T353 The Sutra of Queen Śrīmālā of the Lion’s Roar and The Vimalakīrti Sutra

Chapter 9: The Underlying Truth: The Meaning of Emptiness

The Sutra of Queen Śrīmālā of the Lion's Roar

unconditioned noble truths, the actions of the Tathāgatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones are ultimate. Because all the Tathāgatas, Arhats, Perfectly Enlightened Ones know all future suffering, sever all defilements as well as the sources of all virulent defilements that have been accumulated, and extinguish all the elements in the mind-made bodies [of the three vehicles], they realize the extinction of all suffering.

"O Lord, the extinction of suffering is not the destruction of the Dharma. The 'extinction of suffering' signifies the Dharma body of the Tathāgata, which is from beginningless time uncreated, non arising, indestructible, free from destruction, eternal, inherently pure, and separate from all the stores of defilement. O Lord, the Dharma body is not separate from, free from, or different from the inconceivable Buddha-Dharmas that are more numerous than the sands of the Ganges River.

"O Lord, the Dharma body of the Tathāgata is called the tathā gatagarbhawhen it is inseparable from the stores of defilement. "

36

Chapter IX

The Underlying Truth:

The Meaning of Emptiness

"O Lord, the wisdom of the tathāgatagarbhais the Tathāgata's wisdom of emptiness (śūnyatā). O Lord, the tathāgatagarbhahas not been seen nor attained originally by all the arhats, pratyekabuddhas, and powerful bodhisattvas. "O Lord, there are two kinds of wisdom of emptiness with reference to the tathāgatagarbha.The tathāgatagarbha that is empty is separate from, free from, and different from the stores of all defile ments. And the tathāgatagarbhathat is not empty is not separate from, not free from, and not different from the inconceivable Buddha-Dharmas more numerous than the sands of the Ganges River.

"O Lord, the various great disciples can believe in the Tathā gata with reference to the two wisdoms of emptiness. All arhats and pratyekabuddhas revolve in the realm of the four contrary views because of their knowledge of emptiness. Thus, arhats and pratyekabuddhas do not originally see nor attain [the wisdom of the tathāgatagarbha]. The extinction of all suffering is only realized by the buddhas who destroy the stores of all defilements and practice the path that extinguishes all suffering.

"

37

Chapter 10: The One Noble Truth

Chapter X

The One Noble Truth

"O Lord, among these four noble truths, three are impermanent and one is permanent. Why? Because three of the [four] noble truths are conditioned. What is 'conditioned' is impermanent and what is 'impermanent' is false and deceptive in nature. What is 'false and deceptive in nature' is not true, is impermanent, and is not a refuge. Therefore, the [three] noble truths, namely, 'there is suffering,

' 'there is the source of suffering, ' and 'there is the path,

'

are not the supreme truth for they are neither permanent nor a refuge. "

39

Chapter 11: The One Refuge

Chapter XI

The One Refuge

"The one noble truth, namely, 'the extinction of suffering, ' is separate from

222a

the conditioned. What is 'separate from the conditioned' is permanent. What is 'permanent' is not false and deceptive in nature. What is 'not false and deceptive in nature' is true, permanent, and a refuge. Therefore, the noble truth of the extinction [of suffering] is the supreme truth. "

41

Chapter 12: The Contrary Truths

Chapter XII

The Contrary Truths

"The noble truth of the extinction [of suffering] is inconceivable, transcending all the conditions of the consciousness of living beings. This is also not the knowledge of arhats and pratyekabuddhas who, like those born blind, cannot see all shapes; or like a week-old infant who cannot see the disc of the moon. The truth of the extinction of suffering, similarly, does not belong to the condition of the common person's consciousness nor to the two vehicles' realm of knowledge. The common person's consciousness refers to the two contrary views. The wisdom of all arhats and pratyekabuddhas is pure [in comparison with that of the common person].

"'Limited views' refer to the common person's adherence to the misconception that there is a substantial ego within the five psycho physical elements (skandhas), which then causes the two views that are designated 'contrary, ' namely, eternalism and nihilism. If one considers the conditioned states impermanent, this is nihilism and not the correct view. If one considers nirvana permanent, this is eternalism and not the correct view. Because of misconceptions, there are such views. "In the sense organs of the body, which are discriminative in nature, some perceive the destruction of phenomena in the present moment. Unable to see phenomena in continuity, they become nihilistic in their views because of misconceptions. The ignorant, who are unable to uderstand or know the momentary consciousness with reference to its continuity, become eternalistic in their views because of misconceptions. By this or that principle, they discriminate and maintain inadequate positions to an extreme degree. Because of foolish misconceptions they adhere to erroneous conceptions and contrary views, namely, nihilism and eternalism.

"O Lord, living beings have contrary ideas when they have acquired the five psychophysical elements of the individual. The impermanent is considered 43

Chapter 13: The Inherently Pure

222b

The Sutra of Queen Śrīmālā of the Lion's Roar

permanent, suffering is considered happiness. The nonsubstantiality of the self is considered a substantial self, the impure is considered pure. The knowledge of all arhats and pratyekabuddhas has not originally apprehended the Dharma body of the Tathāgata nor the realm of his omniscience. If there are living beings who believe in the Buddha's words, they will have thoughts of permanence, of happiness, of self, and of purity. These are not contrary views but are correct views. Why? The Dharma body of the Tathāgata is the perfection of permanence, the perfection of happiness, the perfection of the substantial self, and the perfection of purity. Those who see the Dharma body of the Buddha in this way are said to see correctly. Those who see correctly are the true sons and daughters of the Buddha. They arise from the Buddha's words, from the True Dharma, and from conversion to the Dharma, attaining the remaining benefits of the Dharma.

"O Lord, pure wisdom is the perfection of wisdom that belongs to all arhats and pratyekabuddhas. This pure wisdom, although it is called pure wisdom, with reference to the [conditioned noble] truth of the extinction [of suffering] is not the realm [of unconditioned wisdom]. Of course, the wisdom of [those beginning to study] the four basic truths (i.e., the four noble truths) also [does not belong to the realm of unconditioned wisdom]. Why? The three vehicles' first actions were not ignorant of the Dharma. Because of their principles, they understood and attained [enlightenment]. The Buddha explained the four basic truths for their sake. O Lord, these four basic truths are the Dharma of the world. O Lord, the one refuge is all refuges. It is the transcendental and supreme refuge, namely, the truth of the extinction [of suffering]. "

44

Chapter XIII

The Inherently Pure

"O Lord, the cycle of birth and death depends on the tathāgata garbha, because the tathāgatagarbhais referred to as the original limit [of the cycle of birth and death], which is unknowable. O Lord,

'tathāgatagarbha

'is referred to

as the cycle of birth and death for a proper designation. O Lord, the cycle of birth and death is the extinction of the senses and the subsequent arising of [new] inexperienced senses. This is called the cycle of birth and death. "O Lord, these two phenomena—birth and death—are the tathāgatagarbha.It is worldly convention to say 'there is birth' and 'there is death. '

'Death' is the extinction of one's senses.

