Dunhuang Document

...Aniruddha's Divine Eyeoriginal: "天眼" (Deva-cakshus); one of the five types of vision, allowing one to see across vast distances and through solid objects.. What I saw, I then described, saying: "O Worthy One, I see this Shakyamuni Buddha’sThe historical Buddha of our current age. land, this system of three thousand great thousand-fold worlds, as clearly as if I were looking at an Amalaka fruit original: "菴摩勒果"; a medicinal fruit native to India, often used in Buddhist texts as a metaphor for something seen with absolute clarity. in the palm of my hand." At that time, Vimalakirti came and said to me: "Listen, Aniruddha. Is what your Divine Eye sees a conditioned phenomenonoriginal: "作相"; literally "having signs" or "constructed.", or is it an unconditioned phenomenonoriginal: "无作相"; literally "without signs" or "unconstructed."? If it is conditioned, then it is the same as the five supernatural powers of the non-Buddhists. If it is unconditioned, then it is beyond actionoriginal: "无為" (Asamskrta); the unconditioned state of reality, like Nirvana., and there should be no "seeing" involved at all." World-Honored One, I was then silent. The Brahma Kings original: "諸梵"; high-ranking heavenly beings who rule over various heavens. heard his words and felt something they had never experienced before. They immediately bowed to him and asked: "Who in this world possesses the true eye?"

Vimalakirti replied: "There is the Buddha, the World-Honored One. He has attained the Divine Eye; he dwells eternally in SamadhiA state of deep meditative concentration. and sees all the Buddha-lands without perceiving duality." Thereupon, the Pure-Splendor Brahma King and his retinue of five hundred heavenly beings all resolved to attain Supreme, Perfect Enlightenment original: "阿耨多羅三藐三菩提" (Anuttara Samyak Sambodhi); the ultimate goal of the Buddhist path.. They bowed at Vimalakirti’s feet and suddenly vanished. Therefore, I am not fit to go to him to inquire after his illness.

The Buddha then told Upāli: "You go to Vimalakirti and inquire after his illness."

Upāli said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One, I am not fit to go to him to inquire after his illness. Why? I recall a time in the past when there were two monks who had violated the monastic rulesoriginal: "律行" (Vinaya); the code of conduct for the Buddhist monastic community. and felt deep shame. They did not dare to ask the Buddha about it, so they came to me and said: 'Upāli, we have violated the rules and are truly ashamed. we do not dare to ask the Buddha. We hope you can resolve our doubts and regrets, so that we may be freed from this transgression.' I then began to explain the rules to them according to the law. At that time, Vimalakirti came and said to me: 'O Upāli, do not further increase the burden of guilt for these two monks. You should eliminate it directly; do not disturb their minds. Why? Because the nature of sin is neither inside, nor outside, nor in between. As the Buddha has taught: "Because the mind is defiled, living beings are defiled; because the mind is pure, living beings are pure." The mind is also neither inside, nor outside, nor in between. As the mind is, so is the defilement of sin; and so are all phenomena—they do not depart from Suchness original: "如" (Tathata); the true, unchanging nature of reality.. Upāli, when your mind attains liberation, is there any defilement remaining?' I replied: 'No.' Vimalakirti said: 'The minds of all living beings are without defilement in exactly the same way. Upāli, false thinkingoriginal: "妄想"; the delusions that cloud the mind. is defilement; the absence of false thinking is purity. Perverted views are defilement; the absence of perverted views is purity. Clinging to the "self" is defilement; not clinging to the "self" is purity. Upāli, all phenomena arise and perish without staying; they are like a phantom, like a flash of lightning. All phenomena do not wait for one another; they do not stay for even a single thought. All phenomena are false; they are seen as a dream, as a mirage, as the moon reflected in water, or as an image in a mirror. They are born from false thinking. He who knows this is called one who upholds the rules; he who knows this is called one who is well-liberated.' At this, the two monks said: 'What supreme wisdom! This is beyond what Upāli can reach; the master of the rules cannot even explain it.' I then said to myself... such wisdom and eloquence as this. At that moment, the two monks' doubts and regrets were immediately removed. They resolved to attain Supreme, Perfect Enlightenment and made this vow: 'May all living beings attain this same eloquence.' Therefore, I am not fit to go to him to inquire after his illness.

The Buddha then told Rāhula: "You go to Vimalakirti and inquire after his illness."

Rāhula said to the Buddha: "World-Honored One, I am not fit to go to him to inquire after his illness. Why? I recall a time in the past in the city of Vaishali, when the sons of various elders came to where I was. They bowed their heads in respect and asked me: 'Rāhula, you are the son of the Buddha. You gave up the position of a Universal Monarch original: "轉輪王" (Chakravartin); a secular ruler of the whole world. to leave home and seek the Way. What benefits are there in this renunciationoriginal: "出家"; literally "leaving the home" to become a monk.?' I then explained to them, according to the law, the benefits and merits of renunciation. At that time, Vimalakirti came and said to me: 'Rāhula, you should not speak of the benefits or merits of renunciation. Why? To have no benefit and no merit—this is renunciation. One may speak of benefit and merit regarding conditioned thingsoriginal: "有為法"; things that are subject to cause and effect, birth and death.. But renunciation is for the sake of the unconditionedoriginal: "无為法"; that which is eternal and beyond suffering.. Within the unconditioned, there is neither benefit nor merit. Rāhula, renunciation is without "this" or "that," nor is it in between. It is to leave behind the sixty-two views and to dwell in Nirvana. It is what the wise receive and what the sages practice. It is to subdue the hosts of demons, to cross over the five paths of rebirth, to purify the five eyes, to attain the five powers, and to establish the five roots. It is not to trouble others, to be free from various evils, to crush the lesser paths, to transcend provisional names, to emerge from the mire, to be without attachment, to be without "mine," to be without that which is received, and to be without disturbance. It is to harbor joy within, to protect the minds of others, to follow meditationoriginal: "禪定" (Dhyana)., and to be free from all faults. If one can be like this, that is true renunciation.' Then Rāhula said to the Buddha: 'World-Honored One..."