The Two Traditions vis-à-vis Parinibbāna

Exploring Theravāda's connections to other paths - what can we learn from other traditions, religions and philosophies?
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Coëmgenu
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The Two Traditions vis-à-vis Parinibbāna

Post by Coëmgenu »

Split from a topic in the "Discovering" subforum.
2600htz wrote: Fri Dec 03, 2021 8:54 pm Hi:

Uhmm arguing against the Bodhisattva ideal mahayana concept just makes me cringe, because it has so many holes.

Also i think its a very bad thing to do, make people believe they should not attain nibbana. Probably just that idea creates a disposition that stops them from attaining lower stages like sotapanna.

Regards.
This is a common misconception in the West. The vehicularists of bodhisattvayāna do not postpone Bodhi/Nirvāṇa. They postpone Parinirvāṇa. This, according to the reckonings of earlier scholasticisms, Theravāda included, is utterly impossible. Material to come contrasting and comparing Mahāyāna and Theravāda conceptions of "Nirvāṇa" and "Parinirvāṇa."
What is the Uncreated?
Sublime & free, what is that obscured Eternity?
It is the Undying, the Bright, the Isle.
It is an Ocean, a Secret: Reality.
Both life and oblivion, it is Nirvāṇa.
2600htz
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Re: The Two Traditions vis-à-vis Parinibbāna

Post by 2600htz »

Coëmgenu wrote: Fri Dec 03, 2021 10:07 pm Split from a topic in the "Discovering" subforum.
2600htz wrote: Fri Dec 03, 2021 8:54 pm Hi:

Uhmm arguing against the Bodhisattva ideal mahayana concept just makes me cringe, because it has so many holes.

Also i think its a very bad thing to do, make people believe they should not attain nibbana. Probably just that idea creates a disposition that stops them from attaining lower stages like sotapanna.

Regards.
This is a common misconception in the West. The vehicularists of bodhisattvayāna do not postpone Bodhi/Nirvāṇa. They postpone Parinirvāṇa. This, according to the reckonings of earlier scholasticisms, Theravāda included, is utterly impossible. Material to come contrasting and comparing Mahāyāna and Theravāda conceptions of "Nirvāṇa" and "Parinirvāṇa."
Hi:

That may be a technicality inside the doctrine that exists in opposition to the rest of the proposition, but the heart of the vow is different. It puts the person in a search for buddhahood, and because of that the inability to attain nibbana.

Regards
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Coëmgenu
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Re: The Two Traditions vis-à-vis Parinibbāna

Post by Coëmgenu »

You might want to rephrase your critique. Being in search of Buddhahood does not mean that there is a subsequent unavailability of Nibbāna.

Theravādins are "in search" of Buddhahood too. An Arhat is a "Sāvakabuddha," a sort of Buddha. Just because they are "in search of Buddhahood" does not mean that Nibbāna is unavailable to Theravādins.
What is the Uncreated?
Sublime & free, what is that obscured Eternity?
It is the Undying, the Bright, the Isle.
It is an Ocean, a Secret: Reality.
Both life and oblivion, it is Nirvāṇa.
2600htz
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Joined: Fri Aug 27, 2010 11:37 pm

Re: The Two Traditions vis-à-vis Parinibbāna

Post by 2600htz »

Coëmgenu wrote: Fri Dec 03, 2021 11:30 pm You might want to rephrase your critique. Being in search of Buddhahood does not mean that there is a subsequent unavailability of Nibbāna.

Theravādins are "in search" of Buddhahood too. An Arhat is a "Sāvakabuddha," a sort of Buddha. Just because they are "in search of Buddhahood" does not mean that Nibbāna is unavailable to Theravādins.
Hi Coemgenu:

Yes sorry.

I only have a problem when searching for buddhahood means taking a vow to stay in samsara after all being are released. Or when searching for buddhahood means taking a vow to become a buddha (someone that discovers the 4 noble truths and dependent origination by themselves).

If buddhahood here just means being free of greed, hate and delusion then i have nothing to say.

Regards
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Re: The Two Traditions vis-à-vis Parinibbāna

Post by cappuccino »

2600htz wrote: Sat Dec 04, 2021 10:55 am I only have a problem when … taking a vow to stay in samsara (until) after all beings are released.
yeah not even Buddha did that


hence why are Buddhists trying?
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Coëmgenu
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Re: The Two Traditions vis-à-vis Parinibbāna

Post by Coëmgenu »

Sorry it's taking me so long to substantiate a connection. I do have a post in the makings, but it turned into a mini-essay, and I've had a dearth of free time to finish it. I've decided to avoid engaging in this thread of my own making until I can actually make it DhammaWheel-kosher with said connections I promised two days ago!
What is the Uncreated?
Sublime & free, what is that obscured Eternity?
It is the Undying, the Bright, the Isle.
It is an Ocean, a Secret: Reality.
Both life and oblivion, it is Nirvāṇa.
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Coëmgenu
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Re: The Two Traditions vis-à-vis Parinibbāna

Post by Coëmgenu »

In the process of making this thread, I had a few ideas on how to proceed. I discarded a longer more discursive version of it because I think it would be better to let the people quoted "for themselves" to the extent that they are able to through these selections. The basic gist was to collect alternating quotations from "well known sources" (i.e. famous bhikkhus, etc.), because I was more interesting in comparing interpretations of scripture than scriptures themselves. I mean, we all know that the two traditions, Mahayana and Theravada, have wildly divergent scriptures. It is the material in-common and how that is dealt with IMO that is more interesting than questions like "Does Theravada have bodhicitta?" and suchlike.

Here is a list of several descriptions presented in no particular order from Theravādin and Mahāyānika Venerables as well as some quotations of suttas and sūtras.
But it is not enough to see dependent origination only as the arising of formations; you need also to see it as the perishing and cessation of formations:

And what, bhikkhus, is the Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering?

[1] With ignorance's remainderless fading away and cessation,
[2] volitional formations cease;
[3] with volitional formations' cessation, consciousness ceases;
[4] with consciousness's cessation, mentality-materiality ceases ;
[5] with mentality-materiality's cessation, the six sense bases cease;
[6] with the six sense bases' cessation, contact ceases;
[7] with contact's cessation, feeling ceases;
[8] with feeling's cessation, craving ceases;
[9] with craving's cessation, clinging ceases;
[10] with clinging's cessation, existence ceases;
[11] with existence's cessation, birth ceases;
[12] with birth's cessation, ageing & death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair cease.

Such is the cessation of this whole mass of suffering. This is called, bhikkhus, the Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering.

You need to see the momentary cessation of formations that takes place from consciousness moment to consciousness moment, which is knowing and seeing the (mundane) Truth of Suffering. And you need to continue until you see that you in the future attain Arahantship and later attain Parinibbāna. When you in the future attain Arahantship, ignorance (1) will have been destroyed, and there will have been the remainderless cessation of volitional formations (2), craving (8), and clinging (9): the causes for suffering will have ceased. But suffering itself will not have ceased, because the results of past kamma still operate: you will still be possessed of the five aggregates. (Even The Buddha was possessed of the five aggregates, and suffered pleasant and unpleasant feelings. It is only at your Parinibbāna that the five aggregates cease without remainder: it is only at your Parinibbāna that suffering ceases. This means there are two types of cessation:

1) the cessation at your attainment of Arahantship
2) the cessation at your Parinibbāna

The cause for these two cessations is the Arahant Path Knowledge, which knows and sees (the Unformed) Nibbàna, the Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering. But this does not mean that when you now look into the future and know and see your attainment of Arahantship and Parinibbāna, you know and see Nibbāna: you do not at this stage know and see Nibbāna. At this stage you know and see only when the five causes that give rise to formations cease, there are no more formations. With that knowledge, you understand that your Parinibbāna will have been realized.
Ven Āciṇṇa (Pa-Auk Sayadaw), Knowing and Seeing (Fifth Ed.), p. 22-23

The Venerable, as a footnote to "Even the Buddha was possessed of the five aggregates, and suffered pleasant and unpleasant feelings," points out that "The Buddha suffered, for example, because of back pain (see p. 241), and at old age because of ageing (see quotation p. 252)." Also relevant, from the "Question and Answers" segment after the middle of the book at p. 181:

Question 5.7 Do all the good and bad kammas of an Arahant mature prior to his Parinibbāna?

