Well, today we're having a three-day sasheen commemorating the power and nirvana of Shakyamuni Buddha. So I want to talk about Shakyamuni Buddha and his power and nirvana. This parinirvana is called the great decease. Nirvana is a term that has a number of meanings. It has a number of meanings depending on which school of Buddhism you're studying. although there are shades of difference, but basically there's the understanding of what I would call the Southern schools and the Northern schools.

[01:26]

Southern schools are Southeast Asia, India, and Northern schools are China, Japan, Tibet, mostly. Northern schools are mostly Mahayana and Southern schools are mostly what I would call, not Hinayana, but Theravada in the broad sense, not in the sense of a particular school called Theravada, and was a term that was used in India to denote in Buddha's time, or just after Buddha's time, the school of the arhat. So I use that term in a very broad sense, not to pick out a particular school,

[02:34]

but simply to contrast it with the Mahayana. So nirvana has several meanings. There's nirvana, which is you could say the cool state. Some people think of it as extinction. Power in nirvana is sometimes called extinction. But there are two basic, according to the most schools of Buddhism, nirvana with remainer and nirvana without remainer.

[03:41]

Nirvana with remainer is to have entered the cool state without leaving the world. And nirvana without remainer is leaving the world and never coming back. In India, of course, the idea of rebirth has always been very prevalent, and so the whole idea of rebirth was also introduced into Buddhism. So the Buddha is supposed to have had many, many rebirths, before discovering this ancient path. It's like when Shakyamuni was enlightened, he realized, I just found this old path, you know?

[04:47]

It was like walking down the road, and then there was this trail that went off. Nobody ever took it, so I decided I'd take it. So he wandered off into this trail, and lo and behold, after travail on the trail, he discovered that this path was the path that led to nirvana or to release, release from the attachment to this world. with remainder is to be in the world, but free of attachment. And nirvana without remainder is called the great decease, when one dies.

[05:48]

When Buddha died, that's called parinirvana, the great nirvana, where Buddha had finished up everything he had to finish. There was no more. attachments. So we say nirvana is extinction of greed, ill will, and delusion. If we're free of, totally free of greed, ill will, and delusion, then nirvana is the natural state. It's not some special state. or not some special state of mind or some, you know, we say bliss and all this, but actually simply total freedom from greed, ill-will and delusion. If you can free yourself totally from greed, ill-will and delusion, then perhaps this is nirvana.

[06:54]

the state where there's no more becoming. Becoming means where you're no longer creating a self that is attached to this world. So Buddha, the Bodhisattva ideal is to remain in the world, not to enter parinirvana. Well, so there are ... I want to present two different sides of this parinirvana story of Shakyamuni Buddha. And there's the ... Theravada Parinirvana Sutra, and there's the Mahayana Parinirvana Sutra, and they're quite different, although the Mahayana Parinirvana Sutra has not been really completely translated comprehensively.

[08:15]

There's an old one, but well translated. But the Lotus Sutra has a very interesting story about Buddha's Parinirvana, meaning of Buddha's Parinirvana. So I'm going to present both of those to you, but I'm not going to read everything because it's too long, so I have to read little excerpts impression. So this is according to the Theravada Sutra. There's a sutra which outlines Buddha's, Shakyamuni Buddha's life in his last year of life on this earth, and he talks about how

[09:23]

what the bhikkhus should do, what the lay people should do in order to maintain their practice. So So, Buddha says, Shakyamuni Buddha is talking to Ananda. Ananda is Buddha's cousin, of course, who remembered everything that Buddha said, apparently. And the sutras usually start out, Thus have I heard, which is Ananda. saying what the Buddha said.

[10:25]

So the Buddha is talking to Ananda and he says, But what then, Ananda, does the Sangha expect of me? I have expounded the Dharma throughout in entirety. The Tathagata, that's himself, has not the closed fist of a teacher who holds something back. If there is anyone who thinks, I shall look after the Sangha, it is mine to arrange a He it is who should speak something. The Tathagata does not surely hold, I shall look after the Sangha. It is mine to arrange the activities of the Sangha. Whatever should the Tathagata speak in regard to the Sangha? I am now old, worn out, an old man who has traversed the span of life, reached decay, going on for 80 years. just as an old cart is kept together with the help of other things, so now I think the body of the Tathagata is kept together.

