The Sutra Spoken by Vimalakirti, Middle Volume

曰：「是長者維摩詰從眾香國取佛餘飯，於舍食者，一切毛孔皆香若此。」

(Shariputra continued:) “It is because the elder Vimalakirti fetched the remainder of the Buddha's meal from the Many Fragrances land, and those who ate it in his dwelling have all their pores fragrant like this.”

阿難問維摩詰：「是香氣住當久如？」

Ananda asked Vimalakirti: “How long will this fragrance last?”

維摩詰言：「至此飯消。」

Vimalakirti said: “Until the rice is digested.”

曰：「此飯久如當消？」

(Ananda) said: “How long does it take for the rice to be digested?”

曰：「此飯勢力至於七日，然後乃消。又，阿難！若聲聞人未入正位，食此飯者，得入正位，然後乃消；已入正位，食此飯者，得心解脫，然後乃消；若未發大乘意，食此飯者，至發意乃消；已發意，食此飯者，得無生忍，然後乃消；已得無生忍，食此飯者，至一生補處，然後乃消。譬如有藥，名曰上味，其有服者，身諸毒滅，然後乃消；此飯如是，滅除一切諸煩惱毒，然後乃消。」

(Vimalakirti continued:) “The force of this rice lasts until the seventh day, and only then is it digested. Moreover, Ananda! If a shravaka who has not yet entered the correct position eats this rice, it is digested only after he enters the correct position; if one who has already entered the correct position eats this rice, it is digested only after he attains liberation of mind; if one who has not yet given rise to the intention of the Great Vehicle eats this rice, it is digested only when he gives rise to that intention; if one who has already given rise to that intention eats this rice, it is digested only when he attains the patience of non-arising; if one who has already attained the patience of non-arising eats this rice, it is digested only when he reaches the state of one more birth before Buddhahood. It is like a medicine called Supreme Flavor: one who takes it has all the poisons in his body extinguished before it is digested; this rice is also like this: it is digested only after all the poisons of the afflictions are eliminated.”

阿難白佛言：「未曾有也！世尊！如此香飯能作佛事。」

Ananda said to the Buddha: “How unprecedented, World-Honored One! Such fragrant rice can do the Buddha's work.”

佛言：「如是，如是！阿難！或有佛土以佛光明而作佛事，有以諸菩薩而作佛事，有以佛所化人而作佛事，有以菩提樹而作佛事，有以佛衣服、臥具而作佛事，有以飯食而作佛事，有以園林臺觀而作佛事，有以三十二相、八十隨形好而作佛事，有以佛身而作佛事，有以虛空而作佛事；眾生應以此緣得入律行。有以夢、幻、影、響、鏡中像、水中月、熱時炎如是等喻，而作佛事；有以音聲、語言、文字而作佛事；或有清淨佛土，寂寞無言、無說、無示、無識、無作、無為，而作佛事。如是，阿難！諸佛威儀進止，諸所施為，無非佛事。

The Buddha said: “So it is, so it is! Ananda! In some Buddha lands the Buddha's work is done through the Buddha's light, in some through the Bodhisattvas, in some through people transformed by the Buddha, in some through the bodhi tree, in some through the Buddha's robes and bedding, in some through food and drink, in some through gardens, groves, and towers, in some through the thirty-two marks and eighty minor characteristics, in some through the Buddha's body, and in some through empty space; beings are to enter the practice of discipline through these causes and conditions. In some the Buddha's work is done through such metaphors as dreams, illusions, shadows, echoes, images in a mirror, the moon in water, and heat haze; in some through sounds, speech, and writing; and in some pure Buddha lands, silent, with no words, no speech, no showing, no knowing, no making, and no doing, the Buddha's work is done. Thus, Ananda, the conduct and bearing of the Buddhas, and all that they do, are nothing but the Buddha's work.

「阿難！有此四魔、八萬四千諸煩惱門，而諸眾生為之疲勞，諸佛即以此法而作佛事，是名入一切諸佛法門。菩薩入此門者，若見一切淨好佛土，不以為喜，不貪不高；若見一切不淨佛土，不以為憂，不礙不沒；但於諸佛生清淨心，歡喜恭敬，未曾有也！諸佛如來功德平等，為化眾生故，而現佛土不同。阿難！汝見諸佛國土，地有若干，而虛空無若干也；如是見諸佛色身有若干耳，其無礙慧無若干也。

(The Buddha continued:) “Ananda! There are these four maras and eighty-four thousand gates of affliction, and beings are wearied by them, and the Buddhas use these very dharmas to do the Buddha's work; this is called entering the Dharma gate of all the Buddhas. A Bodhisattva who enters this gate, if he sees all pure and fine Buddha lands, is not pleased, not greedy, and not proud; if he sees all impure Buddha lands, is not distressed, not obstructed, and not sunk down; he only gives rise to a pure mind toward the Buddhas, with joy and reverence, saying how unprecedented! The merit of all the Buddhas and Tathagatas is equal, and for the sake of teaching beings they manifest different Buddha lands. Ananda! You see that the Buddha lands have various differences on the ground, while space has no differences; likewise, you see that the physical bodies of the Buddhas have various differences, but their unobstructed wisdom has no differences.

「阿難！諸佛色身、威相、種性，戒、定、智慧、解脫、解脫知見，力、無所畏、不共之法，大慈、大悲，威儀所行及其壽命，說法教化，成就眾生，淨佛國土，具諸佛法，悉皆同等，是故名為三藐三佛陀，名為多陀阿伽度，名為佛陀。阿難！若我廣說此三句義，汝以劫壽不能盡受；正使三千大千世界滿中眾生，皆如阿難多聞第一，得念總持，此諸人等以劫之壽亦不能受。如是，阿難！諸佛阿耨多羅三藐三菩提無有限量，智慧辯才不可思議。」

(The Buddha continued:) “Ananda! The physical bodies, majestic marks, and lineage of the Buddhas, their precepts, concentration, wisdom, liberation, and knowledge and vision of liberation, their powers, fearlessnesses, and exclusive dharmas, their great kindness, great compassion, their dignified conduct and lifespan, their teaching, their accomplishing of beings, their purifying of Buddha lands, and their possession of all the Buddha dharmas are completely equal, and so they are called Samyaksambuddha, called Tathagata, and called Buddha. Ananda! If I explained the meaning of these three phrases at length, you could not fully receive it in a lifetime of a kalpa; even if the three thousand great thousand worlds were filled with beings all as learned as Ananda, foremost in learning, with the power of mindfulness and retention, these people could not receive it in a lifetime of a kalpa. Thus, Ananda, the supreme perfect awakening of the Buddhas has no limit, and their wisdom and eloquence are inconceivable.”

