“Lankavatara Sutra

Mahamati, the Tathagatas as such, in order to guide those grasping to assertions of the Self of the Non-Buddhists, will demonstrate tathagatagarbha with the demonstration of Anatman(not self)”

The Context of this passage is that the Buddha Nature(Great Self) is not self in that it is not the same as the two selves of the philosophers(Hindu’s of his time)

Ju Mipham’s gloss on 9:23, from the new Dharmachakra version of Sutralamkara:

The pure and natural luminosity of emptiness is completely free from the self-manifestation of the adventitious defilements. In the absence of the twofold self of persons and phenomena, this is the actual nature of things, the supreme nature of the abiding reality, the intrinsic nature or essence itself. In achieving this, the buddhas have achieved a nature that is of complete purity. Thus, [to actualize] the suchness that is the unmistaken way things are is to be “the self of great beings.” This self is not the same as the conceived object that is involved when apprehending the twofold self because such a self has no bearing on things as they are. The buddhas, however, have actualized the unmistaken abiding reality, which is the suchness of the twofold selflessness, free from the extremes of existence and nonexistence. That is the supreme self—“the self of great beings.”

There are some who would incorrectly state that the passage in the Lankavatara sutra is saying that the tathagatagarbha is meant for immature individuals who are consumed by fear and doubt.The Lankavatara sutra however puts this fruadulent statement to rest when it states the exact opposite.



Lankavatara Sutra

“And for Queen Śrīmālā to whom the Buddha’s spiritual power was added, the [pure] realm of Tathagatahood was expounded. This does not belong to the realm of speculation as it is carried on by the Śrāvakas, Pratyekabuddhas, and other philosophers, except, Mahāmati, that this realm of Tathagatahood which is the realm of the Tathāgata-garbha-ālayavijñāna is meant for those Bodhisattva-Mahāsattvas who like you are”

Okay so we have established from the Lankavatara that the correct teachings of the Buddha Nature was taught to Queen Srimala and these teachings are not meant for anyone else but the Bodhisattvas, so the question remains what are the correct teachings that the Buddha handed down to Queen Srimala on this subject?

Queen Srimala Sutra

“Know that those living beings who have devout faith in the Buddha and view the Buddha as having Permanence, Bliss, Self and Purity do not stray away from the correct path. In truth it is those living beings who have the Right View Why is this? Because the Dharmakaya of the World Honored One is the perfection of permanence, the perfection of bliss, the perfection of the Noumenon Self, and the perfection of purity. Those living beings who see the Dharmakaya of the Buddha in this way are the ones who have seen correctly. Those who see correctly are called the Sons and Daughters of the Lord, born from his heart, born from his mouth, born from the Dharma, those who act as if they are a manifestation of the Dharma, heirs to the Dharma.”

So as the Lankavatara Sutra states the Queen Srimala Sutra has the right view and the Queen Srimala says the right view of the Buddha Nature is True Self. The Lankavatara Sutra further states in no uncertain terms.

“Those who propound the doctrine of non-Self are to be shunned in the religous rites of the monks, and not to be spoken to, for they are offenders of the Buddhist doctrines, having embraced the dual views of Being and non-Being [existence and non-existence].” ~ Lankavatara Sutra

And

The doctrine of the Self shines brilliantly; it is like the rising of the apocalyptic fire [lit., the fire of the end of the world, yug-anta-agni], burning up the forest of Self-lessness, wiping away the faults of the heretics. ~ Lankavatara Sutra

Furthermore being on the Subject of context the rest of the Buddha Nature Sutras actually go into detail explaining why the upaya not self teachings were taught to begin with.

Dharma Drum Sutra

The Buddha told Kāśyapa, “I explain the meaning of no self to destroy the worldly view of self.

Angulimala Sutra

Then Angulimâla replied to the elder renunciate Dabba, “People who lack learning and have wrong views get angry with those who teach the tathâgata-garbha to the world and expound non-self in place of the self as their doctrine. He who teaches the tathâgata-garbha, even at the expense of his own life, knowing that such people are inexperienced with words and lacking in balance, has true patience and teaches for the benefit of the world. He who is patient, disciplined and peaceful towards the world is free from fear.

Then Aṅgulimâla said to Pûrṇa-maitrâyaṇî-putra, “Ah, elder Pûrṇa, your practice is that of a mosquito, for you are unable to teach a Dharma-discourse. Even a mosquito can make a buzzing noise, so be silent, you foolish man who are like a mosquito !

