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CHAPTER TEN
THE BUDDHA of the FRAGRANT LAND
Sariputra was thinking of mealtime and of the food for the Bodhisattvas in the meeting when Vimalakirti, who read his thought, said to him: “The Buddha taught the eight forms of liberation which you have received for practice; do you know mix your desire to eat with His Dharma? If you want to eat, please wait for a moment and you will have a rare treat.”
At that, Vimalakirti entered the state of samadhi and used his transcendental power to show to the assembly a country, which is above separated from this world by a distance represented by Buddha lands as countless as sand grains in forty-two Ganges rivers and which was called the country of All Fragrances, whose Buddha was called the Tathagata of the Fragrant Land, and was still there. The fragrance of that country surpassed all scents emitted by the devas in Buddha lands in the ten directions. In that Buddha land, there were neither sravakas nor pratyeka-buddhas but only pure and clean Bodhisattvas to whom that Buddha expounded the Dharma. All things there are formed by fragrances, such as palaces, the earth, gardens and parks which emit sweet scent, and the fragrance of its food spreads to countless worlds in the ten directions.
Its Buddha and Bodhisattvas were sitting down for the meal offered to them by the sons of devas who were all called Glorious Fragrances and were setting their minds on the quest of supreme enlightenment. This was seen by all those present in the meeting.
Vimalakirti said to his listeners: “Virtuous Ones, who of you can go there to beg for food from that Buddha?”
As Manjusri was noted for his supernatural power, all the Bodhisattvas kept silent. At that time, Vimalakirti said: “Are not the Virtuous Ones ashamed (of their inability to do so)? “
Manjusri retorted: “As the Buddha has said, those who have not yet study and practiced Mahayana should not be slighted.”
Thereupon, Vimalakirti, without rising from his seat, used his transcendental power to create an illusory (bogus) Bodhisattva whose features were radiant and whose dignity was unsurpassable, overshadowing the whole assembly. He then said to this illusory Bodhisattva: “Ascend to the Fragrant Land to call on its Buddha, saying what I now tell you: ‘Upasaka Vimalakirti bows his head at your feet to pay his reverence and inquires respectfully about your happy tidings; he hopes you are well and have no difficulties (in converting living beings) and that your vigor is full. He wishes to receive some leftovers from your meal to do the salvation work in the saha world for the purpose of converting to Mahayana those of the small vehicle and of spreading the renown of the Tathagata to make it known everywhere’.”
After that, the illusory Bodhisattva ascended and was seen by the whole assembly to approach the Buddha of Fragrant Land and repeat what Vimalakirti had ordered him to say. When the Bodhisattvas there saw the messenger, they praised the rare visit, asking their Buddha: “Where does this Bodhisattva come from? Where is this world called saha? What does the small vehicle mean?”
Their Buddha replied: “There is a world called saha, which is below and is separated from here by Buddha lands as countless as the sand grains in forty-two Ganges rivers, whose Buddha is called Sakyamuni and is now staying in the midst of five turbid conditions, where he teaches the supreme Dharma to those clinging to the small vehicle. Over there is a Bodhisattva called Vimalakirti who has achieved inconceivable liberation and is expounding the Dharma to other (young) Bodhisattvas. Hence, he has created an illusory messenger to extol my name and praise this land so that they can earn more merits.”
The Bodhisattvas asked: “Who is that Bodhisattva who can create an illusory messenger and whose transcendental powers, fearlessness and ubiquity are so great?”
That Buddha replied: “His (powers, fearlessness and ubiquity) are very great indeed. He used to send his illusory messengers to all places in the ten directions to perform the Bodhisattva work of salvation for the benefit of living beings.”
That Buddha then filled a bowl of fragrant rice and handed it to the illusory messenger. All his nine million Bodhisattvas declared they all wished to go to saha to pay reverence to Sakyamuni Buddha and to see Vimalakirti and the other Bodhisattvas there.
That Buddha warned them: “You may go there but hide your fragrance, if not, the people give rise to the wrong thought of clinging to it. You should also change your appearance in order not to provoke their self-abasement. To avoid wrong views do not slight them. Why? Because all worlds in the ten directions are (fundamentally immaterial) like space and because all Buddhas wishing to convert those of the small vehicle do not reveal completely to them their own pure and clean lands.”
At that, the illusory messenger received the bowl of fragrant rice and together with the nine million Bodhisattvas availed themselves of that Buddha’s and Vimalakirti’s transcendental powers, disappeared from the Fragrant Land and, a little later, arrived at Vimalakirti’s abode.
Vimalakirti then used his transcendental powers to make nine million lion thrones as majestic as those already there, for the visitors. The illusory messenger then handed him the bowl of rice the fragrance of which spread to the whole town of Vaisali and then to the whole great chiliocosm.
Brahmin devotees at Vaisali perceived the fragrance and became elated; they praised the rare occurrence. Their chief, called “Lunar Canopy” took eighty-four thousand men to Vimalakirti’s house where they saw many Bodhisattvas seated on majestic lion thrones; they were jubilant and paid reverence to the Bodhisattvas and the Buddha’s chief disciples, and then stood at one side. Earthly and heavenly ghosts as well as the devas of the worlds of desire and of form who smelt the fragrance, came as well.
At that time, Vimalakirti said to Sariputra and the sravakas: “Virtuous Ones, you may now take the Tathagata’s immortal rice which has been infused with great compassion; do not give rise to the thought of limitation when taking it or you will not be able to digest it.” When some sravakas thought that the small quantity of rice seemed insufficient for the whole assembly.
