VIMALAKIRTI SUTRA
Translated by Imperial Edict
Tripitaka Master Kumarajiva of Yao Qin
— o O o —
Chapter Seven
CONTEMPLATING SENTIENT BEINGS
Then Manjusri asked Vimalakirti, “How does a bodhisattva contemplate sentient beings?”
Vimalakirti replied, “Like a magician looking at the people he has conjured: that is how a bodhisattva contemplates sentient beings.
“Like a wise person seeing the moon reflected in water; like seeing one’s face in a mirror; like a mirage in heat; like an echo from a shout; like clouds in the sky; like foam on water; like bubbles on water; like the firmness of a plantain trunk; like the lasting of lightning; like a fifth great element; like a sixth aggregate; like a seventh consciousness; like a thirteenth sense-base; like a nineteenth element.
“Thus does a bodhisattva contemplate beings. Like form in the formless realm; like a scorched seed; like body-view in a stream-enterer; like an anagamin entering a womb; like an arhat with the three poisons; like a bodhisattva who has attained patience yet still covets, hates, and breaks precepts; like the Buddha’s afflictive habits; like a blind person seeing form; like one in extinction samadhi with in-and-out breath; like tracks of birds in the sky; like a barren woman’s child; like afflictions in an illusory person; like dream-objects after waking; like one who has entered nirvana taking birth again; like fire without smoke. Thus does a bodhisattva contemplate beings.”
Manjusri asked, “If a bodhisattva contemplates in this way, how does he practice loving-kindness?”
Vimalakirti said, “Having contemplated thus, the bodhisattva thinks: ‘I should teach beings this Dharma.’ This is true loving-kindness.
Practicing the kindness of quiescent extinction: because nothing is born.
Practicing the kindness free from heat: because there are no afflictions.
Practicing equal kindness: because the three times: past, present and future are equal.
Practicing non-contentious kindness: because nothing is aroused.
Practicing non-dual kindness: because inner and outer do not conjoin.
Practicing indestructible kindness: because it reaches ultimate exhaustion.
Practicing firm kindness: because the mind does not retreat.
Practicing pure kindness: because the nature of dharmas is pure.
Practicing boundless kindness: because it is like space.
Practicing arhat-kindness: because it destroys the thieves of fetters.
Practicing bodhisattva-kindness: because it comforts beings.
Practicing tathagata-kindness: because it attains the mark of suchness.
Practicing Buddha-kindness: because it awakens beings.
Practicing natural kindness: because it is not attained from causes.
Practicing bodhi-kindness: because it is of one equal taste.
Practicing peerless kindness: because it cuts all attachment.
Practicing great-compassion kindness: because it guides by the Great Vehicle.
Practicing tireless kindness: because it contemplates emptiness and no-self.
Practicing Dharma-giving kindness: because it withholds nothing.
Practicing precept-keeping kindness: because it transforms violators.
Practicing patience-kindness: because it protects self and others.
Practicing vigor-kindness: because it bears beings’ burdens.
Practicing meditation-kindness: because it does not cling to meditative flavors.
Practicing wisdom-kindness: because it knows timely occasions.
Practicing skillful-means kindness: because it manifests all forms.
Practicing unconcealed kindness: because the straight mind is pure.
Practicing deep-mind kindness: because conduct is unmixed.
Practicing un-deceptive kindness: because it is not false.
Practicing blissful kindness: because it enables beings to attain Buddha-bliss.
“Such is the bodhisattva’s loving-kindness.”
Manjusri asked again, “What is compassion?”
Vimalakirti replied, “All merits a bodhisattva creates, he shares with all beings.”
“What is joy?” “To rejoice without regret whenever one benefits others.”
“What is equanimity?” “To perform meritorious deeds without expecting reward.”
Manjusri asked, “In the fearful realm of birth-and-death, on what should a bodhisattva rely?”
Vimalakirti said, “In fear amid birth-and-death, a bodhisattva should rely on the power of the Tathagata’s merits.”
Manjusri asked, “If he wishes to rely on power of the Tathagata’s merits, where should he abide?”
Vimalakirti answered, “He should abide in liberating all sentient beings.”
