VIMALAKIRTI SUTRA
Translated by Imperial Edict
Tripitaka Master Kumarajiva of Yao Qin
— o O o —
Chapter Five
MANJUSRI VISITS THE SICK
— o O o —
At that time the Buddha said to Manjusri, “You should go to Vimalakirti’s house and inquire after his illness.”
Manjusri replied, “World-Honored One, it is difficult to match that superior person in dialogue. He profoundly penetrates true reality, speaks the essentials of Dharma with mastery, and has unobstructed eloquence and wisdom. He knows all the methods of all bodhisattvas. There is no secret treasury of the Buddhas he has not entered. He subdues all Maras and plays freely with spiritual powers. His wisdom and skillful means are both fully perfected. Even so, receiving the Buddha’s holy instruction, I will go ask about his illness.”
Then among the assembly, bodhisattvas, great disciples, Sakra, Brahma, and the Four Heavenly Kings all thought: “Now these two great beings, Manjusri and Vimalakirti, will converse; surely wondrous Dharma will be spoken.”
Immediately, eight thousand bodhisattvas, five hundred sravakas, and hundreds of thousands of gods and humans all wished to follow. Thus Manjusri, surrounded reverently by bodhisattvas, great disciples, and gods and humans, entered the great city of Vaisali.
At that time the elder Vimalakirti thought, “Now Manjusri and the great assembly are coming.” At once, by spiritual power, he emptied his room, removed all possessions and attendants, and left only one couch, upon which he lay as if ill.
When Manjusri entered the house, he saw the room empty, containing nothing at all, with only a single bed.
Vimalakirti said, “Welcome, Manjusri. You come without the mark of coming; you see without the mark of seeing.”
Manjusri said, “So it is, householder. If one has come, there is no further coming. If one has gone, there is no further going. Why? Coming comes from nowhere; going goes to nowhere. What is seen ultimately cannot be seen.
“But let us set that aside for now. Householder, can this illness be endured? Is treatment reducing it or making it worse? The World-Honored One sends his boundless concern and inquiry.
“Householder, from what cause did this illness arise? How long has it lasted? How should it be extinguished?”
Vimalakirti said, “From ignorance and craving my illness arises. Because all sentient beings are ill, therefore I am ill. If all sentient beings were free from illness, then my illness would cease. Why? A bodhisattva enters birth-and-death for the sake of sentient beings. Where there is birth-and-death, there is illness. If sentient beings are freed from illness, then the bodhisattva has no more illness.
“It is like an elder who has only one son. If that son falls ill, the parents also are ill. If the son recovers, the parents recover. So it is with the bodhisattva: he loves beings as if they were his only child. When beings are ill, the bodhisattva is ill. When beings recover, the bodhisattva also recovers.
“You asked again what causes this illness: a bodhisattva’s illness arises from great compassion.”
Manjusri asked, “Householder, why is this room empty, with no attendants?”
Vimalakirti replied, “All Buddha lands are likewise empty.”
He asked, “By what is it empty?”
Vimalakirti said, “By emptiness itself it is empty.”
He asked, “Why use emptiness upon emptiness?”
Vimalakirti said, “Because emptiness is non-discriminative, therefore it is empty.”
He asked, “Can emptiness be discriminated?”
Vimalakirti said, “Discrimination is also empty.”
He asked, “Where should emptiness be sought?”
Vimalakirti said, “It should be sought within the sixty-two views.”
He asked, “Where should the sixty-two views be sought?”
Vimalakirti said, “They should be sought within the Buddhas’ liberations.”
He asked, “Where should the Buddhas’ liberations be sought?”
Vimalakirti said, “They should be sought in the mental activity of all sentient beings.
“You also asked why there are no attendants. All Maras and all non-Buddhist teachers are my attendants. Why? Maras delight in birth-and-death, and bodhisattvas do not abandon birth-and-death. Non-Buddhists delight in views, and bodhisattvas are unmoved amid all views.”
Manjusri asked, “Householder, what are the characteristics of your illness?”
Vimalakirti said, “My illness has no form; it cannot be seen.”
He asked, “Is this illness joined to body, or joined to mind?”
Vimalakirti said, “It is not joined to body, for bodily marks are apart. It is not joined to mind, for mind is like illusion.”
He asked, “Among the four elements-earth, water, fire, and wind-which element’s illness is this?”
Vimalakirti said, “This illness is not of earth, nor apart from earth. The same is true for water, fire, and wind. But beings’ illnesses arise from the four elements. Because they are ill, therefore I am ill.”
Then Manjusri asked, “How should a bodhisattva comfort a bodhisattva who is sick?”