The illusory Bodhisattva said: “Do not use the little virtue and intelligence of a sravaka to estimate the Tathagata’s boundless blessing and wisdom; the four oceans are exhaustible but this rice is inexhaustible. If all men took and rolled it into a ball as large as (Mount) Sumeru, they would not have finished eating it by the end of the aeon. Why? Because food that has been left over by those who have practiced boundless morality and discipline (sila), serenity (dhyana) and wisdom (prajna), liberation and knowledge of liberation, and who have won all merits, is inexhaustible.
Hence this bowl of rice will satisfy the whole meeting without being exhausted. The Bodhisattvas, Sravakas, devas and men who take it will experience comfort and joy, like the Bodhisattvas of all blessed pure lands. Their pores will give out profound fragrance which is like the scent of the trees in Fragrant Lands.”
Vimalakirti then asked the visiting Bodhisattvas: “How does the Tathagata of your land preach the Dharma?”
They replied: “The Tathagata of our land does not use word and speech to preach but uses the various fragrance to stimulate the devas in their observance of the commandments. They sit under fragrant trees and perceive how sweet the trees smell thereby realizing the samadhi derived from the store of all merits. When they realize this samadhi, they win all merits.”
These Bodhisattvas then asked Vimalakirti: “How does the World Honoured One, Sakyamuni Buddha, preach the Dharma?”
Vimalakirti replied: “Living beings of this world are pig-headed (stubborn) and difficult to convert; hence the Buddha uses strong language to tame them. He speaks of hells, animals and hungry ghosts in their planes (realms) of suffering; of the places of rebirth for stupid men as retribution for perverse deeds, words and thoughts, i.e. for killing, stealing, carnality, lying, double tongue, coarse language, affected speech, covetousness, anger, perverted views (which are the ten evils); for stinginess, breaking the precepts, anger, remissness, confused thoughts and stupidity (i.e. the six hindrances to the six paramitas); for accepting, observing and breaking the prohibitions; for things that should and should not be done; for obstructions and non-obstructions; for what is sinful and what is not; for purity and filthiness; for the worldly and holy states; for heterodoxy and orthodoxy; for activity and non-activity; and for samsara and nirvana. Since the minds of those who are difficult to convert are like monkeys, various methods of preaching are devised to check them so that they can be entirely tamed. Like elephants and horses which cannot be tamed without whipping them until they feel pain and become easily managed, the stubborn of this world can be disciplined only with bitter and eager words.”
After hearing this, the visiting Bodhisattvas said: “We have never heard of the World Honoured One, Sakyamuni Buddha, who conceals his boundless sovereign power to appear as a beggar to mix with those who are poor in order to win their confidence (for the purpose of liberating them) and of the Bodhisattvas here who are indefatigable and so humble and whose boundless compassion caused their rebirth in this Buddha land.”
Vimalakirti said: “As you have said, the Bodhisattvas of this world have strong compassion and their lifelong works of salvation for all living beings surpass those done in other pure lands during hundreds and thousands of aeons. Why? Because they achieved ten excellent deeds which are not required in other pure lands. What are these ten excellent deeds? They are: 1, charity (dana) to succour the poor; 2, precept-keeping (sila) to help those who have broken the commandments; 3, patient endurance (ksanti) to subdue their anger; 4, zeal and devotion (virya) to cure their remissness; 5, serenity (dhyana) to stop their confused thoughts; 6, wisdom (prajna) to wipe out ignorance; 7, putting an end to the eight distressful conditions for those suffering from them; 8, teaching Mahayana to those who cling to Hinayana; 9, cultivation of good roots for those in want of merits; and 10, the four Bodhisattva winning devices for the purpose of leading all living beings to their goals (in Bodhisattva development). These are the ten excellent deeds.”
The visiting Bodhisattvas asked: “How many Dharmas should a Bodhisattva achieve in this world to stop its morbid growth (defilements) in order to be reborn in the Buddha’s pure land?”
Vimalakirti replied: “A Bodhisattva should bring to perfection eight Dharmas to stop morbid growth in this world in order to be reborn in the Pure Land. They are: 1, benevolence towards all living beings with no expectation of reward; 2, endurance of sufferings for all living beings dedicating all merits to them; 3, impartiality towards them with all humility free from pride and arrogance; 4, reverence to all Bodhisattvas with the same devotion as to all Buddhas (i.e. without discrimination between Bodhisattvas and Buddhas); 5, absence of doubt and suspicion when hearing (the expounding of) sutras which he has not heard before; 6, abstention from opposition to the sravaka Dharma, 7, abstention from discrimination in regard to donations and offerings received with no thought of self-profit in order to subdue his mind; and 8, self-examination without contending with others. Thus, he should achieve singleness of mind bent on achieving all merits; these are the eight Dharmas.”
After Vimalakirti and Manjusri had thus expounded the Dharma, hundreds and thousands of devas developed the mind set on supreme enlightenment, and ten thousand Bodhisattvas realized the patient endurance of the uncreate.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
THE BODHISATTVA CONDUCT
The Buddha was expounding the Dharma at Amravana park which suddenly became majestic and extensive while all those present turned golden hued.
Ananda asked the Buddha: “World Honoured One, what is the cause of these auspicious signs, why does this place become extensive and majestic and why does the assembly turn golden hued?”
The Buddha replied: “This is because Vimalakirti and Manjusri, with their followers circumambulating them, want to come here; hence these auspicious signs.”
At Vaisali, Vimalakirti said to Manjusri: “We can now go and see the Buddha, so that we and the Bodhisattvas can pay reverence and make offerings to Him.”
Manjusri said: “Excellent, let us go; it is now time to start.”
