Agama Sutra

I came across the Introduction to Agama Sutra writing here by Thomas Tam on Introduction to Agama Sutra. You can read more  here https://aaari.info/notes/02-06-06Tam.pdf. I had been wondering long and hard what is nirvana and finally I found the explanation on Nirvana by Venerable Mahakasyapa helpful. Besides listening to dhamma talk, I also must meditate more.

Sariputra is known for his understanding of Sunyata. He was the Sariputra in the famous Heart Sutra. It is a measure of the stature of Mahakasyapa that Sariputra sought his advice on the question of whether there is life and death after nirvana. Mahakasyapa told Sariputra: "If you say there is life and death after nirvana, it is a material thing. If you say there is no life and death after nirvana, it is also a material thing… Nirvana means the end of all material things, when the mind is totally liberated… This is why the Buddha would not comment when he was asked whether or not there is life and death after nirvana…

In a different passage, Ananda asked the Buddha how to control one’s sense organs. The Buddha said:

"Listen carefully and think. I will explain it to you. When the eye meets the matter, and you become aware that the matter is desirable, then practice detachment. If, on the other hand, the matter is undesirable, then practice non-avoidance…In this way, you will know that your desire arises from your eye meeting the matter, and this realization will make it cease…like a drop of water on an extremely hot iron ball, it will evaporate in an instant…" [S-204]

Why shouldn’t we desire the world? The beautiful things? Our good feelings? Our joyful thoughts? The Great Buddha had much to say about this. The first sutra collected in the Agama Sutra is the sutra on impermanence. This may indicate the emphasis paid to the topic by the council of monks at the first gathering after Buddha had passed away. It appears that becoming an arahat and achieving nirvana is a relatively simple and easy matter. This is what the Buddha said:

"You should observe the impermanence in things. This is the correct observation. When you are able to observe them this way, you will be tired of the things and want to avoid them. Thus ends your craving for the things. Consequently, your mind will be liberated. Similarly for your feelings, thoughts, actions, and consciousness…" [S-1] "