Vimalakirti replied, “Speak of the body’s impermanence, but do not teach aversion to the body. Speak of the body’s suffering, but do not teach delight in nirvana. Speak of no-self in the body, yet teach and guide sentient beings. Speak of the body’s emptiness and stillness, but do not teach ultimate extinction. Teach repentance for former faults, but do not sink into the past. Through one’s own illness, feel compassion for others who are ill. Recall the suffering of countless kalpas in former lives. Remember to benefit all beings and remember one’s accumulated merit.
“Think on pure livelihood. Do not generate worry or grief. Always arouse vigor. Become a king of physicians and heal all sicknesses. In this way should a bodhisattva comfort a sick bodhisattva, so that joy may arise.”
Manjusri asked, “Householder, how should a sick bodhisattva tame his own mind?”
Vimalakirti said, “A sick bodhisattva should think: ‘This illness of mine now arises from deluded, inverted thoughts and afflictions of former lives. There is no real dharma that receives illness.’
“Why? The body is only a provisional name formed by the union of the four elements. The four elements have no owner; therefore the body has no self.
“Further, this illness arises entirely from grasping at self. Therefore one should not generate attachment to self. Having known the root of illness, one removes the notions of self and sentient being, and gives rise to the notion of dharmas. One should think: ‘This body is merely assembled from many dharmas. When dharmas arise, the body arises; when dharmas cease, the body ceases.’
“Moreover, these dharmas do not know each other. When arising, they do not say, ‘I arise.’ When ceasing, they do not say, ‘I cease.’ If a sick bodhisattva wishes to extinguish the notion of dharmas, he should think: ‘This notion of dharmas is itself inversion. Inversion is a great affliction. I should leave it behind.’
“How to leave it? Leave ‘self’ and ‘mine.’
“How to leave self and mine? Leave dual dharmas.
“How to leave dual dharmas? Do not recollect internal and external dharmas; practice equality.
“What is equality? Self is equal to nirvana. Why? Self and nirvana are both empty. Why are they empty? Because they are only names, therefore empty. These two dharmas have no fixed nature. When this equality is attained, no other illness remains. Only the illness of attachment to emptiness remains, and even that illness is empty.
“That sick bodhisattva, with nothing to receive, yet receives all feelings. Before fully possessing Buddhadharma, he does not destroy feeling in order to seize realization.
“If the body suffers, think of beings in evil destinies and arouse great compassion: ‘Since I have tamed myself, I should also tame all beings.’ Remove only their illness, not the dharma. Cut off the root of illness and teach accordingly.
“What is the root of illness? It is grasping at conditions. From conditioned grasping, illness-root arises. What conditions are grasped? The three realms: desire realm, form realm, formless realm.
“How to cut conditioned grasping? Through non-attainment. If there is non-attainment, there is no conditioned grasping. What is non-attainment? Leaving dual views.
“What are dual views? Internal view and external view. This is called non-attainment.
“Manjusri, this is how a sick bodhisattva tames the mind. To cut off the sufferings of old age, sickness, and death-this is the bodhisattva’s bodhi. Otherwise, one’s cultivation has no wisdom benefit. As with defeating an enemy, only then is one called brave. Likewise, one who can jointly eliminate old age, sickness, and death is worthy of the name bodhisattva.
“A sick bodhisattva should further contemplate: ‘Like my illness, beings’ illnesses are neither real nor truly existent.’ If while contemplating this one gives rise to compassion mixed with attachment and view, one should abandon it at once. Why? A bodhisattva cuts off guest-dust afflictions and then arouses great compassion. But compassion mixed with attachment and view leads to weariness of birth-and-death. If one can leave this, there is no weariness. In whatever place one is born, one is not covered over by attachment and view. Unbound in one’s own birth, one can teach beings the Dharma of unbinding.
“As the Buddha said: ‘If one is bound oneself yet claims to free others, such a thing cannot be. If one is unbound oneself and then frees others, this is possible.’ Therefore bodhisattvas should not generate bondage.
“What is bondage? What is liberation? Craving attachment to the taste of meditation is bodhisattva bondage. Being born through skillful means is bodhisattva liberation.
“Further, there are four principles: wisdom without skillful means is bondage; wisdom with skillful means is liberation; skillful means without wisdom is bondage; skillful means with wisdom is liberation.
“What is wisdom without skillful means as bondage? A bodhisattva, with attachment-based compassion, adorns Buddha lands and perfects beings, and in emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness merely tames oneself. This is called wisdom without skillful means as bondage.
“What is wisdom with skillful means as liberation? Not using attachment-based compassion to adorn Buddha lands and perfect beings, and in emptiness, signlessness, and wishlessness taming oneself without weariness or aversion. This is called wisdom with skillful means as liberation.
