The Sutra Spoken by Vimalakirti, Middle Volume

現見菩薩曰：「盡、不盡為二。法若究竟盡、若不盡，皆是無盡相；無盡相即是空，空則無有盡、不盡相。如是入者，是為入不二法門。」

The Bodhisattva Manifest Seeing said: “Exhausted and not exhausted are two. Whether dharmas are ultimately exhausted or not exhausted, all have the aspect of being inexhaustible; the inexhaustible aspect is emptiness, and in emptiness there is no aspect of exhausted or not exhausted. One who enters in this way enters the Dharma gate of non-duality.”

普守菩薩曰：「我、無我為二。我尚不可得，非我何可得？見我實性者，不復起二，是為入不二法門。」

The Bodhisattva Universal Guardian said: “Self and non-self are two. Even self cannot be obtained, so how can non-self be obtained? One who sees the real nature of self no longer gives rise to duality; this is entering the Dharma gate of non-duality.”

電天菩薩曰：「明、無明為二。無明實性即是明，明亦不可取，離一切數，於其中平等無二者，是為入不二法門。」

The Bodhisattva Lightning Deva said: “Clarity and ignorance are two. The real nature of ignorance is clarity, and clarity too cannot be grasped; leaving all counting and measuring and being equal and non-dual within it, this is entering the Dharma gate of non-duality.”

喜見菩薩曰：「色、色空為二。色即是空，非色滅空，色性自空；如是，受、想、行、識、識空為二，識即是空，非識滅空，識性自空，於其中而通達者，是為入不二法門。」

The Bodhisattva Joyful Seeing said: “Form and the emptiness of form are two. Form itself is emptiness; it is not that form perishes and then there is emptiness, but that the nature of form is empty of itself. Likewise, feeling, perception, formation, and consciousness and the emptiness of consciousness are two; consciousness itself is emptiness; it is not that consciousness perishes and then there is emptiness, but that the nature of consciousness is empty of itself. One who penetrates this enters the Dharma gate of non-duality.”

明相菩薩曰：「四種異、空種異為二。四種性即是空種性，如前際、後際空故，中際亦空。若能如是知諸種性者，是為入不二法門。」

The Bodhisattva Bright Sign said: “The four great elements being different and the element of space being different are two. The nature of the four great elements is the nature of the element of space, because the earlier limit is empty, the later limit is empty, and the middle limit is also empty. One who can know the nature of the elements in this way enters the Dharma gate of non-duality.”

妙意菩薩曰：「眼、色為二。若知眼性，於色不貪、不恚、不痴，是名寂滅；如是，耳、聲，鼻、香，舌、味，身、觸，意、法為二，若知意性，於法不貪、不恚、不痴，是名寂滅，安住其中，是為入不二法門。」

The Bodhisattva Wondrous Intent said: “The eye and form are two. If one knows the nature of the eye, then toward form one has no greed, no anger, and no ignorance, and this is called quiescence; likewise, the ear and sound, the nose and smell, the tongue and taste, the body and touch, and the mind and dharmas are two; if one knows the nature of the mind, then toward dharmas one has no greed, no anger, and no ignorance, and this is called quiescence. One who dwells in this enters the Dharma gate of non-duality.”

無盡意菩薩曰：「佈施、迴向一切智為二。佈施性即是迴向一切智性，如是，持戒、忍辱、精進、禪定、智慧、迴向一切智為二，智慧性即是迴向一切智性，於其中入一相者，是為入不二法門。」

The Bodhisattva Inexhaustible Intent said: “Giving and dedicating to omniscience are two. The nature of giving is the nature of dedication to omniscience; likewise, keeping precepts, patience, diligence, meditation, and wisdom and dedication to omniscience are two; the nature of wisdom is the nature of dedication to omniscience. One who enters the single sign within them enters the Dharma gate of non-duality.”

深慧菩薩曰：「是空、是無相、是無作為二。空即無相，無相即無作；若空、無相、無作，則無心、意、識，於一解脫門即是三解脫門者，是為入不二法門。」

The Bodhisattva Deep Wisdom said: “This emptiness, this signlessness, and this non-making are three. Emptiness is signlessness, and signlessness is non-making; if there is emptiness, signlessness, and non-making, then there is no mind, thought, or consciousness, and liberation through one gate is liberation through the three gates of liberation. One who understands this enters the Dharma gate of non-duality.”

