Dunhuang Document (Unknown) - Page 4

...[repaying] kindness without severing the Three JewelsThe three pillars of Buddhism: the Buddha (the teacher), the Dharma (the teachings), and the Sangha (the community)., and only then preaching the Law. When Vimalakirti spoke this Law, eight hundred laypeople resolved to attain Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenmentoriginal: "阿耨多羅三藐三菩提" (Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi); the ultimate, complete awakening of a Buddha.. Because of his eloquence, I am not fit to go and inquire about his illness.

The Buddha then said to MahakasyapaOne of the Buddha's most senior disciples, known for his strict adherence to ascetic practices and for leading the first council after the Buddha's passing.: "You should go visit Vimalakirti and inquire about his illness." Kasyapa replied to the Buddha:

"World-Honored One, I am not fit to go and inquire about his illness. Why? I remember in the past, when I was walking through a poor neighborhood to beg for food. Vimalakirti came to me and said: 'Noble Kasyapa, though you have a heart of compassion, you are unable to practice it universally. You abandon the wealthy and powerful to beg only from the poor. Kasyapa, you should abide in the Law of equality and beg for food in a sequential order. You should beg for food as if you are not eating at all. You should beg for food to dismantle the idea of a "unified whole" The "unified whole" (和合相) refers to the illusion that the self or objects are solid, singular entities rather than temporary collections of parts.. You should receive food as if you are receiving nothing. You should enter a village with the mindset that it is an empty clusterA metaphor for the human body and its senses being devoid of a permanent soul.. What you see with your eyes should be as if you were blind; the sounds you hear should be like echoes; the fragrances you smell should be like the wind; the tastes you eat should be without discrimination. Treat all sensations as if you were experiencing them through the wisdom that knows all things are like an illusion. Things have no self-nature of their own, nor do they possess the nature of another; originally they were never "born," and now they are never "extinguished." Kasyapa, if you can enter the Eight LiberationsA series of meditative states used to overcome attachments to form. without abandoning the eight perversions—if you can enter the true Law through the appearance of the false—if you can offer a single meal to everyone, making offerings to all Buddhas and holy sages, only then may you eat. To eat in this way is to neither possess nor be free from afflictions; it is to neither enter a meditative state nor arise from one; it is to neither dwell in the world nor dwell in NirvanaThe state of ultimate peace and liberation from the cycle of rebirth.. Those who give to you will gain neither great merit nor small merit; it will neither benefit them nor harm them. This is the correct way to enter the Buddha’s path, without relying on the narrow path of the Voice-Hearersoriginal: "聲聞" (Shravaka); those who seek enlightenment by hearing the Buddha's teachings but focus primarily on their own personal liberation.. Kasyapa, if you eat in this manner, then you do not consume the food of others in vain.'"

"World-Honored One, when I heard these words, I was struck by their unprecedented nature. I immediately felt a deep respect for all Bodhisattvas. I also thought: 'If a mere layman possesses such eloquence and wisdom, who could hear him and not resolve to attain Unsurpassed Perfect Enlightenment?' From that time on, I no longer encouraged people to follow the path of the Voice-Hearers or the Solitary Realizersoriginal: "辟支佛" (Pratyekabuddha); those who attain enlightenment on their own but do not teach others.. For this reason, I am not fit to go and inquire about his illness."

The Buddha then said to SubhutiA disciple famous for his profound understanding of "Emptiness" (Sunyata).: "You should go visit Vimalakirti and inquire about his illness." Subhuti replied to the Buddha:

"World-Honored One, I am not fit to go and inquire about his illness. Why? I remember in the past, when I entered his house to beg for food. Vimalakirti took my bowl, filled it with rice, and said to me: 'Noble Subhuti, if you can see all food as equal, then all things are equal; if all things are equal, then food is equal. Only if you beg for food in this way should you take it. Subhuti, if you can avoid abandoning lust, anger, and delusion Known as the "Three Poisons" that bind beings to suffering. without dwelling in them; if you do not destroy your physical body yet follow the "single mark" of reality; if you do not extinguish ignorance and craving but allow the light of liberation to arise; if you can achieve liberation through the appearance of the five heinous crimesThe most serious sins in Buddhism: killing one's father, mother, or an Arhat; wounding a Buddha; or causing a schism in the Sangha.—neither being liberated nor bound, neither seeing the Four Truths nor being blind to them, neither attaining the fruits of the path nor failing to attain them, being neither an ordinary person nor separate from the nature of an ordinary person, being neither a saint nor a non-saint—if you can accomplish all things while remaining free from the appearance of things, then you may take this food. Subhuti, if you can stop looking for the Buddha or listening to the Law; if you recognize that the six heretical teachersA group of prominent non-Buddhist thinkers in ancient India who challenged the Buddha's teachings.—Purana Kasyapa, Maskarin Gosala, Ajita Kesakambala, Pakudha Kaccayana, Sanjaya Belatthiputta, and Nirgrantha Jnatiputra—are your own teachers, and that you should fall into the same pits they fall into; only then may you take this food. Subhuti, if you enter into false views and never reach the "other shore" of enlightenment; if you dwell in the eight difficultiesConditions where it is difficult to hear the Buddha's teachings, such as being born in hell or as a long-lived deity. and never attain a state free of them; if you remain one with your afflictions and stay far from pure laws; if you can ensure that when you attain the "concentration of non-dispute," all other living beings also attain it; if those who give to you are not called "fields of merit" and those who make offerings to you fall into the three evil paths; if you join hands with all demons to become companions in toil; if you are no different from demons and the dust of worldly toil; if you harbor ill will toward all living beings, slander the Buddhas, and destroy the Law... if you can be like this, then you may take this food.'"

"World-Honored One, when I heard these words, I was dazed and did not know what was being said. I did not know how to answer. I left my bowl behind and tried to flee the house. But Vimalakirti said to me:

'Noble Subhuti, take your bowl and do not be afraid. What do you think? If a magical apparitionSomething created through supernatural power that has no true substance. created by the Buddha were to be questioned in this way?, would it be afraid?'

"I replied: 'No.' Vimalakirti then said:

'All things are like magical apparitions. You should not feel any fear. Why? Because all words and speech are not separate from this illusory nature. As for the wise, they do not cling to letters and words, and so they have nothing to fear. Why? Because the nature of words is liberation; where there are no words, there is liberation.'"