[Translated originally from the Sanskrit Sarvāstivāda Madhyamāgama to Classical Chinese by a team led by Sarvāstivāda scholar Gautama Saṃghadeva of Kāśmīra in 398CE.
Translated from the Chinese Taisho Tripiṭaka back to Sanskrit by Ramakrishnan Suryanarayanan in 2024-26.]
madhyamāgame dīrghāyurvarge āniñjyapariśuddhimārgasūtraṃ caturtham.
evaṃ mayā śrutam. ekasminsamaye bhagavānkuruṣu viharati sma kalmāṣadamye nāma kurūṇāṃ nigame.
tasminsamaye bhagavānbhikṣūnāmantrayata—kāmā anityāstucchā mṛṣā moṣadharmā māyākṛtā bālavañcanā bālamohanāḥ. ye ca dṛṣṭadhārmikāḥ kāmā ye ca sāmparāyikāḥ kāmā yāni ca dṛṣṭadhārmikāṇi rūpāṇi yāni ca sāmparāyikāṇi rūpāṇi, sarva eṣa māraviṣaya eṣa māranivāpaḥ. ata eva nidānāccitte'pramāṇāḥ pāpakā akuśalā dharmā utpadyante yadutābhidhyāvyāpādasaṃrambhā ye śaikṣasyāryaśrāvakasyāntarāyāya saṃvartante.
tatra bahuśruta āryaśrāvaka evaṃ samanupaśyati—bhāṣitaṃ bhagavatā, kāmā anityāstucchā mṛṣā moṣadharmā māyākṛtā bālavañcanā bālamohanāḥ. ye ca dṛṣṭadhārmikāḥ kāmā ye ca sāmparāyikāḥ kāmā yāni ca dṛṣṭadhārmikāṇi rūpāṇi yāni ca sāmparāyikāṇi rūpāṇi, sarva eṣa māraviṣaya eṣa māranivāpaḥ. ata eva nidānāccitte'pramāṇāḥ pāpakā akuśalā dharmā utpadyante yadutābhidhyāvyāpādasaṃrambhā ye śaikṣasyāryaśrāvakasyāntarāyāya saṃvartante. sa evaṃ pratisaṃcintayati—yannvahaṃ vipulena mahadgatena cetasā vihareyaṃ lokaṃ mānasenābhibhūyopasaṃgṛhya ca cittam. tasya mamevaṃ viharata evaṃ citte pāpakā akuśalā dharmā notpatsyante yadutābhidhyāvyāpādasaṃrambhā ye śaikṣasyāryaśrāvakasyāntarāyāya saṃvartante. tasyaivaṃ pratipannasyaivaṃ śikṣamāṇasyaivaṃ bhāvayato bahulīkurvatastatrāyatane cittaṃ prasīdati. tatra prasannacitto bhikṣurdṛṣṭa eva dharme'niñjyaṃ samāpadyate prajñayā vā vimucyate. sa kāyasya bhedātparaṃ maraṇāttatpūrvakacetasāvaśyamāniñjyopago bhavati. idamucyate prathamamāniñjyapariśuddhimārgaprakāśanam.
punaraparaṃ bhikṣavaḥ, bahuśruta āryaśrāvaka evaṃ samanupaśyati—yatkiñcidrūpaṃ tatsarvaṃ catvāri mahābhūtāni catvāri ca mahābhūtānyupādāya rūpam. tāni ca catvāri mahābhūtānyanityadharmāṇi duḥkhadharmāṇi nirodhadharmāṇi. tasyaivaṃ pratipannasyaivaṃ śikṣamāṇasyaivaṃ bhāvayato bahulīkurvatastatrāyatane cittaṃ prasīdati. tatra prasannacitto bhikṣurdṛṣṭa eva dharme'niñjyaṃ samāpadyate prajñayā vā vimucyate. sa kāyasya bhedātparaṃ maraṇāttatpūrvakacetasāvaśyamāniñjyopago bhavati. idamucyate dvitīyamāniñjyapariśuddhimārgaprakāśanam.