'Birth' is the arising of new senses.

"The tathāgatagarbhais neither life nor death. The tathāgata garbhais separate from the conditioned. The tathāgatagarbhais eternal and unchanging. Therefore, the tathāgatagarbhais the basis, the support, and the foundation. O Lord, the tathāgatagarbhais not separate, not severed, not liberated from, and not different from the inconceivable Buddha-Dharmas. O Lord, the basis, support, and foundation of conditioned phenomena, which are severed from, separate from, and different from the Buddha-Dharmas, [also] are the tathāgatagarbha. "O Lord, if there were no tathāgatagarbhathere would be no revulsion toward suffering, nor aspiration to seek nirvana. Why? Because the seven [mental] phenomena—the six [sense] consciousnesses and the knowledge of [their accompanying] mental phenomena—do not continue even momentarily and do not accept the impressions of suffering, there cannot be revulsion for suffering nor aspiration to seek nirvana.

"The tathāgatagarbha is without any prior limit, is non arising, and is indestructible, accepting suffering, having revulsion toward suffering, and aspiring to nirvana. O Lord, the tathāgatagarbha is not a substantial self, nor a living being, nor 'fate,

' nor a person. The tathāgatagarbha is not a

45

Chapter 14: The True Sons [and Daughters] of the Tathāgata

222c

The Sutra of Queen Śrīmālā of the Lion's Roar

realm for living beings who have degenerated into the belief of a substantially existent body or for those who have contrary views, or who have minds bewildered by emptiness.

"O Lord, the tathāgatagarbhais the womb of the dharmas, the womb of the Dharma body, the transcendental womb, and the inherently pure womb. This tathāgatagarbhathat is inherently pure is the inconceivable realm of the Tathāgata that has been contaminated by extrinsic defilements and other virulent defile ments. Why? The good mind is momentary and not contaminated by defilements. The evil mind is also momentary but is not contaminated by defile ments either. Defilements do not affect the mind. The mind does not affect defilements. Then how does the mind, which is unaffected by nature, become defiled? O Lord, there are defilements and there are defiled minds. The fact that there is defilement in a mind that is inherently pure is difficult to comprehend. Only the buddhas, the lords, who have the eye of truth and the wisdom of truth, who are the sources of the Dharma and penetrate the Dharma, and who are the refuge of the True Dharma, can comprehend this truth.

"

When Queen Śrīmālā had explained the difficulties in comprehending [the inherently pure mind's defilement], she was questioned by the Buddha. The Buddha, with extreme joy, praised her,

"Yes, it is so! It is so! The fact

that there is defilement in a mind that is inherently pure is difficult to comprehend. There are two subjects that are difficult to completely comprehend. They are the mind that is inherently pure and the fact that this [same] mind has been contaminated by defilements. These two subjects can be heard by you and the bodhisattva māhasattvas who have the great Dharma. The others, namely, the disciples, can only believe through the Buddha's words. "

46

Chapter XIV

The True Sons [and Daughters]

of the Tathāgata

[The Buddha said,] "If my disciples comply with their [early stages of] faith and [subsequent] more fervent faith, then they will attain the ultimate after completing their subsequent wisdom of the Dharma that is based upon the illumination of faith.

'The subsequent wisdom of the Dharma' is the insight and fundamental investigation into the realms of sensation and consciousness; insight into karmic retribution; insight into the eye of the arhat; insight into the happiness of the autonomy of mind and into the happiness of meditation; and insight into the supernatural powers of the arhats, pratyekabuddhas, and powerful bodhisattvas. When these five kinds of insight have been completed, even after my final nirvana, in future generations, my disciples who have [the early stages of] faith, the [subsequent] more fervent faith, and the subsequent wisdom of the Dharma that is based upon the illumination of faith will attain the ultimate even though their inherently pure minds become contaminated by defilements. The 'ultimate' is the cause for entering the path of the Mahayana. Faith in the Tathā gata has great benefits. Do not slander my [Dharma's] profound meaning.

"

Then Queen Śrīmālā said to the Buddha,

"There are still remaining great

benefits which I will explain, with the Buddha's permission. "

The Buddha said,

"Again, please explain.

"

Queen Śrīmālā said to the Buddha,

"The three kinds of good sons and

daughters who, within the most profound meaning [of the Dharma], have separated themselves from injury [to the Dharma], produce great merits, entering the path of the Mahayana. What are the three [kinds of good sons and daughters]? They are those good sons and daughters who (1) develop their own wisdom of the most profound Dharma, (2) develop the subsequent wisdom of 47

Chapter 15: Śrīmālā

The Sutra of Queen Śrīmālā of the Lion's Roar the Dharma [that is based upon the illumination of faith], and (3) revere the Lord though they do not completely understand the most profound Dharma. "What is known only by the buddhas is not our realm. These [abovementioned] are called the good sons and daughters who revere the Tathāgata. Only these are the good sons and daughters. "

48

Chapter XV

Śrīmālā

[Śrīmālā said,] "All the remaining living beings who stubbornly cling to false teachings, instead of to the most profound Dharma, turn their backs to the True Dharma and habitually practice the corrupt ways of various heterodoxies. These corrupt ways must be subdued by the [Dharma] King's powers and by the powers of the divine nāgas.

"

When Queen Śrīmālā and her attendants paid obeisance to the Buddha, the Buddha said,

"Excellent, excellent, Queen Śrīmālā! In the most profound Dharma, protected by skillful means, subdue what is not the Dharma. Maintain well its correctness. You have already been very close to the hundreds of millions of buddhas and can explain this [Dharma's] meaning. "

At that time the Lord emitted a most excellent light, radiating everywhere over the assembly. His body ascended into the sky, higher than seven tala trees. Walking in the sky, he returned to the kingdom of Śrāvastī. Then Queen Śrīmālā and her attendants together faced the Buddha and were transfixed by the sight of him, not moving for even a moment. [The Buddha,] having passed through their field of vision, caused them to be exalted. Each individual praised the Tathāgata's merits and was mindful of him. The Buddha then reentered the city. Turning toward [her husband,] King Mitrayaśas, Queen Śrīmālā praised the Mahayana. All the women of the city, seven years of age and older, were converted to the Mahayana. King Mitrayaśas was also converted to the Mahayana. All the men, seven years of age and older, were converted to the Mahayana. Then all the citizens of the state were turned toward the Mahayana.