阿難白佛言：「我從今已往，不敢自謂以為多聞。」

Ananda said to the Buddha: “From now on, I dare not call myself learned.”

佛告阿難：「勿起退意！所以者何？我說汝於聲聞中為最多聞，非謂菩薩。且止，阿難！其有智者不應限度諸菩薩也；一切海淵尚可測量，菩薩禪定、智慧、總持、辯才一切功德不可量也。阿難！汝等捨置菩薩所行，是維摩詰一時所現神通之力，一切聲聞、辟支佛於百千劫，盡力變化所不能作。」

The Buddha told Ananda: “Do not give rise to a mind of retreat! Why? I said you were the most learned among the shravakas, not among the Bodhisattvas. Stop, Ananda! The wise should not measure and fathom the Bodhisattvas; all the oceans and abysses can still be measured, but the meditation, wisdom, retention, eloquence, and all merits of the Bodhisattvas cannot be measured. Ananda! Set aside what the Bodhisattvas practice; the power of supernatural ability manifested by Vimalakirti at a single moment could not be accomplished by all the shravakas and pratyekabuddhas exerting their power of transformation for a hundred thousand kalpas.”

爾時眾香世界菩薩來者，合掌白佛言：「世尊！我等初見此土生下劣想，今自悔責，捨離是心。所以者何？諸佛方便不可思議，為度眾生故，隨其所應，現佛國異。唯然世尊！願賜少法，還於彼土當念如來。」

At that time the Bodhisattvas who had come from the Many Fragrances world joined their palms and said to the Buddha: “World-Honored One! When we first saw this land we gave rise to a thought of inferiority; now we repent and blame ourselves and give up this mind. Why? The expedient means of the Buddhas are inconceivable, and for the sake of delivering beings they manifest different Buddha lands as appropriate. Yes, World-Honored One! We wish you to grant us a little of the Dharma, that when we return to that land we may remember the Tathagata.”

佛告諸菩薩：「有盡無盡解脫法門，汝等當學。何謂為盡？謂有為法。何謂無盡？謂無為法。如菩薩者，不盡有為，不住無為。

The Buddha told the Bodhisattvas: “There is the Dharma gate of liberation of the exhaustible and the inexhaustible, which you should learn. What is called exhaustible? It refers to conditioned dharmas. What is called inexhaustible? It refers to unconditioned dharmas. As a Bodhisattva, one does not exhaust the conditioned, and also does not dwell in the unconditioned.

「何謂不盡有為？謂不離大慈，不捨大悲；深發一切智心，而不忽忘；教化眾生，終不厭倦，於四攝法，常念順行；護持正法，不惜軀命，種諸善根，無有疲厭；志常安住，方便迴向，求法不懈，說法無悋；勤供諸佛；故入生死而無所畏，於諸榮辱，心無憂喜；不輕未學，敬學如佛，墮煩惱者，令發正念，於遠離樂，不以為貴，不著己樂，慶於彼樂；在諸禪定，如地獄想，於生死中，如園觀想；見來求者，為善師想，捨諸所有，具一切智想；見毀戒人，起救護想；諸波羅蜜，為父母想，道品之法，為眷屬想；發行善根，無有齊限，以諸淨國嚴飾之事，成己佛土；行無限施，具足相好，除一切惡，淨身、口、意；生死無數劫，意而有勇，聞佛無量德，志而不倦；以智慧劍，破煩惱賊，出陰、界、入，荷負眾生，永使解脫；以大精進，摧伏魔軍，常求無念實相智慧行；於世間法少欲知足，於出世間求之無厭，而不捨世間法，不壞威儀法而能隨俗；起神通慧，引導眾生，得念總持，所聞不忘；善別諸根，斷眾生疑，以樂說辯，演法無礙；淨十善道，受天、人福；修四無量，開梵天道；勸請說法，隨喜讚善，得佛音聲；身、口、意善，得佛威儀；深修善法，所行轉勝，以大乘教，成菩薩僧；心無放逸，不失眾善：行如此法，是名菩薩不盡有為。

(The Buddha continued:) “What is meant by not exhausting the conditioned? It means not leaving great kindness, not abandoning great compassion; deeply arousing the mind of omniscience without forgetting it; never growing weary of teaching beings, and always keeping in mind to follow the four means of embracing; guarding the true Dharma without sparing one's life, and planting good roots without fatigue; keeping one's will always steady, dedicating with expedient means, seeking the Dharma without slackening and teaching it without stinginess; diligently making offerings to the Buddhas; therefore entering birth and death without fear, and in honor and disgrace having no sorrow or joy in the mind; not looking down on those who have not yet completed their learning, and respecting them as one would the Buddha; for those fallen into afflictions, causing them to give rise to right thought; not valuing the joy of seclusion, not clinging to one's own joy but rejoicing in that of others; in all the meditations thinking as if in hell, and in birth and death thinking as if in a garden to view; seeing those who come seeking, regarding them as good teachers, giving up all one possesses and thinking of oneself as possessing omniscience; seeing those who break precepts, giving rise to the thought of rescuing and protecting them; regarding the paramitas as parents, and the dharmas of the path as relatives; arousing good roots without limit, using the adornments of all the pure lands to accomplish one's own Buddha land; practicing limitless giving, completing the marks and characteristics, removing all evil, and purifying body, speech, and mind; through countless kalpas of birth and death, being courageous in intention; hearing of the Buddha's immeasurable virtues, being tireless in will; using the sword of wisdom to destroy the thieves of affliction, escaping from the aggregates, realms, and entrances, bearing the burden of beings and liberating them forever; with great diligence subduing the army of Mara, constantly seeking the practice of wisdom of the true aspect of no-thought; in worldly dharmas having few desires and being content, in transcendent dharmas seeking without satiety, yet not abandoning worldly dharmas and not destroying dignified conduct while accommodating the customs; arousing the wisdom of supernatural powers to guide beings, attaining mindfulness and retention so that what one hears is not forgotten; discerning the faculties well, cutting off beings' doubts, and expounding the Dharma without obstruction through the eloquence of joyful speech; purifying the ten good paths and receiving the blessings of heavenly beings and humans; cultivating the four immeasurables and opening the path of Brahma; requesting the Dharma to be taught, rejoicing and praising the good, and obtaining the Buddha's voice; with goodness of body, speech, and mind, obtaining the Buddha's dignified conduct; cultivating good dharmas deeply, with conduct becoming ever more excellent, and accomplishing the Bodhisattva Sangha through the teaching of the Great Vehicle; with the mind free from negligence, not losing the many good qualities: one who practices such dharmas is said to be a Bodhisattva who does not exhaust the conditioned.

