說無垢稱經

Fascicle Three

V. The Chapter on Inquiring after an Illness

At that time, the Buddha said to Manjushri:

“Go and inquire after Vimalakirti’s illness.”

Manjushri replied:

“World-Honored One! It is difficult to respond to that great householder, for he has penetrated deeply into the Dharma gateway, is able to expound it skillfully, abides in subtle eloquence, and possesses unobstructed wisdom. He has accomplished all the undertakings of the bodhisattvas, freely enters the mysteries of the Tathagatas and great bodhisattvas, subdues the hosts of Mara, and possesses unobstructed skillful means.

He has reached the supreme state of nonduality, free from admixture; his practice within the Dharma realm has ultimately reached the other shore. With a single characteristic, he can adorn the entire Dharma realm, and he expounds the Dharma gateway adorned with boundless characteristics. He thoroughly understands the faculties and practices of all sentient beings, can freely engage in the most excellent supernormal powers, and has attained great wisdom and skillful means.

He has resolved all questions and answers with mastery and fearlessness, and no inferior or sharp words can withstand him. Nevertheless, relying upon the Buddha’s majestic spiritual power, I shall go to inquire after his illness. Once there, I shall discuss the Dharma with him according to the measure of my ability.”

Then the bodhisattvas, great shravaka disciples, Shakras, Brahmas, world-protectors, devas, and others in the assembly all thought: “These two bodhisattvas both possess profound and vast supreme understanding. If they converse together, they will certainly speak the wondrous Dharma. For the sake of hearing the Dharma, we too should urge one another to accompany them there.”

At that time, eight thousand bodhisattvas, five hundred shravakas, and immeasurable hundreds of thousands of Shakras, Brahmas, world-protecting devas, and others in the assembly asked to accompany him for the sake of hearing the Dharma. Manjushri, together with the bodhisattvas, great shravaka disciples, Shakras, Brahmas, and world-protecting devas, reverently bowed at the feet of the World-Honored One. They then departed together from the Amra Grove and went to the city of Vaishali to inquire after Vimalakirti’s illness.

At that time, Vimalakirti thought: “I should use my spiritual power to make this house empty, removing all beds, mats, seats, wealth, utensils, attendants, and other things, leaving only the single bed upon which I now lie ill.” Having thought thus, Vimalakirti immediately employed his great supernormal powers to empty his house completely, leaving nothing whatsoever except the single bed upon which he lay ill.

Manjushri and the great assembly then entered his house. They saw that the house was empty, without any furnishings or even attendants, and that there was only one bed upon which Vimalakirti lay. Seeing Manjushri, Vimalakirti joyfully greeted him: “Welcome! You come with the characteristic of not coming, see with the characteristic of not seeing, and hear with the characteristic of not hearing.”

Manjushri said:

“Indeed, householder! If one has already come, there is no further coming; if one has already gone, there is no further going. Why is this? One who has come has not come from anywhere, and one who has gone has not gone to any place. What has been seen is no longer seen, and what has been heard is no longer heard. But let us set this matter aside. Householder, is your illness bearable? Can your life be preserved? Are the elements in harmony? Can the illness be treated? Can it be prevented from worsening? The World-Honored One has earnestly sent his regards to you. Householder, has this illness abated at all? Do you have sufficient strength to walk and stand? From what cause did this illness arise? How long have you been ill? What must be done for the illness to end?”

Vimalakirti said:

“The ignorance and craving for existence of sentient beings arose long ago, and my illness has arisen in the same way. It has continued from the distant past throughout birth and death until now. Because sentient beings are ill, I too am ill. If sentient beings are freed from illness, I too shall be freed from illness. Why is this? All bodhisattvas follow sentient beings as they ceaselessly wander through the stream of birth and death, and because they follow them into birth and death, they become ill. If sentient beings were freed from the suffering of illness, bodhisattvas would no longer be ill.

“It is like a wealthy householder in the world who has only one child, whom he dearly loves, cherishes, and does not wish to leave. If the child becomes ill, the parents also become ill; when the child recovers, the parents likewise recover. In the same way, a bodhisattva loves sentient beings as an only child. If sentient beings are ill, the bodhisattva is also ill; when sentient beings are freed from illness, the bodhisattva is freed from illness. You also asked from where this illness arose. A bodhisattva’s illness arises from great compassion.”

Manjushri asked:

“Why is this house completely empty, without even an attendant?”

Vimalakirti said:

“All Buddha lands are empty.”

Manjushri asked:

“By virtue of what are they empty?”

Vimalakirti replied:

“They are empty by virtue of emptiness.”

He asked:

“Why is this emptiness empty?”

He replied:

“This emptiness is empty because it is free from discrimination.”

He asked:

“Can the nature of emptiness be discriminated?”

He replied:

“It can be discriminated, yet all such discrimination is also empty. Why is this? Because the nature of emptiness cannot be discriminated, it is empty.”