Then the Lord entered the Jeta Garden, spoke to the venerable Ānanda, and called upon Śakra, the king of heaven. Śakra, along with his retinue, immediately arrived in the presence of the Buddha. Then the Lord turned toward the king of heaven, Śakra, and to the venerable Ānanda and extensively 49

223a

223b

The Sutra of Queen Śrīmālā of the Lion's Roar

explained this text. Having explained it, he said to Lord Śakra, "You should

accept and read this sutra, O Kauśika. Good sons and daughters, in innumerable kalpas as numerous as the sands of the Ganges River, cultivate the practice of enlightenment and practice the six perfections. If these good sons and daughters learn and read this sutra and uphold it, their blessings will be immense.

"How much more [advantageous] will it be for those who explain this text. Thus, O Kauśika, you must read this sutra on behalf of the thirty-three heavens, defining and extensively explaining it. "

Then the Buddha said to Ānanda,

"You also must accept and read this

sutra. For the sake of the four groups of followers you must extensively explain this sutra.

"

Then the king of heaven, Śakra, asked the Buddha, "O Lord, what is the

name of this sutra? How does one adhere [to its teaching]?" The Buddha said to Lord Śakra,

"This sutra has immeasurable and limitless merits. All the disciples and buddhas cannot, ultimately, have insight into [these merits] nor know them. Kauśika, you should know all the great merits that are so subtle and profound in this sutra. Now I shall, on your behalf, briefly explain its name. Listen well, listen well and remember this [text].

"

Then the king of heaven, Śakra, and the venerable Ānanda said to the Buddha,

"Excellent, O Lord! Yes, we will do as you have instructed. "

The Buddha said,

"This sutra praises the supreme merits of the True Dharma of the Tathāgata [in Chapter I]. In this manner accept it. It explains [in Chapter II] the ten inconceivable ordination vows. In this manner accept it. It explains [in Chapter III] the great aspiration that embraces all aspirations. In this manner accept it. It explains [in Chapter IV] the inconceivable acceptance of the True Dharma. In this manner accept it. It explains [in Chapter V] the entrance into the One Vehicle. In this manner accept it. It explains [in Chapter VI] the unlimited noble truths. In this manner accept it. It explains [in Chapter VII] the tathāgatagarbha.In this manner accept it. It explains [in Chapter VIII] the Dharma body. In this manner accept it. It explains [in Chapter IX] the underlying truth: the meaning of emptiness. In this manner accept it. It explains [in Chapter X] the one [noble] truth. In this manner accept it. It explains [in Chapter XI] the one refuge that is eternal and quiescent. In this 50

Chapter XV

manner accept it. It explains [in Chapter XII] the contrary truths. In this manner accept it. It explains [in Chapter XIII] the inherently pure mind that is covered [by defilements]. In this manner accept it. It explains [in Chapter XIV] the true sons [and daughters] of the Tathāgata. In this manner accept it. Teach the Sutra of Queen Śrīmālā of the Lion

'

s Roar.In this manner accept it.

"Again, O Kauśika, the explanations of this sutra eliminate all doubts. Be steadfast in the complete meaning [of this text] and enter the path of the One Vehicle. O Kauśika, today this scripture, the Sutra of Queen Śrīmālā of the Lion

'

s Roar,has been transmitted to you. As long as the Dharma continues, accept, read, extensively define, and explain [this sutra]. "

Lord Śakra said to the Buddha,

"Very well, O Lord, we will reverently receive your holy teaching.

" Then the king of heaven, Śakra, the venerable Ānanda, and all the great assemblies of gods, asuras, and gandharvas, among others, heard the Buddha's teaching and joyfully put it into practice. End of the Sutra of Queen Śrīmālā of the Lion '

s Roar

51

Back Matters

Bibliography

Paul, Diana.

"A Prolegomena to the

'Śrīmālādevī Sūtra

'

and the Tathāgata garbhaTheory: The Role of Women in Buddhism, " dissertation. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin, 1974. —

"The Buddhist Feminine Ideal: Queen Śrīmālā and the Tathāgatagarbha, "disser-—

.

.

tation. Missoula, MT: Scholars Press, 1980. "The Concept of Tathāgatagarbhain the Śrīmālādevī Sūtra(Sheng-man ching), "

Journal of the American Oriental Society99/2 (1979): 191-203. Takasaki, Jikido. A Study of the Ratnagotravibhāga (Uttaratantra): Being a Treatise on the Tathāgatagarbha Theory of Mahāyāna Buddhism. Serie Orientale Roma 33. Rome: Instituto Italiano per il Medio ed Estremo Oriente, 1966. Wayman, Alex, and Hideko Wayman. The Lion '

s Roar of Queen Śrīmālā: A Buddhist Scrip ture on the Tathāgatagarbha Theory.New York and London: Columbia University Press, 1974. Zimmermann, Michael. A Buddha Within: The Tathāgatagarbhasūtra: The Earliest Exposition of the Buddha-Nature Teaching in India.Tokyo: International Research Institute for Advanced Buddhology, Soka University, 2002. 53

THE VIMALAKĪRTI SUTRA

Front Matters

Contents

Translator's Introduction 59 The Vimalakīrti Sutra Fascicle One

Chapter I. Buddha Land 69 Chapter II. Skillful Means 81 Chapter III. Disciples 85 Chapter IV. Bodhisattvas 97 Fascicle Two

Chapter V. Mañjuśrī's Condolence Visit Chapter VI . Inconceivable 117 Chapter VII. Viewing Sentient Beings Chapter VIII. The Path of Buddhahood Chapter IX. The Dharma Gate of Nonduality 107 123

133

143

Fascicle Three

Chapter X. The Buddha Accumulation of Fragrances Chapter XI. Practices of the Bodhisattva Chapter XII. Vision of Akṣobhya Buddha 149 157

165

Chapter XIII. Dharma Offering 171 Chapter XIV. Bestowal 177 Bibliography 181 57

Translator’s Introduction

Translator's Introduction

The Vimalakīrti Sutra(Vimalakīrtinirdeśa-sūtra) is renowned in contemporary world Buddhism for its breathtaking exposition of the Mahayana doctrine of nonduality, and justifiably so. The text imparts its penetrating insight by first elaborating the manifold nuances of this doctrine in finely honed formal language, next by demonstrating the ideal in exquisite philosophical repartée, and then by dramatizing its lofty understanding in the climax of Vimalakīrti's "thunderous silence.

