Samyuktagama Sutra (347), Part Three

(Three) Original text: 尔时。须深知众多比丘去已。作是思惟。此诸尊者。所说不同。前后相违。言不得正受。而复记说。自知作证。作是思惟已。往诣佛所。稽首礼足。退住一面。白佛言。世尊。彼众多比丘。于我面前记说。我生已尽。梵行已立。所作已作。自知不受后有。

我即问彼尊者。得离欲恶不善法。乃至身作证。不起诸漏。心善解脱耶。彼答我言。不也须深。我即问言。所说不同。前后相违。言不入正受。而复记说。自知作证。彼答我言。得慧解脱。作此说已。各从座起而去。我今问世尊。云何彼所说不同。前后相违。不得正受。而复说言。自知作证。

Explanation: At this time, Susīma saw that the bhikkhus had departed, and he thought thus: These venerable ones' statements are inconsistent with liberation, contradicting one another from beginning to end—they say they have not attained proper meditative absorption, yet they declare that they have realized and attested for themselves liberation with no future existence. After thinking this over, he went to where the Buddha dwelt, bowed his head at the Buddha's feet, withdrew to stand at one side, and said to the Buddha: World-Honored One, just now many bhikkhus declared before me, "My birth has been exhausted, the holy life has been established, what was to be done has been done, and I know for myself that there will be no further existence."

I then asked those venerable ones whether they had departed from desire and evil unwholesome states, and even to the point of attesting with their own bodies, that they no longer gave rise to any defilements and outflows, and that their minds were well liberated. They answered me, saying: No, Susīma. I then asked them: Your statements are inconsistent, contradicting one another from beginning to end—you say you have not entered proper meditative absorption, yet you declare that you have realized and attested it for yourselves. They answered me, saying that they had attained liberation by wisdom. Having said this, they each rose from their seats and departed. I now ask the World-Honored One: why do their statements differ from the actual phenomenon of liberation, contradicting one another from beginning to end, saying they have not attained proper meditative absorption, and yet they declare that they can attest it for themselves?

Original text: 佛告须深。彼先知法住。后知涅槃。彼诸善男子。独一静处。专精思惟。不放逸住。离于我见。不起诸漏。心善解脱。须深白佛。我今不知。先知法住。后知涅槃。彼诸善男子。独一静处。专精思惟。不放逸住。离于我见。不起诸漏。心善解脱。佛告须深。不问汝知不知。且自先知法住。后知涅槃。彼诸善男子独一静处。专精思惟。不放逸住。离于我见。心善解脱。须深白佛。唯愿世尊为我说法。令我得知法住智。得见法住智。

Explanation: The Buddha told Susīma that they first knew the abiding of dharma, and only afterward realized nirvāṇa. Those good men all dwelt alone in a quiet place, deliberating with single-minded diligence, abiding in non-negligence, departing from self-view, and therefore did not give rise to any defilements and outflows, and their minds were well liberated. Susīma said to the Buddha: I still do not know about first knowing the abiding of dharma and afterward knowing nirvāṇa—those good men dwelt alone in a quiet place, deliberating with single-minded diligence, abiding in non-negligence, departing from self-view, never giving rise to any outflows, their minds well liberated. The Buddha told Susīma: I am not asking whether you know or not; you yourself should first know the abiding of dharma, and afterward know nirvāṇa. Those good men dwelt alone in a quiet place, deliberating with single-minded diligence, abiding in non-negligence, departing from self-view, their minds well liberated. Susīma said to the Buddha: I only wish that the World-Honored One would expound the Dharma for me, so that I may come to know the knowledge of the abiding of dharma and come to see the knowledge of the abiding of dharma.

What dharma does "first knowing the abiding of dharma" refer to knowing? It is knowing the dharma of the twelve links of dependent arising, and being able to abide within the dharma of the twelve links of dependent arising, with the mind not turning to other thoughts. "Afterward knowing nirvāṇa" means knowing how to attain liberation and being able to realize nirvāṇa. One whose mind is well liberated must possess the first dhyāna; after eliminating self-view and realizing the first fruit, it is only within this concentration that one can thereby sever the afflictive bonds of greed, hatred, and delusion, becoming a third-fruit person and a fourth-fruit arhat, thereby attaining liberation of mind and realizing nirvāṇa with remainder and nirvāṇa without remainder.