VIMALAKIRTI SUTRA
Translated by Imperial Edict
Tripitaka Master Kumarajiva of Yao Qin
— o O o —
Chapter Eight
THE BUDDHA WAY
At that time, Manjusri asked Vimalakirti, “How does a bodhisattva penetrate the Buddha Way?”
Vimalakirti said, “If a bodhisattva practices what is contrary to the Way, that is penetration of the Buddha Way.”
Manjusri asked, “How does a bodhisattva practice what is contrary to the Way?”
Vimalakirti replied:
“If a bodhisattva manifests the five heinous offenses yet has no hatred or anger;
if he goes to hell yet has no stain of sin;
if he goes among animals yet has no faults of ignorance or arrogance;
if he goes among hungry ghosts yet remains full of merit;
if he enters the paths of the form and formless realms yet does not regard them as supreme;
if he manifests desire yet is free of all attachment;
if he manifests anger yet has no obstruction of hostility toward beings;
if he manifests delusion yet tames his mind through wisdom;
if he manifests miserliness yet gives away all inner and outer possessions without begrudging even life;
if he manifests precept-breaking yet abides in pure morality, fearing even minor faults;
if he manifests wrath yet is always gentle and patient;
if he manifests laziness yet diligently cultivates merit;
if he manifests distraction yet constantly abides in mindfulness and samadhi;
if he manifests ignorance yet thoroughly knows worldly and supramundane wisdom;
if he manifests deceit yet is skilled in expedients and accords with scriptural meaning;
if he manifests arrogance yet serves beings like a bridge;
if he manifests afflictions yet keeps the mind pure;
if he appears in Mara’s domain yet follows Buddha wisdom, not others’ teaching;
if he appears among sravakas yet teaches beings unheard-of Dharma;
if he appears among pratyekabuddhas yet perfects great compassion and transforms beings;
if he appears poor yet possesses inexhaustible treasure-hands of merit;
if he appears physically disabled yet adorns himself with the full marks of excellence;
if he appears lowly yet is born of Buddha-lineage, complete in virtue;
if he appears weak and ugly yet gains a mighty celestial body beloved by all;
if he appears old and sick yet has forever cut off the root of disease and gone beyond fear of death;
if he appears to have wealth and livelihood yet constantly contemplates impermanence and has no greed;
if he appears with wives and attendants yet always remains far from the mire of five desires;
if he appears dull and slow yet perfects eloquence and dharani without loss;
if he appears among heterodox paths yet uses right principle to liberate beings;
if he appears entering all destinies yet cuts off their binding causes;
if he appears to enter nirvana yet does not sever birth-and-death-
Manjusri, when a bodhisattva can practice these contrary ways, that is called penetrating the Buddha Way.”
Then Vimalakirti asked Manjusri, “What are the seeds of the Tathagata?”
Manjusri replied:
“This body is a seed of the Tathagata.
Ignorance and craving are seeds of the Tathagata.
Greed, anger, and delusion are seeds of the Tathagata.
The four inverted views are seeds.
The five hindrances are seeds.
The six sense-fields are seeds.
The seven stations of consciousness are seeds.
The eight wrong paths are seeds.
The nine causes of vexation are seeds.
The ten unwholesome actions are seeds.
In short, the sixty-two views and all afflictions are all seeds of Buddhahood.”
Vimalakirti asked, “Why is that so?”
Manjusri replied:
“If one sees the unconditioned and enters fixed right position, one can no longer arouse the mind of unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.
It is like lotus flowers: they do not grow on high dry land, but they do grow in low wet mud.
Likewise, one who sees the unconditioned and enters fixed position no longer gives rise to Buddha Dharma.
It is in the mud of afflictions that beings give rise to Buddhadharma.
Again, seeds sown in empty space never sprout; seeds in fertile dung-soil grow luxuriantly.
Likewise, those entered into unconditioned fixedness do not generate Buddhadharma.
Yet those with self-view as huge as Mount Sumeru can still arouse the mind of unsurpassed enlightenment and give rise to Buddhadharma.
Therefore know this: all afflictions are Tathagata seeds.
As one cannot obtain priceless jewels without diving into the deep sea,
so one cannot obtain the jewel of omniscient wisdom without entering the great sea of afflictions.”
At that time, Mahakasyapa praised, saying:
“Excellent, excellent, Manjusri! How wonderful these words are. It is exactly as you said: dust-like defilements are Tathagata seeds.
As for us now, we are no longer able to bring forth the mind of unsurpassed enlightenment. Even those who committed the five heinous offenses can still arouse resolve and enter Buddhadharma, yet we cannot arouse it anymore.
It is like one whose faculties are ruined: even amid the five desires, he can no longer enjoy them. So too sravakas who have cut off their fetters, though in Buddhadharma, gain no further benefit and can no longer form great vows.
Therefore, Manjusri, ordinary people can still return to Buddhadharma, but sravakas cannot. Why?
When ordinary people hear Buddhadharma, they can arouse the unsurpassed path-mind and keep the Three Jewels unbroken. But sravakas, even if they hear Buddhadharma, powers, and fearlessnesses all their lives, can never arouse the intention for unsurpassed awakening.”
