Parinirvana Sutra

"Then the visiting doctor again said to the king, ‘The king should not say such things. Just as an insect eats wood until it is completely nourished and does not know that it is nourished or not nourished. The wise one sees it stop and does not claim that the insect understands that it is nourished, nor is he surprised by it. The great king should know that that former doctor was also so. He did not distinguish betweeen illnesses and treated them all with [the same] medicinal elixir, just as that insect’s path is by chance until it is completely nourished. The former doctor did not understand the medicinal elixirs that were excellent, detestable, good, or bad.’

"The king then asked, ‘What did he not understand?’

"The visiting doctor replied, ‘The medicinal elixirs as well as the harmful poisons. And also the sweet nectar. How is the elixir also called a sweet nectar? If a mother cow does not eat wine dregs, loose grass, or barley, its calf will not tame well. In the place that it is set to pasture it will not stay above the fields and also not go down to the marsh to drink clear water. It will not be herded along and will not accompany the lead animal together with a single herd. Being domesticated in its eating and drinking, it goes on to travel and abide in the place it is given. Thus is this elixir able to remove illnesses. Therefore, it is called the wondrous medicine of sweet nectar. Excepting this elixir, the rest are all called harmful poisons.’

"At that time, the great king, having heard this, gave praise, saying, ‘Excellent, great doctor, excellent! From this day, I have begun to know the medicinal elixirs that are good and bad, excellent and detestable.’ Thereupon he drank it willingly and removed his illness.

"Immediately, he promulgating the edict that all in the country from that day on were to go back over to drinking the medicinal elixir. All of the country’s people who heard this became embittered, all saying to one another, ‘Has our great king now been possessed by a spirit and gone crazy, decieving us again by ordering the drinking of elixirs?’ All the people felt embittered and gathered together at the king’s palace.

"The King told them, ‘You should not feel bitterness towards me. Just as with [the order] not to drink medicinal exlixirs is [the order] to drink them. All this is the doctor’s instructions and not my fault.’

"At that time, the great king and the people danced joyfully and redoubled their respects paid to the doctor, for all those who were ill had drank the medicinal elixir and their illnesses had been removed.

"You, bhiksus! You should know that the Tathagata, the Arhat, the completely enlightened, perfect in wisdom and conduct, the Well Gone, the knower of the worldly, unsurpassed, the tamer of men, teacher of men and gods, and the World Honored One is also, again, so. He is a great doctor who has appeared in the world, defeating all of the heretical doctors, who proclaims to those in the four assemblies, saying, ‘I am the king of doctors!’ Because he wishes to supress the heretics he proclaims, ‘There is no self, no person, sentient beings, soul, cultivation, knowledge, perception, doer, or reciever.’

"Bhiksus, you should know that the heretics have said that the self is like the insect who eats wood, mates, and makes offspring merely. This is why the Tathagata proclaims that in the Buddha-dharma there is no self. It is for the sake of taming sentient beings, knowing the time, and that such selflessness has been the cause and condition that he also says that there is a self. He is like that physician who well knew the elixirs that were medicinal and not medicinal. It is not like that self the ordinary man reckons to be his own or the ordinary man who meets someone and reckons that they have a self. Some have said that it is as large as the thumb and finger, some that it is like the mustard seed, some that it is like a grain a dust. The Tathagata says that the self is not like any of these. This is why he says that things (dharmas) are selfless. Really it is not that there is no self. What is the self? If something is the true, the real, the constant, the master, the foundation with a nature that is unchanging, this is called the self. Just as that great doctor well understand the medicinal elixir, the Tathagata is also so. For the sake of sentient beings, in the Dharmas that he speaks there really is a self. You and the four assembles must thus cultivate the Dharma."

Here ends fascicle three of the Great Parinirvana Sutra

Endnotes to Chapter 3

1.That is, the Brahma heavens of the form realm.

2.This is a reference to a Sanskrit character that is composed of three equal parts. It is used as a metaphor for something that is neither unified or differentiated, with neither a fixed start or end. The Nirvana Sutra, as here, uses the character as an example of how the essential body (dharmakaya), wisdom (prajna), and liberation (vimoksha) are three equal components of, but all necessary to complete, the whole of the Tathagata’s Nirvana.

