English
English version: Falsehood is without solidity, without a master, without an appearance. The original vows are not yet fulfilled, but blessings, meditation, and wisdom are not wasted in vain. Cultivating such a Dharma is called a Bodhisattva not dwelling in non-action (wuwei). 'Furthermore, because of possessing blessings, they do not dwell in non-action; because of possessing wisdom, they do not exhaust conditioned action. Because of great compassion, they do not dwell in non-action; to fulfill their original vows, they do not exhaust conditioned action. Accumulating the medicine of Dharma, they do not dwell in non-action; administering medicine according to needs, they do not exhaust conditioned action. Knowing the illnesses of sentient beings, they do not dwell in non-action; to extinguish the illnesses of sentient beings, they do not exhaust conditioned action. All righteous Bodhisattvas cultivate this Dharma, neither exhausting conditioned action nor dwelling in non-action. This is called the Dharma gate of inexhaustible liberation. You should learn it!' At that time, those Bodhisattvas, hearing this Dharma, were all greatly delighted. They scattered various wonderful flowers, various colors, and various fragrances throughout the three-thousand great-thousand world system, making offerings to the Buddha, this Sutra, and all the Bodhisattvas. They bowed their heads to the Buddha's feet, exclaiming that such a thing had never happened before! They said, 'Shakyamuni Buddha (Sakyamuni Buddha, the historical Buddha) is truly able to skillfully use expedient means here.' Having spoken, they suddenly disappeared and returned to their own countries. Vimalakirti Nirdesa Sutra, Chapter 12: Seeing Akshobhya Buddha At that time, the World Honored One (世尊, a title for the Buddha) asked Vimalakirti (维摩诘, a lay Buddhist practitioner), 'If you wish to see the Tathagata (如来, 'Thus Gone One', an epithet of the Buddha), how do you contemplate the Tathagata?' Vimalakirti said, 'Just as one contemplates the true nature of one's own body, so too does one contemplate the Buddha. I contemplate the Tathagata as not coming from the past, not going to the future, and not abiding in the present. I do not contemplate form (色, rupa), I do not contemplate the suchness (如, tathata) of form, I do not contemplate the nature of form. I do not contemplate feeling (受, vedana), perception (想, samjna), volition (行, samskara), or consciousness (识, vijnana). I do not contemplate the suchness of consciousness, I do not contemplate the nature of consciousness. It is not arisen from the four great elements (四大, earth, water, fire, wind), it is like empty space. The six entrances (六入, the six sense organs: eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, mind) have no accumulation. The eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind have already passed beyond. It is not within the three realms (三界, desire realm, form realm, formless realm), it has already departed from the three poisons (三垢, greed, hatred, delusion). It accords with the three doors of liberation (三脱门, emptiness, signlessness, non-action), it is complete with the three kinds of knowledge (三明, knowledge of past lives, divine eye, extinction of outflows), it is equal to ignorance (无明, avidya). It is not one characteristic, not different characteristics, not self-characteristic, not other-characteristic, not non-characteristic, not grasping at characteristics. Not this shore, not the other shore, not the middle stream, yet transforming sentient beings. Contemplating quiescence, it is also not eternal extinction. Not this, not that.' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
；不以此，不以彼。不可以智知，不可以识识。无晦无明，无名无相，无强无弱，非净非秽。不在方，不离方；非有为，非无为。无示无说。不施不悭，不戒不犯，不忍不恚，不进不怠，不定不乱，不智不愚，不诚不欺，不来不去，不出不入，一切言语道断。非福田，非不福田；非应供养，非不应供养；非取非舍。非有相，非无相。同真际，等法性。不可称，不可量，过诸称量。非大非小，非见非闻，非觉非知，离众结缚。等诸智，同众生，于诸法无分别。一切无失，无浊无恼，无作无起，无生无灭。无畏无忧，无喜无厌无著。无已有，无当有，无今有。不可以一切言说分别显示。世尊！如来身为若此，作如是观。以斯观者，名为正观；若他观者，名为邪观。” 尔时舍利弗问维摩诘：“汝于何没而来生此？” 维摩诘言：“汝所得法有没生乎？” 舍利弗言：“无没生也。” “若诸法无没生相，云何问言：‘汝于何没而来生此？’于意云何？譬如幻师，幻作男女，宁没生耶？” 舍利弗言：“无没生也。汝岂不闻佛说诸法如幻相乎？” 答曰：“如是！若一切法如幻相者！云何问言：‘汝于何没而来生此？’舍利弗！没者为虚诳法，败坏之相；生者为虚诳法，相续之相。菩 现代汉语译本：不是这样，也不是那样。不能用智慧去了解，不能用意识去认识。没有黑暗也没有光明，没有名称也没有形象，没有强大也没有弱小，不是清净也不是污秽。不在某个方位，也不离开某个方位；不是有为法，也不是无为法。没有什么可以指示，没有什么可以述说。不施舍也不吝啬，不持戒也不犯戒，不忍辱也不嗔恚，不精进也不懈怠，不禅定也不散乱，不智慧也不愚痴，不诚实也不欺骗，不来也不去，不出去也不进入，一切言语的道路都断绝了。不是福田，也不是非福田；不是应该供养的，也不是不应该供养的；不是取，也不是舍。不是有相，也不是无相。与真如实际相同，与诸法法性平等。不可称量，不可度量，超越一切称量。不是大也不是小，不是见也不是闻，不是觉也不是知，脱离一切烦恼的束缚。与一切智慧平等，与一切众生相同，对于一切法没有分别。一切都没有缺失，没有污浊没有烦恼，没有造作没有生起，没有生也没有灭。没有畏惧没有忧愁，没有喜悦没有厌恶没有执着。没有已经有的，没有将要有的，没有现在有的。不可以用一切言语分别显示。世尊！如来的身就是这样，作这样的观想。用这种观想的人，名为正观；如果用其他的观想，名为邪观。 这时，舍利弗（Sariputra，佛陀十大弟子之一，以智慧著称）问维摩诘（Vimalakirti，一位在家菩萨）：“你从哪里消失而来这里出生？” 维摩诘说：“你所得到的法有消失和出生吗？” 舍利弗说：“没有消失和出生。” “如果一切法没有消失和出生的现象，为什么问‘你从哪里消失而来这里出生？’你认为怎么样？譬如幻术师，变幻出男女，有消失和出生吗？” 舍利弗说：“没有消失和出生。你难道没有听佛说一切法如幻象吗？” 维摩诘回答说：“是的！如果一切法如幻象，为什么问‘你从哪里消失而来这里出生？’舍利弗！消失是虚假不实的法，是败坏的现象；出生是虚假不实的法，是相续的现象。菩
English
English version: It is not this, it is not that. It cannot be known by wisdom, it cannot be recognized by consciousness. There is no darkness and no light, no name and no form, no strength and no weakness, neither pure nor impure. It is not in a direction, nor does it leave a direction; it is not conditioned, nor is it unconditioned. There is nothing to show, nothing to say. Neither giving nor stingy, neither keeping precepts nor breaking precepts, neither patient nor angry, neither diligent nor lazy, neither concentrated nor distracted, neither wise nor foolish, neither honest nor deceitful, neither coming nor going, neither going out nor entering, all paths of language are cut off. It is not a field of merit, nor is it not a field of merit; it is not worthy of offerings, nor is it not worthy of offerings; neither taking nor abandoning. It is neither with form nor without form. It is the same as the ultimate reality, equal to the Dharma-nature of all dharmas. It cannot be named, it cannot be measured, it surpasses all measurements. It is neither large nor small, neither seen nor heard, neither felt nor known, free from the bonds of all afflictions. It is equal to all wisdoms, the same as all beings, without discrimination in all dharmas. Everything is without loss, without turbidity, without affliction, without creation, without arising, without birth, without death. Without fear, without sorrow, without joy, without aversion, without attachment. There is no already existing, no about to exist, no now existing. It cannot be shown or distinguished by any words. World Honored One! The body of the Tathagata is like this, contemplate in this way. One who contemplates in this way is called right contemplation; if one contemplates in another way, it is called wrong contemplation.' At that time, Sariputra (Sariputra, one of the ten great disciples of the Buddha, known for his wisdom) asked Vimalakirti (Vimalakirti, a lay bodhisattva): 'Where did you disappear from and come to be born here?' Vimalakirti said, 'Does the Dharma you have attained have disappearance and birth?' Sariputra said, 'There is no disappearance or birth.' 'If all dharmas have no characteristics of disappearance and birth, why do you ask, 'Where did you disappear from and come to be born here?' What do you think? For example, a magician conjures up men and women, do they have disappearance and birth?' Sariputra said, 'There is no disappearance or birth. Have you not heard the Buddha say that all dharmas are like illusions?' Vimalakirti replied, 'Yes! If all dharmas are like illusions, why do you ask, 'Where did you disappear from and come to be born here?' Sariputra! Disappearance is a false and unreal dharma, a characteristic of decay; birth is a false and unreal dharma, a characteristic of continuity. Bo- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 萨虽没，不尽善本；虽生，不长诸恶。”
Chinese
是时佛告舍利弗：“有国名妙喜，佛号无动。是维摩诘于彼国没，而来生此。” 舍利弗言：“未曾有也。世尊！是人乃能舍清净土，而来乐此多怒害处。” 维摩诘语舍利弗：“于意云何？日光出时与冥合乎？” 答曰：“不也！日光出时，即无众冥。” 维摩诘言：“夫日何故行阎浮提？” 答曰：“欲以明照，为之除冥。” 维摩诘言：“菩萨如是！虽生不净佛土，为化众生故，不与愚闇而共合也，但灭众生烦恼闇耳！” 是时大众渴仰，欲见妙喜世界无动如来，及其菩萨、声闻之众。佛知一切众会所念，告维摩诘言：“善男子！为此众会，现妙喜国无动如来，及诸菩萨、声闻之众，众皆欲见。” 于是维摩诘心念：“吾当不起于座，接妙喜国，铁围山川溪谷江河，大海泉源，须弥诸山，及日月星宿、天龙鬼神梵天等宫，并诸菩萨、声闻之众，城邑聚落，男女大小，乃至无动如来，及菩提树，诸妙莲华，能于十方作佛事者；三道宝阶从阎浮提，至忉利天，以此宝阶，诸天来下，悉为礼敬无动如来，听受经法。阎浮提人，亦登其阶，上升忉利，见彼诸天。妙喜世界成就如是无量功德，上至阿迦腻吒天，下至水际 现代汉语译本： ‘萨虽逝去，但不会断绝善良的根本；虽然出生，也不会增长各种罪恶。’ 这时，佛告诉舍利弗（Śāriputra，佛陀十大弟子之一，以智慧著称）: ‘有个国家名叫妙喜（Abhirati），佛号无动（Akshobhya）。这位维摩诘（Vimalakirti，一位著名的在家菩萨）就是从那个国家逝世，然后来到这里出生的。’ 舍利弗说：‘真是前所未有啊！世尊！这个人竟然能够舍弃清净的佛土，而来喜欢这充满愤怒和伤害的地方。’ 维摩诘对舍利弗说：‘你认为怎么样？太阳出来的时候，会和黑暗混合在一起吗？’ 舍利弗回答说：‘不会的！太阳出来的时候，就没有黑暗了。’ 维摩诘说：‘那么太阳为什么还要照耀阎浮提（Jambudvipa，我们所居住的这个世界）呢？’ 舍利弗回答说：‘为了用光明照耀，为阎浮提除去黑暗。’ 维摩诘说：‘菩萨也是这样！虽然出生在不清净的佛土，为了教化众生的缘故，不与愚昧黑暗混同，只是为了灭除众生的烦恼黑暗罢了！’ 这时，大众都非常渴望，想要见到妙喜世界（Abhirati）的无动如来（Akshobhya Tathagata），以及那里的菩萨、声闻（Śrāvaka，听闻佛陀教诲而证悟的弟子）大众。佛知道所有与会者的心念，告诉维摩诘说：‘善男子！为了这些大众，显现妙喜国（Abhirati）的无动如来（Akshobhya Tathagata），以及诸位菩萨、声闻（Śrāvaka）大众，大家都想见他们。’ 于是维摩诘心想：‘我应当不起身离开座位，就把妙喜国（Abhirati）接引过来，包括铁围山（Chakravāda Mountains）、山川溪谷江河、大海泉源、须弥山（Mount Sumeru）等诸山，以及日月星宿、天龙鬼神梵天（Brahmā）等宫殿，连同诸位菩萨、声闻（Śrāvaka）大众，城邑聚落，男女老少，乃至无动如来（Akshobhya Tathagata），以及菩提树（Bodhi Tree），各种美妙的莲花，能够在十方世界做佛事的一切景象；还有从阎浮提（Jambudvipa）到忉利天（Trāyastriṃśa Heaven）的三道宝阶，诸天（Deva）通过这宝阶降下，都来礼敬无动如来（Akshobhya Tathagata），听受经法。阎浮提（Jambudvipa）的人，也登上这阶梯，上升到忉利天（Trāyastriṃśa Heaven），见到那些诸天（Deva）。妙喜世界（Abhirati）成就了这样无量的功德，上至阿迦腻吒天（Akaniṣṭha Heaven），下至水际。’