English
English version: The son said: 'Layman (a male Buddhist devotee)! I heard the Buddha say that one cannot become a monk without the permission of one's parents.' Vimalakirti (a famous lay bodhisattva) said: 'Yes! If you generate the mind of Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi (the mind of unsurpassed, complete, perfect enlightenment), that is ordination, that is fulfillment (completeness).' At that time, the thirty-two sons of elders all generated the mind of Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, therefore I am not capable of going there to inquire about his illness.' The Buddha said to Ananda (one of the Buddha's ten great disciples): 'Go and inquire about Vimalakirti's illness.' Ananda said to the Buddha: 'World Honored One! I am not capable of going there to inquire about his illness. Why? I remember once, when the World Honored One was slightly ill and needed milk, I took my bowl and stood at the gate of a great Brahmin (ancient Indian priestly class) family. At that time, Vimalakirti came and said to me: 'Hey, Ananda! Why are you standing here with your bowl in the morning?' I said: 'Layman! The World Honored One is slightly ill and needs milk, so I came here.' Vimalakirti said: 'Stop, stop! Ananda! Do not say such things! The body of the Tathagata (title of the Buddha) is a diamond body, all evils have been cut off, and all good deeds have universally gathered. How could there be illness? How could there be affliction? Silently leave, Ananda! Do not slander the Tathagata, do not let others hear these coarse words; do not let the devas of great power and virtue, and the bodhisattvas from other pure lands hear these words. Ananda! A Wheel-Turning Sage King (ideal monarch who rules the world), with a little merit, can still be without illness, how much more so the Tathagata, who has gathered immeasurable merit and is universally supreme! Go, Ananda! Do not let us suffer this shame. Heretics (religions other than Buddhism), Brahmins (practitioners of Brahmanism), if they hear these words, will think: "What is called a teacher? He cannot even cure his own illness, how can he cure the illnesses of others?" You can secretly and quickly leave, do not let people hear. Know, Ananda! The bodies of all Tathagatas are the Dharma body (embodiment of the Dharma), not a body of thought and desire. The Buddha is the World Honored One, surpassing the three realms (desire realm, form realm, formless realm); the Buddha's body has no leaks, all afflictions have been exhausted; the Buddha's body is unconditioned, not belonging to any number. How could such a body have illness? How could there be affliction?' At that time, World Honored One! I really felt ashamed, was it because I was close to the Buddha and heard incorrectly?' Then I heard a voice in the air saying: 'Ananda!' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