He asked:

“Where should this emptiness be sought?”

He replied:

“It should be sought within the sixty-two views.”

He asked:

“Where should these sixty-two views be sought?”

He replied:

“They should be sought within the liberating Dharmas of the Buddhas.”

He asked:

“Where should the liberating Dharmas of the Buddhas be sought?”

He replied:

“They should be sought within the mental activities of all sentient beings. You also asked why there are no attendants. All hostile Maras and followers of non-Buddhist paths are my attendants. Why is this? All hostile Maras delight in birth and death, while all followers of non-Buddhist paths delight in views. Bodhisattvas become disenchanted with and abandon all such things. Therefore, hostile Maras and followers of non-Buddhist paths are my attendants.”

Manjushri asked:

“Householder, what is the characteristic of this illness?”

He replied:

“My illness is entirely without material form and cannot be seen.”

He asked:

“Is this illness associated with the body or with the mind?”

He replied:

“My illness is not associated with the body, because it is free from the characteristic of a body; yet it is also associated with the body, because it is like a reflected image. It is not associated with the mind, because it is free from the characteristic of mind; yet it is also associated with the mind, because it is like an illusion.”

He asked:

“Of the four dhatus—earth, water, fire, and wind—to which dhatu does the illness belong?”

He replied:

“The bodies of sentient beings arise from the four great elements. Because they are ill, I too am ill. Yet this illness is not produced by those four great elements, because it is free from the nature of the dhatus.”

Manjushri asked:

“How should a bodhisattva console a sick bodhisattva so that the latter may become joyful?”

Vimalakirti replied:

“He should explain that the body is impermanent, but should not exhort him to become weary of the body. He should explain that the body is suffering, but should not exhort him to delight in nirvana. He should explain that the body is without self, but should exhort him to bring sentient beings to maturity.

He should explain that the body is empty and quiescent, but should not exhort him to cultivate ultimate cessation. He should instruct him to repent of past transgressions, but should not say that transgressions undergo alteration. He should exhort him to use his own illness to sympathize with sentient beings and remove their illnesses.

He should exhort him to remember the sufferings caused by transgressions that he endured in the past and thereby benefit sentient beings. He should exhort him to remember the immeasurable roots of goodness he has cultivated and to cultivate a pure livelihood. He should exhort him not to fear, but to advance with courageous vigor.

He should exhort him to make vast vows and become a great king of physicians, treating all illnesses of the bodies and minds of sentient beings so that they may forever attain quiescent cessation. In this way, a bodhisattva should console a sick bodhisattva so that the latter may become joyful.”

Manjushri asked:

“How should a bodhisattva who is treating his illness discipline his mind?”

Vimalakirti said:

– A bodhisattva who is ill should think thus: “This illness of mine has arisen entirely from afflictions, inverted views, deluded thoughts, and false imaginings from former lives. Within this body there is absolutely no real dharma; who, then, can undergo this illness? Why is this so? Because the four great elements come together in harmony and are provisionally called the body. Among these elements there is no master, and within the body there is likewise no self. If this illness arises from attachment to a self, one should not deludedly give rise to such attachment. One should clearly understand that this attachment to a self is the source that leads to illness. Therefore, one should eliminate all perceptions of self and abide in the perception of dharmas. One should think: Because various dharmas come together in harmony, this body is formed; arising and ceasing follow one another in succession. Thus, arising is merely the arising of dharmas, and cessation is merely the cessation of dharmas. In this way, dharmas continue in succession, yet they neither know one another nor retain any thought of one another. At the time of arising, they do not say, ‘I arise’; at the time of cessation, they do not say, ‘I cease.’ A bodhisattva who is ill should correctly understand the perception of dharmas in this way. This perception of dharmas of mine is itself inverted. Wherever there is a perception of dharmas, there is great calamity. I should therefore cast it aside, and I must also eliminate all the great calamities of sentient beings. How is that great calamity to be eliminated? By eliminating attachment to self and to what belongs to the self. How is attachment to self and what belongs to the self eliminated? By abandoning the two dharmas. How are the two dharmas abandoned? By engaging neither in internal nor external dharmas. How does one refrain from engaging in these two dharmas? By contemplating equality—unmoving, unchanging, and without any object to be contemplated. What is this equality? It means that the self and nirvana are both equal. Why? Because the nature of both dharmas is empty. Since these two dharmas do not exist, what is there to be made empty? It is merely provisionally designated by the name ‘emptiness.’ These two dharmas are unreal. Having seen their equality, there is no illness whatsoever; there is only the illness of emptiness, and one should contemplate that this illness of emptiness is itself empty. Why? Because that illness of emptiness is utterly empty. A bodhisattva who is ill experiences all feelings with that which does not experience. If one has not yet perfected the Buddha-Dharma, one should not extinguish feeling in order to attain realization; one must transcend the two dharmas of the experiencer and the experienced. If suffering afflicts the body, one should have compassion for all sentient beings in perilous paths and arouse great compassion to eliminate their sufferings. A bodhisattva who is ill should think thus: ‘Having eliminated my own illness, I should also eliminate the illnesses of sentient beings.’ When eliminating the illnesses of oneself and others in this way, there is not even the slightest dharma that can be eliminated. One should correctly contemplate that illness arises from causes and conditions, swiftly eliminate it, and teach the true Dharma for their sake. What is meant by illness arising from causes and conditions? It means that conditioned thought is the cause of illness; all conditioned thoughts are causes of illness. Whoever has conditioned thought has illness. Upon what is thought conditioned? It is conditioned upon the three realms. How is such conditioned thought understood? By clearly and correctly realizing that this conditioned thought is utterly unobtainable. If it is unobtainable, there is no conditioned thought. How, then, is conditioned thought brought to an end? By not being conditioned by dualistic views. What are dualistic views? They are the views of the internal and the external. If these two views do not exist, there is nothing to be obtained. When there is nothing to be obtained, conditioned thought comes entirely to an end. Because conditioned thought has completely ceased, there is no illness. When one is oneself free from illness, one can eradicate the illnesses of sentient beings.

