English
English version Shariputra (Sariputta) said, 'Have you seen what the Bodhisattva Mahasattvas do?' He replied, 'Yes, I have seen it.' The Buddha said, 'By what signs do you know their transformation?' He replied, 'Their transformation cannot be conceived by thought, cannot be planned by intention, cannot be measured by degree. What I have witnessed is inconceivable.' Ananda (Ānanda) asked the Buddha, 'The fragrance I am now smelling is unprecedented. What is this fragrance?' The Buddha said, 'This is the fragrance from the pores of the bodies of those Bodhisattvas.' Shariputra (Sariputta) told the venerable Ananda (Ānanda), 'All the pores of our bodies also have this fragrance.' Ananda (Ānanda) asked, 'Where does this come from?' He replied, 'It is because Vimalakirti (Vimalakīrti) took rice from the Buddha of Fragrance Accumulation (Buddha of Fragrance Accumulation), and those who ate it in his house, all their pores emit such a fragrance.' Ananda (Ānanda) asked, 'How long will this fragrance last?' Vimalakirti (Vimalakīrti) replied, 'Until this rice is digested.' He asked, 'When will this rice be digested?' He replied, 'This rice will last for seven days and seven nights, and then it will be digested. Moreover, depending on the person, if it is a disciple practitioner who eats this rice, it will not be digested until they attain enlightenment. Those who eat this rice and stop practicing will not digest it. Those who newly practice the Great Way and eat this rice will not digest it if they do not attain acceptance of the truth (Dharma-ksanti). If they attain acceptance of the truth (Dharma-ksanti) and eat this rice, it will not be digested until they reach the stage of being the next Buddha in line (Eka-jati-pratibaddha). For example, Ananda (Ānanda)! The fragrance of Aghonta medicine (Aghonta medicine) pervades the entire room, turning into the fragrance of honey, eliminating all poisons, and then the medicinal fragrance ceases. This rice is the same; it will not cease until it is fully digested. Until all defilements and poisons are completely removed, the fragrance of the rice will disappear.' Ananda (Ānanda) said, 'Did they make this rice with Buddha's work (Buddha's work)?' The Buddha said, 'So it is, so it is. Ananda (Ānanda)! Some Buddha lands use light to do Buddha's work; some Buddha lands use Bodhisattvas to do Buddha's work; some use the Tathagata's (Tathāgata) form and name to manifest and do Buddha's work; some use clothing, food, gardens, and pavilions to do Buddha's work.' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