" Doctrinally, the Vimalakīrti Sutraelaborates ideas deriving from the Perfection of Wisdom (Prajñāpāramitā) literature and stated more formally in the treatises of the Mādhyamaka school. Spiritually, the demonstrative quality of Vimalakīrti's silence, and the vivid interactions between him and his interlocutors, imply a deep connection with the later development of the Chinese Chan (Jp. Zen) school as well.

The intellectual charm of the doctrine of nonduality is only heightened by its being situated in such a spectacular religious world. This is no coldly analytical treatise, no harshly systematic rehearsal of religious dogma, but a lively and inventive depiction of religious dialogue that palpably sparkles with humor, insight—and frequent irruptions of the miraculous. This last quality might be ignored by modernist readers, but its effects are too important to allow the tendency to go unchallenged. A fantastic congregation, including incredible arrays of gods, celestial bodhisattvas, and other beings, is assembled within Vimalakīrti's tiny chamber, where they sit on magnificent thrones of unimaginable size—all without jumbling up against each other, and entirely without contorting the dimensions of the ordinary world. The level of impossibility escalates even more when this congregation is then host to an entirely separate world-system, complete with its own mountains and continents, rivers and oceans, which Vimalakīrti grasps as easily as a potter throwing a lump of clay. And to match this incredible assembly there are miracles aplenty, beginning with heavenly flowers raining from above and instantaneous gender reversals, leading up to 59

The Vimalakīrti Sutra

the spectacular vision of a galaxy far, far away, where the reigning buddha teaches by means of fragrance rather than words. To top all of this off, a onebowl-serves-all take-out meal from that world of fragrance is used to feed— and instruct—Vimalakīrti's guests. (I wonder about the possible efficacy of a chocolate Dharma, but that divine substance is nowhere mentioned!) Though moderate in length the scripture is certainly magnificent in the scale of its vision! At the heart of it all, of course, is the figure of Vimalakīrti. Throughout the course of the scripture he is identified as a great bodhi sattva who formerly lived in the "pure land" of the Buddha Akṣobhya, but who has chosen to be reborn in this world in order to teach the recalcitrant sentient beings here. His current identity as householder is but a pose he has assumed, just as his current illness is but a skillful means he has adopted: both are simply devices by which to teach sentient beings. The householder identity is manifestly impossible: he is celibate but has children, goes to brothels but is chaste, is rich but without desire, etc. The immense improbability of Vimalakīrti's person is undoubtedly part of this religious appeal.

Chinese readers were fascinated with the figure of Vimalakīrti, and it is usually said that he represented a type of religious ideal with which unordained literati could identify. Here was a rich and educated layman who could outperform everyone around him—except, of course, the buddhas themselves—in every conceivable form of endeavor. He enjoyed every imaginable privilege, yet used his energies solely for the benefit of the community around him, a type of service that resonated with Confucian social ideals. No doubt the popularity of the scripture in East Asia has something to do with this congruence with indigenous social ideals and the fascination Chinese Buddhists and interested intellectuals had in a figure of such diverse and remarkable talents. We should not overlook the active role local clienteles played in determining the selection of Buddhist texts that were presented for them in Chinese translation—the residents of East Asia were not passive recipients of Buddhist missionary activity, but very proactive consumers. In contrast to the relative obscurity of this text in India and Tibet, where there is no record of even a single commentary nor even of any art historical imagery based on it, from at least the third century of the common era the Vimalakīrti Sutrabecame one of the favorites of the East Asian tradition. There are over fifteen hundred depictions of Vimalakīrti and Mañjuśrī in dialogue 60

Translator's Introduction

known from East Asian painting and sculpture traditions, as well as a series of influential commentaries, and innumerable occasional references to the text and its ideas in both religious and secular writings. This is but one example of the manner in which East Asian Buddhism draws on the universalistic themes developed in the Indian homeland of the religion, even as the overall configurations of the Mahayana in South and East Asia are so profoundly different. It would be wrong, though, to exaggerate the importance of the Vimalakīrti Sutrain China, Korea, or Japan. Although it seems to have been used continuously throughout the East Asian Buddhist tradition, both temporally and geographically, there are obvious limitations in the manner of its use. First, even though the text—like many other Mahayana Buddhist scriptures—recommends its own recitation, there is precious little evidence that it was ever very popular as a devotional text, one to be recited for religious benefit. The Lotus Sutra(Saddharmapuṇḍarīka-sūtra) and the Pure Land sutras (Sukhāvatīvyūha-sūtra, Amitāyurdhyāna-sūtra) are good examples of sutras used in this manner, of course, and even the massive Flower Garland Sutra(Buddhāvataṃsaka-sūtra) was used in the same way. Second, the Vimalakīrti Sutranever became the basis for a doctrinal tradition of its own, unlike the other scriptures just mentioned, which were used as scriptural bases of the Tiantai (Korean: Ch'ŏnt'ae; Japanese: Tendai), Pure Land, and Huayan (Hwaŏm; Kegon) schools. It is not merely that no independent "Vimalakīrti school" ever developed; the text is frequently mentioned as one of a number of important Mahayana texts but it tends to be listed in the middle of the pack, as it were. It was used occasionally for healing purposes in medieval China and Japan, though not as often as other scriptures. No matter what the time period, readers (both those who read for content and those who recite for religious value) tend to perceive their texts in idiosyncratic ways. One wonders if the medieval Chinese really noticed, for example, that the goal of all of Vimalakīrti's efforts was not to create other enlightened laypeople like himself but to inspire his listeners to become monastics and embark on the bodhisattva path. Although accomplished bodhisattvas might choose to be reborn as laypeople, or as beings of virtually any identity, the text indicates on numerous occasions that the best response to hearing and understanding its doctrine of inconceivable liberation was to leave home to become a monk and undertake training in the grandiose vocation of the bodhisattva. Vimalakīrti's job description, in fact, even included the inspiration of some of 61

The Vimalakīrti Sutra

his following to dedicate themselves to the goal of achieving "Hinayana" enlightenment. Although the Mahayana goal of anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi(complete, perfect enlightenment) was clearly the highest religious ideal presented, for beings of lesser capacity to select lesser targets was not a failing but an appropriate collateral benefit. Not only does the Vimalakīrti Sutra not share in the "One Vehicle" teaching of the Lotus Sutra, in which all Buddhist practitioners are destined for perfect buddhahood, there is also no explicit hint of any recommendation that one should dedicate lifetimes of training to achieving the status of an enlightened layperson.

Modern readers are very interested in the scene in which a goddess upstages the stodgy śrāvaka or "Hinayana" monk Śāriputra. In a dramatization of the Vimalakīrti story that I saw in San Francisco in the summer of 2000, in which life-size puppets were used to represent the dramatis personae, the highlight of the performance came when the goddess transforms the bodies of herself and Śāriputra into their contrasting genders (depicted by a quick change of the puppets' heads!). From our perspective, this is an important statement of a traditional Buddhist attitude on the status of women, and thus a meaningful religious statement. However, although I have only begun to browse through the Chinese commentarial literature on the Vimalakīrti Sutra,it seems that medieval Chinese interest in this scene was rather different from ours. Whereas for modern people this is primarily a statement about gender, for medieval Chinese (and, I suspect, other East Asian) readers it was primarily a statement about emptiness.

Translating the Vimalakīrti Sutrahas been a joy, in no small part because of the inherent interest of the text itself, including not only its specific doctrinal formulations but just as importantly its dramatic flair and sense of humor. As well, though, the immense pleasure of preparing this English rendition comes through the great resources that are now available.

The present translation is an English rendition of the Chinese translation by Kumārajīva (350-409 or 413), or rather by the team of Kumārajīva, which included such famously gifted students as Seng zhao (373-414) and Daosheng (360?-434). My goal has indeed been to "represent" the Kumārajīva version of the Vimalakīrti Sutra,to create an English version that provides access to the text as it might have been understood by fifth-century Chinese readers. One implication of this decision is that I have rendered the terminology as it occurs in Chinese, without attempting to represent what may have been the underlying Indic 62

Translator's Introduction

(either Sanskrit or Prakrit) terminology, except of course where Chinese characters are used to transliterate the Indic sounds. For example, where kleśamight better be rendered "defilement,

" the Chinese equivalent of fannao is given here as

"afflictions,

" because that is what the characters mean. And where the fourth skandha, saṃskāra,is best rendered "conditioning forces" or "impulses" based on the Sanskrit, the Chinese counterpart xingis given as "processes. "

Although I obviously do not have direct access to the mind of medieval Chinese readers, I have made frequent use of the Zhu Wei mo jie jing (Taishō Shinshū DaizōkyōVol. 38, No. 1775, 327a-420a), the joint commentary to the Vimalakīrti Sutraleft by Kumārajīva, Sengzhao, and Daosheng, and I have tried to render the sutra in the way that it was understood by these primary figures of the translation team. To be able to consult this commentary, which assembles the comments of the chief translator and his primary assistants in the very translation project involved, was for me a remarkable experience. Practically speaking, I was unable to consult the joint commentary for every line, but I did check its contents when the Chinese phrasing of the sutra itself seemed questionable in some way. Only rarely if at all did the commentators answer my questions directly, and sometimes (especially toward the end of the text, when the density of their comments decreases) they offered no clue whatsoever. However, in a refreshingly large number of cases some feature of their remarks allowed me to make a choice between reasonable alternatives, to create a suitable English analog to their understanding. I have also frequently consulted the two other extant Chinese translations of the Vimalakīrti Sutra,the first (Taishō No. 474) by Zhi Qian (fl. 220-252); and the other (Taishō No. 476) by the famous seventh-century pilgrim Xuanzang (596?-664); on rare occasions I have also consulted the commentary on this later translation by Xuanzang's disciple Ji (often referred to as Kuiji, 632-682), the Shuo Wu guo cheng jingshu (Taishō No. 1782). In the terms used within the sutra itself, I have frequently sighed in exclamation at the unprecedented quality of this arrangement. Another aspect of how enjoyable this translation project was is the fact that all the extant relevant Chinese texts are now available in well-proofed electronic versions. As a result, my standard practice has been to type the English translation into a word processing file on the computer screen, alongside text editor windows containing the Zhi Qian, Kumārajīva, and Xuanzang translations and the joint commentary of Kumārajīva, Sengzhao, and Daosheng. A simple search utility 63

The Vimalakīrti Sutra

has allowed me to look for parallel usages in other Buddhist canonical sources when desired. This is the first time I have been able to do translation work in such a manner, and I must express my profound gratitude to the Chinese Buddhist Electronic Text Association (CBETA, www. cbeta.org) for making this possible. The Vimalakīrti Sutra has already been published four times in English translation, and I made some use of these resources in preparing the present English text. Of these four versions, only two are of the Kumārajīva text, and unfortunately neither is of sufficient quality to justify its extensive use here. Charles Luk's older rendering is too freely interpretive to be of help, and in addition he frequently becomes confused regarding the grammatical construction of the original. Burton Watson's recent translation is better grammatically but his intentional lack of attention to Buddhist technical terms undermines his effort, eliminating a great deal of its intrinsic religious interest. Robert Thurman's translation of the Tibetan version of the Vimalakīrti Sutrais a very creditable rendition of that text but there are enough differences between it and Kumārajīva's Chinese version to make extensive use inappropriate here. I have therefore relied primarily on Étienne Lamotte's translation from the Tibetan, even though it sometimes regularizes the text (i.e., adverts to standard Indian Buddhist usages) in ways that the Thurman rendition does not. To be precise, I have used the English translation of Lamotte's work done by Sara Boin (London: Pali Text Society, 1976), which sometimes renders scriptural passages more in line with Lamotte's reconstructed Sanskrit than his translation of the Tibetan. (The preceding characterizations are based in part on Jan Nattier's "The Teaching of Vimalakīrti [Vimalakīrti nirdeśa]: A Review of Four English Translations, " Buddhist Literature

2 [2000]: 234-58.) For understanding the Chinese grammar of the Kumārajīva version I have consulted the "Yuima-gyō,

"a useful modern Japanese translation

by Jikidō Takasaki, in his and Kōshō Kawamura's Yuima-gyō, Shiyaku Bonten shomon kyō, Shuryōgon zammai kyō [Vimalakīrti Sutra, Questions of the Brahmā (Deva) Viśeṣacinti Sutra, and Śūraṃgama-samādhi Sutra], Monju kyōten [Mañjuśrī Scriptures] no. 2 (Tokyo: Daizō shuppan, 1993), in spite of its emphasis on readings drawn from Lamotte and the Tibetan translation. Recently, a Sanskrit manuscript of the Vimalakīrti Sutrahas been discovered, and I have acquired transcriptions of selected passages through the kind assistance of Yoshiyasu Yonezawa of Taishō University.

