Saṃyukta-āgama (347), Part Three

（三）Original text: 尔时。须深知众多比丘去已。作是思惟。此诸尊者。所说不同。前后相违。言不得正受。而复记说。自知作证。作是思惟已。往诣佛所。稽首礼足。退住一面。白佛言。世尊。彼众多比丘。于我面前记说。我生已尽。梵行已立。所作已作。自知不受后有。

我即问彼尊者。得离欲恶不善法。乃至身作证。不起诸漏。心善解脱耶。彼答我言。不也须深。我即问言。所说不同。前后相违。言不入正受。而复记说。自知作证。彼答我言。得慧解脱。作此说已。各从座起而去。我今问世尊。云何彼所说不同。前后相违。不得正受。而复说言。自知作证。

Explanation: At this time, when Sūsīma saw the bhikṣus depart, he thought thus: "These Venerable Ones' statements are inconsistent with liberation and contradictory from beginning to end—they say they have not attained the meditative absorption of right attainment (sammā-samāpatti), yet they declare that they have realized and attested their own liberation with no future existence." After pondering this, he went to where the Buddha dwelt, bowed his head at the Buddha's feet in salutation, withdrew to stand at one side, and said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One, just now many bhikṣus declared before me, 'My birth has been exhausted, the pure life has been established, what was to be done has been done, and I know for myself that there will be no more receiving of future existence.'"

"I then asked those Venerable Ones whether they had departed from desire and evil unwholesome dharmas, and even attested with their own bodies, without arising of the various defilement outflows, with mind well liberated. They answered me, 'No, Sūsīma.' I then asked them, 'Your statements are inconsistent and contradictory from beginning to end—you say you have not entered right attainment, yet you declare that you have realized and attested it yourselves.' They answered me, 'We have attained liberation by wisdom (prajñā-vimukti).' Having said this, they each rose from their seats and departed. I now ask the World-Honored One: why is it that what they said differs from [actual liberation], is contradictory from beginning to end, they have not attained right attainment, and yet they say they have realized and attested it themselves?"

Original text: 佛告须深。彼先知法住。后知涅槃。彼诸善男子。独一静处。专精思惟。不放逸住。离于我见。不起诸漏。心善解脱。须深白佛。我今不知。先知法住。后知涅槃。彼诸善男子。独一静处。专精思惟。不放逸住。离于我见。不起诸漏。心善解脱。佛告须深。不问汝知不知。且自先知法住。后知涅槃。彼诸善男子独一静处。专精思惟。不放逸住。离于我见。心善解脱。须深白佛。唯愿世尊为我说法。令我得知法住智。得见法住智。

Explanation: The Buddha told Sūsīma that they first knew the establishment of dharmas (dharma-sthiti), and only afterward realized nirvāṇa. Those good men all dwelt alone in a quiet place, deliberating with single-minded diligence, dwelling in non-negligence, departing from the view of self, and therefore did not give rise to any defilement outflows, and their minds were well liberated. Sūsīma said to the Buddha, "I still do not know about first knowing the establishment of dharmas and afterward knowing nirvāṇa—those good men dwelling alone in a quiet place, deliberating with single-minded diligence, dwelling in non-negligence, departing from the view of self, never giving rise to the outflows of defilement, with minds well liberated." The Buddha told Sūsīma, "I do not ask whether you know or not. You yourself should first know the establishment of dharmas, and afterward know nirvāṇa. Those good men dwelt alone in a quiet place, deliberating with single-minded diligence, dwelling in non-negligence, departing from the view of self, with minds well liberated." Sūsīma said to the Buddha: "I only wish that the World-Honored One would preach the Dharma for me, so that I may come to know the wisdom of the establishment of dharmas and see the wisdom of the establishment of dharmas."

What does "first knowing the establishment of dharmas" mean knowing? It means knowing the Dharma of the twelve links of dependent origination, and being able to abide within the Dharma of the twelve links of dependent origination, with the mind not thinking of other things. "Afterward knowing nirvāṇa" refers to knowing how to attain liberation and being able to realize nirvāṇa. One whose mind is well liberated must have the meditative concentration of the first dhyāna; after eradicating the view of self and realizing the first fruit, only within this concentration can one thereby sever the afflictive bonds of greed, hatred, and delusion, becoming a third-fruit person and a fourth-fruit arhat, thereby attaining liberation of the mind and realizing nirvāṇa with remainder and Nirvāṇa without remainder.