「何謂菩薩不住無為？謂修學空，不以空為證；修學無相、無作，不以無相、無作為證；修學無起，不以無起為證；觀於無常，而不厭善本；觀世間苦，而不惡生死；觀於無我，而誨人不倦；觀於寂滅，而不永滅；觀於遠離，而身心修善；觀無所歸，而歸趣善法；觀於無生，而以生法荷負一切；觀於無漏，而不斷諸漏；觀無所行，而以行法教化眾生；觀於空無，而不捨大悲；觀正法位，而不隨小乘；觀諸法虛妄，無牢無人、無主無相，本願未滿，而不虛福德、禪定、智慧：修如此法，是名菩薩不住無為。

(The Buddha continued:) “What is meant by a Bodhisattva not dwelling in the unconditioned? It means cultivating and learning emptiness without taking emptiness as realization; cultivating and learning signlessness and non-making without taking signlessness and non-doing as realization; cultivating and learning non-arising without taking non-arising as realization; contemplating impermanence without growing weary of the roots of good; contemplating the suffering of the world without loathing birth and death; contemplating no-self yet instructing others tirelessly; contemplating quiescence yet not extinguishing forever; contemplating seclusion yet cultivating good with body and mind; contemplating no place to return to yet returning to good dharmas; contemplating non-birth yet bearing the burden of all beings through the dharma of birth; contemplating no outflows yet not cutting off the outflows; contemplating no practice yet teaching beings through the dharma of practice; contemplating emptiness and nothingness yet not abandoning great compassion; contemplating the position of the true Dharma yet not following the Lesser Vehicle; contemplating that all dharmas are false, with nothing solid, no person, no master, and no sign, yet while the original vow is not yet fulfilled, not emptying out merit, meditation, and wisdom: one who cultivates such dharmas is said to be a Bodhisattva who does not dwell in the unconditioned.

「又具福德故，不住無為；具智慧故，不盡有為。大慈悲故，不住無為；滿本願故，不盡有為。集法藥故，不住無為；隨授藥故，不盡有為。知眾生病故，不住無為；滅眾生病故，不盡有為。諸正士菩薩以修此法，不盡有為、不住無為，是名盡無盡解脫法門，汝等當學。」

(The Buddha continued:) “Moreover, because one is complete in merit, one does not dwell in the unconditioned; because one is complete in wisdom, one does not exhaust the conditioned. Because of great compassion, one does not dwell in the unconditioned; because one fulfills the original vow, one does not exhaust the conditioned. Because one collects the medicine of the Dharma, one does not dwell in the unconditioned; because one dispenses the medicine as appropriate, one does not exhaust the conditioned. Because one knows the illnesses of beings, one does not dwell in the unconditioned; because one cures the illnesses of beings, one does not exhaust the conditioned. The Bodhisattvas, upright persons, by cultivating this Dharma, do not exhaust the conditioned and do not dwell in the unconditioned; this is called the Dharma gate of liberation of the exhaustible and inexhaustible, which you should learn.”

爾時彼諸菩薩聞說是法，皆大歡喜，以眾妙華、若干種色、若干種香，散遍三千大千世界，供養於佛及此經法並諸菩薩已，稽首佛足，歎未曾有，言：「釋迦牟尼佛乃能於此善行方便。」言已，忽然不現，還到彼國。

Then those Bodhisattvas, hearing this Dharma, were all greatly delighted, and scattered many wondrous flowers of various colors and various fragrances throughout the three thousand great thousand worlds, making offerings to the Buddha, this sutra and Dharma, and the Bodhisattvas; then they bowed their heads at the Buddha's feet, marveled at the unprecedented, and said: “Shakyamuni Buddha is able to practice such skillful means here.” Having said this, they suddenly vanished and returned to their own country.

爾時世尊問維摩詰：「汝欲見如來，為以何等觀如來乎？」

At that time the World-Honored One asked Vimalakirti: “You wish to see the Tathagata; how do you contemplate the Tathagata?”

維摩詰言：「如自觀身實相，觀佛亦然。我觀如來前際不來，後際不去，今則不住；不觀色，不觀色如，不觀色性，不觀受、想、行、識，不觀識如，不觀識性，非四大起，同於虛空；六入無積，眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、心已過；不在三界，三垢已離，順三脫門，具足三明，與無明等；不一相、不異相，不自相、不他相，非無相、非取相；不此岸，不彼岸，不中流而化眾生；觀於寂滅，亦不永滅；不此不彼，不以此，不以彼；不可以智知，不可以識識；無晦無明，無名無相，無強無弱，非淨非穢；不在方，不離方，非有為，非無為，無示無說；不施不慳，不戒不犯，不忍不恚，不進不怠，不定不亂，不智不愚，不誠不欺，不來不去，不出不入，一切言語道斷；非福田，非不福田，非應供養，非不應供養；非取非捨，非有相，非無相；同真際，等法性，不可稱，不可量，過諸稱量；非大非小，非見非聞，非覺非知，離眾結縛；等諸智，同眾生，於諸法無分別；一切無失，無濁無惱，無作無起，無生無滅；無畏無憂，無喜無厭無著；無已有，無當有，無今有；不可以一切言說分別顯示：世尊！如來身為若此，作如是觀，以斯觀者，名為正觀；若他觀者，名為邪觀。」

