The Sutra Spoken by Vimalakirti, Middle Volume

一時到其舍，化令向佛道。

and at once he goes to their houses and teaches them to turn toward the Buddha path.

經書禁呪術，工巧諸伎藝，

The classics and writings, spells and arts, the many crafts and skills,

盡現行此事，饒益諸群生。

he shows himself practicing all of these to benefit the multitudes of beings.

世間眾道法，悉於中出家，

All the worldly paths and teachings, he leaves home within them all,

因以解人惑，而不墮邪見。

and so dispels people's confusion and keeps them from falling into wrong views.

或作日月天，梵王世界主，

Sometimes he becomes the sun or moon or a deva, or a Brahma king, lord of a world,

或時作地水，或復作風火。

sometimes he becomes earth and water, and sometimes wind and fire.

劫中有疾疫，現作諸藥草，

When there are plagues in a kalpa, he appears as medicinal herbs,

若有服之者，除病消眾毒；

and those who take them are cured of illness and rid of many poisons;

劫中有飢饉，現身作飲食，

when there is famine in a kalpa, he appears in the form of food and drink,

先救彼飢渴，卻以法語人；

first saving them from hunger and thirst, and then teaching them the Dharma;

劫中有刀兵，為之起慈悲，

when there are weapons and war in a kalpa, he gives rise to compassion for them,

化彼諸眾生，令住無諍地。

teaching those beings and bringing them to dwell in a land without strife.

若有大戰陣，立之以等力，

If there is a great battle, he stands among them with equal strength,

菩薩現威勢，降伏使和安。

the Bodhisattva shows his majestic power, subdues them and brings peace.

一切國土中，諸有地獄處，

In all the lands, wherever there are hells,

輒往到於彼，勉濟其苦惱；

he goes there at once, striving to relieve their suffering;

一切國土中，畜生相食噉，

in all the lands, where animals devour one another,

皆現生於彼，為之作利益。

he appears born there, to bring them benefit.

示受於五欲，亦復現行禪，

He shows himself enjoying the five desires, and also shows himself practicing dhyana,

令魔心憒亂，不能得其便。

making the mind of Mara confused, so that he cannot find an opening.

火中生蓮華，是可謂希有，

A lotus growing in fire can be called rare,

在欲而行禪，希有亦如是。

and practicing dhyana while in desire is rare in just this way.

或現作婬女，引諸好色者，

Or he appears as a courtesan, to draw in those fond of beauty,

先以欲鉤牽，後令入佛智；

first catching them with the hook of desire, and then bringing them into the Buddha's wisdom;

或為邑中主，或作商人導，

or he becomes a head man of a town, or a caravan leader of merchants,

國師及大臣，以祐利眾生。

a national preceptor or a great minister, to bring blessings and benefit to beings.

諸有貧窮者，現作無盡藏，

For those who are poor, he appears as an inexhaustible treasury,

因以勸導之，令發菩提心。

and so encourages them to arouse the mind of bodhi.

我心憍慢者，為現大力士，

For those who are proud in heart, he appears as a strongman for them,

消伏諸貢高，令住無上道。

subduing every kind of arrogance and bringing them to dwell in the unsurpassed path.

其有恐懼眾，居前而慰安，

For the fearful multitude, he stands before them to comfort them,

先施以無畏，後令發道心。

first giving them fearlessness, and then causing them to arouse the mind of the Way.

或現離婬欲，為五通仙人，

Or he appears free of lust as a sage with the five spiritual powers,

開導諸群生，令住戒忍慈。

guiding the multitudes of beings and bringing them to dwell in precepts, patience and loving-kindness.

見須供事者，現為作僮僕，

Seeing those who need attendants, he appears as a servant for them,

既悅可其意，乃發以道心，

and once he has pleased their minds, he then awakens in them the mind of the Way,

隨彼之所須，得入於佛道，

according to what they need, so they may enter the Buddha path,

以善方便力，皆能給足之。

by the power of good skillful means, he is able to supply them with all they need.

如是道無量，所行無有涯，

Such paths are immeasurable, his practice has no limit,

智慧無邊際，度脫無數眾。

his wisdom has no limit, and he delivers countless beings.

假令一切佛，於無量億劫，

Even if all the Buddhas, over immeasurable millions of kalpas,

讚歎其功德，猶尚不能盡。

praised his merit, they still could not exhaust it.

誰聞如是法，不發菩提心？

Who, hearing such a Dharma, would not arouse the mind of bodhi?

除彼不肖人，痴冥無智者。」

Except those who are unworthy, dull and without wisdom."

爾時維摩詰謂眾菩薩言：「諸仁者！云何菩薩入不二法門？各隨所樂說之。」

Then Vimalakirti said to the Bodhisattvas: "Sirs! How does a Bodhisattva enter the Dharma gate of non-duality? Each of you speak as you please."