[11:28]

It is only from the cessation of feelings when the Tathagata does not direct his consciousness to conditioned things, but attains to and remains in the samadhi of mind where there is no conditioned thing, that his body is at ease." he enters his samadhi, which is actually dropping body and mind, as Dogen says. But it's very interesting because this Mahayana sutra talks about it in a different way. Therefore, Ananda, live as lamps to yourself. This is a very famous statement, right? Live as lamps to yourself, as refuges to yourself, with no other refuges. the lamps of the Dharma, the refuges of the Dharma, no other refuges. And how does the bhikkhu so live? Here, Ananda, the bhikkhu lives as to the body, as one who contemplates the body, strenuous, thoughtful and mindful, having removed that which in the world is covetousness and grief.

[12:41]

As to feelings, consciousness, he lives similarly. Thus, the bhikkhu lives as a lamp to oneself, as a refuge to oneself, with no other refuge. The lamp of the dharma, the refuge of the dharma, no other refuge. Whoever, Ananda, either now or after I am gone, shall so live, shall become beyond the region of darkness, whoever is willing to observe the religious rules. So Mara, the personification of death, exhorts the Buddha to pass away immediately since his mission of the world is now fulfilled. So we say that Buddha enters the world simply to teach. So the Buddha tells Mara, and later also Ananda, that he will pass away in three months' time eight positions of mastery or stages of deliverance as in the Maha Nidana Sutra are here repeated.

[13:46]

So he talks about the Eightfold Path and the Four Noble Truths and all of the formulas of practice that are his teaching. So I'm going to skip a lot of this. And you know, when Buddha was traveling, he stopped at someone's house, and he ate some truffles, and these truffles, some people say it was pork, I don't know, and he knew that it was pork, tainted, but he ate it anyway, because he said, well, this is the time for me to go, and this is the means for me to go, and so he put it all together, and it all seemed to work for him.

[14:55]

And then he got sick, and laid down between the Salva trees, we don't have that up here, we always have that up here, a picture of the Salva trees, of Buddha being laid down between the Salva, and all the bhikkhus are crying, but the enlightened ones are not crying. And he's saying, oh, these people, you know, They just don't understand what's going on. They think this is a bad thing, you know, something wrong with this. But this is, of course, the inevitable thing that should happen is for me to enter my final nirvana. So they should be neither happy nor unhappy.

[15:57]

simply observing the reality of things. But, you know, we always cry. This reminded me when Suzuki Roshi was dying and all of his disciples were in the room with him and it had this wonderful feeling, but everybody was crying even though, you know, Zen students are not supposed to be crying when their teacher dies, but everyone does, so I think that's proper. And you know, these stories are ... I don't say they're made up, but they're embellished according to idealistic ways of thinking. And the idealistic ways of thinking kind of leave out the realistic way that things happen, which is a kind of problem sometimes.

[17:08]

And when I read the story of Buddha's decease, there are things in it that bother me about the way it's told, because somehow it leaves out the realistic and not only includes the idealistic and the mystical, or not mystical, but fairytale element. So that's why I'm only reading you parts, one reason why I'm only reading you parts of this. So the Buddha, So, addressing Ananda, the Exalted One said, It may be, Ananda, that it will seem to you, the one who thought the dharma is gone, there is no teacher for us. It should not be taken so. My dharma and vinaya, which I pointed out to you clearly, these are your teachers when I am gone.