punaraparaṃ bhikṣavaḥ, bahuśruta āryaśrāvaka evaṃ samanupaśyati—ye ca dṛṣṭadhārmikāḥ kāmā ye ca sāmparāyikāḥ kāmā yāni ca dṛṣṭadhārmikāṇi rūpāṇi yāni ca sāmparāyikāṇi rūpāṇi, yā ca dṛṣṭadhārmikī kāmasaṃjñā yā ca sāmparāyikī kāmasaṃjñā yā ca dṛṣṭadhārmikī rūpasaṃjñā yā ca sāmparāyikī rūpasaṃjñā, sarvāstāḥ saṃjñā anityadharmāṇyo duḥkhadharmāṇyo nirodhadharmāṇyaḥ. tasya tasmin samaya āniñjyasaṃjñā pratitiṣṭhati. tasyaivaṃ pratipannasyaivaṃ śikṣamāṇasyaivaṃ bhāvayato bahulīkurvatastatrāyatane cittaṃ prasīdati. tatra prasannacitto bhikṣurdṛṣṭa eva dharme'niñjyaṃ samāpadyate prajñayā vā vimucyate. sa kāyasya bhedātparaṃ maraṇāttatpūrvakacetasāvaśyamāniñjyopago bhavati. idamucyate tṛtīyamāniñjyapariśuddhimārgaprakāśanam.
punaraparaṃ bhikṣavaḥ, bahuśruta āryaśrāvaka evaṃ samanupaśyati—yā ca dṛṣṭadhārmikī kāmasaṃjñā yā ca sāmparāyikī kāmasaṃjñā yā ca dṛṣṭadhārmikī rūpasaṃjñā yā ca sāmparāyikī rūpasaṃjñā yā cāniñjyasaṃjñā, sarvāstāḥ saṃjñā anityadharmāṇyo duḥkhadharmāṇyo nirodhadharmāṇyaḥ. tasya tasmin samaya ākiñcanyāyatanasaṃjñā pratitiṣṭhati. tasyaivaṃ pratipannasyaivaṃ śikṣamāṇasyaivaṃ bhāvayato bahulīkurvatastatrāyatane cittaṃ prasīdati. tatra prasannacitto bhikṣurdṛṣṭa eva dharme'kiñcanyāyatanaṃ samāpadyate prajñayā vā vimucyate. sa kāyasya bhedātparaṃ maraṇāttatpūrvakacetasāvaśyamākiñcanyāyatanopago bhavati. idamucyate prathamamākiñcanyāyatanapariśuddhimārgaprakāśanam.
punaraparaṃ bhikṣavaḥ, bahuśruta āryaśrāvaka evaṃ samanupaśyati—śūnyo'yaṃ loka ātmanā vātmīyena vā, śūnyo nityena śūnyo dhruveṇa śūnyaḥ śāśvatena śūnyo'vipariṇāmadharmeṇa. tasyaivaṃ pratipannasyaivaṃ śikṣamāṇasyaivaṃ bhāvayato bahulīkurvatastatrāyatane cittaṃ prasīdati. tatra prasannacitto bhikṣurdṛṣṭa eva dharme'kiñcanyāyatanaṃ samāpadyate prajñayā vā vimucyate. sa kāyasya bhedātparaṃ maraṇāttatpūrvakacetasāvaśyamākiñcanyāyatanopago bhavati. idamucyate dvitīyamākiñcanyāyatanapariśuddhimārgaprakāśanam.
punaraparaṃ bhikṣavaḥ, bahuśruta āryaśrāvaka evaṃ samanupaśyati—nāhamasmi kvacitkasyacitkiñcanatve, na ca mama kvacitkasmiñcitkiñcanamastīti. tasyaivaṃ pratipannasyaivaṃ śikṣamāṇasyaivaṃ bhāvayato bahulīkurvatastatrāyatane cittaṃ prasīdati. tatra prasannacitto bhikṣurdṛṣṭa eva dharme'kiñcanyāyatanaṃ samāpadyate prajñayā vā vimucyate. sa kāyasya bhedātparaṃ maraṇāttatpūrvakacetasāvaśyamākiñcanyāyatanopago bhavati. idamucyate tṛtīyamākiñcanyāyatanapariśuddhimārgaprakāśanam.