Vimalakirti then used his transcendental powers to carry the whole meeting with the lion thrones on the palm of his right hand and flew (in the air) to the Buddha’s place. When they landed there, Vimalakirti bowed his head at His feet, walked round Him from the right seven times, and bringing his palms together, stood at one side. The Bodhisattvas left their lion thrones to bow their heads at His feet, and also walked round Him seven times and stood at one side. The Buddha’s chief disciples with Indra, Brahma (both as protectors of the Dharma) and the four deva kings of the four heavens, also left their lion thrones, bowed their heads at His feet, walked round Him seven times and then stood at one side.
The Buddha comforted the Bodhisattvas and ordered them to take their seats to listen to His teaching.
After they had sat down the Buddha asked Sariputra: “Have you seen what the great Bodhisattvas have done with their transcendental powers?”
Sariputra replied that he had.
The Buddha asked: “What do you think of all this?”
Sariputra answered: “I saw them do inconceivable (feats), which the mind can neither think of nor anticipate.”
Ananda then asked the Buddha: “World Honoured One, the fragrance we are smelling was never perceived before; what is it?”
The Buddha replied: “Ananda, it is the fragrance given out by the pores of these Bodhisattvas.”
At that, Sariputra said to Ananda: “Our pores also give the same fragrance!”
Ananda asked Sariputra: “Where does it come from?”
Sariputra replied: “It is this Upasaka Vimalakirti who obtained what was left over from the Buddha’s meal in the Fragrant Land, and those who ate it at his abode give out this fragrance from their pores.”
Ananda then asked Vimalakirti: “How long does this fragrance last?”
Vimalakirti replied: “It lasts until the rice has been digested.”
Ananda asked: “How long does this take?”
Vimalakirti replied: “It will be digested after a week. Ananda, sravakas who have not reached the right position (nirvana) will attain it after taking this rice which will then be digestible, and those who have attained nirvana will realize liberation of their minds (from the subtle conception of nirvana) and then the rice will be digested. Those who have not developed the Mahayana mind will develop it and then the rice will be digested. Those who have developed it and take this rice will achieve the patient endurance of the uncreate, and the rice will then be digestible. Those who have achieved the patient endurance of the uncreate and take this rice will reincarnate once more for final development into Buddhahood and the rice will be digested. Like an effective medicine which cures an ailment before wasting away, this rice will be digestible after it has killed all troubles and afflictions (klesa).”
Ananda said to the Buddha: “World Honoured One, it is indeed a rare thing that this fragrant rice performs the Buddha work of salvation.”
The Buddha said: “It is so, Ananda, it is so.”
There are Buddha lands where the Buddha light performs the work of salvation;
Where the Bodhisattvas perform it;
Where illusory men created by the Buddha do it;
Where the Bodhi-trees do it;
Where the Buddha’s robe and bedding do it;
Where the rice taken by the Buddha does it;
Where parks and temples do it;
Where (the Buddha’s) thirty-two physical marks and their eighty notable characteristics do it;
Where the Buddha’s body (rupa-kaya) does it;
Where empty space does it;
Living beings practice discipline with success because of these causes. Also used for the same purpose are dream, illusion, shadow echo, the image in a mirror, the moon reflected in water, the flame of a fire, sound, voice, word, speech and writing,
The pure and clean Buddha land, silence with neither word nor speech, neither pointing, discerning, action nor activity. Thus, Ananda, whatever the Buddhas do by either revealing or concealing their awe-inspiring majesty, is the work of salvation.
Ananda, because of the four basic delusions (in reference to the ego) divided into 84,000 defilements which cause living beings to endure troubles and tribulations, the Buddhas avail themselves of these trials to perform their works of salvation. This is called entering the Buddha’s Dharma door to enlightenment (Dharmaparyaya).
“When entering this Dharma door, if a Bodhisattva sees all the clean Buddha lands, he should not give rise to joy, desire and pride, and if he sees all the unclean Buddha lands he should not give rise to sadness, hindrance and disappointment; he should develop a pure and clean mind to revere all Tathagatas who rarely appear and whose merits are equal in spite of their appearance in different lands (clean and unclean) to teach and convert living beings.
“Ananda, you can see different Buddha lands (i.e. clean and unclean) but you see no difference in space which is the same everywhere. Likewise, the physical bodies of Buddhas differ from one another but their omniscience is the same.
“Ananda, the (underlying) nature of the physical bodies of the Buddhas, their discipline, serenity, liberation and full knowledge of liberation, their (ten) powers, their (four) fearlessnesses, their eighteen unsurpassed characteristics, their boundless kindness and compassion, their dignified deeds, their infinite lives, their preaching of the Dharma to teach and convert living beings and to purify Buddha lands are all the same. Hence, their titles of Samyaksambuddha, Tathagata and Buddha.
“Ananda, if I am to give you the full meaning of these three titles, you will pass the whole aeon without being able to hear it completely. Even if the great chiliososm is full of living beings who are all good listeners and like you can hold in memory everything they hear about the Dharma, they will also pass the whole aeon without being able to hear my full explanation (of these three titles). For, Ananda, the Buddha’s supreme enlightenment is boundless and his wisdom and power of speech are inconceivable.”
Ananda said: “From now on I dare no more claim to have heard much of the Dharma.”
