Aspects of Mahayana Buddhism and its Relation to Hinayana c7.s3.t5.10

c7.s3.t5.10

The Mahāyānists, however, concede the point that the Arhats can remain at peace in the state called by the Hinayānists Arahathood or Nirvāṇa but, according to them, it is a lower ideal, a selfish end, devoid of love (sneha)¹ and charity. The Puṇḍarīka² states that the arhats after attaining (Hīnayānic) Nirvāṇa do not, in fact, wish to stay there for ever; it is only a temporary rest (viśrāmo'yam na nivṛtiḥ)³. At this stage, they become capable of realising the nature of the Truth and the powers and privileges appertaining to a Buddha, who is indistinguishable from that Truth. Then they set themselves to the performance of the duties still remaining, and ultimately become Buddhas, *i.e.*, attain Nirvāṇa properly so called. They now realise that the three dhātus, from which they have so long struggled to extricate themselves, had no existence whatsoever,⁴ and were merely imaginary superimpositions (parikalpanā).⁵ The three dhātus that are seen in the ten directions are only appearances like a mirage; hence they cannot have origination, destruction or transformation, bondage or freedom, light or darkness. As they are non-existent like things in a dream or a mirage, any statement about them would be inappropriate. Unless one realises the things of this universe in this way, he cannot obtain Nirvāṇa (sarvadharma na prāptāḥ kutas tasya nirvāṇam iti).⁶ One who has developed bodhicitta never thinks himself as existing either in saṃsāra or nirvāṇa. Hence, an Arhat aspiring to comprehend the ultimate truth should not think of himself as having gone beyond Saṃsāra and established himself in Nirvāṇa. Thus the Puṇḍarīka brings out clearly the difference between the Hīnayānic and Mahāyānic Nirvāṇa.