Answer 5.7 Not all. Some good and bad kamma may mature and produce their results. If they do not mature they do not produce a result, and are lapsed kamma , kamma that no longer produce any result. For example, the unwholesome kamma of one of the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna's past lives produced its results just before his Parinibbāna. In one of his past lives he had tried unsuccessfully to kill his blind parents. Due to that unwholesome kamma, he suffered in hell for many thousands of years, and when he escaped from hell, he was killed in about two hundred lives. In each of those lives his skull was crushed. In his last life too, every bone in his body was crushed, including his skull. Why? The unwholesome kamma had matured. Unless unwholesome and wholesome kammas have matured, they do not produce any results. They are kamma by name only.
THE TWO TYPES OF PARINIBBĀNA

The Buddha speaks of two types of Parinibbāna:

1) The Nibbāna element with remainder (saupādisesānibbānadhātu): here, as we mentioned before, the four Path Knowledges take the Unformed Element (asaṅkhatadhātu) as object. Doing so, they destroy the defilements stage by stage. And with the fourth Path Knowledge (the Arahant Path-Knowledge (arahattamaggañāṇa)), there is the remainderless cessation of defilements: that is, they no longer arise, ever. Hence, this type of Parinibbāna is also called defilements Parinibbāna (kilesaparinibbāna). With the defilements Parinibbāna there is the destruction of lust (rāgakkhayo), the destruction of hatred (dosakkhayo), and the destruction of delusion (mohakkhayo). That means the five causes for future rebirth have been destroyed: ignorance, volitional formations, craving, clinging, and the existence of kammic potency have ceased to be: the Arahant's volition is therefore only functional (kiriya). And all the kammas accomplished before Arahantship, which had the power or potency to produce a new existence lapse. But the Arahant's aggregates have not ceased; they still remain. If the Arahant is a human being or a sensual-realm deva, there are still consciousness, mentality-materiality, the six bases (eye-, ear-, nose-, tongue-, body-, and mind- base), contact, and feeling. The human Arahant still has consciousness established in the human world, in the sensual sphere, and still experiences physically painful feelings (dukkhavedanā), pleasant feelings, and neutral feelings. But because all defilements have been destroyed, she or he does not experience mentally unpleasant feelings (domanassavedanā).

2) The Nibbāna element without remainder (anupādisesānibbānadhātu): here, the aggregates cease. Hence, this is also called aggregates Parinibbāna (khandhaparinibbāna). But if it is a human Arahant, there remains one type of materiality aggregate: temperature-born materiality (utujarūpa), which is the human corpse: if the corpse is cremated, there may remain material relics (dhātu). The five results that are the present rebirth have now ceased. For the Arahant of the human or sensual-realm deva, it is the remainderless cessation of consciousness, mentality-materiality, the six bases (eye-, ear-, nose-,tongue-, body-, and mind- base), contact, and feeling. Here again, 'remainderless cessation' means no further arising. The Arahant's decease consciousness arises, stands and perishes, and then there is no further arising of consciousness. It means all suffering has ceased without remainder: physically painful feelings (dukkhavedanā), mentally painful feelings, pleasant feelings, and neutral feelings. The remainderless cessation of defilements and the kammic potency is the cause, and the remainderless cessation of the five aggregates is the effect.

Our Buddha's defilements Parinibbāna took place at Uruvelā, beside the Nerañjarā River at the foot of the Bodhi Tree: there, He realized the Unformed Element, Nibbāna, with His four Path & Fruition Knowledges. He lived on for forty-five years,teaching the Dhamma. Many times He suffered physical pain and discomfort, because of digestive problems. And when Devadatta caused a splinter of rock to strike The Buddha's foot, The Buddha suffered great physical pain. But He endured the pain, mindful, and discerning, without suffering mental pain. Then, when our Buddha was eighty years old, between the two lines of sāla trees in Kusināra, His aggregates Parinibbāna took place. Only with the attainment of one's aggregates Parinibbāna has one put an end to all suffering, because there is no re-arising of any aggregate: the Arahant attains Parinibbāna with consciousness unestablished (apatiṭṭhita). To prevent any misunderstandings, let us then discuss consciousness established (patiṭṭhita) and consciousness unestablished (apatiṭṭhita).

CONSCIOUSNESS ESTABLISHED AND UNESTABLISHED

CONSCIOUSNESS ESTABLISHED
Let us begin by repeating the beginning of the two Gaddulabaddha suttas:

Inconceivable is the beginning, bhikkhus, of the round of rebirth. A first point is not known of ignorance - hindered beings fettered by craving, rushing on and running about.

As we have already mentioned, The Buddha is here discussing the round of rebirth (saṁsāra). It is the rushing on from one world to another (birth now as a human being, then a deva, then an animal, then again a human being, etc.), and the running about within one world (again and again birth as a human being, or again and again birth as a deva, etc.). What is birth? It is the arising of resultant aggregates: they arise as the result of past kamma. The Buddha speaks of birth also as descent (okkanti) (descent of consciousness). And He speaks of birth as consciousness established (viññāṇa patiṭṭhita),which is the same thing: the arising and establishment of the rebirth-linking consciousness (paṭisandhicitta). The rebirth-linking consciousness is a resultant conciousness (vipākacitta), and it takes as object the kamma, kamma sign (kammanimitta) or destination sign (gatinimitta) cognized by the near-death process (maraṇāsannavīthi) of the preceding life. As we have explained before, consciousness does not (cannot) arise alone. It arises always together with the three other mental aggregates, feeling (vedanā), perception (saññā), and formations (saṅkhāra): they are mental factors (cetasika). When a being is born in the sensual realm (the hells, the animal world, the ghost world, the human world, and the sensual-realm deva worlds), or in the fine-material realm (the Brahma world),the rebirth-linking consciousness depends on materiality (rūpa): that makes the five aggregates (pañcakkhandha). In the Pali Texts, rebirth of a being in the sensual- and fine-material worlds is called five constituent existence (pañcavokārabhavo).In such a case, the rebirth-linking consciousness (paṭisandhicitta) is established together with resultant mentality-materiality (vipākanāmarūpa). When a being is born in the immaterial world, however, the rebirth-linking consciousness is established together with only feelings, perception, and formations: there is no materiality. Therefore, such rebirth is called four-constituent existence (catuvokārabhavo). And when a being is reborn in the impercipient world, only matter is established. Therefore such rebirth is called single-constituent existence (ekavokārabhavo). But because the impercipient being (asaññāsatta) has not uprooted the latencies, impercipient existence is followed by re-establishment of consciousness. How? When the impercipient being's material life faculty is cut off, in the next mind moment there is the maturing of an adventitious indefinitely-effective kamma from that being's past: it establishes a rebirth consciousness in the human world, which is five-constituent existence. That is how there is the establishment of consciousness (rebirth), in the three spheres of existence: the sensual-, fine-material, and immaterial sphere. Is there rebirth anywhere else? No. The Buddha says the highest existence is rebirth in the highest plane of the immaterial sphere: the plane of neither-perception nor non-perception. After the rebirth consciousness is established, what happens? After the rebirth consciousness is established, the life-continuum consciousnesses (bhavaṅgacitta) arise one after the other: they take the same past object as the rebirth-linking consciousness, and are also resultant consciousnesses. The stream of life-continuum consciousnesses is arrested only when there arises a mental process(cittavīthi): either a five-door process (pañcadvāravīthi), or a mind-door process (manodvāravīthi). Such a mental process comprises resultant consciousnesses (vipākacitta), functional consciousnesses (kiriyacitta), and impulsion consciousnesses (javana). As we have discussed earlier, the impulsion consciousnesses of a non-Arahant produce kamma: they are also called kamma consciousness (kammaviññāṇa). That way, from the beginning of a life (the rebirth-linking consciousness (paṭisandhicitta)) up to the end of that life (the decease consciousness (cuticitta)), there is established a stream of consciousness (viññāṇasota). And together with each consciousness arise also the mental factors (feeling, perception, and formations), as well as materiality. We have thus consciousness, mental factors, and materiality arising and perishing one after the other like a river. The last consciousness in one life is the decease consciousness (cuticitta): it takes the same past object as the rebirth-linking consciousness and life-continuum consciousnesses, and it is also a resultant consciousness. Then, so long as one is still one of the ignorance-hindered beings fettered by craving, the decease consciousness is followed by yet another rebirth-linking consciousness: in the very next mind moment. The stream of consciousness is not broken. It establishes itself in a new set of mentality-materiality: that is rebirth of a new 'being'. For example, a human being's decease consciousness arises and perishes, and then a new rebirth-linking consciousness may be established in another world, maybe the animal world or a deva world: that is rushing on from one world to another. The new rebirth-linking consciousness may also be established in a new mother's womb: that is running about within one world. A being who in this way rushes on and runs about is in fact merely the establishment of a stream of consciousness. It may be established in, for example, the sensual sphere, and flow there maybe over many lives. It may be established as the mentality-materiality of a human being, and then as the mentality-materiality of a deva, etc. Then maybe it stops flowing in the sensual sphere, and establishes itself in the fine-material sphere, flowing there for many lives too. Again, it may stop flowing in that sphere, and continue flowing in the human world again, etc. The two main causes for the establishment of consciousness are ignorance (avijjā) and craving (taṇhā). Without ignorance and craving, the kammic potency (kammasatti) cannot establish consciousness in any sphere. We have discussed this many times. With the Arahant Path-Knowledge, there is the remainderless cessation of ignorance and craving. That means ignorance and craving will never arise again: it is the defilements Parinibbāna (kilesaparinibbāna). With the remainderless cessation of ignorance and craving, the kammic potency of present volition ceases to be: we may say it is the complete unworking of present kamma. But the kammic potency of past kamma still works, which means the Arahant's stream of consciousness continues, and consciousness is still established. Consciousness is no longer established, however, in the production of kamma. The impulsion consciousnesses that arise no longer produce kamma: the Arahant's volition is purely functional.

