, and so arising is unable to give rise to it. It is like fire, which possesses its own inherent nature, and, upon meeting the right conditions, bursts forth; or the eye, which possesses the nature of seeing, and sees on account of form, of light, and of mind. A being's own arising is exactly the same: on account of a nature already inherently present, upon meeting the causes and conditions of karma, and the union of father and mother, birth thereupon occurs."

At that time, the bodhisattva-mahāsattva Vaidūryaprabha, together with the eighty-four thousand bodhisattva-mahāsattvas, having heard this teaching, leapt up into the sky to the height of seven tāla trees, and, joining their palms in reverence, said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One, I have received the Tathāgata's own earnest instruction, and, through this great nirvāṇa, have, for the first time, come to understand and awaken to hearing what was not heard. This has, further, caused the eighty-four thousand bodhisattvas to deeply understand every dharma, unborn-born and the rest. World-Honored One, I have now understood, and every net of doubt is severed. And yet, within this very assembly, there is a bodhisattva named Fearless, who wishes, further, to inquire — I beg only that you grant him your permission." At that time, the World-Honored One said to the bodhisattva Fearless: "Good son, ask your question as you wish, and I shall explain and distinguish it fully for your sake." At that time, the bodhisattva Fearless, together with sixty-four thousand other bodhisattvas, rose together from their seats, straightened their own robes, knelt with palms joined, and said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One, what karma must beings of this land create, to be reborn in that world of Acala? And how do the bodhisattvas of that land come to accomplish such wisdom, becoming the elephant-kings among men, possessed of such great and awesome virtue, fully cultivating every practice, their wisdom sharp and swift, understanding the very moment they hear?" At that time, the World-Honored One spoke this verse:

At that time, the bodhisattva-mahāsattva Fearless said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One, I now know what karma must be created to be reborn in that land. It was Bright Virtuous King of Universal Illumination, out of compassion for every being universally, who first raised this question — should the Tathāgata now teach it, it shall bring benefit and peace to humans, gods, asuras, gandharvas, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas alike." At that time, the World-Honored One said to the bodhisattva Bright Virtuous King of Universal Illumination: "Excellent, excellent, good son! You should now listen with a sincere mind, and I shall explain and distinguish this fully for your sake. There is a cause and condition for 'not yet arrived, not arrived'; there is a cause and condition for 'not arrived, yet arrived'; there is a cause and condition for 'arrived, yet not arrived'; and there is a cause and condition for 'arrived, arrived.' For what cause and condition is it 'not yet arrived, not arrived'? Good son, what is not arrived at is this great nirvāṇa itself; an ordinary being has not arrived at it because he still possesses craving, anger, and delusion, because his bodily and verbal actions are not pure, because he still accepts every kind of impure object, because he transgresses the four gravest offenses, slanders the Vaipulya teachings, is an icchantika, or has committed one of the five gravest offenses — it is for this very reason that he is 'not yet arrived, not arrived.' Good son, for what cause and condition is it 'not arrived, yet arrived'? What is not arrived at is named this great nirvāṇa. By what meaning, then, is it 'arrived'? Because one has forever severed craving, anger, delusion, and every evil of body and speech, no longer accepts any impure object, no longer transgresses the four gravest offenses, no longer slanders the Vaipulya teachings, no longer becomes an icchantika, and no longer commits any of the five gravest offenses — it is for this very reason that this is named 'not arrived, yet arrived.' The stream-enterer arrives after eighty thousand kalpas; the once-returner arrives after sixty thousand kalpas; the non-returner arrives after forty thousand kalpas; the arhat arrives after twenty thousand kalpas; and the pratyekabuddha arrives after ten thousand kalpas — it is for this very reason that this, too, is named 'not arrived, yet arrived.' Good son, for what cause and condition is it named 'arrived, yet not arrived'? What is arrived at is named the twenty-five states of existence; every being is forever covered over and obscured by immeasurable affliction and every fetter, coming and going without ever being freed from them, turning as though upon a wheel — this is what is meant by 'arrived.' The śrāvaka, the pratyekabuddha, and every bodhisattva have already forever left this behind, and so this is named 'not arrived' for them; and yet, for the sake of transforming and saving every being, they manifest themselves within these very states once more, and this, too, is therefore named 'arrived.' Good son, for what cause and condition is it named 'arrived, arrived'? What is arrived at is precisely the twenty-five states of existence; every ordinary being, and the stream-enterer up through the non-returner, on account of the causes and conditions of their own affliction, are named 'arrived, arrived.' Good son, 'hearing what was not heard' is exactly the same: there is not-hearing-hearing, not-hearing-not-hearing, hearing-not-hearing, and hearing-hearing. What is meant by not-hearing-hearing? Good son, what is not heard is this great nirvāṇa itself. Why is it not heard? Because it is not conditioned, because it is not sound, and because it cannot be spoken of at all. How, then, is it also heard? Because one comes to hear its very name — namely, permanence, bliss, self, and purity. It is for this very reason that this is named not-hearing-hearing."

