Vimalakirti Sutra

Chapter 1: Purification of the Buddha-Field Reverence to all Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, Aryasravakas, and Pratyekabuddhas, in the past, the present, and the future. Thus have I heard at one time. The Lord Buddha was in residence in the arden of Amrapali, in the city of !aisali, attended by a reat atherin . "f bhikshus there were ei ht thousand, all saints. They were free from impurities and afflictions, and all had attained self#mastery. Their minds were entirely liberated by perfect knowled e. They were calm and di nified, like royal elephants. They had accomplished their work, done what they had to do, cast off their burdens, attained their oals, and totally destroyed the bonds of e$istence. They all had attained the utmost perfection of every form of mind control. "f bodhisattvas there were thirty#two thousand, reat spiritual heroes who were universally acclaimed. They were dedicated throu h the penetratin activity of their reat superknowled es and were sustained by the race of the Buddha. %uardians of the city of &harma, they upheld the true doctrine, and their reat teachin s resounded like the lion's roar throu hout the ten directions. (ithout havin to be asked, they were the natural spiritual benefactors of all livin bein s. They maintained unbroken the succession of the Three )ewels, con*uerin devils and foes and overwhelmin all critics. Their mindfulness, intelli ence, reali+ation, meditation, incantation, and elo*uence all were perfected. They had attained the intuitive tolerance of the ultimate incomprehensibility of all thin s. They turned the irreversible wheel of the &harma. They were stamped with the insi nia of si nlessness. They were e$pert in knowin the spiritual faculties of all livin bein s. They were brave with the confidence that overawes all assemblies. They had athered the reat stores of merit and of wisdom, and their bodies, beautiful without ornaments, were adorned with all the auspicious si ns and marks.

They were e$alted in fame and lory, like the lofty summit of ,ount -umeru. Their hi h resolve as hard as diamond, unbreakable in their faith in Buddha, &harma and -an ha, they showered forth the rain of ambrosia that is released by the li ht rays of the .ewel of the &harma, which shines everywhere. Their voices were perfect in diction and resonance, and versatile in speakin all lan ua es. They had penetrated the profound principle of relativity and had destroyed the persistence of the instinctual mental habits underlyin all convictions concernin finitude and infinitude. They spoke fearlessly, like lions, soundin the thunder of the ma nificent teachin . /ne*ualed, they surpassed all measure. They were the best captains for the voya e of discovery of the treasures of the &harma, the stores of merit and wisdom. They were e$pert in the way of the &harma, which is strai ht, peaceful, subtle, entle, hard to see, and difficult to reali+e. They were endowed with the wisdom that is able to understand the thou hts of livin bein s, as well as their comin s and oin s. They had been consecrated with the anointment of the peerless nosis of the Buddha. (ith their hi h resolve, they approached the ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, and the ei hteen special *ualities of the Buddha. They had crossed the terrifyin abyss of the bad mi rations, and yet they assumed reincarnation voluntarily in all mi rations for the sake of disciplinin livin bein s. %reat 0in s of medicine, understandin all the sicknesses of passions, they could apply the medicine of the &harma appropriately. They were ine$haustible mines of limitless virtues, and they lorified innumerable buddha#fields with the splendor of these virtues. They conferred reat benefit when seen, heard, or even approached. (ere one to e$tol them for innumerable hundreds of thousands of myriads of aeons, one still could not e$haust their mi hty flood of virtues. These bodhisattvas were named1 -amadarsana, Asamadarsana, -amadhivikurvitara.a, &harmesvara, &harmaketu, Prabhaketu, Prabhavyuha, Ratnavyuha, ,ahavyuha, Pratibhanakuta, Ratnakuta, Ratnapani, Ratnamudrahasta, 2ityapralambahasta, 2ityotksipthasta, 2ityatapta, 2ityamuditendriya, Pramodyara.a, &evara.a, 3

Pranidhanapravesaprapta, Prasiddhapratisamvitprapta, %a ana an.a, Ratnolkapari rhita, Ratnasura, Ratnapriya, Ratnasri, Indra.ala, )aliniprabha, 2iralambanadhyana, Pra.nakuta, Ratnadatta, ,arapramardaka, !idyuddeva, !ikurvanara.a, 0utanimittasamatikranta, -imhanadanadin, %irya rapramardira.a, %andhahastin, %andhakun.arana a, 2ityodyukta, Aniksiptadhura, Pramati, -u.ata, Padmasri arbha, Padmavyuha, Avalokitesvara, ,ahasthamaprapta, Brahma.ala, Ratnadandin, ,arakarmavi.eta, 0setrasamalamkara, ,aniratnacchattra, -uvarnacuda, ,anicuda, ,aitreya, ,an.usrikumarabhuta, and so forth, with the remainderof the thirty#two thousand. There were also athered there ten thousand Brahmas, at their head Brahma -ikhin, who had come from theAsoka universe with its four sectors to see, venerate, and serve the Buddha and to hear the &harma from hisown mouth. There were twelve thousand -akras, from various four#sector universes. And there were otherpowerful ods1 Brahmas, -akras, Lokapalas, devas, na as, yaksas, andharvas, asuras, arudas, kimnaras, and mahora as. 4inally, there was the fourfold community, consistin of bhikshus, bhikshunis, laymen, and laywomen. The Lord Buddha, thus surrounded and venerated by these multitudes of many hundreds of thousands of livin bein s, sat upon a ma.estic lion#throne and be an to teach the &harma. &ominatin all the multitudes, .ust as -umeru, the kin of mountains, looms hi h over the oceans, the Lord Buddha shone, radiated, and littered as he sat upon his ma nificent lion#throne. Thereupon, the Licchavi bodhisattva Ratnakara, with five hundred Licchavi youths, each holdin a precious parasol made of seven different kinds of .ewels, came forth from the city of !aisali and presented himself at the rove of Amrapali. 5ach approached the Buddha, bowed at his feet, circumambulated him clockwise seven times, laid down his precious parasol in offerin , and withdrew to one side.

reflected in the interior of the reat precious canopy, where the total content of this ala$y could be seen1 limitless mansions of suns, moons, and stellar bodies6 the realms of the devas, na as, yaksas, andharvas, asuras, arudas, kimnaras, and mahora as, as well as the realms of the four ,ahara.as6 the kin of mountains, ,ound -umeru6 ,ount 7imadri, ,ount ,ucilinda, ,ount ,ahamucilinda, ,ount %andhamadana, ,ount Ratnaparvata, ,ount 0alaparvata, ,ount 8akravada, ,ount ,ahacakravada6 all the reat oceans, rivers, bays torrents, streams, brooks, and sprin s6 finally, all the villa es, suburbs, cities, capitals, provinces, and wildernesses. All this could be clearly seen by everyone. And the voices of all the Buddhas of the ten directions could be heard proclaimin their teachin s of the &harma in all the worlds, the sounds reverberatin in the space beneath the reat precious canopy. At this vision of the ma nificent miracle effected by the supernatural power of the Lord Buddha, the entire host was ecstatic, enraptured, astonished, deli hted, satisfied, and filled with awe and pleasure. They all bowed down to the Tatha ata, withdrew to one side with palms pressed to ether, and a+ed upon him with fi$ed attention. The youn Licchavi Ratnakara knelt with his ri ht knee on the round, raised his hands, palms pressed to ether in salute of the Buddha, and praised him with the followin hymn. Pure are your eyes, broad and beautiful, like the petals of a blue lotus. Pure is your thou ht, havin discovered the supreme transcendence of all trances. Immeasurable is the ocean of your virtues, the accumulation of your ood deeds. 9ou affirm the path of peace. "h, %reat Ascetic, obeisance to you:

Leader, bull of men, we behold the revelation of your miracle. The superb and radiant fields of the -u atas appear before us, And your e$tensive spiritual teachin s, that lead to immortality As soon as all these precious parasols had been laid down, suddenly, by ,ake themselves heard throu hout the whole reach of space. the miraculous power of the Lord, they were transformed into a sin le precious canopy so reat that it formed a coverin for this entire &harma#0in , you rule with the &harma your supreme &harma# billion#world ala$y. The surface of the entire billion#world ala$y was kin dom, ;

And thereby bestow the treasures of the &harma upon all livin bein s. Althou h the Lord speaks with but one voice, 5$pert in the deep analysis of thin s, you teach their ultimate meanin . Those present perceive that same voice differently, -overei n Lord of &harma, obeisance to you. And each understands in his own lan ua e accordin to his own needs. All these thin s arise dependently, from causes, This is a special *uality of the Buddha. 9et they are neither e$istent nor none$istent. Therein is neither e o, nor e$periencer, nor doer, 4rom the Leader's act of speakin in a sin le voice, 9et no action, ood or evil, loses its effects. -ome merely develop an instinct for the teachin , some ain -uch is your teachin . reali+ation, -ome find pacification of all their doubts. " -akyamuni, con*uerin the powerful host of ,ara, This is a special *uality of the Buddha. 9ou found peace, immortality, and the happiness of that supreme enli htenment, "beisance to you who command the force of leadership and the ten (hich is not reali+ed by any amon the heterodo$, powers: Thou h they arrest their feelin , thou ht and mental processes. "beisance to you who are dauntless, knowin no fear: "beisance to you, leader of all livin bein s, (ho fully manifests the special *ualities: " (onderful 0in of &harma, 9ou turned the wheel of &harma before men and ods, "beisance to you who have cut the bonda e of all fetters: (ith its threefold revolution, its manifold aspects, "beisance to you who, havin one beyond, stand on firm round: Its purity of nature, and its e$treme peace6 "beisance to you who save the sufferin bein s: And thereby the Three )ewels were revealed. "beisance to you who do not remain in the mi rations: Those who are well disciplined by your precious &harma Are free of vain ima inin s and always deeply peaceful. -upreme doctor, you put an end to birth, decay, sickness, and death. Immeasurable ocean of virtue, obeisance to you: Like ,ount -umeru, you are unmoved by honor or scorn. 9ou love moral bein s and immoral bein s e*ually. Poised in e*uanimity, your mind is like the sky. (ho would not honor such a precious .ewel of a bein < %reat -a e, in all these multitudes athered here, (ho look upon your countenance with hearts sincere in faith, 5ach bein beholds the !ictor, as if .ust before him. This is a special *uality of the Buddha. 9ou associate with livin bein s by fre*uentin their mi rations. 9et your mind is liberated from all mi rations. )ust as the lotus, born of mud, is not tainted thereby, -o the lotus of the Buddha preserves the reali+ation of voidness. 9ou nullify all si ns in all thin s everywhere. 9ou are not sub.ect to any wish for anythin at all. The miraculous power of the Buddhas is inconceivable. I bow to you, who stand nowhere, like infinite space. Then, the youn Licchavi Ratnakara, havin celebrated the Buddha with these verses, further addressed him1 =Lord, these five hundred youn Licchavis are truly on their way to une$celled, perfect enli htenment, and they have asked what is the bodhisattvas' purification of the buddha#field. Please, Lord, e$plain to them the bodhisattvas' purification of the buddha#field:= >

/pon this re*uest, the Buddha ave his approval to the youn Licchavi Ratnakara1 =%ood, ood, youn man: 9our *uestion to the Tatha ata about the purification of the buddha# field is indeed ood. Therefore, youn man, listen well and remember: I will e$plain to you the purification of the buddha#field of the bodhisattvas.= =!ery ood, Lord,= replied Ratnakara and the five hundred youn Licchavis, and they set themselves to listen. The Buddha said, =2oble sons, a buddha#field of bodhisattvas is a field of livin bein s. (hy so< A bodhisattva embraces a buddha#field to the same e$tent that he causes the development of livin bein s. 7e embraces a buddha#field to the same e$tent that livin bein s become disciplined. 7e embraces a buddha#field to the same e$tent that, throu h entrance into a buddha#field, livin bein s are introduced to the buddha# nosis. 7e embraces a buddha#field to the same e$tent that, throu h entrance into that buddha#field, livin bein s increase their holy spiritual faculties. (hy so< 2oble son, a buddha#field of bodhisattvas sprin s from the aims of livin bein s. =4or e$ample, Ratnakara, should one wish to build in empty space, one mi ht o ahead in spite of the fact that it is not possible to build or to adorn anythin in empty space. In .ust the same way, should a bodhisattva, who knows full well that all thin s are like empty space, wish to build a buddha#field in order to develop livin bein s, he mi ht o ahead, in spite of the fact that it is not possible to build or to adorn a buddha#field in empty space.

