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and then experience the bliss of skill. Thus, venerable Nāgasena, the bliss of skill is unmixed with suffering; that bliss of skill is one thing, suffering is another. Just so, great king, Nibbāna is absolute bliss, not mixed with suffering. But those who seek that Nibbāna, they afflict their body and mind, they regulate their standing, walking, sitting, and lying, they suppress drowsiness, they restrain their sense-faculties, they sacrifice their body and life, they seek Nibbāna with suffering and then experience Nibbāna, which is absolute bliss, just as teachers experience the bliss of skill. Thus, great king, Nibbāna is absolute bliss, not mixed with suffering; suffering is one thing, Nibbāna is another. Excellent, venerable Nāgasena, I accept it as such. Absolute Bliss The ninth question, on Nibbāna. 10. The question on the form and shape of Nibbāna. 10. “Venerable Nāgasena, when you say, ‘Nibbāna, Nibbāna,’ is it possible to describe the form, or the shape, or the age, or the measure of that Nibbāna, by simile, or by reason, or by cause, or by method?” “Nibbāna, great king, is incomparable. It is not possible to describe the form, or the shape, or the age, or the measure of Nibbāna, by simile, or by reason, or by cause, or by method.” “This, Venerable Nāgasena, I do not accept: that Nibbāna, which is an existing reality, cannot be described in its form, or its shape, or its age, or its measure, by simile, or by reason, or by cause, or by method. Convince me with a reason.” “Be it so, great king, I will convince you with a reason. Great king, is there a great ocean?” “Yes, Venerable sir, there is that great ocean.” “If someone, great king, were to ask you thus: ‘How much water, great king, is in the great ocean? And how many beings dwell in the great ocean?’ Being asked thus, great king, how would you answer him?” “If someone, Venerable sir, were to ask me thus: ‘How much water, great king, is in the great ocean? And how many beings dwell in the great ocean?’ I, Venerable sir, would say to him thus: ‘You, sir, ask me what should not be asked. That question should not be asked by anyone. That question should be set aside. The great ocean is not divided by world-tellers. It is not possible to measure the water in the great ocean, nor the beings who have come to dwell there.’ Thus, Venerable sir, would I give him an answer.” “Why then, great king, would you give such an answer regarding the great ocean, which is an existing reality? Should it not be calculated and told to him: ‘So much water is in the great ocean, and so many beings dwell in the great ocean’?” “It is not possible, Venerable sir. That question is beyond scope.” “Just as Just as, great king, it is not possible to count the water in the existing great ocean, or the beings who reside therein, even so, great king, it is not possible to describe the form, or the shape, or the age, or the measure of the existing Nibbāna, by simile, or by reason, or by cause, or by method. An individual, great king, endowed with psychic power, master of mental faculties, might count the water in the great ocean and the beings therein, but that individual, endowed with psychic power, master of mental faculties, would not be able to describe the form, or the shape, or the age, or the measure of Nibbāna, by simile, or by reason, or by cause, or by method. Furthermore, great king, listen to another reason: it is not possible to describe the form, or the shape, or the age, or the measure of the existing Nibbāna, by simile, or by reason, or by cause, or by method. There are, great king, among the devas, devas called formless-bodied. “Yes, venerable sir, it is heard that there are devas called formless-bodied among the devas.” “Is it possible, great king, to describe the form, or the shape, or the age, or the measure of those formless-bodied devas, by simile, or by reason, or by cause, or by method?” “No, venerable sir.” “In that case, great king, there are no formless-bodied devas?” “There are, venerable sir, formless-bodied devas, but it is not possible to describe their form, or shape, or age, or measure, by simile, or by reason, or by cause, or by method.” “Just as, great king, it is not possible to describe the form, or the shape, or the age, or the measure of the existing formless-bodied devas, by simile, or by reason, or by cause, or by method, even so, great king, it is not possible to describe the form, or the shape, or the age, or the measure of the existing Nibbāna, by simile, or by reason, or by cause, or by method.” “Venerable Nāgasena, let Nibbāna be unadulterated happiness. And it is not possible to show its form, or its shape, or its age, or its measure, by simile, or by reason, or by cause, or by method. "But is there, venerable sir, any quality of Nibbāna that has entered into other things, even a little, as a mere illustrative simile?" "In its own nature, great king, there is not. But by way of quality, it