“To liberate beings, what should be removed?”
“One should remove one’s own afflictions.”
“To remove afflictions, what should one practice?”
“Right mindfulness.”
“How does one practice right mindfulness?”
“Practice non-arising and non-ceasing.”
“Which dharmas do not arise, and which do not cease?”
“Unwholesome dharmas do not arise; wholesome dharmas do not cease.”
“Wholesome and unwholesome dharmas have what root?”
“The body is their root.”
“What is the body’s root?”
“Desire and craving.”
“What is the root of desire and craving?”
“False discrimination.”
“What is the root of false discrimination?”
“Inverted thought.”
“What is the root of inverted thought?”
“Non-abiding.”
“What is the root of non-abiding?”
“Non-abiding has no root.
“Manjusri, from the root of non-abiding all dharmas are established.”
At that time, in Vimalakirti’s room there was a celestial maiden. Seeing devas and humans listening to the teaching, she manifested her form and scattered heavenly flowers upon the bodhisattvas and great disciples. The flowers falling on bodhisattvas dropped off at once; those falling on great disciples stuck and did not fall. Though the disciples used their spiritual powers to shake them off, they could not remove them.
Then the maiden asked Sariputra, “Why remove the flowers?”
He replied, “These flowers are not in accord with Dharma, so I remove them.”
The maiden said, “Do not call these flowers ‘not in accord with Dharma.’ Why? The flowers themselves make no discrimination; you generate discriminating thoughts. If one who has left home in Buddhadharma still has discrimination, that is not in accord with Dharma. If there is no discrimination, that is in accord with Dharma.
“Look at the bodhisattvas: flowers do not cling to them because they have cut off all discriminating thoughts. It is like frightened people whom non-human beings can easily trouble. In the same way, disciples who fear birth-and-death are vulnerable to form, sound, scent, taste, and touch. If one is free from fear, the five desires cannot trouble him. Where fettering habits remain, flowers cling to the body. Where fettering habits are exhausted, flowers do not cling.”
Sariputra asked, “How long have you lived in this room?”
She replied, “As long as your liberation has lasted.”
Sariputra said, “So long?”
The maiden replied, “Then is your liberation also that long?”
Sariputra fell silent and did not answer.
The maiden said, “How can one so long established in great wisdom remain silent?”
He replied, “Liberation is beyond verbal explanation, so I do not know what to say.”
The maiden said, “Words and letters are themselves marks of liberation. Why? Liberation is neither inside, nor outside, nor in between. Words and letters are likewise neither inside, nor outside, nor in between.
“Therefore, Sariputra, do not depart from words and letters to speak of liberation. Why? All dharmas are marks of liberation.”
Sariputra said, “Is liberation not attained by leaving lust, anger, and delusion?”
The maiden answered, “For those of arrogant attachment, the Buddha teaches that leaving lust, anger, and delusion is liberation. For those without arrogance, the Buddha teaches that the nature of lust, anger, and delusion is itself liberation.”
Sariputra said, “Excellent, excellent! Maiden, what have you attained, and by what realization do you speak so eloquently?”
She replied, “I have attained nothing and realized nothing; therefore I speak this way. Why? If one has attainment and realization, then in Buddhadharma one falls into overestimation and pride.”
Sariputra asked, “Among the three vehicles, which do you aspire to?”
She replied, “When transforming beings through sravaka Dharma, I appear as a sravaka. When transforming beings through dependent-origination Dharma, I appear as a pratyekabuddha. When transforming beings through great-compassion Dharma, I practice the Great Vehicle.
“Sariputra, as one entering a campaka grove smells only campaka fragrance and no other scent, so those entering this room smell only the fragrance of Buddha merit and do not delight in the fragrance of sravaka or pratyekabuddha merit.
“Sariputra, when Sakra, Brahma, the Four Heavenly Kings, devas, dragons, spirits and others enter this room and hear this superior person expound right Dharma, they all delight in the fragrance of Buddha merit, generate aspiration for Buddhahood, and depart.
