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(30) “ Again, Mahakasyapa, those countless Bodhisattvas in the ten quarters may be demanded by some one of their hands, legs, ears, nose, eyes, brains, heads, blood, flesh, skin, bones, villages, towns, wives, children, male and female slaves, elephants horses, vehicles, gold, silver, beryl, precious shells, agate, coral, amber, pearl, mother of pearl, clothes, beverages, and food; but these ones who make such demands upon the Bodhisattvas are, in many cases, such Bodhisattvas as have realised the Inconceivable Emancipation and manifest themselves as such in order to make their minds firm through their Upayas. And why? Such Bodhisattvas as have realised the Inconceivable Emancipation are possessors of mighty powers, and of set purpose, oppress beings bringing with such calamities. Those who are powerless and inferior can never threaten Bodhisattvas in such a manner; just as an ass can never resist the kick of an elephant. This is called the way of wisdom and the necessary “ means of a Bodhisattva who has realised the Inconceivable Emancipation.”

(26) 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.

(4) Let me not despair that the Enlightenment will come to me; for the Blessed One, the speaker of truth, has revealed this truth, that they who by force of striving have gained hard-won supreme Enlightenment have been erstwhile gnats, gadflies, flies, and worms. Now I am a man by birth, able to know good and evil: why shall I not win the Enlightenment by following the rule of the All-knowing? If I am afraid when I think that I must give my hand or foot, it is because in my heedlessness I confound things of great and of small weight. I may be cleft, pierced, burnt, split open many and many a time for countless millions of aeons, and never win the Enlightenment. But this pain that wins me the Enlightenment is of brief term; it is like the pain of cutting out a buried arrow to heal its smart. All physicians restore health by painful courses; then to undo much suffering let us bear a little. But even this fitting course the Great Physician has not enjoined upon us; he heals them that are grievously sick by tender treatment. At first our Lord ordains gifts only of herbs and the like, and then in due course brings men at last to surrender even their own flesh. When there comes to man the spirit that looks upon his flesh as no more than herbs, what hardship is it for him to surrender his flesh and bone? He is not hurt, for he has cast off sin, nor sad, for knowledge is his; for distress comes in the mind from false imaginations, and in the body from sin. The body is made happy by righteous works, the spirit by knowledge; what can vex the compassionate one who remains in embodied life only for the welfare of others? Annulling his former sins, amassing oceans of righteousness, by the power of his Thought of Enlightenment he travels more swiftly than the Disciples. Having thus in the Thought of Enlightenment a chariot that removes all vexation and weariness, travelling from happiness to happiness, who that is wise will despair?

(1) ALL the righteousness, the charity, the worship of the Blessed, that have been wrought in thousands of aeons, are destroyed by ill-will. There is no guilt equal to hatred, no mortification equal to long-suffering; and therefore one should diligently practise patience in divers ways. While the arrow of hate is in the heart, none can have a peaceful mind in equipoise, or feel the joy of kindliness, none can win sleep or calm. They whom a master cursed with an evil spirit honours with wealth and favours, and who dwell under his protection, seek nevertheless to destroy him. Even his friends are in terror of him. His gifts win for him no service. In short, there is no way for a passionate man to find happiness. He who stoutly fights against wrath, the enemy that brings these and other sorrows, wins joy in this world and beyond. Nourished by discontent, hatred grows swollen and destroys me; and discontent springs from doing unpleasing works or^from^the baffling of desire. Then I will cut off the nourishment of my enemy, for this foeman's sole purpose is to slay me. My cheerfulness shall not be disturbed, even by the most untoward events; discontent works no good, and only destroys merit. What profits discontent if there is a remedy; and what profits it if there is none? We shrink from sorrow, defeat, rude speech, and dishonour for ourselves and our friends, and from the opposite of these for our enemy. Happiness is hard to win, pain comes readily; there is no escape from life save by pain; then be firm, 0 my spirit! The Karnatas, the " little children of Durga," suffer the agonies of burning and maiming in a vain hope of salvation; why then shall I be fainthearted? There is nothing which practice cannot make easy; so by practice in slight sufferings we learn to bear great pains. Flies, stinging creatures, gnats, hunger, thirst, and other like pains, fierce itch and other like miseries — lookest thou upon these as profitless? Before cold, heat, rain, wind, travel, sickness, bondage, and blows be not tender and delicate, else thy anguish will increase. Some there are who at the sight of their own blood become exceedingly valorous, and some at sight of others' blood fall into faintness. This comes about through firmness and feebleness of spirit; then he who is unconquerable by pain will overcome suffering. Even in pain the wise man will not let the calm of his spirit be disturbed; for he is at war with the Passions, and in war suffering abounds. They who overcome their foes by presenting their bosoms to the enemy's blows are " victors," " heroes "; the rest are " slayers of the slain."