Vimalakirti said: “As I contemplate the true aspect of my own body, so I contemplate the Buddha. I contemplate the Tathagata as not coming from a previous limit, not going to a later limit, and now not dwelling; I do not contemplate form, do not contemplate the suchness of form, and do not contemplate the nature of form; I do not contemplate feeling, perception, formation, or consciousness, do not contemplate the suchness of consciousness, and do not contemplate the nature of consciousness; he is not produced by the four great elements and is the same as empty space; the six entrances have no accumulation, and the eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind have already been transcended; he is not in the three realms, has left the three defilements, accords with the three gates of liberation, is complete in the three kinds of clear knowledge, and is equal to ignorance; he is not one aspect, not a different aspect, not a self aspect, not an other aspect, not a signless aspect, and not a grasped aspect; he is not on this shore, not on the other shore, and not in the midstream, yet teaches beings; he contemplates quiescence yet does not extinguish forever; not this, not that, not by this, not by that; he cannot be known by wisdom and cannot be known by consciousness; no dark, no bright, no name, no sign, no strong, no weak, neither pure nor defiled; he is not in a direction, not apart from a direction, not conditioned, not unconditioned, with no showing and no speaking; not giving, not stingy, not keeping precepts, not violating them, not patient, not angry, not diligent, not lazy, not still, not scattered, not wise, not foolish, not sincere, not deceiving, not coming, not going, not exiting, not entering, and the way of all speech is cut off; neither a field of merit nor not a field of merit, neither worthy of offerings nor unworthy of offerings; neither grasping nor rejecting, neither having signs nor having no signs; the same as the true limit, equal to the Dharma nature, not to be weighed or measured, beyond all weighing and measuring; neither great nor small, neither seen nor heard, neither perceived nor known, free from all bonds; equal to all wisdom, the same as all beings, without discrimination among all dharmas; without any loss in everything, without turbidity or distress, without making and without arising, without birth and without extinction; without fear and without sorrow, without joy, without loathing, and without attachment; without having been, without being about to be, and without being now; he cannot be shown by any speech or discrimination: World-Honored One! The body of the Tathagata is like this. To contemplate in this way, and to contemplate thus, is called right contemplation; to contemplate otherwise is called wrong contemplation.”

爾時舍利弗問維摩詰：「汝於何沒而來生此？」

Then Shariputra asked Vimalakirti: “Where did you die from before being born here?”

維摩詰言：「汝所得法有沒生乎？」

Vimalakirti said: “In the dharma you have attained, is there dying and being born?”

舍利弗言：「無沒生也。」

Shariputra said: “There is no dying and being born.”

「若諸法無沒生相，云何問言：『汝於何沒而來生此？』於意云何？譬如幻師，幻作男女，寧沒生耶？」

(Vimalakirti continued:) “If all dharmas have no aspect of dying and being born, how can you ask, ‘Where did you die from before being born here?’ What do you think? When an illusionist conjures men and women by illusion, is there dying and being born in them?”

舍利弗言：「無沒生也。」

Shariputra said: “There is no dying and being born.”

「汝豈不聞佛說諸法如幻相乎？」

(Vimalakirti continued:) “Have you not heard the Buddha say that all dharmas are like illusory forms?”

答曰：「如是！」

He answered: “So it is!”

「若一切法如幻相者，云何問言：『汝於何沒而來生此？』舍利弗！沒者為虛誑法，敗壞之相；生者為虛誑法，相續之相。菩薩雖沒，不盡善本；雖生，不長諸惡。」

(Vimalakirti continued:) “If all dharmas are like illusory forms, how can you ask, ‘Where did you die from before being born here?’ Shariputra! Dying is a false dharma, an aspect of decay; birth is a false dharma, an aspect of continuity. Although a Bodhisattva dies, he does not exhaust the roots of good; although he is born, he does not increase evil.”

是時佛告舍利弗：「有國名妙喜，佛號無動。是維摩詰於彼國沒，而來生此。」

Then the Buddha told Shariputra: “There is a country called Abhirati (Wondrous Joy), where the Buddha is named Akshobhya (Immovable). This Vimalakirti died from that country and was born here.”

舍利弗言：「未曾有也！世尊！是人乃能捨清淨土，而來樂此多怒害處。」

Shariputra said: “How unprecedented, World-Honored One! This person is able to leave a pure land and come to delight in this place of much anger and harm.”

維摩詰語舍利弗：「於意云何？日光出時與冥合乎？」

Vimalakirti said to Shariputra: “What do you think? When the light of the sun comes out, does it merge with darkness?”

答曰：「不也！日光出時，即無眾冥。」

He answered: “No! When the light of the sun comes out, there is no more darkness.”

維摩詰言：「夫日何故行閻浮提？」

Vimalakirti said: “Then why does the sun travel over Jambudvipa?”

答曰：「欲以明照，為之除冥。」

He answered: “It is to shine with light and remove the darkness for it.”

維摩詰言：「菩薩如是！雖生不淨佛土，為化眾生故，不與愚闇而共合也，但滅眾生煩惱闇耳！」

Vimalakirti said: “Bodhisattvas are the same! Although born in impure Buddha lands, for the sake of teaching beings they do not merge with ignorance and darkness, but only extinguish the darkness of the beings' afflictions!”

是時大眾渴仰，欲見妙喜世界無動如來，及其菩薩、聲聞之眾。佛知一切眾會所念，告維摩詰言：「善男子！為此眾會，現妙喜國無動如來，及諸菩薩、聲聞之眾，眾皆欲見。」

At this time the great assembly longed to see the Abhirati world and the Tathagata Akshobhya, along with his Bodhisattvas and shravakas. The Buddha, knowing what the whole assembly was thinking, told Vimalakirti: “Good man! For the sake of this assembly, show the Abhirati country, the Tathagata Akshobhya, and the assemblies of Bodhisattvas and shravakas, for all wish to see them.”

