(1) THUS it was heard by me. At one time the Blessed One dwelt at Vaisali, in the grove of Amrapali, together with eight thousand great Bhikshus and thirty-two thousand Bodhisattvas. These Bodhisattvas were well known to the world; they were endowed with profound wisdom and fundamental duties, and supported by the power of all the Buddhas ; they were the maintainers of the true law which they preached, like the roaring of a lion, for the protection of the law-fortress ; their names were heard in all the ten quarters; though not requested they made themselves advisers of all people, giving them peace; transmitting and elevating the Three Treasures they rendered them immortal; conquering the Evil Ones and repressing all the heresies; they were all pure and undefiled, ever free from all the hindrances, and their minds were abiding in unimpeded emancipation; they were never interrupted in their recollection, meditation, self-control, and eloquence; they were endowed with [the virtues of] Charity, Discipline, Patience, Energy, Meditation, Wisdom, and Capacity for devising Skilful Means; they attained to recognition in the law which is uncreated and unobtainable; they were obedient to [the doctrine of all the Buddhas] in rolling the Wheel which never turns back; comprehending the nature of things, they were acquainted with the capacity of all beings; they could never be excelled by any, as they attained to the state of fearlessness ;

(3) 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.

(59) At that time, when the Buddha showed the pureness of this land, five hundred sons of wealthy merchants led by Ratnakuta, attained to acquiescence in the uncreated Dharma, and eighty-four thousand men cherished the thought of supreme enlightenment.

(6) He dwelt together with those thirty-two thousand Bodhisattvas and ten thousand Brahman gods including Sikhins and others, all of whom came from the four quarters of the other worlds, in order to hear him preach; and there were also twelve thousand Indra gods who came from the four quarters of the other worlds as well as other powerful gods, serpent gods, Yakshas, Gandharvas, Asuras, Garudas, Kimnaras, Maho-ragas, and with them there were many Bhikshus, Bhikshunis, Upasakas, and Upasikas.

(24) When Vimalakirti and Manjusri spoke these words, one hundred thousand deities in the great assembly all cherished the thought of supreme enlightenment, and ten thousand Bodhisattvas attained to acquiescence in the eternal law.

(4) When he had spoken these words, five hundred deities attained the pure eye of the Law in all things.

(28) When Mahakasyapa had spoken these words thirty-two thousand deities all cherished the thought of supreme enlightenment.

(3) At that time the Buddha [Gandhakuta] was seated himself to partake of food with the Bodhisattvas. There were also present many deities each called Gandhavyuha; all of them having cherished the thought of supreme enlightenment, did homage to each one in this great assembly.

(44) There in this chamber all the Buddhas of all the ten quarters led by Sakyamuni, Amitabha, Akshobhya, Ratnasri, Ratnatejas, Ratnacandra, Ratna-vyuha, Durdharsha, Simhaghosha and Sarvarthasiddha, at any moment this excellent man wills, come to expound the mine of the Law which is the secret essence of all the Buddhas; and they return when their task is done; this is the seventh of those things which are unobtainable and have never existed before.

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

(60) As soon as the Buddha ceased to exercise his supernatural powers, the world became as it had been before. And thereupon thirty-two thousand gods and men who were striving after the Śrāvakayāna, perceiving that all component things are transient in their nature, and becoming free from desire and passion, attained to the purity of the law-eye. Eight thousand Bhikshus were freed from all [relative] things, had their passions extinguished and their minds liberated.

(55) At that time the Buddha touched the earth with his toes, and, lo, all the three thousand great Chiliocosms were seen adorned with many a hundred-thousand precious jewels, as the Treasure-adorned land of the Treasure-adorned Buddha possessing countless qualities; the entire assembly finding each seated upon a jewelled lotus-flower praised the Buddha saying that such had never before been seen.

(37) When this lesson concerning the entering into the doctrine of nonduality was preached to the five thousand Bodhisattvas in the assembly all entered into the doctrine of non-duality and obtained the acquiescence in the uncreated law.

(13) Buddha knowing the thought of all the assembly spoke to Vimalakirti and said: “O noble youth, for the sake of all this assembly, let the Tathagata Akshobhya and his assembly of Bodhisattvas and Sravakas in the land of Abhirati be manifested here, all are earnestly longing to see them.”