Venerable Manjushri! A bodhisattva who is ill should discipline the mind in this way: Only a bodhisattva’s bodhi can eliminate all the sufferings of aging, illness, and death. If one does not diligently practice in this way, one’s life has been cast away in vain. Why? Just as one who conquers an enemy army is called a valiant general, so too, one who utterly ends the sufferings of aging, illness, and death is called a bodhisattva.

Venerable Manjushri! A bodhisattva who is ill should contemplate for himself: If this illness of mine is neither real nor existent, then all the illnesses of sentient beings are likewise neither real nor existent. While contemplating in this way, one should not bind one’s mind to sentient beings through affectionate views in order to arouse great compassion.

Rather, one should eliminate the adventitious afflictions and thereby arouse great compassion for sentient beings. Why? If a bodhisattva binds his mind through affectionate views and arouses great compassion for sentient beings, he will become weary of samsara.

If he eliminates the adventitious afflictions and arouses great compassion for sentient beings, he will not become weary of samsara. For the sake of sentient beings, the bodhisattva dwells in samsara without weariness and without allowing his mind to be bound by affectionate views. Because his mind is not bound by affectionate views, he is not bound while dwelling in samsara.

Because he is not bound in samsara, he attains liberation. Because he is liberated while dwelling in samsara, he possesses the power to expound the wondrous Dharma, enabling sentient beings to free themselves from bondage and attain liberation. It was with this hidden intent that the Blessed One taught: It is impossible for one who is himself bound to release others from bondage.

But it is indeed possible for one who has himself been freed from bondage to free others from bondage. Therefore, bodhisattvas should seek liberation and distance themselves from every form of bondage.

Venerable Manjushri! What is meant by a bodhisattva being bound? What is meant by a bodhisattva attaining liberation?

If bodhisattvas become attached to their cultivation of meditative absorption, liberation, samadhi, and meditative attainment, they are called bodhisattvas who are bound. If bodhisattvas employ skillful means to aid sentient beings without becoming attached, they are bodhisattvas who have attained liberation. If wondrous wisdom is not embraced by skillful means, this is called bondage.

If wondrous wisdom is embraced by skillful means, this is called liberation. Why is a bodhisattva whose wondrous wisdom is not embraced by skillful means said to be bound? It means that the bodhisattva disciplines himself through emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness, but does not adorn his body with excellent marks, adorn Buddha lands, or bring sentient beings to maturity.

Because this bodhisattva lacks wondrous wisdom embraced by skillful means, he is said to be bound. Why is a bodhisattva whose wondrous wisdom is embraced by skillful means said to be liberated? It means that the bodhisattva disciplines his mind through emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness; contemplates dharmas with marks and without marks, cultivating them to attain realization; and also adorns his body with excellent marks, adorns Buddha lands, and brings sentient beings to maturity.

Because these bodhisattvas possess wondrous wisdom embraced by skillful means, they are said to be liberated. Why is a bodhisattva whose wondrous wisdom is not embraced by skillful means said to be bound? It means that the bodhisattva abides in various views and in all the afflictions, bonds, and latent tendencies, and cultivates roots of virtue, yet does not dedicate them to unsurpassed perfect bodhi and instead clings deeply and firmly to them.

Because this bodhisattva lacks wondrous wisdom embraced by skillful means, he is said to be bound. Why is a bodhisattva whose wondrous wisdom is embraced by skillful means said to be liberated? It means that bodhisattvas distance themselves from various views and from all the afflictions, bonds, and latent tendencies, cultivate roots of virtue, and dedicate them to unsurpassed perfect bodhi without attachment.

