The Numerical Discourses
Chapter 16: The Fire Extinguished
| （二） 涅槃 | 2. Nirvāṇa |
|---|---|
| 聞如是： 一時，佛在舍衛國、祇樹、給孤獨園。 | 1. Thus I have heard:1 One time, the Buddha was staying at Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park in Jeta’s Grove of Śrāvastī. |
| 爾時，世尊告諸比丘： 「有此二法涅槃界。 云何為二？ 有餘涅槃界、無餘涅槃界。 彼云何名為有餘涅槃界？ 於是，比丘滅五下分結，即彼般涅槃不還來此世。 是謂名為有餘涅槃界。 | 2. It was then that the Bhagavān addressed the monks, “There are two realms of nirvāṇa.2 What are the two? The nirvāṇa realm with remainder and the nirvāṇa realm without remainder. What’s called the nirvāṇa realm with remainder? Here, a monk destroys the five lower bonds, and then he parinirvāṇas [after] not returning to this world. This is said to be the nirvāṇa realm with remainder. |
| 「彼云何名為無餘涅槃界？ 於是，比丘盡有漏，成無漏。 意解脫、智慧解脫。 自身作證而自遊戲： 『生死已盡，梵行已立。 更不受有，如實知之。』 是謂為無餘涅槃界。 此二涅槃界。 | 3. “What’s the nirvāṇa realm without remainder? Here, a monk ends the contaminants of existence and becomes uncontaminated. He’s liberated in mind and liberated in wisdom. He realizes and explores it for himself. He truly knows this: ‘Birth and death have been ended, the religious life has been established, the task has been accomplished, and I won’t be subject to another existence.’ This is said to be the nirvāṇa realm without remainder. These are the two nirvāṇa realms. |
| 「當求，方便至無餘涅槃界。 如是，諸比丘，當作是學。」 | 4. “Therefore, monks, you should seek the methods that reach the nirvāṇa realm without remainder. Thus, monks, you should train yourselves.” |
| 爾時，諸比丘聞佛所說歡喜，奉行。 | 5. When the monks heard what the Buddha taught, they rejoiced and approved. |
Notes
This sūtra is parallel with Iti 44 in Pali sources. It also has a parallel in Xuanzang’s translation of another Itivṛttaka collection (cf. T765.17.678c9).
We should note that Iti 44 defines nirvāṇa with remainder as an arhat who is still in this world, while the this sūtra defines it as attaining parinirvāṇa somewhere else (i.e., the fruit of non-returning). The parallel translated by Xuanzang agrees that the two are realization of nirvāṇa in this life or the fruit of the non-returner. [back]
nirvāṇa realms. C. 涅槃界, G. nivana dhadu, P. nibbāna dhātu, S. nirvāṇa dhātu. Most translators translate S. dhātu (C. 界) in this term as “element” to avoid the implication of S. nirvāṇa being a place like a heaven. Positing a nirvāṇa element is equally problematic to me, though, and the Ekottarika does speak of it as a figurative destination that’s reached (cf. T125.2.607a28, 608b27, 714b4, 728b15, etc.), so I’ve translated S. dhātu as “realm.” This is, in fact, the literal meaning of 界. [back]
Translator: Charles Patton
Last Revised: 9 November 2024
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