punaraparaṃ bhikṣavaḥ, bahuśruta āryaśrāvaka evaṃ samanupaśyati—ye ca dṛṣṭadhārmikāḥ kāmā ye ca sāmparāyikāḥ kāmā yāni ca dṛṣṭadhārmikāṇi rūpāṇi yāni ca sāmparāyikāṇi rūpāṇi, yā ca dṛṣṭadhārmikī kāmasaṃjñā yā ca sāmparāyikī kāmasaṃjñā yā ca dṛṣṭadhārmikī rūpasaṃjñā yā ca sāmparāyikī rūpasaṃjñā yā cāniñjyasaṃjñā yā cākiñcanyāyatanasaṃjñā, sarvāstāḥ saṃjñā anityadharmāṇyo duḥkhadharmāṇyo nirodhadharmāṇyaḥ. tasya tasmin samaye'saṃjñāyatanaṃ pratitiṣṭhati. tasyaivaṃ pratipannasyaivaṃ śikṣamāṇasyaivaṃ bhāvayato bahulīkurvatastatrāyatane cittaṃ prasīdati. tatra prasannacitto bhikṣurdṛṣṭa eva dharme'saṃjñāyatanaṃ samāpadyate prajñayā vā vimucyate. sa kāyasya bhedātparaṃ maraṇāttatpūrvakacetasāvaśyamasaṃjñāyatanopago bhavati. idamucyate'saṃjñāyatanapariśuddhimārgaprakāśanam.
tasminsamaya āyuṣmānānando vyajanamādāya bhagavantamupavījayaṃssthito'bhūt. athāyuṣmānānando yena bhagavāṃstenāñjaliṃ praṇāmya bhagavantametadavocat—yadi bhagavanbhikṣurevaṃ pratipanno bhavati—no cedbhaveyaṃ no ca me syānna bhaviṣyāmi na me bhaviṣyati, yadasti yatpūrvaṃ bhūtaṃ tatsarvaṃ prajahāmīti. kiṃ nu bhagavanevaṃ pratipanno bhikṣuḥ parinirvāyāt.
bhagavānavocat—aniyataṃ tadānanda. ekatyo bhikṣuḥ parinirvāyādekatyo na parinirvāyāt.
āyuṣmānānando'vocat—kathaṃ pratipanno bhagavanbhikṣurna parinirvāti.
bhagavānavocat—yadi bhikṣurevaṃ pratipanno bhavati—no cedbhaveyaṃ no ca me syānna bhaviṣyāmi na me bhaviṣyati, yadasti yatpūrvaṃ bhūtaṃ tatsarvaṃ prajahāmīti. sacedānanda bhikṣustāmupekṣāmabhinandati tāmadhyavasyati tasyāmadhyavasitastiṣṭhati, evaṃ pratipanno bhikṣurānanda na parinirvāti.
āyuṣmānānando'vocat—kiṃ nu bhagavansopādāno bhikṣurna parinirvāti.
bhagavānavocat—evamānanda, sopādāno bhikṣurna parinirvāti.
āyuṣmānānando'vocat—tatra bhagavanbhikṣuḥ kimupādatte.
bhagavānavocat—saṃskārāvaśeṣamānandopādatte, yaduta naivasaṃjñānāsaṃjñāyatanaṃ yadbhavānāmagryam, tadbhikṣurupādatte.
āyuṣmānānando'vocat—kiṃ nu bhagavanbhikṣuḥ saṃskārāvaśeṣamupādatte.
bhagavānavocat—evamānanda, saṃskārāvaśeṣamupādatte.
