Pearls of Universe - Volume XVII

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    Pearls of UniverseSelected Quotes of the Mahayana

    Mahaparinirvana Sutra Volume XVII

    Original Translation to English by Kosho Yamamoto Edited

    and Revised by Dr. Tony PageTranslation to Brazilian Portuguese by

    Marcos Ubirajara de Carvalho e Camargo

    2011

    Marcos Ubirajara de Carvalho e Camargo

    Cristal Perfeito

    23/12/2011

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    Copyright 2009 by Marcos Ubirajara de Carvalho e Camargo

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    The Treasure House

    Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "Oh World Honored One!

    What is pure action?"

    The Buddha said: "All things are nothing but pure actions."

    Bodhisattva Kasyapa said: "Oh World Honored One! All things are not

    fixed in meaning. Why? The Tathagata calls them either good or not-good. Sometimes, he says that such is the meditation of the four

    remembrances, or sometimes, the 12 spheres, or the Good Teacher of

    the Way, or the 12 links of interdependence, or the being, right view,

    wrong view, the 12 types of sutra, or the two truths, or the Tathagata

    now says that all things are pure actions. All in all, what do you mean by

    'all things'?"

    The Buddha said: "Well spoken, well spoken, Oh good man! The All-

    Wonderful Sutra of Great Nirvana is the Treasure House of all dharmas.

    It's like the great sea, which stores up all the treasures. It's the same

    with this Nirvana Sutra. This is the secret repository which contains all

    the meanings of all words.

    Oh good man! Just as Mount Sumeru is the root source of all medicines,

    so this Sutra is the root source of the precepts of the Bodhisattva.

    Oh good man! It's like with the Void, wherein rests all that exists. So it is

    with this Sutra, which is the abode of the Good Dharma.

    Oh good man! It's like the great wind, which no one can hold or quit. So

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    it is with all the Bodhisattvas who practice this sutra. No defilement or

    evil teaching can suppress them or arrest them.

    Oh good man! It is like the diamond, which no one can destroy. Such is

    the situation with this Sutra, which neither tirthikas or men of evil

    notions can destroy.

    Oh good man! It's like (the grains of) the sands of the Ganges River,

    which nobody can count. So it is with the meanings of this Sutra.

    Nobody can truly count them completely.

    Oh good man! This Sutra is the banner of the Dharma of all Buddhas,

    just as things happen with the hoisted ensigns of Shakra.

    Oh good man! This Sutra is the merchant who travels the divisions of

    nirvana, or the great guide which sails the great sea with all merchants.

    Oh good man! This Sutra is the light of Dharma of all Bodhisattvas, just

    like the light of the sun and moon truly destroy the darkness all around.

    Oh good man! This sutra serves as the best [medicine] for all beings

    who are suffering from illness. It's like the All-Wonderful King of

    Medicine of (Mount) Gandhamadana, which thoroughly cures allillnesses.

    Oh good man! This Sutra truly serves as a walking stick to the

    icchantika, as in the case of a weak person who can easily support

    himself and stand up.

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    Oh good man! This Sutra truly serves as a bridge for all evil people, just

    like a bridge even allows all the evil people of the world to pass over it.

    Oh good man! This Sutra truly serves as a cool shade to all those who

    carry their lives in the five realms, where they feel heat due to

    defilements, serving them as a sunshade that protects well the persons

    from the heat.

    Oh good man! This Sutra is the King of fearlessness, which thoroughly

    crushes all the devils of defilement, acting as the Lion King, who truly

    subdues all animals.

    Oh good man! This Sutra is a great charmer who can thoroughly crush

    out all the devils of defilement, just as a charmer makes away with the

    mountain elf.

    Oh good man! This Sutra is like the unsurpassed frost and hail, which

    crush out all the karmic results of birth and death, just as the hail

    destroys the fruit trees.

    Oh good man! This Sutra is the greatest of medicines to a person who

    violates sila [the moral precepts], just as the Ajata can truly cure pain of

    the eyes.

    Oh good man! This Sutra keeps all the good dharmas, just like the earth,

    which serves as a support for all things.

    Oh good man! This Sutra is a bright mirror for all beings which violate

    the precepts, just like a mirror which reflects well all colors and forms.

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    Oh good man! This Sutra serves as clothing for those who do not feel

    ashamed of what they did, just like clothing that can well cover and hide

    the carnal form.

    Oh good man! This Sutra serves as a great Treasure House for those

    who are lacking of good things, just like Gunadevi provides benefits to

    the poor.

    Oh good man! This Sutra serves as the water of amrta [immortality] for

    those who feel thirst for the Dharma, as the water of the eight tastes,

    which thoroughly quenches a thirsty person.

    Oh good man! This Sutra serves as a bed of Dharma for those who have

    the worries of defilement, just like the bed of peace that serves the

    people of the world.

    Oh good man! Through this Sutra, the Bodhisattva rises from the first

    stage up to the tenth. It is the cart upon which are laden the jewelry,

    paste incense, powdered incense, burning incense and flowers, and the

    cart in which those of pure castes can ride. It truly surpasses the six

    paramitas. This is a wonderful land of bliss. It's like the parijata tree of

    Trayastrimsa Heaven.

    Oh good man! This sutra is an adamantine and sharpened hatchet,

    which can indeed bring down the great tree of all defilements. This is a

    sharp sword that can truly make away with the taint of ill smell. This is

    the brave and strong that can thoroughly crush out the adversity of

    Mara. This is the fire of Wisdom, which burns up the fuel of defilement.

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    This is the storehouse of the causal relations which gives birth to the

    Pratyekabuddha. This is the storehouse of hearing which gives birth to

    the Sravakas. This is the eye of all gods which serves as the Right Path to

    all beings. This is a refuge for all animals. This is where the hungry

    ghosts gain Emancipation, the holiest of hells, and the unsurpassed

    utensil for all beings of the ten directions. This is the parent of all

    Buddhas of the ten directions of past, future, and present. Oh good

    man! Thus, this Sutra holds within itself all dharmas."

    Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 44 - On Bodhisattva Kasyapa

    5.

    From Root up to the Ultimate

    "Oh good man! With the 37 factors of Enlightenment, there is no

    inversion. Therefore, we can speak of 'pure action'. Oh good man! If any

    Bodhisattva comes to know the root, the cause, what takes in, what

    augments, the master, what leads, what is superior, what is true, and

    what is ultimate; such a Bodhisattva is one of pure action.

    Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: "Oh World Honored One! In

    what sense do we say that one knows from the root up to the ultimate?

    The Buddha said: "Oh good man! Well spoken, well spoken! What you

    speak, Bodhisattva, concerns two things. One is for your own good, and

    the other is for the knowledge of others. Now you know, but since

    innumerable others beings do not yet understand, then you ask. So, I

    now praise you once again. Very good, very good! Oh good man! The

    root of the 37 elements concerning to Enlightenment is desire. The

    cause is the touch of brightness; that which takes in is 'feeling'; that

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    which augments is 'thought'; the 'master' is 'remembrance'

    ('mentalizing'); that which leads is dhyana [ meditation]; that which is

    superior is 'Wisdom'; that which is true is 'Emancipation'; and theultimate is Great Nirvana.

    Oh good man! (Also), all the worries of the world have their rise in

    craving. All illnesses rest on the food cooked in the previous day. All

    segregation arises out from quarrelling and disputation. All evils arise

    out from falsehood. The situation is thus."

    Bodhisattva Kasyapa said: "Oh World Honored One! The Tathagata has

    already established in this sutra that all good things are grounded on

    non-indolence. Now, you say (that) 'desire' (is the root of the 37

    elements concerning to enlightenment). How can I understand this?"

    The Buddha said: "Oh good man! If the cause is sought order to the

    emergence of good things, this is a good desire. If the revealing cause is

    sought, this is non-indolence. We say in the world that the result

    depends on the seed; we say that the seed is the cause of the rise, and

    the soil is the revealing cause. The same is the case here, too."

