svabhava77@yahoo.co.uk

I shall try to answer your questions on the doctrines of the Mahaparinirvana Sutra, should you have any, within a week.

A little about myself:

I am English, a full-time university lecturer and researcher, and an academically published, peer-reviewed scholar. I was born in 1957 in London, England, where I spent most of my life. I was educated at London University, Freiburg University, and Vienna University, and took my Doctorate of Philosophy (German/Austrian literary analysis) at the University of Oxford in 1988 under the tutelage of Professor Siegbert Prawer and Dr. Denys Dyer; as part of my research during my doctoral years I extensively investigated the affinities of world-view between the 19th-century Austrian poet, thinker, novella writer and dramatist, Friedrich Halm, and the philosophy of Buddhism. My mentor on Buddhism at that time was Buddhist scholar, Maurice Walshe (of London University), and later I studied Mahayana Buddhism extensively and deeply for nearly 10 years on a private, almost daily basis with Buddhist scholar and translator, Stephen Hodge (the first Westerner to become a monk of the Shingon tradition in Japan).

I am a practising (but still sensuous-klesha-afflicted!) Mahayana Buddhist, an independent lecturer on Buddhism (and have lectured on the Mahaparinirvana Sutra at the School of Oriental and African Studies, the University of London, at the request of that university), and for decades have felt a strong inner link with the Mahaparinirvana Sutra itself. In December 2004 I set up this first-ever website devoted to the Nirvana Sutra, to attempt to shine more light on what may be called “Nirvana Sutra Buddhism” or “Tathagatagarbha Buddhism”. My aim is to communicate accurately what the Buddha in the Nirvana Sutra and other Tathagatagarbha sutras actually says, rather than propagate the doctrinal distortions into which some later commentators have twisted these teachings. In 2006 I established the first-ever website centred on the texts of key Tathagatagarbha sutras. I have worked in close collaboration on the Nirvana Sutra with the Buddhist scholar and translator, Stephen Hodge, to whom I owe a debt of gratitude for his splendid translation work.  In 2009 my German translation of Stephen Hodge’s unpublished English rendering of the Tibetan Mahaparinirvana Sutra was completed on this website (the bulk of its having been up on the website for some years previously). This was the first time that the Tibetan Nirvana Sutra had ever appeared in any Western language. But all praise must go not to me, but to Stephen Hodge, who is the real pioneer in this field. However, Stephen wanted the German version withdrawn, as he felt that his English version (of which the German version was an accurate translation) was not yet good enough for publication. Nevertheless, it is my hope that by propagating the Mahaparinirvana Sutra and other Tathagatagarbha sutras I will bring more spiritual light and uplift into people’s lives and that my engagement with the Mahaparinirvana Sutra will extend into many years (and indeed lives!) to come …

Over the past decade, I have authored the following books:  

Vivisection Unveiled: An Expose of the Medical Futility of Animal Experimentation (Jon Carpenter, Oxford 1997)

Buddhism and Animals: A Buddhist Vision of Humanity’s Rightful Relationship with the Animal Kingdom (UKAVIS, London 1999)

Buddha and God (Nirvana Publications, London 2000)

Buddha-Self: The ‘Secret’ Teachings of the Buddha in the Mahaparinirvana Sutra (Nirvana Publications, London 2003)

The Mahayana Mahaparinirvana Sutra in 12 Volumes (as editor) (Nirvana Publications, London 1999-2000)

I am a commited vegetarian, a life-long teetotaler (abstainer from alcohol), and an advocate of human rights, fairness, liberty, and justice. I particularly deplore the ruthless oppression of the poor and powerless of this world, and the ever-increasing surveillance and petty-power-wielding control over countless people upon our planet. This large-scale assault on humanity is being carried out by Maric forces dominated by greed, anti-compassion, cruelty, the craving for centralisation of political power, and authoritarian, Orwellian control. This deliberate world-wide spread of inhumanity, nihilism, lies and 1984-style tyranny is called the ‘New World Order’ or ‘globalisation/ globalism’ (headed up by the inhumane ‘elite’ popularly known as the  ‘Illuminati’, who are anything but illuminated or Awakened!), and must vigorously be opposed and replaced by kindliness, spiritual integrity and empathetic humanity. The call for a ‘one-world government’ is a call for the destruction of our individual and collective liberty and should be rejected. The Dharma always honours the dignity of each individual, as each individual is the bearer of the Buddha Essence (the Buddha Dhatu). I am further a strong supporter of animal rights and human rights. I am equally a firm believer in non-violence and non-killing (thus totally oppose the West’s murderous invasion of Iraq, Afghanistan and, if it takes place, Iran). Furthermore, I am gay and oppose all racial, sexual and religious hatred and intolerance.

