The Anūnatvāpurnatvanirdeśa (“Neither Increase nor Decrease Sūtra,” Sutra Of No Increase No Decrease) is a short Mahayana text belonging to the tathagatagarbha class of sutras. History The scripture is only extant in the Chinese translation (Ch. Bu zeng bu jian jing, 不增不減經) produced by Bodhiruci (6th century) in 525. Quotations from the sutra in the Ratnagotravibhāga demonstrate that it was composed before 400 CE. An English translation and analysis of the Anunatvapurnatvanirdesaparivarta was published by Jonathan Silk in 2015. Teachings Nirvana It presents a teaching, delivered in this text by the Buddha to Sariputra, that nirvana is not utter vacuity or the cessation of being, but is the realm of the tathagatagarbha, the unfabricated, utterly pure and everlasting essence of all creatures and beings. According to Grosnick, in this sutra: Tathagatagarbha The Buddha links the tathagatagarbha to the spotless immaculacy of the "dharmakaya" (the ultimate true nature of the Buddha) and "dharmadhatu" (the all-pervading realm of dharma) and states: This sutra is notable for its doctrinal closeness, regarding the tathagatagarbha, to the "Srimaladevisimhanada Sutra" (commonly known as the "Srimala Sutra"). See also Angulimaliya Sutra Buddha-Nature Dolpopa Kunjed Gyalpo Tantra Mahayana Mahaparinirvana Sutra Purity in Buddhism Srimala Sutra Tathagatagarbha Sutra References External links Appreciation of the Nirvana Sutra and Tathagatagarbha Doctrines Buddha Pronounces the Sūtra of Neither Increase Nor Decrease, translated by Bodhiruci Mahayana texts