Madhyama Āgama: Mahānidāna Sūtra (The Great Causes Sūtra)

(4) Original text: 阿难。如是。心解脱之比丘。不问如来死后有耶。若彼执着是言者。彼则非正。不问如来死后无耶。若彼执着是言者。彼则非正。不问如来死后亦有亦无耶。若彼执着是言者。彼则非正。不问如来死后。亦非有亦非无耶。若彼执着是言者。彼则非正。此乃依如何之因由耶。阿难。比丘由此范围。证知增语道。言语道。施设道。智慧界。流转轮回而解脱。对证知如是解脱之比丘。不知不见之徒。执着是见者则不正。 

Explanation: Ānanda, it is thus: a mind-liberated bhikkhu does not ask whether the Tathāgata, the Arhat, still has some dharma existing after death. If that bhikkhu clings to the view that there is still an existence, he has not entered the right position and is not an arhat. A mind-liberated bhikkhu also does not ask whether the Tathāgata, the Arhat, becomes nothing at all after death. If that bhikkhu clings to the view that the arhat becomes nothing at all after death, he has not attained liberation and has not entered the right position of an arhat. A mind-liberated bhikkhu also does not ask whether the Tathāgata, the Arhat, after death both exists and does not exist. If he clings to the view that the arhat after death both exists and does not exist, he has not entered the right position of an arhat and has not attained complete liberation. A mind-liberated bhikkhu does not ask whether the Tathāgata, the Arhat, after death neither exists nor does not exist. If he still clings to the view that the arhat after death neither exists nor does not exist, he has not entered the right position of an arhat and has not attained complete liberation.

An arhat who has entered the right position of the fourth fruit has a liberated mind and is liberated in every way; clinging has been extinguished, and there is no longer any dharma in his mind to which he clings. Whether it is clinging to existing or not existing after death, or neither existing nor not existing, all thoughts and clingings must be extinguished before one can attain complete liberation, and at the end of life enter nirvāṇa without remainder (anupadhiśeṣa-nirvāṇa). If there is still any dharma or clinging in the mind, one cannot cut off the existence of the three realms and enter nirvāṇa without remainder.