於是維摩詰心念：「吾當不起於座，接妙喜國鐵圍山川、溪谷江河、大海泉源、須彌諸山及日月星宿、天龍鬼神、梵天等宮，並諸菩薩、聲聞之眾，城邑聚落、男女大小乃至無動如來，及菩提樹、諸妙蓮華，能於十方作佛事者——三道寶階從閻浮提至忉利天，以此寶階諸天來下，悉為禮敬無動如來，聽受經法；閻浮提人亦登其階，上昇忉利，見彼諸天：妙喜世界成就如是無量功德——上至阿迦膩吒天，下至水際，以右手斷取，如陶家輪，入此世界，猶持華鬘，示一切眾。」作是念已，入於三昧現神通力，以其右手斷取妙喜世界，置於此土。

Then Vimalakirti thought to himself: “Without rising from my seat, I should take the Iron Encircling Mountains, mountains and rivers, valleys, streams, oceans, springs, Mount Sumeru and the other mountains of the Abhirati country, along with the sun, moon, and stars, the devas, dragons, ghosts, and spirits, the palaces of Brahma and the rest, together with the assemblies of Bodhisattvas and shravakas, cities and villages, men and women, old and young, and even the Tathagata Akshobhya, the bodhi tree, and the wondrous lotus flowers that can perform the Buddha's work in the ten directions: the three jeweled stairways from Jambudvipa to the Trayastrimsha heaven, by which the devas descend these jeweled stairways, all paying homage to the Tathagata Akshobhya and listening to the sutras; the people of Jambudvipa also climb these stairs, ascend to Trayastrimsha, and see those devas; the Abhirati world has accomplished such countless merits, from the Akanishtha heaven above to the water's edge below, I will cut it off with my right hand like a potter's wheel and place it in this world, like holding a garland, to show it to all.” Having had this thought, he entered samadhi, displayed his supernatural power, and with his right hand cut off the Abhirati world and placed it in this land.

彼得神通菩薩及聲聞眾，並餘天、人俱發聲言：「唯然，世尊！誰取我去，願見救護。」無動佛言：「非我所為，是維摩詰神力所作。」其餘未得神通者，不覺不知己之所往。妙喜世界，雖入此土而不增減，於是世界亦不迫隘，如本無異。

The Bodhisattvas who had attained supernatural powers and the shravaka assembly there, together with the other devas and humans, said together: “Yes, World-Honored One! Who has taken us away? We wish to be rescued and protected.” The Buddha Akshobhya said: “It is not my doing; it is done by the supernatural power of Vimalakirti.” The others who had not obtained supernatural powers did not feel or know where they were going. Although the Abhirati world entered this land, it was neither increased nor decreased, and this world was not crowded, as if there were no difference from before.

爾時釋迦牟尼佛告諸大眾：「汝等且觀妙喜世界無動如來，其國嚴飾，菩薩行淨，弟子清白。」

Then the Buddha Shakyamuni told the great assembly: “Look at the Abhirati world and the Tathagata Akshobhya: how adorned his country is, how pure the conduct of its Bodhisattvas, and how clean and white its disciples.”

皆曰：「唯然已見。」

They all said: “Yes, we have seen it.”

佛言：「若菩薩欲得如是清淨佛土，當學無動如來所行之道。」

The Buddha said: “If a Bodhisattva wishes to obtain such a pure Buddha land, he should learn the Way practiced by the Tathagata Akshobhya.”

現此妙喜國時，娑婆世界十四那由他人，發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心，皆願生於妙喜佛土。釋迦牟尼佛即記之曰：「當生彼國。」時妙喜世界於此國土所應饒益其事訖已，還復本處，舉眾皆見。

When this Abhirati country was displayed, fourteen nayutas of people in the Saha world gave rise to the mind of supreme perfect awakening, and all wished to be born in the Buddha land of Abhirati. The Buddha Shakyamuni at once gave them the prediction: “You will be born in that country.” Then the Abhirati world, having finished what it was to benefit in this land, returned to its original place, and the whole assembly saw it.

佛告舍利弗：「汝見此妙喜世界及無動佛不？」

The Buddha told Shariputra: “Have you seen this Abhirati world and the Buddha Akshobhya?”

「唯然已見，世尊！願使一切眾生得清淨土，如無動佛；獲神通力，如維摩詰。世尊！我等快得善利，得見是人，親近供養。其諸眾生，若今現在，若佛滅後，聞此經者，亦得善利；況復聞已信解、受持、讀誦、解說，如法修行？若有手得是經典者，便為已得法寶之藏；若有讀誦解釋其義，如說修行，即為諸佛之所護念；其有供養如是人者，當知即為供養於佛；其有書持此經卷者，當知其室即有如來；若聞是經能隨喜者，斯人即為取一切智；若能信解此經，乃至一四句偈，為他說者，當知此人即是受阿耨多羅三藐三菩提記。」

(Shariputra said:) “Yes, I have seen them, World-Honored One! May all beings obtain a pure land like the Buddha Akshobhya, and gain supernatural power like Vimalakirti. World-Honored One! We have joyfully obtained good benefit in being able to see this person and draw near to him and make offerings. If beings, whether now or after the Buddha's extinction, hear this sutra, they too will obtain good benefit; how much more those who, having heard it, believe and understand, uphold, read, recite, explain, and practice according to the Dharma? If anyone obtains this scripture in hand, he has already obtained the treasury of the Dharma jewels; if anyone reads, recites, and explains its meaning, and practices as it says, he is protected and cherished by the Buddhas; those who make offerings to such a person should know that they are making offerings to the Buddha; those who write out and uphold this sutra scroll, know that in their room there is the Tathagata; those who hear this sutra and can rejoice in it, such a person has taken hold of omniscience; and those who can believe and understand this sutra, even to the point of speaking a single four-line verse for others, should know that this person is receiving the prediction of supreme perfect awakening.”

