Buddha then said to Manjusri : “ Go thou to Vimalakirti to inquire after his health.”

Manjusri replied to Buddha and said: “O Blessed One, it is very difficult to discuss with that excellent man; ho has attained to such a profound knowledge of the true nature of things; he is able to preach the essence of the law; he is in possession of unchecked eloquence and unimpeded wisdom ; he is well acquainted with the lawful manners of a Bodhisattva; he has unravelled all the secrets of the Buddhas; he has subdued all evil ones; he is free in supernatural powers ; he is perfect in wisdom and the necessary means; yet in compliance with the order of the Buddha, I will go to inquire after his health.”

At that time all the Bodhisattvas, all the great disciples, the Sravakas, the Brahmans, and the four guardian gods in the assembly, thought within themselves thus : “ Now if those two great sages, Manjusri and Vimalakirti converse together, surely there must be an excellent discourse.” Then at that moment eight thousand Bodhisattvas, five hundred Sravakas, and hundred thousand, deities, all wished to follow him.

Thus Manjusri being reverently greeted and surrounded by those Bodhisattvas, great disciples and deities, entered the great city of Vaisali.

At that time Vimalakirti the wealthy merchant thought to himself: “ Now Manjusri together with the large assembly, will come here.” And by his supernatural power he made his chamber bare, removing all things together with his attendants and retaining only a sick bed, on which he laid himself.

Manjusri then entered the chamber, which had been made bare, leaving nothing but a sick bed.

Then Vimalakirti spoke thus: “ Welcome, O Manjusri, thou comest hither as if thou comest not, and thou art seen as if thou art not seen.”

Manjusri said: “ Sir, thou speakest rightly ; if a man has already come, then he comes not; and if he has already gone, then he goes not. And why ? one who comes comes from nowhere, and one who goes reaches nowhere ; what is seen is not seen. But let us leave this matter aside for a while. Sir, how dost thou bear thy sickness, or may it not be growing severer by improper treatment ? The lord being exceedingly anxious about thee, sends me most cordially to inquire after thy health. Sir, what is the cause of thy sickness'? How long has it lasted ? How can it be cured ? ”

Vimalakirti replied : “ From ignorance we hold attachment, and my sickness is thus caused. Since all beings are sick, I am sick. If they are no more sick then my sickness would cease. And why ? A Bodhisattva enters [a life of] birth and death for the sake of all beings; where there are birth and death, there is always Sickness. If all beings were free from sickness, then there would be no more sickness with a Bodhisattva. Just as when the only son of a wealthy merchant becomes sick, then his parents [from their anxiety] become sick also, and when he is restored to health, then they also recover their health; even so a Bodhisattva loves all beings as parents love their only son; as long as all beings are sick he is sick, when they recover their health, he also recovers his health.

Again thou hast inquired about the cause of my sickness. The sickness of a Bodhisattva is caused only by his great compassion.”

Manjusri asked : “ Sir, why is this chamber empty and without attendants ? ” Vimalakirti replied : “ Even the lands of all the Buddhas are also empty.”

He asked : “ What is [the meaning] of emptiness ? ” He replied : “ It is empty because it is empty.”

He asked : “ How is it that emptiness is empty ? ” He replied : “ It is empty, because non-discrimination is empty.”

He asked : “Can emptiness be discriminated?” He replied: “ To discriminate is also empty.”

He asked : “Where is this emptiness to be sought?” He replied: “In the sixty-two heresies.”

He asked: “ Where are the sixty two heresies to be sought ? ” He replied : “ In the emancipation of all the Buddhas.”' He asked: “

Where is the emancipation of all the Buddhas to be sought?” He replied: “ In the mind of all beings.

Again thou asked why here I have no attendants; but all evil ones and all heretics are my attendants; and why ? All evil ones find pleasure in birth and death ; and a Bodhisattva never abandons birth and death. All heretics find pleasure in heresies and a Bodhisattva is never moved by heresies.”

Manjusri asked : “ What is the form of thy sickness ? ” Vimalakirti replied : “ My sickness has no form and can not be seen.”

He asked : “ Is thy sickness connected with body or mind?” He replied: “It is not connected with the body because it is beyond the body; nor is it connected with the mind, because the mind is like a phantom.”

He asked : “ To which of the four elements does thy sickness belong, earth, water, fire, or air ? ’ He replied : “ This sickness [of mine] does not belong to the earth element, nor is it separated from it; so with water, fire and air elements. But the sickness of all beings is caused by the four elements and as they are sick therefore am I sick.”

Then Manjusri asked Vimalakirti: “ How should a Bodhisattva console another Bodhisattva who is not well ? ” Vimalakirti replied : “ Preach to him about the impermanency of the body but not about abandoning the body. Preach to him about liability of the body to suffer but not about enjoyability of Nirvana. Preach to him about selflessness of the body and preach how to teach and lead beings. Preach to him emptiness of the body but not about the ultimate annihilation. Preach to him about his past sins but not about fixing his thought. Sympathise with others who are sick, because of thy own sickness. Thou shouldst remind him of the suffering undergone in the past existences through countless ages. Thou shouldst let him remember that all beings are to be benefited, remember the merits accumulated in the past, and remember his pure life. Let him not cherish sorrow, but always to be diligent. Thou shouldst enable him making himself even a king among physicians and cure all diseases. Thus a Bodhisattva should console another Bodhisattva who is sick and encourage him to be joyous.”