=A bodhisattva's buddha#field is a field of virtuous application. (hen he attains enli htenment livin bein s who live by all virtuous principles will be born in his buddha#field. =A bodhisattva's buddha#field is the ma nificence of the conception of the spirit of enli htenment. (hen he attains enli htenment, livin bein s who are actually participatin in the ,ahayana will be born in his buddha#field. =A bodhisattva's buddha#field is a field of enerosity. (hen he attains enli htenment, livin bein s who ive away all their possessions will be born in his buddha#field. =A bodhisattva's buddha#field is a field of tolerance. (hen he attains enli htenment, livin bein s with the transcendences of tolerance, discipline, and the superior trance # hence beautiful with the thirty# two auspicious si ns # will be born in his buddha#field. =A bodhisattva's buddha#field is a field of meditation. (hen he attains enli htenment, livin bein s who are evenly balanced throu h mindfulness and awareness will be born in his buddha#field. =A bodhisattva's buddha#field is a field of wisdom. (hen he attains enli htenment, livin bein s who are destined for the ultimate will be born in his buddha#field. =A bodhisattva's buddha#field consists of the four immeasurables. (hen he attains enli htenment, livin bein s who live by love, compassion, .oy, and impartiality will be born in his buddha#field.

=A bodhisattva's buddha#field consists of the four means of =9et, Ratnakara, a bodhisattva's buddha#field is a field of positive unification. (hen he attains enli htenment, livin bein s who are thou ht. (hen he attains enli htenment, livin bein s free of hypocrisy held to ether by all the liberations will be born in his buddha#field. and deceit will be born in his buddha#field. =A bodhisattva's buddha#field is skill in liberative techni*ue. =2oble son, a bodhisattva's buddha#field is a field of hi h resolve. (hen he attains enli htenment, livin bein s who have harvested the (hen he attains enli htenment, livin bein s skilled in all liberative two stores and have planted the roots of virtue will be born in his techni*ues and activities will be born in his buddha#field. buddha#field. =A bodhisattva's buddha#field consists of the thirty#seven aids to ?

enli htenment. Livin bein s who devote their efforts to the four foci of mindfulness, the four ri ht efforts, the four bases of ma ical power, the five spiritual faculties, the five stren ths, the seven factors of enli htenment, and the ei ht branches of the holy path will be born in his buddha#field. =A bodhisattva's buddha#field is his mind of total dedication. (hen he attains enli htenment, the ornaments of all virtues will appear in his buddha#field.

=The purity of his buddha#field reflects the purity of livin bein s6 the purity of the livin bein s reflects the purity of his nosis6 the purity of his nosis reflects the purity of his doctrine6 the purity of his doctrine reflects the purity of his transcendental practice6 and the purity of his transcendental practice reflects the purity of his own mind.=

Thereupon, ma ically influenced by the Buddha, the venerable -ariputra had this thou ht1 =If the buddha#field is pure only to the =A bodhisattva's buddha#field is the doctrine that eradicates the ei ht e$tent that the mind of the bodhisattva is pure, then, when -akyamuni adversities. (hen he attains enli htenment, the three bad mi rations Buddha was en a ed in the career of the bodhisattva, his mind must will cease, and there will be no such thin as the ei ht adversities in his have been impure. "therwise, how could this buddha#field appear to buddha#field. be so impure<= =A bodhisattva's buddha#field consists of his personal observance of the basic precepts and his restraint in blamin others for their trans ressions. (hen he attains enli htenment, even the word 'crime' will never be mentioned in his buddha#field. =A bodhisattva's buddha#field is the purity of the path of the ten virtues. (hen he attains enli htenment, livin bein s who are secure in lon life, reat in wealth, chaste in conduct, enhanced by true speech, soft# spoken, free of divisive intri ues and adroit in reconcilin factions, enli htenin in their conversations, free of envy, free of malice, and endowed with perfect views will be born in his buddha#field. =Thus, noble son, .ust as is the bodhisattva's production of the spirit of enli htenment, so is his positive thou ht. And .ust as is his positive thou ht, so is his virtuous application. =7is virtuous application is tantamount to his hi h resolve, his hi h resolve is tantamount to his determination, his determination is tantamount to his practice, his practice is tantamount to his total dedication, his total dedication is tantamount to his liberative techni*ue, his liberative techni*ue is tantamount to his development of livin bein s, and his development of livin bein s is tantamount to the purity of his buddha# field. The Buddha, knowin telepathically the thou ht of venerable -ariputra, said to him, =(hat do you think, -ariputra< Is it because the sun and moon are impure that those blind from birth do not see them<= -ariputra replied, =2o, Lord. It is not so. The fault lies with those blind from birth, and not with the sun and moon.= The Buddha declared, =In the same way, -ariputra, the fact that some livin bein s do not behold the splendid display of virtues of the buddha#field of the Tatha ata is due to their own i norance. It is not the fault of the Tatha ata. -ariputra, the buddha#field of the Tatha ata is pure, but you do not see it.= Then the Brahma -ikhin said to the venerable -ariputra, =Reverend -ariputra, do not say that the buddha#field of the Tatha ata is impure. Reverend -ariputra, the buddha#field of the Tatha ata is pure. I see the splendid e$panse of the buddha#field of the Lord -akyamuni as e*ual to the splendor of, for e$ample, the abodes of the hi hest deities.= Then the venerable -ariputra said to the Brahma -ikhin, =As for me, " Brahma, I see this reat earth, with its hi hs and lows, its thorns, its precipices, its peaks, and its abysses, as if it were entirely filled with ordure.= @

Brahma -ikhin replied, =The fact that you see such a buddha#field as this as if it were so impure, reverend -ariputra, is a sure si n that there are hi hs and lows in your mind and that your positive thou ht in re ard to the buddha# nosis is not pure either. Reverend -ariputra, those whose minds are impartial toward all livin bein s and whose positive thou hts toward the buddha# nosis are pure see this buddha# field as perfectly pure.= Thereupon the Lord touched the round of this billion#world# alactic universe with his bi toe, and suddenly it was transformed into a hu e mass of precious .ewels, a ma nificent array of many hundreds of thousands of clusters of precious ems, until it resembled the universe of the Tatha ata Ratnavyuha, called Ananta unaratnavyuha. 5veryone in the entire assembly was filled with wonder, each perceivin himself seated on a throne of .eweled lotuses. Then, the Buddha said to the venerable -ariputra, =-ariputra, do you see this splendor of the virtues of the buddha#field<=

Then, the Lord withdrew his miraculous power and at once the buddha#field was restored to its usual appearance. Then, both men and ods who subscribed to the disciple#vehicle thou ht, =Alas: All constructed thin s are impermanent.= Thereby, thirty#two thousand livin bein s purified their immaculate, undistorted &harma#eye in re ard to all thin s. The ei ht thousand bhikshus were liberated from their mental defilements, attainin the state of non raspin . And the ei hty#four thousand livin bein s who were devoted to the randeur of the buddha#field, havin understood that all thin s are by nature but ma ical creations, all conceived in their own minds the spirit of une$celled, totally perfect enli htenment.

Vimalakirti Sutra
Chapter 2: Inconceivable Skill in Liberative echni!ue

At that time, there lived in the reat city of !aisali a certain Licchavi, !imalakirti by name. 7avin served the ancient Buddhas, he had enerated the roots of virtue by honorin them and makin offerin s -ariputra replied, =I see it, Lord: 7ere before me is a display of to them. 7e had attained tolerance as well as elo*uence. 7e played splendor such as I never before heard of or beheld:= with the reat superknowled es. 7e had attained the power of The Buddha said, =-ariputra, this buddha#field is always thus pure, but incantations and the fearlessnesses. 7e had con*uered all demons and the Tatha ata makes it appear to be spoiled by many faults, in order to opponents. 7e had penetrated the profound way of the &harma. 7e was liberated throu h the transcendence of wisdom. 7avin brin about the maturity of the inferior livin bein s. 4or e$ample, -ariputra, the ods of the Trayastrimsa heaven all take their food from inte rated his reali+ation with skill in liberative techni*ue, he was a sin le precious vessel, yet the nectar which nourishes each one differs e$pert in knowin the thou hts and actions of livin bein s. 0nowin the stren th or weakness of their faculties, and bein ifted with accordin to the differences of the merits each has accumulated. )ust unrivaled elo*uence, he tau ht the &harma appropriately to each. so, -ariputra, livin bein s born in the same buddha#field see the 7avin applied himself ener etically to the ,ahayana, he understood splendor of the virtues of the buddha#fields of the Buddhas accordin it and accomplished his tasks with reat finesse. 7e lived with the to their own de rees of purity.= deportment of a Buddha, and his superior intelli ence was as wide as an ocean. 7e was praised, honored, and commended by all the (hen this splendor of the beauty of the virtues of the buddha#field Buddhas and was respected by Indra, Brahma, and all the Lokapalas. shone forth, ei hty#four thousand bein s conceived the spirit of une$celled perfect enli htenment, and the five hundred Licchavi youths In order to develop livin bein s with his skill in liberative techni*ue, he lived in the reat city of !aisali. who had accompanied the youn Licchavi Ratnakara all attained the conformative tolerance of ultimate birthlessness. A