寂根菩薩曰：「佛、法、眾為二。佛即是法，法即是眾，是三寶皆無為相，與虛空等，一切法亦爾。能隨此行者，是為入不二法門。」

The Bodhisattva Quiescent Root said: “Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha are three. The Buddha is the Dharma, and the Dharma is the Sangha, and these Three Jewels all have the aspect of the unconditioned, equal to empty space, and so are all dharmas. One who can follow this enters the Dharma gate of non-duality.”

心無礙菩薩曰：「身、身滅為二。身即是身滅。所以者何？見身實相者，不起見身及見滅身，身與滅身無二無分別，於其中不驚、不懼者，是為入不二法門。」

The Bodhisattva Unobstructed Mind said: “The body and the extinction of the body are two. The body is itself the extinction of the body. Why? One who sees the real aspect of the body does not give rise to the view of the body or the view of the extinction of the body; the body and its extinction are non-dual and undivided, and within it one is neither startled nor afraid. This is entering the Dharma gate of non-duality.”

上善菩薩曰：「身、口、意業為二。是三業皆無作相，身無作相，即口無作相；口無作相，即意無作相；是三業無作相，即一切法無作相。能如是隨無作慧者，是為入不二法門。」

The Bodhisattva Supreme Good said: “The karma of body, speech, and mind are three. These three karmas are all of the aspect of non-making; the non-making aspect of the body is the non-making aspect of speech; the non-making aspect of speech is the non-making aspect of mind; and the non-making aspect of these three karmas is the non-making aspect of all dharmas. One who can accord with the wisdom of non-making in this way enters the Dharma gate of non-duality.”

福田菩薩曰：「福行、罪行、不動行為二。三行實性即是空，空則無福行、無罪行、無不動行。於此三行而不起者，是為入不二法門。」

The Bodhisattva Field of Merit said: “Meritorious action, sinful action, and immovable action are three. The real nature of these three actions is emptiness, and in emptiness there is no meritorious action, no sinful action, and no immovable action. One who does not give rise to these three actions enters the Dharma gate of non-duality.”

華嚴菩薩曰：「從我起二為二。見我實相者，不起二法；若不住二法，則無有識；無所識者，是為入不二法門。」

The Bodhisattva Flower Adornment said: “The duality that arises from self is two. One who sees the real aspect of self does not give rise to dual dharmas; if one does not dwell in dual dharmas, there is no consciousness; one who has nothing to know enters the Dharma gate of non-duality.”

德藏菩薩曰：「有所得相為二。若無所得，則無取捨；無取捨者，是為入不二法門。」

The Bodhisattva Treasury of Virtue said: “The aspect of having something to gain is two. If there is nothing to gain, there is no taking and no rejecting; one without taking and rejecting enters the Dharma gate of non-duality.”

月上菩薩曰：「闇與明為二。無闇、無明，則無有二。所以者何？如入滅受想定，無闇、無明，一切法相亦復如是，於其中平等入者，是為入不二法門。」

The Bodhisattva Moon Above said: “Darkness and light are two. Without darkness and without light there is no duality. Why? It is like entering the concentration of the cessation of feeling and perception, where there is no darkness and no light, and the aspect of all dharmas is the same. One who enters equally within it enters the Dharma gate of non-duality.”

寶印手菩薩曰：「樂涅槃、不樂世間為二。若不樂涅槃、不厭世間，則無有二。所以者何？若有縛，則有解；若本無縛，其誰求解？無縛無解，則無樂、厭，是為入不二法門。」

The Bodhisattva Jewel Seal Hand said: “Delighting in nirvana and not delighting in the world are two. If one does not delight in nirvana and does not loathe the world, there is no duality. Why? If there is bondage, there is liberation; if there was originally no bondage, who would seek liberation? With no bondage and no liberation, there is no delight and no loathing; this is entering the Dharma gate of non-duality.”

珠頂王菩薩曰：「正道、邪道為二。住正道者，則不分別是邪是正，離此二者，是為入不二法門。」

The Bodhisattva King Pearl Crown said: “The right path and the wrong path are two. One who dwells in the right path does not distinguish this as wrong and this as right; leaving these two is entering the Dharma gate of non-duality.”

樂實菩薩曰：「實、不實為二。實見者尚不見實，何況非實？所以者何？非肉眼所見，慧眼乃能見，而此慧眼，無見無不見，是為入不二法門。」

The Bodhisattva Joy in Reality said: “Real and unreal are two. One who sees reality does not even see reality, so how could he see the unreal? Why? It is not seen by the fleshly eye but by the eye of wisdom, and this eye of wisdom has no seeing and no non-seeing; this is entering the Dharma gate of non-duality.”

如是諸菩薩各各說已，問文殊師利：「何等是菩薩入不二法門？」

When each of the Bodhisattvas had finished speaking, they asked Manjushri: “What is the Bodhisattva's entering the Dharma gate of non-duality?”

文殊師利曰：「如我意者，於一切法無言無說，無示無識，離諸問答，是為入不二法門。」

Manjushri said: “As I see it, to have no words and no speech about any dharma, to have no showing and no knowing, and to leave all questions and answers: this is entering the Dharma gate of non-duality.”

於是文殊師利問維摩詰：「我等各自說已，仁者當說何等是菩薩入不二法門？」

Then Manjushri asked Vimalakirti: “We have each finished speaking; now what should you, good sir, say is the Bodhisattva's entering the Dharma gate of non-duality?”

時維摩詰默然無言。

At that time Vimalakirti was silent and said nothing.

文殊師利歎曰：「善哉，善哉！乃至無有文字、語言，是真入不二法門。」

Manjushri praised him and said: “Excellent, excellent! To reach the point of having no letters and no speech: this is truly entering the Dharma gate of non-duality.”

說是入不二法門品時，於此眾中五千菩薩，皆入不二法門，得無生法忍。

While this chapter on entering the Dharma gate of non-duality was being spoken, five thousand Bodhisattvas in the assembly all entered the Dharma gate of non-duality and attained the patience of the non-arising of dharmas.

姚秦三藏鳩摩羅什譯

Translated in the Later Qin dynasty (Yao Qin) by the Tripitaka master Kumarajiva.

於是舍利弗心念：「日時欲至，此諸菩薩當於何食？」

Then Shariputra thought to himself: “It is nearly time; where will these Bodhisattvas take their meal?”

時維摩詰知其意而語言：「佛說八解脫，仁者受行，豈雜欲食而聞法乎？若欲食者，且待須臾，當令汝得未曾有食。」

At that time Vimalakirti, knowing his thought, said to him: “The Buddha taught the eight liberations, and you, good sir, received them and practice them; do you listen to the Dharma mixed with the craving for food? If you wish to eat, wait a moment, and I will let you obtain a meal such as you have never had.”

時維摩詰即入三昧，以神通力示諸大眾上方界分，過四十二恆河沙佛土，有國名眾香，佛號香積，今現在。其國香氣，比於十方諸佛世界人、天之香，最為第一。彼土無有聲聞、辟支佛名，唯有清淨大菩薩眾，佛為說法。其界一切皆以香作樓閣，經行香地，苑園皆香。其食香氣，周流十方無量世界。時彼佛與諸菩薩方共坐食，有諸天子皆號香嚴，悉發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心，供養彼佛及諸菩薩，此諸大眾莫不目見。

Then Vimalakirti entered samadhi and by supernatural power showed the whole assembly the upper realm: past Buddha lands as numerous as the sands of forty-two Ganges rivers, there is a country called Sarvagandhasugandha (Many Fragrances), where a Buddha named Gandhakuta (Fragrance Accumulated) is now present. The fragrance of that land is the first, surpassing the fragrance of humans and heavenly beings in the Buddha worlds of the ten directions. That land has not even the names of shravakas or pratyekabuddhas, but only an assembly of pure great Bodhisattvas, for whom the Buddha teaches the Dharma. In that world everything is made of fragrance: the towers and pavilions are fragrance, the ground for walking is fragrance, and the gardens are all fragrant. The fragrance of the food circulates through countless worlds in the ten directions. At that time that Buddha and the Bodhisattvas were sitting together eating a meal, and there were heavenly sons, all named Fragrance Adornment, who had all given rise to the mind of supreme perfect awakening and were making offerings to that Buddha and the Bodhisattvas; all the great assembly here saw it with their own eyes.

時維摩詰問眾菩薩言：「諸仁者！誰能致彼佛飯？」以文殊師利威神力故，鹹皆默然。維摩詰言：「仁此大眾，無乃可恥？」

Then Vimalakirti asked the Bodhisattvas: “Good sirs! Who can fetch the meal of that Buddha?” Because of Manjushri's awesome power, all were silent. Vimalakirti said: “Good sirs, is this great assembly not rather shameful?”

文殊師利曰：「如佛所言，勿輕未學。」

Manjushri said: “As the Buddha said, do not look down on those who have not yet completed their learning.”

於是維摩詰不起於座，居眾會前化作菩薩——相好光明，威德殊勝，蔽於眾會——而告之曰：「汝往上方界分，度如四十二恆河沙佛土，有國名眾香，佛號香積，與諸菩薩方共坐食。汝往到彼，如我辭曰：『維摩詰稽首世尊足下！致敬無量，問訊起居，少病少惱，氣力安不？願得世尊所食之餘，當於娑婆世界施作佛事，令此樂小法者得弘大道，亦使如來名聲普聞。』」

Then Vimalakirti, without rising from his seat, before the assembly transformed into a Bodhisattva, whose marks and radiance, awesome virtue and excellence surpassed the whole assembly, and told him: “Go to the upper realm, past Buddha lands as numerous as the sands of forty-two Ganges rivers, to a country called Many Fragrances, where a Buddha named Fragrance Accumulated is sitting together with the Bodhisattvas eating a meal. When you get there, say as I tell you: ‘Vimalakirti bows his head at the feet of the World-Honored One! He pays boundless respect and asks after your daily life, whether you have little illness and little distress, and whether your strength is well. He wishes to obtain the remainder of the meal of the World-Honored One, to perform the Buddha's work in the Saha world, so that those who delight in the small teaching may spread the great Way, and the fame of the Tathagata may be heard everywhere.’”

時化菩薩即於會前，昇於上方。舉眾皆見其去，到眾香界，禮彼佛足，又聞其言：「維摩詰稽首世尊足下！致敬無量，問訊起居，少病少惱，氣力安不？願得世尊所食之餘，欲於娑婆世界施作佛事，使此樂小法者得弘大道，亦使如來名聲普聞。」

Then the transformed Bodhisattva ascended toward the upper realm before the assembly. The whole assembly saw him go, arrive at the Many Fragrances world, pay homage at the feet of that Buddha, and they also heard him say: “Vimalakirti bows his head at the feet of the World-Honored One! He pays boundless respect and asks after your daily life, whether you have little illness and little distress, and whether your strength is well. He wishes to obtain the remainder of the meal of the World-Honored One, in order to perform the Buddha's work in the Saha world, so that those who delight in the small teaching may spread the great Way, and the fame of the Tathagata may be heard everywhere.”

彼諸大士見化菩薩，歎未曾有：「今此上人從何所來？娑婆世界為在何許？云何名為樂小法者？」即以問佛。佛告之曰：「下方度如四十二恆河沙佛土，有世界名娑婆，佛號釋迦牟尼，今現在。於五濁惡世，為樂小法眾生敷演道教。彼有菩薩名維摩詰，住不可思議解脫，為諸菩薩說法，故遣化來，稱揚我名，並讚此土，令彼菩薩增益功德。」

The great beings of that land, seeing the transformed Bodhisattva, marveled at the unprecedented: “Where does this superior person come from now? Where is the Saha world? What are those who delight in the small teaching?” They asked the Buddha about it. The Buddha told them: “Below, past Buddha lands as numerous as the sands of forty-two Ganges rivers, there is a world named Saha, where a Buddha named Shakyamuni is now present. In a world of the five defilements and evil, he expounds the Way for beings who delight in the small teaching. There is a Bodhisattva there named Vimalakirti, who dwells in inconceivable liberation and teaches the Dharma to the Bodhisattvas, so he has sent a transformation body here to extol my name and praise this land, to increase the merit of those Bodhisattvas.”

彼菩薩言：「其人何如，乃作是化？德力無畏，神足若斯！」佛言：「甚大！一切十方皆遣化往，施作佛事饒益眾生。」

The Bodhisattvas of that land said: “What sort of person is he, who can make such a transformation? His virtue and power are fearless, and his supernatural abilities reach this far!” The Buddha said: “Extremely great! He sends transformation bodies to all ten directions to perform the Buddha's work and benefit beings.”

於是香積如來以眾香缽盛滿香飯，與化菩薩。時彼九百萬菩薩俱發聲言：「我欲詣娑婆世界供養釋迦牟尼佛，並欲見維摩詰等諸菩薩眾。」佛言：「可往。攝汝身香，無令彼諸眾生起惑著心；又當捨汝本形，勿使彼國求菩薩者，而自鄙恥；又汝於彼莫懷輕賤，而作礙想。所以者何？十方國土，皆如虛空，又諸佛為欲化諸樂小法者，不盡現其清淨土耳！」時化菩薩既受缽飯，與彼九百萬菩薩俱，承佛威神及維摩詰力，於彼世界忽然不現，須臾之間至維摩詰舍。

Then the Tathagata Fragrance Accumulated filled a bowl of many fragrances with fragrant rice and gave it to the transformed Bodhisattva. At that time nine million Bodhisattvas of that land said together: “We wish to go to the Saha world to make offerings to the Buddha Shakyamuni, and also wish to see Vimalakirti and the other assemblies of Bodhisattvas.” The Buddha said: “You may go. Gather in the fragrance of your bodies, so that the beings of that land do not give rise to confused attachment; and you should also give up your original forms, so that those in that country who seek Bodhisattvahood do not feel ashamed of themselves; and do not hold contempt there and give rise to the thought of obstruction. Why? The lands of the ten directions are all like empty space, and the Buddhas, in order to teach those who delight in the small teaching, simply do not display the pure lands in full!” Then the transformed Bodhisattva, having received the bowl of rice, together with those nine million Bodhisattvas, by the awesome power of the Buddha and the strength of Vimalakirti, suddenly vanished from that world and in a moment arrived at Vimalakirti's dwelling.

時維摩詰即化作九百萬師子之座，嚴好如前，諸菩薩皆坐其上。是化菩薩以滿缽香飯與維摩詰，飯香普燻毘耶離城及三千大千世界。時毘耶離婆羅門、居士等，聞是香氣，身意快然，歎未曾有！於是長者主月蓋從八萬四千人，來入維摩詰舍。見其室中菩薩甚多，諸師子座高廣嚴好，皆大歡喜，禮眾菩薩及大弟子，卻住一面。諸地神、虛空神及欲、色界諸天，聞此香氣，亦皆來入維摩詰舍。

Then Vimalakirti at once transformed nine million lion seats, adorned beautifully as before, and the Bodhisattvas all sat on them. The transformed Bodhisattva gave the bowl full of fragrant rice to Vimalakirti, and the fragrance of the rice perfumed the city of Vaishali and the three thousand great thousand worlds. At that time the Brahmins, lay people, and others of Vaishali, smelling this fragrance, felt their bodies and minds at ease and marveled at the unprecedented! Then the elder Moon Canopy led eighty-four thousand people into Vimalakirti's dwelling. Seeing the many Bodhisattvas in the room and the lion seats high, wide, and finely adorned, all were greatly delighted, bowed to the Bodhisattvas and the great disciples, and withdrew to one side. The earth spirits, the spirits of space, and the devas of the desire realm and form realm, smelling this fragrance, also entered Vimalakirti's dwelling.

