PART THREE: ENTRANCE TO THE WAY OF THE ONE VEHICLE, Sec. 5: Articulating the Entrance to the One Vehicle (second half).
[5.6. True Liberation and Nirvana]
“World Honored One, because they are shrouded and hindered by that which is of the abiding-state of ignorance, the Arhats, Independent-Buddhas, and Bodhisattvas in their very last body do not know and do not realize in regard to this and that thing (dharma). Because their use is not knowing and seeing, that which actually should be cut off is not cut off and is not the ultimate. Because their use is not cutting off, it is called having liberation with a remainder of faults that is not liberation separate from every fault; it is called having remainder of clarity and purity that is not every clarity and purity; it is called accomplishment with remainder of virtuous-merits that is not every virtuous-merit. Because they use accomplishment with remainder of liberation, with remainder of the clear and pure, and with remainder of virtuous-merits, their knowing is with a remainder of suffering; their cutting off is with a remainder of accumulation [of suffering]; their confirming is with a remainder of extinction [of suffering]; and their cultivation is with a remainder of the path [to the extinction of suffering]. It is called “attaining a partial Nirvana.” Those who attain a partial Nirvana are called “turned toward the realm of Nirvana.” If one knows every suffering, cuts off every accumulation, confirms every extinction, and cultivates every path, then, in the world of inconstancy and ruin, in the world of inconstancy and sickness, one attains constantly abiding Nirvana, that, in a world without concealing protection, a world without refuge, becomes protection and becomes refuge. Because why? Because the Dharma is without superior and inferior, one attains Nirvana; because wisdom is the same way, one attains Nirvana; because liberation is the same way, one attains Nirvana; because the clear purity is the same way, one attains Nirvana. This is because the one taste* of Nirvana is the same as the taste designated ‘the taste of liberation* (vimukti-rasa).’
“World Honored One, if from the abiding-state of ignorance there are those who do not cut off* the non-ultimate, then they do not attain the one taste that is the same as the taste designated ‘the taste of bright liberation.’ Because why? From the abiding-state of ignorance, for those who do not cut off the non-ultimate, exceeding the sands of the Ganges in the same way are the things to be eliminated that do not cut off the non-ultimate. Because more than the sands of the Ganges are the things to be eliminated that are not cut off, more than the sands of the Ganges are the things that should be attained that are not attained, and that should be confirmed that are not confirmed. It is because of the accumulations of the abiding-state of ignorance that are born all the paths of cultivation* to cut off the afflictions and the ascended afflictions. These are born: ascended afflictions [cut off] by the heart-mind, ascended afflictions -- by calming* (samatha), ascended afflictions -- by contemplation* (vipasyana), ascended afflictions -- by meditation, ascended afflictions -- by samadhi*, ascended afflictions -- by skillful-means, ascended afflictions -- by knowledge, ascended afflictions -- by the fruits* (phala), ascended afflictions -- by the attainments* (siddhi, siddha), ascended afflictions -- by the powers* (bala), ascended afflictions -- by the fearlessnesses* (abhaya).
So it is, exceeding the sands of the Ganges in the same way, the ascended afflictions are actually cut off by the awakened knowledge of the Tathagata. Every one, in every case, is actually established on the basis of the abiding-state of ignorance. Every ascended affliction appears in every case caused by the abiding-state of ignorance and conditioned by the abiding-state of ignorance.
“World Honored One, in the case of the arising of afflictions in a moment, the mind in a moment reciprocally responds.
“World Honored One, the mind does not reciprocally respond to the beginningless abiding-state of ignorance.
“World Honored One, again, even if they are more numerous than the sands of the Ganges, the things which are to be eliminated by the awakened knowledge of the Tathagata are all, and in every case, that which is established and supported by the abiding-state of ignorance. For example, every kind of seed in all cases depends on the earth to be born, to be established, and to broaden and lengthen, and if that which is the earth is ruined, it follows that the other [results] likewise are ruined. So it is, exceeding the sands of the Ganges in the same way, the awakened knowledge of the Tathagata actually eliminates things. Every one, in every case, depends on the abiding-state of ignorance to be born, to be established, and to broaden and lengthen.
“If that which is the abiding-state of ignorance is cut off, then even exceeding the sands of the Ganges in the same way, the Tathagata’s awakened knowledge actually eliminates things, and in all cases likewise it follows they are cut off. So it is that the ascended afflictions of every affliction are cut off, and exceeding the sands of the Ganges in the same way, the Tathagatas actually attain the free and unhindered interpenetration of all the various things and the perception of all knowledge.
“Separate from every transgressing evil, they attain all virtuous-merits as a King of Dharma and Lord of Dharma, and then attain autonomy. They mount to the stage of ‘the autonomy of everything’ with the real Lion’s Roar of a Tathagata-Worthy of Offerings-Completely Awakened One: ‘My births are already exhausted; the holy practice is already established; the actual work is already carried out; and I do not receive later existence.’ For this reason, the World Honored One uses the Lion’s Roar by depending on the clear-meaning* (nitartha) for articulation of the one-pointed indication* (ekanta-vyakaraṇa).
