English
English version: He asked about the illness. The Buddha said to the worthy Ananda (one of the ten principal disciples of the Buddha): 'Go to Vimalakirti (a famous lay Bodhisattva) and inquire about his illness.' Ananda reported to the Buddha, 'I am not capable of going there to inquire about his illness. Why is that? I remember that in the past, the World Honored One (a respectful title for the Buddha) had a slight indisposition and needed cow's milk. At that time, I entered Vaisali (an ancient Indian city) early in the morning and arrived at the gate of a Brahmin (a member of the highest caste in ancient India) of a great family. Vimalakirti came and said to me, 'Worthy Ananda! Why are you standing here with your bowl so early in the morning?' I said, 'Layman (Upasaka, a male lay follower of Buddhism)! The Buddha has a slight indisposition and needs cow's milk, so I have come here.' Vimalakirti said, 'Stop, stop. O, Ananda! Do not speak such words. The body of the Tathagata (one of the titles of the Buddha) is like diamond, all evils have been cut off, and all virtues have universally gathered. How could he have any illness? Go silently, Ananda! Do not slander the Tathagata, be careful not to speak such words again, lest the great, venerable, divine, and wondrous devas (gods) hear this, and also the Bodhisattvas from other Buddha lands. Moreover, Ananda! A Wheel-Turning Sage King (Chakravartin, an ideal ruler), because of his past merits, is still able to be at ease, how much more so is one who bestows all merits upon others, becoming the Tathagata, the Truthful One, the Sammasambuddha (the fully enlightened Buddha), the one with immeasurable blessings and universal victory! Go, Ananda! Do not be ashamed. Do not let the heretics and those of different teachings hear these coarse words: 'Why do I hear that my teacher cannot even cure his own illness, how can he cure the desires of all sick people?' Go quickly, do not proclaim these words again. You should know, Ananda! The Dharmakaya (the body of the Dharma, the nature of the Buddha) of the Tathagata is not a body born of desire. The Buddha is the World Honored One, surpassing all worlds; the Buddha's body is without outflows, all outflows have been exhausted; the Buddha's body is the embodiment of countless merits, all actions have been purified. How could he have any illness?' At that time, World Honored One! I felt very ashamed and fearful, lest I had misheard because I was close to the Buddha. Then I heard a voice in the air saying: 'Yes, Ananda! Just as the layman said, it is only because the Buddha appears in the world of the five defilements (five defilements, referring to the defilements of the age, views, afflictions, beings, and life) that he uses this appearance to liberate all greedy and impoverished actions. Go quickly, Ananda! Do not be ashamed to take the milk.' Therefore, I am not capable of going there to inquire about his illness.' In this way, the five hundred leading disciples all spoke of everything they had done in the past, praising the beautiful words of Vimalakirti to the Buddha. The Vimalakirti Sutra, Chapter 4: Bodhisattvas --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
