Dunhuang Document

...teaching the sentient beings the Dharma they have never heard before. They may appear to engage in lust, yet they accomplish great compassion to teach and transform living beings. They may appear to be in poverty, yet they possess "treasure-hands" original: "寶手"; a metaphor for a Bodhisattva’s ability to provide endless spiritual and material wealth with inexhaustible virtues. They may appear deformed or handicapped, yet they are adorned with all the physical marks of excellence. They may appear lowly and base, yet they are born into the lineage of the Buddha, possessing all merits. They may appear weak, emaciated, or ugly, yet they possess the body of Narayana original: "那羅延身"; a deity in Indian mythology known for immense physical strength, used here to represent the indestructible nature of a Buddha, a sight of joy for all beings. They may appear to suffer from old age, illness, and death, yet they have eternally severed the roots of disease and transcended the fear of death. They may possess the means of living, yet they constantly contemplate impermanence and truly crave nothing. They may have wives, concubines, and beautiful women, yet they always remain far from the "mire of the five desires." They appear to be dull-witted or mute, yet they possess perfect eloquence and unfailing memoryoriginal: "惣持"; dharani, the spiritual power to retain and hold the Dharma without forgetting. They enter "false paths" to save all beings through the "true path." They appear to enter all worldly realms, yet they sever the causal links to those realms. They manifest in Nirvana, yet they do not sever the cycle of birth and death.

Manjushri, for a Bodhisattva to be able to act in such "non-ways" original: "非道"; practices or states that are usually considered contrary to the path to enlightenment—this is what it means to truly penetrate the Way of the Buddha.

At this, Vimalakirti asked Manjushri: "What are the seeds of the Tathagata?"

Manjushri replied: "Having a physical body is the seed. Ignorance and craving are the seeds. Greed, anger, and delusion are the seeds. The four perversions original: "四顛倒"; seeing the impure as pure, the suffering as happy, the impermanent as permanent, and the non-self as self are the seeds. The five obscurations are the seeds. The six sense bases are the seeds. The seven stations of consciousness are the seeds. The eight wrong paths are the seeds. The nine causes of distress are the seeds. The ten unwholesome paths are the seeds. To put it briefly: the sixty-two false views and all afflictionsoriginal: "煩惱"; kleshas, the mental states such as greed and anger that cloud the mind are the seeds of the Buddha."

Vimalakirti asked: "What do you mean by this?"

Manjushri answered: "If one sees the unconditioned and enters the 'correct status' original: "正位"; the level of an Arhat who has attained a private liberation, they are no longer capable of giving rise to the mind of Supreme, Perfect Enlightenmentoriginal: "阿耨多羅三藐三菩提"; Anuttara-samyak-sambodhi, the full enlightenment of a Buddha. It is like the lotus flower: it does not grow on the high, dry plains; it is in the muddy, wet mire that this flower grows. In the same way, those who have entered the 'unconditioned' and the 'correct status' will never again be able to grow the Buddha-dharma. It is only within the mud of afflictions that sentient beings give rise to the Buddha-dharma.

Furthermore, if you plant a seed in the empty air, it will never grow; only in manure-rich soil can it flourish. In this way, those who enter the unconditioned 'correct status' do not give rise to the Buddha-dharma. One with an 'ego-view' as massive as Mount Sumeru can still give rise to the aspiration for Supreme Enlightenment and grow the Buddha-dharma. Therefore, you should know that all afflictions are the seeds of the Tathagata. It is like the Great Ocean: if you do not descend into its depths, you cannot obtain the priceless pearl. Likewise, if you do not enter the great ocean of afflictions, you will never give rise to the mind that seeks the treasure of All-Knowledge."

At that time, the Elder Mahakashyapa sighed and said: "Excellent, excellent, Manjushri! You have spoken truly. Indeed, the company of worldly dust and toil are the seeds of the Tathagata. We [the Hearers] are no longer capable of giving rise to the mind of Supreme Enlightenment. Even those who have committed the 'five inexpiable sins' original: "五无間罪"; the gravest crimes, such as killing one's father or mother are still capable of giving rise to the aspiration for the Buddha-dharma, but we will never be able to. We are like a man whose sense-roots are destroyed; he can no longer enjoy the five desires. In the same way, the 'Hearers' who have severed all fetters can no longer benefit from the Buddha-dharma and will never again form the vow to attain it. Therefore, Manjushri, the common person can respond to the Buddha-dharma, but the 'Hearer' original: "聲聞"; Sravaka, a disciple who seeks personal liberation rather than full Buddhahood cannot. Why? When a common person hears the Buddha-dharma, they can give rise to the supreme mind and keep the 'Three Jewels' unbroken; but even if the Hearers spend their whole lives listening to the powers and fearlessness of the Buddha, they will never give rise to the supreme intent."

In the assembly, there was a Bodhisattva named Universal Manifestation of Form, who asked Vimalakirti: "Layman, who are your parents, your wife and children, your relatives and kinsmen, your officials and friends? And where are your servants, your horses, and your carriages?"

Then Vimalakirti replied with these verses:

Wisdom is the Bodhisattva's mother,
Skillful Means is the father;
Of all the leaders of the world,
There are none not born from these.

Joy in the Dharma is his wife,
Kindness and Compassion are his daughters;
A good and honest mind is his son,
And ultimate Emptiness is his home.

The crowd of worldly afflictions are his disciples,
Whom he transforms as he pleases;
The factors of enlightenment are his good friends,
By which he achieves True Awakening.

The Perfections are his companions,
The King of Demons is his singing girl;
Chanting the words of the Dharma,
He makes this his music.

The garden of 'Retention' original: "總持"; Dharani is his park,
The 'Unconditioned' are the trees of his forest;
The factors of enlightenment are the pure, wondrous flowers,
And the wisdom of liberation is the fruit.

The bathhouse of the Eight Liberations,
Is filled with the still water of Meditation;
Strown with the seven flowers of purity,
Here bathes the man without defilement.

His horses and elephants are the five supernatural powers,
The Great Vehicle is his carriage;
Driven by a focused mind,
He wanders the Eightfold Path.

The marks of excellence are his dignified features,
The secondary beauties adorn his form;
Shame and modesty are his highest garments,
And a deep, profound mind is his flower-garland.

Rich with the seven treasures of wealth,
He teaches others so they may flourish;
Practicing exactly as he speaks,
He dedicates all merit for great benefit.

The four meditations are his bed and seat,
Rising from a life of purity;
Much learning increases his wisdom,
Serving as his own voice of awakening.

The food of the nectar-like Dharma,
The taste of liberation as his drink;
With a pure heart he bathes,
And uses the precepts as his fragrant ointment.

He destroys the thieves of affliction,
Brave, vigorous, and unsurpassed;
Subduing the four kinds of demons,
He raises the banner of victory at the site of enlightenment.

Although he knows there is no arising or ceasing,
He manifests as being born;
He appears in all lands of the world,
Like the sun, seen by everyone.