Manjusri asked : “ Sir, how should a Bodhisattva who is sick conquer his mind ? ”

Vimalakirti replied : “ A Bodhisattva who is sick should dwell upon such thoughts as these : this sickness of mine has been caused by illusions, errors and passions in my past existences, and it has no real substance. Who is the sufferer in sickness? [No man]. And why? Because the four elements are combined together, there is the combination provisionally called the body. There is no ruler of the four elements besides themselves; nor is there any self in the body. Again, this, what we call sickness comes from the attaching oneself to Self. Therefore let him not be attached to Self.

When the cause of sickness is known then he should abandon all the thoughts both of Self and beings, and cherish the thought of objectivity. He should dwell upon such thoughts as these : ‘the body consists of several constituent parts combined together. When it is produced, it is objects only that are produced; and when it perishes it is objects only that perish. Again, those constituent parts are strangers to one another; when they are produced, they do not say: [we are produced], and when they perish they do not say: [they perish]. “Then again he should abandon even the thought of objectivity and dwell upon such thoughts as these: ‘the thought of objectivity is also an error, and this error is a great calamity; it should be removed; how should it be removed? Free thyself from the ideas of me and mine. How the ideas of me and mine be removed? It means to remove two things. What is meant by being removed from two things? Think neither things within nor without and live the life of equity. How is [the thought of] equity to be dwelt upon? There is equity in self. There is equity in Nirvāna. And why? Both self and Nirvāna are empty. Why are they empty? They are empty because they are mere names. These two things have no definite nature. If a Bodhisattva would attain to this equity there would be no more sickness but that of emptiness; and this emptiness is also empty.

This sick Bodhisattva receives sense-impressions as if he did not. Not being endowed yet with the Buddha’s law he does not exterminate sensations to attain to the state of enlightenment. If he suffers he should cherish the great compassion comparing himself with those who are in the unhappy [states of] existence. [And he should dwell upon such a thought as this:] Having conquered myself I will cause all beings to conquer themselves. He ought only to remove his disease but not things themselves. In order to exterminate the origin of disease it should be taught [thus]: What is the origin of disease? It is bondage. Where there is bondage there is disease. By what is it bound? It is bound by the three states of existence. How is it exterminated? It is exterminated by [the thought of] nothing to obtain. Where there is nothing to obtain there is no bondage. What is [the meaning of] nothing to obtain? It is to be free from the two [opposing] heresies. They are [false ideas] of both things within and things without; they are nothing.

Manjusri, this is the means by which a Bodhisattva who is sick can conquer his mind and exterminate the sorrows of old age, disease and death. This is the Bodhi of a Bodhisattva. If he does not do thus, that which is exercised is destitute of efficient result. Just as [one] conquers his enemy is said to be courageous, even so he is a true Bodhisattva who conquers both [his mind and] old age, disease and death.

Again, a Bodhisattva who is sick should cherish such thoughts as these. This sickness of mine is neither real nor existent and the sickness of all beings is also neither real nor existent. When he thinks thus, if he cherished a compassion born of passion, it should be abandoned. And why ? Exterminating all passions which are like external dusts a Bodhisattva should awake great compassion. So far as the compassion born of passion is concerned, there is in his mind abhorence of birth and death. If he is free from [passion] there is no more abhorence. And whatever birth he may undergo he is never affected by his passion. As his birth is free from bondage he is able to preach the law to all beings and make them free; as Buddha taught: it is untrue to say that one who is bound can make another free from his bondage. It is true to say that one who is not bound can free another from his bondage.

Therefore a Bodhisattva should not be bound. What is bondage ? What is deliverance ? To covet the taste of meditation is the bondage of a Bodhisattva. The birth of necessary means is the life of deliverance for a Bodhisattva. The wisdom destitute of the necessary means is bondage. The wisdom endowed with the necessary means is deliverance. The necessary means destitute of wisdom is bondage. The necessary means endowed with wisdom is deliverance.

“ Why is it that the wisdom destitute of the necessary means is bondage ? When a Bodhisattva adorns the land of a Buddha and perfects beings therein, with his mind born of passion, and conquers his mind according to the law of emptiness, no-form and no-work he then is said to have the wisdom destitute of the necessary means which is bondage.

“ Why is it that the wisdom endowed with the necessary means is deliverance ? When a Bodhisattva adorns the land of a Buddha, perfects beings therein, with his mind not born of passion, and conquers his mind without ever feeling tired according to the law of emptiness, no-form, and non-action, he then is said to have the wisdom endowed with the necessary means which is deliverance.