于是，佛告弥勒菩萨：“汝行诣维摩诘问疾。”弥勒白佛言：“我不堪任诣彼问疾。所以者何？忆念我昔于兜术天上，为诸天人讲法语，说菩萨大人不退转地之行。时维摩诘来谓我言：‘卿弥勒！在一生补处，世尊所莂无上正真道者，为用何生得？弥勒！决用过去耶？当来耶？现在耶？去者生尽，未来无对，现在无住。如佛说冥生比丘曰：“是生是老是病是死，是终是始，及未生与当生，此两者非无生耶？”由是论之，不从无生得最正觉。然则何用记？弥勒！决从如起耶？从如灭耶？夫如者，不起不灭。一切人皆如也，一切法亦如也，众圣贤亦如也，至于弥勒亦如也。所记莂无上正真道者，则一切人为得决矣。所以者何？如者不称为己，亦无他称说。如弥勒成最正觉者，一切人民亦当从觉。所以者何？一切人民，当从觉道故。如弥勒灭度者，一切人民亦当灭度。所以者何？如来者，不舍众人独灭度也，必当灭度诸凡夫故。卿弥勒！与天人谈，莫为非时。佛者无往，亦无还返。若，弥勒！此诸天人念欲见道，则为穿行；道不从身，不从正觉，亦不从意也。都灭哉！佛一切如化；无比哉！佛一切造业；无为哉！佛一切不惑；以断哉！佛一切远离；无欲哉！佛于诸受盛；不杂哉！佛都以一智兼；乐哉！佛众所思乐；无 现代汉语译本 于是，佛告诉弥勒菩萨（Maitreya Bodhisattva，未来佛）: ‘你去拜访维摩诘（Vimalakirti，一位著名的在家菩萨），问候他的病情。’ 弥勒（Maitreya）对佛说: ‘我不胜任去拜访他问候病情。这是什么原因呢？我记得过去在兜率天（Tushita Heaven，欲界天之一）上，为众天人和人讲授佛法，讲述菩萨大士不退转地的修行。当时维摩诘（Vimalakirti）来对我说: ‘弥勒（Maitreya）啊！你是一生补处菩萨（the next Buddha），是被世尊授记将证得无上正等正觉的人，你用什么“生”来获得觉悟呢？弥勒（Maitreya）！你决定是用过去生？还是未来生？还是现在生？过去的生已经灭尽，未来生还未到来没有对应，现在的生没有停留。正如佛陀所说的冥生比丘的故事：‘这个生就是老、就是病、就是死，就是终结就是开始，以及未生和当生，这两者不是没有生吗？’由此推论，不是从无生中获得最正觉。既然如此，那用什么来授记呢？弥勒（Maitreya）！你决定是从如（Tathata，真如）中生起？还是从如（Tathata）中灭去？所谓‘如’，是不生不灭的。一切人都是‘如’，一切法也是‘如’，众圣贤也是‘如’，乃至弥勒（Maitreya）也是‘如’。所授记的无上正等正觉，那么一切人都可以决定获得了。这是什么原因呢？‘如’不称为自己，也没有其他的称说。如果弥勒（Maitreya）成就最正觉，那么一切人民也应当从中觉悟。这是什么原因呢？一切人民，应当从觉悟之道而来。如果弥勒（Maitreya）灭度，那么一切人民也应当灭度。这是什么原因呢？如来（Tathagata，佛的称号之一）不是舍弃众人独自灭度，必定要灭度诸凡夫。弥勒（Maitreya）啊！你与天人谈论佛法，不要说不合时宜的话。佛陀没有往来，也没有返回。如果，弥勒（Maitreya）！这些天人想要见到道，那就是穿凿附会；道不从身体而来，不从正觉而来，也不从意识而来。全部寂灭吧！佛陀一切都如幻化；无比殊胜啊！佛陀一切都如造业；无为啊！佛陀一切都不迷惑；已经断除啊！佛陀一切都远离；没有欲望啊！佛陀对于各种感受都很盛大；不混杂啊！佛陀都用一种智慧兼顾；快乐啊！佛陀是大众所思念爱乐的；没有’
English
English version Then, the Buddha said to Maitreya Bodhisattva (the Bodhisattva of the Future Buddha): 'Go visit Vimalakirti (a famous lay Bodhisattva) and inquire about his illness.' Maitreya (the Bodhisattva of the Future Buddha) said to the Buddha: 'I am not capable of visiting him and inquiring about his illness. Why is that? I remember that in the past, in the Tushita Heaven (one of the heavens in the Desire Realm), I lectured to the devas (gods) and humans, explaining the practice of the Bodhisattvas and great beings who have reached the stage of non-retrogression. At that time, Vimalakirti (a famous lay Bodhisattva) came and said to me: 'Maitreya (the Bodhisattva of the Future Buddha)! You are a Bodhisattva destined to be the next Buddha, and you have been predicted by the World Honored One to attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi (unsurpassed, complete and perfect enlightenment). What 'birth' will you use to attain enlightenment? Maitreya (the Bodhisattva of the Future Buddha)! Do you decide to use the past birth? Or the future birth? Or the present birth? The past birth has already ceased, the future birth has not yet arrived and has no correspondence, and the present birth has no abiding. It is like the story of the meditating monk that the Buddha told: 'This birth is old age, is sickness, is death, is the end, is the beginning, and the unborn and the future born, are these two not without birth?' From this it can be inferred that the most perfect enlightenment is not obtained from non-birth. If so, what is the use of prediction? Maitreya (the Bodhisattva of the Future Buddha)! Do you decide to arise from Suchness (Tathata, the true nature of reality)? Or to cease from Suchness (Tathata)? What is called 'Suchness' is neither arising nor ceasing. All people are 'Suchness', all dharmas (teachings) are also 'Suchness', all sages and wise men are also 'Suchness', and even Maitreya (the Bodhisattva of the Future Buddha) is also 'Suchness'. The prediction of Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi (unsurpassed, complete and perfect enlightenment), then all people can be sure to obtain it. Why is that? 