A. ‘A pure practitioner’ implies an enlightened practitioner who is free from being deluded by illusions. He knows better than to be deluded by the word ‘Nirvana’ and to try to enter it. To such a person, everything that reaches his eyes and ears is the Buddha, and where he is, is already Nirvana.
‘A monk who violated the precepts’ means an unenlightened monk who is deluded by illusions. To such a person, where he is, is already the hell.

In fact, not only are Nirvana and hell not separated from each other but one, but also not separate from where we are as well. Where we are now is Nirvana to those who can see things as they are, but hell to those who are deluded by illusions. This is why a pure practitioner cannot enter Nirvana, and a monk who violated precepts doesn’t enter hell’. What matters here is whether you are in Nirvana, or hell.
©Boo Ahm
All writing ©Boo Ahm. All images ©Simon Hathaway