7is wealth was ine$haustible for the purpose of sustainin the poor and the helpless. 7e observed a pure morality in order to protect the immoral. 7e maintained tolerance and self#control in order to reconcile bein s who were an ry, cruel, violent, and brutal. 7e bla+ed with ener y in order to inspire people who were la+y. 7e maintained concentration, mindfulness, and meditation in order to sustain the mentally troubled. 7e attained decisive wisdom in order to sustain the foolish. 7e wore the white clothes of the layman, yet lived impeccably like a reli ious devotee. 7e lived at home, but remained aloof from the realm of desire, the realm of pure matter, and the immaterial realm. 7e had a son, a wife, and female attendants, yet always maintained continence. 7e appeared to be surrounded by servants, yet lived in solitude. 7e appeared to be adorned with ornaments, yet always was endowed with the auspicious si ns and marks. 7e seemed to eat and drink, yet always took nourishment from the taste of meditation. 7e made his appearance at the fields of sports and in the casinos, but his aim was always to mature those people who were attached to ames and amblin . 7e visited the fashionable heterodo$ teachers, yet always kept unswervin loyalty to the Buddha. 7e understood the mundane and transcendental sciences and esoteric practices, yet always took pleasure in the deli hts of the &harma. 7e mi$ed in all crowds, yet was respected as foremost of all. In order to be in harmony with people, he associated with elders, with those of middle a e, and with the youn , yet always spoke in harmony with the &harma. 7e en a ed in all sorts of businesses, yet had no interest in profit or possessions. To train livin bein s, he would appear at crossroads and on street corners, and to protect them he participated in overnment. To turn people away from the 7inayana and to en a e them in the ,ahayana, he appeared amon listeners and teachers of the &harma. To develop children, he visited all the schools. To demonstrate the evils of desire, he even entered the brothels. To establish drunkards in correct mindfulness, he entered all the cabarets. 7e was honored as the businessman amon businessmen because he demonstrated the priority of the &harma. 7e was honored as the landlord amon landlords because he renounced the a ressiveness of ownership. 7e was honored as the warrior amon warriors because he cultivated endurance, determination, and fortitude. 7e was honored as

the aristocrat amon aristocrats because he suppressed pride, vanity, and arro ance. 7e was honored as the official amon officials because he re ulated the functions of overnment accordin to the &harma. 7e was honored as the prince of princes because he reversed their attachment to royal pleasures and soverei n power. 7e was honored as a eunuch in the royal harem because he tau ht the youn ladies accordin to the &harma. 7e was compatible with ordinary people because he appreciated the e$cellence of ordinary merits. 7e was honored as the Indra amon Indras because he showed them the temporality of their lordship. 7e was honored as the Brahma amon Brahmas because he showed them the special e$cellence of nosis. 7e was honored as the Lokapala amon Lokapalas because he fostered the development of all livin bein s. Thus lived the Licchavi !imalakirti in the reat city of !aisali, endowed with an infinite knowled e of skill in liberative techni*ues. At that time, out of this very skill in liberative techni*ue, !imalakirti manifested himself as if sick. To in*uire after his health, the kin , the officials, the lords, the youths, the aristocrats, the householders, the businessmen, the townfolk, the countryfolk, and thousands of other livin bein s came forth from the reat city of !aisali and called on the invalid. (hen they arrived, !imalakirti tau ht them the &harma, be innin his discourse from the actuality of the four main elements1 =4riends, this body is so impermanent, fra ile, unworthy of confidence, and feeble. It is so insubstantial, perishable, short#lived, painful, filled with diseases, and sub.ect to chan es. Thus, my friends, as this body is only a vessel of many sicknesses, wise men do not rely on it. This body is like a ball of foam, unable to bear any pressure. It is like a water bubble, not remainin very lon . It is like a mira e, born from the appetites of the passions. It is like the trunk of the plantain tree, havin no core. Alas: This body is like a machine, a ne$us of bones and tendons. It is like a ma ical illusion, consistin of falsifications. It is like a dream, bein an unreal vision. It is like a reflection, bein the ima e of former actions. It is like an echo, bein dependent on conditionin . It is like a cloud, bein characteri+ed by turbulence and dissolution. It is like a flash of li htnin , bein B

unstable, and decayin every moment. The body is ownerless, bein the product of a variety of conditions. =This body is inert, like the earth6 selfless, like water6 lifeless, like fire6 impersonal, like the wind6 and nonsubstantial, like space. This body is unreal, bein a collocation of the four main elements. It is void, not e$istin as self or as self#possessed. It is inanimate, bein like rass, trees, walls, clods of earth, and hallucinations. It is insensate, bein driven like a windmill. It is filthy, bein an a lomeration of pus and e$crement. It is false, bein fated to be broken and destroyed, in spite of bein anointed and massa ed. It is afflicted by the four hundred and four diseases. It is like an ancient well, constantly overwhelmed by old a e. Its duration is never certain # certain only is its end in death. This body is a combination of a re ates, elements, and sense#media, which are comparable to murderers, poisonous snakes, and an empty town, respectively. Therefore, you should be revulsed by such a body. 9ou should despair of it and should arouse your admiration for the body of the Tatha ata. =4riends, the body of a Tatha ata is the body of &harma, born of nosis. The body of a Tatha ata is born of the stores of merit and wisdom. It is born of morality, of meditation, of wisdom, of the liberations, and of the knowled e and vision of liberation. It is born of love, compassion, .oy, and impartiality. It is born of charity, discipline, and self#control. It is born of the path of ten virtues. It is born of patience and entleness. It is born of the roots of virtue planted by solid efforts. It is born of the concentrations, the liberations, the meditations, and the absorptions. It is born of learnin , wisdom, and liberative techni*ue. It is born of the thirty#seven aids to enli htenment. It is born of mental *uiescence and transcendental analysis. It is born of the ten powers, the four fearlessnesses, and the ei hteen special *ualities. It is born of all the transcendences. It is born from sciences and superknowled es. It is born of the abandonment of all evil *ualities, and of the collection of all ood *ualities. It is born of truth. It is born of reality. It is born of conscious awareness. =4riends, the body of a Tatha ata is born of innumerable ood works. Toward such a body you should turn your aspirations, and, in order to eliminate the sicknesses of the passions of all livin bein s, you should conceive the spirit of une$celled, perfect enli htenment.=

(hile the Licchavi !imalakirti thus tau ht the &harma to those who had come to in*uire about his sickness, many hundreds of thousands of livin bein s conceived the spirit of une$celled, perfect enli htenment.

Vimalakirti Sutra
Chapter ": he #i$ciple$% &eluctance to Vi$it Vimalakirti Then, the Licchavi !imalakirti thou ht to himself, =I am sick, lyin on my bed in pain, yet the Tatha ata, the saint, the perfectly accomplished Buddha, does not consider or take pity upon me, and sends no one to in*uire after my illness.= The Lord knew this thou ht in the mind of !imalakirti and said to the venerable -ariputra, =-ariputra, o to in*uire after the illness of the Licchavi !imalakirti.= Thus havin been addressed, the venerable -ariputra answered the Buddha, =Lord, I am indeed reluctant to o to ask the Licchavi !imalakirti about his illness. (hy< I remember one day, when I was sittin at the foot of a tree in the forest, absorbed in contemplation, the Licchavi !imalakirti came to the foot of that tree and said to me, 'Reverend -ariputra, this is not the way to absorb yourself in contemplation. 9ou should absorb yourself in contemplation so that neither body nor mind appear anywhere in the triple world. 9ou should absorb yourself in contemplation in such a way that you can manifest all ordinary behavior without forsakin cessation. 9ou should absorb yourself in contemplation in such a way that you can manifest the nature of an ordinary person without abandonin your cultivated spiritual nature. 9ou should absorb yourself in contemplation so that the mind neither settles within nor moves without toward e$ternal forms. 9ou should absorb yourself in contemplation in such a way that the thirty#seven aids to enli htenment are manifest without deviation toward any convictions. 9ou should absorb yourself in contemplation in such a way that you are released in liberation without abandonin the passions that are the province of the world. C

realm. It conforms to reality by means of the process of ='Reverend -ariputra, those who absorb themselves in contemplation in nonconformity. It abides at the reality#limit, for it is utterly without such a way are declared by the Lord to be truly absorbed in fluctuation. It is immovable, because it is independent of the si$ contemplation.' ob.ects of sense. It is without comin and oin , for it never stands still. It is comprised by voidness, is remarkable throu h si nlessness, =Lord, when I heard this teachin , I was unable to reply and remained and is free of presumption and repudiation, because of wishlessness. silent. Therefore, I am reluctant to o to ask that ood man about his It is without establishment and re.ection, without birth or destruction. sickness.= It is without any fundamental consciousness, transcendin the ran e of eye, ear, nose, ton ue, body, and thou ht. It is without hi hness Then, the Buddha said to the venerable ,ahamaud alyayana, and lowness. It abides without movement or activity. =,aud alyayana, o to the Licchavi !imalakirti to in*uire about his illness.= ='Reverend ,ahamaud alyayana, how could there be a teachin in re ard to such a &harma< Reverend ,ahamaud alyayana, even the ,aud alyayana replied, =Lord, I am indeed reluctant to o to the e$pression =to teach the &harma= is presumptuous, and those who Licchavi !imalakirti to in*uire about his illness. (hy< I remember one listen to it listen to presumption. Reverend ,aud alyayana, where day when I was teachin the &harma to the householders in a s*uare in there are no presumptuous words, there is no teacher of the &harma, the reat city of !aisali, and the Licchavi !imalakirti came alon and no one to listen, and no one to understand. It is as if an illusory said to me, 'Reverend ,aud alyayana, that is not the way to teach the person were to teach the &harma to illusory people. &harma to the householders in their white clothes. The &harma must be tau ht accordin to reality. ='Therefore, you should teach the &harma by keepin your mind on this. 9ou should be adept in re ard to the spiritual faculties of livin ='Reverend ,aud alyayana, the &harma is without livin bein s, bein s. By means of the correct vision of the wisdom#eye, because it is free of the dust of livin bein s. manifestin the reat compassion, acknowled in the benevolent activity of the Buddha, purifyin your intentions, understandin the It is selfless, because it is free of the dust of desire. It is lifeless, definitive e$pressions of the &harma, you should teach the &harma because it is free of birth and death. It is without personalities, because in order that the continuity of the Three )ewels may never be it dispenses with past ori ins and future destinies. interrupted.' ='The &harma is peace and pacification, because it is free from desire. It does not become an ob.ect, because it is free of words and letters6 it is ine$pressible, and it transcends all movement of mind. ='The &harma is omnipresent, because it is like infinite space. It is without color, mark, or shape, because it is free of all process. It is without the concept of =mine,= because it is free of the habitual notion of possession. It is without ideation, because it is free of mind, thou ht, or consciousness. It is incomparable, because it has no antitheses. It is without presumption of conditionality, because it does not conform to causes. ='It permeates evenly all thin s, because all are included in the ultimate =Lord, when !imalakirti had discoursed thus, ei ht hundred householders in the crowd conceived the spirit of une$celled, perfect enli htenment, and I myself was speechless. Therefore, Lord, I am indeed reluctant to o to this ood man to in*uire about his illness.= Then, the Buddha said to the venerable ,ahakasyapa, =,ahakasyapa, you o to the Licchavi !imalakirti to in*uire about his illness.= =Lord, I am indeed reluctant to o to the Licchavi !imalakirti to in*uire about his illness. (hy< I remember one day, when I was in the street of the poor be in for my food, the Licchavi !imalakirti D

came alon and said to me, 'Reverend ,ahakasyapa, to avoid the houses of the wealthy, and to favor the houses of the poor # this is partiality in benevolence. Reverend ,ahakasyapa, you should dwell on the fact of the e*uality of thin s, and you should seek alms with consideration for all livin bein s at all times. 9ou should be your food in awareness of the ultimate none$istence of food. 9ou should seek alms for the sake of eliminatin the materialism of others. (hen you enter a town, you should keep in mind its actual voidness, yet you should proceed throu h it in order to develop men and women. 9ou should enter homes as if enterin the family of the Buddha. 9ou should accept alms by not takin anythin . 9ou should see form like a man blind from birth, hear sounds as if they were echoes, smell scents as if they were winds, e$perience tastes without any discrimination, touch tan ibles in awareness of the ultimate lack of contact in nosis, and know thin s with the consciousness of an illusory creature. That which is without intrinsic substance and without imparted substance does not burn. And what does not burn will not be e$tin uished.