作佛事；有以示现神足变化而作佛事；有以虚静空无寂寞为作佛事，而使达士得入律行；有以影、向、梦、幻、水月、野马，晓喻文说而作佛事；有以清净，无身无得，无言无取，而为众人作佛事。若此，阿难！不有是义及诸所有，亦不为人作佛事也。以此四魔八十四垢，百千种人为之疲劳，是故诸佛为作佛事。故此，阿难！名为佛法，随所行入之法门。菩萨得入此门者，若得一切好大佛土，不以喜悦，得不好土，而亦不避，其近如来即益起敬。妙哉！一切佛法，以等度人，而佛土不同。譬如有佛土有地若干，道所覆盖不若干也。如是，阿难！有诸如来为若干像，其无碍慧不若干也。正等，阿难！如来身色，威相性大，戒定慧解度知见事，力无所畏，及佛法慈悲护安，受行寿量，说法度人，是故，名为等正觉，名为如来，名为佛。此三句者，其义甚广，使吾以劫之寿，未能周竟三千大千申畅其义，以知众生之意。上智多闻，得念总持，为一切人说此三句之义，穷劫未能竟，此为等正觉，为如来，为佛者也。是故，阿难！佛道无量，如来智辩不可思议。” 阿难白佛：“愿今已后，无称我为上智多闻。” 佛言：“阿难！汝起疲厌之意，于弟子中为最多闻，比诸菩萨未有见焉。菩萨志愿所作弥多，一切海渊 现代汉语译本：有的通过示现神通变化来做佛事；有的通过虚静、空无、寂寞来做佛事，从而使通达之士能够进入戒律的修行；有的通过影子、回响、梦境、幻象、水中月、野马（海市蜃楼），用晓喻和解说的形式来做佛事；有的通过清净、无身无得、无言无取，来为众人做佛事。如果不是这样，阿难（Ananda）！如果没有这些意义以及所有这些方法，也就不能为人做佛事了。正因为有这四魔（Four Maras）、八十四垢（Eighty-four defilements），百千种人因此而疲劳，所以诸佛才要做佛事。因此，阿难（Ananda）！这被称为佛法，是随所行入的法门。菩萨（Bodhisattva）如果能够进入此门，即使得到一切美好的广大佛土，也不会因此而喜悦；即使得到不好的佛土，也不会因此而回避，如果接近如来（Tathagata），就会更加生起敬意。妙啊！一切佛法，用平等心来度化众生，而佛土却不相同。譬如有的佛土有若干土地，而道所覆盖的范围却不相同。像这样，阿难（Ananda）！有诸如来（Tathagata）示现为若干形象，而他们的无碍智慧却不相同。阿难（Ananda）！如来的身色、威相、性大、戒定慧解脱知见事、力、无所畏、以及佛法慈悲护安、受行寿量、说法度人，都是平等的，因此，被称为等正觉（Sammasambuddha），被称为如来（Tathagata），被称为佛（Buddha）。这三句话，其意义非常广泛，即使我用一个劫的时间，也不能完全阐述三千大千世界（Trisahasra-Mahasahasra-lokadhatu）的意义，来了解众生的心意。上智多闻、得念总持的人，为一切人解说这三句话的意义，穷尽一个劫的时间也不能说完，这就是等正觉（Sammasambuddha），就是如来（Tathagata），就是佛（Buddha）。所以，阿难（Ananda）！佛道无量，如来的智慧辩才不可思议。” 阿难（Ananda）对佛说：“希望从今以后，不要再称我为上智多闻。” 佛说：“阿难（Ananda）！你生起了疲厌的心意，在弟子中你是最多闻的，比之于诸菩萨（Bodhisattva）还没有人能见到你的。菩萨（Bodhisattva）的志愿所作的事情非常多，就像一切海渊一样。”
English
English version: Some perform Buddha-work by manifesting miraculous powers; some perform Buddha-work through stillness, emptiness, and tranquility, enabling accomplished individuals to enter the discipline of precepts; some perform Buddha-work by using shadows, echoes, dreams, illusions, reflections of the moon in water, and mirages to enlighten through explanations and discourses; some perform Buddha-work through purity, non-self, non-attainment, non-speaking, and non-grasping, for the sake of all beings. If not so, Ananda! Without these meanings and all these methods, one cannot perform Buddha-work for others. It is precisely because of these Four Maras, eighty-four defilements, and the fatigue they cause to hundreds of thousands of people that the Buddhas perform Buddha-work. Therefore, Ananda! This is called the Dharma, the gateway through which one enters practice. If a Bodhisattva can enter this gateway, they will not rejoice even if they obtain all the beautiful and vast Buddha-lands; they will not avoid even if they obtain unfavorable lands, and they will arise even greater reverence when near the Tathagata. Wonderful! All the Buddha-Dharma uses equality to liberate people, yet the Buddha-lands are different. For example, some Buddha-lands have a certain amount of land, but the area covered by the Way is not the same. Likewise, Ananda! There are Tathagatas who manifest in various forms, but their unobstructed wisdom is not the same. Equally, Ananda! The Tathagata's physical appearance, majestic presence, great nature, precepts, concentration, wisdom, liberation, knowledge, vision, power, fearlessness, as well as the