The Buddha said: “Ananda, do not give way to backsliding. Why? Because I have said that you have heard much more about the Dharma than the sravakas but not than the Bodhisattvas. Ananda, a wise man should not make a limited estimate of the Bodhisattva stage (because) the depths of the oceans can be measured but the Bodhisattva’s serenity, wisdom, imperturbability, power of speech and all his merits cannot be measured. Ananda, let us put aside the Bodhisattva conduct. The transcendental powers which Vimalakirti has demonstrated today cannot be achieved by all sravakas and pratyeka-buddhas using their spiritual powers for hundreds and thousands of aeons.”
At that time, the visiting Bodhisattvas put their palms together and said to the Buddha: “World Honoured One, when we first saw this world we thought of its inferiority but we now repent of our wrong opinion. Why? Because the expedients (upaya) employed by all Buddhas are inconceivable; their aim being to deliver living beings they appear in different Buddha lands suitable for the purpose. World Honoured One, will you please bestow upon us some little Dharma so that when we return to our own land we can always remember you.”
The Buddha said to them: “There are the exhaustible and the inexhaustible Dharmas which you should study. What is the exhaustible? It is the active (yu wei or mundane) Dharma. What is the inexhaustible? It is the non-active (wu wei or supramundane) Dharma. As Bodhisattvas, you should not exhaust (or put an end to) the mundane (state); nor should you stay in the supramundane (state).
“What is meant by not exhausting the mundane (state)? It means not discarding great benevolence; not abandoning great compassion; developing a profound mind set on the quest of all-knowledge (sarvajna or Buddha knowledge) without relaxing for even an instant; relentless teaching and converting living beings; constant practice of the four Bodhisattva winning methods; upholding the right Dharma even at the risk of one’s body and life; unwearied planting of all excellent roots; unceasing application of expedient devices (upaya) and dedication (parinamana); never-ending quest of the Dharma; unsparing preaching of it; diligent worship of all Buddhas; hence fearlessness when entering the stream of birth and death; absence of joy in honour and of sadness in disgrace; refraining from slighting non-practisers of the Dharma; respecting practisers of Dharma as if they were Buddhas; helping those suffering from klesa to develop the right thought; keeping away from (desire and) pleasure with no idea of prizing such a high conduct; no preference for one’s happiness but joy at that of others; regarding one’s experience in the state of samadhi as similar to that in a hell; considering one’s stay in samsara (i.e. state of birth and death) as similar to a stroll in a park; giving rise to the thought of being a good teacher of Dharma when meeting those seeking it; giving away all possessions to realize all-knowledge (sarvajna); giving rise to the thought of salvation when seeing those breaking the precepts; thinking of the (six) perfections (paramitas) as dear as one’s parents; thinking of the (thirty-seven) conditions contributory to enlightenment as if they were one’s helpful relatives; planting all excellent roots without any restrictions; gathering the glorious adornments of all pure lands to set up one’s own Buddha land; unrestricted bestowal of Dharma to win all the excellent physical marks (of the Buddha); wiping out all evils to purify one’s body, mouth and mind; developing undiminished bravery while transmigrating through samsara in countless aeons; untiring determination to listen to (an account of) the Buddha’s countless merits; using the sword of wisdom to destroy the bandit of klesa (temptation) to take living beings out of (the realm of the five) aggregates (skandhas) and (twelve) entrances (ayatana) so as to liberate them for ever; using firm devotion to destroy the army of demons; unceasing search for the thought-free wisdom of reality; content with few desires while not running away from the world in order to continue the Bodhisattva work of salvation; not infringing the rules of respect-inspiring deportment while entering the world )to deliver living beings); use of the transcendental power derived from wisdom to guide and lead all living beings; controlling (dharani) the thinking process in order never to forget the Dharma; being aware of the roots of all living beings in order to cut off their doubts and suspicions (about their underlying nature); use of the power of speech to preach the Dharma without impediment; perfecting the ten good (deeds) to win the blessings of men and devas (in order to be reborn among them to spread the Dharma); practicing the four infinite minds (kindness, pity, joy and indifference) to teach the Brahma heavens; rejoicing at being invited to expound and extol the Dharma in order to win the Buddha’s (skillful) method of preaching; realizing excellence of body, mouth and mind to win the Buddha’s respect-inspiring deportment; profound practice of good Dharma to make one’s deeds unsurpassed; practicing Mahayana to become a Bodhisattva monk; and developing a never-receding mind in order not to miss all excellent merits.
“This is the Bodhisattva not exhausting the mundane state.
“What is the Bodhisattva not staying in the supra-mundane state (nirvana)? It means studying and practicing the immaterial but without abiding in voidness; studying and practicing formlessness and inaction but without abiding in them; studying and practicing that which is beyond causes but without discarding the roots of good causation; looking into suffering in the world without hating birth and death (i.e. samsara); looking into the absence of the ego while continuing to teach all living beings indefatigably (relentlessly); looking into nirvana with no intention of dwelling in it permanently; looking into the relinquishment (of nirvana) while one’s body and mind are set on the practice of all good deeds; looking into the (non-existing) destinations of all things while the mind is set on practicing excellent actions (as true destinations); looking into the unborn (i.e. the uncreate) while abiding in (the illusion of) life to shoulder responsibility (to save others); looking into passionlessness without cutting off the passion-stream (in order to stay in the world to liberate others); looking into the state of non-action while carrying out the Dharma to teach and convert living beings; looking into nothingness without forgetting about great compassion; looking into the right position (of nirvana) without following the Hinayana habit (of staying in it); looking into the non-reality of all phenomena which are neither firm nor have an independent nature, and are egoless and formless, but since one’s own fundamental vows are not entirely fulfilled, one should not regard merits, serenity and wisdom as unreal and so cease practicing them.
“This is the Bodhisattva not staying in the non-active (wu wei) state.