“Sariputra, I have lived in this room for twelve years and have never heard teachings of sravaka or pratyekabuddha Dharma. I hear only the bodhisattvas’ great compassion and the Buddhas’ inconceivable Dharma.
“Sariputra, this room constantly displays eight unprecedented and hard-to-find wonders.
“What eight?
“First, this room is always illumined by golden light, day and night without difference; it does not depend on sun or moon.
“Second, whoever enters this room is not troubled by defilements.
“Third, Sakra, Brahma, the Four Heavenly Kings, and bodhisattvas from other directions continuously gather here.
“Fourth, in this room the six paramitas and non-retrogressive Dharma are constantly taught.
“Fifth, this room constantly resounds with the supreme music of devas and humans, and from its strings emerge immeasurable voices of Dharma-transformation.
“Sixth, this room has four great treasuries, filled with jewels, supplying the poor and needy inexhaustibly to all who seek.
“Seventh, when this superior person remembers them, Buddhas of the ten directions-such as Sakyamuni, Amitabha, Aksobhya, Ratna-Virtue, Ratna-Flame, Ratna-Moon, Ratna-Adornment, Invincible, Lion’s Roar, and Accomplisher of All Benefit-all come, expound the Buddhas’ secret essential treasury, and then return.
“Eighth, in this room appear all celestial palaces and all pure Buddha lands.
“Sariputra, this room constantly manifests these eight unprecedented wonders. Who, seeing such inconceivable things, could still delight in sravaka Dharma?”
Sariputra asked, “Why do you not transform your female body?”
The maiden replied, “For these twelve years I have sought the mark of woman and never obtained it. What is there to transform? Suppose a magician creates an illusory woman. If someone asks, ‘Why don’t you transform this female body?’ would that be a proper question?”
Sariputra said, “No. Illusions have no fixed mark-what could be transformed?”
The maiden said, “All dharmas are exactly like this, without fixed marks. Why then ask about transforming a female body?”
At once, by spiritual power, the maiden transformed Sariputra into the form of a celestial maiden, while she transformed herself into the likeness of Sariputra, and asked, “Why do you not transform this female body?”
Sariputra, now in a maiden’s form, replied, “I do not know how I have changed and become female.”
The maiden said, “If Sariputra can transform this female body, then all women can transform theirs. Just as Sariputra is not female yet appears female, so all women are likewise: though appearing female, they are not female. Therefore the Buddha says: all dharmas are neither male nor female.”
Immediately the maiden withdrew her spiritual power, and Sariputra returned to his original form.
The maiden asked Sariputra, “Where is the form of the female body now?”
Sariputra said, “The female form is neither present nor absent.”
The maiden said, “All dharmas are likewise neither present nor absent. ‘Neither present nor absent’ is what the Buddha teaches.”
Sariputra asked the maiden, “When you pass from here, where will you be born?”
She replied, “As Buddha’s transformed beings are born, so will I be born.”
Sariputra said, “Buddha’s transformed beings are not born through dying and being reborn.”
The maiden said, “Sentient beings are likewise-not through dying and being reborn.”
Sariputra asked, “How long before you attain unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment?”
She replied, “When Sariputra returns to being an ordinary person, then I will attain unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment.”
Sariputra said, “There is no such possibility that I become ordinary again.”
The maiden said, “Likewise there is no such possibility of my attaining unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment. Why? Bodhi has no abiding place; therefore there is no attainer.”
Sariputra said, “Yet now Buddhas who have attained, are attaining, and will attain unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment are as many as Ganges sands-how do you explain this?”
The maiden replied, “That is spoken through worldly language and textual convention, therefore one speaks of three times. It is not that bodhi truly has past, future, and present.”
The maiden asked, “Sariputra, have you attained arhatship?”
He answered, “Because there is nothing attained, I attain.”
The maiden said, “Buddhas and bodhisattvas are the same: because there is nothing attained, they attain.”
At that time Vimalakirti said to Sariputra, “This celestial maiden has made offerings to ninety-two kotis of Buddhas. She can freely play in bodhisattva spiritual powers, has fulfilled her vows, attained patience of non-arising, and abides in non-retrogression. By her original vow, she manifests at will to teach and transform beings.”