    Bodhisattva Kasyapa said: "Oh World Honored One! The Tathagata says

    in other sutras that the 37 Enlightenment factors constitute the base.

    What does this imply?"

    "Oh good man! The Tathagata has said before that beings first come toknow of the 37 factors of Enlightenment. The Buddha is the root. The

    awakening depends on desire."

    Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 44 - On Bodhisattva Kasyapa

    5.

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    The Touch of Brightness

    "Oh World Honored One! What do you mean when you say that 'touch

    of brightness' is the cause?"

    "Oh good man! The Tathagata speaks about brightness at times and

    says that it is Wisdom, and at times (he means) 'Faith'. Oh good man!

    Through the causal relation of faith, a person draws near to a Good

    Teacher of the Way. This is touch [contact]. The causal relation of

    befriending leads the person to give ear to Wonderful Dharma. This is'touch'. When someone hears the Wonderful Dharma, the body, mouth

    and mind of that person becomes pure. This is 'touch'. Through the

    purity of the three actions, one gains right living. This is 'touch'. Through

    right living, one gains the sila (precepts) that purifies the organic senses.

    On account of the precepts that purify the organic senses, one comes to

    seek a quiet place. In quietude, one thinks about the good. Through

    good thoughts, one thinks about a life in accordance with the Dharma.

    Through right living (in accordance with the Dharma), one gains the 37elements of Enlightenment. Thus, a person thoroughly crushes out the

    innumerable evil defilements.

    Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 44 - On Bodhisattva Kasyapa

    5.

    From Feeling up to Attainment

    "Oh good man! Feeling is called 'taking-in'. Beings do good or evil at the

    stage of feeling. Therefore, we say that feeling is the taking-in. Oh good

    man! Through the causal relation of feeling, all kinds of defilements

    arise. The 37 elements of the Bodhi truly annihilate these. For this

    reason, we call feeling as taking-in. Good thoughts wipe out well the

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    defilements. Hence, we speak of 'augmenting'. Why? We make efforts

    and try to learn. And so we arrive at those 37 elements of

    Enlightenment. Meditation truly destroys the evil defilements. This isalways grounded on exclusive mindfulness. Thus, meditation is the

    master. Worldwide, all four armed forces move according to the will of

    the Head General. It's the same with the 37 elements of Enlightenment.

    All follow the will of the master, which is the mind.

    When someone enters dhyana [meditation], the 37 elements of

    Enlightenment discriminate well all phases of the Dharma. Therefore,

    meditation is what leads someone. We look into the 37 elements of

    Enlightenment and see that Wisdom is the most superior. For this

    reason, Wisdom is the most superior (of 37 elements). This is why

    Wisdom [is established] as being superior. Thus, Wisdom sees

    defilements. Through the power of Wisdom, defilements die.

    Worldwide, the four armed forces crush out the enemies. There may be

    one or two who are brave and strong, and do so well. So it is with the

    37 elements concerning to Enlightenment. Through the power of

    Wisdom, one ends up with defilements. Therefore, Wisdom is that

    (element) which is superior.

    Oh good man! By learning and practicing the 37 elements of

    Enlightenment, one gains the four dhyanas, the miraculous divine

    powers, and peace. But this is not called 'real'. When it ends up with

    defilements and Emancipation is reached, we say 'real'. A person canaspire to learn and practice the 37 elements of Enlightenment, and be

    blessed with worldly bliss, supramundane bliss, the fruition of

    Shramana practice, and Emancipation. However, we cannot call this the

    Ultimate. When it puts an end to all practices of the 37 elements of

    Enlightenment, that is Nirvana. This is why I say that the Ultimate is

    Great Nirvana."

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    Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 44 - On Bodhisattva Kasyapa

    5.