“Further, to win merits, a Bodhisattva does not stay in the supramundane, and to realize wisdom he does not exhaust the mundane. Because of his great kindness and compassion, he does not remain in the supramundane, and in order to fullfil all his vows, he does not exhaust the mundane. To gather the Dharma medicines he does not stay in the supramundane, and to administer remedies he does not exhaust the mundane. Since he knows the illnesses of all living beings he does not stay in the supramundane, and since he wants to cure their illnesses, he does not exhaust the mundane.
“Virtuous Ones, a Bodhisattva practicing this Dharma neither exhausts the mundane nor stays in the supramundane. This is called the exhaustible and inexhaustible Dharma doors to liberation which you should study.”
After hearing the Buddha expounding the Dharma, the visiting Bodhisattvas were filled with joy and rained (heavenly) flowers of various colours and fragrances in the great chiliocosm as offerings to the Buddha and His sermon. After this, they bowed their heads at the Buddha’s feet and praised His teaching which they had not heard before, saying: “How wonderful is Sakyamuni Buddha’s skillful use of expedient methods (upaya).”
After saying this, they disappeared to return to their own land.
CHAPTER TWELVE
SEEING AKSOBHYA BUDDHA
The Buddha then asked Vimalakirti: “You spoke of coming here to see the Tathagata, but how do you see Him impartially?”
Vimalakirti replied: “Seeing reality in one’s body is how to see the Buddha. I see the Tathagata did not come in the past, will not go in the future, and does not stay in the present. The Tathagata is seen neither in form (rupa, the first aggregate) nor in the extinction of form nor in the underlying nature of form. Neither is He seen in responsiveness (vedana), conception (sanjna), discrimination (samskara) and consciousness (vijnana) (i.e. the four other aggregates), their extinction and their underlying natures. The Tathagata is not created by the four elements (earth, water, fire and air), for He is (immaterial) like space. He does not come from the union of the six entrances (i.e. the six sense organs) for He is beyond eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and intellect. He is beyond the three worlds (of desire, form and formlessness) for He is free from the three defilements (desire, hate and stupidity). He is in line with the three gates to nirvana and has achieved the three states of enlightenment (or three insights) which do not differ from (the underlying nature of) unenlightenment. He is neither unity nor diversity, neither selfness nor otherness, neither form nor formlessness, neither on this shore (of enlightenment) nor in mid-stream when converting living beings. He looks into the nirvanic condition (of stillness and extinction of worldly existence) but does not dwell in its permanent extinction. He is neither this nor that and cannot be revealed by these two extremes. He cannot be known by intellect or perceived by consciousness. He is neither bright nor obscure. He is nameless and formless, being neither strong nor weak, neither clean nor unclean, neither in a given place nor outside of it, and neither mundane nor supramundane. He can neither be pointed out nor spoken of. He is neither charitable nor selfish; he neither keeps nor breaks the precepts; is beyond patience and anger, diligence and remissness, stillness and disturbance. He is neither intelligent nor stupid, and neither honest nor deceitful. He neither comes nor goes and neither enters nor leaves. He is beyond the paths of word and speech. He is neither the field of blessedness nor its opposite, neither worthy nor unworthy of worship and offerings. He can be neither seized nor released and is beyond ‘is’ and ‘is not’. He is equal to reality and to the nature of Dharma (Dharmata) and cannot be designated and estimated, for he is beyond figuring and measuring. He is neither large nor small, is neither visible nor audible, can neither be felt nor known, is free from all ties and bondage, is equal to the All-knowledge and to the (underlying) nature of all living beings, and cannot be differentiated from all things. He is beyond gain and loss, free from defilement and troubles (klesa), beyond creating and giving rise (to anything), beyond birth and death, beyond fear and worry, beyond like and dislike, and beyond existence in the past, future and present. He cannot be revealed by word, speech, discerning and pointing.
“World Honoured One, the body of the Tathagata being such, seeing Him as above-mentioned is correct whereas seeing Him otherwise is wrong.”
Thereupon, Sariputra asked Vimalakirti: “Where did you die to be reborn here?”
Vimalakirti asked back: “Is the (sravaka) Dharma which you have realized subject to death and rebirth?”
Sariputra replied: “It is beyond death and birth.”
Vimalakirti asked: “If there is neither birth nor death, why did you ask me: ‘Where did you die to be reborn here?’ What do you think of illusory men and women created by an illusionist; are they subject to death and birth?”
Sariputra replied: “They are not subject to death and birth. Have you not heard the Buddha say that all things are illusions?”
Vimalakirti said: “Yes, if all things are illusions, why did you ask me where I died to be reborn here? Sariputra, death is unreal and deceptive, and means decay and destruction (to the worldly man), while life which is also unreal and deceptive means continuance to him. As to the Bodhisattva, although he disappears (in one place) he does not put an end to his good (deeds), and although he reappears (in another) he prevents evils from arising.”
At that time, the Buddha said to Sariputra: “There is a (Buddha) land called the realm of Profound Joy whose Buddha is Aksobhya Buddha where Vimalakirti disappeared to come here.”
Sariputra said: “It is a rare thing, World Honoured One, that this man could leave a pure land to come to this world full of hatred and harmfulness!”
Vimalakirti asked Sariputra: Sariputra, what do you think of sunlight; when it appears does it unite with darkness?”
Sariputra replied: “Where there is sunlight, there is no darkness.”
Vimalakirti asked: “Why does the sun shine on Jambudvipa (this earth)?”
Sariputra replied: “It shines to destroy darkness.”
