The Online Library of Liberty

A project of Liberty Fund, Inc.

• Preface.
• Pronunciation.
• Introduction.
• I.: Rejoice!
• II.: SamsĀra and NirvĀna.
• III.: Truth the Saviour.
• Prince Siddhattha Becomes Buddha.
• IV.: The Bodhisatta’s Birth.
• V.: The Ties of Life.
• VI.: The Three Woes.
• VII.: The Bodhisatta’s Renunciation.
• VIII.: King BimbisĀra.
• IX.: The Bodhisatta’s Search.
• X.: UruvelĀ, the Place of Mortification.
• XI.: MĀra the Evil One.
• XII.: Enlightenment.
• XIII.: The First Converts.
• XIV.: BrahmĀs Request.
• The Foundation of the Kingdom of Righteousness.
• XV.: Upaka.
• XVI.: The Sermon At Benares.
• XVII.: The Sangha.
• XVIII.: Yasa, the Youth of Benares.
• XIX.: Kassapa.
• XX.: The Sermon At RĀjagaha.
• XXI.: The King’s Gift.
• XXII.: SĀriputta and MoggallĀna.
• XXIII.: AnĀthapindika.
• XXIV.: The Sermon On Charity.
• XXV.: Jetavana.
• XXVI.: The Three Characteristics and the Uncreate.
• XXVII.: The Buddha’s Father.
• XXVIII.: YasodharĀ.
• XXIX.: RĀhula.
• Consolidation of the Buddha’s Religion.
• XXX.: JĪvaka, the Physician.
• XXXI.: The Buddha’s Parents Attain NirvĀna.
• XXXII.: Women Admitted to the Sangha.
• XXXIII.: The Bhikkhus’ Conduct Toward Women.
• XXXIV.: VisĀkhĀ.
• XXXV.: The Uposatha and PĀtimokkha.
• XXXVI.: The Schism.
• XXXVII.: The Re-establishment of Concord.
• XXXVIII.: The Bhikkhus Rebuked.
• XXXIX.: Devadatta.
• Xl.: Name and Form.
• Xli.: the Goal.
• Xlii.: Miracles Forbidden.
• Xliii.: the Vanity of Worldliness.
• Xliv.: Secrecy and Publicity.
• Xlv.: the Annihilation of Suffering.
• Xlvi.: Avoiding the Ten Evils.
• Xlvii.: the Preacher’s Mission.
• The Teacher.
• Xlviii.: the Dhammapada.
• Xlix.: the Two Brahmans.
• L.: Guard the Six Quarters.
• Li.: Simha’s Question Concerning Annihilation.
• Lii.: All Existence Is Spiritual.
• Liii.: Identity and Non-identity.
• Liv.: the Buddha Omnipresent.
• Lv.: One Essence, One Law, One Aim.
• Lvi.: the Lesson Given to RĀhula.: Lvii.: the Sermon On Abuse.
• Lviii.: the Buddha Replies to the Deva.
• Lix.: Words of Instruction.
• Lx.: AmitĀbha.
• Lxi.: the Teacher Unknown.
• Parables and Stories.
• Lxii.: Parables.
• Lxiii.: the Widow’s Two Mites and the Parable of the Three Merchants.
• Lxiv.: the Man Born Blind.
• Lxv.: the Lost Son.
• Lxvi.: the Giddy Fish.
• Lxvii.: the Cruel Crane Outwitted.
• Lxviii.: Four Kinds of Merit.
• Lxix.: the Light of the World.
• Lxx.: Luxurious Living.
• Lxxi.: the Communication of Bliss.
• Lxxii.: the Listless Fool.
• Lxxiii.: Rescue In the Desert.
• Lxxiv.: the Sower.
• Lxxv.: the Outcast.
• Lxxvi.: the Woman At the Well.
• Lxxvii.: the Peacemaker.
• Lxxviii.: the Hungry Dog.
• Lxxix.: the Despot.
• Lxxx.: VĀsavadattĀ.
• Lxxxi.: the Marriage-feast In JambŪnada.
• Lxxxii.: a Party In Search of a Thief.
• Lxxxiii.: In the Realm of YamarĀja.
• Lxxxiv.: the Mustard Seed.
• Lxxxv.: Following the Master Over the Stream.
• Lxxxvi.: the Sick Bhikkhu.
• Lxxxvii.: the Patient Elephant.
• Lxxxviii.: the Conditions of Welfare.
• Lxxxix.: SĀriputta’s Faith.
• XC.: PĀtaliputta.
• XCI.: The Mirror of Truth.
• XCII.: AmbapĀlĪ.
• XCIII.: The Buddha’s Farewell Address.
• XCIV.: The Buddha Announces His Death.
• XCV.: Chunda, the Smith.
• XCVI.: Metteyya.
• XCVII.: The Buddha’s Final Entering Into NirvĀna.
• Conclusion.
• XCVIII.: The Three Personalities of the Buddha.
• XCIX.: The Purpose of Being.
• C.: The Praise of All the Buddhas.
• Table of Reference.
• Abbreviations In the Table of Reference.
• Glossary of Names and Terms.
• Remarks On the Illustrations of the Gospel of Buddha.