At that time, the bodhisattva-mahāsattva Bright Virtuous King of Universal Illumination said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One, as the Buddha has taught, this great nirvāṇa cannot be heard at all — how, then, can it further be said that permanence, bliss, self, and purity can indeed be heard? Why is this? World-Honored One, one who severs affliction is named one who has attained nirvāṇa, and one who has not yet severed it is named one who has not attained it — and, for this very reason, the nature of nirvāṇa was originally absent and now exists. Should any worldly dharma be originally absent and now exist, it is named impermanent — it is like a pot, for instance, originally absent and now existing, and, having existed, then absent once more, and it is for this reason that it is named impermanent. Nirvāṇa is exactly the same — how, then, can it be said to be permanence, bliss, self, and purity? Furthermore, World-Honored One, whatever is accomplished through some adorning cause is entirely named impermanent. Should nirvāṇa be of this kind, it, too, should be impermanent. And what causes and conditions are these? Namely, the thirty-seven factors of awakening, the six perfections, the four immeasurable minds, the contemplation of the skeleton, mindfulness of the breath, the six recollections, and the analysis of the six elements — dharmas of this kind are all causes and conditions that accomplish nirvāṇa, and it is for this reason that it should be named impermanent. Furthermore, World-Honored One, whatever exists is named impermanent. Should nirvāṇa itself exist, it, too, should be impermanent — as the Buddha once taught, in the Āgamas, that the śrāvaka, the pratyekabuddha, and every buddha, every world-honored one, all possess nirvāṇa, and it is for this very reason that it should be named impermanent. Furthermore, World-Honored One, whatever can be seen is named impermanent, as the Buddha has taught before, that one who sees nirvāṇa thereby comes to sever and remove every affliction. Furthermore, World-Honored One, it is like empty space, which offers no obstruction at all, equally, to every being, and is for this reason named permanent — should nirvāṇa likewise be permanent and equal in just this way, why, then, do beings differ in attaining it or not? Should nirvāṇa, in this way, be unequal among beings, it could not be named permanent at all… World-Honored One, should nirvāṇa possess the very names of permanence, bliss, self, and purity, it cannot, on that account, be named permanent; and, should it not possess them, how, then, can this be spoken of at all?"