“Pûrṇa, those who think that no-self is the Dharma, because they do not understand the Tathâgata’s underlying meaning, fall like moths into the lamp of ignorance. Concerning ‘that which Buddhas did not find’, the blessed Buddhas of the past did not find the absence of the tathâgata-garbha in any being and then passed away. The blessed Buddhas of the present too do not find the absence of the âtma-dhâtu [Self Principle] in any being. The blessed Buddhas of the future also will not find the absence of the sattva-dhâtu in any being. The Srâvakas and Pratyekabuddhas in the past, present and future did not find, do not find and will not find the absence of the tathâgata-garbha in any being. This is the meaning of that verse.

“Again, concerning ‘that which Buddhas did not find’, though they searched assiduously in all phenomena, the Buddhas and Sravakas did not find the self of the mundane teachers that they claim is permanent, stable and eternal, and that, through the many kinds of speculations according to which these mundane teachers visualize the self, they say that ‘the self is like this’ – that it is red, blue, yellow, white, short, long or extremely long, the size of a thumb, a grain of millet (kodrava), a grain of rice, a mustard seed or a sesame seed, located shining in the heart or else which resides like the glowing wick of a lamp, which burns because of the oil, in the area around the navel, in the head, in the eyes or in the nose. Having then become awakened, they explain this to beings. This is the meaning of that verse, whereas, Pûrṇa, your explanation is not the meaning because of your distorted thinking.

“Those who were shameless crows in previous lives, who were extremely ungrateful and ate unclean food, are even now impoverished, lacking in shame, and do not have faith in the tathâgata-garbha. In future lives too, these are none other than those who will become agitated upon hearing about the tathâgata-garbha from somebody who gives beneficial teachings and who will not believe that there is an âtma-dhâtu [Soul Element], for they, venerable Pûrna, will be shameless crows who eat unclean food.

Nirvana Sutra

“once there was a person who dropped as lapis lazuli gem into a large pond. As he searched for it, his hands touched sand, pebbles, and bits of weeds, and each time, he burst out with joy, “I’ve found it” But he soon discovered that they were not what he was seeking. Finally, a person of wisdom, who knew that lapis lazuli clarifies the water around it, recovered the gem for him. “You should not focus on impermanence, suffering, non self, and impurity and think that they are the true path, like the person who thought, “I’ve found the gem!” when he had pulled from the water only sand, pebbles, and weeds.”

V117. The Self’ signifies the Buddha; ‘the Eternal’ signifies the Dharmakaya; ‘Bliss’ signifies Nirvana, and ‘the Pure’ signifies Dharma. Bhiksus, why is it said that one who has the idea of a Self is arrogant and haughty, traversing round Samsara? Bhiksus, although you might say, ‘We also cultivate impermanence, suffering, and non-Self, these three kinds of cultivation have no real value/ meaning. I shall now explain the excellent three ways of cultivating Dharma. To think of suffering as Bliss and to think of Bliss as suffering, is perverse Dharma; to think of the impermanent as the Eternal and to think of the Eternal as impermanent is perverse Dharma; to think of the non-Self [anatman]as the Self [atman] and to think of the Self [atman] as non-Self [anatman] is perverse Dharma; to think of the impure as the Pure and to think of the Pure as impure is perverse Dharma. Whoever has these four kinds of perversion, that person does not know the correct cultivation of dharmas.

V119. These are called perversions/ inversions. Because of these perversions/ inversions, mundane people know the letters but not the meaning [referents]. What is the meaning/referent? Non-Self is Samsara, the Self is the Tathagata; impermanence is the sravakas and pratyekabuddhas, the Eternal is the Tathagata’s Dharmakaya; suffering is all tirthikas, Bliss is Nirvana; the impure is all compounded [samskrta] dharmas , the Pure is the true Dharma that the Buddha and Bodhisattvas have. This is called non-perversion/ non-inversion. By not being inverted [in one’s views], one will know [both] the letter and the meaning. If one desires to be freed from the four perverse/ inverted [views – catur-viparita-drsti], one should know the Eternal, Blissful, the Self and the Pure in this manner.”