[18:13]

The Buddha further gave instructions regarding the mode of address to be used, as the monk Bhikkhus stated that the Sangha could, if it wished, abolish the minor precepts, and he spoke of the treatment to be accorded to one particular defaulting Bhikkhu, one Bhikkhu who He said, well, I don't know who that defaulting bhikkhu was exactly, but in other words, don't criticize this guy, just leave him alone, is what he's saying. Namely, that he should be left alone. He then returned to the bhikkhu's present. It may seem, Bhikkhus, that some... He's talking to Bhikkhus, but he's also talking to laypeople. It may seem, Bhikkhus, that some Bhikkhu feels uncertainty or doubt concerning the Buddha, or Dharma, or Sangha, or the way, or the mode of progress. So you should ask about it. Don't hold back. So he says this two or three times. Don't hold back. If you have something to question, you should question it.

[19:17]

And the Bhikkhus were all silent. So he said, it may be that you don't ask God to respect the teacher, or as a friend to a friend. But the Bhikkhus were still silent. And the Venerable Ananda said to the Exalted One, it's wonderful, sir. I see clearly that in this Sangha of Bhikkhus, there is not one who has any uncertainty or doubt concerning the Buddha, the Dharma, the Sangha, the way, or the mode of progress. It is from confidence that you have spoken, Ananda. The insight of the Tathagata perceives here. There is not one who has doubt or perplexity concerning the Buddha, the Dharma, the Sangha, the way or the mode of progress. In this gathering of 500 bhikkhus, Ananda, the lowest bhikkhu is a Sotapanna. a stream-enterer, certain of not falling into a place of suffering and sure of enlightenment at the final end.

[20:20]

Then the Exalted One said to the Bhikkhus, Now, Bhikkhus, I call on you, conditioned things are things of decay. with vigilance, try to accomplish." These were the last words of the Buddha. Then in the Lotus Sutra, which is a very famous, very important sutra for Mahayana Buddhists Dogen talked about it a lot and it's been one of the mainstays of Mahayana Buddhism.

[21:31]

There's a parable which actually parallels what I read in here. I'm kind of stuck someplace. So he says, in the course of a countless, this is the Buddha speaking, the Tathagata tactfully teaches.

[23:08]

In the Lotus Sutra, there are many parables, and the parables are mostly about Buddha's tactful teaching. No, Bhikkhus, the appearance of Buddhas in the world is a rare occurrence. Wherefore, in the course of countless hundreds of thousands of myriads of kotis of kalpas, that's longer than you can think, some people of little virtue may happen to see a Buddha, or none may see the Buddha. For this reason I say, a Tathagata may rarely be seen. All these living beings, hearing such a statement, must certainly realize the thought of the cherish a longing and thirst for that Buddha. Then they will cultivate the roots of goodness. In other words, when you have, we say, when you're ready the Buddha appears. When you're ready means that you're really ready to receive the Buddha. So therefore the Tathagata, which is Buddha, so he does not in reality become extinct,

[24:12]

So again, good sons and daughters, the method of all Buddha Tathagatas is always like this, in order to save all beings, and it is therefore real and not false. Suppose, for instance, a good physician who is wise and perspicacious, conversant with medical art and skillful in healing all sorts of diseases, This is, of course, the Buddha, right? He has many sons and daughters, say 10, 20, up to 100. A lot of daughters and sons. Because of some matter, he goes abroad to a distant country. After his departure, his sons drink his other poisonous medicines. I guess they get into his medicine box and just start experimenting with the dope. I think that's right. figures. After his departure, his sons drink his dope, which sends them into a delirium and they lie rolling on the ground.

[25:26]

At this moment, their father comes back to his home. Of the sons and daughters who drank the poison, some have lost their senses. Others are still sensible, but on seeing their father approaching in the distance They are all greatly delighted and kneeling, salute him, asking, how good it is that you are returned in safety. We are in our foolishness, have mistakenly dosed ourselves with poison. We beg that you will heal us and give us back our lives. The father, seeing his sons and daughters in such distress, in accordance with his prescriptions, seeks for good herbs, altogether perfect in color, scent, and fine flavor. and then pounds, sifts, and mixes them and gives them to his sons and daughters to take. Speaking thus, this excellent medicine with color, scent, and fine flavor, altogether perfect, you may now take, and it will at once rid you of your distress so that you'll have no more suffering.