At that time, the World-Honored One said to the bodhisattva-mahāsattva Bright Virtuous King of Universal Illumination: "The very substance of nirvāṇa is not originally absent and now existing — should the substance of nirvāṇa be originally absent and now existing, it would not be a dharma free of outflow, ever-abiding. Whether a buddha appears in the world or not, its own nature and mark are ever-abiding; it is only because every being is covered over by his own affliction that he fails to see nirvāṇa, and so calls it 'non-existent.' The bodhisattva-mahāsattva, through moral discipline, concentration, and wisdom, diligently cultivates his own mind, and, having severed affliction, comes to see it. You should know that nirvāṇa is an ever-abiding dharma, not originally absent and now existing — it is for this very reason that it is permanent. Good son, it is like a well within a dark room, containing every kind of the seven treasures — a person knows that they are there, but, because of the darkness, does not see them. A person of wisdom, skillfully knowing the right means, lights a great, bright lamp, and, holding it, illuminates the room, and thereupon comes to see them entirely — such a person never, in this, gives rise to the notion that this water and these seven treasures were originally absent and have now come to exist. Nirvāṇa is exactly the same: it has always, from the very beginning, existed, and is not something that has only just now appeared — it is only because of the darkness of affliction that beings fail to see it. The Tathāgata, of great wisdom, through skillful means, lights the lamp of wisdom, causing every bodhisattva to come to see nirvāṇa's own permanence, bliss, self, and purity — it is for this very reason that a person of wisdom should never say, of this nirvāṇa, that it was originally absent and now exists. Good son, as for your claim that, because nirvāṇa is accomplished through an adorning cause, it should therefore be impermanent — this, too, is not so. Why is this? Good son, the very substance of nirvāṇa is neither born nor emergent, neither real nor illusory, neither produced by any karmic action, nor a dharma subject to outflow or conditioned at all; it is neither heard nor seen, neither falling away nor dying; it bears no mark of difference, and yet bears no mark of sameness either; it neither goes nor returns, and is neither past, future, nor present; it is neither one nor many, neither long nor short, neither round nor square, neither pointed nor slanted, neither marked nor unmarked, neither name nor form, neither cause nor effect, and neither a self nor anything belonging to a self — it is for this very reason that nirvāṇa is permanent, forever unchanging; and it is precisely because of this that one cultivates and accumulates wholesome dharmas throughout immeasurable, incalculable kalpas, adorning oneself with them, and only then comes to see it. Good son, it is like how, beneath the earth, there is water possessed of all eight flavors, which every being is unable to obtain — and yet a person of wisdom, exerting effort to dig for it, thereupon obtains it; nirvāṇa is exactly the same. It is like a blind man who cannot see the sun and moon, and, once a good physician has treated him, comes thereupon to see them — and yet this sun and moon were never originally absent and now existing; nirvāṇa is exactly the same, having already existed from the start, not something that has only just now appeared. Good son, it is like a man guilty of a crime, confined in prison, who, after a long time, is finally released, and, returning home, comes to see his own father and mother, brothers, wife, children, and kin once more; nirvāṇa is exactly the same."

"Good son, as for your claim that, because there is a cause and condition, this nirvāṇa dharma should therefore be impermanent — this, too, is not so. Why is this? Good son, cause is of five kinds. What are these five? First, the generative cause; second, the combinatory cause; third, the sustaining cause; fourth, the augmenting cause; and fifth, the remote cause… Good son, the very substance of nirvāṇa is not accomplished by any of these five kinds of cause at all — how, then, can it be said to have the cause of an impermanent thing? Furthermore, good son, there are, further, two kinds of cause: the productive cause, and the revelatory cause. It is like a potter's wheel and cord — this is named the productive cause. It is like a lamp or torch, which illuminates objects within darkness — this is named the revelatory cause. Good son, this great nirvāṇa does not arise from any productive cause at all — it has only a revelatory cause. What is this revelatory cause? Namely, the thirty-seven factors that assist the path, and the six perfections — this is what is meant by the revelatory cause. Good son, giving is a cause of nirvāṇa, but is not a cause of this great nirvāṇa; only the perfection of giving can be named a cause of this great nirvāṇa. The thirty-seven factors are a cause of nirvāṇa, but are not a cause of this great nirvāṇa; only the immeasurable, incalculable dharmas that assist bodhi can be named a cause of this great nirvāṇa."

At that time, the bodhisattva-mahāsattva Bright Virtuous King of Universal Illumination said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One, how is it that giving is not named the perfection of giving? And how is it that giving comes to be named the perfection of giving? And so on, up through: how is it that wisdom is not named the perfection of wisdom, and how does it come to be named the perfection of wisdom? What is meant by nirvāṇa, and what is meant by this great nirvāṇa?" The Buddha said: "Good son, the bodhisattva-mahāsattva who cultivates this great Vaipulya Mahāparinirvāṇa neither hears of giving nor sees giving, neither hears of the perfection of giving nor sees the perfection of giving, and so on, up through: neither hears of wisdom nor sees wisdom, neither hears of the perfection of wisdom nor sees the perfection of wisdom, neither hears of nirvāṇa nor sees nirvāṇa, and neither hears of this great nirvāṇa nor sees this great nirvāṇa. The bodhisattva-mahāsattva who cultivates this great nirvāṇa knows and sees the whole dharma-realm, and understands that its true reality is empty, without anything at all, without any mark of combination or of a knowing subject at all — attaining the mark of what is free of outflow, the mark of what is unproduced by any action, the mark of an illusory transformation, the mark of a mirage in the heat, of a gandharva's city in the sky, and of empty space itself. Once the bodhisattva attains marks of this kind, free of craving, anger, and delusion, neither hearing nor seeing — this is what is meant by the bodhisattva-mahāsattva's own true mark, abiding in true reality itself. The bodhisattva-mahāsattva then knows, of himself: this is giving, this is the perfection of giving, and so on, up through: this is wisdom, this is the perfection of wisdom, this is nirvāṇa, and this is this great nirvāṇa.

