Dunhuang Document

"...all the various teachings spoken by myself and the Buddhas of the ten directions can be heard in their entirety within it. Śāriputra, I have now only briefly described the power of the Bodhisattvas’ Inconceivable Liberation. To explain it in full would take more than a kalpaoriginal: "劫"; an eon or an unimaginably long period of time in Indian cosmology."

At that time, the Elder Mahākāśyapaoriginal: "大迦葉"; one of the Buddha’s primary disciples, known for his asceticism, hearing this teaching on the gate of Inconceivable Liberation, marveled at what he had never heard before. He said to Śāriputra: "It is as if someone were to display many-colored images before a person who is blind; they simply cannot be seen. Similarly, all the Śrāvakasoriginal: "聲聞"; literally 'hearers,' referring to disciples who follow the basic path toward personal liberation but have not yet committed to the full path of a Buddha who hear this teaching on the gate of Inconceivable Liberation will be unable to understand it.

"Among the wise, who would hear this and not resolve to attain Anuttara-samyak-saṃbodhioriginal: "阿耨多羅三藐三菩提"; the supreme, perfect enlightenment of a Buddha? As for us, why have we forever cut off our own roots? Regarding this 'Great Vehicle,' we have become like rotten seeds. When any Śrāvaka hears of this Inconceivable Liberation, they should weep so loudly that their voice shakes the great trichiliocosmoriginal: "三千大千世界"; a Buddhist cosmological term for a galaxy-cluster containing a billion worlds. All Bodhisattvas, however, should receive this teaching with great joy, bowing their heads in reverence. If a Bodhisattva believes and understands this gate of Inconceivable Liberation, all the armies of Maraoriginal: "魔眾"; the 'tempter' or personification of death and distraction in Buddhism can do nothing against them."

When Mahākāśyapa spoke these words, thirty-two thousand heavenly beings all resolved to attain Supreme, Perfect Enlightenment.

Vimalakīrti then said to Mahākāśyapa: "Virtuous one, in the countless asaṃkhyeyaoriginal: "阿僧祇"; a Sanskrit number meaning 'innumerable' or 'infinite' worlds of the ten directions, those who act as 'Demon Kings' (Maras) are often actually Bodhisattvas dwelling in this Inconceivable Liberation. They use their 'Skillful Means' to transform themselves into Demon Kings in order to teach and transform sentient beings.

"Furthermore, Kāśyapa, in these countless worlds, there are Bodhisattvas to whom people come begging for their hands, feet, ears, noses, heads, eyes, marrow, brain, blood, flesh, skin, or bones; or for their villages, cities, wives, children, servants, elephants, horses, carriages, gold, silver, lapis lazuli, moonstone, agate, coral, amber, pearls, seashells, clothes, or food. Such 'beggars' are often actually Bodhisattvas dwelling in Inconceivable Liberation who go to test the practitioner and make their resolve firm. Why is this? Because Bodhisattvas dwelling in Inconceivable Liberation possess such majestic power that they can practice 'persecution' to show sentient beings these difficult matters. Ordinary people of inferior strength cannot practice such 'persecution' of a Bodhisattva. It is like the way a Dragon-Elephant A metaphor for a powerful being or a great saint can trample with a force that a donkey cannot endure. This is called the gate of Wisdom and Skillful Means of the Bodhisattvas dwelling in Inconceivable Liberation."

Chapter 7: Viewing Sentient Beings

At that time, Mañjuśrīoriginal: "文殊師利"; the Bodhisattva of Great Wisdom asked Vimalakīrti: "How should a Bodhisattva look upon sentient beings?"

Vimalakīrti replied: "As a magician looks upon the phantoms he has conjured—this is how a Bodhisattva looks upon sentient beings. It is like a wise man seeing the moon’s reflection in water; like a face seen in a mirror; like a mirage in the heat; like the echo of a shout; like clouds in the sky; like the foam of a wave; like a bubble on the water; like the core of a banana tree The banana tree trunk is made of layers with no solid heartwood, a common metaphor for emptiness; like a flash of lightning; like a 'fifth element' or a 'sixth skandha' These are Buddhist 'impossible things'—traditionally there are four elements and five skandhas (aggregates); Vimalakīrti is using them to show that 'sentient beings' as independent, permanent entities do not exist; like a 'seventh sense' or a 'thirteenth gateway' or a 'nineteenth realm.'

"A Bodhisattva looks upon sentient beings like color in the formless realm; like a sprout from a burnt seed; like a Srotāpanna’soriginal: "須陀洹"; a 'stream-enterer,' the first stage of enlightenment belief in a permanent self; like an Anāgāminoriginal: "阿那含"; a 'non-returner,' the third stage of enlightenment entering a womb; like an Arhatoriginal: "阿羅漢"; one who has attained nirvana possessing the 'three poisons' of greed, anger, and delusion; like a Bodhisattva who has attained 'Patience' still being moved by greed or hatred; like a Buddha still having 'affliction-habits'; like a blind man seeing colors; like the breath of someone in the 'trance of cessation'; like the tracks of a bird in the sky; like the child of a barren woman; like the afflictions of a conjured phantom; like what is seen in a dream after waking; like a person who has attained 'extinction' taking on a new body; like a fire that has no smoke. This is how a Bodhisattva looks upon sentient beings."

Mañjuśrī then asked: "If a Bodhisattva views beings in this way, how should they practice Kindness original: "慈"; Sanskrit: Maitrī?"

Vimalakīrti said: "After a Bodhisattva has made this observation, they should think: 'I must teach this reality to all sentient beings.' This is True Kindness.

• It is the 'Kindness of Stillness,' for nothing is actually born.
• It is 'Kindness without Fever,' for there are no afflictions.
• It is 'Equal Kindness,' for it is the same across the three periods of time (past, present, future).
• It is 'Kindness without Strife,' for nothing arises to oppose it.
• It is 'Non-dual Kindness,' for internal and external are not joined.
• It is 'Indestructible Kindness,' for it is ultimately exhausted of all things.
• It is 'Firm Kindness,' for the mind remains unscattered.
• It is 'Pure Kindness,' for the nature of all things is pure.
• It is 'Boundless Kindness,' for it is like empty space.
• It is the 'Kindness of an Arhat,' for it breaks the thieves of the fetters.
• It is the 'Kindness of a Bodhisattva,' for it brings peace to sentient beings.
• It is the 'Kindness of a Tathāgata,' for it attains the state of 'Thusness.'
• It is the 'Kindness of a Buddha,' for it awakens sentient beings.
• It is 'Spontaneous Kindness,' for it is attained without a cause.
• It is 'Enlightenment Kindness,' for it is of a single, equal taste."