Vimalakirti said: “Likewise, a Bodhisattva, although born in an unclean Buddha land, does not join and unite with the darkness of ignorance but (teaches and) converts living beings to destroy the obscurity of klesa.”
As the assembly admired and wished to see the Immutable Tathagata, the Bodhisattvas and sravakas of the pure land of Profound Joy.
The Buddha who read their thoughts said to Vimalakirti: “Virtuous man, please show the Immutable Tathagata and the Bodhisattvas and sravakas of the land of Profound Joy to this assembly who want to see them.”
Vimalakirti thought that he should, while remaining seated, take with his hand the world of Profound Joy with its iron enclosing mountains, hills, rivers, streams, ravines, springs, seas, Sumerus, sun, moon, stars, planets, palaces of heavenly dragons, ghosts, spirits and devas, Bodhisattvas, sravakas, towns, hamlets, men and women of all ages, the Immutable Tathagata, his bo-tree (bodhi-tree) and beautiful lotus blossoms, which were used to perform the Buddha work of salvation in the ten directions, as well as the tree flights of gemmed steps linking Jambudvipa (our earth) with Trayastrimsas by which the devas descended to earth to pay reverence to the Immutable Tathagata and to listen to his Dharma, and by which men ascended to Trayastrimsas to see the devas. All this was the product of countless merits of the realm of Profound Joy, from the Akanistha heaven above to the seas below and was lifted by Vimalakirti with his right hand with the same ease with which a potter raises his wheel, taking everything to earth to show it to the assembly as if showing his own head-dress.
Vimalakirti then entered the state of samadhi and used his supramundane power to take with his right hand the world of Profound Joy which he placed on earth. The Bodhisattvas, sravakas and some devas who had realized supramundane said to their Buddha: “World Honoured One, who is taking us away? Will you please protect us?”
The Immutable Buddha said: “This is not done by me but by Vimalakirti who is using his supramundane power.” But those who had not won supramundane powers neither knew nor felt that they had changed place. The world of Profound Joy neither expanded nor shrank after landing on the earth which was neither compressed nor straitened, remaining unchanged as before.
At that time, Sakyamuni Buddha said to the assembly: “Look at the Immutable Tathagata of the land of Profound Joy which is majestic, where the Bodhisattvas live purely and the (Buddha’s) disciples are spotless.”
The assembly replied: “Yes, we have seen.”
The Buddha said: “If a Bodhisattva wishes to live in such a pure and clean Buddha land, he should practise the path trodden by the Immutable Tathagata.”
When the pure land of Profound Joy appeared fourteen nayutas of people in this saha world developed the mind set on supreme enlightenment, and vowed to be reborn in the realm of Profound Joy. Sakyamuni Buddha then prophesied their coming rebirth there.
After the (visiting Bodhisattvas had done their) work of salvation for the benefit of living beings in this world, the pure land of Profound Joy returned to its original place. And this was seen by the whole assembly.
The Buddha then said to Sariputra: “Have you seen the world of Profound Joy and its Immutable Tathagata?”
Sariputra replied: “Yes, World Honoured One, I have. May all living beings win a pure land similar to that of the Immutable Buddha and achieve supramundane powers like those of Vimalakirti!
World Honoured One, we shall soon realize a great benefit resulting from our meeting and paying obeisance to this man now. And living beings, hearing this sutra now or after the Buddha’s nirvana, will also realize a great benefit; how much more so, if after hearing it, they believe, understand, receive and uphold it or read, recite, explain and preach it, and practice its Dharma accordingly? He who receives this sutra with both hands, will in reality secure the treasure of the Dharma-gem; if, in addition, he reads, recites and understands its meaning and practices it accordingly, he will be blessed and protected by all Buddhas. Those making offerings to this man (Vimalakirti), will through him automatically make offerings to all Buddhas. He who copies this sutra to put it into practice, will be visited by the Tathagata who will come to his house. He who rejoices at hearing this sutra, is destined to win all knowledge (sarvajna). And he who can believe and understand this sutra, or even (any of) its four-line gathas and teaches it to others, will receive the (Buddha’s) prophecy of his future realization of supreme enlightenment.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
THE OFFERING OF DHARMA
Thereupon, Sakra who was in the assembly, said to the Buddha: “World Honoured One, although I have listened to hundreds and thousands of sutras expounded by you and Manjusri, I did not hear of this inconceivable sutra of supramundane sovereign power and absolute reality. As I understand from your present preaching, if living beings listening to the Dharma of this sutra, believe, understand, receive, uphold, read and recite it, they will surely realize this Dharma. How much more so if someone practices it as expounded; he will shut all doors to evil destinies and will open up all doors to blessing; will win the Buddha’s perfection; will overcome heresy; destroy the demons; cultivate bodhi; set up a place of enlightenment (bodhimandala) and follow in the Tathagata’s footsteps.
World Honoured One, if there are people who receive, uphold, read, recite and practice this sutra, I and my followers will provide them with all the necessaries of life. If this sutra is kept in a town or a hamlet, in a grove or a desert, I and my followers will come to the place of the preacher to listen to its Dharma. I shall cause the unbelievers to develop faith in this sutra. As to the believers of it I shall protect them.”
The Buddha said: “Excellent, Sakra, excellent; it is gratifying to hear what you have just said. This sutra gives a detailed exposition of the inconceivable supreme enlightenment realized by past, future and present Buddhas.