64

Translator's Introduction

Chapter numbers and titles are as in the Taishō edition; section numbers imitate those in Lamotte, varying only where Kumārajīva's text differs from the Tibetan version followed by Lamotte. 65

Contents

THE SUTRA PREACHED BY VIMALAKĪRTI Also called "The Inconceivable Emancipation" Translated by

Tripiṭaka Master Kumārajīva of the Yao Qin [Dynasty]

Fascicle I

Fascicle One

Chapter I

Buddha Land

1. Thus have I heard. At one time the Buddha was in the garden of Āmrapālī near Vaiśālī, in the company of a great congregation of eight thousand bhikṣus. 2. There were thirty-two thousand bodhisattvas, recognized by the congregation. 3. The [bodhisattvas present] had all accomplished the original practices of great wisdom; were established by the numinous charisma of the buddhas; maintained the correct Dharma for the defense of the Dharma city; made their names heard throughout the ten directions through their ability at the lion's roar; befriended and pacified people without being requested; exalted the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha) and were thus able to keep them from being cut off; subjugated the vengeful Māras and controlled those of the heterodox paths; were entirely purified and had forever transcended the impediments (i.e., afflictions); maintained their minds always in peace and unhindered emancipation; were unfailing in their mindfulness, concentration, dhāraṇī (i.e., memorization of the Dharma), and eloquence; were replete in charity (dāna), morality (śīla), forbearance (kṣānti), exertion (vīrya), meditation (dhyāna), wisdom (prajñā), and the power of skillful means; had attained the forbearance of the nonarising of dharmas and the nonattainment [of all things]; were able to accord with [the truth] in turning the irreversible wheel [of the Dharma]; understood well the characteristics of the dharmas and understood the capacities (lit.,

"roots") of sentient beings; had attained

fearlessness in sheltering the great congregations; cultivated their minds with merit and wisdom; were paramount in the adornment of their bodies with 69

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the [thirty-two primary] characteristics and [eighty subsidiary] marks; had dispensed with worldly adornments; were known above and beyond even Mount Sumeru; were firmly resolute in faith like vajra(i.e., diamond); illuminated the Dharma jewel everywhere and rained down the sweet dew [of the Dharma]; were paramount in the subtleties of the host of [spoken] sounds; profoundly entered into conditioned generation to eliminate the false views; were without any residual influence of the two extremes of being and nonbeing; preached the Dharma without fear like the lion's roar; preached with reverberations like thunder; were without measure and beyond measurement; were like ocean captains who had collected the many Dharma jewels; comprehended the profound and wondrous meanings of the Dharmas; understood well the past tendencies and [current] mental processes of sentient beings; approached the unparalleled autonomous wisdom of the Buddha, the ten powers, [the four] fearlessnesses, and all the eighteen exclusive [attributes of the Buddha]; had closed all the doorways of the evil destinations but were born in the five destinations in order to manifest their bodies there; were great medicine kings who were good at healing the various illnesses; provided medicine according to the illness and caused it to be taken; were accomplished in all the immeasurable merits; had ornamented and purified all the imeasurable buddha lands; unfailingly used what they saw and heard for the benefit [of others]; and never squandered away their endeavors. Thus were they entirely replete in all merits.

4. Their names were Equivalent Contemplation Bodhisattva, Inequivalent Contemplation Bodhisattva, Equivalent-Inequivalent Contemplation Bodhisattva, Autonomy of Meditation King Bodhi sattva, Autonomous Dharma King Bodhisattva, Dharma Characteristic Bodhisattva, Radiance Characteristic Bodhisattva, Radiance Ornament Bodhisattva, Great Ornament Bodhisattva, Accum ulation of Jewels Bodhisattva, Accumulation of Eloquence Bodhisattva, Jewel Hand Bodhisattva, Jewel Seal Hand Bodhisattva, Constantly Raised Hand Bodhisattva, Constantly Lowered Hand Bodhisattva, Constantly Lamenting Bodhisattva, Roots of Joy Bodhisattva, Joy King Bodhisattva, Eloquent Sound Bodhisattva, Store of Space Bodhisattva, Holding the Jewel Torch Bodhisattva, Jewel Courage Bodhisattva, Jewel Vision Bodhisattva, Indra's Net Bodhisattva, Illumination Net Bodhisattva, Unconditional Contemplation Bodhisattva, Accumulation of Wisdom Bodhisattva, Excellent 70

Chapter I

Jewel Bodhisattva, Heavenly King Bodhisattva, Destroyer of Māra Bodhisattva, Lightning-like Virtue Bodhisattva, Autonomous King Bodhisattva, Ornament of the Characteristics of Merit Bodhisattva, Lion's Roar Bodhisattva, Sound of Thunder Bodhisattva, Sound Striking the Mountains Bodhisattva, Fragrant Elephant Bodhisattva, White Fragrant Elephant Bodhisattva, Constant Exertion Bodhisattva, Unresting Bodhisattva, Wondrous Birth Bodhisattva, Flower Ornament Bodhisattva, Contemplates the Sounds of the World (Avalokiteśvara) Bodhisattva, Attains Great Strength Bodhisattva, Brahmā's Net Bodhisattva, Jewel Staff Bodhisattva, Undefeated Bodhisattva, Ornamented Earth Bodhisattva, Golden Crest Bodhisattva, Pearl Crest Bodhisattva, Maitreya Bodhisattva, Mañjuśrī Dharma Prince Bodhisattva—there were thirty-two thousand such as these.

5. There were also ten thousand Brahmā heavenly kings, Śikhin and others, who descended from the other worlds of four continents to proceed to where the Buddha was in order to hear the Dharma. There were also twelve thousand heavenly emperors (i.e., Indras), who also came from the other worlds of four continents to sit in this assembly, and the other awesomely powerful gods (devas), dragons (nāgas), yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kiṃnaras, and mahoragas, who all came to sit in the assembly. The bhikṣus (monks), bhikṣuṇīs (nuns), upāsakas (laymen), and upāsikās (laywomen) [also] came together to sit in the assembly.

6. At that time the Buddha explained the Dharma for the congregation of immeasurable hundreds of thousands surrounding and revering him. He was like [Mount] Sumeru, the king of mountains, rising high above the ocean. Peacefully seated on the many-jeweled lion seat, he towered over the great congregation of all those who had come there.

7. At that time there was an elder's son in the city of Vaiśālī named Jewel Accumulation. He and five hundred other elders' sons proceeded to where the Buddha was, holding canopies made of the seven treasures. Reverencing [the Buddha's] feet with their heads, they all simultaneously offered their canopies to the Buddha.

8. The Buddha's numinous charisma made the jewel-laden canopies all turn into a single canopy, which covered the entire trimegachiliocosm, yet allowing all the characteristics of the breadth and length of this world to appear within it. Also, all the tri mega chilio cosm's Mount Sumerus, Snowy 537c

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Mountains, Mucilinda Mountains, Mahāmucilinda Mountains, Fragrant Mountains, Jewel Mountains, Golden Mountains, Black Mountains, Iron Ring Mountains, and Great Iron Ring Mountains; the oceans, rivers, streams, and springs; the suns, moons, and stars; the palaces of the gods, the palaces of the dragons, and the palaces of the honored gods—all these appeared within that jewel-laden canopy. Also, the buddhas of the ten directions, as well as the buddhas' preaching of the Dharma, also appeared in that jewelladen canopy. 9. At that time the entire great congregation observed the numinous power of the Buddha and exclaimed in praise of its unprecedented [quality]. They held their palms together and reverenced the Buddha, gazing up at his revered countenance without interruption.

