English
English version: ‘Possessing great wisdom, great compassion, and skillful means, please have mercy on us.’ ‘Kasyapa (one of the Buddha's ten major disciples), you should know that the initial transformed city refers to the pure wisdom of the Sravaka (those who practice by hearing the Buddha's teachings) and Pratyekabuddha (those who attain enlightenment on their own without a teacher) vehicles, which is the wisdom of emptiness, non-appearance, and non-action liberation; while the true great city is the liberation of the Tathagata (Buddha). Therefore, the Tathagata reveals the three vehicles, manifests two kinds of Nirvana, and also speaks of the one vehicle.’ The Buddha told Kasyapa: ‘If anyone says that this sutra does not exist, then he is not my disciple, and I am not his teacher.’ Kasyapa said to the Buddha: ‘World Honored One! Many Mahayana sutras speak of the doctrine of emptiness.’ The Buddha told Kasyapa: ‘All sutras that speak of emptiness are provisional teachings, only this sutra is the supreme teaching, not a provisional one. Furthermore, Kasyapa! Just like King Prasenajit (King of Kosala in ancient India) often holds a large almsgiving ceremony in the eleventh month, first offering to hungry ghosts, the lonely, and poor beggars, and then offering to Sramanas (ascetics) and Brahmins (priests of ancient India), with various delicacies according to their desires. The Buddhas, World Honored Ones, are also like this, according to the various desires and pleasures of sentient beings, they expound various sutras. If there are sentient beings who are lazy and break precepts, do not diligently practice, abandon the wonderful sutras of the Tathagatagarbha (Buddha-nature) that is permanent, and like to study various sutras on emptiness, either interpreting the text literally or adding or changing the text. Why is this? Because they say: ‘All Buddhist sutras speak of no-self.’ But they do not know the true meaning of emptiness and no-self, and these people without wisdom go towards extinction. However, speaking of emptiness and no-self is also the Buddha's teaching. Why is this? Because the permanent emptiness of Nirvana, which is the repository of countless dust and various afflictions, such Nirvana is the basis of all sentences; that permanent bliss is the basis of the Great Nirvana attained by the Buddha.’ Kasyapa said to the Buddha: ‘World Honored One! How can one be free from the views of annihilation and permanence?’ The Buddha told Kasyapa: ‘As long as sentient beings are still in the cycle of birth and death, I am not free, therefore I speak of the doctrine of no-self for them. However, the Great Nirvana attained by the Buddhas is permanent and blissful, and because of this meaning, it destroys the views of annihilation and permanence.’ Kasyapa said to the Buddha: ‘World Honored One! You have turned the wheel of no-self again, and it has been a long time since you turned the wheel of self.’ The Buddha told Kasyapa: ‘To break the attachment to self of the people in the world’ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
，故说无我义。若不如是说者，云何令彼受大师法？佛说无我，彼诸众生生奇特想，闻所未闻，来诣佛所，然后以百千因缘令入佛法。入佛法已，信心增长，勤修精进善学空法，然后为说常住安乐有色解脱。复次，或有世俗说有是解脱，为坏彼故，说言解脱悉无所有。若不如是说，云何令彼受大师法？是故百千因缘为说解脱，灭尽无我。然后，我复见彼众生见毕竟灭以为解脱，彼无慧人趣向灭尽，然后我复百千因缘说解脱是有。” 迦叶白佛言：“世尊！得解脱自在者，当知众生必应有常。譬如见烟必知有火，若有我者必有解脱。若说有我，则为已说解脱有色，非世俗身见，亦非说断常。” 迦叶复白佛言：“世尊！云何如来不般涅槃示般涅槃、不生示生？” 佛告迦叶：“为坏众生计常想故，如来不般涅槃示般涅槃、不生示生。所以者何？众生谓佛尚有终没不得自在，何况我等有我我所？譬如有王为邻国所执，系缚枷锁，作是思惟：‘我今复是王、是主耶？我今非王非主。何缘乃致如是诸难？由放逸故。’如是，众生乃至生死轮回，我不自在；不自在故，说无我义。譬如有人为贼所逐，举刀欲害，作是思惟：‘我今无力当得免此死难，以不如是生老病死种种众苦成就众生思想，愿作帝释梵王。’ 现代汉语译本：所以才说无我的道理。如果不是这样说，又怎么能让他们接受大师的教法呢？佛陀说无我，那些众生会产生奇异的想法，听到从未听闻的道理，来到佛陀这里，然后用百千种因缘让他们进入佛法。进入佛法后，信心增长，勤奋修行精进，好好学习空性之法，然后才为他们说常住安乐的有色解脱。再者，或许有世俗之人说有这样的解脱，为了破除他们的这种观念，就说解脱完全不存在。如果不是这样说，又怎么能让他们接受大师的教法呢？因此，用百千种因缘为他们说解脱，灭尽无我。然后，我又看到那些众生把彻底的灭尽当作解脱，那些没有智慧的人趋向于灭尽，然后我又用百千种因缘说解脱是存在的。 迦叶对佛说：‘世尊！得到解脱自在的人，应当知道众生必定有常住的本性。譬如看到烟必定知道有火，如果有我，必定有解脱。如果说有我，就等于已经说了解脱是有色的，既不是世俗的常见，也不是说断灭。’ 迦叶又对佛说：‘世尊！为什么如来不入涅槃却示现入涅槃，不生却示现生呢？’ 佛告诉迦叶：‘为了破除众生执着常住的想法，如来不入涅槃却示现入涅槃，不生却示现生。为什么呢？众生认为佛尚且有终结和消失，不能自在，何况我们这些有我我所的人呢？譬如有一个国王被邻国抓获，被枷锁束缚，他会这样想：‘我现在还是国王、是主人吗？我现在不是国王也不是主人。为什么会遭受这样的灾难呢？是因为放纵的缘故。’同样，众生乃至在生死轮回中，我不能自在；因为不能自在，所以说无我的道理。譬如有人被强盗追赶，举刀想要杀害，他会这样想：‘我现在没有力量能够免除这场死亡的灾难，因为不如意地遭受生老病死种种痛苦，成就众生的思想，希望成为帝释梵王。’