Because such a bodhisattva possesses wondrous wisdom embraced by skillful means, he is said to be liberated.

Venerable Mañjuśrī! A sick bodhisattva should contemplate all dharmas, seeing both body and illness as impermanent, suffering, empty, and without self; this is called wisdom. Although the body is ill, one continually remains within samsara to benefit sentient beings without ever growing weary; this is called skillful means. Furthermore, one contemplates how body, mind, and illnesses arise in mutual dependence and continue revolving without any beginning, their arising and ceasing uninterrupted, neither new nor old; this is called wisdom. Not seeking the complete quiescent cessation of body, mind, and illnesses is called skillful means.

Venerable Mañjuśrī! A sick bodhisattva should discipline his mind in this way: He should not abide in either a disciplined mind or an undisciplined mind. Why?

Because abiding in an undisciplined mind is the way of ordinary beings, while abiding in a disciplined mind is the way of śrāvakas. Therefore, a bodhisattva abides in neither of these two extremes; this is called the bodhisattva’s practice. Where there is neither the practice of ordinary beings nor the practice of noble ones, that is called the bodhisattva’s practice.

To contemplate the course of samsara without engaging in the activity of any affliction is called the bodhisattva’s practice. To contemplate the course of nirvana without engaging in ultimate quiescent cessation is called the bodhisattva’s practice. To manifest the activity of the four māras while transcending all demonic activity is called the bodhisattva’s practice.

To seek the wisdom of omniscience without prematurely realizing that wisdom is called the bodhisattva’s practice. To seek the wisdom of the Four Noble Truths without prematurely realizing the truths is called the bodhisattva’s practice. To correctly contemplate inner realization while embracing the course of samsara is called the bodhisattva’s practice.

To practice all dependent origination while remaining far removed from adherence to speculative views is called the bodhisattva’s practice. To practice the separateness of all sentient beings and dharmas without engaging in the latent tendencies of affliction is called the bodhisattva’s practice. To correctly contemplate non-arising without falling into the fixed destiny of śrāvakas is called the bodhisattva’s practice.

To embrace all the activities of sentient beings without engaging in the latent tendencies of affliction is called the bodhisattva’s practice. To truly delight in seclusion without seeking the total extinction of body and mind is the bodhisattva’s practice. To delight in contemplating the three realms without impairing the dharmadhātu is called the bodhisattva’s practice.

To delight in contemplating emptiness while seeking all virtues is called the bodhisattva’s practice. To delight in contemplating signlessness while seeking to liberate sentient beings is called the bodhisattva’s practice. To delight in contemplating wishlessness while manifesting existence in the various destinies is called the bodhisattva’s practice.

To delight in coursing in non-activity while constantly and unwaveringly cultivating all roots of virtue is the bodhisattva’s practice. To delight in coursing through the six perfections without directing one’s practice toward the other shore of sublime wisdom beyond the mental activities of sentient beings is called the bodhisattva’s practice. To delight in contemplating the four immeasurables—loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity—without seeking rebirth in the Brahmā realm is the bodhisattva’s practice.

To delight in coursing through the six superknowledges without directing one’s practice toward realizing the exhaustion of the outflows is called the bodhisattva’s practice. To delight in establishing the dharmas without engaging with false paths is called the bodhisattva’s practice. To delight in contemplating the six recollections without thereby giving rise to the outflows is called the bodhisattva’s practice.

To delight in contemplating that which is unobstructed without seeking defilement is the bodhisattva’s practice. To delight in contemplating the dhyānas, liberations, samādhis, and meditative attainments without being driven by the power of those concentrations to take rebirth is the bodhisattva’s practice. To delight in coursing through the foundations of mindfulness without seeking to abandon body, feeling, mind, and dharmas is the bodhisattva’s practice.

To delight in coursing through the right efforts without perceiving virtue and nonvirtue as two separate dharmas is called the bodhisattva’s practice. To delight in coursing through the bases of spiritual power, while effortlessly exercising sovereign mastery over miraculous transformations, is called the bodhisattva’s practice. To delight in coursing through the five faculties while, through sublime wisdom, making no distinctions between the superior and inferior faculties of sentient beings is called the bodhisattva’s practice.

To delight in abiding in the five powers while seeking the ten powers of the Tathagata is called the bodhisattva’s practice. To delight in abiding in the perfection of the seven factors of awakening without seeking the distinctions of sublime and skillful wisdom concerning the Buddha-Dharma is called the bodhisattva’s practice. To delight in abiding in the perfection of the Noble Eightfold Path without becoming weary of those who follow false paths is the bodhisattva’s practice.

To seek the provisions of serenity and insight without falling into ultimate quiescent cessation is called the bodhisattva’s practice. To delight in contemplating all dharmas as devoid of the characteristics of arising and ceasing, while adorning one’s body with the excellent marks and accomplishing all Buddha-activities, is called the bodhisattva’s practice. To delight in manifesting the deportment of śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas without abandoning the conditions for contemplating all Buddha-Dharmas is the bodhisattva’s practice.

To accord with the utterly pure intrinsic nature and eternally quiescent, sublime concentration of all dharmas, while also according with the preferred deportment of every sentient being, is the bodhisattva’s practice. To delight in contemplating all Buddha-fields as empty and quiescent in nature, neither formed nor destroyed, like space, while manifesting all the virtues that adorn Buddha-fields and benefiting sentient beings, is the bodhisattva’s practice.

To delight in manifesting all Buddha-Dharmas, turning the Dharma wheel, entering great nirvana, and performing Buddha-activities, while cultivating the distinct aspects of the bodhisattva practices, is called the bodhisattva’s practice.

When Vimalakīrti had explained all these rare practices of bodhisattvas, the eight hundred million youths whom Mañjuśrī had brought with him heard the Dharma and all generated the aspiration for unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment.

VI—The Chapter on the Inconceivable

Seeing that there were no seats in the house, Śāriputra privately thought, “Where are these great bodhisattvas and great śrāvakas to sit?” Knowing Śāriputra’s thought, Vimalakīrti immediately said:

“Venerable Śāriputra! Have you come for the Dharma, or have you come seeking a seat?”

Śāriputra replied:

“I have come for the Dharma, not to seek a seat.”

Vimalakīrti asked:

“Venerable Śāriputra! Those who seek the Dharma have no concern even for their own bodies and lives, much less for a seat. Venerable Śāriputra! Those who seek the Dharma do not seek the form skandha, nor any of the skandhas up to and including the consciousness skandha. Those who seek the Dharma do not seek the eye dhātu, nor any of the dhātus up to and including the mind-consciousness dhātu. Those who seek the Dharma do not seek the eye ayatana, nor any of the ayatanas up to and including the dharma ayatana. Those who seek the Dharma do not seek the desire realm, the form realm, or the formless realm.

“Venerable Śāriputra! Those who seek the Dharma do not seek attachment to the Buddha, Dharma, or Sangha. Those who seek the Dharma do not seek to know suffering, abandon its origin, realize cessation, or cultivate the path. Why? Because the Dharma is free from conceptual proliferation. If one says, ‘I know suffering, abandon its origin, realize cessation, and cultivate the path,’ that itself is conceptual proliferation and cannot be called seeking the Dharma.”

Venerable Sariputra! One who seeks the Dharma does not seek arising and does not seek cessation. Why is this? Because the Dharma is quiescent and leads toward quiescence. If one practices arising and cessation, that is to seek arising and cessation; it is not called seeking the Dharma, nor is it seeking transcendence. One who seeks the Dharma does not seek defilement through attachment. Why is this? Because the Dharma is without defilement through attachment and is free from all such defilements. If one has even the slightest attachment to any dharma, even to nirvana, that is to seek attachment; it is not called seeking the Dharma.

Venerable Sariputra! One who seeks the Dharma does not seek objects of cognition. Why is this? Because the Dharma is not an object of cognition. If one engages with all objects of cognition, that is to seek objects of cognition; it is not called seeking the Dharma.

Venerable Sariputra! One who seeks the Dharma does not seek grasping or relinquishing. Why is this? Because the Dharma is without grasping or relinquishing. If one grasps or relinquishes dharmas, that is to seek grasping and relinquishing; it is not to seek the Dharma.

Venerable Sariputra! One who seeks the Dharma does not seek accumulation. Why is this? Because the Dharma cannot be accumulated. If one delights in accumulation, that is to seek accumulation; it is not to seek the Dharma.

Venerable Sariputra! One who seeks the Dharma does not seek the characteristics of dharmas. Why is this? Because the Dharma is without characteristics. If one knows by following characteristics, that is to seek characteristics; it is not to seek the Dharma.

Venerable Sariputra! One who seeks the Dharma does not abide in the Dharma. Why is this? Because the Dharma has no abiding place. If one abides in the Dharma, that is to seek abiding; it is not to seek the Dharma.

Venerable Sariputra! One who seeks the Dharma does not seek seeing, hearing, sensing, or knowing. Why is this? Because the Dharma cannot be seen, heard, sensed, or known. If one engages in seeing, hearing, sensing, or knowing, that is to seek seeing, hearing, sensing, or knowing; it is not to seek the Dharma.

Venerable Sariputra! One who seeks the Dharma does not seek the conditioned. Why is this? Because the Dharma is unconditioned and free from the nature of the conditioned. If one engages in the conditioned, that is to seek the conditioned; it is not to seek the Dharma.

Venerable Sariputra! Therefore, if one wishes to seek the Dharma, one should seek nothing whatsoever.

When Vimalakirti expounded this Dharma, five hundred devas became free from defiling dust and attained the purified Dharma Eye with regard to all dharmas.

At that time, Vimalakirti asked Manjusri:

– You have traveled through immeasurable and innumerable hundreds of thousands of kotis of Buddha lands throughout the worlds of the ten directions. Which Buddha lands have you seen that possess lion thrones replete with the most sublime and wondrous virtues?

Manjusri replied:

– Thirty-six Ganges sands of Buddha lands eastward from here lies a Buddha land named Mountain Banner. The Tathagata of that land is called King of the Mountain Lamp, and he is presently dwelling there in peace. That Buddha’s body is eight billion four hundred million yojanas tall. His lion throne is six billion eight hundred million yojanas high. The bodies of the bodhisattvas in that land are four billion two hundred million yojanas tall, and their lion thrones are three billion four hundred million yojanas high.

Householder, you should know that the lion thrones of the Tathagata in that land are exceedingly wondrous and replete with virtues.

Vimalakirti then gathered his mind, entered samadhi, and manifested sovereign supernormal powers. At once, the Buddha King of the Mountain Lamp in the eastern world Mountain Banner sent three billion two hundred million great lion thrones—lofty, broad, adorned, and pure—through the air into Vimalakirti’s house. This was something the bodhisattvas, great sravakas, Sakra, Brahma, the guardian devas of the world, and others had never before seen or heard of.

His house became radiant, vast, majestic, and pure, capable of containing three billion two hundred million lion thrones without their obstructing one another. Yet the great city of Vaisali, the four great continents including Jambudvipa, and the cities, towns, villages, capitals, and countries throughout the worlds, as well as the palaces of devas, nagas, yakshas, asuras, and others, were not constricted. All appeared exactly as they had before, without any difference.

Vimalakirti then invited Manjusri to ascend and sit upon a lion throne, together with the great bodhisattvas and great sravakas, each taking the seat arranged for him. They first had to transform their bodies so that they corresponded to those lion thrones. The great bodhisattvas who possessed supernormal powers all transformed their bodies to a height of four billion two hundred million yojanas and ascended the lion thrones, upon which they sat with perfect dignity.

The newly trained bodhisattvas, however, were unable to ascend the lion thrones. Vimalakirti then taught them the true Dharma, enabling them all to attain the five supernormal powers. Through their supernormal power, they immediately transformed their bodies to a height of four billion two hundred million yojanas, ascended the lion thrones, and sat upon them with perfect dignity.

Among the assembly, however, the great sravakas were unable to ascend the lion thrones and take their seats.

Vimalakirti then said to Sariputra:

– Why do you not ascend the throne and take your seat?

Sariputra replied:

– These thrones are far too high and vast; I am unable to ascend them.

Vimalakirti said:

– Venerable Sariputra! You should pay homage to the Buddha King of the Mountain Lamp and request the bestowal of his supernormal power; only then will you be able to ascend and take your seat.

The great sravakas then all paid homage to the Buddha King of the Mountain Lamp and requested the bestowal of his supernormal power. They were all able to ascend the lion thrones and sit upon them with perfect dignity.

Sariputra said:

– How wondrous, householder! This small house can contain hundreds of thousands of such lofty, vast, majestic, and pure lion thrones without their obstructing one another. Yet the great city of Vaisali, the four great continents including Jambudvipa, and the cities, towns, villages, capitals, and countries throughout the worlds, as well as all the palaces of devas, nagas, yakshas, asuras, and others, are not constricted. All appear exactly as they did before, without any difference.

Vimalakirti said:

– Venerable Sariputra! The Buddhas, Tathagatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones, and non-retrogressing bodhisattvas possess a liberation called the Inconceivable. If a bodhisattva abides in this inconceivable liberation, he can, through supernormal power, place the immense Mount Sumeru, king of mountains, inside a mustard seed without increasing the mustard seed’s shape or weight and without diminishing Mount Sumeru’s shape or weight. Although he manifests such a supernormal feat, he does not cause the Four Great Heavenly Kings or the devas of the Heaven of the Thirty-Three to know where they have gone or where they have entered. Only those who are to be trained through the power of such a supernormal manifestation are enabled to know that Mount Sumeru has entered the mustard seed. In the same way, a bodhisattva who abides in the inconceivable liberation uses skillful means and the power of wisdom to enter the domain of inconceivable liberation. This domain cannot be fathomed by sravakas or pratyekabuddhas.

Venerable Sariputra! If a bodhisattva abides in this inconceivable liberation, he can, through supernormal power, place the four vast and deep oceans inside a pore without increasing the pore’s shape or weight and without diminishing the shape or weight of the four great oceans. Although he manifests such a supernormal feat, he does not cause the nagas, yakshas, asuras, and others to know where they have gone or where they have entered.