3.Elephant. The actual term here is hsiang-hsiang, which literally means ‘fragrant elephant’. Needless to say, this is a little odd sounding, and I am not sure what figurative meaning hsiang-hsiang might have (‘royal elephant’, perhaps?). I have translated it as simply ‘elephant’, which works fine for the parable.

4.Mental perception. The Chinese here is hsiang, which ordinarily means ‘idea, concept’. Here, though, it is referring to ‘spinning and turning’, which is more of a perception or sensation. I take it that hsiang is being used to denote that the spinning is only an internal perception, hence the translation in this instance emphasizing that this is a mental event.

5.I.e., the four words "permanence, pleasure, self, purity".

6.Outside paths. This is how the Chinese rendered of heretical, or incompatible, teachings. It refers, technically, to the six heretical teachers who the Buddha directly declared to teach mistaken ideas during his lifetime. Generally, the term applies to other religions and philosophies apart from the Buddha’s teachings.

7.I.e., permanence, happiness, self, and purity. This statement, that in early Buddhism these were seen incorrectly, is one of the recurrent themes of this Sutra.

Chapter 6: The Merit of the Title

[624c] At that time, the Tathagata again addressed Kasyapa, "Good son, you now should well uphold this Sutra’s contents, as they possess merit. If there are good sons and good daughters who hear this Sutra’s title, none of them will be born in any of the the four [lower] destinies [1]. And why? It is thus that this scripture leads them to the cultivation of the infinite and limitless Buddhas. I shall now discuss this attainment of merit."

Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha, "World Honored One, what shall be the title of this Sutra? How should the bodhisattva-mahasattva recieve and uphold it?"

The Buddha told Kasyapa, "This Sutra’s title is the Great Parinirvana, which in the beginning is good, in the middle is good, and in the end is also good. Its meaning’s flavor is very profound and its text is also good. It is pure, the complete consummation of the pure ascetic practice, and the adamantine treasure chest filled up without lacking anything. If you skillfully listen closely, I now shall discuss it.

"Good son, the word ‘great’ of the title is for eternity. [625a] As the eight great rivers [2] all return to the ocean, this Sutra thus pacifies all the bonds of affliction and dispositions of Mara. Afterwards, [those who hear it] long to enter parinirvana and exit from the bodily life. This is why it is called the Great Parinirvana.

"Furthermore, good son, take for example the full moon appearing in its entirety. In every place among the cities, villages, and hamlets; the mountains, in the rivers, or wells, or ponds, and in containers of water; in all these its reflection appears. There are sentient beings who walk a hundred yojanas or a hundred thousand yojanas, and they see the moon always following them. An ordinary foolish person might mistakenly give rise to a regretful thought, saying, ‘In the past I was in cities, villages, and homes and there saw the moon. Now, again, in these empty pools of water I see it again. Is this that past moon or it is a different moon than the one in the past?’ Each think to themselves, ‘The moon’s image is larger or smaller’ or they say, ‘it is like a silver mouth’, or they say ‘it is like a cart wheel’, or they say ‘it is like forty nine yojanas in size’. All of them see the light of the moon, or they see it perfectly round just like the golden disc of the sun. The moon’s nature is singular, but the variety of sentient beings each see differing aspects of it.

"Good son, the Tathaagata is also so. He appears in the world and there are some humans or Gods who think, ‘The Tathaagata now abides before me’, or there animals who also think, ‘The Tathaagata now abides before me’. Or there are some who are deaf and mute who also see the Tathaagata as having the characteristic of being deaf and mute. The sentient beings in their various species and languages each differ, but all say the Tathaagata speaks the same language as they. And, also, each gives rise to the thought, ‘He stays in my household and receives my offerings’. Some sentient beings see the Tathaagata’s body as vast, huge, and infinite and some see it as minutely small. Some see the Buddha with the appearance of a shravaka, some see him with the appearance of the pratyeka-buddha, and those of other paths again each think, ‘The Tathaagata now rests in my Dharma and leaves the household to studies the way.’ There are some sentient beings who again think, ‘The Tathaagata appears in the world in order to come into contact with me.’ The Tathaagata’s real nature is like that of the moon. And so [657c] the essentual body (dharma-kaaya) is an unarisen body. The body of skillful means conforms to the world, displaying of infinite roots of karmic circumstances. In every place, he makes a show of being birth, just as does the moon. What is the meaning of this? The Tathaagata constantly abides, devoid of any change or difference.

"Furthermore, Good son, it is just as when Ruhula the Asura king blocks the moon with his hand and the people of the world all claim that the moon has been eaten. The Asura king, however, in reality cannot eat the moon. It is simply that the Asura king has obstructed its light. The moon is perfectly round and full and does not wane and become smaller. It is only because of the obstructing hand that it does not appear so. And when he retracts his hand, the worldly people all claim that the moon is again reborn. Their claims that the moon has suffered numerous injuries is a convention. One hundred thousand Asura kings could not harm it.

"The Tathaagata is also so. Appearing to be a sentient being, the beings of coarse and wicked minds regard the Tathaagata as a produced Buddha body, their blood rising to the five wicked deeds and becoming icchantikas. Because of these sentient beings’ future lives, there thus will be displayed the destruction of the sangha and end of the Dharma, and putting a stop to this will be difficult. It the case, however, that the infinite hundeds of thousands of kotis of maras are unable to harm the production of body or blood of the Tathaagata. And why is that? The Tathaagata’s body has no blood, flesh, muscle, veins, bone, or marrow. The Tathaagata in reality really is invulnerable.

Sentient beings who say that the Dharma and Sangha is harmed or destroyed and the Tathaagata dead. However, the Tathaagata’s nature in reality is changeless and indestructible. It is in conformance to the worldly that he thus is displayed.

"Furthermore, Good son, it is like two people fight. Suppose one uses a blade to defend himself wounds the other, causing him to bleed. Although the other may die, he did not give rise to a murderous thought. Thus, the mark of his karma would be light and not heavy. If it were the Tathaagata, he himself has no murderous thoughts. Although he might cause [the Tathaagata’s] body to bleed, the karma also would be so; light and not heavy. The Tathaagata thusly in a future life would transform into a sentient being, appearing as a karmic reward.

"Furthermore, Good son, it is just like a physician who endevours to teach his son the medical uses of roots, saying, ‘These are the medicinal roots, the medicinal stalks, and other medicinal materials. The variety of characteristics

and appearances of them you should be well know.’ His son respectfully recieved his father’s admonition to endevour and constantly studied the skillful understanding of the medicines. And after the physician’s lifespan was done and his life ended, his son fondly remembered him and said, ‘Father himself taught me, "Thus are the medicinal roots, thus the medicinal stalks, thus the medicinal flowers, and thus the form and characteristics of them."’ "The Tathaagata is also so. In order to transform the sentient beings, he shows them the commandments and precepts which they must thusly recieve, uphold, and not transgress, nor commit the five wicked deeds or slander the true Dharma and be an icchantika. It is so that in future lives there arises these matters that he appears. He wishes to lead the bhiksus so that after the Buddha has passed on they might thus know the [658a] recorded Suutras’ deep and profound meaning, the marks of the vinaya precepts slight and grave, and the abhidharma’s which discernment of the Dharma words, so they will be just like that physician’s son.

"Furthermore, good son, it is as when someone watches the moon for six months and sees it eaten once, yet above in the heavens it is watched for but a moment and the moon is eclipsed. And why? Because a day in heaven to ancient beings is brief. Good son, the Tathaagata is also so. Gods and men all say that the Tathaagata’s lifespan is brief, like that God who for a moment watches and the moon is eclipsed. The Tathaagata also is among them for but a moment, showing Nirvana to the hundreds of thousands of nayutas of kotis [of beings]. He ends the mara of affliction, the mara of skandhas, and the mara of death. This is why the hundreds of thousands of nayutas of kotis of heavenly maras all know that the Tathaagata has entered Parinirvana. And also that he appears due to hundreds of thousands of former karmic causes and conditions. Because he conforms to the various dispositions of the worldly, he displays thusly the infinite, limitless, and inconceivable. This is why the Tathaagata is eternally abiding and unchanging.