(13) “ Though he understands that there is neither birth nor death, yet he manifests himself in all lands as the sun is seen from every quarter. “ Honouring countless millions of Tathagatas in all the ten quarters, in him there is no idea of partiality because he distinguishes not between those Buddhas and himself. “ Though he comprehends the emptiness of the nature of those Buddha-lands and beings therein, yet he ever realises the land of purity for the sake of beings who ought to be taught. “ He is the Bodhisattva who possesses the power of fearlessness and manifests even in one moment all beings with their forms, voices, and behaviour. “ Though being conscious of evil yet he follows evil deeds of evil; and he manifests those evils according to his will, through his wisdom of the necessary means. “ He shows himself as subject to old age, disease, and death in order to teach all beings; though he knows that [things are] even as a phantom, yet he understands their real nature in a most thorough manner.

(6) The Perfections, Charity, and the rest, are of an ascending order of excellence; he will not forsake a more excellent for another, save in respect of the dyke of virtue. Thus minded, he will be always active for the welfare of others; even a forbidden deed is permitted to him in his kindliness, if he foresees a good result. He will give of his alms to the fallen, the masterless, and the religious, and eat himself but a moderate portion; he will surrender everything but his three robes. He will not for slight purpose afflict his body, which is in the service of the Good Law; for thus it will speedily fulfil the desires of living beings. And therefore he will not cast away his life for one whose spirit of mercy is impure, but only for one whose spirit is like his own; and thus naught is lost....

(36) Patience (Kshanti) is the pure land of the Bodhisattva; when he shall arrive at full enlightenment, beings who are endowed with the thirty-two excellent features will be born in that land.

(28) 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.

(36) “ 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.”

(16) “ Again, Sariputra, a Bodhisattva who has realised the Inconceivable Emancipation cuts out the three great chiliocosms [from the universe] even as does the turner of porcelain, and holding them in the palm of his right hand, he casts them, forth outside the worlds exceeding in number the sands of the river Ganga; but the beings contained therein recognise not and know not the place where they are cast; when he again restores them to their former place there is no consciousness either of going or of coming in those beings, the nature of the worlds remaining as it was.

(26) Punyakshetra Bodhisattva said: “Meritorious deeds, demeritorious deeds, and indifferent deeds—they make a set of dualities. This triplicity of deeds is in itself empty, as they are neither meritorious, nor demeritorious, nor indifferent. He whose mind is not disturbed by these deeds is said to enter the doctrine of non-duality.”