“ Why is it that the necessary means destitute of wisdom is bondage ? When a Bodhisattva still governed by passions such as covetousness, anger, and evil thoughts, accumulates a stock of merits he then is said to have the necessary means destitute of wisdom which is bondage.

“ Why is it that the necessary means endowed with wisdom are deliverance ? When a Bodhisattva is far above all passions such as covetousness, anger, and evil thoughts, accumulating a stock of merits, and turning it to the attainment of supreme enlightenment he then is said to have the necessary means endowed with wisdom which is deliverance.

O Manjusri, a Bodhisattva who is sick should look upon things in such a manner. “ Again, to look upon the body as transient, sorrowful, empty, and selfless—this is said to be wisdom. To benefit untiringly all beings though a Bodhisattva may be sick himself in this world of birth and death—this is the necessary means.

Again as we look upon the body, the body is not separated from sickness, nor is sickness separated from the body; here is sickness, here is the body, the one neither precedes nor follows the other—this is said to be wisdom. Though he may be sick in his body, not to enter into Nirvana—this is the necessary means.

“ O Manjusri, a Bodhisattva who is sick should conquer his mind in such a manner: he should live neither in the conquered mind nor in the unconquered mind. And why? If he lives in the unconquered mind, he follows in the way of the ignorant, and if he lives in the conquered mind he follows in the way of the Sravakas. “ Therefore a Bodhisattva should live neither in the conquered mind nor in the unconquered mind. To be far above these two states of mind is said to be the life of a Bodhisattva. Not to commit impure deeds even in [the world of] birth and death, and never to enter into Nirvana, while he is living in Nirvana— this is the life of a Bodhisattva. Doing neither the deeds of an ordinary man, nor the deeds of a saint is the life of a Bodhisattva. Committing neither impure deeds nor pure deeds is the life of a Bodhisattva. “ Though far above all evil deeds but manifesting himself as repressing evil ones is the life of a Bodhisattva. Seeking omniscience but never making untimely demands is the life of a Bodhisattva. Though knowing that all things are not created but not to enter the rank of certainty is the life of a Bodhisattva. Though contemplating the twelve chains of causation, allow himself to enter all evil thoughts is the life of a Bodhisattva. Though accepting all beings yet never to attain himself to them is the life of a Bodhisattva. Though wishing renunciation yet never to extinguish the body and mind is the life of a Bodhisattva. Though living in the three worlds yet never to go against the nature of things is the life of a Bodhisattva. Though realising the emptiness of things yet to accumulate a stock of merits is the life of a Bodhisattva. Though realising the formlessness of things yet to save all beings is the life of a Bodhisattva. Though realising the nonacting of things yet to manifest in the body which suffers is the life of a Bodhisattva. Though realising causelessness of things to achieve all good deeds is the life of a Bodhisattva. “ Though realising the six Paramitas yet to comprehend all mental conditions of beings is the life of a Bodhisattva. Though realising the six supernatural powers yet never to make passion extinct is the life of a Bodhisattva. Though realising the fourfold infinite mind yet never to covet to be born in the world of the Brahman is the life of a Bodhisattva. Though realising the Dhyana and Samadhi of deliverance yet never to be reborn in their respective 'worlds is the life of a Bodhisattva. Though realising the fourfold meditation yet never to be separated either from the body or the sensation or the mind or the external objects is the life of a Bodhisattva. Though realising the fourfold diligence yet never to abandon the diligence of the body and mind is the life of a Bodhisattva. Though realising the fourfold practice 'which fulfils any desire yet to attain to fullness of supernatural power is the life of a Bodhisattva. Though realising the five senses yet to discern the intelligence or the ignorance of all beings is the life of a Bodhisattva. Though realising the five powers yet to wish to obtain the tenfold power of Buddha is the life of a Bodhisattva. Though realising the seven requisites for attaining supreme enlightenment yet to understand the wisdom of Buddha is the life of a Bodhisattva. Though realising the eightfold right path yet to desire to walk the innumerable ways of Buddha is the life of a Bodhisattva. Though realising the [twofold] equipment, i. e., the control of mind and the meditations yet never to attain to absolute annihilation is the life of a Bodhisattva. “ Though realising that things have neither beginning nor end yet to adorn himself with splendour is the life of a Bodhisattva. Though appearing as a Sravaka or a Pratyeka-Buddha yet never to abandon the law of Buddha is the life of a Bodhisattva. Though following the absolute purity of all things yet, when necessary, to appear as himself for the sake of others is the life of a Bodhisattva. Though comprehending all the Buddha-lands as absolute empty, yet to show all the pure Buddha-lands is the life of a Bodhisattva. Though attaining to the ways of Buddha, rolling the wheel of the law, and entering into Nirvana, yet never to abandon the ways of a Bodhisattva is the life of a Bodhisattva.”

When he had spoken these words eight thousand deities in the large assemblies which had accompanied Mañjuśrī all cherished the thought of supreme enlightenment.