Then, the Buddha said to the venerable -ubhuti, =-ubhuti, o to the Licchavi !imalakirti to in*uire about his illness.= -ubhuti replied, =Lord, I am indeed reluctant to o to this ood man to in*uire about his illness. (hy< ,y Lord, I remember one day, when I went to be my food at the house of the Licchavi !imalakirti in the reat city of !aisali, he took my bowl and filled it with some e$cellent food and said to me, 'Reverend -ubhuti, take this food if you understand the e*uality of all thin s, by means of the e*uality of material ob.ects, and if you understand the e*uality of all the attributes of the Buddha, by means of the e*uality of all thin s. Take this food if, without abandonin desire, hatred, and folly, you can avoid association with them6 if you can follow the path of the sin le way without ever disturbin the e oistic views6 if you can produce the knowled es and liberations without con*uerin i norance and the cravin for e$istence6 if, by the e*uality of the five deadly sins, you reach the e*uality of liberation6 if you are neither liberated nor bound6 if you do not see the 4our 7oly Truths, yet are not the one who =has not seen the truth=6 if you have not attained any fruit, yet are not the one who =has not attained=6 if you are an ordinary person, yet have not the *ualities of an ordinary person6 if you are not holy, yet are not unholy6 if you are responsible for all thin s, yet are free of any notion concernin anythin .

='5lder ,ahakasyapa, if, e*uipoised in the ei ht liberations without transcendin the ei ht perversions, you can enter the e*uanimity of reality by means of the e*uanimity of perversion, and if you can make a ift to all livin bein s and an offerin to all the saints and Buddhas out of even a sin le measure of alms, then you yourself may eat. Thus, when you eat, after offerin , you should be neither affected by passions nor free of passions, neither involved in concentration nor free from ='Take this food, reverend -ubhuti, if, without seein the Buddha, concentration, neither livin in the world nor abidin in liberation. hearin the &harma, or servin the -an ha, you undertake the reli ious life under the si$ heterodo$ masters6 namely, Purana 4urthermore, those who ive such alms, reverend, have neither reat 0asyapa, ,askarin %osaliputra, -am.ayin !airatiputra, 0akuda merit nor small merit, neither ain nor loss. They should follow the 0atyayana, A.ita 0esakambala, and 2ir rantha )naniputra, and way of the Buddhas, not the way of the disciples. "nly in this way, follow the ways they prescribe. 5lder ,ahakasyapa, is the practice of eatin by alms meanin ful.' ='Take this food, reverend -ubhuti, if, entertainin all false views, =Lord, when I heard this teachin , I was astonished and thou ht1 you find neither e$tremes nor middle6 if, bound up in the ei ht 'Reverence to all bodhisattvas: If a lay bodhisattva may be endowed adversities, you do not obtain favorable conditions6 if, assimilatin with such elo*uence, who is there who would not conceive the spirit of the passions, you do not attain purification6 if the dispassion of all une$celled, perfect enli htenment< 4rom that time forth, I no lon er livin bein s is your dispassion, reverend6 if those who make recommend the vehicles of the disciples and of the solitary sa es but offerin s to you are not thereby purified6 if those who offer you food, recommend the ,ahayana. And thus, Lord, I am reluctant to o to this reverend, still fall into the three bad mi rations6 if you associate with ood man to in*uire about his illness.= all ,aras6 if you entertain all passions6 if the nature of passions is the

3E

nature of a reverend6 if you have hostile feelin s toward all livin bein s6 if you despise all the Buddhas6 if you critici+e all the teachin s of the Buddha6 if you do not rely on the -an ha6 and finally, if you never enter ultimate liberation.' =Lord, when I heard these words of the Licchavi !imalakirti, I wondered what I should say and what I should do, but I was totally in the dark. Leavin the bowl, I was about to leave the house when the Licchavi !imalakirti said to me, 'Reverend -ubhuti, do not fear these words, and pick up your bowl. (hat do you think, reverend -ubhuti< If it were an incarnation created by the Tatha ata who spoke thus to you, would you be afraid<' =I answered, '2o indeed, noble sir:' 7e then said, 'Reverend -ubhuti, the nature of all thin s is like illusion, like a ma ical incarnation. -o you should not fear them. (hy< All words also have that nature, and thus the wise are not attached to words, nor do they fear them. (hy< All lan ua e does not ultimately e$ist, e$cept as liberation. The nature of all thin s is liberation.' =(hen !imalakirti had discoursed in this way, two hundred ods obtained the pure doctrinal vision in re ard to all thin s, without obscurity or defilement, and five hundred ods obtained the conformative tolerance. As for me, I was speechless and unable to respond to him. Therefore, Lord, I am reluctant to o to this ood man to in*uire about his illness.= Then, the Buddha said to the venerable Purnamaitrayaniputra, =Purna, o to the Licchavi !imalakirti to in*uire about his illness.= Purna replied, =Lord, I am indeed reluctant to o to this ood man to in*uire about his illness. (hy< Lord, I remember one day, when I was teachin the &harma to some youn monks in the reat forest, the Licchavi !imalakirti came there and said to me, 'Reverend Purna, first concentrate yourself, re ard the minds of these youn bhikshus, and then teach them the &harma: &o not put rotten food into a .eweled bowl: 4irst understand the inclinations of these monks, and do not confuse priceless sapphires with lass beads: ='Reverend Purna, without e$aminin the spiritual faculties of livin

bein s, do not presume upon the one#sidedness of their faculties6 do not wound those who are without wounds6 do not impose a narrow path upon those who aspire to a reat path6 do not try to pour the reat ocean into the hoof#print of an o$6 do not try to put ,ount -umeru into a rain of mustard6 do not confuse the brilliance of the sun with the li ht of a lowworm6 and do not e$pose those who admire the roar of a lion to the howl of a .ackal: ='Reverend Purna, all these monks were formerly en a ed in the ,ahayana but have for otten the spirit of enli htenment. -o do not instruct them in the disciple#vehicle. The disciple#vehicle is not ultimately valid, and you disciples are like men blind from birth, in re ard to reco nition of the de rees of the spiritual faculties of livin bein s.' =At that moment, the Licchavi !imalakirti entered into such a concentration that those monks were caused to remember their various former e$istences, in which they had produced the roots of virtue by servin five hundred Buddhas for the sake of perfect enli htenment. As soon as their own spirits of enli htenment had become clear to them, they bowed at the feet of that ood man and pressed their palms to ether in reverence. 7e tau ht them the &harma, and they all attained the sta e of irreversibility from the spirit of une$celled, perfect enli htenment. It occurred to me then, 'The disciples, who do not know the thou hts or the inclinations of others, are not able to teach the &harma to anyone. (hy< These disciples are not e$pert in discernin the superiority and inferiority of the spiritual faculties of livin bein s, and they are not always in a state of concentration like the Tatha ata, the -aint, the perfectly accomplished Buddha.' =Therefore, Lord, I am reluctant to o to that ood man to in*uire about his health.= The Buddha then said to the venerable ,ahakatyayana, =0atyayana, o to the Licchavi !imalakirti to in*uire about his illness.= 0atyayana replied, =Lord, I am indeed reluctant to o that ood man to in*uire about his illness. (hy< Lord, I remember one day when, after the Lord had iven some brief instruction to the monks, I was 33

definin the e$pressions of that discourse by teachin the meanin of impermanence, sufferin , selflessness, and peace6 the Licchavi !imalakirti came there and said to me, 'Reverend ,ahakatyayana, do not teach an ultimate reality endowed with activity, production, and destruction: Reverend ,ahakatyayana, nothin was ever destroyed, is destroyed, or will ever be destroyed. -uch is the meanin of =impermanence.= The meanin of the reali+ation of birthlessness, throu h the reali+ation of the voidness of the five a re ates, is the meanin of =sufferin .= The fact of the nonduality of self and selflessness is the meanin of =selflessness.= That which has no intrinsic substance and no other sort of substance does not burn, and what does not burn is not e$tin uished6 such lack of e$tinction is the meanin of =peace.=' =(hen he had discoursed thus, the minds of the monks were liberated from their defilements and entered a state of non raspin . Therefore, Lord, I am reluctant to o to that ood man to in*uire about his illness.= The Buddha then said to the venerable Aniruddha, =Aniruddha, o to the Licchavi !imalakirti to in*uire about his illness.= =,y Lord, I am indeed reluctant to o that ood man to in*uire about his illness. (hy< I remember, Lord, one day when I was takin a walk, the reat Brahma named -ubhavyuha and the ten thousand other Brahmas who accompanied him illuminated the place with their radiance and, havin bowed their heads at my feet, withdrew to one side and asked me, 'Reverend Aniruddha, you have been proclaimed by the Buddha to be the foremost amon those who possess the divine eye. To what distance does the divine vision of the venerable Aniruddha e$tend<' I answered, '4riends, I see the entire billion#world# alactic universe of the Lord -akyamuni .ust as plainly as a man of ordinary vision sees a myrobalan nut on the palm of his hand.' (hen I had said these words, the Licchavi !imalakirti came there and, havin bowed his head at my feet, said to me, 'Reverend Aniruddha, is your divine eye compounded in nature< "r is it uncompounded in nature< If it is compounded in nature, it is the same as the superknowled es of

the heterodo$. If it is uncompounded in nature, then it is not constructed and, as such, is incapable of seein . Then, how do you see, " elder<' =At these words, I became speechless, and Brahma also was ama+ed to hear this teachin from that ood man. 7avin bowed to him, he said, '(ho then, in the world, possesses the divine eye<' =!imalakirti answered, 'In the world, it is the Buddhas who have the divine eye. They see all the buddha#fields without even leavin their state of concentration and without bein affected by duality.' =7avin heard these words, the ten thousand Brahmas were inspired with hi h resolve and conceived the spirit of une$celled, perfect enli htenment. 7avin paid homa e and respect both to me and to that ood man, they disappeared. As for me, I remained speechless, and therefore I am reluctant to o to that ood man to in*uire about his illness.= The Buddha then said to the venerable /pali, =/pali, o to the Licchavi !imalakirti to in*uire about his illness.= /pali replied, =Lord, I am indeed reluctant to o to that ood man to in*uire about his illness. (hy< Lord, I remember that one day there were two monks who had committed some infraction and were too ashamed to appear before the Lord, so they came to me and said, 'Reverend /pali, we have both committed an infraction but are too ashamed to appear before the Buddha. !enerable /pali, kindly remove our an$ieties by absolvin us of these infractions.' =Lord, while I was ivin those two monks some reli ious discourse, the Licchavi !imalakirti came there and said to me, 'Reverend /pali, do not a ravate further the sins of these two monks. (ithout perple$in them, relieve their remorse. Reverend /pali, sin is not to be apprehended within, or without, or between the two. (hy< The Buddha has said, =Livin bein s are afflicted by the passions of thou ht, and they are purified by the purification of thou ht.= 3;