"Good son, what is giving that is not a perfection? Seeing that there is one who asks, and only then giving to him — this is named giving, but is not a perfection. Should there be no one asking, and yet one opens his own heart and gives of his own accord — this is what is named the perfection of giving. Giving only from time to time — this is named giving, but is not a perfection. Cultivating constant giving — this is what is named the perfection of giving. Giving to another, and afterward giving rise to a mind of regret — this is named giving, but is not a perfection. Giving without any regret afterward — this is what is named the perfection of giving. Should a bodhisattva-mahāsattva, regarding his own wealth and possessions, give rise to four kinds of fear — of the king, of thieves, of water, and of fire — and yet give joyfully all the same, this is what is named the perfection of giving. Giving in hope of a reward — this is named giving, but is not a perfection. Giving without any hope of a reward — this is what is named the perfection of giving. Giving out of fear, out of desire for renown, for personal gain, to continue one's own family lineage, for the sake of the five heavenly pleasures, out of arrogance, in order to surpass another, for the sake of an acquaintance, or in expectation of a return, exactly as in a market transaction — good son, it is like a man who plants a tree in order to gain its shade, its flowers and fruit, and its timber. Should a person practice giving of exactly this kind, this is named giving, but is not a perfection."

"The bodhisattva-mahāsattva who cultivates this great nirvāṇa in this way sees no giver, no receiver, and no wealth at all; sees no proper season for it; sees no field of merit and no non-field of merit; sees no cause, no condition, and no fruit; sees no one who performs the act and no one who receives it; sees no more and no less; sees no purity and no impurity; holds no contempt for the receiver, for his own body, or for his wealth; sees no seer and no non-seer; and calculates neither self nor other — he practices giving solely for the sake of this great Vaipulya Mahāparinirvāṇa's own ever-abiding dharma, practices giving for the benefit of every being, practices giving in order to sever every being's own affliction, and practices giving for the sake of every being's own freedom from seeing any receiver, giver, or wealth at all. Good son, it is like a man who has fallen into the great ocean and, clinging to a floating corpse, thereby crosses to safety — the bodhisattva-mahāsattva, cultivating this great nirvāṇa and practicing giving, is exactly the same, as though clinging to that very corpse. Good son, it is like a man shut within a deep prison, its doors and walls firm and impregnable, with only a latrine-hole through which he escapes to a place free of obstruction — the bodhisattva-mahāsattva, cultivating this great nirvāṇa and practicing giving, is exactly the same. Good son, it is like a noble person, in terror and dire crisis, with no other refuge or support at all, who relies upon a caṇḍāla — the bodhisattva-mahāsattva, cultivating this great nirvāṇa and practicing giving, is exactly the same. Good son, it is like a sick person who, in order to remove the suffering of his illness and attain peace and ease, consumes something impure — the bodhisattva-mahāsattva, cultivating this great nirvāṇa and practicing giving, is exactly the same. Good son, it is like a brahmin who, in a time when grain has grown scarce and dear, eats the flesh of a dog in order to preserve his own life — the bodhisattva-mahāsattva, cultivating this great nirvāṇa and practicing giving, is exactly the same. Good son, within this great nirvāṇa, matters of this kind, unheard throughout immeasurable kalpas, are now heard — moral discipline, and the perfection of moral discipline, and so on, up through wisdom, and the perfection of wisdom, exactly as expounded at length in the Buddha's own Avataṃsaka Sūtra."