Nirvana Sutra Chapter 26

“O great King! Matter [“rupa”] is non-eternal; the causal relations of matter are also not eternal. How could matter, which arises out of an impermanent cause, be eternal? This applies down to consciousness, which is non-eternal, and the causal relations of consciousness are also non-eternal. How could the consciousness that arises out of impermanent causation be eternal? “Due to impermanence, there arises suffering; due to suffering, what there is is void; due to the void, what there is is non-Self. If there are impermanence, suffering, void, and non-Self, what does one kill? If Impermanence is killed, what there is is eternal Nirvana. If Suffering is killed, one must gain Bliss; if the Void is killed, one must gain the Real. If the non-Self is killed, one must gain the True Self. O great King! If Impermanence, Suffering, the Void, and non-Self are killed, you must be equal to me.” I, too, killed Impermanence, Suffering, the Void, and non-Self, and I am not in hell. How could you fall into hell?”

Nirvana Sutra chapter 37

“The six masters said: “O Gautama! If there is no Self, who sees?” The Buddha said: “There are the thing, brightness [light], the mind, and the eye. Thus, the four conjoin and we see. In these, truth to tell, there is none that sees and none that feels. Beings are upside-down and say that there is one who sees and feels. Thus all beings are upside-down in their seeing, and all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are true in seeing things. O you six masters! You may say that matter is Self. But this is not so. Why not? Matter is not the Self. If matter were the Self, there could not be any ugly or weakened form. Why not? And why is it that there are the differences of the four castes? Why is it that there is none but one kind of Brahmin? Why is it that people belong to the other castes and do not have unrestrictedness? Why is it that there are deficiencies in the sense-organs and that life is not perfect? Why is it that people do not all gain the body of all the devas, but gain life in hell, as an animal, preta [ghost] and all the various forms of life? If one cannot do as one wills, know that this indicates that assuredly no Self is there. As there is no Self, we speak of the non-eternal. As it is non-eternal, we have suffering. Because of suffering, it is empty. As it is empty, it is upside down. Being upside down, all beings repeat birth and death. The same applies to feeling, sensation, volition, and consciousness. O you six masters! The Tathagata-World-Honoured One is segregated from the bondage of matter down to the bondage of consciousness. Hence, we say the Eternal, Bliss, the Self, and the Pure.

“Also, next. Matter is based on causal relations. What is based on causal relations has no Self. Non-Self is suffering and empty. The body of the Tathagata is not based on causal relations. Because there are no causal relations, we say that there is the Self. The Self is the Eternal, Bliss, Self, and the Pure.”

Nirvana Sutra

Chapter Forty-Five: On Kaundinya (a)

Then the World-Honoured One spoke to Kaundinya: “Material form is non-eternal. By doing away with this form, one arrives at the Eternal form of Emancipation. So does it obtain with feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness, too. By doing away with consciousness, one arrives at the Eternal form of Emancipation and Peace. This also pertains to feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness.

“O Kaundinya! Form is Void. By doing away with the form that is All-Void, one arrives at the Non-Void form of Emancipation. So does it obtain also with feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness.

“”O Kaundinya! Material form [“rupa”] is non-Self. By doing away with such form, one arrives at the form of the True Self of Emancipation. Feeling is non-Self. By doing away with such feeling, one arrives at the feeling of the True Self of Emancipation. Perception is non-Self. By doing away with such perception, one arrives at the perception of the True Self of Emancipation. Volition is non-Self. By doing away with such volition, one arrives at the volition of the True Self of Emancipation. Consciousness is non-Self. By doing away with such consciousness, one arrives at the consciousness of the True Self of Emancipation.”

Nirvana Sutra PG 474

Senika said: “O Gautama! You say that there is no self, and nothing that belongs to self. Then, why do you speak of the Eternal, Bliss, the Self, and the Pure?”

“The Buddha said: “Nobly-born One, I have never taught that the six inner and outer ayatanas [sense-spheres] and the six consciousnesses are Eternal, Blissful, the Self, or Pure; but I do declare that the cessation of the six inner and outer ayatanas and the six consciousnesses arising from them is termed the Eternal. Becasue that is Eternal, it is the Self. Because there is Eternity and the Self, it is termed Blissful. Because it is Eternal, the Self and Blissful, it is termed Pure. Nobly-born One, ordinary people abhor suffering and by eliminating the cause of suffering, they may freely/ spontaneously distance themselves from it. This is termed the Self. Therefore, I have spoken of the Eternal, the Self, the Blissful, and the Pure. [alternative rendering into English, by Samuel Beal, of this important passage can be found in the latter’s “A Catena of Buddhist Scriptures from the Chinese”, “1871, pp.179-180

“Sena asked: “According to Gotama’s opinion, then, that there is no ‘I’, let me ask what can be the meaning of that description he gives of Nirvana, that it is permanent, full of joy, personal, and pure?” Buddha says: “Illustrious youth, I do not say that the six external and internal organs, or the various species of knowledge, are permanent, etc; but what I say is that “that” is permanent, full of joy, personal, and pure, which is left after the six organs and the six objects of sense, and the various kinds of knowledge are all destroyed. Illustrious youth, when the world, weary of sorrow, turns away and separates itself from the cause of all this sorrow, then, by this voluntary rejection of it, there remains that which I call the True Self; and it is of this I plainly declare the formula, that it is permanent, full of joy, personal, and pure.”].

“Senika said: “O World-Honoured One! Great Compassionate One! Explain to me, I pray, how I am to attain the Eternal, Bliss, the Self, and the Pure, about which you speak.”

“The Buddha said: “Nobly-born One, the entire world possesses great pride [mana] from the very beginning, which augments pride and also functions as the cause of [further] pride and proud actions. Therefore, beings now experience the results of pride and are not able to eliminate all the klesas [mental/moral defilements] and attain the Eternal, Blissful, the Self, and the Pure. If beings wish to do away with all defilements, what they need to do is , first of all, to make away with pride.” [Note: the Sanskrit word for pride, mana, has a different semantic range from the English “pride/ arrogance”. It is derived from the verbal root, man (to think, believe, measure, conceive, deem, value, reagrd as) and also means “measure”, “computation”, “means of proof”. The “pride” sense here implies the process of generating or projecting what are implicitly false mental constructs. It refers to the process described in the earlier chapter in the sutra on the four perverse views. – Stephen Hodge].

Senika said: “O World-Honoured One! It is thus, it is thus! All is as your holy teaching says. I had, from the very start, arrogance; I was grounded on the causal relations of this arrogance. That is why I addressed you by the family name of Gautama. I am now removed from such great arrogance. That is why, with the sincerest heart, I seek Dharma. How am I to arrive at the Eternal, Bliss, the Self, and the Pure?”

The Buddha said: “Listen carefully to me, listen carefully! I shall now explain matters to you in detail.

“O good man! If all thoughts of your own self, of others and of beings are done away with, you will segregate yourself from such.”

Nirvana Sutra V464.

While a Bodhisattva discourses thus about the quality of the Self, ordinary people do not but impute various false concepts to the Self just as when asked about the attributes of the sword the [ministers] reply that it is like the horn of a ram. These ordinary people generate false views in succession from one on to the other. In order to eliminate such false views, the Tathagata reveals and discourses on the non-existence of a self just as when the prince tells his various ministers that there is no such sword in his treasury. Noble Son, the True Self that the Tathagata expounds today is called the Buddha-dhatu [Buddha-Nature]. this manner of Buddha-dhatu is shown in the Buddha-Dharma with the example of the real sword.l Noble Son, should there be any ordinary person who is able well to expound this, then he [speaks] in accordance with unsurpassed Buddha-Dharma. Should there be anyone who is well able to distinguish this in accordance with what has been expounded regarding it, then you should know that he has the nature of a Bodhisattva.

And

When non-Self is talked about, common mortals say that there cannot be Self in the Buddhist teaching. One who is wise should know that non-Self is a temporary existence and is not true. Knowing thus, one should not have any doubt

And

Because of this, the Tathagata teaches and says no-self. This is to adjust beings and because he is aware of the occasion. Such non-self is, as occasion arises, spoken of, and it is [also] said that there is the Self.

V425. The wrestler says that the gem has gone away, even though it is [actually] in his body. The same with beings, too. Not having come into contact with a good teacher of the Way, they do not know the Tathagata’s hidden treasure and do not study selflessness. For example, even when a person is told of the unholy self, he cannot know the true quality of the Self. The same is true of my disciples. As they do not befriend a good teacher of the Way, they practise non-Self and do not know where it [Self] is. They do not know the true nature of selflessness. How, then, could they know the true nature of the Self itself? Thus, O good man, the Tathagata says that all beings possess the Buddha-Nature. This is like the good doctor’s making the wrestler see where the adamantine jewel rests. All these beings are reigned over by innumerable defilements and thus do not know the whereabouts of the Buddha-Nature. When illusion is dispelled, there arises knowledge and brightness. This is like the wrestler’s seeing the gem in the mirror. O good man! It is thus the case that what rests undisclosed [latent] in the Tathagata is innumerable and is difficult for beings to think about.

Platform Sutra:

“It was for the sake of common people and those who

belong to other religions who cling to deviant views of

permanence, and for all those who follow the two-vehicle

way, mistaking permanence for impermanence

formulating the eight perverted views, that the Buddha in

the ultimate Nirvana teaching destroyed their prejudiced

views. He explained true permanence, true bliss, true

selfhood, and true purity.”

Commentary:

Common people and non-Buddhists cling to false

permanence; Shravakas and Pratyeka Buddhas mistake

permanence for impermanence. These two groups each have

four perverted views, making eight in all.

Common people and non-Buddhists turn the four marks of

conditioned existence upside-down and say:

1. The suffering of conditioned existence is bliss;

2. Its impermanence is permanent;

3. Its impurity is pure; and

4. Its “no-self” is “self.”

The Shravakas and Pratyeka Buddhas turn the four virtues of

Nirvana upside-down and say:

5. The bliss of Nirvana is suffering;

6. Its permanence is impermanent;

7. Its purity is impure; and

8. Its “self” is “no-self.”

Chapter Eleven: On the Four Inversions

V413. “The Buddha said to Kasyapa: “We speak of the “four inversions”. “Inversion” is spoken of when we entertain the idea of suffering where there is no suffering. “Non-suffering” is the Tathagata. The idea of suffering arises when a person thinks that all Tathagatas are non-eternal and that they change. If a person says that the Tathagata changes, this is [the concept of] suffering and constitutes a great sin. If a person says that the Tathagata relinquishes this body of suffering and enters Nirvana, and that this is like fuel being all burned up, as a result of which the fire dies out, this is having the idea of suffering vis-ã-vis non-suffering. This is an inversion [of the truth]. A person might say: “Saying that the Tathagata is Eternal is a Self-centred view. From this Self-centred view arise innumerable sins. Thus, one should say that the Tathagata is non-Eternal, and by [saying] this I shall gain Bliss.” The Tathagata’s being non-Eternal would entail suffering.

V414. If [there is] suffering, how could one expect [to find] Bliss therein? When the idea of Bliss occurs [in such a connection], we say “inversion”. This is said because the thought of suffering arises in [what truly is] Bliss. Bliss is the Tathagata. Suffering is the non-Eternal of the Tathagata. If a person says that the Tathagata is non-Eternal, this is a thought of suffering in Bliss. The Tathagata’s being Eternal is Bliss. If I say that the Tathagata is Eternal, how can I enter Nirvana? If I say that the Tathagata is non-suffering, how could I cast away my body and enter Nirvana? When a person has the thought of suffering in Bliss, we say that this is an inversion. This is the first inversion.

V415. “The idea of the Eternal vis-ã-vis the non-Eternal, and the idea of the non-Eternal vis-ã-vis the Eternal, are inversions. The non-Eternal is the non-practising of the Void. When one does not practise the Void, life is shortened. If one says: “Not practising the Void and quietude, one attains eternal life”, this is an inversion. This is the second inversion.

“The thought of Self regarding non-Self, and the thought of non-Self regarding Self, are inversions. The people of the world say that there is Self, and within Buddhism, too, we say that there is Self. The people of the world say that there is Self, but there is no Buddha-Nature. This is having the idea of Self in [what is] non-Self. This is an inversion. “The Self spoken of in Buddhism is the Buddha-Nature.” The people of the world say that there is no Self in Buddhism. This is the idea of the non-Self in the Self. “It is definite that there is no Self in the Buddhist teaching. That is why the Tathagata tells his disciples to practise selflessness.” If such is said, this is an inversion. This is the third inversion.

V416. “The non-Pure in the Pure, and the Pure in the non-Pure, are inversions. The Pure relates to the Eternal of the Tathagata. It is not a food-supported body, not a body of illusion. It is not a carnal body, not a body made up of sinews and bones. If one says that the Tathagata is non-Eternal, a food-supported body, bound together by sinews and bones, and that Dharma, Sangha, and emancipation die out, this is an inversion. We say that the idea of the non-Pure in the Pure is an inversion. A person might say that there is not a whit of what is non-Pure in his mind, that as there is not a single thing that is not Pure, he gets into a place which is Pure, and that as the person practises the meditation of the non-Pure which the Tathagata spoke about, whatever was said above must be false. If a person speaks thus, this is an inversion. This is the fourth inversion.”

Bodhisattva Kasyapa said to the Buddha: “O World-Honoured One! I have now for the first time gained the right view. O World-Honoured One! Until now, all of us were those who abided in wrong thought.”