='Reverend /pali, the mind is neither within nor without, nor is it to be apprehended between the two. -in is .ust the same as the mind, and all thin s are .ust the same as sin. They do not escape this same reality. ='Reverend /pali, this nature of the mind, by virtue of which your mind, reverend, is liberated # does it ever become afflicted<' ='2ever,' I replied. ='Reverend /pali, the minds of all livin bein s have that very nature. Reverend /pali, passions consist of conceptuali+ations. The ultimate none$istence of these conceptuali+ations and ima inary fabrications # that is the purity that is the intrinsic nature of the mind. ,isapprehensions are passions. The ultimate absence of misapprehensions is the intrinsic nature of the mind. The presumption of self is passion. The absence of self is the intrinsic nature of the mind. Reverend /pali, all thin s are without production, destruction, and duration, like ma ical illusions, clouds, and li htnin 6 all thin s are evanescent, not remainin even for an instant6 all thin s are like dreams, hallucinations, and unreal visions6 all thin s are like the reflection of the moon in water and like a mirror#ima e6 they are born of mental construction. Those who know this are called the true upholders of the discipline, and those disciplined in that way are indeed well disciplined.'=

The Buddha then said to the venerable Rahula, =Rahula, o to the Licchavi !imalakirti to in*uire about his illness.= Rahula replied, =Lord, I am indeed reluctant to o to that ood man to in*uire about his illness. (hy< Lord, I remember that one day many youn Licchavi entlemen came to the place where I was and said to me, 'Reverend Rahula, you are the son of the Lord, and, havin renounced a kin dom of a universal monarch, you have left the world. (hat are the virtues and benefits you saw in leavin the world<' =As I was teachin them properly the benefits and virtues of renouncin the world, the Licchavi !imalakirti came there and, havin reeted me, said, 'Reverend Rahula, you should not teach the benefits and virtues of renunciation in the way that you do. (hy< Renunciation is itself the very absence of virtues and benefits.

Reverend Rahula, one may speak of benefits and virtues in re ard to compounded thin s, but renunciation is uncompounded, and there can be no *uestion of benefits and virtues in re ard to the uncompounded. Reverend Rahula, renunciation is not material but is free of matter. It is free of the e$treme views of be innin and end. It is the path of liberation. It is praised by the wise, embraced by the saints, and causes the defeat of all ,aras. It liberates from the five =Then the two monks said, 'This householder is e$tremely well states of e$istence, purifies the five eyes, cultivates the five powers, endowed with wisdom. The reverend /pali, who was proclaimed by and supports the five spiritual faculties. Renunciation is totally the Lord as the foremost of the upholders of the discipline, is not his harmless to others and is not adulterated with evil thin s. It e*ual.' disciplines the heterodo$, transcendin all denominations. It is the brid e over the swamp of desire, without raspin , and free of the =I then said to the two monks, '&o not entertain the notion that he is a habits of =I= and =mine.= It is without attachment and without mere householder: (hy< (ith the e$ception of the Tatha ata himself, disturbance, eliminatin all commotion. It disciplines one's own mind there is no disciple or bodhisattva capable of competin with his and protects the minds of others. It favors mental *uiescence and elo*uence or rivalin the brilliance of his wisdom.' stimulates transcendental analysis. It is irreproachable in all respects and so is called renunciation. Those who leave the mundane in this =Thereupon, the two monks, delivered from their an$ieties and inspired way are called =truly renunciant.= 9oun men, renounce the world in with a hi h resolve, conceived the spirit of une$celled, perfect the li ht of this clear teachin : The appearance of the Buddha is enli htenment. Bowin down to that ood man, they made the wish1 e$tremely rare. 7uman life endowed with leisure and opportunity is ',ay all livin bein s attain elo*uence such as this:' Therefore, I am very hard to obtain. To be a human bein is very precious.' reluctant to o to that ood man to in*uire about his illness.= 3>

=The youn men complained1 'But, householder, we have heard the Tatha ata declare that one should not renounce the world without the permission of one's parents.' =!imalakirti answered1 '9oun men, you should cultivate yourselves intensively to conceive the spirit of une$celled, perfect enli htenment. That in itself will be your renunciation and hi h ordination:' =Thereupon, thirty#two of the Licchavi youths conceived the spirit of une$celled, perfect enli htenment. Therefore, Lord, I am reluctant to o to that ood man to in*uire about his illness.= The Buddha then said to the venerable Ananda, =Ananda, o to the Licchavi !imalakirti to in*uire about his illness.= Ananda replied, =Lord, I am indeed reluctant to o to that ood man to in*uire about his illness. (hy< Lord, I remember one day when the body of the Lord manifested some indisposition and he re*uired some milk6 I took the bowl and went to the door of the mansion of a reat Brahman family. The Licchavi !imalakirti came there, and, havin saluted me, said, 'Reverend Ananda, what are you doin on the threshold of this house with your bowl in your hand so early in the mornin <' =I replied1 'The body of the Lord manifests some indisposition, and he needs some milk. Therefore, I have come to fetch some.' =!imalakirti then said to me, 'Reverend Ananda, do not say such a thin : Reverend Ananda, the body of the Tatha ata is tou h as a diamond, havin eliminated all the instinctual traces of evil and bein endowed with all oodness. 7ow could disease or discomfort affect such a body<

='Reverend Ananda, a universal monarch, who is endowed only with a small root of virtue, is free of diseases. 7ow then could the Lord, who has an infinite root of virtue, have any disease< It is impossible. ='Reverend Ananda, do not brin shame upon us, but o in silence, lest the heterodo$ sectarians should hear your words. They would say, =4or shame: The teacher of these people cannot even cure his own sicknesses. 7ow then can he cure the sicknesses of others<= Reverend Ananda, o then discreetly so that no one observes you. ='Reverend Ananda, the Tatha atas have the body of the &harma # not a body that is sustained by material food. The Tatha atas have a transcendental body that has transcended all mundane *ualities. There is no in.ury to the body of a Tatha ata, as it is rid of all defilements. The body of a Tatha ata is uncompounded and free of all formative activity. Reverend Ananda, to believe there can be illness in such a body is irrational and unseemly:' =(hen I had heard these words, I wondered if I had previously misheard and misunderstood the Buddha, and I was very much ashamed. Then I heard a voice from the sky1 'Ananda: The householder speaks to you truly. 2evertheless, since the Buddha has appeared durin the time of the five corruptions, he disciplines livin bein s by actin lowly and humble. Therefore, Ananda, do not be ashamed, and o and et the milk:' =Lord, such was my conversation with the Licchavi !imalakirti, and therefore I am reluctant to o to that ood man to in*uire about his illness.=

='Reverend Ananda, o in silence, and do not belittle the Lord. &o not say such thin s to others. It would not be ood for the powerful ods or In the same way, the rest of the five hundred disciples were reluctant for the bodhisattvas comin from the various buddha#fields to hear to o to the Licchavi !imalakirti, and each told the Buddha his own such words. 3?

adventure, recountin all his conversations with the Licchavi !imalakirti.

Vimalakirti Sutra
Chapter ': he &eluctance of the Bodhi$attva$

entered ultimate liberation. 4or, since all livin bein s are utterly liberated, the Tatha atas see them as havin the nature of ultimate liberation. ='Therefore, ,aitreya, do not fool and delude these deities: 2o one abides in, or re resses from, enli htenment.

,aitreya, you should introduce these deities to the repudiation of all Then, the Buddha said to the bodhisattva ,aitreya, =,aitreya, o to the discriminative constructions concernin enli htenment. Licchavi !imalakirti to in*uire about his illness.= ,aitreya replied, =Lord, I am indeed reluctant to o to that ood man to in*uire about his illness. (hy< Lord, I remember that one day I was en a ed in a conversation with the ods of the Tusita heaven, the od -amtusita and his retinue, about the sta e of nonre ression of the reat bodhisattvas. At that time, the Licchavi !imalakirti came there and addressed me as follows1 =',aitreya, the Buddha has prophesied that only one more birth stands between you and une$celled, perfect enli htenment. (hat kind of birth does this prophecy concern, ,aitreya< Is it past< Is it future< "r is it present< If it is a past birth, it is already finished. If it is a future birth, it will never arrive. If it is a present birth, it does not abide. 4or the Buddha has declared, =Bhikshus, in a sin le moment, you are born, you a e, you die, you transmi rate, and you are reborn.= ='Then mi ht the prophecy concern birthlessness< But birthlessness applies to the sta e of destiny for the ultimate, in which there is neither prophecy nor attainment of perfect enli htenment. ='5nli htenment is perfectly reali+ed neither by the body nor by the mind. 5nli htenment is the eradication of all marks. 5nli htenment is free of presumptions concernin all ob.ects. 5nli htenment is free of the functionin of all intentional thou hts. 5nli htenment is the annihilation of all convictions. 5nli htenment is free from all discriminative constructions. 5nli htenment is free from all vacillation, mentation, and a itation. 5nli htenment is not involved in any commitments. 5nli htenment is the arrival at detachment, throu h freedom from all habitual attitudes. The round of enli htenment is the ultimate realm. 5nli htenment is reali+ation of reality. 5nli htenment abides at the limit of reality. 5nli htenment is without duality, since therein are no minds and no thin s. 5nli htenment is e*uality, since it is e*ual to infinite space.