XXVI.

THE THREE CHARACTERISTICS AND THE UNCREATE.

When the Buddha was staying at the Veluvana, the bamboo grove at Rājagaha, he addressed the brethren thus: 1

“Whether Buddhas arise, O priests, or whether Buddhas do not arise, it remains a fact and the fixed and necessary constitution of being that all conformations are transitory. This fact a Buddha discovers and masters, and when he has discovered and mastered it, he announces, teaches, publishes, proclaims, discloses, minutely explains and makes it clear that all conformations are transitory. 2

“Whether Buddhas arise, O priests, or whether Buddhas do not arise, it remains a fact and a fixed and necessary constitution of being, that all conformations are suffering. This fact a Buddha discovers and masters, and when he has discovered and mastered it, he announces, publishes, proclaims, discloses, minutely explains and makes it clear that all conformations are suffering. 3

“Whether Buddhas arise, O priests, or whether Buddhas do not arise, it remains a fact and a fixed and necessary constitution of being, that all conformations are lacking a self. This fact a Buddha discovers and masters, and when he has discovered and mastered it, he announces, teaches, publishes, proclaims, discloses, minutely explains and makes it clear that all conformations are lacking a self.” 4

And on another occasion the Blessed One dwelt at Sāvatthī in the Jetavana, the garden of Anāthapindika. 5

At that time the Blessed One edified, aroused, quickened and gladdened the monks with a religious discourse on the subject of Nirvāna. And these monks grasping the meaning, thinking it out, and accepting with their hearts the whole doctrine, listened attentively. But there was one brother who had some doubt left in his heart. He arose and clasping his hands made the request: “May I be permitted to ask a question?” When permission was granted he spoke as follows: 6

“The Buddha teaches that all conformations are transient, that all conformations are subject to sorrow, that all conformations are lacking a self. How then can there be Nirvāna, a state of eternal bliss?” 7

And the Blessed One, in this connection, on that occasion, breathed forth this solemn utterance: 8

“There is, O monks, a state where there is neither earth, nor water, nor heat, nor air; neither infinity of space nor infinity of consciousness, nor nothingness, nor perception nor non-perception; neither this world nor that world, neither sun nor moon. It is the uncreate. 9

“That, O monks, I term neither coming nor going nor standing; neither death nor birth. It is without stability, without change; it is the eternal which never originates and never passes away. There is the end of sorrow. 10

“It is hard to realize the essential, the truth is not easily perceived; desire is mastered by him who knows, and to him who sees aright all things are naught. 11

“There is, O monks, an unborn, unoriginated, uncreated, unformed. Were there not, O monks, this unborn, unoriginated, uncreated, unformed, there would be no escape from the world of the born, originated, created, formed. 12

“Since, O monks, there is an unborn, unoriginated, uncreated, and unformed, therefore is there an escape from the born, originated, created, formed.” 13