“World Honored One, the knowledge of ‘does not receive later existence’ has two kinds. [The first kind] designates the Tathagata’s use of unsurpassed ‘taming and driving’ to exorcise the four maras* (destroyers), to go forth in every mundane world, to be the Revered One of all the multitude of beings, and to attain the inconceivable Dharma-body. Every one of those at the stage of ‘blazing’ attain the autonomy of the unhindered Dharma, and on top of that, moreover the stages of ‘there is nothing to work at’ and ‘there is nothing to attain.’ With the bravery and determination of the ten powers* (dasabala) they mount to the stage of the primary unsurpassed fearlessness. Every one of those are ablaze in contemplating the unhindered knowledge that is not from another and is the Lion’s Roar of the knowledge of ‘do not receive later existence.’
“World Honored One, [in the second] the Arhats and Independent-Buddhas cross over the fear of birth-and-death and subsequently attain the joy of liberation to make this recitation: ‘I am separate from the fear of birth-and-death and do not receive the suffering of birth-and-death.’
“World Honored One, at the time of the Arhats’ and Independent-Buddhas’ observation they attain the contemplation of ‘do not receive later existence’ and the nirvana stage of the primary abiding in excellent rest.
[5.7. The certain faith that all vehicles eventually enter the One Vehicle.]
“World Honored One, those former ones [i.e., Arhats and Independent-Buddhas] who actually attained the stage [of Nirvana] are not ignorant about the Dharma not being caused by another, likewise they know on their own that they attained the stage [of Nirvana] “with remainder.” They must invariably in the future attain unexcelled-unified-thorough-enlightenment* (anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhi). Because why? The vehicles of the listener-disciples and the causally-awakened in all cases enter the Great Vehicle. That which is the Great Vehicle exactly is the Buddha Vehicle.
“Indeed, for the reason that the three vehicles exactly are the One Vehicle, those who attain the One Vehicle attain unexcelled-unified-thorough-enlightenment. That which is unexcelled-unified-thorough-enlightenment exactly is the realm of Nirvana (nirvanadhatu). That which is the realm of Nirvana exactly is the Dharma-body of the Tathagata. That which attains the ultimate Dharma-body consequently is the ultimate One Vehicle* (ekayananistha). There is no different Tathagata, and there is no different Dharma-body. The Tathagata is exactly the Dharma-body. That which attains the ultimate Dharma-body, consequently, is the ultimate One Vehicle. That which is the Ultimate exactly is endless and is not cut off.
[5.8. Going for refuge to the Tathagata is the One Vehicle.]
“World Honored One, for the Tathagata in the same way there is no existing finitude in time. Abiding equal to the last boundary of the abiding of the Tathagata-Worthy-of-Offerings-Completely-Awakened-One, the Tathagata in the same way is infinite. Great compassion likewise, in the same way, is infinite and consolation to the world. ‘Infinite great compassion; infinite consolation to the world.’ Those who work to articulate this are called the virtuous who articulate the Tathagata. Again, if there are those who articulate and declare that the inexhaustible Dharma, the always abiding Dharma, is the actual going-for-refuge of all the world, then likewise they are called the virtuous who articulate the Tathagata. For this reason, even with having not yet crossed over the mundane world and having no support in the mundane world, those who share in being equal to the last boundary make the inexhaustible going-for-refuge, the always abiding going-for-refuge, and are designated a Tathagata-Worthy-of-Offerings-Completely-Awukened-One.
“That which is the Dharma is exactly the articulation of the Way of the One Vehicle. That which is the Sangha is the multitudes of the Three Vehicles. These two goings-for-refuge are not the ultimate going-for-refuge and are called a partial going-for-refuge. Because why? The Dharma that articulates the Way of the One Vehicle attains the ultimate Dharma-body. On top of that, there is nothing more than articulating the Dharma-body of the One Vehicle. Those who are the multitudes of the Three Vehicles have fear and go-for-refuge to the Tathagata seeking to go forth to cultivate, study, and turn toward unexcelled-unified-thorough-enlightenment. For this reason, the two refuges are not the ultimate refuge, and they have a limited refuge.
“If there are a multitude of beings to be subdued by the Tathagata, then they go-for-refuge to the Tathagata and attain the sap of the Dharma. They give birth to the mind of faith and joy in going-for-refuge to the Dharma and the Sangha. Indeed, the two goings-for-refuge [previously mentioned] are not these two goings-for-refuge that are going-for-refuge to the Tathagata. That which is the primary-meaning of going-for-refuge is going-for-refuge to the Tathagata.
“The primary-meaning of these two goings-for-refuge are the ultimate going-for-refuge to the Tathagata. Because why? There is nothing other than the Tathagata. There is nothing other than the two goings-for-refuge. The Tathagata is exactly the three goings-for-refuge. Because why? To articulate the Way of the One Vehicle, the Tathagata’s four fearlessnesses accomplish the articulation of the Lion’s Roar. If the Tathagata accompanies those with desire, then skillful-means are articulated. Then, as it is the Great Vehicle without there being Three Vehicles, those who are of the Three Vehicles enter into the One Vehicle, and that which is the One Vehicle is exactly the vehicle of the primary-meaning (paramartha).”
[End of second half of Section 5.]
[Go to Post 7: PART THREE: ENTRANCE TO THE WAY OF THE ONE VEHICLE: Sec. 6: Articulating the Endless Noble Truths; Sec. 7: Articulating the Inner-Tathagata; Sec. 8: Articulating the Dharma-body; and Sec. 9: Articulating the Concealed True Reality of the Meaning of Emptiness]
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