爾時釋提桓因於大眾中白佛言：「世尊！我雖從佛及文殊師利聞百千經，未曾聞此不可思議、自在神通、決定實相經典。如我解佛所說義趣，若有眾生聞是經法，信解、受持、讀誦之者，必得是法不疑，何況如說修行？斯人即為閉眾惡趣開諸善門，常為諸佛之所護念；降伏外學，摧滅魔怨；修治菩提，安處道場；履踐如來所行之跡。世尊！若有受持讀誦、如說修行者，我當與諸眷屬供養給事；所在聚落城邑、山林曠野有是經處，我亦與諸眷屬聽受法故，共到其所；其未信者，當令生信，其已信者，當為作護。」

Then Shakra Devanam Indra said to the Buddha in the great assembly: “World-Honored One! Although I have heard a hundred thousand sutras from the Buddha and Manjushri, I have never heard this sutra of the inconceivable, free and supernatural, decisive true aspect. As I understand the meaning the Buddha has spoken, if any being hears this sutra and believes, understands, upholds, and recites it, he will surely obtain this Dharma without doubt, how much more if he practices as it says? Such a person closes off all evil destinies, opens all gates of good, is always protected and cherished by the Buddhas, subdues outside teachings, crushes the maras and enemies, cultivates bodhi, dwells at the place of the Way, and treads in the footsteps of the Tathagata's practice. World-Honored One! If anyone upholds, reads, recites, and practices as it says, I will, together with my retinue, make offerings and serve him; and wherever in villages, towns, mountains, forests, or wilderness this sutra is found, I will also, together with my retinue, go there together for the sake of listening to and receiving the Dharma; those who do not yet believe I will cause to believe, and those who already believe I will protect.”

佛言：「善哉，善哉！天帝！如汝所說，吾助爾喜。此經廣說過去、未來、現在諸佛不可思議阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。是故，天帝！若善男子、善女人受持、讀誦、供養是經者，即為供養去、來、今佛。天帝！正使三千大千世界如來滿中，譬如甘蔗、竹𥯤、稻麻、叢林；若有善男子、善女人，或一劫、或減一劫，恭敬尊重，讚歎供養，奉諸所安，至諸佛滅後，以一一全身舍利起七寶塔——縱廣一四天下，高至梵天，表剎莊嚴——以一切華香、瓔珞、幢幡、伎樂微妙第一，若一劫、若減一劫，而供養之，於天帝意云何，其人植福寧為多不？」

The Buddha said: “Excellent, excellent! Devendra! As you say, I rejoice with you. This sutra extensively explains the inconceivable supreme perfect awakening of the Buddhas of the past, future, and present. Therefore, Devendra! If a good man or good woman upholds, reads, recites, and makes offerings to this sutra, he is making offerings to the Buddhas of the past, future, and present. Devendra! Even if the three thousand great thousand worlds were filled with Tathagatas like sugarcane, bamboo and reeds, rice and hemp, and dense forests (the base text has a rare character for “reeds,” which should be read as reeds); if a good man or good woman, for a kalpa or less than a kalpa, with reverence and respect, praise and offerings, offered all that was comfortable to them, and after the Buddhas' extinction raised stupas of the seven jewels for the whole-body relics of each of them, as wide and long as one of the four continents and as high as the Brahma heaven, with banner poles and adornments, offering the most exquisite of all flowers, incense, garlands, banners, canopies, and music for a kalpa or less than a kalpa, what do you think, Devendra, would that person not plant much merit?”

釋提桓因言：「多矣！世尊！彼之福德，若以百千億劫說不能盡。」

Shakra Devanam Indra said: “Much indeed, World-Honored One! The merit of that person could not be exhausted even if described over a hundred thousand billion kalpas.”

佛告天帝：「當知是善男子、善女人聞是不可思議解脫經典，信解受持，讀誦修行，福多於彼。所以者何？諸佛菩提皆從是生；菩提之相不可限量，以是因緣福不可量。」

The Buddha told Devendra: “Know that a good man or good woman who hears this scripture of inconceivable liberation, believes, understands, upholds, reads, recites, and practices it has more merit than that. Why? The bodhi of all the Buddhas arises from this; the aspect of bodhi cannot be measured, and because of this cause and condition the merit cannot be measured.”

佛告天帝：「過去無量阿僧祇劫，時世有佛，號曰藥王如來、應供、正遍知、明行足、善逝、世間解、無上士、調御丈夫、天人師、佛、世尊。世界名大莊嚴，劫曰莊嚴，佛壽二十小劫。其聲聞僧三十六億那由他，菩薩僧有十二億。天帝！是時有轉輪聖王，名曰寶蓋，七寶具足，主四天下。王有千子，端正勇健，能伏怨敵。

The Buddha told Devendra: “In a past countless asamkhyeya kalpa, there was a Buddha in the world at that time named the Tathagata Medicine King, worthy of offerings, perfectly and rightly awakened, perfect in knowledge and conduct, well-gone, knower of the world, unsurpassed, tamer of men, teacher of devas and humans, Buddha, World-Honored One. The world was named Great Adornment, the kalpa was named Adornment, and the Buddha's lifespan was twenty small kalpas. His shravaka Sangha numbered thirty-six billion nayutas, and his Bodhisattva Sangha twelve billion. Devendra! At that time there was a wheel-turning sage king named Jewel Canopy, complete in the seven treasures, ruling the four continents. The king had a thousand sons, upright, brave, and strong, able to subdue enemies.

「爾時寶蓋與其眷屬，供養藥王如來，施諸所安，至滿五劫。過五劫已，告其千子：『汝等亦當如我，以深心供養於佛。』於是千子受父王命，供養藥王如來，復滿五劫，一切施安。其王一子，名曰月蓋，獨坐思惟：『寧有供養殊過此者？』以佛神力，空中有天曰：『善男子！法之供養勝諸供養。』即問：『何謂法之供養？』天曰：『汝可往問藥王如來，當廣為汝說法之供養。』

(The Buddha continued:) "At that time, Jewel Canopy and his retinue made offerings to Medicine King Tathagata, giving whatever brought peace, for a full five kalpas. When the five kalpas had passed, he told his thousand sons: 'You too should be as I am, and make offerings to the Buddha with a deep mind.' Then the thousand sons, receiving their royal father's command, made offerings to Medicine King Tathagata for another five kalpas, giving all that brought peace. The king had one son named Moon Canopy, who sat alone in thought: 'Could there be an offering that surpasses this?' By the Buddha's spiritual power, a god in the air said: 'Good man! The offering of the Dharma surpasses all offerings.' He asked at once: 'What is called the offering of the Dharma?' The god said: 'You may go and ask Medicine King Tathagata, who will explain to you at length the offering of the Dharma.'"