時維摩詰語舍利弗等諸大聲聞：「仁者可食。如來甘露味飯，大悲所燻，無以限意食之，使不消也。」有異聲聞念：「是飯少，而此大眾人人當食。」化菩薩曰：「勿以聲聞小德小智稱量如來無量福慧！四海有竭，此飯無盡！使一切人食，揣若須彌，乃至一劫，猶不能盡。所以者何？無盡戒、定、智慧、解脫、解脫知見功德具足者所食之餘，終不可盡。」於是缽飯悉飽眾會，猶故不𣩠。其諸菩薩、聲聞、天、人，食此飯者，身安快樂，譬如一切樂莊嚴國諸菩薩也；又諸毛孔皆出妙香，亦如眾香國土諸樹之香。

Then Vimalakirti said to Shariputra and the other great shravakas: “Good sirs, you may eat. This is rice with the taste of the Tathagata's sweet dew, perfumed by great compassion; do not eat it with a limited mind, lest you be unable to digest it.” Another shravaka thought: “This rice is so little, yet everyone in this great assembly wants to eat.” The transformed Bodhisattva said: “Do not measure the Tathagata's immeasurable merit and wisdom by the small virtue and small wisdom of a shravaka! The four seas may dry up, but this rice has no end! Even if everyone came to eat it, rolled into a ball as large as Mount Sumeru, for an entire kalpa it still could not be finished. Why? What remains of the meal eaten by one who is complete in the inexhaustible merit of precepts, concentration, wisdom, liberation, and the knowledge and vision of liberation can never be exhausted.” Then the rice in the bowl fed the whole assembly until they were full and was still not finished. (The base text has a rare character here, which should be read as “finished.”) The Bodhisattvas, shravakas, heavenly beings, and humans who ate this rice had bodies at ease and were happy, like the Bodhisattvas of the Land of All Joyful Adornment; and a wondrous fragrance came out of all their pores, like the fragrance of the trees in the Many Fragrances land.

爾時維摩詰問眾香菩薩：「香積如來以何說法？」

Then Vimalakirti asked the Bodhisattvas of Many Fragrances: “By what does the Tathagata Fragrance Accumulated teach the Dharma?”

彼菩薩曰：「我土如來無文字說，但以眾香令諸天、人得入律行。菩薩各各坐香樹下，聞斯妙香，即獲一切德藏三昧。得是三昧者，菩薩所有功德皆悉具足。」

Those Bodhisattvas said: “The Tathagata of my land has no teaching by words, but only uses many fragrances to let the heavenly beings and humans enter the practice of discipline. The Bodhisattvas each sit under a fragrant tree, and on smelling this wondrous fragrance they immediately obtain the samadhi of the treasury of all virtues. Those who attain this samadhi are completely endowed with all the merits of a Bodhisattva.”

彼諸菩薩問維摩詰：「今世尊釋迦牟尼以何說法？」

Those Bodhisattvas asked Vimalakirti: “By what does the World-Honored One Shakyamuni teach the Dharma now?”

維摩詰言：「此土眾生剛強難化，故佛為說剛強之語以調伏之。言是地獄、是畜生、是餓鬼，是諸難處，是愚人生處；是身邪行，是身邪行報；是口邪行，是口邪行報；是意邪行，是意邪行報；是殺生，是殺生報；是不與取，是不與取報；是邪婬，是邪婬報；是妄語，是妄語報；是兩舌，是兩舌報；是惡口，是惡口報；是無義語，是無義語報；是貪嫉，是貪嫉報；是瞋惱，是瞋惱報；是邪見，是邪見報；是慳悋，是慳悋報；是毀戒，是毀戒報；是瞋恚，是瞋恚報；是懈怠，是懈怠報；是亂意，是亂意報；是愚痴，是愚痴報；是結戒，是持戒，是犯戒；是應作，是不應作；是障礙，是不障礙；是得罪，是離罪；是淨，是垢；是有漏，是無漏；是邪道，是正道；是有為，是無為；是世間，是涅槃。以難化之人心如猨猴，故以若干種法制御其心，乃可調伏，譬如象馬，𢤱悷不調，加諸楚毒乃至徹骨，然後調伏。如是剛強難化眾生，故以一切苦切之言，乃可入律。」

Vimalakirti said: “The beings of this land are stubborn and hard to teach, so the Buddha speaks stubborn words to them to tame them. He says: this is hell, this is the animal realm, this is the realm of hungry ghosts; these are the places of difficulty, this is where fools are born; this is wrong conduct of the body, and this is the retribution of wrong conduct of the body; this is wrong conduct of speech, and this is its retribution; this is wrong conduct of mind, and this is its retribution; this is killing, and this is the retribution of killing; this is taking what is not given, and this is its retribution; this is sexual misconduct, and this is its retribution; this is false speech, and this is its retribution; this is double-tongued speech, and this is its retribution; this is harsh speech, and this is its retribution; this is meaningless speech, and this is its retribution; this is greed and jealousy, and this is its retribution; this is anger and irritation, and this is its retribution; this is wrong view, and this is its retribution; this is stinginess, and this is its retribution; this is breaking precepts, and this is its retribution; this is hatred, and this is its retribution; this is laziness, and this is its retribution; this is a scattered mind, and this is its retribution; this is foolishness, and this is its retribution; this is the establishment of precepts, this is keeping precepts, this is violating precepts; this is what should be done, this is what should not be done; this is obstruction, this is non-obstruction; this is receiving guilt, this is leaving guilt; this is pure, this is defiled; this is with outflows, this is without outflows; this is the wrong path, this is the right path; this is conditioned, this is unconditioned; this is the world, this is nirvana. Because the minds of those hard to teach are like monkeys, various kinds of teaching are used to control their minds so that they can be tamed, just as an elephant or a horse that is stubborn and unruly (the base text has a rare compound here, which should be read as stubborn and unruly) is brought to submission only after various painful treatments reaching to the bone. Beings so stubborn and hard to teach can be brought into discipline only with all manner of harsh and urgent words.”

彼諸菩薩聞說是已，皆曰：「未曾有也！如世尊釋迦牟尼佛，隱其無量自在之力，乃以貧所樂法度脫眾生；斯諸菩薩亦能勞謙，以無量大悲生是佛土。」

When those Bodhisattvas heard these words, they all said: “How unprecedented! Like the World-Honored One, the Buddha Shakyamuni, who conceals his countless powers of freedom and delivers beings by the teaching in which the poor delight; and these Bodhisattvas also work humbly and take birth in this Buddha land with countless great compassion.”

維摩詰言：「此土菩薩於諸眾生大悲堅固，誠如所言。然其一世饒益眾生，多於彼國百千劫行。所以者何？此娑婆世界有十事善法，諸餘淨土之所無有。何等為十？以佈施攝貧窮，以淨戒攝毀禁，以忍辱攝瞋恚，以精進攝懈怠，以禪定攝亂意，以智慧攝愚痴，說除難法度八難者，以大乘法度樂小乘者，以諸善根濟無德者，常以四攝成就眾生，是為十。」

Vimalakirti said: “The Bodhisattvas of this land are firm in great compassion toward all beings, just as you say. Yet in one lifetime they benefit beings more than a hundred thousand kalpas of practice in your land. Why? This Saha world has ten good practices that the other pure lands do not have. What ten? Embracing the poor with giving, embracing the precept-breakers with pure precepts, embracing the angry with patience, embracing the lazy with diligence, embracing the scattered with meditation, embracing the foolish with wisdom, speaking of the teaching that removes difficulties to deliver those in the eight difficulties, delivering those who delight in the Lesser Vehicle with the Great Vehicle, saving the virtueless with all good roots, and constantly accomplishing beings with the four means of embracing. These are the ten.”

彼菩薩曰：「菩薩成就幾法？於此世界行無瘡疣，生於淨土。」

Those Bodhisattvas said: “By accomplishing how many dharmas can a Bodhisattva be free from blemishes in conduct in this world and be born in a pure land?”

維摩詰言：「菩薩成就八法，於此世界行無瘡疣，生於淨土。何等為八？饒益眾生，而不望報；代一切眾生受諸苦惱，所作功德盡以施之；等心眾生，謙下無礙；於諸菩薩視之如佛；所未聞經，聞之不疑；不與聲聞而相違背；不嫉彼供，不高己利，而於其中調伏其心；常省己過，不訟彼短，恆以一心求諸功德，是為八法。」

Vimalakirti said: “A Bodhisattva who accomplishes eight dharmas is free from blemishes in conduct in this world and is born in a pure land. What eight? Benefiting beings without hoping for return; taking on the sufferings of all beings in their stead and giving them all the merit one has made; treating beings with an equal mind, humble and unobstructed; regarding all Bodhisattvas as Buddhas; hearing sutras one has never heard without doubting; not opposing the shravakas; not being jealous of offerings others receive, not exalting one's own gain, and taming one's own mind in the midst of these; constantly examining one's own faults and not disputing others' shortcomings; and always seeking all merits with a single mind. These are the eight dharmas.”

維摩詰、文殊師利於大眾中說是法時，百千天、人皆發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心，十千菩薩得無生法忍。

When Vimalakirti and Manjushri spoke this Dharma in the great assembly, a hundred thousand heavenly beings and humans gave rise to the mind of supreme perfect awakening, and ten thousand Bodhisattvas attained the patience of the non-arising of dharmas.

是時佛說法於菴羅樹園，其地忽然廣博嚴事，一切眾會皆作金色。阿難白佛言：「世尊！以何因緣，有此瑞應？是處忽然廣博嚴事，一切眾會皆作金色。」

At this time the Buddha was teaching the Dharma in the Amra tree garden, and the ground suddenly became vast and splendidly adorned, and the whole assembly turned golden. Ananda said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One! By what cause and condition is there this auspicious sign? Here it has suddenly become vast and splendidly adorned, and the whole assembly has turned golden.”

佛告阿難：「是維摩詰、文殊師利，與諸大眾恭敬圍繞，發意欲來，故先為此瑞應。」

The Buddha told Ananda: “It is because Vimalakirti and Manjushri, respectfully surrounded by the great assembly, have given rise to the intention of coming, so this auspicious sign appears first.”

於是維摩詰語文殊師利：「可共見佛，與諸菩薩禮事供養。」

Then Vimalakirti said to Manjushri: “We can go to see the Buddha together, and pay homage and make offerings with the Bodhisattvas.”

文殊師利言：「善哉！行矣！今正是時。」

Manjushri said: “Good! Let us go! Now is just the time.”

維摩詰即以神力持諸大眾並師子座，置於右掌，往詣佛所。到已著地，稽首佛足，右遶七匝，一心合掌，在一面立；其諸菩薩即皆避座，稽首佛足，亦繞七匝，於一面立；諸大弟子、釋、梵、四天王等，亦皆避座，稽首佛足，在一面立。

Vimalakirti, by supernatural power, placed the great assembly together with their lion seats on his right palm and went to where the Buddha was. When they arrived he set them on the ground, bowed his head at the Buddha's feet, circled him to the right seven times, joined his palms with single-minded devotion, and stood to one side; the Bodhisattvas all left their seats, bowed their heads at the Buddha's feet, circled seven times as well, and stood to one side; the great disciples, Shakra, the Brahma king, the four heavenly kings, and others also left their seats, bowed their heads at the Buddha's feet, and stood to one side.

於是世尊如法慰問諸菩薩已，各令復坐，即皆受教。眾坐已定，佛語舍利弗：「汝見菩薩大士自在神力之所為乎？」

Then the World-Honored One, having properly greeted the Bodhisattvas, had each of them sit again, and all received his instruction. When the assembly was seated, the Buddha said to Shariputra: “Have you seen what the Bodhisattva great beings have done with their power of freedom and supernatural abilities?”

「唯然，已見！」

(Shariputra said:) “Yes, I have seen it!”

「於汝意云何？」「世尊！我覩其為不可思議，非意所圖，非度所測。」

(The Buddha asked:) “What do you think?” (Shariputra said:) “World-Honored One! I see that what he did is inconceivable, not something the mind can plan, not something that measuring can fathom.”

爾時阿難白佛言：「世尊！今所聞香，自昔未有，是為何香？」

At that time Ananda said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One! The fragrance I smell now has never been before; what fragrance is this?”

佛告阿難：「是彼菩薩毛孔之香。」

The Buddha told Ananda: “It is the fragrance from the pores of those Bodhisattvas.”

於是舍利弗語阿難言：「我等毛孔亦出是香。」

Then Shariputra said to Ananda: “Our pores also give off this fragrance.”

阿難言：「此所從來？」

Ananda said: “Where does this fragrance come from?”