CONSCIOUSNESS UNESTABLISHED
Then we shall ask you a question. If ignorance and craving are the reason why consciousness is established in one of three realms again and again; if ignorance and craving are why a being is reborn again and again (now here, now there), what happens when ignorance and craving have been destroyed? What happens when the cause for consciousness's establishment has been destroyed?

It is very easy: when the cause for consciousness's establishment has been destroyed, consciousness is not established: when consciousness is not established, it is unestablished (appatiṭṭhita). At the dissolution of the Arahant's decease consciousness (at the Arahant's death), the stream of consciousness is unestablished in this world or another world. It is the complete unworking of kamma past, present, and future. At the Arahant's death, there is no further flow of consciousness: that is the aggregates Parinibbāna (khandhaparinibbāna). As The Buddha says at the end of the second Gaddulabaddhasutta, the Noble Disciple knows: Consumed is birth (khīṇā jāti).
Ibid., The Workings of Kamma, p. 343-347

The Venerable includes a diagram:
parinibbana chart.GIF
The path to nibbana lies through the understanding of samsara for the reason that the experiential realization of the unconditioned emerges from a prior penetration of the fundamental nature of the conditioned, without which it is impossible. The states of mind which realize nibbana are called liberations (vimokkha), and these liberations are threefold according to the particular aspect of nibbana they fix upon — the signless (animitta), the wishless (appanihita), and emptiness (suññata). The signless liberation focuses upon nibbana as devoid of the "signs" determinative of a conditioned formation, the wishless liberation as free from the hankering of desire, and the emptiness liberation as devoid of a self or of any kind of substantial identity. Now these three liberations are each entered by a distinct gateway or door called "the three doors to liberation," (vimokkhamukha).[26] These three doors signify precisely the contemplations of the three universal marks of the conditioned — impermanence, suffering, and selflessness. Insight into each mark is a different door leading into the realization of the unconditioned. The profound contemplation of impermanence is called the door to the signless liberation, since comprehension of impermanence strips away the "sign of formations" exposing the markless reality of the imperishable to the view of the contemplative vision. The contemplation of suffering is called the door to the wishless liberation, since understanding of the suffering inherent in all formations dries up the desire that reaches out for them. And deep contemplation of selflessness is called the door to the emptiness liberation, since it exposes the voidness of substantial identity in all phenomena and hence the unviability of the self-notion in relation to the unconditioned. In each close the understanding of the conditioned and the realization of the unconditioned are found to lock together in direct connection, so that by penetrating the conditioned to its very bottom and most universal features, the yogin passes through the door leading out of the conditioned to the supreme security of the unconditioned.

The supramundane consciousness that realizes nibbana directly penetrates the four noble truths, illuminating them all at once with startling clarity: "Just, O monks, as a man in the gloom and darkness of the night, at the sudden flashing up of lightning, should with his eyes recognize the objects; just so the monk sees, according to reality: 'This is suffering, this is the origin of suffering, this is the cessation of suffering, this is the path leading to the cessation of suffering.'"[27] The penetration of the truths simultaneously performs four functions, one with respect to each truth. It fully understands (parijanati) the first noble truth, the truth of suffering, since by taking nibbana as its object it acquires a perspective from which it can directly see that in contrast to the unconditioned every thing impermanent, defiled, and conditioned is marked with suffering. It abandons (pajahati) the second noble truth, the truth of the origin, since it eradicates the craving and defilements which originate suffering so that they can never arise again. It realizes (sacchikaroti) the third noble truth, the truth of cessation, by apprehending nibbana in which all the suffering of samsara is permanently cut off. And it develops (bhaveti) the path, the fourth noble truth, since at the moment of penetration the eight mental factors comprised in the noble eightfold path concurrently arise performing the task of realization. Right view sees the unconditioned; right thought directs the mind upon it; right speech, right action, and right livelihood eradicate their opposites; right effort invigorates the mind; right mindfulness fixes attention on the unconditioned, and right concentration unifies the mind in absorption on the unconditioned. The ancients compare the mind's ability to perform this fourfold function to the burning of a lamp. Just as a lamp simultaneously burns the wick, dispels the darkness, creates light, and uses up the oil, so the supramundane knowledge simultaneously understands suffering, abandons craving, realizes nibbana, and develops the path.

[...]

The emancipation realized by the arahant has a twofold aspect. One aspect is the emancipation from ignorance and defilements experienced during the course of his lifetime, the other the emancipation from repeated existence attained with his passing away. Through his complete penetration of the four noble truths, the arahant has eradicated ignorance and released his mind from the grip of the passions. The fading away of the passions issues in a stainless purity called emancipation of mind (cetovimutti); the fading away of ignorance issues in a radiant awareness called emancipation of wisdom (paññavimutti). The mind of the arahant is at once impeccably pure through the absence of attachment and radiantly bright through the luminosity of wisdom. Endowed with this emancipation of mind and of wisdom, he can move and act in the world without being soiled by the mire of the world. He chooses, thinks, decides, and wills free from the compulsion of egoistic habits. The grasping of "I" and "mine" has ceased, the inclination to conceit can no more obsess him. Having seen the egoless nature of all phenomena he has cut through the tangle of egoistic constructs and become "a sage who is at peace" (muni santo).