如居士言。但为佛出五浊恶世，现行斯法，度脱众生。行矣，阿难！取乳勿惭。’世尊！维摩诘智慧辩才，为若此也。是故不任诣彼问疾。” 如是五百大弟子各各向佛说其本缘，称述维摩诘所言，皆曰：“不任诣彼问疾！” 维摩诘所说经菩萨品第四 于是佛告弥勒菩萨：“汝行诣维摩诘问疾。” 弥勒白佛言：“世尊！我不堪任诣彼问疾。所以者何？忆念我昔为兜率天王及其眷属，说不退转地之行。时维摩诘来谓我言：‘弥勒！世尊授仁者记，一生当得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提。为用何生，得受记乎？过去耶？未来耶？现在耶？若过去生，过去生已灭；若未来生，未来生未至；若现在生，现在生无住。如佛所说：“比丘！汝今即时，亦生亦老亦灭。”若以无生得受记者，无生即是正位，于正位中，亦无受记，亦无得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提，云何弥勒受一生记乎？为从如生得受记耶？为从如灭得受记耶？若以如生得受记者，如无有生；若以如灭得受记者，如无有灭。一切众生皆如也，一切法亦如也，众圣贤亦如也，至于弥勒亦如也。若弥勒得受记者，一切众生亦应受记。所以者何？夫如者不二不异，若弥勒得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提者，一切众生皆亦应得。所以者何？一切众生即菩提相。若弥勒得灭 ‘正如居士所说，（佛）只是为了在五浊恶世（指充满各种污浊和苦难的世界）出现，展现这样的教法，度脱众生。去吧，阿难（Ananda）！取乳（比喻接受教诲）不要感到惭愧。’世尊（Bhagavan）！维摩诘（Vimalakirti）的智慧和辩才，就是像这样的。因此，我不能胜任去那里问候他的疾病。” 像这样，五百大弟子各自向佛（Buddha）述说他们自己的经历，称述维摩诘（Vimalakirti）所说的话，都说：‘不能胜任去那里问候他的疾病！’ 维摩诘所说经菩萨品第四 于是，佛（Buddha）告诉弥勒菩萨（Maitreya Bodhisattva）: ‘你去维摩诘（Vimalakirti）那里问候他的疾病。’ 弥勒（Maitreya）对佛（Buddha）说：‘世尊（Bhagavan）！我不能胜任去那里问候他的疾病。为什么呢？我记得过去我作为兜率天王（King of Tushita Heaven）和我的眷属说法，说关于不退转地（Avivartana）的修行。当时，维摩诘（Vimalakirti）来对我说：‘弥勒（Maitreya）！世尊（Bhagavan）授予仁者（指弥勒）授记，一生之后将证得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提（Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi，无上正等正觉）。用哪一生来获得授记呢？过去（Past）？未来（Future）？现在（Present）？如果是过去生，过去生已经灭亡；如果是未来生，未来生还没有到来；如果是现在生，现在生没有停留。正如佛（Buddha）所说：“比丘（Bhikkhu）！你现在即时，也在生，也在老，也在灭。”如果用无生（Non-origination）获得授记，无生就是正位（Right position），在正位中，也没有授记，也没有获得阿耨多罗三藐三菩提（Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi），怎么说弥勒（Maitreya）接受一生授记呢？是从如生（Suchness of origination）获得授记吗？还是从如灭（Suchness of cessation）获得授记吗？如果用如生（Suchness of origination）获得授记，如（Suchness）没有生；如果用如灭（Suchness of cessation）获得授记，如（Suchness）没有灭。一切众生都如（Suchness），一切法也如（Suchness），一切圣贤也如（Suchness），乃至弥勒（Maitreya）也如（Suchness）。如果弥勒（Maitreya）得到授记，一切众生也应该得到授记。为什么呢？如（Suchness）是不二不异的，如果弥勒（Maitreya）得到阿耨多罗三藐三菩提（Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi），一切众生也都应该得到。为什么呢？一切众生就是菩提（Bodhi）的相。如果弥勒（Maitreya）得到灭
English
'As the layman says, (the Buddha) only appears in the evil world of the five defilements (referring to a world full of various impurities and sufferings) to manifest this Dharma and deliver sentient beings. Go, Ananda! Do not be ashamed to take the milk (a metaphor for accepting teachings).' World Honored One! Vimalakirti's wisdom and eloquence are like this. Therefore, I am not capable of visiting him to inquire about his illness.' In this way, each of the five hundred great disciples told the Buddha about their own experiences, praising Vimalakirti's words, and all said: 'I am not capable of visiting him to inquire about his illness!' Vimalakirti Sutra, Chapter Four: On Bodhisattvas Then, the Buddha said to Maitreya Bodhisattva: 'Go you to Vimalakirti and inquire about his illness.' Maitreya said to the Buddha: 'World Honored One! I am not capable of visiting him to inquire about his illness. Why? I remember that in the past, when I was the King of Tushita Heaven and speaking the Dharma to my retinue, speaking about the practice of the stage of non-retrogression (Avivartana). At that time, Vimalakirti came and said to me: 'Maitreya! The World Honored One has given you a prediction that after one more life, you will attain Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi (Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment). In which life will you receive this prediction? Past? Future? Present? If it is the past life, the past life has already