    The Coarse Meditation

    "The Bodhisattva who recently aspired to Bodhi, when he meditates on

    the image of the non-eternal, thinks: There are two kinds of thing

    which obtains in the world: 1) internal, and 2) external. What is internalis non-eternal and changes. When one born, one sees that the things

    which obtains are different according to the stages of life as birth, when

    it is small, big, in the prime of life, in old age, and when it dies. I see that

    in all these phases of life, things are not the same. Hence, I have to

    know that what is with me is non-eternal'.

    Also, this thought occurs to him: 'When I look at the beings, one isyoung and well nourished, is perfect in physical strength and in the

    movements going and coming, in stepping forward or stopping; and all

    things will proceed unimpeded and so unhindered. Or because of

    illness, the physical strength of a person is weak and his face fallen and

    scary, nothing of pride and freedom. Or I see that a person's storehouse

    is full, or that another person is poor and indigent. Or I see one who is

    full of virtues, or I see one full of evil. So, definitely I know that what is

    inside someone is non-eternal. Also, as regards the external world, too,

    I see that things are different from each other, for example, at the

    stages of seed, bud, stem, leaf, flower and fruit. All that stands [there]

    in the external world is either perfect or imperfect. And I know that all

    things are definitely non-eternal'.

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    In so realize that all things are non-eternal, then one meditates on what

    one listens in the sermons: 'I heard that though the devas [gods,

    heavenly beings] enjoy the best of pleasures, and though they are

    unimpeded in the divine powers, they are subject to the five omens of

    decline [indication of their eventual personal decline from the status of

    being devas]. Due to this, one knows that what exists is non-eternal'.

    'Also, I heard that in the beginning of the kalpa [aeon was] there were

    many beings. Each was garbed in the best virtues. The light that

    emanated from their bodies was so intense that one did not depended

    upon any more from the lights of the sun and moon. [But] due to the

    power of the non-eternal, the light faded and the virtues diminished.

    Also, I heard that there lived, in times past, a Chakravartin [emperor of

    the world] who ruled over the four continents. The seven gems [which

    he possessed] were perfect, and his power was highly unconstrained.

    And yet he could not defeat the non-eternal'.

    Also, he meditates that on the great earth, in time past, innumerable

    beings were fully stabilized in life and enjoyed peace, so that no groove

    of wheel sat upon the other. Wonderful medicines were at hand, and

    the people grew and prospered. Shrubs, trees and fruits were

    abundant. The beings were [gradually] less blessed and this great earth

    had little strength. Whatever grew was wasted. Hence, one shouldknow that all things are non-eternal.

    This is what we call 'coarse' (image) and non-eternal."

    Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 44 - On Bodhisattva Kasyapa

    5.

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    The Minute Meditation

    "Having been meditated upon the coarse, then meditates upon the

    parts in detail. How do we meditate?

    The Bodhisattva-Mahasattva meditates on all things, both inside and

    outside, down to particles existence. Whatever may arise in the future

    will be non-eternal. Why? Because all things are perfect in the form of

    disintegration [i.e., fully subject to dissolution]. If things were not non-

    eternal in the future, we could not say that there are differences in the

    ten kinds (stages) of physical form. What are the ten? At the moment

    they are: 1) membrane, 2) foam (spongy tissue), 3) pustules (pox), 4)

    ball of flesh, 5) limbs, 6) small infant, 7) child, 8 ) young, 9) prime of life,

    10) decrepit old man. The Bodhisattva meditates: If the membrane

    were not non-eternal, it could not become spongy (tissue). And if the

    prime of life were not non-eternal, old age would never come. If the

    time were not fleeting, moment by moment, it could never last long.

    Everything would have to grow up at the same time and be full in size.

    Therefore, one must definitely know that there are existence of tiny

    particles non-eternals, which have to go on existing, continuously [ie,

    changing from moment to moment]. Also, we see a person with all his

    sense organs perfect, and of a bright and shining mien, [only for] all thisdisappear (be consumed) into a weakened state.