[26:28]

Those amongst the sons and daughters who are sensible, seeing this excellent medicine with color and scent, both good, this is the dharma, right, take it immediately and are totally delivered from their illness. The others, who have lost their senses, seeing their father come, though they are also delighted, salute him and ask him to heal their illness. Yet when he offers them the medicine, they are unwilling to take it. Why? Because the poison has entered deeply and they have lost their senses. And even in regard to this medicine of excellent color, they scent and scent. They acknowledge that it is not good. The father reflects thus, alas, these sons and daughters afflicted by this poison and their minds all overbalanced. Though they are glad to see me and implore for healing, yet they are unwilling to take such excellent medicine as this. Now I must arrange an expedient plan so that they will take this medicine

[27:30]

So this is this expedient plan. Then he says to them, you should know that I am now worn out with old age and time of my death has now arrived. That's what the other sutra said. This excellent medicine I now leave here, you may take it and have no fear of not doing better, being better. After thus admonishing them, he departs again for another country and sends a messenger back to inform them, your father is dead. So this is the end, this is where the other sutra left off. And now when those sons hear that their father is dead, their minds are greatly distressed and they thus reflect, if our father were alive he would have pity on us and we should be saved and preserved. But now he has left us and died in a distant country. Now we feel we are orphans and have no one to rely on. Continuous grief brings them to their senses. They recognize the color, scent, and excellent flavor of the medicine, and thereupon take it.

[28:31]

They're poisoning, being entirely relieved. The father, hearing that the sons are all recovered, seeks an opportunity and returns so that they all see him. Oh, my good sons and daughters, what is your opinion? Are there any who could say that this good physician has committed the sin of falsehood? In other words, tricked you into something? No world honored one. The Buddha then said, I am also like this. Since I became Buddha, infinite, boundless, 100,000 myriads of cookies of nayutas of asamkhyaya kapas ago, for the sake of all living beings, by my thankful power, I have declared that I must enter nirvana. Yet there is none who can lawfully accuse me of the error of falsehood." So in other words, even though I have entered Nirvana, I haven't entered Parinirvana. At that time, the world honored one desiring to protect, proclaim his teaching over again, spoke thus in verse.

[29:37]

So here's a verse that kind of personifies what he's talking about. Since I attained the Buddhahood, The kalpas through which I have passed are infinite thousands of myriads of kotis of asankhyaya years. Ceaselessly preached I the law and taught countless kotis of creatures to enter the way of the Buddha. Since then are unmeasured kalpas. In order to save all creatures, by tactful methods, I reveal nirvana. Yet truly, I am not yet extinct, but forever here preaching the law. I forever remained in this world, using all my spiritual powers so that all perverted creatures, though I am near, yet fail to see me, all looking on me as extinct, everywhere worship my relics, all cherishing longing desires and beget thirsting hearts of hope. When all creatures had believed and obeyed in character upright, in mind gentle,

[30:44]

wholeheartedly wishing to see the Buddha, not caring for their own lives, then I with all the Sangha appear together on the divine eagle peak or vulture peak, depending on how you want to think about it, and then I tell all creatures that I exist forever in this world by the power of tactful methods, revealing myself regions there are beings reverent and with faith aspiring, again I am in their midst to preach the supreme law. You not hearing of this only say I am extinct. I behold all living creatures sunk in a sea of suffering. Hence, I do not reveal myself, but set them all aspiring, till, when their hearts are longing, I appear to preach the law. In such supernaturally pervading power, throughout askam kaya kalpas, I am always on the divine eagle peak, and in every other dwelling place.

[31:56]

When all the living see, at the kalpa's end, the conflagration, when it is burning, tranquil is this realm of mine, at the end of time, that's the Kalpa's end, there's a koan about that but I won't go into that, ever filled with heavenly beings, this is kind of, you know, Ever filled with heavenly beings, parks and many palaces, with every kind of gem adorned, precious trees full of blossoms and fruits, where all creatures take their pleasure, all the gods strike the heavenly drums and evermore make music, showering mandarava flowers on the Buddha and his great assembly, my pure land will never be destroyed, yet all view it as being burned up.