Since he has destroyed the defilements, whatever disturbances might assail a person on their account no longer assail him. Even though sublime and striking sense objects come into range of his perception they cannot overwhelm his mind: "His mind remains untouched, steadfast, unshakable, beholding the impermanency of everything."[30] In the arahant greed, hatred, and delusion, the unwholesome roots which underlie all evil, have been totally abandoned. They are not merely suppressed, but withered up down to the level of their latencies, so that they are no longer able to spring up again in the future. This destruction of greed, hatred, and delusion is called the nibbana realizable during life-time; it is nibbana visible here and now. "In so far as the monk has realized the complete extinction of greed, hatred, and delusion, in so far is nibbana realizable, immediate, inviting, attractive, and comprehensible to the wise."[31] Because in this attainment the five aggregates continue to function, sustained by bodily vitality, it is also called "the nibbana element with a residue remaining."[32]

But though for the arahant disturbances due to the defilements do not arise, he is still subject to "a measure of disturbance" conditioned by the body with its six sense faculties.[33] Though he cannot be overcome by greed and aversion he still experiences pleasure and pain; though he cannot generate kamma binding to samsara he must still choose and act within the limits set by his circumstances. Such experience, however, is for the arahant purely residual. It is merely the playing out of his stored up kamma from the past, which can still fructify and call forth responses so long as the body acquired through prior craving stands. But because craving has now been inwardly exhausted, there lies ahead for him no renewal of the round of birth and death. All feelings, being experienced with detachment, not being delighted in, will become cool. They arouse no new craving, provoke no new expectations, lead to no new accumulations of kamma; they merely continue on devoid of fecundity until the end of the life span. With the break-up of the body at his passing away, the arahant makes an end to the beginningless process of becoming. This is the second stage of his emancipation — emancipation from renewed existence, from future birth, aging, and death: "The sage who is at peace is not born, does not age, does not die, does not tremble, does not yearn. For him there does not exist that on account of which he might be born. Not being born, how can he age? Not aging, how can he die?"[34] Because, with the emancipation from continued existence, no residue of the aggregates persists, this attainment is called "the nibbana element without residue remaining."[35][28]
Ven Bodhi, Transcendental Dependent Arising: A Translation and Exposition of the Upanisa Sutta

What is Nibbāna? Is It a Realm?

Question: Would Bhante please explain what Nibbāna really is? There are some who have the point of view that Nibbāna is a realm - a realm of emptiness or a realm in which desire ceases. In Buddhism there are six realms; could Nibbāna be the seventh realm?

Answer: Nibbāna is outside of the thirty-one planes of existence. It is beyond the planes of existence. It is not a realm. There are three types of loka - okāsaloka, sattaloka, and saṅkhāraloka. Okāsaloka refers to the realms in which beings dwell. Sattaloka refers to all the beings that live in the different realms. From the ultimate point of view, both okāsaloka and sattaloka are just arising and perishing. They are just ultimate mentality and materiality which are arising and perishing. Therefore they are called saṅkhāraloka. If you look with insight knowledge at the realms in which all the various beings live, or at the beings which are living in the different realms, both beings and realms are all just arising and perishing. They are nothing other than the arising and perishing of ultimate mentality and materiality. Therefore they are called saṅkhāradhamma, or saṅkhāraloka. Furthermore, both okāsaloka and sattaloka are just concepts (paññati). If we break these concepts down into ultimate reality, they are just ultimate mentality and materiality. This is the connection between these three loka, these three worlds.

Nibbāna is the unconditioned (asaṅkhāta). To attain Nibbāna, which is Unconditioned Dhamma (asaṅkhāta dhamma), you need to know and see conditioned dhamma, which is saṅkhāta dhamma. When meditators contemplate impermanence, suffering and non-self, they see the perishing of these conditioned dhamma. Instead, they want to attain the complete cessation of arising and perishing - which is the Unconditioned Dhamma, Nibbāba.

Nibbāna is not a realm. Nibbāna is that which is realized by the attainment of Path and Fruition. Nibbāna is akaṭa - it is not done by anyone, nor is it caused by anything. Nibbāna is amata - it is deathless. Nibbāna is santisukha - it is real happiness. Nibbāna is appaccaya - it is causeless. It isn't the case that Path Knowledge makes Nibbāna appear, rather, the attainment of Path Knowledge realises Nibbāna. Nibbāna exists all the time. If it were caused by the Path Knowledge, it would be conditioned dhamma. It is not conditioned dhamma; it is unconditioned dhamma. It exists whether the Buddha arose in the world or whether the Buddha didn't arise in the world. However, it is only when the Buddha arose in the world that the way to attain and realise Nibbāna was discovered, and it was so discovered by the Buddha. Nibbāna is not some sort of realm which all the Fully Enlightened Buddhas and all the Arahants enter. Nibbāna is not a realm at all. Only while the Enlightened Ones are alive in this physical body can they attain or realise Nibbāna anytime by entering Fruition. This is an attainment they can practically experience in this very life, and not a realm they enter after they pass away.

[...]

Does the Mind Cease In Fruition Attainment?

Question: Does the mind cease when a Noble Person enters Fruition Attainment (phalasamāpatti) taking Nibbāna as an object?

Answer: The mind does not cease when a Noble Person enters Fruition Attainment (phalasamāpatti) taking Nibbāna as an object. This is explained by the Buddha to Venerable Ānanda in the Samādhisutta of the Aṅguttaranikāya in the Chapter of the Tens. Venerable Ānanda asked the Buddha:

"Bhante, could a Bhikkhu obtain such a state of concentration that he would not be percipient (1) of earth in relation to earth, (2) of water in relation to water, (3) of fire in relation to fire, (4) of air in relation to air, (5) of the base of the infinity of space in relation to the base of the infinity of space, (6) of the base of the infinity of consciousness in relation to the base of the infinity of consciousness, (7) of the base of nothingness in relation to the base of nothingness, (8) of the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception in relation to the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, (9) of this world in relation to this world, or (10) of the other world in relation to the other world, but he would still be percipient?"

"He could, Ānanda."

"But how, Bhante, could he obtain such a state of concentration?"

"Here, Ānanda, a Bhikkhu is percipient thus: 'This is peaceful, this is sublime, that is, the stilling of all activities, the relinquishing of all acquisitions, the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna.' It is in this way, Ānanda, that a bhikkhu could obtain such a state of concentration that he would not be percipient (1) of earth in relation to earth, (2) of water in relation to water, (3) of fire in relation to fire, (4) of air in relation to air, (5) of the base of the infinity of space in relation to the base of the infinity of space, (6) of the base of the infinity of consciousness in relation to the base of the infinity of consciousness, (7) of the base of nothingness in relation to the base of nothingness, (8) of the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception in relation to the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, (9) of this world in relation to this world, or (10) of the other world in relation to the other world, but he would still be percipient."

In the subsequent sutta, Venerable Ānanda asked the same question of Venerable Sāriputta. Venerable Sāriputta recounted his own experience, which was similar to what the Buddha had described.

Venerable Ānanda then asked for further clarification: "But of what was the Venerable Sāriputta percipient on that occasion?"

Venerable Sāriputta answered by giving a simile: "One perception arose and another perception ceased in me: 'The cessation of existence is Nibbāna, the cessation of existence is Nibbāna.' Just as, when a fire of twigs is burning, one flame arises and another flame ceases, so one perception arose and another perception ceased in me: 'The cessation of existence is Nibbāna, the cessation of existence is Nibbāna.' On that occasion, friend, I was percipient: 'The cessation of existence is Nibbāna.'"

How do we understand this? With the intention to enter Fruition Attainment, a Noble person enters the earth kasiṇa first jhāna. Emerging from it, he contemplates impermanence or suffering or non-self by seeing the perishing of the earth kasiṇa first jhāna dhamma. Then he inclines his mind to enter Fruition Attainment. And he enters it (phalasamāpatti) taking Nibbāna as an object.

