Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra
by Gelongma Karma Migme Ch枚dr枚n | 2001 | 941,039 words
This page describes 鈥渨hy the buddha eliminates the traces鈥� as written by Nagarjuna in his Maha-prajnaparamita-sastra (lit. 鈥渢he treatise on the great virtue of wisdom鈥�) in the 2nd century. This book, written in five volumes, represents an encyclopedia on Buddhism as well as a commentary on the Pancavimsatisahasrika Prajnaparamita.
V. Why the Buddha eliminates the traces
Question. 鈥� But the 艣谤腻惫补办补蝉 and pratyekabuddhas likewise, having at their disposal pure wisdom (补苍腻蝉谤补惫补箩帽腻苍补), eliminate the traces of the passions. Is this completely or incompletely?
Answer. 鈥� Previously (p. 1761F) I said that the power of their knowledge (箩帽腻苍补产补濒补) is weak and only like ordinary fire, whereas the power of the Buddhas is great and like the [cosmic] fire at the end of the kalpa (办补濒辫辞诲诲腻丑补). Here I must repeat myself:
The 艣谤腻惫补办补蝉 and pratyekabuddhas have accumulated the qualities (驳耻峁嘺) [261b] and the knowledges (箩帽腻苍补) for a short time, one, two or three lifetimes. The Buddha, on the other hand, has cultivated the knowledges and practiced the qualities during innumerable incalculable periods (补蝉补峁僰丑测别测补办补濒辫补); long ago he vaporized the perfume of the good dharmas (办耻艣补濒补诲丑补谤尘补): this is why he no longer has even a trace of 办濒别艣补惫腻蝉补苍腻.
Moreover, the Buddha has accumulated and exhausted all the qualities to the extent that the traces of passion have been eliminated definitively without residue. Why? Because the good dharmas and qualities make the passions melt. The arhats who have not fully obtained these qualities eliminate only their desire for the world (濒辞办补迟峁涐梗峁嚹�) and enter directly into 苍颈谤惫腻峁嘺.
Finally, the Buddha has cut the fetters (蝉补峁儁辞箩补苍补) and the power of his knowledge (箩帽腻苍补产补濒补) is very sharp (迟墨办峁ａ箛补). He utilizes the ten powers (诲补艣补产补濒补) like a great knife and his unhindered knowledges (辫谤补迟颈蝉补峁僾颈诲) are superior. This is why he cuts the fetters completely and without residue.
When a man has committed a serious wrong-doing, the king, who is very angry, massacres his descendants down to the seventh generation so that there is nobody left. In the same way, the Buddha tears up and eradicates these powerful enemies that are the conflicting emotions so that there is nothing left.
This is why [the 笔谤补箩帽腻辫腻谤补尘颈迟腻蝉奴迟谤补] says here that [the bodhisattva] who wants to destroy the traces of passion by means of the knowledge of all the aspects should exert himself in the perfection of wisdom.