“Therefore, Sakra, if a virtuous man or woman receives, keeps, reads, recites and reveres this sutra, such an attitude is equal to making offering to past, future and present Buddhas. Sakra, if the great chiliocosm were full of countless Tathagatas as many as the sugar canes, bamboos, reeds, recites grains and hemp seeds in its fields; and if a virtuous man or woman who has passed either a whole aeon or decreasing kalpa to revere, honour, praise, serve and make offerings to these Buddhas, and then after their nirvana (death) should build with relics from their bodies a seven-gemmed stupa as large as the four deva-heavens (put together) and of a height reaching the Brahma heaven with a majestic spire, to which he or she will make offerings of flowers, incense, strings of precious stones, banners and melodious music, during either a whole kalpa or in a decreasing one, Sakra, what do you think of his or her merits? Are they many?”
Sakra replied: “Very many, World Honoured One, and it is impossible to count his or her merits for hundreds and thousands of aeons.”
The Buddha said: “Sakra, you should know that if another virtuous man or woman, after hearing this sutra of inconceivable liberation, believes, understands, receives, keeps, reads, recites and practices this sutra, his or her merits will surpass those of the former man or woman. Why? Because the bodhi (enlightenment) of all Buddhas originates from this Dharma, and since enlightenment is beyond all measuring, the merits of this sutra cannot be estimated.”
The Buddha continued: “Long before an uncountable number of aeons in the past there was a Buddha called Bhaisajya-raja (whose titles are:) Tathagata, Arhat, Samyaksambuddha, Vidya-Carana-Sampanna, Sugata, Lokavid, Anuttara, Purusa-Damya-Sarathi, Sasta Devamanusyanam, and Buddha-lokanatha or Bhagavan. His world was called Mahavyuha and the then aeon Alamkarakakalpa. The Buddha Bhaisajya-raja lived for twenty small kalpas. The number of sravakas reached thirty-six nayutas and that of Bodhisattvas twelve lacs. There, Sakra, was a heavenly ruler (cakravarti) called Precious Canopy who possessed all the seven treasures and was the guardian of four heavens. He had a thousand sons who were respectable and brave and had overcome all opposition.
“At the time Precious Canopy and his retinue had worshipped and made offerings to the Tathagata Bhaisajya-raja for five aeons after which he said to his thousand sons: ‘You should respectfully make offerings to the Buddha as I have done.’
Obeying their father’s order they made offerings to the Tathagata Bhaisajya for five-aeons after which one of the sons called Lunar Canopy, while alone, thought: ‘Is there some other form of offering surpassing what we have made up to now?
Under the influence of the Buddha’s transcendental power a deva in the sky said: “Virtuous man, the offering of Dharma surpasses all other forms of offering.”
Lunar Canopy asked: ‘What is this offering of Dharma?’
The deva replied: ‘Go to the Tathagata Bhaisajya who will explain it fully.’
Thereupon, Lunar Canopy came to the Tathagata Bhaisajya, bowed his head at his feet and stood at his side, asking: ‘World Honoured One, (I have heard that) the offering of Dharma surpasses all other forms of offering; what is the offering of Dharma?’
“The Tathagata repolied: ‘Virtuous one, the offering of Dharma is preached by all Buddhas in profound sutras but it is hard for worldly men to believe and accept it as its meaning is subtle and not easily detected, for it is impeacable in its purity and cleanness. It is beyond the reach of thinking and discriminating; it contains the treasure of the Bodhi-sattva’s Dharma store and is sealed by the Dharani-symbol; it never backslides for it achieves the six perfections (paramitas); discerns the difference between various meanings; is in line with the bodhi Dharma; is at the top of all sutras; helps people to enter upon great kindness and great compassion; to keep from demons and perverse views, and to conform with the law of causality and the teaching on the unreality of an ego; a man, a living being and life and on voidness, formlessness, non-creating and non-uprising. It enables living beings to sit in a bodhimandala to turn the wheel of the law. It is praised and honoured by heavenly dragons, gandharvas, etc. It can help living beings to reach the Buddha’s Dharma store and gather all knowledge (sarvajna realized by) saints and sages, preach the path followed by all Bodhisattvas; rely on the reality underlying all things; proclaim the (doctrine of) impermanence, suffering; voidness and absence of ego and nirvana. It can save all living beings who have broken the precepts and keep in awe all demons, heretics and greedy people. It is praised by the Buddhas, saints and sages for it wipes out suffering from birth and death; proclaims the joy in nirvana as preached by past; future and present Buddhas in the ten directions.
“If a listener after hearing about this sutra, believes, understands, receives, upholds, reads and recites it and uses appropriate methods (upaya) to preach it clearly to others, this upholding of the Dharma is called the offering of Dharma.
“Further, the practice of all Dharmas as preached; to keep in line with the doctrine of the twelve links in the chain of existence; to wipe out all heterodox views; to achieve the patient endurance of the uncreate (anutpatti-dharma-ksanti) (as beyond creation); to settle once for all the unreality of the ego and the non-existence of living beings; and to forsake all dualities of ego and its objects without deviation from and contradiction to the law of causality and retribution for good and evil; by trusting to the meaning rather than the letter; to wisdom rather than consciousness; to sutras revealing the whole truth rather than those of partial revelation; and to the Dharma instead of the man (i.e. the preacher); to conform with the twelve links in the chain of existence (nidanas) that have neither whence to come nor wither to go; beginning from ignorance (avidya) which is fundamentally non-existent, and conception (samskara) which is also basically unreal, down to birth (jati) which is fundamentally non-existent; and old age and death (jaramarana) which are equally unreal. Thus, contemplated, the twelve links in the chain of existence are inexhaustible, thereby putting an end to the (wrong) view of annihilation. This is the unsurpassed offering of Dharma.”