At that time, in his mind there is no perception of earth in relation to earth, but there is the perception of Nibbāna. One perception arises and another perception ceases at that time. The Fruition Attainment is not "the cessation of perception and feeling." In the same way, any Noble person can enter Fruition Attainment, taking Nibbāna, as an object, by contemplating impermanence or suffering or non-self through seeing the perishing of any conditioned dhamma such as ultimate materiality or mentality or any jhāna dhamma, either internally or externally, and in any period of time - past, present or future. There are conditioned dhamma and Unconditioned Dhamma. The conditioned dhamma are arising and perishing rapidly all the time. The in Unconditioned Dhamma, Nibbāna, mentality and materiality cease completely.

So the mind does not cease when a Noble Person enters Fruition Attainment. There is the perception of Nibbāna. Some practitioners claim that they know nothing during the time they are in Fruition Attainment, and it is only when they emerge from it that they know that they have entered Fruition Attainment. If it is so, they have no perception of Nibbāna at that time. Indeed, they are fallen into the bhavaṅga mind state, in which they know nothing and are soundly asleep. What they have attained is 'sleeping nibbāna,' not the Nibbāna declared and taught by the Buddha.
Ven Revata, Expectation Derived from One's Point of View, p. 127-130
In chewing and swallowing the food, the child must depend upon himself to take action. Learning is the same: the child may depend upon his parents for placement in a school and for the payment of tuition fees, but the child must study by himself. He cannot depend upon his mother, father, or anyone else to study and gain knowledge for him while he sits by doing nothing. Studying to gain knowledge requires dependence upon oneself, upon one's body, and one's own power of intelligence for learning. This is called taking refuge in oneself. But how should one take refuge in oneself so as to not be indolent and unsuccessful? One must practice according to the teachings and instructions of Lord Buddha, who taught us to strive and persevere until we succeed. This is called taking refuge in the Lord Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Saṅgha; that is, contemplating these three and practicing in accordance with them. They can be one's refuge and likewise one can take refuge in oneself.

However, there may be the problem: at the present time, where does the Lord Buddha reside? Students of Buddhist history would answer: at the present time only the Dhamma and the Discipline (vinaya), proclaimed by the Lord Buddha while he was still alive, are in existence. These were established as the representatives of the Exalted Teacher when He was about to pass away (parinibbāna). But some students of the Dhamma may try to make others think by replying: "the Lord Buddha attained the Deathless Dhamma (amatadhamma), He is therefore immortal." Thus at the present time, the Lord Buddha still exists and will exist forever. Where does He dwell? He exists in the Deathless Dhamma. Some Dhamma students may refer to evidence in the scriptures: it does not say whether the Lord Buddha and the Arahantas die and vanish, or die to be reborn again. This is because what dies is the aggregates or the bodily aggregate (khandhakāya). The Lord Buddha and the Arahantas are not aggregates. To say that they die and vanish, or die and are reborn, or die and whatever are all incorrect. Dhamma students still maintain that: saying that the Lord Buddha exists and is immortal is not baseless. If one wishes to see the Lord Buddha at this or any other time, one must resolve to practice Buddhism; train the mind for concentration, train discernment of the Dhamma, and one can see the Lord Buddha by oneself. This is because the Lord Buddha has affirmed that: "Whoever sees the Dhamma, sees the Buddha." This testimony confirms that the Lord Buddha exists and can actually be seen. Taking the Lord Buddha as one's refuge; as is expressed in the phrase "To the Lord Buddha I go to refuge;" is therefore, not taking refuge in emptiness because the Lord Buddha has ceased to exist, but the Lord Buddha is a genuine refuge. [...] When one has trained concentration and discernment of Dhamma until one sees the Dhamma, then one will see the Lord Buddha prominently and clearly. The Lord Buddha and Buddhism are real and can be refuges for everyone in the world.
Ven Suvaḍḍhano (Saṅgharāja Vajirañāṇasaṃvara) Faith in Buddhism, p. 42-44
Last edited by Coëmgenu on Wed Dec 15, 2021 7:42 am, edited 1 time in total.
What is the Uncreated?
Sublime & free, what is that obscured Eternity?
It is the Undying, the Bright, the Isle.
It is an Ocean, a Secret: Reality.
Both life and oblivion, it is Nirvāṇa.
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Re: The Two Traditions vis-à-vis Parinibbāna

Post by Coëmgenu »

If five aggregates are the ātma, then the ātma is characterized by arising and ceasing. Why is this? Once arisen, its perishing is inevitable. Because of them being characterized by arising and ceasing, five aggregates are impermanent. Like five aggregates are impermanent, arising and ceasing, these two phenomena, also are impermanent. How? Arising and ceasing also perish after arising, and thus are impermanent. If the ātma is five aggregates, since five aggregates are impermanent, the ātma too should be characterized by impermanence, but this is not so. If the ātma is other than five aggregates, then the ātma is not characterized by five aggregates, yet no phenomena is separate from five aggregates. If apart from five aggregates there is a phenomena, with what characteristics (could it exist) and what phenomena could it exist as? It is saying that the ātma is like empty space, separate from five aggregates yet existent. This is wrong, because empty space is already broken in the discourse on six elements (referring to Ch 5). There is no existent phenomena called empty space. If you say that because there is belief in it, the ātma exists, this is incorrect. Why? Belief is of four kinds: first is the belief in a matter itself. Second is belief inferred from knowing a matter. This is like when we see smoke and believe that there is fire. Third is belief by rhetorical comparison, like when a country has no gold, and copper is used as a metaphor because it is like gold. Fourth is belief in the speech of the āryan saints, like when they say there are the hells, the heavens, and Uttarakuru. Without direct experience, one hears the words of the saints of old and thus believes. 'This is the ātma,' amongst these beliefs, is untenable.

Appearing as a matter itself, it is naught. As inferred knowledge, it is naught also. Why? Inferred knowledge is so-called because one sees (something) before and then later associates knowledge (concerning it). It is like when a person before has seen that with fire there is smoke and subsequently sees smoke and knows that there is fire. The ātma is otherwise. Who can first see the ātma together with five aggregates conjoining, so that afterwards they may see five aggregates and know that there is the ātma? If we say that there are three kinds of inferred knowledge, the first is 'like the root (of the inferred knowledge),' the second is the 'like the rest,' and the third is 'common witness.' 'Like the root' is known as before seeing that with fire there is smoke, and today seeing smoke and knowing it is "like the root," and that there is fire. 'Like the rest' is known as cooking food, one grain (of rice), and correspondingly knowing that the rest are all cooked (when the one is). 'Common witness' is known as seeing with one's own eyes the retinues of persons going about, arriving at places, and seeing also their goings (in addition to the persons).

The sun is also like this. From the Orient, it leaves for the Occident. Although one does not see it moving, because persons (for instance) have the characteristic of moving, one knows the sun also moves (for it arrives, like persons do). Like this too is pleasure and pain, hate and love, perception and insight. Each must have what corresponds (to it). It is like seeing persons in peasantry and knowing that they certainly must be dependent upon their king.

These matters are all incorrect, each and every. Why so? It is through characterization via 'common witness' that there is the belief that, because earlier a person was seen conjoined with the phenomena of going, they later arrive somewhere. Subsequently, they see the sun arrive at its place and know a phenomena of 'going.' There is no prior seeing of five aggregates and the ātma conjoined (together) to thereafter subsequently see five aggregates and know that there is the ātma. Therefore, characterized by conjoining, within 'common witness' there is also no ātma.

Neither is there, within the words of the elder saints found, the ātma. Why? The elder saints' teaching is such that they first see with their own eyes and subsequently expound. Because the myriad elder saints speak of things that are trustworthy, we should know that there are heavens and hells and that these are trustworthy (words).

