Life Is Indeed Precious

Life is dear indeed,

Yet nirvāṇa is priced higher.

But for the sake of attaining buddhahood,

Both may be cast away.

Nirvāṇa is a state—a state of tranquility without clamor, a state of neither arising nor ceasing, a state of neither increasing nor decreasing, a state neither defiled nor pure (na saṃkleśo na vyavadānam), a state of neither coming nor going. Since it is a state, it must exist in dependence upon some real dharma; it must be illusory and false; it must be subject to arising and ceasing; and it must be something that can be cast away.

Therefore it is said that nirvāṇa is not ultimate and cannot be dwelt in; the greatly wise will not grasp at it or cling to it. Only the tathāgatagarbha is a real dharma, is true suchness, is real substance—it does not need to depend on other dharmas or other conditions to exist; it need not be born and cannot cease; it is tranquil and without clamor; it never changes or varies; and it can never be abandoned, can never be cast away.

Therefore the tathāgatagarbha is the most reliable and the most worth pursuing, yet it also need not be sought; it cannot be dwelt in or clung to, and indeed cannot be dwelt in at all.