10. At this the elder's son Jewel Accumulation proclaimed in verse before the Buddha:

1. Your eyes are pure,

And as large as blue lotuses;

Your mind is pure, having mastered the concentrations. Long have you accumulated pure action—you are immeasurably praiseworthy;

You have guided the congregation with serenity, and therefore we bow our heads to you.

2. We see the Great Sage use numinous transformations To manifest the immeasurable lands throughout the ten directions, Within which the buddhas preach the Dharma,

And we thus can see and hear them all!

3. The Dharma power of the Dharma King surpasses all other beings, And you always give the wealth of Dharma to all. Well do you discriminate the characteristics of the dharmas and remain unmoved within the cardinal principle.

You have already achieved autonomy with regard to the dharmas, and therefore we bow our heads to you as Dharma King. 4. You explain that the dharmas are neither extant nor non-extant, Although the dharmas are generated from causes and conditions; 72

Chapter I

5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. That they are without self, without creation, without experiencer, Although good and evil karma is also not extinguished. Initially, under the bodhitree you forcefully subjugated Māra, Attaining extinction, like sweet dew, and achieving enlightenment. Without any intention in mind and without experiencing any process,

You thoroughly vanquished the heterodox paths. With three turnings of the wheel of the Dharma in the chiliocosm, The wheel is fundamentally always pure.

The achievement of enlightenment by gods and humans attests to this,

And the Three Jewels are thus manifest in the world. With this wondrous Dharma you save sentient beings, Who after experiencing it never regress from permanent serenity. As the Great Medicine King who saves us from old age, illness, and death,

You should be worshiped as a Dharma sea whose virtues are boundless.

Immovable before abuse and praise, like [Mount] Sumeru, You are equally compassionate to those who are good or not. Your mental processes are universally same, like space— Who could hear of the Jewel Among Humans without becoming devoted [to you]?

Now we offer the World-honored One this subtle canopy Within which is manifested to us the trimegachiliocosm, Including the palaces in which the gods and dragons abide, As well as the gan dharvas and yakṣas.

We see all that transpires in the world,

As He of the Ten Powers compassionately manifests these transformations.

The congregation has observed this rare event and all exclaimed in praise of the Buddha,

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11. 538a

12. 13. 14. 15. 16. And now we bow our heads to the Honored One of the triple world.

[You,] the Great Sage and Dharma King, are the refuge of the congregation,

Who purify their minds in contemplating [you,] the Buddha, all of them in ecstasy.

They each see the World-honored One in front of himself, Through the [eighteen] exclusive attributes of [the Buddha's] numinous power.

The Buddha explains the Dharma with one sound, And sentient beings each attain understanding according to their capacity.

Each one says the World-honored One is speaking his own language,

Through the exclusive attribute of [the Buddha's] numinous power.

The Buddha preaches the Dharma with one sound, And sentient beings each understand accordingly. Everyone accepts and practices it, and receives its benefit, Through the exclusive attribute of [the Buddha's] numinous power.

The Buddha preaches the Dharma with one sound, But some are afraid and some joyous. Some generate revulsion [to the world of suffering] or eliminate their doubts,

Through the exclusive attribute of [the Buddha's] numinous power. We bow our heads to Him of the Ten Powers and Great Exertion. We bow our heads to Him Who Has Achieved Fearlessness. We bow our heads to Him Residing in the Exclusive Attributes. We bow our heads to the Great Guide of All. We bow our heads to Him Who Can Eradicate the Fetters. We bow our heads to Him Who Has Arrived at the Other Shore. 74

Chapter I

We bow our heads to Him Who Can Save [Beings in All] the Worlds.

We bow our heads to Him Who Has Eternally Transcended the Realm of Samsara.

17. You understand the past and future characteristics of sentient beings,

And well have you attained emancipation with regard to the dharmas.

Unattached to the world, like the lotus flower [growing out of the mud],

You always enter well into the practice of empty serenity (i.e., nirvana).

18. You have attained the characteristics of the dharmas without hindrance,

And we bow our heads to Him Who Relies On Nothing, Like Space.

11. When the elder's son Jewel Accumulation finished speaking this verse, he addressed the Buddha,

"World-honored One, these five hundred

elders' sons have all generated the intention to achieve anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi (complete, perfect enlightenment). We wish to hear of the purity of the countries of the Buddha. Would the World-honored One please explain for the bodhisattvas the practices by which a land is purified?" The Buddha said,

"Excellent, Jewel Accumulation! You are able to inquire on behalf of the bodhisattvas regarding the practices by which the Tathāgata purified his land. Listen clearly, listen clearly, and consider this well. I will explain it for you.

" At this Jewel Accumulation and the five hundred elders' sons listened as instructed. 12. The Buddha said,

"Jewel Accumulation, the categories of sentient beings are the bodhisattvas' buddha lands. Why is this? Bodhisattvas acquire the buddha lands according to the sentient beings they convert. They acquire the buddha lands according to the sentient beings they discipline. They acquire the buddha lands according to what country sentient beings need to enter into buddha wisdom. They acquire the buddha lands according to what country sentient beings need to generate the roots [for becoming] bodhisattvas. Why 75

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The Vimalakīrti Sutra

is this? Because bodhisattvas' acquisition of the pure countries is entirely for the benefit of sentient beings. It is like a man who wants to build a palace on empty land who is [able to build it] according to his wish without hindrance. He would never be able to build it in space. Bodhisattvas are like this. In order to accomplish the [salvation of] sentient beings, they vow to acquire the buddha countries. The vow to acquire a buddha land is not done in empty space! 13.

"Jewel Accumulation, you should understand that sincerity is the bodhisattva's pure land—when the bodhisattva attains buddhahood, it is sentient beings who do not flatter [and lie] that come be born in his country. "A profound mind is the bodhisattva's pure land—when the bodhisattva attains buddhahood, it is sentient beings who are complete in merit that come to be born in his country.

"The mind of bodhi(bodhicitta,i.e., the intention to achieve perfect enlightenment) is the bodhisattva's pure land—when the bodhisattva achieves buddha hood, sentient beings of the Mahayana come to be born in his country. "Charity (dāna) is the bodhisattva's pure land—all sentient beings capable of renunciation come to be born in his country.