[32:58]

And grief and horror and distress fill them all like this. All those sinful creatures, by reason of their evil karma, threw out asam khyaya kalpas, hear not the name of the precious three. But all who perform virtuous deeds and are gentle and of upright nature, these all see that I exist and am here expounding the law. At times, for all this throng, I preach the Buddha's life is eternal. To those who at length see the Buddha, I preach that a Buddha is rarely met. My intelligence power is such, my wisdom light shines infinitely, and my life is of countless kalpas. From long-cultivated karma obtained, you who have intelligence do not in regard to this beget doubt, but bring it forever to an end. For the Buddha's words are true and not false. Like the physician who with clever device, in order to cure his demented sons, though indeed alive, announces his own death. yet cannot be charged with falsehood.

[34:00]

I too, being father of this world, who heals all misery and affliction, for the sake of the perverted people, though truly alive, say I am extinct, lest, because always seeing me, they should beget arrogant minds, be dissolute, and set in their five desires, and fall into evil paths. I, ever knowing all beings, those who walk or walk not in the way, according with the right principles of salvation, expound their every law. Ever making this my thought, how shall I cause all the living to enter the supreme way and speedily accomplish their Buddhahood?" So from the Mahayana sadharma-pundarika, Lotus Sutra point of view, Buddha is eternal life. From the Theravada point of view, Parinirvana is Buddha's extinction.

[35:06]

So it's interesting to see this is actually a play on the other sutra. I see it as a kind of extension. non-dual expression of that same story. Do you have any questions? In the first version of the story, it makes that famous statement, be a lamb unto yourself.

[36:10]

How is that statement commented on in the second? Well, I don't think that was... part of this. This is, you know, I don't think that was included in this, but that's always been, I think in both Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism, that statement is always, everyone honors that statement. I really enjoyed that and I got some out of it. At the very end you said that in the Lotus Sutra he says that, well in one he says I'm extinct and in the other he says I'm eternal life. And I just wondered if eternal life might be kind of not a very good choice of words in English because it's so connected with Christian stuff.

[37:19]

kind of misleads is what I think I hear coming out of it. One of them he says, I'm gone, and one of them he says, I'm not gone. They could avoid eternal life. Right. The point is that you can see it in various ways. Eternity is not really a Buddhist term, but it's like a term that is closest, you know, it points to, you can say continuous life. But it's not the life of the persona, it's the life of life itself, the continuation of life itself. So, you know, extinction is not a good word either. The two extremes are extinction and eternalism, right? I was talking to somebody the other day and it occurred to me that nirvana is... On one side is hell and the other side is heaven.

[38:38]

Nirvana is the place in between heaven and hell, which is a non-dual place and doesn't fall into one or the other. So you can say heaven is eternal and hell is extinction. So it's between eternal and extinction. That's why we say just take care of this moment now. You know, these are the questions that were proposed to him, does the Buddha live after death? He said, this kind of question is not relevant, it's not the kind of question I'm concerned with. There was another question you had, but I can't remember what it was. those two different narratives raise what you might call theological difficulties.

[39:58]

Well, except there's no theo in Buddhism. There is worship, but it's not ... and it bleeds over, overflows into what looks like theism. But strictly speaking, it's not. And Buddhism has this problem of Mahayana Buddhism looking like it has a theo. Pure land and so forth, but like the sixth ancestor says, pure land is in your own mind, heaven and hell are in your own mind.

[41:02]

So, this is a whole other subject that I want to address, but not now. If you have faith, what do you have faith in? So that's the next subject for practice, period. So we're going to have a ceremony commemorating Shakyamuni Buddha's parinirvana in a few minutes. Very soon, so you're all welcome to stay for that. Is it commemorating or celebrating? It's an interesting question.

[42:00]

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