Buddha-Dharma's compassion, protection, peace, practice, lifespan, teaching, and liberation of people are all equal. Therefore, they are called Sammasambuddha (Perfectly Enlightened One), called Tathagata (Thus Come One), called Buddha (Enlightened One). These three phrases have very broad meanings, and even if I were to use an eon, I could not fully explain the meaning of the Trisahasra-Mahasahasra-lokadhatu (Great Thousandfold World System) to understand the minds of all beings. A person of superior wisdom, great learning, retentive memory, who explains the meaning of these three phrases to all people, could not finish even in an eon. This is what it means to be Sammasambuddha, to be Tathagata, to be Buddha. Therefore, Ananda! The Buddha-way is immeasurable, and the Tathagata's wisdom and eloquence are inconceivable." Ananda said to the Buddha, 'From now on, I wish that you would not call me the most learned and wise.' The Buddha said, 'Ananda! You have given rise to a sense of weariness. Among the disciples, you are the most learned. Compared to the Bodhisattvas, no one has seen you yet. The vows and actions of the Bodhisattvas are very numerous, like all the ocean depths.' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
尚可测量，菩萨智慧诸持定念，种种所得不可称度。阿难！汝且观菩萨行。是维摩诘一时所现德善之本，彼诸弟子、缘一觉者，一切变化于百千劫不能现也。” 于是众香世界菩萨来者，皆叉手言：“如来名等，吾甚思念，无有遗忘，于此佛土终不起想。又如世尊诸佛权道不可思议，以度人故，为随所欲而现佛土之好。愿佛赠我以佛之法遗，迁于彼土当念如来。” 佛告诸菩萨言：“有尽不尽门，汝等当学。何谓为尽？谓其有数。何谓不尽？谓为无数。如菩萨者，不尽于数，不住无数。以何于数而不动者？谓之大慈不动，大悲不舍，性以和乐，意而不荒，见人而悦，奉事圣众，惠施躯命，以受正法，种善无厌，分德不住，学法不懈，说教不忘，供事佛劝，所生不恐，具受不慢，不轻未学，不为尘埃，守真化生，欣乐受决。安身以力，安彼以悦。禅定为学行想，生死为善权想，来求为贤友想，悉知为具足想，所有为布施想，恶戒为依受想，不忍为忍默想，懈怠为精进想，乱意为知念想，恶智为行智想，度无极为父母想，道品法为群从想。欲行众善，而无厌足，以诸刹好，成己佛土。生死无数劫，意而有勇；闻佛无量德，志而不倦。劳者为作归，贪者为福，导为众重任，晓阴入种降魔兵，不以谋为法，渊慧有 现代汉语译本：尚可测量的是菩萨的智慧以及他们所持有的坚定信念，但他们所获得的各种成就却是无法估量的。阿难（Ananda）！你应该好好观察菩萨的修行。这些都是维摩诘（Vimalakirti）一时所展现的德行和善行的根本，他的那些弟子、那些证悟了缘觉（Pratyekabuddha）果位的人，即使经历百千劫的变化，也无法展现出来。” 于是，从众香世界（World of All Fragrances）来的菩萨们，都合掌说道：‘如来（Tathagata）的名号等等，我们非常思念，没有遗忘，并且在此佛土（Buddha-field）始终不起任何贪恋的想法。又如世尊（World-Honored One）诸佛的方便法门（Upaya），不可思议，为了度化众生，随众生的意愿而示现佛土的美好。愿佛陀（Buddha）赐予我们佛法的遗赠，带到我们的佛土，我们将永远忆念如来。’ 佛陀告诉诸位菩萨说：‘有尽与不尽之门，你们应当学习。什么叫做尽？就是指可以计数的。什么叫做不尽？就是指不可计数的。如菩萨的修行，不局限于可计数的事物，也不停留在不可计数的事物上。用什么来使可计数的事物不为所动呢？那就是用大慈（Mahakaruna），不为所动；用大悲（Mahakaruna），永不舍弃；以本性（Svabhava）的平和喜乐为基础，意念不至于荒芜；见到他人就心生喜悦，奉事圣众（Arya-samgha），舍弃身躯性命来弘扬正法（Dharma），种下善根永不厌倦，分享功德而不执着，学习佛法永不懈怠，宣说教义永不忘记，供养佛陀并劝勉他人，所生之处不感到恐惧，完全接受而不傲慢，不轻视尚未学习的人，不为世俗尘埃所染，守护真如（Tathata）而化生，欣喜快乐地接受授记（Vyakarana）。以力量来安身立命，以喜悦来安定他人。以禅定（Dhyana）为学习和行动的思考，以生死（Samsara）为善巧方便的思考，以来求者为贤善朋友的思考，以悉知一切为具足圆满的思考，以所有之物为布施的思考，以恶戒（Dusshila）为依靠和接受的思考，以不忍为忍辱和沉默的思考，以懈怠为精进的思考，以散乱的意念为知念的思考，以恶劣的智慧为行使智慧的思考，以度脱无极（Aparimitaguna）为父母的思考，以道品法（Bodhipaksadharma）为同伴的思考。想要行持各种善行，而永不满足，用各种佛土的美好，来成就自己的佛土。在无数的生死轮回中，意念充满勇气；听闻佛陀无量的功德，意志永不疲倦。为劳累的人提供归宿，为贪婪的人带来福报，引导众生承担重任，晓知阴暗之处，进入众生的根性，降伏魔兵，不以阴谋诡计作为方法，拥有深邃的智慧。