='5nli htenment is unconstructed, because it is neither born nor destroyed, neither abides nor under oes any transformation. 5nli htenment is the complete knowled e of the thou hts, deeds, and inclinations of all livin bein s. 5nli htenment is not a door for the ='Therefore, ,aitreya, is your reality from birth< "r is it from si$ media of sense. 5nli htenment is unadulterated, since it is free of cessation< 9our reality as prophesied is not born and does not cease, the passions of the instinctually driven succession of lives. nor will it be born nor will it cease. 4urthermore, your reality is .ust the 5nli htenment is neither somewhere nor nowhere, abidin in no same as the reality of all livin bein s, the reality of all thin s, and the location or dimension. 5nli htenment, not bein contained in reality of all the holy ones. If your enli htenment can be prophesied in anythin , does not stand in reality. 5nli htenment is merely a name such a way, so can that of all livin bein s. (hy< Because reality does and even that name is unmovin . 5nli htenment, free of abstention not consist of duality or of diversity. ,aitreya, whenever you attain and undertakin , is ener yless. There is no a itation in Buddhahood, which is the perfection of enli htenment, at the same enli htenment, as it is utterly pure by nature. 5nli htenment is time all livin bein s will also attain ultimate liberation. (hy< The radiance, pure in essence. 5nli htenment is without sub.ectivity and Tatha atas do not enter ultimate liberation until all livin bein s have completely without ob.ect. 5nli htenment, which penetrates the 3@

e*uality of all thin s, is undifferentiated. 5nli htenment, which is not because it is .oyfully devoted to the bliss of the &harma. It is the seat shown by any e$ample, is incomparable. 5nli htenment is subtle, since of e*uanimity, because it abandons affection and aversion. it is e$tremely difficult to reali+e. 5nli htenment is all#pervasive, as it has the nature of infinite space. ='It is the seat of paranormal perception, because it has the si$ superknowled es. It is the seat of liberation, because it does not 5nli htenment cannot be reali+ed, either physically or mentally. (hy< intellectuali+e. It is the seat of liberative techni*ue, because it The body is like rass, trees, walls, paths, and hallucinations. And the develops livin bein s. It is the seat of the means of unification, mind is immaterial, invisible, baseless, and unconscious.' because it brin s to ether livin bein s. It is the seat of learnin , because it makes practice of the essence. It is the seat of decisiveness, =Lord, when !imalakirti had discoursed thus, two hundred of the because of its precise discrimination. It is the seat of the aids to deities in that assembly attained the tolerance of birthlessness. As for enli htenment, because it eliminates the duality of the compounded me, Lord, I was rendered speechless. Therefore, I am reluctant to o to and the uncompounded. It is the seat of truth, because it does not that ood man to in*uire about his illness.= deceive anyone. The Buddha then said to the youn Licchavi Prabhavyuha, =Prabhavyuha, o to the Licchavi !imalakirti to in*uire about his illness.= Prabhavyuha replied, =Lord, I am indeed reluctant to o to that ood man to in*uire about his illness. (hy< Lord, I remember one day, when I was oin out of the reat city of !aisali, I met the Licchavi !imalakirti comin in. 7e reeted me, and I then addressed him1 '7ouseholder, where do you come from<' 7e replied, 'I come from the seat of enli htenment.' I then in*uired, '(hat is meant by =seat of enli htenment=<' 7e then spoke the followin words to me, '2oble son, the seat of enli htenment is the seat of positive thou ht because it is without artificiality. It is the seat of effort, because it releases ener etic activities. It is the seat of hi h resolve, because its insi ht is superior. It is the seat of the reat spirit of enli htenment, because it does not ne lect anythin . ='It is the seat of enerosity, because it has no e$pectation of reward. It is the seat of morality, because it fulfills all commitments. It is the seat of tolerance, because it is free of an er toward any livin bein . It is the seat of effort, because it does not turn back. It is the seat of meditation, because it enerates fitness of mind. It is the seat of wisdom, because it sees everythin directly. ='It is the seat of love, because it is e*ual to all livin bein s. It is the seat of compassion, because it tolerates all in.uries. It is the seat of .oy, ='It is the seat of interdependent ori ination, because it proceeds from the e$haustion of i norance to the e$haustion of old a e and death. It is the seat of eradication of all passions, because it is perfectly enli htened about the nature of reality. It is the seat of all livin bein s, because all livin bein s are without intrinsic identity. It is the seat of all thin s, because it is perfectly enli htened with re ard to voidness. ='It is the seat of the con*uest of all devils, because it never flinches. It is the seat of the triple world, because it is free of involvement. It is the seat of the heroism that sounds the lion's roar, because it is free of fear and tremblin . It is the seat of the stren ths, the fearlessnesses, and all the special *ualities of the Buddha, because it is irreproachable in all respects. It is the seat of the three knowled es, because in it no passions remain. It is the seat of instantaneous, total understandin of all thin s, because it reali+es fully the nosis of omniscience. ='2oble son, when bodhisattvas are thus endowed with the transcendences, the roots of virtue, the ability to develop livin bein s, and the incorporation of the holy &harma, whether they lift up their feet or put them down, they all come from the seat of enli htenment. They come from the *ualities of the Buddha, and stand on the *ualities of the Buddha.' =Lord, when !imalakirti had e$plained this teachin , five hundred 3A

ods and men conceived the spirit of enli htenment, and I became speechless. Therefore, Lord, I am reluctant to o to that ood man to in*uire about his illness.= The Buddha then said to the bodhisattva )a atimdhara, =)a atimdhara, o to the Licchavi !imalakirti to in*uire about his illness.= )a atimdhara replied, =,y Lord, I am indeed reluctant to o to that ood man to in*uire about his illness. (hy< Lord, I remember that one day, when I was at home, the wicked ,ara, dis uised as Indra and surrounded with twelve thousand heavenly maidens, approached me with the sounds of music and sin in . 7avin saluted me by touchin my feet with his head, he withdrew with his retinue to one side. I then, thinkin he was -akra, the kin of the ods, said to him, '(elcome, " 0ausika: 9ou should remain consciously aware in the midst of the pleasures of desire. 9ou should often think on impermanence and strive to utili+e the essential in body, life, and wealth.' =,ara then said to me, '%ood sir, accept from me these twelve thousand divine maidens and make them your servants.' =I replied, '" 0ausika, do not offer me, who am reli ious and a son of the -akya, thin s which are not appropriate. It is not proper for me to have these maidens.' =2o sooner had I said these words than the Licchavi !imalakirti came there and said to me, '2oble son, do not think that this is Indra: This is not Indra but the evil ,ara, who has come to ridicule you.' =Then the Licchavi !imalakirti said to ,ara, '5vil ,ara, since these heavenly maidens are not suitable for this reli ious devotee, a son of the -akya, ive them to me.' =Then ,ara was terrified and distressed, thinkin that the Licchavi !imalakirti had come to e$pose him. 7e tried to make himself invisible, but, try as he mi ht with all his ma ical powers, he could not vanish from si ht. Then a voice resounded in the sky, sayin , '5vil "ne, ive these heavenly maidens to the ood man !imalakirti, and only then will you be able to return to your own abode.'

=Then ,ara was even more fri htened and, much a ainst his will, ave the heavenly maidens. =The Licchavi !imalakirti, havin received the oddesses, said to them, '2ow that you have been iven to me by ,ara, you should all conceive the spirit of une$celled, perfect enli htenment.' =7e then e$horted them with discourse suitable for their development toward enli htenment, and soon they conceived the spirit of enli htenment. 7e then said to them, '9ou have .ust conceived the spirit of enli htenment. 4rom now on, you should devote yourselves to find .oy in pleasures of the &harma, and should take no pleasure in desires.' =They then asked him, '(hat is =.oy in the pleasures of the &harma=<' =7e declared, 'It is the .oy of unbreakable faith in the Buddha, of wishin to hear the &harma, of servin the -an ha and honorin the spiritual benefactors without pride. It is the .oy of renunciation of the whole world, of not bein fi$ed in ob.ects, of considerin the five a re ates to be like murderers, of considerin the elements to be like venomous serpents, and of considerin the sense#media to be like an empty town. It is the .oy of always uardin the spirit of enli htenment, of helpin livin bein s, of sharin throu h enerosity, of not slackenin in morality, of control and tolerance in patience, of thorou h cultivation of virtue by effort, of total absorption in meditation, and of absence of passions in wisdom. It is the .oy of e$tendin enli htenment, of con*uerin the ,aras, of destroyin the passions, and of purifyin the buddha#field. It is the .oy of accumulatin all virtues, in order to cultivate the auspicious marks and si ns. It is the .oy of the liberation of nonintimidation when hearin the profound teachin . It is the .oy of e$ploration of the three doors of liberation, and of the reali+ation of liberation. It is the .oy of bein an ornament of the seat of enli htenment, and of not attainin liberation at the wron time. It is the .oy of servin those of e*ual fortune, of not hatin or resentin those of superior fortune, of servin the spiritual benefactors, and of avoidin sinful friends. It is the .oy of the superior ladness of faith and devotion to the &harma. It is the .oy of ac*uirin liberative techni*ues and of the conscious 3B

cultivation of the aids to enli htenment. Thus, the bodhisattva admires and finds .oy in the deli hts of the &harma.' =Thereupon, ,ara said to the oddesses, '2ow come alon and let us return home.'

Thus, Lord, I saw the supremacy of the ma ical power, wisdom, and elo*uence of the Licchavi !imalakirti, and therefore I am reluctant to o to that ood man to in*uire about his illness.=

The Buddha then said to the merchant's son, -udatta, =2oble son, o =They said, '9ou ave us to this householder. 2ow we should en.oy the to the Licchavi !imalakirti to in*uire about his illness.= deli hts of the &harma and should no lon er en.oy the pleasures of desires.' -udatta replied, =Lord, I am indeed reluctant to o to that ood man to in*uire about his illness. (hy< Lord, I remember one day in my =Then ,ara said to the Licchavi !imalakirti, 'If it is so that the father's house when, in order to celebrate a reat sacrifice, I was bodhisattva, the spiritual hero, has no mental attachment, and ives bestowin ifts upon reli ious devotees, Brahmans, the poor, the away all his possessions, then, householder, please ive me these wretched, the unfortunate, be ars, and all the needy. "n the seventh oddesses.' and final day of this reat sacrifice, the Licchavi !imalakirti came there and said, ',erchant's son, you should not celebrate a sacrifice in =!imalakirti replied, 'They are iven, ,ara. %o home with your this way. 9ou should celebrate a &harma#sacrifice. (hat is the use of retinue. ,ay you fulfill the reli ious aspirations of all livin bein s:' the sacrifice of material thin s<' =Then the oddesses, salutin !imalakirti, said to him, '7ouseholder, how should we live in the abode of the ,aras<' =!imalakirti replied, '-isters, there is a door of the &harma called =The Ine$haustible Lamp.= Practice it: (hat is it< -isters, a sin le lamp may li ht hundreds of thousands of lamps without itself bein diminished. Likewise, sisters, a sin le bodhisattva may establish many hundreds of thousands of livin bein s in enli htenment without his mindfulness bein diminished. In fact, not only does it not diminish, it rows stron er. Likewise, the more you teach and demonstrate virtuous *ualities to others, the more you row with respect to these virtuous *ualities. This is the door of the &harma called =The Ine$haustible Lamp.= (hen you are livin in the realm of ,ara, inspire innumerable ods and oddesses with the spirit of enli htenment. In such a way, you will repay the kindness of the Tatha ata, and you will become the benefactors of all livin bein s.' =Then, those oddesses bowed at the feet of the Licchavi !imalakirti and departed in the company of ,ara. =I then asked him, '7ow does one ive a &harma#sacrifice<' =7e replied, 'A &harma#sacrifice is that which develops livin bein s without be innin or end, ivin ifts to them all simultaneously. (hat is that< It consists of the reat love which is consummated in enli htenment6 of the reat compassion which is consummated in the concentration of the holy &harma on the liberation of all livin bein s6 of the reat .oy which is consummated in the awareness of the supreme happiness of all livin bein s6 and of the reat e*uanimity which is consummated in concentration throu h knowled e. ='The &harma#sacrifice consists of the transcendence of enerosity, which is consummated in peacefulness and self#discipline6 of the transcendence of morality, which is consummated in the moral development of immoral bein s6 of the transcendence of tolerance, consummated throu h the principle of selflessness6 of the transcendence of effort, consummated in initiative toward enli htenment6 of the transcendence of meditation, consummated in the solitude of body and mind6 and of the transcendence of wisdom, consummated in the omniscient nosis. 3C

='The &harma#sacrifice consists of the meditation of voidness, consummated in effectiveness in the development of all livin bein s6 of the meditation of si nlessness, consummated in the purification of all compounded thin s6 and of the meditation of wishlessness, consummated in voluntarily assumin rebirths.