Important noteand statement of personal conviction by Dr. Tony Page on the alleged Covid Crisis: The following is my personal, considered opinion after a year-and-a-half of careful research and study. You are free to accept or reject my conclusions and viewpoints. Critical questioning is always necessary, indeed vital. As the Buddha said in theKalama Sutta, we should not just believe something because a teacher says it or because it is a widespread view. Everyone should investigate impartially for him or herself and reach his or her own conclusions, guided by the words of the Buddha. Now follows my personal conviction:

We should all be aware that the Covid19 ‘threat’ which began to be trumpeted around the world in late 2019 is a gigantic lie of unparalleled proportions and malevolence. Numerous brave and honest doctors and researchers across the earth are now speaking out against this tremendous fear-inducing fraud – watch, for example, the interview with Professor Sucharit Bhakdi (a Thai Buddhist and professor of medicine) and Dr. Karina Reiss here: https://www.bitchute.com/video/awRyZ5wVqNjm/) and the comments of Dr. Mike Yeadon, former Vice-President of the vaccine-makers, Pfizer, here:https://www.bitchute.com/video/Z6iNUdTvBqAW/ Trained nurse, Dr. Jane Ruby, speaks of the dangerous electro-magnetic field technology used in the mRNA Covid vaccines here:https://www.bitchute.com/video/lMG7TTeBxvyW/ For a discussion show from 17 June 2021 on the harmful effects of masks, and of the Covid vaccines (including testimony from rock guitar legend, Eric Clapton, and medical physician, Dr Roger Hodkinson), please watch this episode of ‘The Highwire with Del Bigtree’:

There are now, in fact, many independent doctors, nurses, researchers and investigators warning of the potential dangers of the Covid shots, and it behoves all of us to consider such warnings as those above (which the mainstream media are unjustly deleting from the public consciousness) if we wish to gain a fuller picture of the Covid crime that is being perpetrated against mankind, including children.

 The manufactured and media-manipulated terror over Covid19 and SarsCoV2 (an alleged virus which has never been scientifically isolated and proven to exist, and which according to those who believe it does is actually no more dangerous for most people – 99.7% of whom will recover from a ‘Covid infection’ – than influenza and far less deadly than TB) is being used to usher in at break-neck speed the long-planned New World Order (or Klaus Schwab’s ‘Great Reset’) of total tyranny, surveillance, micro-management of the human race and even large-scale depopulation (not least through adversely affecting the normal processes of human reproduction and fertility). The forced wearing of masks (a de-humanising, de-voicing and de-personalising symbol of humiliation and enslavement, and a depriver of adequate oxygen levels and promoter of excessive levels of carbon dioxide in the lungs and blood), the anti-social distancing rules (keeping human beings away from other humans as though they were our enemies, whereas warm friendly contact with others is a vital part of healthy human interaction) and encouraging everyone to view every other person on earth as their potential killer constitutes a deeply anti-human, demonic agenda which must be vigorously opposed.

Much of this huge ‘Covid pandemic’ lie is based on the fraudulently used ‘Covid Test’ (the PCR Test), which even its inventor, Dr. Kary Mullis (Nobel Prize Winner in Chemistry), stated cannot tell you if you are sick or have something inside you which will later harm you. Above all, the artificial cell-altering mRNA Covid ‘vaccines’ (and others) that are being pushed upon everyone in a propagandistic campaign of shameful mind manipulation in 2021 must be rejected [Update, 22 May 2021: there are now hundreds of thousands of Government-based (‘VAERS’ in America and ‘MHRA’ in Britain) reports of health damage and even thousands of deaths amongst those who have so recklessly taken this inadequately safety-tested ‘vaccine’ into their bodies]. Some researchers are furthermore warning of the potentially harmful health effects of the new 5G technology.

On 4 December 2023, former Vice-President of Pfizer, Dr. Mike Yeadon – a specialist in the field of respiratory diseases, who is sceptical regarding the existence of a ‘Covid virus’ – recorded an address to the UK Parliament, warning of the dangers of the Covid ‘vaccine’ and how it was clearly manufactured with harm in mind (it was not a mere accident or error that caused it to harm and kill millions of people across the world: it was intentional): …. It seems that this highly important video is now being blocked. That speaks volumes …

In fine (and you don’t have to agree with me – that is your prerogative, of course): it might be clear from all of the above that we are entering immensely dangerous times, when the counter-Dharmic forces of Mara (the devilish enemy of spiritual Awakening, Truth and Compassion) are launching an unprecedented assault upon the entire human species. We must be courageous, FEARLESS (as aspirant Bodhisattvas), and stand up to this unparalleled world-enslaving evil and say ‘NO!’ – for the sake of ourselves and future generations, if we do not wish to live in a dystopian nightmare beyond even that which George Orwell envisioned and warned against in his great prophetic novel, Nineteen Eighty-Four.

The goal of Tathagatagarbha Buddhism is nirvanic Freedom, Liberation (moksha) and compassionate Kindliness, not self-imprisonment, not daily tremulous fear and suspicionof other beings and persons as walking murder weapons (threatening us with their silent, non-existent ‘killer virus’). Other beings – particularly the non-‘vaccinated’ – are not there to be masked, muzzled, shamed and feared. In fact, growing evidence suggests that the Covid-‘vaccinated’ are transmitting something from their bodies which could harm others. Caution is requisite – but not fear. We must refuse to submit to such deeply destructive inhumanity as is appearing under the Covid tyranny. We must stand up for Truth, for genuine spirituality, and the fearless Way of the Bodhisattva.We must stand up for the Light.

The Buddha in verse 204 of the Pali Dhammapada (translated by H. Kaviratna)states:

‘Health is the greatest of gifts, contentment the greatest of riches, trust is the finest of relationships, and Nirvana the highest bliss.’

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Yours very sincerely in the True Dharma,

                                                          Tony