The Buddha then said to Sakra: “Lunar Canopy, after hearing the Dharma from the Buddha Bhaisajya (the Buddha of Medicine), realized (only) the patience of Meekness and took off his precious robe to offer it to that Buddha, saying: “World Honoured One, after your nirvana, I shall make offerings of Dharma to uphold the right doctrine; will your awe-inspiring majestic help me to overcome the demons and to practise the Bodhisattva line of conduct?’”
The Buddha Bhaisajya knew of his deep thought and prophesied: “Until the last moment you will guard the Dharma protecting citadel.”
Sakra, at that time Lunar Canopy perceived the pure and clean Dharma, and after receiving the Buddha’s prophecy, believed it and left his home to join the order. He practiced the Dharma so diligently that he soon realized the five transcendental powers. In his Bodhisattvas development, he won the endless power of speech through his perfect control (dharani- of all external influences). After the nirvana of the Buddha Bhaisajya, he used this power of speech to turn the wheel of the law, spreading the Dharma widely for ten small aeons.
Lunar Canopy was indefatigable (untiring) in his preaching of the Dharma and converted a million lacs of people who stood firm in their quest of supreme enlightenment, fourteen nayutas of people who set their minds on achieving the sravaka and pratyeka-buddha stages, and countless living beings who were reborn in the heavens.
Sakra, who was that Royal Precious Canopy? He is now a Buddha called the Tathagata Precious Flame and his one thousand sons are the thousand Buddhas of the (present) Bhadrakalpa (the virtuous aeon) whose first Buddha was Krakucchanda and last Buddha was Rucika. Bhiksu Lunar Canopy was myself. Sakra, you should know that the offering of Dharma is the highest form of offering. Therefore, Sakra, you should make the offering of Dharma as an offering to all Buddhas.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
INJUNCTION to SPREAD this SUTRA
The Buddha then said: to Maitreya: “Maitreya, I now entrust you with the Dharma of supreme enlightenment which I have collected during countless aeons. In the third (and last) period of the Buddha kalpa you should use transcendental power to proclaim widely in Jambuvipa (the earth) (profound) sutras such as this one, without allowing them to be discontinued. For in future generations there will be virtuous men and women, as well as heavenly dragons, ghosts, spirits, gandharvas, and raksasas who will take pleasure in the great Dharma and will set their minds on the quest of supreme enlightenment; if they do not hear about such sutras they will miss a great advantage. For these people are fond of and believe in these sutras, which they will readily accept by placing them on their heads and which they will widely proclaim for the profit of living beings.
Maitreya, you should know that there are two categories of Bodhisattvas: those who prefer proud words and a racy style, and those who are not afraid (of digging out) the profound meanings which they can penetrate. Fondness of proud words and a racy style denotes the superficiality of a newly initiated Bodhisattva; but he who, after hearing about the freedom from infection and bondage as taught in profound sutras, is not afraid of their deep meanings which he strives to master, thereby developing a pure mind to receive, keep, read, recite and practise (the Dharma) as preached is a Bodhisattva who has trained for a long time.
Maitreya, there are two classes of newly initiated Bodhisattvas who cannot understand very deep Dharmas: those who have not heard about profound sutras and who, giving way to fear and suspicion, cannot keep them but indulge in slandering them, saying: ‘I have never heard about them; where do they come from?’, and those who refuse to call on, respect and make offerings to the preachers of profound sutras or who find fault with the latter; these are two classes of newly initiated Bodhisattvas who cannot control their minds when hearing the deep Dharma, thereby harming themselves.
Maitreya, further, there are two categories of Boshisattvas who harm themselves and fail to realize the patient endurance of the uncreate in spite of their belief and understanding of the deep Dharma: they are (firstly) those who belittle newly initiated Boshisattva and do not teach and guide them; and (secondly) those who, despite their faith in the deep Dharma, still give rise to discrimination between form and formlessness.”
After hearing the Buddha expound the Dharma, Maitreya said: “World Honoured One, I have not heard all this before. As you have said, I shall keep from these evils and uphold the Dharma of supreme enlightenment which the Tathagata has collected during countless aeons. In future, if there are virtuous men and women who seek for Mahayana, I shall see to it that this sutra will be placed in their hands, and shall use transcendental power to make them remember it so that they can receive, keep, read, recite and proclaim it widely.
“World Honoured One, in the coming Dharma ending age, if there are those who can receive, keep, read and recite this sutra and expound it widely, they will do so under the influence of my transcendental power.”
The Buddha said: “Excellent, Maitreya, excellent; as you have said, I will help you achieve this great joy.”
At that, all the Bodhisattvas in the assembly brought their palms together and said to the Buddha: After your nirvana, we will also proclaim this Dharma of supreme enlightenment widely in the ten directions and will guide preachers of Dharma to obtain this sutra.”
The four kings of devas said to the Buddha: “World Honoured One, in all towns and villages, in the groves and wilderness, and where there is this sutra and people reading, reciting, explaining and proclaiming it, I will lead local officials to go to their places to listen to the Dharma and to protect them so that no one dares to one within one hundred yojanas of their places to trouble them.”
The Buddha then said to Ananda: “Ananda, you too should receive, keep and spread this sutra widely.”
Ananda said: “Yes, World Honoured One, I have received this sutra and will keep it. What is its title?”
The Buddha said: “Ananda, its title is ‘The Sutra spoken by Vimalakirti’, or ‘The Inconceivable Door to Liberation’, under which you should receive and keep it.”
After the Buddha had expounded this sutra, the old upasaka Vimalakirti, Manjusri, Sariputra, Ananda and others as well as devas, asuras and all those present were filled with joy; believed, received and kept it; paid reverence and went away.