āyuṣmānānando'vocat—kathaṃ pratipanno bhagavanbhikṣuḥ parinirvāti.
bhagavānavocat—yadi bhikṣurevaṃ pratipanno bhavati—no cedbhaveyaṃ no ca me syānna bhaviṣyāmi na me bhaviṣyati, yadasti yatpūrvaṃ bhūtaṃ tatsarvaṃ prajahāmīti. sacedānanda bhikṣustāmupekṣāṃ nābhinandati nādhyavasyati na tasyāmadhyavasitastiṣṭhati, evaṃ pratipanno bhikṣurānanda parinirvāti.
āyuṣmānānando'vocat—kiṃ nu bhagavannanupādāno bhikṣuḥ parinirvāti.
bhagavānavocat—evamānanda, anupādāno bhikṣuḥ parinirvāti.
tasminsamaya āyuṣmānānando yena bhagavāṃstenāñjaliṃ praṇāmya bhagavantametadavocat—deśito bhagavatāniñjyapariśuddhimārgo deśita ākiñcanyāyatanapariśuddhimārgo deśito'saṃjñāyatanapariśuddhimārgo deśitamanupadhiśeṣaṃ nirvāṇam. kā nu bhagavannāryavimuktiriti.
bhagavānavocat—ānanda, bahuśruta āryaśrāvaka evaṃ samanupaśyati—ye ca dṛṣṭadhārmikāḥ kāmā ye ca sāmparāyikāḥ kāmā yāni ca dṛṣṭadhārmikāṇi rūpāṇi yāni ca sāmparāyikāṇi rūpāṇi, yā ca dṛṣṭadhārmikī kāmasaṃjñā yā ca sāmparāyikī kāmasaṃjñā yā ca dṛṣṭadhārmikī rūpasaṃjñā yā ca sāmparāyikī rūpasaṃjñā yā cāniñjyasaṃjñā yā cākiñcanyāyatanasaṃjñā yā cāsaṃjñāyatanasaṃjñā, sarvāstāḥ saṃjñā anityadharmāṇyo duḥkhadharmāṇyo nirodhadharmāṇyaḥ, svakamidamastīti bhavati. yaddhi svakamasti sā jātissā jarā sa vyādhistanmaraṇam. ānanda, yadaitaddharmamaśeṣaṃ nirudhyate na punarbhavati, tadaiteṣānna jātirna jarā na vyādhirna maraṇam. āryaśrāvaka evaṃ paśyati—yadasti sā vimuktirdharmo yadanupadhiśeṣaṃ nirvāṇaṃ tadamṛtamiti. tasyaivaṃ jānata evaṃ paśyataḥ kāmāsravāccittaṃ vimucyate bhavāsravādavidyāsravāccittaṃ vimucyate. vimukte sati vimuktamiti jñānaṃ bhavati—kṣīṇā me jātiruṣitaṃ brahmacaryaṃ kṛtaṃ karaṇīyaṃ nāparamasmādbhavaparyāyamiti yathābhūtaṃ prajānāti.
ānanda, mayā te deśita āniñjyapariśuddhimārgo deśita ākiñcanyāyatanapariśuddhimārgo deśito'saṃjñāyatanapariśuddhimārgo deśitamanupadhiśeṣaṃ nirvāṇaṃ deśitāryavimuktiḥ. yaccānanda śāstrā karaṇīyaṃ śrāvakāṇāṃ hitaiṣiṇānukampakena anukampāmupādāya, arthamanveṣamāṇena hitamanveṣamāṇena yogakṣemamanveṣamāṇena, tanmayā yuṣmākaṃ kṛtam. yuṣmābhiridānīṃ svayaṃ tatkaraṇīyam. etānyānandāraṇyānyetāni vṛkṣamūlāni śūnyāgārāṇi prāntāni śayanāsanāni. gatvā dhyāyata, mā pramādyata, bhṛśaṃ vīryamārabhadhvam, mā paścādvipratisāriṇo bhūta. ityasmākamanuśāsanyayamasmākamavavādaḥ.
idamavocadbhagavān. āttamanasa āyuṣmānānandaste ca bhikṣavo bhagavato bhāṣitamabhyanandan.
āniñjyapariśuddhimārgasūtraṃ caturthaṃ samāptam.