English
English version: Then Vimalakirti rose from his seat, and going before the whole assembly, transformed himself into a Bodhisattva, whose excellent marks and brightness and majestic virtue surpassed all in that gathering. And he addressed them, saying: 'Go ye to the upper region, passing over realms as numerous as forty-two Ganges sands, where there is a country called Land of All Fragrances, and a Buddha called Xiangji Buddha (Fragrant Accumulation Buddha), who is now sitting at meals with his Bodhisattvas. When you arrive there, salute that Buddha in my name, saying: 'Vimalakirti bows his head at the feet of the World-Honored One, and makes his respectful salutation, inquiring whether he is well and strong, free from sickness and trouble, and full of vigor. I wish to obtain some of the remains of his food, in order to perform a Buddha-service in this Saha World (Saha World), so that those who delight in the Hinayana (small vehicle) may be led to the Mahayana (great vehicle), and that the name of the Tathagata (Thus Come One) may be universally known.' Thereupon the transformed Bodhisattva, before the whole assembly, rose up towards the upper region, and all saw him depart. Having arrived at the Land of All Fragrances, he bowed at the feet of that Buddha, and delivered his message: 'Vimalakirti bows his head at the feet of the World-Honored One, and makes his respectful salutation, inquiring whether he is well and strong, free from sickness and trouble, and full of vigor. I wish to obtain some of the remains of his food, in order to perform a Buddha-service in the Saha World (Saha World), so that those who delight in the Hinayana (small vehicle) may be led to the Mahayana (great vehicle), and that the name of the Tathagata (Thus Come One) may be universally known.' The great Bodhisattvas there, seeing the transformed Bodhisattva, exclaimed with wonder: 'Whence comes this person? And where is the Saha World (Saha World)? And what is meant by those who delight in the Hinayana (small vehicle)?' Thereupon the Buddha told them: 'Below here, passing over realms as numerous as forty-two Ganges sands, there is a world called Saha, and a Buddha called Sakyamuni (Sakyamuni), who is now there, in the evil world of the five turbidities (the evil world of the five turbidities), preaching and teaching for the sake of those beings who delight in the Hinayana (small vehicle). There is a Bodhisattva there called Vimalakirti (Vimalakirti), who dwells in the inconceivable emancipation, and preaches the Law to the Bodhisattvas. It is he who has sent this transformation to proclaim my name and to praise this land, in order to increase the merit of those Bodhisattvas.' The Bodhisattvas there said: 'What is that person like, that he can effect such a transformation? His virtue, power, fearlessness, and supernatural powers are indeed wonderful!' The Buddha said: 'He is indeed great! He sends transformations to all the ten regions to perform Buddha-service and to benefit all beings.' Thereupon the Xiangji Tathagata (Fragrant Accumulation Thus Come One) filled a bowl of all fragrances with fragrant rice and gave it to the transformed Bodhisattva. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