But it is not so with the ātma, for there is not one to see before and (then later) expound concerning it later. Therefore, in four kinds of belief, et cetera, in all manner of beliefs, the ātma is sought but cannot be found. Seeking the ātma and not being able to find it apart from five aggregates there is no ātma. Furthermore is the breaking in the "bases chapter" (referring again to Ch 5) of "eye," "seer," and "that which is seen." The ātma is likewise broken. If even the eye seeing the gross phenomena cannot be found, how much less by illusory delusion, imagination, et cetera, will the ātma be? Therefore we know there is no self.

Because there is "me," there is "mine." If there is no "me," there is no "mine." By the spiritual cultivation of the eightfold path of the āryan saints, the causes and conditions for "me" and "mine" are ended and conclusive wisdom concerning "no me" and "no mine" is attained. "No me" and "no mine" in the sense of the highest truth also cannot be found, and yet it is only with "no me" and "no mine" that the many phenomena can truly be seen. The worldling's wisdom-eye is obstructed by "me" and "mine." They cannot see the real. The saints have neither "me" nor "mine," and all vexatious afflictions have also ended (for them). All vexatious afflictions having ended, they can see the true aspect of all phenomena. Inner and outer, "me" and "mine," have ceased. All dependencies also have ceased. Dependencies having ceased, innumerable consequent embodiments have also ceased, and embodiment ceases. This is called nirvāṇa without remainder.

What then is nirvāṇa with remainder?

All vexatious afflictions and karma cease, and this is called the heart attaining liberative unbinding. Karma and the many vexatious afflictions alike are all conceptualized imputations and unreal. The myriad conceptual imputations, all in all, arise from frivolous ponderings. Attaining the true aspect of all phenomena, all is found to be empty, and all of these frivolous ponderings cease. That is called nirvāṇa with remainder.

The true aspect of all phenomena is such that the Buddhas with their universal knowledge can regard living beings, speaking to each kind in each kind's manner. They speak of "this ātma," also speaking of "no self." If the heart is unripe and there has been no resolve towards nirvāṇa, if hell is not feared, to such a one (i.e. a Lokāyata), a Buddha might imply that there is a self (i.e. as a "bearer of the burden"). Also, those who have attained the path and know all phenomena to be empty yet use "me" as a designation of convenience, for these to say "me" there is no error. Also too, there are those who practice charity, or the upholding of the precepts, et cetera, who flee from and give up in disgust the sufferings of saṁsāra, yet fear nirvāṇa as endless nothingness. For these, the Buddha says there is no self.

All phenomena are mere causes and conditions converging. Arising, they arise empty. Ceasing, they cease empty. Therefore, the Buddhas say "no self," but as a designation of convenience, say "this self." Those who have attained the path know selflessness and consequently do not fall into nihilism. Therefore there is no error for them to say "no self."

Though selflessness is true, as a worldly convention, if we say that there is a self, where is the error?

Because of the negation of the self and the phenomena, selflessness is. But if the self is not found, how can there exist selflessness? If there are fixed characteristics of selflessness, then when it ended there would arise desirous attachment. Like it says in 'the Wisdom:' "If the bodhisattva has a self, he cannot act. With no self too, he cannot act."

If there is not taught selfhood, selflessness, emptiness, or non-emptiness, then what is taught in the Buddhadharma?

The Buddha teaches the true aspect of all phenomena. Within the true aspect of all phenomena, there is no path for spoken language and mental activities have stopped. The mind, taking its characteristics from its conditions, arises because of karma as reward and punishment from the former world and cannot truly see the many phenomena. This is why the ending of mental activity is taught.

If the mind of the ordinary person cannot perceive reality, and the minds of the saints can perceive reality, why say, 'the ending of all mental activity?'

The true aspect of all phenomena is nirvāṇa. Nirvāṇa is cessation. There is said "cessation" in order to designate nirvāṇa, and that is why it is called cessation. If the mind is real, what is the function of emptiness, et cetera, as doors to deliverance? Of all concentrations, why is it the cessation of perception and sensation that is the highest -- second only in the end to nirvāṇa without remainder? Therefore, it should be known that all mental activity in entirety is false, and the false shall cease. The true aspect of all phenomena surpasses all of the phenomena of the mental factors. Unarisen, unceasing, as such it is characterized as quiet tranquility. It is like nirvāṇa.

According to the scriptures, any phenomena which, from inception, is characterized by quiet tranquility, would be nirvāṇa. Why here say "like nirvāṇa?"

Those who schematize the phenomena do so into two families. These (families) are the world and nirvāṇa, and they say that nirvāṇa is quiet tranquility but do not say that the world is quiet tranquility. According to the Kārikā, all phenomena have empty natures and are characterized by quiet tranquility. Those who schematize the phenomena do not understand, so nirvāṇa is used as an analogy. Like it is said of nirvāṇa's characteristics that they are empty, are not characteristics, and are not frivolous ponderings, all of the worldly phenomena are likewise (characterized).
Ven Vimalākṣa, Madhyamakaśāstra, Ch 18

[...] when the deluded consider [the Buddha’s] extraordinary feats in the world they assert his existence, and when they reflect on his passing into cessation they assert his nonexistence. Yet how could one, from within this realm of being and nonbeing, from this domain of delusive thought, adequately express his abstruse Dao and adjudicate on the sagely mind? I say that the Perfected Person is quiescent, imperceptible, without any external form. The hidden and the manifest aspects of his being originate in one source. Although present, he does not “exist”; gone, he does not “nonexist.” How so? The Buddha said, “There is no birth realm where I am not born, but I am never born. There is no form that I do not take on, but even while embodied I do not have a body.” This means that though present, he does not “exist.” It is also said in a sutra, “The Bodhisattva entered limitless samādhi and saw all the buddhas of the past who had passed into cessation.” Also, “He entered nirvana, yet did not [enter] parinirvāṇa.” From this we know that, while vanishing, the Tathāgata does not simply nonexist. Not nonexistent: while nonexistent, he exists. Not existent: while existing, he does not exist. Existing, he is nonexistent: therefore “being” cannot be attributed to him. Nonexistent, he exists: thus “nonbeing” likewise does not apply. Hence, we can conclude that nirvana transcends the domain of being and nonbeing, and leaves the path of names and images far behind. Yet you say that the Sage saw the body as the source of the greatest distress, so he extinguished the body and returned to nothingness. He saw the unawakened mind as the source of the greatest torment, so he eradicated it to submerge in the vacuous. Is this not a violation of the Sage’s spiritual perfection, an injustice to his profound teaching? It is said in a sutra, “The Dharma body is formless, in responding to things it takes on particular shapes. Prajñā has no knowledge, it just illuminates in response to objects.” As [the Sage] hastens to engage the myriad events, his spirit stays unperturbed; as he responds to each of a thousand exigencies, his mind remains unruffled. In movement, he is like wandering clouds; in repose, he is like the valley spirit. Would he tangle his mind in discriminations between “this” and “that,” or his emotions in the distinction between “movement” and “repose”? Since he does not bring a deliberate mind to his movement or stillness, he does not show discrete forms in his coming and going. Since he does not impute a discrete form to his coming and going, there are no shapes that he cannot assume. Since he does not bring a deliberate mind to his movement or stillness, there are no stimuli to which he fails to respond, What I mean is that [the Sage’s] “mind” arises in response to the deliberate mind [of beings]; his “forms” emerge in response to the existing forms [in the world]. Since his forms do not emerge from his self, even if he were to tread on molten rock and metal he would not be burned. Since his mind arises not from his self, even though he delves into everyday affairs he remains unperturbed. Could the tangles of [conventional distinctions like that between] self and other constrain his self? Thus the Sage’s wisdom embraces all things yet it is never belabored; his bodily form fills the eight directions but this brings him no distress. If you add to him, he will not overflow; if you subtract from him, he will not be lessened. How could anyone take literally the story that he contracted dysentery on the way [to Kuśinagara], that his life ended under the twin trees, that his spirit ceased in the regal casket, and that his body was cremated on a pyre? Yet all the while the deluded, investigating the traces of his extraordinary responsiveness, cling to the evidence of their eyes and ears. Carpenter’s square and ruler in hand, they go about trying to measure the Great Square: they want to find the Perfected Person belabored by knowledge and distressed by bodily form. “He discarded being to delve into nonbeing,” they claim, and then assign to him corresponding names. Surely what they do is not picking words of subtlety from the realm beyond speech, or pulling the root of mystery from the vacuous field.
Ven Zhao, "Nirvana is Unnameable," published in BDK's Three Short Treatises by Vasubandhu, Sengzhao, and Zhongmi, p. 109, translated by Rafal Felbur.

