VIMALAKIRTI SUTRA
Translated by Imperial Edict
Tripitaka Master Kumarajiva of Yao Qin
— o O o —
Chapter Twelve
SEEING BUDDHA AKSOBHYA
At that time, the World-Honored One asked Vimalakirti:
“When you wish to see the Tathagata, by what contemplation do you contemplate the Tathagata?”
Vimalakirti replied:
“As one contemplates the true mark of one’s own body, so should one contemplate the Buddha.
“I contemplate the Tathagata this way:
He does not come from the past; he does not go to the future; he does not abide in the present.
“He is not contemplated as form, nor as the thusness of form, nor as the nature of form.
“He is not contemplated as feeling, perception, formation, or consciousness;
nor as the thusness of consciousness, nor as the nature of consciousness.
“He does not arise from the four elements, but is equal to empty space. The six entrances leave no trace. Eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind are transcended.
He is not within the three realms. The three defilements are left behind. He accords with the three gates of liberation. He is complete in the three knowledges, yet equal to no-knowledge.
“He is not one mark, not different marks; not self-mark, not other-mark; not markless, not grasping marks.
Not this shore, not the other shore, not midstream, yet he transforms beings.
“He contemplates quiescent extinction, yet does not abide in eternal extinction.
“Not this, not that; not by this, not by that. Not knowable by intellect, not cognizable by consciousness.
“No darkness, no brightness. No name, no mark. No strength, no weakness. Not pure, not impure.
Not in a direction, not apart from direction.
“Not conditioned, not unconditioned.
No indication, no explanation.
Not giving, not stingy.
Not precept, not violation.
Not patience, not anger.
Not diligence, not sloth.
Not concentration, not distraction.
Not wisdom, not ignorance.
Not truthful, not false.
Not coming, not going.
Not exiting, not entering.
“All paths of speech are cut off.
Not a field of merit, not not a field of merit.
Not worthy of offerings, not unworthy of offerings.
“Not grasping, not rejecting.
Not marked, not markless.
Equal to ultimate truth, equal to dharma-nature.
“Not measurable, not quantifiable, beyond all measure.
Not great, not small.
Not seen, not heard, not perceived, not known.
“Free from all bonds.
Equal with all wisdoms, equal with all beings.
In all dharmas, without discrimination, nothing lost.
“No turbidity, no affliction.
No making, no arising.
No birth, no death.
No fear, no sorrow.
No delight, no aversion, no attachment. No past having been, no future being, no present being. In no way can it be shown by verbal distinction.”
“World-Honored One, the Tathagata’s body is such as this. To contemplate in this way is right contemplation. Any other contemplation is deviant contemplation.”
Then Sariputra asked Vimalakirti:
“From what place did you die and then come to be born here?”
Vimalakirti said:
“In the Dharma you have attained,
is there dying and being born?”
Sariputra replied:
“There is neither dying nor being born.”
Vimalakirti said:
“If all dharmas are without the marks of dying and being born,
why ask,
‘From where did you die and come to be born here?’
“What do you think?
If a magician conjures a man and woman,
are they born by dying from elsewhere?”
Sariputra said:
“No, they are not.”
Vimalakirti said:
“Have you not heard the Buddha say:
all dharmas are like illusions?”
Sariputra replied:
“Yes, indeed.”
Vimalakirti said:
“If all dharmas are like illusions, why ask,
‘From where did you die and come to be born here?’
“Sariputra,
‘death’ is a false dharma, the mark of disintegration.
‘birth’ is a false dharma, the mark of continuity.
Though bodhisattvas appear to die, their wholesome roots are not exhausted.
Though they appear to be born, their evils do not increase.”
At that time the Buddha said to Sariputra:
“There is a world called Wondrous Joy,
whose Buddha is Akshobhya.
This Vimalakirti died there and was born here.”
Sariputra said:
“Unprecedented, World-Honored One!
Can this person really leave such a pure land and be willing to be born in this place of much anger and harm?”
Vimalakirti asked Sariputra:
“What do you think?
When sunlight appears, does it unite with darkness?”
Sariputra answered:
“No.
When sunlight appears, darkness is gone.”
Vimalakirti asked:
“Then why does the sun travel over Jambudvipa?”