會中有菩薩名法自在，說言：「諸仁者！生滅為二。法本不生，今則無滅，得此無生法忍，是為入不二法門。」

A Bodhisattva in the assembly named Dharmasvara said: "Sirs! Arising and ceasing are two. Dharmas are originally not born, and so now they also do not cease; to attain this acceptance of the non-arising of phenomena is to enter the Dharma gate of non-duality."

德守菩薩曰：「我、我所為二。因有我故，便有我所；若無有我，則無我所，是為入不二法門。」

The Bodhisattva Srigupta said: "Self and what belongs to self are two. Because there is self, there is what belongs to self; if there is no self, there is no what belongs to self; this is entering the Dharma gate of non-duality."

不眴菩薩曰：「受、不受為二。若法不受，則不可得；以不可得故，無取無捨、無作無行，是為入不二法門。」

The Bodhisattva Adrstanimisa said: "Receiving and not receiving are two. If dharmas are not received, they cannot be obtained; because they cannot be obtained, there is no taking or abandoning, no making or doing; this is entering the Dharma gate of non-duality."

德頂菩薩曰：「垢、淨為二。見垢實性，則無淨相，順於滅相，是為入不二法門。」

The Bodhisattva Srikuta said: "Defiled and pure are two. Seeing the real nature of defilement, there is no mark of purity, and one follows the mark of cessation; this is entering the Dharma gate of non-duality."

善宿菩薩曰：「是動、是念為二。不動則無念，無念則無分別，通達此者，是為入不二法門。」

The Bodhisattva Bhadrajyotis said: "This movement and this thought are two. Without movement there is no thought, without thought there is no discrimination; one who penetrates this enters the Dharma gate of non-duality."

善眼菩薩曰：「一相、無相為二。若知一相即是無相，亦不取無相，入於平等，是為入不二法門。」

The Bodhisattva Subahu said: "One mark and no mark are two. If one knows that one mark is no mark, and also does not take hold of no mark, entering equality, this is entering the Dharma gate of non-duality."

妙臂菩薩曰：「菩薩心、聲聞心為二。觀心相空如幻化者，無菩薩心、無聲聞心，是為入不二法門。」

The Bodhisattva Susthita said: "The mind of a Bodhisattva and the mind of a sravaka are two. Contemplating the nature of mind as empty and like an illusion, there is no Bodhisattva mind and no sravaka mind; this is entering the Dharma gate of non-duality."

弗沙菩薩曰：「善、不善為二。若不起善、不善，入無相際而通達者，是為入不二法門。」

The Bodhisattva Pusya said: "Good and not good are two. If one does not give rise to good and not good, and enters the limit of signlessness and penetrates it, this is entering the Dharma gate of non-duality."

師子菩薩曰：「罪、福為二。若達罪性，則與福無異，以金剛慧決了此相，無縛無解者，是為入不二法門。」

The Bodhisattva Simha said: “Offense and merit are two. If one penetrates the nature of offense, it is no different from merit; if one resolves this aspect with vajra wisdom, with no bondage and no liberation, this is entering the Dharma gate of non-duality.”

師子意菩薩曰：「有漏、無漏為二。若得諸法等，則不起漏、不漏想，不著於相，亦不住無相，是為入不二法門。」

The Bodhisattva Simhamati said: “Outflows and no outflows are two. If one attains the equality of all dharmas, one does not give rise to the thought of outflows or no outflows, does not cling to signs, and also does not dwell in signlessness; this is entering the Dharma gate of non-duality.”

淨解菩薩曰：「有為、無為為二。若離一切數，則心如虛空，以清淨慧無所礙者，是為入不二法門。」

The Bodhisattva Pure Understanding said: “The conditioned and the unconditioned are two. If one leaves all counting and measuring, so that the mind is like empty space, with pure wisdom unobstructed, this is entering the Dharma gate of non-duality.”

那羅延菩薩曰：「世間、出世間為二。世間性空，即是出世間，於其中不入、不出、不溢、不散，是為入不二法門。」

The Bodhisattva Narayana said: “The world and the beyond-the-world are two. The nature of the world is empty, and that is the beyond-the-world; in it there is no entering, no leaving, no overflowing, and no scattering; this is entering the Dharma gate of non-duality.”

善意菩薩曰：「生死、涅槃為二。若見生死性，則無生死，無縛無解，不然不滅，如是解者，是為入不二法門。」

The Bodhisattva Good Intent said: “Birth and death and nirvana are two. If one sees the nature of birth and death, there is no birth and death, no bondage and no liberation, no burning and no extinguishing; one who understands in this way enters the Dharma gate of non-duality.”