Focus on the buddhas — on their fully awakened embodiments,
With the capabilities and dauntlessness they have achieved.
The material body, the agency of actions,
Behaves like dust blown about by the wind:
Six thieves have their way within it—
Without limit and free from control.
When you aspire to end this inferior condition,
To lastingly part from overwhelming desires,
To abide always in the city of nirvana,
And to be serene and have a calm mind,
You must internalize the Great Vehicle sutras
And turn your mind to the mother of bodhisattvas.
Samantabhadrasamādhisūtra T277, translated by Tsugunari Kubo and Joseph Logan
The Pratyutpannabuddhasammukhāvasthitasamādhisūtra says, "I come from the midst of True Reality." True reality has the mark of quiescent voidness. There is nothing to be sought in the mark of quiescent voidness... The seeker too is empty, and the one who attains, the one who is attached, the one who treats things as real, the one who comes (and goes during samādhi practise), the one who speaks and the one who questions, all these are empty too. Quiescent voidness and nirvāṇa are also both empty, and all of space and its divisions are also empty. It is therefore in the midst of where there is nothing to seek that I seek True Reality. Such an emptiness of emptiness is the Dharma of True Reality. This emptiness is the same as the eighteen kinds of emptiness in the Pañcaviṁśati. Furthermore, the Nirvāṇasūtra's emptiness of (the city) Kapilavastu, the emptiness of the Tathāgata, and the emptiness of mahāparinirvāṇa are not different from this emptiness. If you employ the wisdom of this realization of emptiness in everything you encounter, there will be nothing that does not mature your insight. "Vaipulya" (方等) can mean "broad and level," but in this case, 方 means "method." There are four methods by which one may approach wisdom. Thus one may say that one enters the pure, cool pond of wisdom from four gates, that is, "methods." 等 means that the ultimate truth which is to be joined to the practitioner's own mind is everywhere the same great wisdom.

Having the practitioner seek after the dream-kings is a preliminary expedient for the practice of the first two Views. The meditation chamber, the place of the way, is a realm of cleanliness and purity. Here, the husked grain which is the beings in the five abodes is stored and winnowed to reveal the rice kernels which are Ultimate Reality. Also, this signifies the Dharma-body being adorned with meditation and wisdom. The scented mud and daubing signify the supreme monastic code. The five-coloured covering signifies how the contemplation of the five aggregates and the resultant liberation from the defilements arouses one's goodwill and compassion.
Master Zhìzhě (Ven Zhìyǐ), Mahāśamathavipaśyanā, translation by Paul Swanson
“Noble ones, I still have an entire lifespan of twice times a hundred thousand quintillion eons. Although I will not pass into nirvāṇa, I state that I am going to pass into nirvāṇa. Why is that? Noble ones, it is in order to ripen beings through this Dharma teaching. If I were not to pass into nirvāṇa and were to remain for a long time, because I would be constantly seen, beings would not create roots of merit. They would become destitute, devoid of merit, indulging in desires, blind, and caught in the net of wrong views. Thinking, ‘The Tathāgata remains,’ they would perceive him as easy to meet450 and would not perceive him as difficult to meet. They would think, ‘The Tathāgata is with us,’ and would not be diligently dedicated to escaping from the three realms. They would not view a Tathāgata as being rare.

“Therefore, noble ones, the Tathāgata, using skillful method, states, ‘Bhikṣus, it is very difficult to find the appearance of the Tathāgatas.’ Why is that? For those beings, it is possible that they may see a Tathāgata after many hundred thousands of quintillions of eons, and it is possible that they will not.

“Noble ones, considering this, I say, ‘Bhikṣus, the appearance of a Tathāgata is difficult to find,’ so that conceiving that the appearance of a Tathāgata is difficult to find they perceive it as a wonder, and they have the understanding that a Tathāgata passes into nirvāṇa. When they do not see the Tathāgata, they will thirst for the sight of him. The roots of merit from the mind being focused upon the Tathāgata will bring good results, benefits, and happiness for a long time. Knowing this, for the sake of those to be guided, the Tathāgata announces that he will pass into nirvāṇa even though he does not pass into nirvāṇa.”

[...]

“Countless thousands of millions of eons ago,
A length of time that is inconceivable,
I attained the highest enlightenment
And I am always teaching the Dharma.

“I inspired these numerous bodhisattvas
And directed them toward the wisdom of buddhahood.
Throughout millions of eons I have ripened
Endless quintillions of beings.

“I speak skillfully in order to guide beings:
I teach them the level of nirvāṇa.
In this time I do not pass into nirvāṇa,
But will continue to teach the Dharma here.

“In that time I empower myself,
And I similarly empower all beings.
Foolish humans, whose understanding is false,
Do not see me, even though I am present there.

“They see me physically pass into nirvāṇa
And they make offerings to my remains.
Because they do not see me, they yearn for me
And therefore their minds become corrected.

“When they have become gentle, kind, and honest
And they forsake even their own bodies,
Then they become my saṅgha of śrāvakas
And I will reveal myself to them on Vulture Peak.

“There I will say this to my followers:
‘I did not pass into nirvāṇa here;
Bhikṣus, that was my skillful method.
I appear again and again in the world of the living.

“ ‘I have been before other beings
And taught them this highest enlightenment.
You could not hear those words of mine,
But other than that I did not pass into nirvāṇa.

“ ‘I see the beings who undergo destruction,
But I do not reveal my form to them.
When they aspire to see me,
Then I teach the Dharma to those thirsty ones.’

“I always have that kind of blessing
Throughout countless billions of eons.
I do not depart from Vulture Peak,
And yet I have millions of other seats. [...]”
Lotus Sūtra Ch. 15, Toh 113, translated by Peter Alan Roberts
Verse 2
And I rejoice in virtue that creates the cause
Of gaining the enlightened state
And celebrate the freedom won
By living beings from the round of pain.

In this verse, the term “enlightened state” is not referring to full Buddhahood but the nirvana of the Shravaka (Hearer) and the Pratyekabuddha (Solitary Realiser). There are the states of nirvana with remainder and nirvana without remainder. Those practitioners who attain nirvana but still possess the samsaric body attain what is called nirvana with remainder. Those who attain nirvana and then pass away are said to attain nirvana without remainder. The Shravaka and Pratyekabuddha practitioners regarded Shakyamuni Buddha’s passing away as the nirvana without remainder.

[...]

Verse 12
Nirvana is attained by giving all
Nirvana the objective of my striving
Everything therefore must be abandoned
And it is best to give it all to others.

If we are able to let go of the grasping at one’s body, possessions and virtues, liberation or nirvana becomes achievable. For Hinayana path, nirvana is to be attained; for the Mahayana path, it is an important stage of cultivation but also needs to be eventually abandoned. Why? Because nirvana or self liberation means that oneself is free from samsara but countless living beings continue to suffer tremendously in cyclic existence. For this reason, it is most beneficial to give up one’s attainment of the peace of nirvana and strive to benefit sentient beings by attaining enlightenment.

[...]

Verse 45
You say there’s liberation in the instant
That defilements are entirely forsaken.
Yet those who from defilements are set free
Continue to display the influence of karma.

