VIMALAKIRTI SUTRA
Translated by Imperial Edict
Tripitaka Master Kumarajiva of Yao Qin
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MIDDLE VOLUME
Chapter Six
INCONCEIVABLE LIBERATION
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At that time, Sariputra saw that there were no seats in the room and thought, “Where will these bodhisattvas and great disciples sit?”
The elder Vimalakirti, knowing his thought, said to Sariputra, “Reverend, did you come for the Dharma, or for a seat?”
Sariputra replied, “I came for the Dharma, not for a seat.”
Vimalakirti said, “Reverend Sariputra, one who seeks the Dharma does not cling even to life itself, much less to a seat.
“One who seeks the Dharma does not seek the five aggregates: form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness. He does not seek the sense-fields and elements. He does not seek the three realms: desire, form, and formless.
“Reverend Sariputra, one who seeks the Dharma does not cling to seeking Buddha, does not cling to seeking Dharma, and does not cling to seeking Sangha.
“One who seeks the Dharma does not seek to see suffering, does not seek to cut off accumulation, does not seek to realize cessation, and does not seek to cultivate the path. Why? Dharma has no frivolous discourse. If one says, ‘I should see suffering, cut off accumulation, realize cessation, and cultivate the path,’ that is mere discursiveness, not seeking the Dharma.
“Reverend Sariputra, Dharma is called quiescent extinction. If one practices arising and ceasing, that is seeking arising and ceasing, not seeking Dharma.
“Dharma is called undefiled. If one is defiled by Dharma, even by nirvana, that is attachment, not seeking Dharma.
“Dharma has no realm of practice. If one practices in Dharma, that is a realm of practice, not seeking Dharma.
“Dharma has no taking or rejecting. If one takes Dharma or rejects Dharma, that is taking and rejecting, not seeking Dharma.
“Dharma has no location. If one clings to location, that is clinging to place, not seeking Dharma.
“Dharma is called signless. If one follows signs in cognition, that is seeking signs, not seeking Dharma.
“Dharma cannot be dwelt in. If one abides in Dharma, that is abiding in Dharma, not seeking Dharma.
“Dharma cannot be seen, heard, felt, or known. If one engages in seeing, hearing, feeling, and knowing, that is seeing, hearing, feeling, and knowing, not seeking Dharma.
“Dharma is called unconditioned. If one practices conditioned activity, that is seeking the conditioned, not seeking Dharma.
“Therefore, Sariputra, if one seeks the Dharma, one should seek nothing in all dharmas.”
When these words were spoken, five hundred heavenly sons attained the pure Dharma-eye with respect to all dharmas.
Then Vimalakirti asked Manjusri, “Reverend, you have traveled through immeasurable hundreds of thousands of millions of asaṃkhyeya lands. Which Buddha-land has lion thrones of supreme beauty and complete excellence?”
Manjusri replied, “Householder, eastward from here, beyond Buddha-lands as numerous as the sands of thirty-six Ganges rivers, there is a world called Sumeru Mark. Its Buddha, Sumeru Lamp King, is now present there. That Buddha’s body is eighty-four thousand yojanas tall. His lion throne is likewise eighty-four thousand yojanas high, adorned supremely.”
Thereupon Vimalakirti displayed spiritual power. Instantly that Buddha sent thirty-two thousand lion thrones, lofty, vast, and magnificently pure, into Vimalakirti’s room. Bodhisattvas, great disciples, Sakra, Brahma, and the Four Heavenly Kings had never seen such a thing. The room expanded to contain all thirty-two thousand lion thrones without obstruction. In the city of Vaisali, in Jambudvipa, and in the Four Continents, nothing was crowded or compressed; all remained exactly as before.
Vimalakirti then said to Manjusri, “Please be seated on these lion thrones together with the exalted bodhisattvas. Assume forms proportionate to these seats.” Those bodhisattvas who had attained spiritual powers immediately transformed their bodies to forty-two thousand yojanas and sat upon the lion thrones. But newly-inspired bodhisattvas and great disciples could not ascend.
Vimalakirti said to Sariputra, “Please take a lion throne.”
Sariputra replied, “Householder, this throne is too high and vast; I cannot mount it.”
Vimalakirti said, “Reverend Sariputra, bow to Tathagata Sumeru Lamp King, and then you can sit.”
At once the newly-inspired bodhisattvas and great disciples bowed to Tathagata Sumeru Lamp King and were then able to sit on the lion thrones.
Sariputra said, “Householder, this is unprecedented! Such a small room can contain such lofty and vast thrones! And in the city of Vaisali there is no obstruction. Nor are the towns and villages of Jambudvipa, or the palaces of devas, dragon kings, spirits, and demons in the Four Continents, made cramped in the least.”
Vimalakirti said, “Reverend Sariputra, Buddhas and bodhisattvas have a liberation called Inconceivable. If a bodhisattva abides in this liberation, he can place mighty Mount Sumeru into a mustard seed, without increase or decrease on either side. The mountain remains exactly as it is. Yet the Four Heavenly Kings and Trayastrimsha devas do not sense or know they have been placed there. Only those beings fit to be liberated can see Sumeru entering the mustard seed. This is called the Dharma-gate of Inconceivable Liberation.
“Further, he can place the waters of the four great oceans into a single pore, without disturbing fish, turtles, sea creatures, and aquatic beings. The nature of the great oceans remains as before. Dragons, spirits, asuras, and others there do not sense or know they have been moved, nor are they disturbed.
“Further, Sariputra, a bodhisattva abiding in Inconceivable Liberation can take the great trichiliocosm in his hand like a potter’s wheel, hurl it beyond worlds as numerous as Ganges sands, and the beings within do not sense or know where they have gone. Then he returns it to its original place, and no one forms the thought of coming or going; the world remains exactly as before.
“Further, Sariputra, if there are beings who can be liberated only by long life in the world, the bodhisattva extends seven days into one kalpa so they perceive it as a kalpa. If there are beings who can be liberated only by shorter duration, he compresses one kalpa into seven days so they perceive it as seven days.
“Further, Sariputra, a bodhisattva abiding in Inconceivable Liberation can gather all adornments of all Buddha-lands into one land and show them to beings. He can place beings of all Buddha-lands upon his palm, travel throughout the ten directions, and show this universally, without moving them from their original places.
“Further, Sariputra, all offerings made by beings in the ten directions to all Buddhas can be made visible within one hair pore. Likewise, all suns, moons, and stars in all lands of the ten directions can be shown within one hair pore.
“Further, Sariputra, all winds in the worlds of the ten directions can be inhaled into the bodhisattva’s mouth without harming his body, while trees outside remain unbroken.
“Further, when cosmic fires burn at kalpa’s end in worlds of the ten directions, he can receive all those fires into his belly; the fires continue as before, yet do not harm him.
“Further, below here, passing Buddha-worlds as numerous as Ganges sands, he can lift one Buddha-land and carry it upward through countless worlds as numerous as Ganges sands, like lifting a jujube leaf on a needle tip, without disturbance.
“Further, Sariputra, a bodhisattva abiding in this inconceivable liberation can manifest by spiritual power as a Buddha-body, or as a pratyekabuddha-body, or as a sravaka-body, or as Sakra, or as Brahma, or as a world-lord, or as a Wheel-Turning Sage King.
“Further, all sounds throughout worlds of the ten directions-loud, medium, and soft-he can transform into the Buddha’s voice, proclaiming impermanence, suffering, emptiness, and no-self. He can also enable all beings to hear all diverse teachings spoken by Buddhas in the ten directions.
“Sariputra, I have only briefly described the power of a bodhisattva’s inconceivable liberation. If I were to explain it fully, even an entire kalpa would not suffice.”
At that time, Mahakasyapa, hearing this Dharma-gate of Inconceivable Liberation, praised what had never been heard and said to Sariputra, “It is like displaying many colors before a blind man-he cannot see them. So too, all sravakas hearing this Dharma-gate of Inconceivable Liberation cannot fully understand it. If the wise hear this, who would not arouse the mind of unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment?
“Why did we forever cut off our own roots with regard to the Great Vehicle, becoming like ruined seeds? All sravakas, upon hearing this Dharma-gate, should weep aloud, their cries shaking the trichiliocosm! All bodhisattvas should rejoice greatly and receive this Dharma upon their crowns. If a bodhisattva believes and understands this Inconceivable Liberation, all hosts of Mara can do nothing to him!”
When Mahakasyapa spoke these words, thirty-two thousand heavenly sons all aroused the mind of unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment.
Then Vimalakirti said to Mahakasyapa, “Reverend, in immeasurable asaṃkhyeya worlds of the ten directions, most who appear as Mara kings are bodhisattvas abiding in Inconceivable Liberation. Through skillful means they manifest as Maras in order to transform beings.
“Further, Kasyapa, among immeasurable bodhisattvas of the ten directions, there are those who come begging for hands, feet, ears, noses, heads, eyes, marrow, brains, blood, flesh, skin, bones, villages, cities, wives, children, servants, elephants, horses, vehicles, gold, silver, lapis lazuli, conch-shell, agate, coral, amber, pearls, jade, clothing, food, and drink. Most such beggars are bodhisattvas abiding in Inconceivable Liberation. By skillful means they come to test donors and make their resolve firm.
“Why is this? Bodhisattvas abiding in Inconceivable Liberation possess majestic power and can therefore enact such intense tests to reveal difficult practices to beings. Weak ordinary people lack such power and cannot pressure bodhisattvas in this way. It is like the trampling of dragons and elephants-not something a donkey can endure. This is called the gate of wisdom and skillful means of bodhisattvas abiding in Inconceivable Liberation.”