Investigation of Nirvana

(return to list of Contents & Translation of "Mulamadhyamakakarika: Verses from the Centre")

25. Investigation of Nirvana

(Nirvana)

1. gal te 'di dag kun stong na /
'byung ba med cing 'jig pa med/
gang zhig spong dang 'gags pa las/
mya ngan 'da' bar 'gyur bar 'dod/

1. If everything were empty, there would be no arising and perishing. From the letting go of and ceasing of what could one assert nirvana(-ing)?

2. gal te 'di kun mi stong na /
'byung ba med cing 'jig pa med/
gang zhig spong dang 'gags pa las/
mya ngan 'da' bar 'gyur bar 'dod/

2. If everything were not empty, there would be no arising and perishing. From the letting go of and ceasing of what could one assert nirvana(-ing)?

3. spangs pa med pa thob med pa /
chad pa med pa rtag med pa /
'gag pa med pa skye med pa /
de ni mya ngan 'das par brjod/

3. No letting go, no attainment, no annihilation, no permanence, no cessation, no birth: that is spoken of as nirvana.

4. re zhig mya ngan 'das dngos min/
rga shi'i mtshan nyid thal bar 'gyur/
rga dang 'chi ba med pa yi /
dngos po yod pa ma yin no/

4. Nirvana is not a thing. Then it would follow that it would have the characteristics of aging and death. There does not exist any thing that is without aging and death.

5. gal te mya ngan 'das dngos na /
mya ngan 'das pa 'dus byas 'gyur/
dngos po 'dus byas ma yin pa/
'ga' yang gang na yod ma yin/

5. If nirvana were a thing, nirvana would be a conditioned phenomenon. There does not exist any thing anywhere that is not a conditioned phenomenon.

6. gal te mya ngan 'das dngos na /
ji ltar myang 'das de brten min/
dngos po brten nas ma yin pa/
'ga' yang yod pa ma yin no/

6. If nirvana were a thing, how would nirvana not be dependent? There does not exists any thing at all that is not dependent.

7. gal te mya ngan 'das dngos min/
dngos med ji ltar rung bar 'gyur/
gang la mya ngan 'das dngos min/
de la dngos med yod ma yin/

7. If nirvana were not a thing, how could it possibly be nothing? The one for whom nirvana is not a thing, for him it is not nothing.

8. gal te mya ngan 'das dngos min/
ji ltar myang 'das de brten min/
gang zhig brten nas ma yin pa'i/
dngos med yod pa ma yin no/

8. If nirvana were nothing, how could nirvana possibly be not dependent? There does not exist any nothing which is not dependent.

9. 'ong ba dang ni 'gro ba'i dngos/
brten tam rgyur byas gang yin pa/
de ni brten min rgyur byas min/
mya ngan 'das pa yin par bstan/

9. Whatever things come and go are dependent or caused. Not being dependent and not being caused is taught to be Nirvana.

10. 'byung ba dang ni 'jig pa dag /
spang bar ston pas bka' stsal to/
de phyir mya ngan 'das par ni/
dngos min dngos med min par rigs/

10. The teacher taught [it] to be the letting go of arising and perishing. Therefore, it is correct that nirvana is not a thing or nothing.

11. gal te mya ngan 'das pa ni/
dngos dang dngos med gnyis yin na/
dngos dang dngos po med pa dag/
thar par 'gyur na de mi rigs/

11. If nirvana were both a thing and nothing, it would follow that it would be a thing and nothing. That is incorrect.

12. gal te mya ngan 'das pa ni /
dngos dang dngos med gnyis yin na/
mya ngan 'das pa ma brten min/
de gnyis brten nas yin phyir ro/

12. If nirvana were both a thing and nothing, nirvana would not be not-dependent, because it would depend on those two.

13. ji ltar mya ngan 'das pa ni/
dngos dang dngos med gnyis yin te/
mya ngan 'das pa 'dus ma byas/
dngos dang dngos med 'dus byas yin/

13. How could nirvana be both a thing and nothing? Nirvana is unconditioned; things and nothings are conditioned.

14. ji ltar mya ngan 'das pa la/
dngos dang dngos med gnyis yod de/
de gnyis gcig la yod min te/
snang ba dang ni mun pa bzhin/

14. How could nirvana exist as both a thing and nothing? Those two do not exist as one. They are like light and dark.

15. dngos min dngos po med min pa/
mya ngan 'das par gang ston pa/
dngos po med dang dngos po dag/
grub na de ni grub* par 'gyur/

15. The presentation of neither a thing nor nothing as nirvana will be established [only] if things and nothings are established.

16. gal te mya ngan 'das pa ni/
dngos min dngos po med min na/
dngos min dngos po med min zhes/
gang zhig gis ni de mngon byed/

16. If nirvana is neither a thing nor nothing, by who could "neither a thing nor nothing" be perceived?

17. bcom ldan mya ngan 'das gyur nas/
yod par mi mngon de bzhin du/
med do zhe'am gnyis ka dang/
gnyis min zhes kyang mi mngon no/

17. After the Bhagavan has entered nirvana, one cannot perceive [him? it?] as "existing," likewise as "not existing," nor can one percieve [him? it?] as "both" or "neither".

18. bcom ldan bzhugs par gyur na yang/
yod par mi mngon de bzhin du/
med do zhe'am gnyis ka dang/
gnyis min zhes kyang mi mngon no/

18. Even when the Bhagavan is alive, one cannot perceive [him? it?] as "existing," likewise as "not existing," nor can one percieve [him? it?] as "both" or "neither".

19. 'khor ba mya ngan 'das pa las /
khyad par cung zad yod ma yin/
mya ngan 'das pa 'khor ba las /
khyad par cung zad yod ma yin/

19. Samsara does not have the slightest distinction from Nirvana. Nirvana does not have the slightest distinction from Samsara.

20. mya ngan 'das mtha' gang yin pa/
de ni 'khor ba'i mtha' yin te/
de gnyis khyad par cung zad ni /
shin tu phra ba'ang yod ma yin/

20. Whatever is the end of Nirvana, that is the end of Samsara. There is not even a very subtle slight distinction between the two.

21. gang 'das phan chad mtha' sogs dang/
rtag la sogs par lta ba dag/
mya ngan 'das dang phyi mtha' dang/
sngon gyi mtha' la brten* pa yin/

21. Views about who passes beyond, ends etc. and permanence etc. are contingent upon nirvana and later ends and former ends.

22. dngos po thams cad stong pa la/
mtha' yod ci zhig mtha' med ci/
mtha' dang mtha' med ci zhig yin/
mtha'dang mtha' med min pa* ci/

22. In the emptiness of all things what ends are there? What non-ends are there? What ends and non-ends are there? What of neither are there?

23. de nyid ci zhig gzhan ci yin/
rtag pa ci zhig mi rtag ci/
rtag dang mi rtag gnyis ka ci/
gnyis ka min pa ci zhig yin/

23. Is there this? Is there the other? Is there permanence? Is there impermanence? Is there both permanence and impermanence? Is there neither?

24. dmigs pa thams cad nyer zhi zhing/
spros pa nyer zhi zhi ba ste/
sangs rgyas kyis ni gang du yang/
su la'ang chos 'ga'* ma bstan to/

24. Totally pacifying all referents and totally pacifying fixations is peace. The Buddha nowhere taught any dharma to anyone.

mya ngan las 'das pa brtag pa zhes bya ba ste rab tu byed pa nyi shu lnga pa'o //