Aspects of Mahayana Buddhism and its Relation to Hinayana c7.s3.t5.8

c7.s3.t5.8

According to the Puṇḍarīka, the real Nirvāṇa is that state in which one sees things without any differentiation or dichotomy, and for the description of which all the expressions that can be used by man, relative as they are, are inadequate. The Laṅkāvatāra¹ describes the jñāna of Bodhisattvas as the lokottaratama-jñāna (super-transcendental knowledge), as distinguished from the lokottarajñāna of the Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas and laukika-jñāna of pṛthagjana (common persons). It consists in the realisation of all dharmas as mere reflections, having no origin and decay. Hence, no question of existence and non-existence can arise in regard to this (nirābhāsadharmapravicayād anirodhānutpada-darśanāt sad asat pakṣavigatam).