(5) those Bodhisattvas who were thus endowed with these qualities were :—(1) Samatavalokita-Bodhisattva [one who sees equality], (2) Asamatavalokita-Bodhisattva [one who sees non-equality], (3) Samatasamatavalokita-Bodhisattva [one who sees both equality and non-equality], (4) Sama-dhisvararaja-Bodhisattva [one who is powerful as a king in meditation], (5) Dharmesvara-Bodhisattva [one who is powerful in righteousness], (6) Dharmalakshana-Bodhisattva [one who comprehends the nature of things], (7) Prabhalakshana-Bodhisattva [one who comprehends the nature of light], (8) Prabha-vyuha-Bodhisattva [light-adorned one], (9) Mahavyuha-Bodhisattva [majestically adorned one], (10) Ratnakuta-Bodhisattva [treasure-heaped one], (11) Supralapakuta-Bodhisattva [lord of eloquence], (12) Ratnahasta-Bodhisattva [treasure-laden one], (13) Ratnamudrahasta-Bodhisattva [treasure-seal-handed one], (14) Sadotthitahasta-Bodhisattva [one with ever-lifted hands], (15) Sadavalambitahasta-Bodhisattva [one with ever-let-down hands], (16) Sadaprarudita-Bodhisattva [one ever weeping for those who suffer], (17) Harshendriya-Bodhisattva [one with joyful sense-organs], (18) Harsharaja-Bodhisattva [king of joy], (19) Supralapaghosha-Bodhisattva [one with eloquent voice], (20) Akasagarbha-Bodhisattva [one who conceives the sky], (21) Ratnadipadhara-Bodhisattva [one who holds the treasure-torch], (22) Ratnasura-Bodhisattva [one who is a hero as precious as a jewel], (23) Ratnadarsana-Bodhisattva [one whose understanding is like a jewel], (24) Indrajala-Bodhisattva [one who is like Indra’s jewelled net], (25) Prabhajala-Bodhisattva [one who is like a jewelled net of surpassing brilliancy], (26) Nalambana-samahita-Bodhisattva [one who meditates on the causelessness of things], (27) Jnanakuta-Bodhisattva [one who with a mass of wisdom], (28) Ratnavijaya-Bodhisattva [one who possesses the treasure surpassing that of the world], (29) Devaraja-Bodhisattva [king of deities], (30) Marapramardana-Bodhisattva [one who smashes the Evil One], (31) Vidyutprapta-Bodhisattva [one who holds lightning], (32) Isvararaja-Bodhisattva [mighty king], (33) Gunalamkara-Bodhisattva [one who is adorned with all qualities], (34) Simhanada-Bodhisattva [one who roars as a lion], (35) Stanitaghosha-Bodhisattva [one whose voice is like thunder], (36) Parvatasamghataghosha-Bodhisattva [one whose voice is like that of crashing mountains], (37) Gandhahastin-Bodhisattva [one whose fragrance is like that of an elephant], (38) Sveta-gandhahastin-Bodhisattva [one whose fragrance is like that of a white elephant], (39) Nityodyukta-Bodhisattva [ever-diligent one], (40) Anikshiptadhura-Bodhisattva [one who is never at rest], (41) Sujati-Bodhisattva [one who is of excellent birth], (42) Pushpavyuha-Bodhisattva [one adorning himself with flower] (43) Avalokitesvara-Bodhisattva [the lord of mercy for all sufferers], (44) Mahasthamaprapta-Bodhisattva [one possessing mighty power], (45) Brahmajala-Bodhisattva [one resembling Brahma’s jewelled net], (46) Ratnadanda-Bodhisattva [one possessing a jewelled scepter], (47) Ajita-Bodhisattva [the unconquered one], (48) Almkarakshetra-Bodhisattva [the possessor of the land of splendor], (49) Suvarnacuda-Bodhisattva [one with golden locks], (50) Manicuda-Bodhisattva [one whose hair is adorned with a precious gem], (51) Maitreya-Bodhisattva [a descendant of Mitra], (52) Manjusrikumarabhuta [Manjusri, one endowed with excellent virtue, the prince of the Law].

(15) Then Brahmans and wealthy householders of Vaisall inhaling the fragrance were gratified both in body and in mind and praised saying that they had never inhaled the like before. At that time Candracchatra, a leader of wealthy householders, followed by eighty-four thousand men, came into the house of Vimalakirti. Beholding in that chamber the multitude of the Bodhisattvas and lion-thrones, so high and so broad and so magnificent, and being pleased in mind, he seated himself on one side and greeted that great multitude of the Bodhisattvas and great disciples. [Besides], all the gods of earth, the gods of the sky, and the gods of the worlds of Form [and Formlessness], all inhaling the fragrance, came into the house of Vimalakirti.

(5) Then Vimalakirti through his supernatural power, holding in the palm of his right hand the whole assembly together with the lion-thrones, went to the place where the Buddha was; having arrived there, he got down on the earth he saluted him touching his feet with bowed head; and walking round him seven times keeping him to his right side, stretching his folded hands towards him with intent mind, he stood on one side; then all those Bodhisattvas leaving their seats greeted the Buddhas, each touching his feet with bowed head and walking round him seven times and stood on one side; and all the great disciples, Sakra, Brahman, and the four guardian gods also, leaving their seats, saluted the Buddha touching his feet with bowed heads and stood on one side.

(9) 'O nobly-born, on the outer circle of these five pair of Dhyani Buddhas, the [four] Door-Keepers, the Wrathful [Ones]: the Victorious One, the Destroyer of the Lord of Death, the Horse-necked King, the Urn of Nectar, with the four female Door-keepers: the Goad-Bearer, the Noose-Bearer, the Chain- Bearer, and the Bell-Bearer; along with the Buddha of the Devas, named the One of Supreme Power, the Buddha of the Asuras, named [He of] Strong Texture, the Buddha of Mankind, named the Lion of the Shakyas, the Buddha of the brute kingdom, named the Unshakable Lion, the Buddha of the Pretas, named the One of Flaming Mouth, and the Buddha of the Lower World, named the King of Truth: — [these], the Eight Father-Mother Door-keepers and the Six Teachers, the Victorious Ones — will come to shine, too.

(35) Then those Bodhisattvas, having heard this law preached [by Buddha], were filled with great joy, strewed beautiful flowers of many colours and many perfumes all over the three great Chiliocosms, and having honoured Buddha, his doctrine, and the Bodhisattvas, worshipped the Buddha by touching his feet with their bowed heads, praised him saying they had never heard the like before, and spoke thus; “Sakyamuni Buddha has here well exhibited his necessary means.”

(16) Then Buddha Sakyamuni spoke to the assembly and said: “Have you seen the Tathagata Akshobhya and his magnificent land Abhirati and his Bodhisattvas pure in life, and disciples who are pure and stainless?”