"Furthermore, good son, it is just as the moonlight is enjoyable for sentient beings to see. This why they commend the moon, calling it enjoyable to see. If the sentient beings are greedy, angry, foolish, or deluded; then, they would not be able to commend it as being enjoyable to see. The Tathaagata thus has a nature which is harmonious, good, pure, and undefiled. This is quite commendable and enjoyable to see. Enjoying the Dharma, the sentient beings look upon him without repulsion. People of wicked minds, however, are not gladdened when they look upon him. What does that mean? This is why it is said that the Tathaagata is like the light of the moon.

"Furthermore, good son, it is just as how the day has three periods that are different [in length]. The winter days are brief, the spring days are average, and the summer days are the very longest. The Tathaagata is also so. In this trichiliocosm his lifspan is brief, and the voice hearer’s display also a brief lifespan. These having been seen, all say that the Tathagata’s lifespan is brief, like the winter day. The bodhisattvas show average-length lifespans, whether for a kalpa or a partial kalpa, like the spring day. Only the Buddha sees the Buddha’s own lifespan to be infinite, just like the summer day. Good son, the Tathaagata has said that the methods of the Mahayana teaching are subtle and esoteric. It appears in the world, raining the great Dharma rain. In future lives, if a person is able to protect and uphold the canon, to them will be revealed and discerned the blessing to sentient beings. It should be known that this comrade is a true bodhisattva. Just like the abundance of the summer, the heavens give up the sweet rain. If there are shravakas or pratyeka-buddhas who hear the Buddha’s, the Tathaagata’s, subtle and esoteric teaching, then it would be just as during the winter days are numerously encountered ice and illnesses. If a bodhisattva hears thus the subtle and esoteric teaching and is instructed that the Tathaagata is of a constantly abiding nature and unchanging, it would be as during the spring days that antlers [658b] sprout and spread out. Yet the Tathaagata’s nature is really neither long nor short. It is for the worldly that it appears thus. This then is Buddhas’ true underlying reality (dharmata).

"Furthermore, good son, it is just as when the myriad stars at noontime do not appear. And so people say that at noontime the stars perish and disapear. But really, though, they do not disapear. It is because the sunlight conceals them that they do not appear. The Tathaagata is also so. The shravaka and pratyeka-buddha are unable to see him, just as the worldly person cannot see the stars at noon.

"Furthermore, good son, it is just like when the overcast sky causes the moon and sun to not appear and the foolish person says that the sun and moon are lost and have disappeared. Yet the sun and moon really have not been lost or have disappeared. When the Tathagata’s true Dharma has past away, the three jewels will appear to disappear and also again will not be forever ceased. This is why it should be know that the Tathaagata is eternally abiding and without any change. And why? Because the real nature of the three jewels is does not become stained by defilements.

"Furthermore, good son, it is just as when the moon is dark and the night sky is swept with stars. Their light shines and blazes for a time and them disappear again. Sentient beings seeing this think it an ill omen. The pratyeka-buddhas are also so when they appear in a world without a Buddha. The sentient beings who see this say that the Tathaagata really has perished and there arises in them sorrow and grief. However, the Tathaagata’s body really is indestructible, like the sun and moon are without any ceasation or disappearance.

"Furthermore, good son, it is just as when the sun goes behind a mist and becomes completely hidden. This great Nirvana that is a subtle and wondrous Sutra is also again so, being produced in the world. If there are sentient beings who have an ear for the Sutra, they would be capable of putting to rest all evils and not longer be amidst wicked karma. This great Nirvana is profound and deep, its perspective inconceivable. Skillfully speaking of the nature of the Tathaagata is subtle and esoteric. What does this mean? Good sons and good daughters should regarding the Tathagata bring forth the thought of his being constantly abiding, devoid of any change, the true Dharma that is unending, and the sangha imperishable. This is why one should cultivate numerous skillful means and endevour to study this text. It would not be long for such a person to attain the supremely unexcelled enlightenment. This is why this Sutra is called the completion of infinite virtue. It is also called the enlightenment that is invulnerable. Because it is invulnerable is the reason that it has obtained the title ‘Great Parinirvana’. Because it possesses the good light, is it like the summer days. Because the body is limitless, it is called the Great Nirvana."