菩萨。时彼九百万菩萨俱发声言：“我欲诣娑婆世界供养释迦牟尼佛，并欲见维摩诘等诸菩萨众。”佛言：“可往。摄汝身香，无令彼诸众生起惑着心。又当舍汝本形，勿使彼国求菩萨者，而自鄙耻。又汝于彼莫怀轻贱，而作碍想。所以者何？十方国土，皆如虚空。又诸佛为欲化诸乐小法者，不尽现其清净土耳！”时化菩萨既受钵饭，与彼九百万菩萨俱，承佛威神，及维摩诘力，于彼世界，忽然不现，须臾之间，至维摩诘舍。 时维摩诘即化作九百万师子之座，严好如前，诸菩萨皆坐其上。是化菩萨以满钵香饭与维摩诘，饭香普熏毗耶离城，及三千大千世界。时毗耶离婆罗门、居士等，闻是香气，身意快然，叹未曾有！于是长者主月盖从八万四千人，来入维摩诘舍。见其室中菩萨甚多，诸师子座，高广严好，皆大欢喜，礼众菩萨及大弟子，却住一面。诸地神、虚空神及欲、色界诸天，闻此香气，亦皆来入维摩诘舍。 时维摩诘语舍利弗等诸大声闻：“仁者可食，如来甘露味饭，大悲所熏，无以限意食之，使不消也。”有异声闻念：“是饭少，而此大众人人当食？”化菩萨曰：“勿以声闻小德小智，称量如来无量福慧！四海有竭，此饭无尽！使一切人食，揣若须弥，乃至一劫，犹不能尽。所以者何？无尽戒 现代汉语译本：菩萨们听了佛的指示。当时那九百万菩萨一起说道：‘我们想要前往娑婆世界，供养释迦牟尼佛，并且想要见维摩诘等各位菩萨。’佛说：‘可以去。收摄你们身上的香气，不要让那边的众生因此产生迷惑和执着。而且要舍弃你们原本的形貌，不要让那个国家寻求菩萨道的人，因此感到自卑羞愧。还有，你们在那里不要怀有轻视之心，而产生障碍的想法。这是为什么呢？因为十方国土，都如同虚空一般。而且诸佛为了教化那些喜欢小乘佛法的人，才没有完全显现其清净的国土罢了！’当时，化现的菩萨接受了钵饭，与那九百万菩萨一起，凭借佛的威神之力，以及维摩诘的力量，在那世界忽然消失不见，在很短的时间内，就到达了维摩诘的住所。 当时维摩诘就化作九百万个狮子座，庄严美好如前，各位菩萨都坐在上面。这位化现的菩萨将盛满香饭的钵交给维摩诘，饭的香气普遍熏遍了毗耶离城（Vaisali，古印度城市名），以及三千大千世界。当时毗耶离城的婆罗门（Brahman，古印度祭司阶层）、居士等，闻到这香气，身心感到舒畅快乐，赞叹从未有过！于是长者主月盖带领八万四千人，来到维摩诘的住所。看到他房间里菩萨非常多，各位狮子座高大宽广庄严美好，都非常欢喜，向各位菩萨和大弟子行礼，然后退到一旁。各位地神、虚空神以及欲界、色界诸天，闻到这香气，也都来到维摩诘的住所。 当时维摩诘对舍利弗（Sariputra，佛陀十大弟子之一）等各位大声闻说道：‘各位仁者可以食用这如来甘露味的饭，这是大悲心所熏染的，不要用有限的观念来食用它，以免消化不了。’有其他声闻心想：‘这饭这么少，而这里的大众每个人都要吃？’化现的菩萨说：‘不要用声闻的小德小智，来衡量如来无量的福德和智慧！即使四海的水有干涸的时候，这饭也是没有穷尽的！即使让所有的人都食用，每人所取的饭量都像须弥山（Sumeru，佛教中的须弥山，世界的中心）一样，甚至经过一个劫（kalpa，佛教时间单位，极长的时间）的时间，也还是不能吃完。这是为什么呢？因为这是无尽的戒
English
English version: The Bodhisattvas listened to the Buddha's instructions. At that time, those nine million Bodhisattvas said in unison, 'We wish to go to the Saha world (Saha World, the world of suffering where we live) to make offerings to Sakyamuni Buddha (Sakyamuni Buddha, the historical Buddha), and we also wish to see Vimalakirti (Vimalakirti, a wise lay Buddhist) and the other Bodhisattvas.' The Buddha said, 'You may go. Collect the fragrance of your bodies, lest you cause confusion and attachment in those beings. Moreover, abandon your original forms, lest those in that country who seek the Bodhisattva path feel inferior and ashamed. Furthermore, do not harbor contempt in your hearts while there, and do not create obstructive thoughts. Why is this? Because the lands of the ten directions are all like empty space. Moreover, the Buddhas, in order to transform those who delight in the lesser vehicle, do not fully manifest their pure lands!' At that time, the transformed Bodhisattva received the alms bowl of food, and together with the nine million Bodhisattvas, relying on the Buddha's majestic power and the strength of Vimalakirti, suddenly disappeared from that world, and in a short time, arrived at Vimalakirti's abode. At that time, Vimalakirti immediately transformed nine million lion thrones, adorned and beautiful as before, and all the Bodhisattvas sat upon them. This transformed Bodhisattva gave the bowl filled with fragrant rice to Vimalakirti, and the fragrance of the rice pervaded the city of Vaisali (Vaisali, an ancient Indian city), and the three thousand great thousand worlds. At that time, the Brahmins (Brahman, the priestly class in ancient India), householders, and others of Vaisali, upon smelling this fragrance, felt refreshed in body and mind, and exclaimed that they had never experienced anything like it! Thereupon, the elder Yuegai (Yuegai, name of an elder) led eighty-four thousand people and entered Vimalakirti's abode. Seeing that there were so many Bodhisattvas in his room, and that the lion thrones were tall, wide, adorned, and beautiful, they were all greatly delighted, paid homage to the Bodhisattvas and the great disciples, and then stood to one side. The earth gods, the space gods, and the gods of the desire realm and the form realm, upon smelling this fragrance, also came to Vimalakirti's abode. At that time, Vimalakirti said to Sariputra (Sariputra, one of the Buddha's ten great disciples) and the other great Sravakas (Sravakas, disciples who hear and follow the Buddha's teachings), 'Worthy ones, you may eat this nectar-like rice of the Tathagata (Tathagata, an epithet of the Buddha), which is imbued with great compassion. Do not eat it with limited thoughts, lest you be unable to digest it.' Some other Sravakas thought, 'This rice is so little, and yet this great assembly must all eat?' The transformed Bodhisattva said, 'Do not use the small virtue and small wisdom of the Sravakas to measure the immeasurable merit and wisdom of the Tathagata! Even if the four seas were to dry up, this rice would never be exhausted! Even if everyone were to eat, taking portions as large as Mount Sumeru (Sumeru, the central mountain in Buddhist cosmology), it would still not be finished even after a kalpa (kalpa, an extremely long period of time in Buddhist cosmology). Why is this? Because it is the inexhaustible precept --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
、定、智慧、解脱、解脱知见功德具足者，所食之余，终不可尽。”于是钵饭悉饱众会，犹故不𣩠。其诸菩萨、声闻、天、人，食此饭者，身安快乐，譬如一切乐庄严国诸菩萨也；又诸毛孔皆出妙香，亦如众香国土诸树之香。 尔时维摩诘问众香菩萨：“香积如来以何说法？” 彼菩萨曰：“我土如来无文字说，但以众香令诸天、人得入律行。菩萨各各坐香树下，闻斯妙香，即获一切德藏三昧。得是三昧者，菩萨所有功德皆悉具足。” 彼诸菩萨问维摩诘：“今世尊释迦牟尼以何说法？” 维摩诘言：“此土众生刚强难化，故佛为说刚强之语以调伏之。言是地狱、是畜生、是饿鬼，是诸难处，是愚人生处；是身邪行，是身邪行报；是口邪行，是口邪行报；是意邪行，是意邪行报；是杀生，是杀生报；是不与取，是不与取报；是邪淫，是邪淫报；是妄语，是妄语报；是两舌，是两舌报；是恶口，是恶口报；是无义语，是无义语报；是贪嫉，是贪嫉报；是瞋恼，是瞋恼报；是邪见，是邪见报；是悭吝，是悭吝报；是毁戒，是毁戒报；是瞋恚，是瞋恚报；是懈怠，是懈怠报；是乱意，是乱意报；是愚痴，是愚痴报；是结戒，是持戒，是犯戒；是应作，是不应作；是障碍，是不障碍；是得罪，是离罪 现代汉语译本：具有戒、定、智慧、解脱、解脱知见功德的人，所剩下的食物，终究是吃不完的。’于是钵中的饭食让所有在场的人都吃饱了，还剩下很多。那些菩萨、声闻、天人，吃了这些饭食，身心安乐，就像一切乐庄严国（Sarvalokasukhāvatī）的菩萨一样；而且每个毛孔都散发出美妙的香气，也像众香国土（Gandhavatī）的树木所散发的香气一样。 这时，维摩诘（Vimalakīrti）问众香菩萨：‘香积如来（Gandhasaṃcayasugata）用什么方法说法呢？’ 那位菩萨说：‘我们国土的如来不用文字说法，只是用各种香气让天人和人们进入修行。菩萨们各自坐在香树下，闻到这种美妙的香气，就能获得一切德藏三昧（sarvagunākaragarbhasamādhi）。得到这种三昧的人，菩萨所具有的一切功德都完全具备。’ 那些菩萨问维摩诘：‘现在世尊释迦牟尼（Śākyamuni）用什么方法说法呢？’ 维摩诘说：‘这个国土的众生刚强难以教化，所以佛用刚强的话语来调伏他们。说这是地狱（naraka），这是畜生（tiryak），这是饿鬼（preta），这些都是苦难的地方，是愚蠢的人出生的地方；这是身体的邪恶行为，这是身体邪恶行为的报应；这是口头的邪恶行为，这是口头邪恶行为的报应；这是意念的邪恶行为，这是意念邪恶行为的报应；这是杀生（prāṇātipāta），这是杀生的报应；这是不予取（adattādāna），这是不予取的报应；这是邪淫（kāmamithyācāra），这是邪淫的报应；这是妄语（mṛṣāvāda），这是妄语的报应；这是两舌（paiśunya），这是两舌的报应；这是恶口（pāruṣya），这是恶口的报应；这是无义语（saṃbhinna-pralāpa），这是无义语的报应；这是贪嫉（abhidhyā），这是贪嫉的报应；这是瞋恼（vyāpāda），这是瞋恼的报应；这是邪见（mithyādṛṣṭi），这是邪见的报应；这是悭吝（mātsarya），这是悭吝的报应；这是毁戒（duḥśīlya），这是毁戒的报应；这是瞋恚（krodha），这是瞋恚的报应；这是懈怠（kausīdya），这是懈怠的报应；这是乱意（vikṣepa），这是乱意的报应；这是愚痴（moha），这是愚痴的报应；这是结戒，这是持戒，这是犯戒；这是应该做的，这是不应该做的；这是障碍，这是不障碍；这是得罪，这是离罪。