=Lord, as soon as the householder had discoursed thus, two hundred Brahmans amon the crowd of Brahmans present conceived the spirit of une$celled, perfect enli htenment. And I, full of astonishment, havin saluted this ood man by touchin his feet with my head, took from around my neck a necklace of pearls worth one hundred ='The &harma#sacrifice consists of heroic stren th, consummated in the thousand pieces of old and offered it to him. But he would not upholdin of the holy &harma6 of the power of life, consummated in accept it. I then said to him, 'Please accept, ood man, this necklace the means of unification6 of the absence of pride, consummated in of pearls, out of compassion for me, and ive it to whomsoever you becomin the slave and the disciple of all livin bein s6 of the ain of wish.' body, health, and wealth, consummated by the e$traction of essence from the essenceless6 of mindfulness, consummated by the si$ =Then, !imalakirti took the pearls and divided them into two halves. remembrances6 of positive thou ht, consummated throu h the truly 7e ave one half of them to the lowliest poor of the city, who had en.oyable &harma6 of purity of livelihood, consummated by correct been disdained by those present at the sacrifice. The other half he spiritual practice6 of the respect of saints, consummated by .oyful and offered to the Tatha ata &usprasaha. And he performed a miracle faithful service6 of soberness of mind, consummated by absence of such that all present beheld the universe called ,arici and the dislike for ordinary people6 of hi h resolve, consummated by Tatha ata &usprasaha. "n the head of the Tatha ata &usprasaha, the renunciation6 of skill in erudition, consummated by reli ious practice6 pearl necklace took the form of a pavilion, decorated with strin s of of retirement in solitary retreats, consummated by understandin thin s pearls, restin on four bases, with four columns, symmetrical, well free of passions6 of introspective meditation, consummated by constructed, and lovely to behold. 7avin shown such a miracle, attainment of the Buddha# nosis6 of the sta e of the practice of yo a, !imalakirti said, 'The iver who makes ifts to the lowliest poor of consummated by the yo a of liberatin all livin bein s from their the city, considerin them as worthy of offerin as the Tatha ata passions. himself, the iver who ives without any discrimination, impartially, with no e$pectation of reward, and with reat love # this iver, I say, ='The &harma#sacrifice consists of the store of merit which is totally fulfills the &harma#sacrifice.' consummated by the auspicious si ns and marks, the ornaments of the buddha#fields, and all other means of development of livin bein s6 of =Then the poor of the city, havin seen that miracle and havin heard the store of knowled e which is consummated in the ability to teach the that teachin , conceived the spirit of une$celled, perfect &harma accordin to the thou hts and actions of all livin bein s6 of enli htenment. Therefore, Lord, I am reluctant to o to that ood man the store of wisdom, which is consummated in the uniform nosis free to in*uire about his illness.= of acceptance and re.ection in re ard to all thin s6 of the store of all roots of virtue, consummated in the abandonment of all passions, In the same way, all the bodhisattvas, reat spiritual heroes, told the obscurations, and unvirtuous thin s6 and of the attainment of all the stories of their conversations with !imalakirti and declared their aids to enli htenment, consummated in the reali+ation of the nosis of reluctance to o to him. omniscience as well as in accomplishment of all virtue. Vimalakirti Sutra ='That, noble son, is the &harma#sacrifice. The bodhisattva who lives by this &harma#sacrifice is the best of sacrificers, and, throu h his e$treme sacrifice, is himself worthy of offerin s from all people, includin the ods.' Chapter (: he Con$olation of the Invalid 3D

Then, the Buddha said to the crown prince, ,an.usri, =,an.usri, o to the Licchavi !imalakirti to in*uire about his illness.= ,an.usri replied, =Lord, it is difficult to attend upon the Licchavi !imalakirti. 7e is ifted with marvelous elo*uence concernin the law of the profound. 7e is e$tremely skilled in full e$pressions and in the reconciliation of dichotomies. 7is elo*uence is ine$orable, and no one can resist his imperturbable intellect. 7e accomplishes all the activities of the bodhisattvas. 7e penetrates all the secret mysteries of the bodhisattvas and the Buddhas. 7e is skilled in civili+in all the abodes of devils. 7e plays with the reat superknowled es. 7e is consummate in wisdom and liberative techni*ue. 7e has attained the supreme e$cellence of the indivisible, nondual sphere of the ultimate realm. 7e is skilled in teachin the &harma with its infinite modalities within the uniform ultimate. 7e is skilled in rantin means of attainment in accordance with the spiritual faculties of all livin bein s. 7e has thorou hly inte rated his reali+ation with skill in liberative techni*ue. 7e has attained decisiveness with re ard to all *uestions. Thus, althou h he cannot be withstood by someone of my feeble defenses, still, sustained by the race of the Buddha, I will o to him and will converse with him as well as I can.= Thereupon, in that assembly, the bodhisattvas, the reat disciples, the -akras, the Brahmas, the Lokapalas, and the ods and oddesses, all had this thou ht1 =-urely the conversations of the youn prince ,an.usri and that ood man will result in a profound teachin of the &harma.=

disappeared. And, e$cept for the invalid's couch upon which !imalakirti himself was lyin , no bed or couch or seat could be seen anywhere. Then, the Licchavi !imalakirti saw the crown prince ,an.usri and addressed him thus1 =,an.usri: (elcome, ,an.usri: 9ou are very welcome: There you are, without any comin . 9ou appear, without any seein . 9ou are heard, without any hearin .= ,an.usri declared, =7ouseholder, it is as you say. (ho comes, finally comes not. (ho oes, finally oes not. =(hy< (ho comes is not known to come. (ho oes is not known to o. (ho appears is finally not to be seen. =%ood sir, is your condition tolerable< Is it livable< Are your physical elements not disturbed< Is your sickness diminishin < Is it not increasin < The Buddha asks about you # if you have sli ht trouble, sli ht discomfort, sli ht sickness, if your distress is li ht, if you are cared for, stron , at ease, without self#reproach, and if you are livin in touch with the supreme happiness. =7ouseholder, whence came this sickness of yours< 7ow lon will it continue< 7ow does it stand< 7ow can it be alleviated<=

!imalakirti replied, =,an.usri, my sickness comes from i norance and the thirst for e$istence and it will last as lon as do the sicknesses of all livin bein s. (ere all livin bein s to be free from sickness, I Thus, ei ht thousand bodhisattvas, five hundred disciples, a reat also would not be sick. (hy< ,an.usri, a bodhisattva enters into number of -akras, Brahmas, Lokapalas, and many hundreds of births and deaths for the sake of all livin bein s, and births and thousands of ods and oddesses, all followed the crown prince deaths always accompany sicknesses. (ere all livin bein s free of ,an.usri to listen to the &harma. And the crown prince ,an.usri, sickness, the bodhisattva also would be free of sickness. 4or e$ample, surrounded and followed by these bodhisattvas, disciples, -akras, ,an.usri, when the only son of a elder is sick, both his parents Brahmas, Lokapalas, ods, and oddesses, entered the reat city of become sick on account of the sickness of their son. And the parents !aisali. will suffer as lon as that only son does not recover from his sickness. )ust so, ,an.usri, the bodhisattva loves all livin bein s as ,eanwhile, the Licchavi !imalakirti thou ht to himself, =,an.usri, the if each were his only child. 7e becomes sick when they are sick and crown prince, is comin here with numerous attendants. 2ow, may this is cured when they are cured. 9ou ask me, ,an.usri, whence comes house be transformed into emptiness:= my sickness6 the sicknesses of the bodhisattvas arise from reat compassion.= Then, ma ically his house became empty. 5ven the doorkeeper ;E

,an.usri1 7ouseholder, why is your house empty< (hy have you no servants< !imalakirti1 ,an.usri, all buddha#fields are also empty. ,an.usri1 (hat makes them empty< !imalakirti1 They are empty because of emptiness. ,an.usri1 (hat is =empty= about emptiness< !imalakirti1 8onstructions are empty, because of emptiness. ,an.usri1 8an emptiness be conceptually constructed<

,an.usri1 Is it physical or mental< !imalakirti1 It is not physical, since the body is insubstantial in itself. It is not mental, since the nature of the mind is like illusion. ,an.usri1 7ouseholder, which of the four main elements is disturbed # earth, water, fire, or air< !imalakirti1 ,an.usri, I am sick only because the elements of livin bein s are disturbed by sicknesses. ,an.usri1 7ouseholder, how should a bodhisattva console another bodhisattva who is sick<

!imalakirti1 7e should tell him that the body is impermanent, but should not e$hort him to renunciation or dis ust. 7e should tell him that the body is miserable, but should not encoura e him to find solace in liberation6 that the body is selfless, but that livin bein s ,an.usri1 7ouseholder, where should emptiness be sou ht< should be developed6 that the body is peaceful, but not to seek any ultimate calm. 7e should ur e him to confess his evil deeds, but not !imalakirti1 ,an.usri, emptiness should be sou ht amon the si$ty#two for the sake of absolution. 7e should encoura e his empathy for all convictions. livin bein s on account of his own sickness, his remembrance of sufferin e$perienced from be innin less time, and his consciousness ,an.usri1 (here should the si$ty#two convictions be sou ht< of workin for the welfare of livin bein s. 7e should encoura e him not to be distressed, but to manifest the roots of virtue, to maintain !imalakirti1 They should be sou ht in the liberation of the Tatha atas. the primal purity and the lack of cravin , and thus to always strive to become the kin of healers, who can cure all sicknesses. Thus should ,an.usri1 (here should the liberation of the Tatha atas be sou ht< a bodhisattva console a sick bodhisattva, in such a way as to make him happy. !imalakirti1 It should be sou ht in the prime mental activity of all livin bein s. ,an.usri, you ask me why I am without servants, but all ,an.usri asked, =2oble sir, how should a sick bodhisattva control his ,aras and opponents are my servants. (hy< The ,aras advocate this own mind<= life of birth and death and the bodhisattva does not avoid life. The heterodo$ opponents advocate convictions, and the bodhisattva is not !imalakirti replied, =,an.usri, a sick bodhisattva should control his troubled by convictions. Therefore, all ,aras and opponents are my own mind with the followin consideration1 -ickness arises from servants. total involvement in the process of misunderstandin from be innin less time. It arises from the passions that result from unreal ,an.usri1 7ouseholder, of what sort is your sickness< mental constructions, and hence ultimately nothin is perceived which can be said to be sick. (hy< The body is the issue of the four !imalakirti1 It is immaterial and invisible. ;3 !imalakirti1 5ven that concept is itself empty, and emptiness cannot construct emptiness.