“What is skillful means without wisdom as bondage? A bodhisattva abides in afflictions such as desire, anger, and wrong views, while planting wholesome roots. This is called skillful means without wisdom as bondage.
“What is skillful means with wisdom as liberation? A bodhisattva leaves afflictions such as desire, anger, and wrong views, plants wholesome roots, and dedicates them to unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment. This is called skillful means with wisdom as liberation.
“Manjusri, this is how a sick bodhisattva should contemplate dharmas.
“Again, contemplate the body as impermanent, suffering, empty, and non-self-this is wisdom. Yet though the body is ill, remain in birth-and-death to benefit all beings without weariness-this is skillful means.
“Again, contemplate: body is not apart from illness; illness is not apart from body. This illness and this body are neither new nor old-this is wisdom. Though the body is ill, do not seek final extinction-this is skillful means.
“Manjusri, a sick bodhisattva should tame mind in this way: not abiding in the tamed mind, and also not abiding in the untamed mind.
“Why? To abide in untamed mind is the dharma of fools. To abide in tamed mind is the dharma of sravakas. Therefore a bodhisattva should abide in neither tamed nor untamed mind. Leaving both is bodhisattva practice.
“To remain in birth-and-death without defiled conduct, and to abide in nirvana without permanent extinction-this is bodhisattva practice.
“Neither ordinary beings’ practice nor sages’ practice-this is bodhisattva practice.
“Neither defiled practice nor pure practice-this is bodhisattva practice.
“Though beyond Mara’s conduct, still manifesting the subduing of Maras-this is bodhisattva practice.
“Seeking omniscience without untimely seeking-this is bodhisattva practice.
“Though contemplating non-arising of dharmas, not entering fixed nirvanic position-this is bodhisattva practice.
“Though contemplating the twelve links of dependent origination, still entering among wrong views-this is bodhisattva practice.
“Though embracing all beings, not attached in love-this is bodhisattva practice.
“Though delighting in seclusion, not relying on final extinction of body and mind-this is bodhisattva practice.
“Though functioning within the three realms, not damaging dharma-nature-this is bodhisattva practice.
“Though practicing emptiness, still planting all roots of virtue-this is bodhisattva practice.
“Though practicing signlessness, still liberating sentient beings-this is bodhisattva practice.
“Though practicing wishlessness, still manifesting receipt of a body-this is bodhisattva practice.
“Though practicing non-arising, still arousing all wholesome practices-this is bodhisattva practice.
“Though practicing the six paramitas, still thoroughly knowing beings’ minds and mental factors-this is bodhisattva practice.
“Though practicing the six superknowledges, not exhausting all outflows-this is bodhisattva practice.
“Though practicing the four immeasurable minds, not craving rebirth in Brahma worlds-this is bodhisattva practice.
“Though practicing meditative concentration, liberation, and samadhi, not following meditation into heavenly rebirth-this is bodhisattva practice.
“Though practicing the four foundations of mindfulness, not ultimately abandoning body, feeling, mind, and dharmas-this is bodhisattva practice.
“Though practicing the four right efforts, not abandoning bodily and mental vigor-this is bodhisattva practice.
“Though practicing the four bases of spiritual power, still attaining sovereign spiritual powers-this is bodhisattva practice.
“Though practicing the five faculties, still discerning beings’ sharp and dull faculties-this is bodhisattva practice.
“Though practicing the five powers, still delighting in seeking the Buddha’s ten powers-this is bodhisattva practice.
“Though practicing the seven factors of awakening, still discerning Buddha-wisdom-this is bodhisattva practice.
“Though practicing the eightfold noble path, still delighting in cultivating immeasurable Buddha-paths-this is bodhisattva practice.
“Though practicing calming and insight as aids to the path, not ultimately falling into quiescent extinction-this is bodhisattva practice.
“Though practicing non-arising and non-ceasing of dharmas, still adorning the body with major and minor marks-this is bodhisattva practice.
“Though manifesting the deportment of sravakas and pratyekabuddhas, not abandoning Buddhadharma-this is bodhisattva practice.
“Though according with ultimate purity of dharmas, still manifesting bodies according to what is needed-this is bodhisattva practice.
“Though contemplating Buddha lands as eternally still like empty space, still manifesting various pure Buddha lands-this is bodhisattva practice.
“Though attaining Buddhahood, turning the Dharma wheel, and entering nirvana, not abandoning the bodhisattva path-this is bodhisattva practice.”
When these words were spoken, among the great assembly accompanying Manjusri, eight thousand heavenly sons all generated the mind of unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment.