English
English version ‘Having fear of birth and death, what should a Bodhisattva rely on?’ Vimalakirti (name of a lay Bodhisattva) said: ‘In the fear of birth and death, a Bodhisattva should rely on the power of the Tathagata’s (title of a Buddha) merits.’ Manjusri (name of a Bodhisattva of wisdom) further asked: ‘If a Bodhisattva wants to rely on the power of the Tathagata’s merits, where should they abide?’ He answered: ‘If a Bodhisattva wants to rely on the power of the Tathagata’s merits, they should abide in liberating all sentient beings.’ He further asked: ‘If one wants to liberate sentient beings, what should be removed?’ He answered: ‘If one wants to liberate sentient beings, remove their afflictions.’ He further asked: ‘If one wants to remove afflictions, what should be practiced?’ He answered: ‘One should practice right mindfulness.’ He further asked: ‘How does one practice right mindfulness?’ He answered: ‘One should practice non-arising and non-ceasing.’ He further asked: ‘What dharma does not arise? What dharma does not cease?’ He answered: ‘Non-wholesome [dharmas] do not arise, wholesome [dharmas] do not cease.’ He further asked: ‘Between wholesome and non-wholesome, which is the root?’ He answered: ‘The body is the root.’ He further asked: ‘What is the root of the body?’ He answered: ‘Desire and craving are the root.’ He further asked: ‘What is the root of desire and craving?’ He answered: ‘False discrimination is the root.’ He further asked: ‘What is the root of false discrimination?’ He answered: ‘Deluded thought is the root.’ He further asked: ‘What is the root of deluded thought?’ He answered: ‘Non-abiding is the root.’ He further asked: ‘What is the root of non-abiding?’ He answered: ‘Non-abiding has no root. Manjusri! From the root of non-abiding, all dharmas are established.’ At that time, there was a goddess in Vimalakirti’s room. Seeing the great beings listening to the Dharma being taught, she manifested her form and immediately scattered heavenly flowers upon the Bodhisattvas and great disciples. The flowers that fell upon the Bodhisattvas immediately fell off, but the flowers that fell upon the great disciples stuck and did not fall off. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
一切弟子神力去华，不能令去。尔时天女问舍利弗：“何故去华？” 答曰：“此华不如法，是以去之。” 天曰：“勿谓此华为不如法。所以者何？是华无所分别，仁者自生分别想耳！若于佛法出家，有所分别，为不如法；若无所分别，是则如法。观诸菩萨华不著者，已断一切分别想故。譬如人畏时，非人得其便；如是弟子畏生死故，色、声、香、味、触得其便也。已离畏者，一切五欲无能为也；结习未尽，华着身耳！结习尽者，华不着也。” 舍利弗言：“天止此室，其已久如？” 答曰：“我止此室，如耆年解脱。” 舍利弗言：“止此久耶？” 天曰：“耆年解脱，亦何如久？” 舍利弗默然不答。天曰：“如何耆旧大智而默？” 答曰：“解脱者无所言说，故吾于是不知所云。” 天曰：“言说文字，皆解脱相。所以者何？解脱者，不内、不外，不在两间，文字亦不内不外，不在两间。是故，舍利弗！无离文字说解脱也。所以者何？一切诸法是解脱相。” 舍利弗言：“不复以离淫、怒、痴为解脱乎？” 天曰：“佛为增上慢人，说离淫、怒、痴为解脱耳；若无增上慢者，佛说淫、怒、痴性，即是解脱。” 舍利弗言：“善哉 现代汉语译本 当时，所有的弟子运用神通想要去掉这些花，却无法做到。这时，天女问舍利弗（Śāriputra，佛陀十大弟子之一，以智慧著称）: '为什么要去掉这些花呢？' 舍利弗回答说：'这些花不如法，所以要去掉它们。' 天女说：'不要认为这些花不如法。为什么呢？因为花本身没有任何分别，是您自己产生了分别的念头！如果对于佛法出家，还存在分别心，那就是不如法；如果没有分别心，那就是如法。观察那些菩萨，花不会沾著在他们身上，因为他们已经断除了一切分别的念头。譬如，当人感到恐惧时，非人（指鬼神等）就会趁虚而入；同样，弟子因为畏惧生死，所以色、声、香、味、触这些外在的诱惑就能趁虚而入。已经脱离了恐惧的人，一切五欲都无法对他产生影响；结习（指烦恼习气）没有断尽，花才会沾著在身上！结习断尽的人，花就不会沾著了。' 舍利弗问：'天女您住在这个房间里，已经多久了？' 天女回答说：'我住在这里，就像耆年（指有智慧的老年人）获得解脱一样。' 舍利弗问：'住在这里很久了吗？' 天女说：'耆年获得解脱，又有多久呢？' 舍利弗沉默不语。天女说：'为什么像您这样年长而有大智慧的人却沉默不语呢？' 舍利弗回答说：'解脱是无法用言语表达的，所以我不知道该说什么。' 天女说：'言语文字，都是解脱的表相。为什么呢？因为解脱是不在内、不在外、也不在两者之间的，文字也是不在内、不在外、也不在两者之间。所以，舍利弗！没有离开文字而说的解脱。为什么呢？因为一切诸法都是解脱的表相。' 舍利弗问：'难道不是要离开淫欲、嗔怒、愚痴才能获得解脱吗？' 天女说：'佛陀是为那些有增上慢（指自以为是）的人，才说要离开淫欲、嗔怒、愚痴才能获得解脱；如果没有增上慢的人，佛陀会说淫欲、嗔怒、愚痴的本性，就是解脱。' 舍利弗说：'说得好啊！'
English
English version At that time, all the disciples tried to remove the flowers with their supernatural powers, but they could not. Then, the goddess asked Śāriputra (one of the ten great disciples of the Buddha, known for his wisdom): 'Why do you want to remove these flowers?' Śāriputra replied, 'These flowers are not in accordance with the Dharma, so I want to remove them.' The goddess said, 'Do not say that these flowers are not in accordance with the Dharma. Why? Because the flowers themselves have no discrimination. It is you who are generating discriminating thoughts! If you have left home in the Buddha's Dharma and still have discrimination, then that is not in accordance with the Dharma; if you have no discrimination, then that is in accordance with the Dharma. Observe those Bodhisattvas, the flowers do not cling to them, because they have cut off all discriminating thoughts. For example, when a person is afraid, non-humans (referring to ghosts and spirits, etc.) will take advantage of the opportunity; similarly, because disciples fear birth and death, the external temptations of form, sound, smell, taste, and touch can take advantage of the opportunity. Those who have left fear, all the five desires cannot affect them; if the habitual tendencies (referring to afflictive habits) are not exhausted, the flowers will cling to the body! Those whose habitual tendencies are exhausted, the flowers will not cling to them.' Śāriputra asked, 'How long have you been staying in this room, goddess?' The goddess replied, 'I have been staying here, like an elder (referring to a wise old person) who has attained liberation.' Śāriputra asked, 'Have you been staying here for a long time?' The goddess said, 'How long is the liberation of an elder?' Śāriputra remained silent. The goddess said, 'Why are you, an elder with great wisdom, silent?' Śāriputra replied, 'Liberation is beyond words, so I do not know what to say.' The goddess said, 'Words and letters are all aspects of liberation. Why? Because liberation is neither inside, nor outside, nor in between the two; words and letters are also neither inside, nor outside, nor in between the two. Therefore, Śāriputra! There is no liberation that can be spoken of apart from words and letters. Why? Because all dharmas are aspects of liberation.' Śāriputra asked, 'Isn't it necessary to be free from lust, anger, and delusion in order to attain liberation?' The goddess said, 'The Buddha speaks of liberation from lust, anger, and delusion for those who have increased pride (referring to self-righteousness); if there is no increased pride, the Buddha would say that the nature of lust, anger, and delusion is liberation.' Śāriputra said, 'Excellent!' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
，善哉！天女！汝何所得？以何为证？辩乃如是！” 天曰：“我无得无证，故辩如是。所以者何？若有得有证者，即于佛法为增上慢。” 舍利弗问天：“汝于三乘，为何志求？” 天曰：“以声闻法化众生故，我为声闻；以因缘法化众生故，我为辟支佛；以大悲法化众生故，我为大乘。舍利弗！如人入瞻卜林，唯嗅瞻卜，不嗅余香。如是，若入此室，但闻佛功德之香，不乐闻声闻、辟支佛功德香也。舍利弗！其有释、梵、四天王，诸天、龙、鬼神等，入此室者，闻斯上人讲说正法，皆乐佛功德之香，发心而出。舍利弗！吾止此室，十有二年，初不闻说声闻、辟支佛法，但闻菩萨大慈大悲，不可思议诸佛之法。舍利弗！此室常现八未曾有难得之法。何等为八？此室常以金色光照，昼夜无异，不以日月所照为明，是为一未曾有难得之法；此室入者，不为诸垢之所恼也，是为二未曾有难得之法；此室常有释梵四天王、他方菩萨来会不绝，是为三未曾有难得之法；此室常说六波罗蜜不退转法，是为四未曾有难得之法；此室常作天人第一之乐，弦出无量法化之声，是为五未曾有难得之法；此室有四大藏，众宝积满，赒穷济乏，求得无尽，是为六未曾有难得之法；此室释迦牟尼佛、阿弥陀佛、阿閦佛、宝德 现代汉语译本： ‘太好了！天女！你获得了什么？以什么为证？辩才竟然如此了得！’ 天女说：‘我没有获得什么，也没有什么可以作为证明，所以辩才就是这样。为什么呢？如果有所获得，有所证明，那就是对佛法的增上慢。’ 舍利弗（Śāriputra，佛陀十大弟子之一，以智慧著称）问天女：‘你对于三乘（声闻乘、缘觉乘、菩萨乘），志向是追求哪一乘呢？’ 天女说：‘为了用声闻法教化众生，我就是声闻；为了用因缘法教化众生，我就是辟支佛（Pratyekabuddha，又称缘觉或独觉）；为了用大悲法教化众生，我就是大乘。舍利弗！就像人进入瞻卜林（Campaka，一种香树林），只闻瞻卜花的香味，不闻其他香味。同样，如果进入这个房间，只闻到佛的功德之香，不喜欢闻声闻、辟支佛的功德之香。舍利弗！那些释（Śakra，帝释天）、梵（Brahmā，大梵天）、四天王（Caturmahārājakayikas，佛教的护法神），以及诸天、龙、鬼神等，进入这个房间的人，听到这位上人讲说正法，都喜欢佛的功德之香，发菩提心而出。舍利弗！我住在这个房间里，已经有十二年了，从来没有听到讲说声闻、辟支佛法，只听到菩萨的大慈大悲，以及不可思议的诸佛之法。舍利弗！这个房间常常显现八种未曾有、难以获得的法。是哪八种呢？这个房间常常以金色光照耀，白天和夜晚没有区别，不以日月的光照为明亮，这是第一种未曾有、难以获得的法；进入这个房间的人，不会被各种烦恼所困扰，这是第二种未曾有、难以获得的法；这个房间常常有释、梵、四天王、其他世界的菩萨前来聚会，络绎不绝，这是第三种未曾有、难以获得的法；这个房间常常讲说六波罗蜜（六度，菩萨修行的六种方法）不退转之法，这是第四种未曾有、难以获得的法；这个房间常常演奏天人第一的音乐，琴弦发出无量法化之声，这是第五种未曾有、难以获得的法；这个房间有四大宝藏，各种珍宝堆积满了，救济贫穷，满足需求，取之不尽，用之不竭，这是第六种未曾有、难以获得的法；这个房间里有释迦牟尼佛（Śākyamuni，现在佛）、阿弥陀佛（Amitābha，西方极乐世界之佛）、阿閦佛（Akshobhya，东方妙喜世界之佛）、宝德
