Commentary on the Mahayana Vijñapti Sutra

Original Text: Throughout past, future, and present, penetrating without obstruction, are the great Nagas. As the Buddha taught, what ought to be done has been done; the great burden has been laid down; one's own benefit has been attained; the flow of transmigration has been severed; existence in birth and death is suffering. With right knowledge, they well understand the inclinations of beings' minds. Such is the great assembly of Śrāvakas, with the Elder Śāriputra as their leader. Furthermore, an immeasurable assembly of Bodhisattva Mahāsattvas was gathered together.

Nāga refers to the dragon clan. These Arhats are like great dragons possessing power, truly following the Buddha's teachings. Those who sought liberation in this life attained it, having laid down the heavy burden of birth and death, and from then on attained liberation and rest for body and mind. Fourth-stage Arhats often declare: "My births are exhausted, the holy life has been established, what had to be done has been done, I know for myself that there is no further becoming." What Arhats must accomplish is the complete severing of greed, hatred, and delusion, enabling liberation from the three realms. This is the task they must accomplish in their lifetime. "What ought to be done has been done" means all that should be done is entirely completed. Third-stage Arhats cannot yet say this; only fourth-stage Arhats can. This is because third-stage practitioners still have afflictions not fully severed, and the view of self and conceit are not completely eradicated. Only fourth-stage Arhats, having severed all afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion, with all outflows exhausted, can say "what had to be done has been done, there is no further becoming."

Laying down the great burden – what is this burden? The five aggregates and eighteen elements constitute the great burden of birth and death; the five desires and six dusts are a great burden. Arhats can lay down this great burden; their minds are without afflictions, the burdens of the three realms are gone, and they no longer concern themselves with whether beings suffer or not. They cast off all baggage and burdens, breaking free from the three realms. Attaining one's own benefit means one finally gains the benefit, ends the suffering of birth and death, and attains liberation. Arhats only seek their own escape from the three realms, no longer suffering the pain of birth and death; they do not concern themselves with others. If all Buddhists held such an attitude, the Dharma could not continue; the Dharma would then perish. Future beings would have no one to propagate the Dharma, no one to teach them, and beings would gain no benefit from the Dharma. Their suffering in birth and death would remain unresolved, and they would constantly dwell in a dark abyss.

Therefore, the Dharma of the Śrāvakas (Hinayana) is not the ultimate Dharma; it can only be practiced for a period. We Bodhisattvas who study the Mahayana Dharma, although the Hinayana practices are inevitably essential to cultivate and realize, do not take the path of Nirvāṇa for ourselves alone. After achieving our own attainment, we must still benefit others. This is the Bodhisattva's resolve. The Bodhisattva's mind is vast and great. Not only do they seek to liberate themselves, they also seek to liberate all beings suffering in saṃsāra just like themselves, enabling them all to attain ultimate liberation. This is the action of the great-hearted Bodhisattva; hence Bodhisattvas are also called great-hearted beings.

"The flow of transmigration has been severed; existence in birth and death is suffering." The Arhats have cut off the suffering of birth and death flowing through the three realms. "Existence" (Bhava) includes existence in the desire realm, form realm, and formless realm – meaning the desire realm has the dharmas of the desire realm, the form realm has the dharmas of the form realm, and the formless realm has the dharmas of the formless realm. This "existence" in the three realms is all suffering. Not only are the three evil destinies suffering, but our human realm is also suffering. What about the devas? They too suffer. Is there suffering within "pleasure"? Pleasure also contains suffering, and moreover, this so-called "pleasure" itself is a kind of suffering; after pleasure comes suffering again.