At that time in the assembly, a bodhisattva named Universal-Manifest Form asked Vimalakirti: “Householder, who are your father and mother, wife and children, relatives and kin, attendants and companions, servants and helpers, elephants, horses, and vehicles? Where are they all?”
Then Vimalakirti answered in verse:
“Wisdom-perfection is the bodhisattva’s mother,
Skillful means his father.
All guides on the Way are teachers,
From them all bodhisattvas are born.
Dharma-joy is his wife,
Compassion his daughter,
The sincere good mind his son,
Ultimate emptiness and stillness his home.
Defilements are his disciples,
Transformed according to his will.
Factors of the path are good friends,
Through them right awakening is completed.
The paramitas are his companions,
The four means of gathering his singing girls.
Chanting Dharma words is his song,
That is his music.
Dharani is his garden,
Unstained Dharma his forest trees.
Enlightenment-factors are pure wondrous flowers,
Liberation and wisdom are fruits.
The eight liberations are his bathing pool,
Filled with serene waters of samadhi.
Spread with flowers of seven purities,
For bathing stainless ones.
The five superknowledges are his elephants and horses,
The Great Vehicle is his chariot.
Single-minded mastery is the driver,
He roams the Eightfold Noble Path.
His face is adorned with full marks,
With secondary signs beautifying his form.
Shame and remorse are his upper garments,
Deep mind is his flower garland.
Rich in the seven treasures of faith,
He teaches and thus increases wealth.
Practicing what is taught,
Dedication is his great gain.
The four dhyanas are his forest seat,
From them pure livelihood is born.
Learning much increases wisdom,
This is his sound of self-awakening.
The Dharma-nectar is his food,
The flavor of liberation his seasoning.
Pure mind is his washing,
Virtue of precepts his fragrance.
He crushes the thieves of affliction,
Heroic and unsurpassed.
Subduing the four kinds of Mara,
He raises the victory-banner at the bodhimanda.
Though knowing there is no arising or ceasing,
He manifests birth for others’ sake.
He appears in all Buddha-lands,
Like the sun seen by all.
He makes offerings in the ten directions
To immeasurable myriads of Tathagatas.
For Buddhas and for himself,
He has no discriminating thought.
Though he knows Buddha-lands
And beings are empty,
he constantly cultivates pure lands
To transform all beings.
All types of beings,
Their forms, sounds, and deportments,
By the bodhisattva’s fearless power,
Are fully manifested at once.
Knowing all works of Mara,
He still accords with their conduct.
By wisdom of skillful means,
He can manifest anything at will.
He may show old age, sickness, and death
to bring beings to maturity.
Clearly knowing all as illusion,
He is unobstructed.
He may show world-ending fires,
Heaven and earth all empty,
To those clinging to permanence,
Illuminating impermanence.
Countless billions of beings
Come together to invite him;
He enters each of their homes,
Transforming them toward Buddha’s path.
Scriptures, rites, incantations,
Crafts and all skilled arts-
He manifests all such works
To benefit beings.
Among all worldly doctrines,
He may also leave home there;
Thus he removes people’s delusions,
Yet does not fall into wrong views.
He may become sun-god, moon-god,
Brahma king, world-lord,
Or at times earth and water,
Or again wind and fire.
When plagues arise in an age,
He manifests as healing herbs.
Whoever takes them
Is cured of illness and poison.
When famine strikes an age,
He appears as food and drink.
First he rescues hunger and thirst,
Then teaches Dharma.
When war and weapons arise,
For that he gives rise to compassion,
Transforms those beings,
And settles them in non-contention.
If great battles break out,
He stands with equal power.
Manifesting bodhisattva majesty,
He subdues and brings peace.
In every land,
Wherever there are hells,
He goes immediately there
To relieve their suffering.
In every land,
Where animals devour each other,
He appears among them
To bring benefit.
Though manifesting enjoyment of the five desires,
He also manifests meditation,
Confounding Mara’s mind,
So Mara finds no advantage.
Lotus blooming in fire-
That is called rare.
Likewise dwelling amid desires
While practicing meditation is rare.
He may manifest as a courtesan,
Drawing lustful people,
First hooking them with desire,
Later leading them into Buddha wisdom.
He may become town chief,
Or caravan leader,
Or royal preceptor and great minister,
All to benefit beings.
To those who are poor,
He appears as inexhaustible treasury;
Through this he exhorts and guides,
Causing bodhi-mind to arise.
To the proud and arrogant,
He appears as mighty strongman,
Subdues their conceit,
And leads them to the unsurpassed path.
For those filled with fear,
He appears before them to console.
First he gives fearlessness,
Then causes aspiration for the Way.
He may manifest renunciation of desire,
As a five-power sage,
Guiding all beings
To abide in precepts, patience, and kindness.
If beings need attendants,
He manifests as servant.
Having pleased them as needed,
He then causes bodhi-mind to arise.
According to what each person needs
In order to enter Buddha’s Way,
By skillful means power
He supplies all completely.
So boundless is this path,
Its practices without edge;
Wisdom without limit,
Liberating countless beings.
Even if all Buddhas
For countless billions of kalpas
Praised his merit,
Still they could not exhaust it.
Who hearing such Dharma
Would not bring forth bodhi-mind?
Only the unworthy,
The deluded and unwise.”