「即時月蓋王子行詣藥王如來，稽首佛足，卻住一面，白佛言：『世尊！諸供養中，法供養勝。云何為法供養？』佛言：『善男子！法供養者，諸佛所說深經，一切世間難信難受，微妙難見，清淨無染，非但分別思惟之所能得，菩薩法藏所攝，陀羅尼印印之；至不退轉，成就六度，善分別義，順菩提法，眾經之上；入大慈悲，離眾魔事及諸邪見；順因緣法，無我、無人、無眾生、無壽命，空、無相、無作、無起；能令眾生坐於道場而轉法輪，諸天、龍神、乾闥婆等所共歎譽；能令眾生入佛法藏，攝諸賢聖一切智慧；說眾菩薩所行之道；依於諸法實相之義，明宣無常、苦、空、無我、寂滅之法；能救一切毀禁眾生，諸魔外道及貪著者能使怖畏，諸佛賢聖所共稱歎；背生死苦，示涅槃樂，十方三世諸佛所說；若聞如是等經，信解、受持、讀誦，以方便力為諸眾生分別解說，顯示分明，守護法故，是名法之供養。又於諸法如說修行，隨順十二因緣，離諸邪見，得無生忍；決定無我無有眾生，而於因緣果報無違無諍，離諸我所；依於義不依語，依於智不依識，依了義經不依不了義經，依於法不依人；隨順法相，無所入，無所歸；無明畢竟滅故，諸行亦畢竟滅，乃至生畢竟滅故，老死亦畢竟滅：作如是觀十二因緣，無有盡相，不復起見，是名最上法之供養。』」

(The Buddha continued:) "At once Prince Moon Canopy went to Medicine King Tathagata, bowed with his head at the Buddha's feet, withdrew to one side, and said to the Buddha: 'World-Honored One! Among all offerings, the offering of the Dharma is supreme. What is the offering of the Dharma?' The Buddha said: 'Good man! The offering of the Dharma is the profound sutras taught by all buddhas, which are hard for all the world to believe or accept, subtle and hard to see, pure and undefiled, not attainable by discrimination and thought alone, contained in the Dharma treasury of the Bodhisattvas and sealed with the seal of dharani; they lead to non-retrogression, accomplish the six perfections, skillfully distinguish meanings, accord with the Dharma of bodhi, and are above all the other sutras; they enter great compassion, are free of the works of Mara and all wrong views; they accord with the Dharma of dependent origination, no self, no person, no sentient being, no life span, emptiness, signlessness, non-action and non-arising; they enable beings to sit at the site of the Way and turn the Dharma wheel, and are praised together by gods, dragons, gandharvas and others; they enable beings to enter the treasury of the Buddha's Dharma and gather the wisdom of all worthies and sages; they speak of the path practiced by the Bodhisattvas; relying on the meaning of the true marks of all dharmas, they clearly proclaim the Dharma of impermanence, suffering, emptiness, no-self and quiescence; they can save all beings who violate the precepts, and can cause fear in Maras, non-Buddhist paths and those who are attached; they are praised together by all buddhas, worthies and sages; they turn away from the suffering of birth and death and show the joy of nirvana; they are what the buddhas of the ten directions and three times have taught. If one hears such sutras and believes, understands, upholds, and recites them, and through skillful means explains them distinctly to all beings, showing them clearly, for the sake of protecting the Dharma, this is called the offering of the Dharma. Furthermore, to practice as taught in regard to all dharmas, accord with the twelve links of dependent origination (ignorance, formations, consciousness, name and form, the six sense bases, contact, sensation, craving, grasping, becoming, birth, and old age and death), be free of wrong views, and attain the forbearance of non-arising; to be certain of no self and no sentient beings, and yet in regard to causes, conditions and karmic results to have no opposition or dispute, free of all that belongs to self; to rely on meaning and not on words, on wisdom and not on consciousness, on sutras of definitive meaning and not on those of provisional meaning, on the Dharma and not on persons; to accord with the marks of the Dharma, with nothing to enter and nowhere to return; because ignorance is ultimately extinguished, all formations are also ultimately extinguished, and so on up to birth being ultimately extinguished, and old age and death being also ultimately extinguished; to contemplate the twelve links in this way, with no mark of exhaustion and no further arising of views, this is called the supreme offering of the Dharma.'""

佛告天帝：「王子月蓋從藥王佛聞如是法，得柔順忍。即解寶衣嚴身之具，以供養佛，白佛言：『世尊！如來滅後，我當行法供養，守護正法。願以威神加哀建立，令我得降魔怨，修菩薩行。』佛知其深心所念，而記之曰：『汝於末後守護法城。』天帝！時王子月蓋，見法清淨，聞佛授記，以信出家，修集善法；精進不久，得五神通，逮菩薩道，得陀羅尼，無斷辯才。於佛滅後，以其所得神通、總持、辯才之力，滿十小劫，藥王如來所轉法輪隨而分佈。月蓋比丘以守護法，勤行精進，即於此身，化百萬億人於阿耨多羅三藐三菩提立不退轉；十四那由他人，深發聲聞、辟支佛心；無量眾生得生天上。天帝！時王寶蓋豈異人乎？今現得佛，號寶炎如來；其王千子，即賢劫中千佛是也——從迦羅鳩孫駄為始得佛，最後如來號曰樓至。月蓋比丘，即我身是。如是，天帝！當知此要：以法供養於諸供養為上為最，第一無比。是故，天帝！當以法之供養，供養於佛。」