ceased; if it is the future life, the future life has not yet arrived; if it is the present life, the present life has no abiding. As the Buddha said: "Bhikkhu! You are now, at this very moment, also being born, also aging, also ceasing." If the prediction is received based on non-origination, then non-origination is the right position. In the right position, there is neither prediction nor attainment of Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi. How can Maitreya receive the prediction of one more life? Is the prediction received from suchness of origination? Or is the prediction received from suchness of cessation? If the prediction is received from suchness of origination, suchness has no origination; if the prediction is received from suchness of cessation, suchness has no cessation. All sentient beings are suchness, all dharmas are also suchness, all sages are also suchness, and even Maitreya is also suchness. If Maitreya receives the prediction, all sentient beings should also receive the prediction. Why? Suchness is neither two nor different. If Maitreya attains Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, all sentient beings should also attain it. Why? All sentient beings are the aspect of Bodhi. If Maitreya attains cessation' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chinese
度者，一切众生亦应灭度。所以者何？诸佛知一切众生毕竟寂灭，即涅槃相，不复更灭。是故，弥勒！无以此法诱诸天子，实无发阿耨多罗三藐三菩提心者，亦无退者。弥勒！当令此诸天子，舍于分别菩提之见。所以者何？菩提者不可以身得，不可以心得；寂灭是菩提，灭诸相故；不观是菩提，离诸缘故；不行是菩提，无忆念故；断是菩提，舍诸见故；离是菩提，离诸妄想故；障是菩提，障诸愿故；不入是菩提，无贪着故；顺是菩提，顺于如故；住是菩提，住法性故；至是菩提，至实际故；不二是菩提，离意法故；等是菩提，等虚空故；无为是菩提，无生住灭故；知是菩提，了众生心行故；不会是菩提，诸入不会故；不合是菩提，离烦恼习故；无处是菩提，无形色故；假名是菩提，名字空故。如化是菩提，无取舍故；无乱是菩提，常自静故；善寂是菩提，性清净故；无取是菩提，离攀缘故；无异是菩提，诸法等故；无比是菩提，无可喻故；微妙是菩提，诸法难知故。’世尊！维摩诘说是法时，二百天子得无生法忍。故我不任诣彼问疾。” 佛告光严童子：“汝行诣维摩诘问疾。” 光严白佛言：“世尊！我不堪任诣彼问疾。所以者何？忆念我昔出毗耶离大城，时维摩诘方入城，我即为作礼而问言：‘居士 现代汉语译本： ‘如果度化是真实的，那么一切众生也应该被度化完毕而进入涅槃。为什么这么说呢？因为诸佛知道一切众生的最终状态是寂灭，那就是涅槃的真实相状，不会再有进一步的灭度。所以，弥勒（Maitreya，未来佛）！不要用这种说法去诱导诸位天子，实际上并没有人真正发起追求阿耨多罗三藐三菩提（Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi，无上正等正觉）的心，也没有人会从这种发心中退转。弥勒（Maitreya，未来佛）！应当让这些天子舍弃对于菩提（Bodhi，觉悟）的分别见解。为什么这么说呢？菩提（Bodhi，觉悟）不可以通过身体得到，也不可以通过心得到；寂灭就是菩提（Bodhi，觉悟），因为它灭除了一切表相；不观就是菩提（Bodhi，觉悟），因为它远离了一切因缘；不行就是菩提（Bodhi，觉悟），因为它没有忆念；断就是菩提（Bodhi，觉悟），因为它舍弃了一切见解；离就是菩提（Bodhi，觉悟），因为它远离了一切虚妄的念头；障就是菩提（Bodhi，觉悟），因为它遮止了一切愿望；不入就是菩提（Bodhi，觉悟），因为它没有贪恋执着；顺就是菩提（Bodhi，觉悟），因为它顺应了如如不动的真如本性；住就是菩提（Bodhi，觉悟），因为它安住于法性；至就是菩提（Bodhi，觉悟），因为它到达了实际的境界；不二就是菩提（Bodhi，觉悟），因为它远离了意识和法；等就是菩提（Bodhi，觉悟），因为它等同于虚空；无为就是菩提（Bodhi，觉悟），因为它没有生住灭的变化；知就是菩提（Bodhi，觉悟），因为它了解众生的心念和行为；不会就是菩提（Bodhi，觉悟），因为诸入不会合；不合就是菩提（Bodhi，觉悟），因为它远离了烦恼的习气；无处就是菩提（Bodhi，觉悟），因为它没有形状和颜色；假名就是菩提（Bodhi，觉悟），因为名字是空性的；如幻化就是菩提（Bodhi，觉悟），因为它没有取舍；无乱就是菩提（Bodhi，觉悟），因为它常常是平静的；善寂就是菩提（Bodhi，觉悟），因为它的自性是清净的；无取就是菩提（Bodhi，觉悟），因为它远离了攀缘；无异就是菩提（Bodhi，觉悟），因为诸法是平等的；无比就是菩提（Bodhi，觉悟），因为它无可比拟；微妙就是菩提（Bodhi，觉悟），因为诸法难以理解。’世尊（Lokasenna，佛陀）！维摩诘（Vimalakirti，一位在家菩萨）宣说此法时，二百位天子证得了无生法忍（Anutpattika-dharma-kshanti，对不生不灭之法的证悟）。因此，我不胜任去拜访他并问候病情。” 佛（Buddha，觉者）告诉光严童子（Guangyan，菩萨名）: ‘你去拜访维摩诘（Vimalakirti，一位在家菩萨）并问候病情。’ 光严（Guangyan，菩萨名）对佛（Buddha，觉者）说：‘世尊（Lokasenna，佛陀）！我不胜任去拜访他并问候病情。为什么这么说呢？我记得以前我走出毗耶离（Vaishali，古印度城市）大城时，正巧维摩诘（Vimalakirti，一位在家菩萨）进入城中，我立刻向他顶礼并问道：‘居士（Upasaka，在家修行者）！’