Nor does he cause fear, distress, or harm to any other aquatic beings—fish, turtles, soft-shelled turtles, and others—or to any nagas, spirits, or sentient beings. Only those who are to be trained through the power of such a supernormal manifestation are enabled to see the waters of the four great oceans enter the pore. In the same way, a bodhisattva who abides in the inconceivable liberation uses skillful means and the power of wisdom to enter the domain of inconceivable liberation, a domain that sravakas and pratyekabuddhas cannot fathom.

Venerable Sariputra! If a bodhisattva abides in inconceivable liberation, although the great trichiliocosm possesses such vast form, weight, and extent, through the power of skillful means and spiritual might he can take it up and place it in the palm of his hand, like a potter’s wheel spinning with great speed, and cast it beyond worlds as numerous as the sands of the Ganges. He can then return it to its original place without any increase or decrease.

Although he manifests such miraculous powers, he causes the sentient beings dwelling there not to know where they have gone or whence they have returned. He gives rise in them to no conception whatsoever of going or returning, nor are they harmed. The only exceptions are those who must be subdued through spiritual powers; they are made aware that the world has gone and returned.

A bodhisattva abiding in inconceivable liberation enters, through skillful means and the power of wisdom, the realm of inconceivable liberation—a realm that sravakas and pratyekabuddhas cannot fathom.

Venerable Sariputra! If a bodhisattva abides in inconceivable liberation in this way, then, when some sentient beings require a long period to be subdued while others require only a short period, he can employ spiritual power according to their needs, extending seven days into one kalpa and causing those sentient beings to believe that one kalpa has passed. Or he can shorten one kalpa into seven days, causing those sentient beings to believe, according to their understanding, that seven days have passed, thereby subduing them.

Although he manifests such miraculous powers, he does not cause the sentient beings he has taught and transformed to know that time has thus been extended or shortened. The only exceptions are those who must be subdued through spiritual power; they are made aware of the extension or shortening. In the same way, a bodhisattva abiding in inconceivable liberation enters, through skillful means and the power of wisdom, the realm of inconceivable liberation—a realm that sravakas and pratyekabuddhas cannot fathom.

Venerable Sariputra! A bodhisattva abiding in inconceivable liberation in this way can, through spiritual power, gather all the pure worlds of the Buddhas, adorned with merit, and place them within a single Buddha-land in order to instruct sentient beings. Again, through spiritual power, he can place all the sentient beings of a Buddha-land in the palm of his right hand and, as he wills, travel by the might of spiritual powers throughout the ten directions, showing them all the Buddha-lands everywhere.

Although he reaches all the Buddha-lands throughout the ten directions, the Buddha-land in which he abides remains entirely unmoved. Again, through spiritual power, from a single pore he can manifest every kind of supremely wondrous offering and send them throughout all worlds in the ten directions as offerings to the Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and sravakas. Again, through spiritual power, from a single pore he can manifest all the suns, moons, and stars in the worlds of the ten directions.

He can also use spiritual powers to draw the great wind circles and the like from all the worlds throughout the ten directions into his mouth without his body being harmed. Although all grasses, trees, and forests encounter this wind, they remain entirely unmoved. When all the Buddha-lands in the worlds of the ten directions undergo the conflagration at the end of a kalpa, he can again use spiritual power to swallow all the fire into his belly.

Although the force of this fire blazes unceasingly, his body remains entirely unharmed.

Again, through spiritual power, he can lift a Buddha-land from beyond immeasurable kotis of Ganges-sands of Buddha-lands in the lower direction and cast it into a Buddha-land beyond kotis of Ganges-sands of Buddha-lands in the upper direction. This is just like piercing a small jujube leaf with the point of a needle and tossing it elsewhere, without causing the slightest damage. Although he manifests such miraculous powers, those without the requisite conditions neither see nor know of them, and the sentient beings involved are not harmed.

The only exceptions are those who must be subdued through spiritual power; they are enabled to see these things. In the same way, a bodhisattva abiding in inconceivable liberation enters, through skillful means and the power of wisdom, the realm of inconceivable liberation—a realm that sravakas and pratyekabuddhas cannot fathom.

Venerable Sariputra! If a bodhisattva abides in inconceivable liberation in this way, he can, through spiritual power, manifest every form and characteristic of a Buddha’s body; or manifest the various forms and characteristics of sravakas and pratyekabuddhas; or manifest the various forms and characteristics of bodhisattvas, complete with splendid and majestic marks. Or he may manifest as Brahma, Sakra, one of the Four Great Heavenly Kings, a Wheel-Turning King, and so forth.

Or, through spiritual power, he may transform sentient beings into the bodies of Buddhas, bodhisattvas, sravakas, pratyekabuddhas, Sakra, Brahma, World-Protectors, Wheel-Turning Kings, and so forth. Or, through spiritual power, he may transform all the diverse superior, middling, and inferior voices of sentient beings into the single, supremely wondrous voice of the Buddha. From this voice of the Buddha are proclaimed diverse teachings on the meanings of impermanence, suffering, emptiness, non-self, the ultimate, nirvana, and quiescence.

