25. If a person seen the image in the distance but recognises it as an image which is due to the water. If, when he has got close to it, lie holds to this view, thinking, “surely, this is in truth water” ; his ignorance then becomes worse.
In a similar way, when a person seizes hold of the world, it is like an image which one thinks exists, or which one thinks does not exist. Either of these are delusion (Moha), and when one has delusion, then one does not have freedom (Vimutti).
26. The view that all is non existent leads to the realms of misfortune. The view that all exists leads to the realms of good fortune. One who does not hold to either of these views because he has a complete understanding of thing’s as they are, goes towards Liberation, towards Nibbana.
27. Therefore, one who practises Dhamma must clearly understand that this Dhamma leads to freedom from both non existence and existence, and this is the Deathless State. (Amata). The Buddha’s doctrine points to this as something which is deep and profound.
28. The world, for one who has attained freedom, is outside of the three times. In other words, it neither arises nor dies away, nor does it remain the same for a single moment. How could this be a real world? In fact, with both the World and Nibbana, there is no arising or ceasing, nor do they remain the same.
Because of this, there are no characteristics by which one may compare the two of them.
In accordance with the Highest Truth, as there is no, remaining the same for two moments together, there can be no true coming to be and dying away. Therefore, in accordance with the Highest Truth, how can the world arise, remain or die away?
29. We cannot find “one”, because “one” cannot exist in many places at once, and if it exists in one place, we cannot find that place. When we cannot find “one”, we also cannot find “many”,1
Without existence there cannot be non existence. The non existence of existence ought to be possible then, because this is annihilation or the opposite (of existence). But if there is no existence, how can annihilation or the opposite (of existence) be possible.
30. Therefore, in accordance with the highest truth, no one is likely to find that the world disappears due to Nibbana. In other words, Nibbana does not make the world empty (Sunya). Therefore, the Conqueror (the Buddha) when asked whether the world came to an end, remained silent, because the Omniscient One, knowing the whole Truth, did not teach the profound Dhamma to a world that was unfit to receive it. He therefore taught the Good Dhamma (Nissaya Sadhamma) which is of a profound nature, which leads to the letting go of attachments, and which is free of complexities, such as those mentioned above. Those who have little understanding, do not free themselves from the views of existence and non existence. They delight in the Dhamma which is ful of complexities, and they fear that the dhamma which is simple will lead to loss.
These people have already come to loss, they lead others to loss and they fear just those things which they ought not to fear. Truly, those who practice Dhamma all the time, of whatever sort, cannot be led to loss by those people.
31. The Dhammakaya (Dhamma Body) is the complete, perfect and peaceful body of truth. When one comes to the Dhammakaya, one remains always in the Unchanging State.
One must let go of the five aggregates and the six external spheres of sense (Ayatana) in accordance with the truth, for these cannot remain in Samadhi. There is also no entering or leaving, and no being quiet or disturbed.
The nature of Dhyana (Jhana) is not to be penetrated in this way, for in order to know it’s nature, one must rise above thought. Dhyana is a state of the Citta which may be likened to unbounded space, for in this state, the Citta is without limits. Thus, you should cause your mind to remain in that state where you can find no limits.
One must only prevent it getting entangled in views and opinions such as those connected with emptiness (Sunya).
One must cause the mind to face the basis of them, like a supreme king who is neither concerned to do things nor to stop doing them. One must prevent one’s mind becoming embroiled in anything whatsoever and one must be careful to avoid becoming satisfied and ceasing to strive once one has attained the status of a Noble Disciple (Ariya Puggala) and before one is fully within Dhamma (i.e. Arahant).
One must prevent such thoughts as those connected with stopping half way, for to act in a correct way in all things, one must first of all free one’s Citta, then all things will be constantly in their own natural state (Sabhava). One will then remain in Samadhi eternally.
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