main elements, and in these elements there is no owner and no a ent. There is no self in this body, and e$cept for arbitrary insistence on self, ultimately no =I= which can be said to be sick can be apprehended. Therefore, thinkin =I= should not adhere to any self, and =I= should rest in the knowled e of the root of illness,' he should abandon the conception of himself as a personality and produce the conception of himself as a thin , thinkin , 'This body is an a re ate of many thin s6 when it is born, only thin s are born6 when it ceases, only thin s cease6 these thin s have no awareness or feelin of each other6 when they are born, they do not think, =I am born.= (hen they cease, they do not think, =I cease.=' =4urthermore, he should understand thorou hly the conception of himself as a thin by cultivatin the followin consideration1 ')ust as in the case of the conception of =self,= so the conception of =thin = is also a misunderstandin , and this misunderstandin is also a rave sickness6 I should free myself from this sickness and should strive to abandon it.' =(hat is the elimination of this sickness< It is the elimination of e oism and possessiveness. (hat is the elimination of e oism and possessiveness< It is the freedom from dualism. (hat is freedom from dualism< It is the absence of involvement with either the e$ternal or the internal. (hat is absence of involvement with either e$ternal or internal< It is nondeviation, nonfluctuation, and nondistraction from e*uanimity. (hat is e*uanimity< It is the e*uality of everythin from self to liberation. (hy< Because both self and liberation are void. 7ow can both be void< As verbal desi nations, they both are void, and neither is established in reality. Therefore, one who sees such e*uality makes no difference between sickness and voidness6 his sickness is itself voidness, and that sickness as voidness is itself void. =The sick bodhisattva should reco ni+e that sensation is ultimately nonsensation, but he should not reali+e the cessation of sensation. Althou h both pleasure and pain are abandoned when the buddha# *ualities are fully accomplished, there is then no sacrifice of the reat compassion for all livin bein s livin in the bad mi rations. Thus, reco ni+in in his own sufferin the infinite sufferin s of these livin bein s, the bodhisattva correctly contemplates these livin bein s and resolves to cure all sicknesses. As for these livin bein s, there is nothin to be applied, and there is nothin to be removed6 one has only to teach them the &harma for them to reali+e the basis from which

sicknesses arise. (hat is this basis< It is ob.ect#perception. Insofar as apparent ob.ects are perceived, they are the basis of sickness. (hat thin s are perceived as ob.ects< The three realms of e$istence are perceived as ob.ects. (hat is the thorou h understandin of the basic, apparent ob.ect< It is its nonperception, as no ob.ects e$ist ultimately. (hat is nonperception< The internal sub.ect and the e$ternal ob.ect are not perceived dualistically. Therefore, it is called nonperception. =,an.usri, thus should a sick bodhisattva control his own mind in order to overcome old a e, sickness, death, and birth. -uch, ,an.usri, is the sickness of the bodhisattva. If he takes it otherwise, all his efforts will be in vain. 4or e$ample, one is called 'hero' when one con*uers the miseries of a in , sickness, and death. =The sick bodhisattva should tell himself1 ')ust as my sickness is unreal and none$istent, so the sicknesses of all livin bein s are unreal and none$istent.' Throu h such considerations, he arouses the reat compassion toward all livin bein s without fallin into any sentimental compassion. The reat compassion that strives to eliminate the accidental passions does not conceive of any life in livin bein s. (hy< Because reat compassion that falls into sentimentally purposive views only e$hausts the bodhisattva in his reincarnations. But the reat compassion which is free of involvement with sentimentally purposive views does not e$haust the bodhisattva in all his reincarnations. 7e does not reincarnate throu h involvement with such views but reincarnates with his mind free of involvement. 7ence, even his reincarnation is like a liberation. Bein reincarnated as if bein liberated, he has the power and ability to teach the &harma which liberates livin bein s from their bonda e. As the Lord declares1 'It is not possible for one who is himself bound to deliver others from their bonda e. But one who is himself liberated is able to liberate others from their bonda e.' Therefore, the bodhisattva should participate in liberation and should not participate in bonda e. =(hat is bonda e< And what is liberation< To indul e in liberation from the world without employin liberative techni*ue is bonda e for ;;

the bodhisattva. To en a e in life in the world with full employment of liberative techni*ue is liberation for the bodhisattva. To e$perience the taste of contemplation, meditation, and concentration without skill in liberative techni*ue is bonda e. To e$perience the taste of contemplation and meditation with skill in liberative techni*ue is liberation. (isdom not inte rated with liberative techni*ue is bonda e, but wisdom inte rated with liberative techni*ue is liberation. Liberative techni*ue not inte rated with wisdom is bonda e, but liberative techni*ue inte rated with wisdom is liberation. =7ow is wisdom not inte rated with liberative techni*ue a bonda e< (isdom not inte rated with liberative techni*ue consists of concentration on voidness, si nlessness, and wishlessness, and yet, bein motivated by sentimental compassion, failure to concentrate on cultivation of the auspicious si ns and marks, on the adornment of the buddha#field, and on the work of development of livin bein s it is bonda e. =7ow is wisdom inte rated with liberative techni*ue a liberation< (isdom inte rated with liberative techni*ue consists of bein motivated by the reat compassion and thus of concentration on cultivation of the auspicious si ns and marks, on the adornment of the buddha#field, and on the work of development of livin bein s, all the while concentratin on deep investi ation of voidness, si nlessness, and wishlessness # and it is liberation. =(hat is the bonda e of liberative techni*ue not inte rated with wisdom< The bonda e of liberative techni*ue not inte rated with wisdom consists of the bodhisattva's plantin of the roots of virtue without dedicatin them for the sake of enli htenment, while livin in the rip of do matic convictions, passions, attachments, resentments, and their subconscious instincts.

wisdom is the consideration of body, mind, and sickness as impermanent, miserable, empty, and selfless. 7is liberative techni*ue consists of not e$haustin himself by tryin to avoid all physical sickness, and in applyin himself to accomplish the benefit of livin bein s, without interruptin the cycle of reincarnations. 4urthermore, his wisdom lies in understandin that the body, mind, and sickness are neither new nor old, both simultaneously and se*uentially. And his liberative techni*ue lies in not seekin cessation of body, mind, or sicknesses. =That, ,an.usri, is the way a sick bodhisattva should concentrate his mind6 he should live neither in control of his mind, nor in indul ence of his mind. (hy< To live by indul in the mind is proper for fools and to live in control of the mind is proper for the disciples. Therefore, the bodhisattva should live neither in control nor in indul ence of his mind. 2ot livin in either of the two e$tremes is the domain of the bodhisattva. =2ot the domain of the ordinary individual and not the domain of the saint, such is the domain of the bodhisattva. The domain of the world yet not the domain of the passions, such is the domain of the bodhisattva. (here one understands liberation, yet does not enter final and complete liberation, there is the domain of the bodhisattva.

(here the four ,aras manifest, yet where all the works of ,aras are transcended, there is the domain of the bodhisattva. (here one seeks the nosis of omniscience, yet does not attain this nosis at the wron time, there is the domain of the bodhisattva. (here one knows the 4our 7oly Truths, yet does not reali+e those truths at the wron time, there is the domain of the bodhisattva. A domain of introspective insi ht, wherein one does not arrest voluntary reincarnation in the =(hat is the liberation of liberative techni*ue inte rated with wisdom< world, such is the domain of the bodhisattva. A domain where one The liberation of liberative techni*ue inte rated with wisdom consists reali+es birthlessness, yet does not become destined for the ultimate, of the bodhisattva's dedication of his roots of virtue for the sake of such is the domain of the bodhisattva. (here one sees relativity enli htenment, without takin any pride therein, while for oin all without entertainin any convictions, there is the domain of the convictions, passions, attachments, resentments, and their subconscious bodhisattva. (here one associates with all bein s, yet keeps free of instincts. all afflictive instincts, there is the domain of the bodhisattva. A domain of solitude with no place for the e$haustion of body and =,an.usri, thus should the sick bodhisattva consider thin s. 7is ;>

mind, such is the domain of the bodhisattva. The domain of the triple world, yet indivisible from the ultimate realm, such is the domain of the bodhisattva. The domain of voidness, yet where one cultivates all types of virtues, such is the domain of the bodhisattva. The domain of si nlessness, where one keeps in si ht the deliverance of all livin bein s, such is the domain of the bodhisattva. The domain of wishlessness, where one voluntarily manifests lives in the world, such is the domain of the bodhisattva.

=A domain essentially without undertakin , yet where all the roots of virtue are undertaken without interruption, such is the domain of the bodhisattva. The domain of the si$ transcendences, where one attains the transcendence of the thou hts and actions of all livin bein s, such is the domain of the bodhisattva. The domain of the si$ superknowled es, wherein defilements are not e$hausted, such is the (hen !imalakirti had spoken this discourse, ei ht thousand of the domain of the bodhisattva. The domain of livin by the holy &harma, ods in the company of the crown prince ,an.usri conceived the without even perceivin any evil paths, such is the domain of the spirit of une$celled, perfect enli htenment. bodhisattva. The domain of the four immeasurables, where one does not accept rebirth in the heaven of Brahma, such is the domain of the bodhisattva. The domain of the si$ remembrances, unaffected by any sort of defilement, such is the domain of the bodhisattva. The domain of contemplation, meditation, and concentration, where one does not reincarnate in the formless realms by force of these meditations and concentrations, such is the domain of the bodhisattva. The domain of the four ri ht efforts, where the duality of ood and evil is not apprehended, such is the domain of the bodhisattva. The domain of the four bases of ma ical powers, where they are effortlessly mastered, such is the domain of the bodhisattva. The domain of the five spiritual faculties, where one knows the de rees of the spiritual faculties of livin bein s, such is the domain of the bodhisattva. The domain of livin with the five powers, where one deli hts in the ten powers of the Tatha ata, such is the domain of the bodhisattva. The domain of perfection of the seven factors of enli htenment, where one is skilled in the knowled e of fine intellectual distinctions, such is the domain of the bodhisattva. The domain of the holy ei htfold path, where one deli hts in the unlimited path of the Buddha, such is the domain of the bodhisattva. The domain of the cultivation of the aptitude for mental *uiescence and transcendental analysis, where one does not fall into e$treme *uietism, such is the domain of the bodhisattva. The domain of the reali+ation of the unborn nature of all thin s, yet of the perfection of the body, the auspicious si ns and marks, and the ornaments of the ;?

Buddha, such is the domain of the bodhisattva. The domain of manifestin the attitudes of the disciples and the solitary sa es without sacrificin the *ualities of the Buddha, such is the domain of the bodhisattva. The domain of conformity to all thin s utterly pure in nature while manifestin behavior that suits the inclinations of all livin bein s, such is the domain of the bodhisattva. A domain where one reali+es that all the buddha#fields are indestructible and uncreatable, havin the nature of infinite space, yet where one manifests the establishment of the *ualities of the buddha#fields in all their variety and ma nitude, such is the domain of the bodhisattva. The domain where one turns the wheel of the holy &harma and manifests the ma nificence of ultimate liberation, yet never forsakes the career of the bodhisattva, such is the domain of the bodhisattva:=