The lower schools (Shravaka and Pratyeka) assert 3 types of practitioners – (1) the non- returner (2) the returner manifesting a samsaric body (3) the Arhat who still needs 7 lifetimes of samsaric rebirth. The Shravakas seem to assert that when they attain the Sharavaka nirvana, the moment they die, they gain liberation.

Verse 46
“Only for a while,” you say. “For it is certain
That the cause of rebirth, craving, is exhausted.”
They have no craving, granted, through defiled emotion.
But how could they avoid the craving linked with ignorance?


Verse 47
This craving is produced by virtue of sensation,
And sensation, this they surely have.
Concepts linger still within their minds;
And it is to these concepts that they cling.


Verse 48
The mind that has not realized voidness,
May be halted, but will once again arise
Just as from a nonperceptual absorption,
Therefore, voidness must be cultivated.


Verse 49
If all that is encompassed by the sutras
You hold to be the Buddha’s perfect speech,
Why do you not hold the greater part of Mahayana,
Which with your sutras is in perfect harmony?


Verse 50
If due to just a single jarring element,
The whole is held to be at fault,
How might not a single point in concord with the sutras
Vindicate the rest as Buddha’s teaching?
Ven Śāntideva, Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra with commentary from Geshe Tenzin Zopa
If the cause is inapprehensible, then it is from the very beginning unborn; if it is from the very beginning unborn, then it neither increases nor decreases; if it neither increases nor decreases, then it is the oceanlike [ultimate] fruit of great parinirvāṇa; and if it is the oceanlike fruit of great parinirvāṇa, then it is the Dharma body of the Tathāgata.

The body of suffering in the six paths, which is retribution for [past] actions in the three realms,
Is no sooner born than it dies, without staying put even for a moment;
It has neither essence nor substance and is like an apparition, like a shadow.
Be they ordinary beings with limited lifespans or enlightened sages who can transform their bodies at will, anything born of causes and conditions
Is born and dies nine hundred times [in a second], just like a flame or a stream.
Although the sea of the storehouse[-consciousness] (ālayavijñāna) is everlasting, the waves of the seven [other consciousnesses] toss and turn [constantly on its surface].
Such impermanence may be destructive and injurious,
But in this state of original being why be troubled or concerned?

The [Three] Luminaries—sun, moon and stars—have been originally abiding in empty space,
Yet they may be hidden by clouds and mist or veiled by smoke and dust,
And seeing this, the foolish say that there is no sun or moon.
The originally existent three bodies are also like this:
Although they have been originally abiding since the beginningless past in the mind’s space,
They have been covered by delusionary thoughts and entrammeled by mental afflictions—
Reality is like a mirror inside a box, and the [truth-]principle the same as a gem in ore—
And seeing this, the deluded say that there is no original enlightenment:
What is this repudiation on the part of the foolish and blind if not an impairment?
But diminution is not found in the original [three] bodies.

Those with the determinate [nature] of the two vehicles erroneously give rise to thoughts of extinction (i.e.,
nirvana),
And by reducing the body to ashes and extinguishing knowledge they would become identical with the great void;
Heavily intoxicated with the wine of samadhi, they are neither enlightened nor awakened.
Although there are differences in the relative severity [of their condition], those of determinate [nature destined to be śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas] and those of indeterminate [nature who may also become bodhisattvas]

Spend many eons in vain — than this there is no greater impairment.
The originally existent three bodies are solemn and unmoving,
But should the Buddhas pervading space startle [the śrāvakas and so on] into wakefulness and reveal [the true teachings to them],
Then they will leave their phantom city and proceed toward the treasure cache [of true enlightenment].
If even plants and trees become [enlightened], why not sentient beings?
By erroneously grasping at incomplete [teachings] they suffer a very great impairment.

The physical body [of the recompense body], a recompensive result born of correct causes,
Is adorned with myriad virtues and has completely perfected the four wisdoms;
But it is only a continuum and not set,
And that which is born must die, since it was unequivocally so affirmed [by the Buddha]—
This is the sword of the expedient [Hossō teachings], which may kill or injure.
But the originally existent three mysteries are like the sun pendent from the heavens,
And the four wisdoms, like space, resemble gold buried in the ground.
Though a violent wind may be the cause [of the clouds’ being blown away] and a sharp hoe the condition [for
digging up the gold],
Who can produce [the sun] and who can create [the gold]?

Thusness or Dharma-nature is the real and permanent [essence] of the mind;
Among those with mind, who does not possess this [truth-]principle?
The mind’s wisdom is identical to this principle, and it is not a principle outside the mind;
Mind and principle are one: how can the wet nature [of water] (i.e., principle) and its reflecting function (i.e. wisdom) be separate?
The nature of thusness equally pervades everywhere, but those whose ways of thinking are narrow and inferior
Are expediently guided as if they were infants, yet those confused [of the Sanron school] do not realize this;
Brandishing this halberd of the expedient [teachings], they destroy the true Buddha:
This is called diminution.
But the original Buddha, eternal and all-pervading, neither diminishes nor wanes.

[Just as] waves do not exist apart from water, the objects of cognition are within the mind;
If plants and trees were devoid of Buddha[hood], then waves would not be wet.
Some have it and some do not — what is this if not an expedient [teaching]?
To reject being and posit nonbeing represents impairment and decrease.
The sharp axe of diminution may constantly hack at Buddha-nature,
Yet the original Buddha is without impairment and without decrease.
The three truths [of the Tendai school] interpenetrate perfectly, and the ten divisions of time [of the Kegon
school] are [mutually] unobstructed;
The entire threefold world is of Buddha-essence,
And the four kinds of mandalas correspond to the true Buddha.

Since those of the two vehicles are of inferior intelligence, the six consciousnesses were taught for them;
Those of the Mahāyāna being somewhat superior, the eight and nine [consciousnesses] were revealed.
Clinging [to their doctrines], they stall and do not advance: how can they know the innumerability [of consciousness]?
Not comprehending the esoteric meaning, they are satisfied with what little they have gained;
They do not know what they possess—than this there is no greater poverty.
The oceanlike assembly of countless lands is their very own treasure.

Identical and one, yet many in its thusness, and because many, thusness upon thusness;
Principles innumerable and wisdoms unbounded:
The sands of the Ganges River are no comparison, and the dust motes of [countless] lands are still too few [for compare].
Though raindrops are many, they are all of the same water;
Though the rays of [many] lamps are not one, they merge to become of the same essence.
Matter and mind are immeasurable, reality is boundless.
The mind-king and mental functions act as principal and subordinate in inexhaustible ways,
And they interpenetrate one another like the gems of
Indra[’s net] or like the light of [many] lamps.
Their manifold interconnectedness is difficult to conceive, and each is endowed with the five wisdoms.
They are many and yet not different, not different and yet many:
Therefore, they are said to be one thusness.
But this “one” is one that is not one—innumerability is deemed to be “one”;
And “thusness” is not [ordinary] thusness but permanency — they are quite the same and resemble one another.
Unless this principle is expounded, the teachings are expedient ones,
Whereby the inexhaustible precious treasury is drained,
And wherein innumerable precious carriages completely vanish:
This is called diminution.
The four bodies [of the Buddha], too numerous to paint with ink made from the powder of the earth of countless worlds, and the three mysteries, too vast to depict with Mount Sumeru as a brush,
Are completely perfect from the very beginning, set, and unchanging.
Master Kōbō (Kūkai), T2430 吽字義 The Hūm̐ Treatise, published by BDK in "Shingon Texts,' translated by Rolf Giebel, p. 117-122 abridged
What is the Uncreated?
Sublime & free, what is that obscured Eternity?
It is the Undying, the Bright, the Isle.
It is an Ocean, a Secret: Reality.
Both life and oblivion, it is Nirvāṇa.
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