The Buddha told Indra: "Prince Moon Canopy, hearing such Dharma from Medicine King Buddha, attained the forbearance of gentle accord. At once he took off his precious clothes and the ornaments adorning his body as an offering to the Buddha, and said to the Buddha: 'World-Honored One! After the Tathagata's passing, I will practice the offering of the Dharma and protect the true Dharma. May you, by your majestic spiritual power and compassion, establish me, so that I may subdue the enemies of Mara and practice the Bodhisattva conduct.' The Buddha knew what he deeply held in mind, and gave him the prediction: 'In the last age, you will protect the city of the Dharma.' Indra! At that time Prince Moon Canopy saw that the Dharma was pure, and hearing the Buddha's prediction, left home out of faith and cultivated and gathered good dharmas; before long in his diligent effort he attained the five spiritual powers, reached the Bodhisattva path, gained dharani, and had unbroken eloquence. After the Buddha's passing, by the power of the spiritual powers, total retention and eloquence that he had gained, for a full ten small kalpas he spread, following the Dharma wheel that Medicine King Tathagata had turned. The bhikshu Moon Canopy, by protecting the Dharma and practicing with diligence, in that very body transformed a million billion people and established them in unsurpassed perfect enlightenment without retrogression; fourteen nayutas of people deeply generated the minds of Hearers and Solitary Realizers; and immeasurable beings were born in the heavens. Indra! Was King Jewel Canopy at that time some other person? He has now become a buddha, called Jewel Flame Tathagata; the king's thousand sons are the thousand buddhas of the Worthy Kalpa, beginning with Krakucchanda and ending with the Tathagata named Rucika. The bhikshu Moon Canopy is my own self. So, Indra! Know this essential point: the offering of the Dharma is above and supreme among all offerings, first and without equal. Therefore, Indra! You should make offerings to the Buddha with the offering of the Dharma.""

於是佛告彌勒菩薩言：「彌勒！我今以是無量億阿僧祇劫所集阿耨多羅三藐三菩提法，付囑於汝。如是輩經，於佛滅後末世之中，汝等當以神力廣宣流佈於閻浮提，無令斷絕。所以者何？未來世中，當有善男子、善女人及天、龍、鬼神、乾闥婆、羅剎等，發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心，樂於大法；若使不聞如是等經，則失善利。如此輩人聞是等經，必多信樂，發希有心，當以頂受，隨諸眾生所應得利，而為廣說。

Then the Buddha said to Maitreya Bodhisattva: "Maitreya! Now I entrust to you this unsurpassed perfect enlightenment Dharma, gathered over immeasurable hundreds of millions of asamkhyeya kalpas. A kind of sutra like this, in the last age after the Buddha's passing, you should use your spiritual power to proclaim and spread widely throughout Jambudvipa, and not allow it to be cut off. Why? In future ages there will be good men and good women, as well as gods, dragons, ghosts and spirits, gandharvas, rakshasas and others, who will give rise to the mind of unsurpassed perfect enlightenment and delight in the great Dharma; if they did not hear sutras like these, they would lose good benefit. Such people, hearing such sutras, will surely have much faith and joy, give rise to a rare mind, and should receive them on the crown of their heads, and you should teach widely according to the benefit that beings ought to gain."

「彌勒！當知菩薩有二相。何謂為二？一者、好於雜句文飾之事；二者、不畏深義如實能入。若好雜句文飾事者，當知是為新學菩薩；若於如是無染無著，甚深經典無有恐畏，能入其中，聞已心淨，受持讀誦，如說修行，當知是為久修道行。

(The Buddha continued:) "Maitreya! Know that Bodhisattvas have two kinds of marks. What two? First, they love ornamented phrases and embellishments; second, they are not afraid of the profound meaning and can truly enter it. If one loves ornamented phrases and embellishments, know that this is a newly learning Bodhisattva; if one has no fear of such undefiled, unattached, profound sutras, can enter into them, and after hearing them has a pure mind, upholds, recites and practices as taught, know that this is one who has long cultivated the practice of the Way."

「彌勒！復有二法名新學者，不能決定於甚深法。何等為二？一者、所未聞深經，聞之驚怖生疑，不能隨順，毀謗不信，而作是言：『我初不聞，從何所來？』二者、若有護持、解說如是深經者，不肯親近、供養、恭敬，或時於中說其過惡。有此二法，當知是為新學菩薩，為自毀傷，不能於深法中調伏其心。

(The Buddha continued:) "Maitreya! There are also two things that make a person called a new learner, unable to be settled in the profound Dharma. What two? First, hearing a profound sutra he has not heard before, he is alarmed and doubtful, cannot accord with it, and slanders it and does not believe it, saying: 'I never heard of this before; where does it come from?' Second, when someone protects and explains such a profound sutra, he is unwilling to draw near, make offerings or show respect, or sometimes speaks of that person's faults. Having these two things, know that this is a newly learning Bodhisattva, who harms himself and cannot tame his mind in the profound Dharma."

「彌勒！復有二法，菩薩雖信解深法，猶自毀傷，而不能得無生法忍。何等為二？一者、輕慢新學菩薩，而不教誨；二者、雖解深法，而取相分別。是為二法。」

(The Buddha continued:) "Maitreya! There are also two things by which a Bodhisattva, though he believes and understands the profound Dharma, still harms himself and cannot attain the forbearance of the non-arising of dharmas. What two? First, he looks down on newly learning Bodhisattvas and does not teach them; second, though he understands the profound Dharma, he clings to marks and discriminates. These are the two things.""

彌勒菩薩聞說是已，白佛言：「世尊！未曾有也！如佛所說，我當遠離如斯之惡，奉持如來無數阿僧祇劫所集阿耨多羅三藐三菩提法。若未來世善男子、善女人求大乘者，當令手得如是等經，與其念力，使受持讀誦、為他廣說。世尊！若後末世，有能受持讀誦、為他說者，當知皆是彌勒神力之所建立。」

Maitreya Bodhisattva, hearing these words, said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One! This is unprecedented! As the Buddha has said, I shall keep far from such evil, and uphold the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment Dharma that the Tathagata has gathered over countless asamkhyeya kalpas. If in the future good men and good women who seek the Great Vehicle should come, I will see that such sutras are placed in their hands, give them the power of mindfulness, and enable them to uphold and recite them and teach them widely to others. World-Honored One! If in the later last age there are those who can uphold, recite and teach them to others, know that all of them are established by Maitreya's spiritual power.""

佛言：「善哉，善哉！彌勒！如汝所說，佛助爾喜。」

The Buddha said: "Well said, well said! Maitreya! As you have said, the Buddha rejoices with you.""