English
English version: Therefore, the meaning of no-self is explained. If it were not explained in this way, how could they accept the teachings of the great master? When the Buddha speaks of no-self, those beings develop strange thoughts, hearing what they have never heard before, and come to the Buddha. Then, through hundreds and thousands of causes and conditions, they enter the Buddha's Dharma. Having entered the Dharma, their faith grows, they diligently practice and advance, and they learn the Dharma of emptiness well. Then, they are told about the permanent, blissful, and colored liberation. Furthermore, some worldly people may say that such liberation exists. To destroy their view, it is said that liberation is completely non-existent. If it were not explained in this way, how could they accept the teachings of the great master? Therefore, through hundreds and thousands of causes and conditions, liberation is explained as the extinction of no-self. Then, I see those beings who regard complete extinction as liberation. Those without wisdom are drawn to extinction. Then, I again use hundreds and thousands of causes and conditions to explain that liberation exists. Kasyapa said to the Buddha, 'World Honored One! Those who attain liberation and freedom should know that beings must have a permanent nature. For example, seeing smoke, one knows there must be fire. If there is a self, there must be liberation. If one says there is a self, it is equivalent to saying that liberation has form, which is neither the worldly view of permanence nor the view of annihilation.' Kasyapa again said to the Buddha, 'World Honored One! Why does the Tathagata not enter Nirvana but shows the appearance of entering Nirvana, and not born but shows the appearance of being born?' The Buddha told Kasyapa, 'To destroy the idea of permanence held by beings, the Tathagata does not enter Nirvana but shows the appearance of entering Nirvana, and is not born but shows the appearance of being born. Why is this so? Beings think that even the Buddha has an end and disappears, and is not free. How much more so for us who have a self and what belongs to the self? For example, a king is captured by a neighboring country, bound by shackles, and thinks, 'Am I still a king, a master? I am no longer a king or a master. Why have I suffered such difficulties? It is because of my indulgence.' Similarly, beings are in the cycle of birth and death, and I am not free. Because I am not free, the meaning of no-self is explained. For example, a person is chased by a thief, who raises a knife to kill him, and he thinks, 'I have no power to escape this death. Because of the unsatisfactory suffering of birth, old age, sickness, and death, the thoughts of beings are formed, and they wish to become Indra or Brahma.' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