"Morality (śīla,lit.,

"maintaining the precepts") is the bodhisattva's pure land—when the bodhisattva achieves buddhahood, sentient beings who have fulfilled their vows to practice the path of the ten types of good come to be born in his country.

"Forbearance (kṣānti) is the bodhisattva's pure land—when the bodhisattva achieves buddhahood, sentient beings who have ornamented themselves with the thirty-two marks [of a buddha] come to be born in his country. "Exertion (vīrya) is the bodhisattva's pure land—when the bodhisattva achieves buddhahood, sentient beings who have energetically cultivated all the [types of] merit come to be born in his country.

"Meditation (dhyāna) is the bodhisattva's pure land—when the bodhisattva achieves buddhahood, sentient beings who control their minds and keep them undisturbed come to be born in his country. "Wisdom (prajñā) is the bodhisattva's pure land—when the bodhisattva achieves buddhahood, sentient beings who [have achieved] correct concentration come to be born in his country. "The four unlimited states of mind (i.e., the brāhma-vihāras) are the bodhisattva's pure land—when the bodhisattva achieves buddhahood, sentient beings 76

Chapter I

who have developed sympathy, compassion, joy, and equanimity come to be born in his pure land.

"The four means of attraction are the bodhisattva's pure land—when the bodhisattva achieves buddhahood, sentient beings who have been attracted through his emancipation come to be born in his country. "Skillful means are the bodhisattva's pure land—when the bodhisattva achieves buddhahood, sentient beings whose skillful means are without hindrance regarding all the the dharmas come to be born in his country. "The thirty-seven factors of enlightenment are the bodhisattva's pure land— when the bodhisattva achieves buddhahood, sentient beings who [have accomplished the] foundations of mindfulness, correct exertions, numinous capabilities, faculties, powers, and the noble path come to be born in his country. "The attitude of rededication [of merit] is the bodhisattva's pure land— when the bodhisattva achieves buddhahood, he attains a country that is complete in all [forms of] merit. "Explaining how to eliminate the eight difficult realms [where the Buddha and Dharma are unknown] is the bodhisattva's pure land—when the bodhisattva achieves buddhahood, his country is without the three evil destinations and eight difficult realms.

"Maintaining one's own practice of the precepts without reviling the deficiencies of others is the bodhisattva's pure land—when the bodhisattva achieves buddhahood, his country is without the names (i.e., without even the words) 'violation' and 'prohibition.

'

"The ten goods are the bodhisattva's pure land—when the bodhisattva achieves buddhahood, sentient beings whose lifespans are not interrupted, who are very wealthy, who are chaste, whose words are truthful, who always use gentle language, who do not isolate themselves from their subordinates and who are good at resolving disputes, whose words are always beneficial, who are not jealous, who are not prone to anger, and who have correct views— [all these types of sentient beings] come to be born in his country. 14.

"Thus, Jewel Accumulation, according to his sincerity does the bodhisattva generate his practice. According to his generation of practice does he attain the profound mind. According to his profound mind does he discipline his intention. According to the disciplining of his intention does he practice in conformity with the teaching. According to his practice in conformance to the teaching is he able to rededicate [merit].

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538c

"According to his rededication does he have skillful means. According to his skillful means does he make sentient beings accomplish [liberation]. According to his accomplishment [of the liberation] of sentient beings is his buddha land pure. According to the purity of the buddha land is his explanation of the Dharma pure. According to the purity of his explanation of the Dharma is his wisdom pure. According to the purity of his wisdom is his mind pure. According to the purity of his mind are all his merits pure. "Therefore, Jewel Accumulation, if a bodhisattva wishes to attain a pure land he should purify his mind. According to the purity of his mind is his buddha land pure!"

15. At that time Śāriputra was influenced by the Buddha's numinous charisma to have this thought: "If the bodhisattva's buddha land is pure according to the purity of the bodhisattva's mind, then when our World-honored One was a bodhisattva his mind must have been pure. Nevertheless, this buddha land is so impure!"

The Buddha knew what he was thinking and asked him, "What do you

think? Although the blind do not see them, can the sun and moon be anything but pure?"

[Śāriputra] answered,

"No, World-honored One! This is the fault of the blind, not that of the sun and moon.

"

[The Buddha said],

"Śāriputra, it is through the transgressions of sentient beings that they do not see the purity of the Tathāgata's (i.e., my) buddha land. This is not the Tathāgata's fault! Śāri putra, this land of mine is pure, but you do not see it.

"

16. At that time Conch Crest Brahmā King said to Śāriputra, "Do not

think thus, saying that this buddha land is not pure. Why? I have witnessed the purity of Śākyamuni's buddha land. It is like the heavenly palace of Īśvara. "

Śāriputra said,

"As I observe this land, it is hills and hollows, brambles and gravel, and rocks and mountains—all filled with defilements. "

Conch Crest Brahmā King said,

"Sir, your mind has (i.e., perceives)

high and low because you are not relying on buddha wisdom. Hence you perceive this land as impure. Śāriputra, the bodhisattva is universally same [in attitude] regarding all sentient beings. The purity of his profound mind relies on buddha wisdom and therefore is able to perceive the purity of this buddha land.

"

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Chapter I

17. At this the Buddha pointed to the earth with his toe, and instantly the trimegachiliocosm was as if ornamented with a hundred thousand jewels. It was like the Jewel Ornamentation land, with all its immeasurable merits, of Jewel Ornament Buddha.

The entire great assembly exclaimed at this unprecedented event, and they all saw themselves sitting on many-jeweled lotus flowers. 18. The Buddha told Śāriputra,

"You should now observe the purity of

this buddha land.

"

Śāriputra said,

"So it is, World-honored One. Originally I did not see it; originally I did not hear it. Now the purity of the Buddha's country is entirely apparent.

"

The Buddha said to Śāriputra,

"My buddha country is always pure, like

this. It is only so as to save inferior persons here that I manifest it as a defiled and impure land. It is like the many-jeweled eating utensils used in common by the gods, the food in which is of different colors depending on their merits. Just so, Śāriputra, if a person's mind is pure he sees the merits and ornaments of this land.

"

19. When the Buddha manifested the purity of this country, the five hundred elders' sons led by Jewel Accumulation all achieved forbearance of the nonarising of dharmas. Eighty-four thousand people all generated the intention to achieve anuttarā samyaksaṃbodhi.

20. The Buddha then withdrew his numinous powers, and the world returned to its former [appearance].

The thirty-two thousand gods and humans who sought the śrāvaka vehicle understood that conditioned dharmas were all entirely impermanent and, distantly transcending sensory defile ment, they attained purity of the Dharma eye.

Eight thousand bhikṣus [achieved] nonexperiencing of the dharmas, their minds liberated by the elimination of the flaws. 79

539a