'Suchness' is not called self, nor is there any other name for it. If Maitreya (the Bodhisattva of the Future Buddha) attains the most perfect enlightenment, then all people should also awaken from it. Why is that? All people should come from the path of awakening. If Maitreya (the Bodhisattva of the Future Buddha) attains Nirvana (liberation from the cycle of rebirth), then all people should also attain Nirvana (liberation from the cycle of rebirth). Why is that? The Tathagata (one of the titles of the Buddha) does not abandon all beings and attain Nirvana (liberation from the cycle of rebirth) alone, but must liberate all ordinary beings. Maitreya (the Bodhisattva of the Future Buddha)! When you talk to the devas (gods) and humans, do not say things that are out of time. The Buddha has no coming and going, and no returning. If, Maitreya (the Bodhisattva of the Future Buddha)! These devas (gods) and humans want to see the Tao (the path), that is forced interpretation; the Tao (the path) does not come from the body, does not come from perfect enlightenment, and does not come from consciousness. All is extinguished! The Buddha is all like illusion; incomparably supreme! The Buddha is all like creating karma; non-action! The Buddha is all without delusion; already cut off! The Buddha is all far away; without desire! The Buddha is great in all kinds of feelings; unmixed! The Buddha takes care of everything with one wisdom; happy! The Buddha is loved and thought of by the masses; without' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
言哉！佛诸着不着；住哉！佛以法情住；普入哉！佛自然如也；不二哉！佛二法已离；立哉！佛积诚信；等哉！佛如空等；无数哉！佛离起分处；知彼哉！佛众意行知；上哉！佛诸入不贪；不会哉！佛近狱劳断；圣师哉！佛以无比化将导一切；非现名哉！佛已谛见；无色哉！佛净秽已离；顺哉！佛本性已清；明哉！佛自然已净；无受哉！佛众网已裂；不多哉！佛诸法等觉；无喻哉！佛色好已舍；妙哉！佛所觉甚远。’当其，世尊！说是法时，彼诸天众二百天人皆得不起法忍，故我不任诣彼问疾。” 佛告光净童子：“汝行诣维摩诘问疾。” 光净白佛言：“我不堪任诣彼问疾。所以者何？忆念我昔出维耶离大城，时维摩诘方入城，我即为作礼而问言：‘居士所从来？’答我言：‘吾从道场来。’我问：‘道场者，何所是？’言：‘道场者，无生之心是，检一恶意故；淳淑之心是，习增上故；圣贤之心是，往殊胜故；道意之心是，不忘舍故；布施之心是，不望报故；持戒之心是，得愿具故；忍辱之心是，不乱众人故；精进之心是，无退意故；禅思之心是，意行出故；智慧之心是，慧眼见故；慈心则是，为等意故；悲心则是，为忍苦故；喜心则是，以法乐乐人故；护心则是，为随导舍着故；神通之心是，得六 现代汉语译本： ‘说啊！佛陀对一切都不执着；住啊！佛陀以法的实情而安住；普遍进入啊！佛陀自然如是；不二啊！佛陀已经远离二法；确立啊！佛陀积累了诚信；平等啊！佛陀如虚空般平等；无数啊！佛陀远离了生起的处所；了解他们啊！佛陀了解众生的心意和行为；至上啊！佛陀对一切进入之处都不贪恋；不会合啊！佛陀断除了接近地狱的辛劳；圣师啊！佛陀以无比的教化引导一切众生；不是显现的名字啊！佛陀已经如实见到真谛；没有色相啊！佛陀已经远离了清净和污秽；顺应啊！佛陀的本性已经清净；明亮啊！佛陀自然已经清净；没有感受啊！佛陀已经撕裂了众生的罗网；不多啊！佛陀对诸法平等觉悟；没有比喻啊！佛陀已经舍弃了美好的色相；奇妙啊！佛陀所觉悟的境界极其深远。’当世尊宣说此法时，那里的诸天众中有两百位天人都获得了不起法忍（Anutpattika-dharma-kshanti，对事物不生不灭的真理的领悟），所以我不能胜任去那里问候他的疾病。” 佛告诉光净童子（Prabhasvara）：‘你去维摩诘（Vimalakirti）那里问候他的疾病。’ 光净对佛说：‘我不能胜任去那里问候他的疾病。为什么呢？我记得以前我出维耶离（Vaishali）大城时，维摩诘正进入城中，我便向他作礼并问道：‘居士从哪里来？’他回答我说：‘我从道场来。’我问：‘道场是什么？’他说：‘道场是，没有生灭的心，用来检查一个恶意；淳朴善良的心，用来学习增长善法；圣贤的心，用来前往殊胜的境界；道意的心，用来不忘记舍弃；布施的心，用来不期望回报；持戒的心，用来得到愿望的圆满；忍辱的心，用来不扰乱大众；精进的心，用来没有退缩的意志；禅思的心，用来意念行为的产生；智慧的心，用来用慧眼看见真理；慈悲心，则是为了平等对待一切众生；悲心，则是为了忍受众生的痛苦；喜心，则是用佛法之乐使人快乐；护心，则是为了随顺引导舍弃执着；神通的心，则是为了获得六种神通。’