如来为坏彼思想故，示现有死。如来是天中之天，若般涅槃悉磨灭者，世间应灭；若不灭者，则常住安乐。常住安乐，则必有我，如烟有火。若复无我而有我者，世间应满实有我非；无我亦不坏，若实无我，我则不成。” 迦叶白佛言：“世尊！有者何耶？” 佛告迦叶：“有者，二十五有众生行；非有者，无思之物。若非有是众生者，应从他来。设有思之物坏者，众生当减；若非有是众生者，则应充满。以众生不生不坏故，不减不满。” 迦叶白佛言：“世尊！若有我者，云何生彼烦恼诸垢？” 佛告迦叶：“善哉，善哉！应以是问，问于如来。譬如金师见彼金性，作是思惟：‘如此金性何由生垢？今当推寻生垢之本。’彼人云何为得本不？” 迦叶白言：“不也。世尊！” 佛告迦叶：“若尽寿思惟寻初因相，乃至无始得本际不？既不得本，亦不得金。若巧方便，精勤不懈，除彼金垢，尔乃得金。” 佛告迦叶：“如是我者，生客烦恼。欲见我者，作是思惟：‘今当推寻我及垢本。’彼人云何为得本不？” 迦叶白佛言：“不也。世尊！” 佛告迦叶：“若勤方便除烦恼垢，尔乃得我。谓闻如是比经，深心信乐，不缓不急，善巧方便，专精三业。以是因 现代汉语译本：如来为了破除人们的这种思想，才示现死亡。如来是天中之天（指佛陀在天界众生中最为尊贵），如果般涅槃（指佛陀的最终寂灭）后一切都磨灭了，那么世间也应该灭亡；如果不是一切都磨灭，那么就应该是常住安乐的。如果常住安乐，那就必定有‘我’的存在，就像有烟就必定有火一样。如果说没有‘我’却又说有‘我’，那么世间就应该充满实际上没有‘我’的说法；没有‘我’也不会坏灭，如果真的没有‘我’，那么‘我’的概念就无法成立。 迦叶（佛陀的十大弟子之一）问佛说：‘世尊！“有”是什么意思呢？’ 佛告诉迦叶说：‘“有”指的是二十五有（指三界中的二十五种存在状态）众生的行为；“非有”指的是没有思想的事物。如果“非有”是众生，那么就应该从其他地方来。如果说有思想的事物坏灭了，那么众生就应该减少；如果“非有”是众生，那么就应该充满。因为众生不生不灭，所以不会减少也不会充满。’ 迦叶问佛说：‘世尊！如果真的有“我”，那么这些烦恼和污垢又是如何产生的呢？’ 佛告诉迦叶说：‘问得好，问得好！应该这样问如来。比如一个金匠看到金子的性质，就思考说：“这金子的性质怎么会产生污垢呢？现在应该去探寻产生污垢的根本原因。”这个人能找到根本原因吗？’ 迦叶回答说：‘不能，世尊！’ 佛告诉迦叶说：‘如果用尽一生去思考探寻最初的原因，甚至到无始以来都找不到根本原因，既然找不到根本原因，也找不到金子。如果用巧妙的方法，精勤不懈地去除金子的污垢，才能得到金子。’ 佛告诉迦叶说：‘我的情况也是这样，产生的是客尘烦恼。想要见到“我”的人，就思考说：“现在应该去探寻‘我’和污垢的根本原因。”这个人能找到根本原因吗？’ 迦叶回答佛说：‘不能，世尊！’ 佛告诉迦叶说：‘如果勤奋地用方便法去除烦恼污垢，才能得到“我”。也就是说，听闻这样的经典，内心深信并乐于接受，不急不缓，用巧妙的方法，专心精进于身口意三业。因为这个原因，’
English
English version: The Tathagata (Buddha) manifests death in order to break that kind of thinking. The Tathagata is the King of the Heavens (meaning the most honored among celestial beings); if after Parinirvana (the final extinction of the Buddha) everything were to be annihilated, then the world should also perish; if not everything is annihilated, then it should be permanent and blissful. If it is permanent and blissful, then there must be a 'self', just as where there is smoke, there must be fire. If it is said that there is no 'self' but there is a 'self', then the world should be full of the notion that there is actually no 'self'; the absence of 'self' also does not perish, if there is truly no 'self', then the concept of 'self' cannot be established. Kasyapa (one of the ten major disciples of the Buddha) asked the Buddha, 'World Honored One! What does “existence” mean?' The Buddha told Kasyapa, '“Existence” refers to the actions of sentient beings in the twenty-five realms of existence (referring to the twenty-five states of existence in the three realms); “non-existence” refers to things without thought. If “non-existence” were sentient beings, then they should come from somewhere else. If it is said that things with thought perish, then sentient beings should decrease; if “non-existence” were sentient beings, then they should be full. Because sentient beings neither arise nor perish, they neither decrease nor become full.' Kasyapa asked the Buddha, 'World Honored One! If there truly is a “self”, then how do these afflictions and defilements arise?' The Buddha told Kasyapa, 'Well said, well said! You should ask the Tathagata in this way. For example, a goldsmith sees the nature of gold and thinks, “How does this nature of gold produce defilement? Now I should investigate the root cause of the defilement.” Can that person find the root cause?' Kasyapa replied, 'No, World Honored One!' The Buddha told Kasyapa, 'If one spends their entire life thinking about and searching for the initial cause, even going back to the beginningless past, they will not find the root cause. Since they cannot find the root cause, they also cannot find the gold. If one uses skillful methods, diligently and tirelessly removes the defilement of the gold, then one can obtain the gold.' The Buddha told Kasyapa, 'My situation is also like this, what arises are the defilements of the guest. Those who want to see the “self” think, “Now I should investigate the root cause of the ‘self’ and the defilements.” Can that person find the root cause?' Kasyapa replied to the Buddha, 'No, World Honored One!' The Buddha told Kasyapa, 'If one diligently uses skillful methods to remove the defilements of afflictions, then one can obtain the “self”. That is to say, upon hearing such scriptures, one deeply believes and rejoices, neither rushing nor delaying, using skillful methods, and focusing diligently on the three karmas of body, speech, and mind. Because of this reason,' -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 缘，尔乃得我。”