Ultimate Truth - Samyuktagama Sutra

"When one is born, one will die. 

One who admires high status will fall one day."

"Tell the Bhikku, the ultimate truth of emptiness, 

realized by the Enlightened Ones, 

corresponds to the Worldly Law."

"When the eyes see, the scene comes from nowhere.  

When they shut, it goes nowhere. 

Thus the eyes see unreality. 

All that arises will be destroyed.... 

except the truth of the Worldly Law.

"If I feel that nothing is obtainable, 

then there is no sin. 

If I am attached to form (and to other things), 

then it is sinful.....

The Worldly Law says that 

what this is, that is; this arising, that arises."

"To contemplate the unreal nature of all things, 

there is nothing real. 

Various names arise due to the coincidence of 

causes and conditions which are unreal. 

When one sees the truth of emptiness, 

one will realize that there is no Dharma 

(the perverted view of existence)

and non-Dharma 

(the perverted view of extinction)."

"If we can see the truth 

of the causes of worldly sufferings,

we will not be attached to the view of nothingness. 

If we can see the truth of cessation in the world, 

we will not be attached to worldly existence. 

By avoiding the two extremes, 

the Tathagatha teaches us 

the Middle Path, which is, 

what this is, that is; this arising, that arises…"

"All volitional actions are empty.

There is no law that is permanent and unchangeable. 

There is no I nor mine."

"One who thinks of impermanence 

will understand the truth of ego-lessness.

The Enlightened One 

lives in the state of ego-lessness,

renounces self-conceit 

and hence progresses towards liberation and Nirvana."

"The eyes (and all senses) are empty;  

The law of permanency and change is empty;

I and mine are both empty. 

Why is it so?

Because this is the nature of things."

"We should first rely on merits 

in order to get rid of sin.

Secondly, we should rely on equanimity 

and let the merits go.

Then we can attain the state of 

formlessness or Nirvana."

If one knows this,  

then one will not be attached to anything 

in this mundane world".

Translated by Shi Neng Rong