(1) Buddha then. said to Maitreya Bodhisattva : “ Go thou to Vimalakirti and inquire after his health.” Maitreya replied to Buddha and said : “ O Blessed one, I am not worthy to go and inquire after his health. And why ? I remember one day I was preaching on the life at the Never-Returning Stage to the god-king and his kinsmen of the Tushita heaven. Then Vimalakirti came to me and said : “ O Maitreya, the Blessed One assured thee that thou shouldst' obtain supreme enlightenment after only one birth; now. tell me what birth does that assurance refer to. Does it belong to the past, or to the future, or the present ? If it be of the past, it is already past. If it be of future, it is not yet come. If it be of present, it never abides. It is taught by Buddha : O Bhikshus, at this very moment ye are being born and growing old and dying. If the assurance be of no-birth, no-birth is of the true order, and in the true order there is neither the assurance of enlightenment nor even the supreme enlightenment itself. O Maitreya, how canst thou obtain thy assurance in one birth ? Didst thou obtain the assurance at the birth of Suchness or at its extinction ? It thou didst obtain the assurance at the birth of Suchness, Suchness has no birth. If thou didst obtain the assurance at its extinction, Suchness has no extinction. All beings are of Suchness. All things too are of Suchness. All the sages and worthy men are of Suchness, Even Maitreya thyself is of Suchness. If thou art capable of obtaining the assurance, all beings too should be capable of obtaining the assurance. “ And why ? Suchness is one and not divisible nor is it differentiated. If thou O Maitreya, canst attain to the supreme enlightenment, all beings too can attain to it. And why ? All beings have the nature of enlightenment. If thou, O Maitreya, canst attain to Nirvana, all beings too can attain to it. And why ? All the Buddhas know that all beings have ultimately the nature of tranquility, that is Nirvana, and are never to be annihilated again. Therefore, O Maitreya, thou shouldst not tempt those gods with thy doctrine. In reality, there is none cherishing the thought of supreme enlightenment, nor is there none who retreats. O Maitreya, thou shouldst strive to make those gods abandon the false idea that there is Bodhi distinct by itself. And why ? Bodhi can not be obtained by the body or the mind. Tranquility is Bodhi as in it all things are tranquilised. Not-seeing is Bodhi as it is beyond all relations. Not-working is Bodhi as it is beyond thought. To cut is Bodhi as it exterminates all heresies. To separate is Bodhi as it is free from all false ideas. To prevent is Bodhi as it prevents all desires from rising. Not-entering is Bodhi as it is free from covetousness. Accordance is Bodhi as it is in accord with the truth. To abide is Bodhi as it abides in the nature of things. To reach is Bodhi as it reaches the ultimate. Non-duality is Bodhi as it is separated from consciousness and its object. Equality is Bodhi as it is equal to the sky. An uncreate is Bodhi as there is neither birth nor death. Knowledge is Bodhi as it understands the mental dispositions of all beings. Not-coming-in-contact is Bodhi as it is not to be known by any senses. Non-union is Bodhi as it is detached from the influence of passion. Non-abiding is Bodhi as it is without figure or form. Unreality of name is Bodhi as names are empty. Being like a phantom is Bodhi as it is far above grasping and abandonment. Not being disturbed is Bodhi as it is eternal calm. Serenity is Bodhi as it is pure in nature. Non-grasping is Bodhi as it is far above all attachments. The absence of difference is Bodhi as all things are same. The incomparability is Bodhi as it is beyond analogy. Subtility is Bodhi as all things are unknowable. “ O Blessed One, when Vimalakirti preached this doctrine, two hundred gods attained to the acquiescence in the eternal law. Therefore I am not worthy to go and inquire after his health.”

(4) Buddha then said to Subhuti: “ Go thou to Vimalakirti to inquire after his health.” Subhuti replied to Buddha and said : “ O Blessed One, I am not worthy to go and inquire after his health. And why ? I remember one day I went into his house begging an alms. Then Vimalakirti taking the bowl from me and having filled it with boiled rice, said to me : Well, O Subhuti, if a man is able to see sameness in food he will see sameness in everything too. If a man sees sameness in everything, he sees sameness in food too. By begging an alms in this manner he is able to take food. ‘ If, O Subhuti, thou be above lust, anger, or ignorance, without extirpating them; if thou assume an absolute form without destroying the body; if thou attain to intelligence and emancipation without exterminating ignorance and desire; if thou obtain emancipation of the five unpardonable sins in spite of being in a state neither released nor bound; if thou never see the four noble truths and yet remain not blind to them; if thou attain to the result of full enlightenment without going above thy mortal nature ; if thou be neither a common being nor a no-common being; if thou be neither a saint nor a no-saint; if thou be endowed with things yet transcend their nature, — then thou canst take this food. ‘ O Subhuti, if thou seest not Buddha, hearest not his doctrine, but dost follow the six teachers of heresy such as Purana-Easyapa, Maskari-Gosariputra, Sanjya-Vairatiputra, Ajita-Kesakambala, Earakuda-Eatayana, and Nirgrantha-Jnati-putra, making them thy teachers, entering into their orders, following what they erroneously teach, then thou wouldst be able to take this food. ‘ O Subhuti, if thou followest heresy and arrivest not at the other shore ; if thou abidest with the eight difficulties and never strivest to be free from them; if thou caressest passions and keepest thyself away from impure objects ; — then thou obtainest the Samadhi of non-resistance, and all beings will also obtain the Samadhi. One who gives alms to thee never makes for himself a heap of merit; one who offers food to thee enters the three unhappy regions. If thou shouldst make thyself a friend of all passions helping all the evil ones ; if thou renderest thyself entirely identical with all the evils and all the passions ; if thou cherishest a hostile heart against all beings ; and abusest all the Buddhas and their doctrines; if thou shouldst never enter into the order and never enter into Nirvana; — if thou shouldst be thus, then thou wouldst be able to take this food.’ “Then, O World-honoured One, hearing these words I remained stupefied, not understanding what was meant and not knowing what answer to make ; but silently leaving my bowl I was about to depart from his house, when Vimalakirti said : ‘Well, O Subhuti, take thy bowl and fear not. What thinkest thou if a phantom being produced by Tathagata spoke those words "? Is there any fear in thy mind ? ’ I replied : ‘ Nay.’ Vimalakirti said : ‘ All things are of illusory character. Thou needest have no fear. And why ? All things are never above such illusory nature. An intelligent man never adheres to words; therefore he has no fears. And why ? The nature of words is not characterised by such words as being or non-being. [When this is understood,] there is emancipation, and emancipation manifests itself in all things.’ “ When Vimalakirti spoke thus, two hundred deities attained to the pure-eye of the law. Therefore, I am not worthy to go and inquire after his health.”