Sariputra replied:
“To shine light and remove darkness.”
Vimalakirti said:
“So too with bodhisattvas.
Though born in impure Buddha-lands, it is to transform beings, not to join with their ignorance and darkness.
They only seek to extinguish the dark afflictions of beings.”
Then the great assembly, longing deeply, wished to see the Wondrous Joy world, Tathagata Akshobhya, and that land’s bodhisattvas and sravakas.
The Buddha, knowing the thought of the whole assembly, said to Vimalakirti:
“Good man, for this assembly, show the Wondrous Joy world, Tathagata Akshobhya, and that land’s bodhisattvas and sravakas. All wish to see them.”
Then Vimalakirti thought:
“Without rising from this seat, I shall receive the Wondrous Joy world:
its iron-ring mountains, mountains and rivers, valleys and streams, great seas and springs, Mount Sumeru and all mountains, sun, moon, stars, palaces of devas, dragons, spirits, and Brahmas, its bodhisattva and sravaka assemblies, cities, towns, villages, men, women, elders, children, up to Tathagata Akshobhya himself, the bodhi-tree, all wondrous lotuses that perform Buddha-work in the ten directions, and the three jeweled stairways from Jambudvipa to the heavens.
“By these jeweled stairs devas descend, pay homage to Tathagata Akshobhya, and hear and receive Dharma. People of Jambudvipa ascend those stairs, reach Trayastrimsha Heaven, and see those devas. The Wondrous Joy world has immeasurable merits such as these.
“Up to Akaniṣṭha Heaven above, down to the water’s edge below, I shall take it with my right hand as a potter lifts his wheel, bring that world into this world, and show it to this entire assembly as one might hold up a flower garland.”
After this thought, he entered samadhi and manifested spiritual power: with his right hand he took the Wondrous Joy world and placed it in this world.
Those in that world with spiritual powers-bodhisattvas, sravakas, devas, and humans-all cried out:
“World-Honored One, who is taking us away? Please protect us!”
Buddha Akshobhya said: “This is not my doing. It is Vimalakirti’s spiritual power.”
Those without such powers sensed nothing and knew nothing. Though Wondrous Joy entered this world, there was no increase or decrease; this world was not crowded or pressed; it remained exactly as before.
Then Sakyamuni Buddha said to the great assembly:
“Look now at the Wondrous Joy world, Tathagata Akshobhya, the adornment of that land, the purity of bodhisattva conduct, and the clarity of its disciples.”
All replied:
“Yes, World-Honored One, we see it.”
The Buddha said:
“If bodhisattvas wish to attain such a pure Buddha-land, they should learn the path practiced by Tathagata Akshobhya.”
When the Wondrous Joy world appeared, fourteen nayutas of people in the Saha world generated the mind of unsurpassed, complete enlightenment, all vowing to be born in Akshobhya’s pure land.
Sakyamuni Buddha immediately gave them prediction:
“You shall be born in that land.”
When Wondrous Joy had completed the benefit to be done in this world, it returned to its original place, and the whole assembly saw this.
The Buddha asked Sariputra:
“Did you see the Wondrous Joy world and Buddha Akshobhya?”
Sariputra replied:
“Yes, I saw them. World-Honored One, I vow that all beings may attain a pure land like Akshobhya’s, and attain spiritual powers like Vimalakirti’s.
“World-Honored One, we have gained excellent benefit in seeing this person, drawing near him, and making offerings.
“Any beings, whether now in this life or after the Buddha’s parinirvana, who hear this sutra, will also gain great benefit.
“How much more those who, having heard, believe and understand, receive and uphold, read and recite, explain it, and practice according to Dharma.
“If one obtains this scripture, one has obtained the treasury of Dharma-jewel. If one reads, recites, explains its meaning, and practices as taught, all Buddhas will protect and remember that person.
“Whoever makes offerings to such a person should be known as making offerings to the Buddha. Whoever copies and preserves this sutra-scroll, know that the Tathagata is present in that place. Whoever hears this sutra and rejoices, that person is turning toward omniscience. Whoever can believe and understand this sutra, and even expound to others just one four-line verse, know that this person has been predicted for unsurpassed, complete enlightenment.”