English
English version: ‘Excellent! Heavenly Maiden! What have you attained? What is your proof? Your eloquence is truly remarkable!’ The Heavenly Maiden said, ‘I have neither attained anything nor have any proof, therefore my eloquence is as it is. Why? If one has attainment and proof, that is arrogance towards the Buddha-dharma.’ Śāriputra (one of the ten great disciples of the Buddha, known for his wisdom) asked the Heavenly Maiden, ‘Of the Three Vehicles (Śrāvakayāna, Pratyekabuddhayāna, and Bodhisattvayāna), which do you aspire to?’ The Heavenly Maiden said, ‘To transform sentient beings with the Śrāvakayāna (the vehicle of the hearers), I am a Śrāvaka; to transform sentient beings with the Pratyekabuddhayāna (the vehicle of solitary Buddhas), I am a Pratyekabuddha; to transform sentient beings with the Mahākarunā (Great Compassion) Dharma, I am a Mahāyāna practitioner. Śāriputra! Just as a person entering a Campaka (a type of fragrant tree) forest only smells the fragrance of Campaka flowers and does not smell other fragrances, similarly, if one enters this room, one only smells the fragrance of the Buddha's merits and does not enjoy smelling the fragrance of the merits of Śrāvakas and Pratyekabuddhas. Śāriputra! Those Śakra (the lord of the devas), Brahmā (the creator god), the Four Heavenly Kings (Caturmahārājakayikas, the guardian deities of Buddhism), and other devas, dragons, ghosts, and spirits who enter this room, upon hearing this superior person expounding the Dharma, all delight in the fragrance of the Buddha's merits and generate the Bodhi mind before leaving. Śāriputra! I have resided in this room for twelve years, and I have never heard the teachings of the Śrāvakayāna or Pratyekabuddhayāna, but only the great compassion of the Bodhisattvas and the inconceivable Dharma of all the Buddhas. Śāriputra! This room constantly manifests eight unprecedented and rare Dharmas. What are the eight? This room is constantly illuminated by golden light, with no difference between day and night, and it does not rely on the light of the sun and moon for illumination; this is the first unprecedented and rare Dharma. Those who enter this room are not troubled by various defilements; this is the second unprecedented and rare Dharma. This room is constantly visited by Śakra, Brahmā, the Four Heavenly Kings, and Bodhisattvas from other worlds, without interruption; this is the third unprecedented and rare Dharma. This room constantly expounds the Dharma of the Six Pāramitās (the six perfections, the six practices of a Bodhisattva) without regression; this is the fourth unprecedented and rare Dharma. This room constantly produces the finest music of devas and humans, with the strings emitting countless sounds of Dharma transformation; this is the fifth unprecedented and rare Dharma. This room has four great treasuries, filled with various jewels, providing for the poor and needy, fulfilling their needs without end; this is the sixth unprecedented and rare Dharma. This room contains Śākyamuni Buddha (the present Buddha), Amitābha (the Buddha of the Western Pure Land), Akshobhya (the Buddha of the Eastern Pure Land), and Ratnakara --------------------------------------------------------------------------------