is possible to show something, even a little, as a mere illustrative simile." "Excellent, venerable Nāgasena! So that I may obtain even a partial explanation of Nibbāna's qualities, speak quickly thus! Extinguish the fever of my heart! Remove it with the breeze of your cool and sweet words!" "Of the lotus, great king, one quality has entered Nibbāna. Of water, two qualities. Of medicine, three qualities. Of the great ocean, four qualities. Of food, five qualities. Of space, ten qualities. Of a jewel, three qualities. Of red sandalwood, three qualities. Of ghee-cream, three qualities. Of a mountain peak, five qualities have entered Nibbāna." "Venerable Nāgasena, that which you say: 'Of the lotus, one quality has entered Nibbāna'— which is that one quality of the lotus that has entered Nibbāna?" "Just as, great king, the lotus is unsoiled by water, even so, great king, Nibbāna is unsoiled by all defilements. This, great king, is the one quality of the lotus that has entered Nibbāna." "Venerable Nāgasena, that which you say: 'Of water, two qualities have entered Nibbāna'— which are those two qualities of water that have entered Nibbāna?" "Just as, great king, water is cool, extinguishing fever, even so, great king, Nibbāna is cool, extinguishing the fever of all defilements. This, great king, is the first quality of water that has entered Nibbāna. Furthermore, great king, water quenches the thirst of people, cattle, and creatures who are weary, thirsty, and afflicted by heat. Even so, great king, Nibbāna quenches the thirst of craving for sensual pleasures, craving for existence, and craving for non-existence. This, great king, is the second this quality has entered Nibbāna. Indeed, O great king, these two qualities of water have entered Nibbāna. "Venerable Nāgasena, that which you say, 'three qualities of medicine have entered Nibbāna,' what are these three qualities of medicine that have entered Nibbāna?" "Just as, O great king, medicine is a refuge for beings afflicted by poison, even so, O great king, Nibbāna is a refuge for beings afflicted by the poison of defilements. This, O great king, is the first quality of medicine that has entered Nibbāna. Furthermore, O great king, medicine is an ender of diseases, even so, O great king, Nibbāna is an ender of all suffering. This, O great king, is the second quality of medicine that has entered Nibbāna. Furthermore, O great king, medicine is deathless, even so, O great king, Nibbāna is deathless. This, O great king, is the third quality of medicine that has entered Nibbāna. Indeed, O great king, these three qualities of medicine have entered Nibbāna. "Venerable Nāgasena, that which you say, 'four qualities of the great ocean have entered Nibbāna,' what are these four qualities of the great ocean that have entered Nibbāna?" "Just as, O great king, the great ocean is devoid of all corpses, even so, O great king, Nibbāna is devoid of all defilement-corpses. This, O great king, is the first quality of the great ocean that has entered Nibbāna. Furthermore, O great king, the great ocean is vast, without a near or far shore, it is not filled by all rivers, even so, O great king, Nibbāna is vast, without a near or far shore, it is not filled by all beings. This, O great king, is the second quality of the great ocean that has entered Nibbāna. Furthermore, O great king, the great ocean is the abode of great beings, even so, O great king, Nibbāna is the abode of great Arahants, pure, with defilements destroyed, who have attained power, who have mastered themselves, great beings. This, O great king, is the third quality of the great ocean that has entered Nibbāna. Furthermore, O great king, the great o The ocean is adorned with immeasurable, various, vast flower-like waves. Just so, O great king, Nibbāna is adorned with immeasurable, various, vast, pure flower-like knowledge and liberation. This, O great king, is the fourth quality of the great ocean that has entered Nibbāna. These, O great king, are the four qualities of the great ocean that have entered Nibbāna." "Venerable Nāgasena, as you say, 'five qualities of food have entered Nibbāna,' which are these five qualities of food that have entered Nibbāna?" "Just as, O great king, food sustains the life of all beings, just so, O great king, Nibbāna, when realized, sustains life by destroying old age and death. This, O great king, is the first quality of food that has entered Nibbāna. Furthermore, O great king, food increases the strength of all beings, just so, O great king, Nibbāna, when realized, increases the spiritual power and strength of all beings. This, O great king, is the second quality of food that has entered Nibbāna. Furthermore, O great king, food generates good complexion for all beings, just so, O great king, Nibbāna, when realized, generates the beauty of virtue for all beings. This, O great king, is the third quality of food that has entered Nibbāna. Furthermore, O great king, food allays the distress