    Also, he thinks: There's the non-eternal with this person [ie, what is

    impermanent], succeeding moment after moment. Also, he meditates

    on the four great elements and the four deportments. Also, he

    meditates on the cause of suffering, hunger, thirst, cold and heat that

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    exist inside and outside. Also, he muses: 'If these four things were not

    non-eternal, (succeeding) moment after moment, we could not talk

    about these four sufferings'.

    If the Bodhisattva well meditates thus, we call this minute meditation of

    the Bodhisattva upon the non-eternal."

    Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 44 - On Bodhisattva Kasyapa

    5.

    The Brightness of Wisdom

    "Oh good man! A wise person thinks deeply about the world. It sees: 'It

    is not a place to take refuge in, to gain Emancipation, quietness, love, it

    is not the other shore, and has nothing of the Eternal, Bliss, the Self, and

    the Pure. If I greedily pursue the world, how can I segregate myself from

    it? This is like a man who, abhorring the darkness, seeks the light, and

    yet, turns back again into the darkness. The darkness is the world, the

    light is the Supramundane. If I adhere to the world, I shall plunge into

    the darkness and take away from light. Darkness is ignorance, and light

    is the Brightness of Wisdom. The cause of the brightness of Wisdom is

    the image where one does not feel any expectation of delight in worldly

    things. All greed is nothing more than the bond of defilement. Now I

    shall avidly seek the light of Wisdom, and not the world'. The wise

    person meditates thus. This is the image where one does not seek

    (anything) for one's own self."

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    Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 44 - On Bodhisattva Kasyapa

    5.

    Photo by Diego Raphael

    Momentary Extinction

    Bodhisattva Kasyapa said: "Oh World Honored One! How does a wise

    person meditate on momentary extinction?"

    "Oh good man! For example, there are four people, all they are skilled

    shooters. They gather in one place, and each one shoots an arrow into a

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    [particular] direction. All they think: 'We all shoot arrows together, all of

    which will fall'. And a person thinks: Before that the four arrows fall to

    the ground, I shall catch them with my hands. Thus he thinks. Oh good

    man! This person acts quickly or not?"

    Bodhisattva Kasyapa said: "It does this very quickly, Oh World Honored

    One!"

    The Buddha said: "Oh good man! The devil that lives upon the earth

    moves faster than this person does. There's a flying devil who moves

    faster than the one on earth. The four guardians of the earth move even

    faster than the flying devil. The sun and moon, and the heavenly gods

    move faster than the four guardians of the earth. The garuda goes

    faster than the sun and the moon. The life span of a human goes more

    quickly than a garuda. Oh good man! In one breath and in one wink, the

    life of a being comes about and dies 400 times. If a wise person

    meditates on human life thus, this is to meditate on the momentaryextinction."

    Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 44 - On Bodhisattva Kasyapa

    5.

    Three Kinds of Illnesses of the Beings

    "All beings have three illnesses, which are: 1) greed, 2) the ill-will, and 3)

    ignorance. Three kinds of medicine will cure these three illnesses.

    Meditation upon impurities will act as a medicine against desire,

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    (meditation) on the love-kindness will act as medicine against ill-will,

    (meditation) on the knowledge of causal relations will act against

    ignorance.

    Oh good man! In order to end the desire, one meditates on the non-

    desire; to end the ill-will, the meditation upon the non-ill-will is

    performed; to end the ignorance, one meditates on non-ignorance. In

    the three illnesses we do not have the three kinds of medicine, and in

    the three kinds of medicine we do not have the three kinds of illness.

    Oh Good man! Since there are no the three kinds of medicine in the

    three kinds of illness (i.e., there is no purity in the illness), this is the

    non-eternal, non-bliss, non-self, and non-pure. In the three kinds of

    medicine there are no three kinds of illness (i.e., there are no impurities

    in the medicines). Hence, the Eternal, Bliss, the Self, and the Pure."

    Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 45 - On BodhisattvaKaundinya 1.

    Conversion of Vasistha

    Vasistha said: "Oh World Honored One! Now I come to truly know the

    Eternal and the non-eternal."