Even all the voices with which the Buddhas, bodhisattvas, sravakas, and pratyekabuddhas teach the Dharma issue from it. Indeed, all the distinct sounds of letters, words, and sentences spoken by the bodies of the Buddhas throughout the ten directions also issue from that voice of the Buddha, enabling all sentient beings to hear them and, according to their various differences, to be subdued.

Or, through spiritual powers, he may accord with the diverse voices of sentient beings throughout the ten directions and, adapting to each class, produce voices that expound the wondrous Dharma, thereby bringing benefit to those sentient beings.

Venerable Sariputra! I have now spoken only briefly of how a bodhisattva abiding in inconceivable liberation enters, through skillful means and the power of wisdom, the realm of inconceivable liberation. Were I to expound this for a kalpa, for more than a kalpa, or for still longer, my wisdom and eloquence could never be exhausted. My wisdom and eloquence are themselves inexhaustible. The skillful means and power of wisdom by which a bodhisattva abiding in the inconceivable realm enters the realm of inconceivable liberation are likewise inexhaustible, for they are immeasurable.

At that time, Venerable Kasyapa, having heard of the spiritual powers of liberation possessed by a bodhisattva abiding in inconceivable liberation, praised this unprecedented teaching and said to Venerable Sariputra:

– Suppose there were a person standing face-to-face with a blind man. Although that person might display various different forms, the blind man would be utterly unable to see them. In the same way, all shravakas and pratyekabuddhas are like that blind man, lacking the supreme eye. When they hear of the inconceivable liberative spiritual powers manifested by bodhisattvas abiding in inconceivable liberation, they cannot comprehend even a single one of them. What man or woman possessed of wisdom, upon hearing of these inconceivable liberative spiritual powers, would not arouse the aspiration for unsurpassed perfect enlightenment? With regard to this Mahayana, we are like scorched sprouts and ruined seeds; our faculties have been utterly destroyed, and we can do nothing more. When we shravakas and pratyekabuddhas hear of these inconceivable liberative spiritual powers, we all cry out and weep, shaking the entire trichiliocosm. Yet when all the bodhisattvas hear of these inconceivable liberative spiritual powers, they rejoice with delight, reverently accept and uphold them, and, like a royal crown prince receiving the consecration of succession, gain still greater power and develop firm faith and understanding. If sentient beings hear of these inconceivable liberative spiritual powers, they will develop firm faith and understanding. Then no Mara king or host of Maras will be able to do anything to such a bodhisattva.

As the Venerable Kasyapa spoke these words, thirty-two thousand heavenly beings in the assembly all aroused the aspiration for unsurpassed perfect enlightenment.

At that time, Vimalakirti said to the Venerable Kasyapa:

– Those who act as Mara kings throughout the immeasurable and innumerable worlds in the ten directions are, for the most part, bodhisattvas abiding in inconceivable liberation. Through skillful means, they appear as Mara kings because they wish to bring sentient beings to maturity.

Venerable Mahakasyapa! Among all the bodhisattvas throughout the immeasurable and innumerable worlds in the ten directions, when someone comes and demands their hands, feet, noses, ears, heads, eyes, marrow, brains, blood, flesh, sinews, bones, and every part of their bodies; even their wives, sons, daughters, male and female servants, relatives, villages, towns, cities, capitals, the four continents, and all the wealth belonging to their royal station; their ornaments and treasures of gold, silver, pearls, coral, precious stones, and lapis lazuli;

their houses, beds, clothing, food and drink, medicines, property, elephants, horses, vehicles, boats large and small, weapons, armies, and everything else—subjecting them to pressure and demanding these things—most such people are bodhisattvas abiding in inconceivable liberation.

Through skillful means, they manifest such deeds to test other bodhisattvas, with the aim of discovering whether their resolve is firm. Why is this? Because superior and courageous bodhisattvas, wishing to benefit sentient beings, manifest such great and difficult deeds.

Inferior ordinary beings, lacking power, could never subject bodhisattvas to pressure and make such demands of them.

Venerable Mahakasyapa! Just as the light of a firefly certainly has no power to conceal the radiance of the sun, so too inferior ordinary beings have no power to subject bodhisattvas to pressure and make such demands of them.

Venerable Mahakasyapa! Just as when a mighty elephant displays its prowess in battle, a donkey cannot withstand it, and only a mighty elephant can battle another mighty elephant, so too inferior ordinary beings have no power to subject bodhisattvas to pressure. Only bodhisattvas can subject other bodhisattvas to such pressure. This is called a bodhisattva abiding in inconceivable liberation who, through the wisdom of skillful means, enters the domain of inconceivable liberation. When this Dharma was taught, eight thousand bodhisattvas attained entry into the domain of inconceivable liberation through the bodhisattva’s power of wisdom and skillful means.

End of the third fascicle