    The Buddha said: "Oh good man! How do you know the Eternal and the

    non-eternal?"

    Vasistha said: "I now know that the self and the form are non-eternal

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    and that the Emancipation is Eternal. So it is with [the five skandhas],

    down to consciousness."

    "Oh good man! Now you repay well to this carnal body what you owe."

    To Kaundinya, he said: "This Vasistha has now attained the fruition of

    Arhatship. Give him the three garments [robes] and a bowl (for

    donations)."

    So Kaundinya gave the garments as instructed by the Buddha. Then,

    upon receiving the robes and bowl, Vasistha said: "Oh Kaundinya,

    greatly virtuous one! Now, I gained upon this my carnal body a great

    karmic reward. Please, oh greatly virtuous one, condescend to go to the

    Buddha and report in detail what happened with me. This evil body of

    mine has touched and defiled the Tathagata, and now adopts his family

    name Gautama. Please inform it in my behalf and say that I now repentof my evil deeds. Also, I cannot have this body of mine much longer in

    life. I shall now enter Nirvana."

    Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 45 - On Bodhisattva

    Kaundinya 1.

    The Virtues of Vasistha

    Then Kaundinya went to the Buddha and said, "Oh World Honored One!

    The bhiksu Vasistha repents and says: I was an obstinate fool, I touched

    the body of the Tathagata and now I am one of his group [followers]. I

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    cannot have this viperous body of mine for a long time in the world. He

    now wishes to make away with this body, came to me and repent."

    The Buddha said: "Oh Kaundinya! Vasistha has long amassed virtues at

    the places of innumerable Buddhas. Having now been taught by me, he

    is abiding rightly in the Way. Abiding rightly in the Way, he has arrived

    at the right fruition. You should make offerings to his carnal body."

    Kaundinya, so instructed by the Buddha, went to where the person

    lived and made offerings. Then, Vasistha, on the occasion of his

    cremation, performed many divine miracles. All the tirthikas saw this

    and said aloud: "This Vasistha has acquired sorcery at place of

    Shramana Gautama."

    Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 45 - On Bodhisattva

    Kaundinya 1.

    Self Phantom

    Senika said: "Oh Gautama! If there is no self, who sees and who hears?"

    The Buddha said: "One has the six spheres (of the senses) inside, and

    the six dusts [i.e., the six sense-fields] outside. The inner and outer

    conjoin, and one gains the six kinds of consciousness. Now, these six

    consciousnesses acquire their name through causal relations.

    For example, a fire comes about from a tree, and we talk about 'tree

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    fire'. The grass catches fire, and we talk of 'grass fire'. The bran catches

    fire, and we speak of bran fire. The cow dung catches fire, and we talk

    about 'cow dung fire. It's the same with the consciousness of beings,

    too. 'We have acquired consciousness through the eyes, color, light and

    desire (which are the causal relations of vision), and we say

    consciousness of the eyes.

    Oh good man! Such consciousness of the eyes does not exist in the eye,

    nor in the desire, etc.. The four things conjoin, and we get this

    consciousness. It's the same with the consciousness of mind. If things

    come to be so, we cannot say that the knowing and seeing are the self,

    and that the touching is the self.

    Oh good man! That's why we say that the self is (which covers) from the

    consciousness of the eyes down to the consciousness of mind (through

    the six sense organs), and that all things are phantoms. How are theylike phantoms? Due to the fact that, 'what originally was not, is what it

    is now; and what once was, now is not more'. Oh good man! For

    example, the mixing together of butter, barley, flour, honey, ginger,

    pepper, pippali [kind of long pepper], grapes, walnuts, pomegranates,

    and suishi [a kind of prune] is called 'kangigan' [possibly the name of a

    drug]. Except from this mixing together, there can be no 'kangigan'. The

    six spheres of the inner and outer (of the senses) are what we call thebeing, self, human, male or female. Except from the six spheres of the

    inner and outer, there can be no being, or the human.

    Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 45 - On Bodhisattva

    Kaundinya 1.

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    Pride

    Senika said: "Oh World Honored One! Great Compassionate One!

    Explain to me, I pray, how do I to attain the Eternal, Bliss, Self, and Pure,

    about which you speak?"

    The Buddha said: "Noble son, the entire world possesses a great pride

    [mana] since the beginning, which increases the proud (in itself) and

    also works as the cause of [further] pride and proud actions. Therefore,

    beings now experience the results (rewards) of pride and are not able

    to eliminate all the klesas [mental / moral defilements] and attain the

    Eternal, Bliss, the Self, and the Pure. If beings wish to do away with all

    defilements, what they need to do is, first of all, to end up with

    pride."[Note: the Sanskrit word for pride, mana, has a different

    semantic range from the English 'pride / arrogance'. It is derived from

    the verbal root 'man' (to think, believe, measure, conceive, deem,

    value, regard as) and also means 'measure', 'computation', 'means of

    proof'. The sense of 'pride' here implies processes of generating or

    projecting what are mental constructs implicitly falses. It refers to the

    process described in the previous chapter of the sutra on the four

    inversions (distorted views). - Stephen Hodge].

    Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 45 - On Bodhisattva

    Kaundinya 1.

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    The Two Sides and the In-Between

    The Brahmacarin (called Kasaya) said: "If this carnal body is based on

    the defilements and karma, can we extirpate the defilements and

    karma?"

    The Buddha said: "It's so, It's so!"

    The Brahmacarin further said: "Oh World Honored One! Please be kind

    enough to analyze and expound to me, so that I can truly hear and

    immediately cut the bonds."

    The Buddha said: "Oh good man! If a person comes to know that the

    two sides and the in-between are unimpeded [unobstructed], such a

    person indeed segregates himself from defilements and karma."

    "Oh World Honored One! Now I know and have gained the right

    Dharma-Eye."

    The Buddha said: "In what manner do you know?"

    "Oh World Honored One! The two sides are 'material form' and'emancipation of material form', and the in-between is the 'Noble

    Eightfold Path'. So it is with feeling, perception, volition, and

    consciousness."

    The Buddha said: "Well spoken, well spoken, Oh good man! Now you

    come to know of the two sides and cut away the defilements and

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    karma."

    Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 46 - On Bodhisattva

    Kaundinya 2.

    Why Subdue the Mind

    "Oh you! If one gained the Path through penance [the practice ofausterities], all animals would have to attain it. That is why one first

    subdues the mind and not the body. Hence, I say in my sutra that one

    must cut down the forest, but not the tree. Why? From forest, one

    gains fear, but not from the tree. If a person wishes adjust your body, it

    must first adjust the mind. The mind is the forest, and the body is the

    tree. So we may compare things.

    Read More on the Nirvana Sutra, Chapter 46 - On Bodhisattva

    Kaundinya 2.

    http://muccamargo.blogspot.com/2011/07/why-subdue-mind.htmlhttp://muccamargo.blogspot.com/2011/07/why-subdue-mind.html
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    CONTENTS

    THE TREASURE HOUSE ......................................................... 3

    FROM ROOT UP TO THE ULTIMATE .......................................... 7

    THE TOUCH OF BRIGHTNESS .................................................. 9

    FROM FEELING UP TO ATTAINMENT......................................... 9

    THE COARSE MEDITATION .................................................. 11

    THE MINUTE MEDITATION.................................................. 13

    THE BRIGHTNESS OF WISDOM ............................................. 14

    MOMENTARY EXTINCTION .................................................. 15

    THREE KINDS OF ILLNESSES OF THE BEINGS.............................. 16

    CONVERSION OF VASISTHA .................................................. 17

    THE VIRTUES OF VASISTHA .................................................. 18

    SELF PHANTOM ................................................................ 19

    PRIDE............................................................................. 21

    THE TWO SIDES AND THE IN-BETWEEN .................................. 22

    WHY SUBDUE THE MIND .................................................... 23