(31) “ 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.

(2) Again Manjusri asked: “ In what manner does he practise ‘ no-way Vimalakirti replied: “ The Bodhisattva is said to practise the way of Buddha, when he feels no anguish, no anger in the commission of the five grave sins; when he enters hell even without the defilement of sin; when he enters the animal world without errors of ignorance and arrogance, etc.; when he enters the world of hungry ghosts though himself endowed with merits; when he practices such acts as may lead him to heaven either with form or without form though he does not himself consider heaven an excellent abode; when he is free from defilements, while appearing as if practising covetousness; when he is free from impediments of anger, while appearing as if practising anger; when he controls his mind in wisdom, while appearing as if practising ignorance; when he abandons his possessions, both inner and outer, and does not spare even his body nor his life, while appearing as if practising avarice; when he abides in pure morality and trembles with great fear even for a minor misdemeanour, while appearing as if practising trespasses; when he is ever merciful and patient, while appearing as if practising anger; when he is diligent in virtue, while appearing to be slothful; when he is ever abiding in meditation, while appearing to be distracted in mind; when he is in possession of the wisdom both of this world and that of the world beyond, while appearing to be ignorant; when he follows the teaching of the scripture in accordance with the necessary means, while appearing as if practising flattery and hypocrisy; when he is even like a bridge for all beings, while appearing to be arrogant; when he is pure in mind, while appearing to practise passions; when he is obedient to the wisdom of Buddha, never following the doctrines of the heretical teachers while appearing to be with the evil one; when he is preaching for the sake of all beings, the law which has never been heard before while appearing to be with Sravakas; when he is endowed with great compassion and teaches all beings, w’hile appearing to be with Pratyeka-Buddhas; when his hands are jewelled and his virtues are inexhaustible, while appearing to be with poor people; when he is endowed with excellent forms with which he is adorned, while he looks as if defective in the body; when he is endowed with virtues and born in the race of Buddhas, while appearing to be of mean birth; when he is regarded by all beings with pleasure having obtained the body of the Narayana, while appearing to be weak and uncomely; when he eradicated the root of disease and is gone far beyond the fear of death, while appearing to be subject to old age and disease; when he is ever meditating on the transciency of things and is never covetous, though in possession of property; when he is far above the mire of the five senses, though he-possesses wives and children: when he is endowed with eloquence and memory which never fails, while appearing to be slow in speech; when he saves beings and leads them in the right path, while appearing to be in the wrong path; when he has exterminated causes for the evil paths, while manifesting himself everywhere in all those paths; when he has exterminated birth and death, while manifesting Nirvana. Manjusri, when the Bodhisattva realises the no-way in these manners, he is said to comprehend the way of Buddha.”

(184) The Awakened call patience the highest penance, long-suffering the highest Nirvâna; for he is not an anchorite (pravragita) who strikes others, he is not an ascetic (sramana) who insults others.

(11) Vimalakirti replied in the following gathas: “ Prajnaparamita is the mother of the Bodhisattva; Upaya is his father; all the leaders of men are born of such [parents], “ The joy of hearing the law is his wife: the mind of mercy and compassion is his daughter; and to possess good will and sincerity is his son; absolute emptiness is his house. “Passions are his disciples; they are obedient to the intentions of his will; the [thirty-seven] branches of knowledge are his friends by whom he attains to supreme enlightenment. “ All the Paramitas are his friends of righteousness; the four acceptances are his singing maidens who sing in concert the song of the law. ‘ ‘ There are the gardens of the Dharmas; the trees of the law far above passion, the pure and excellent flowers of the mind of Bodhi, and the fruits of wisdom of emancipation. “ There in the bathing lake of the eightfold deliverance the water of meditation runs over, strewn with the flowers of the sevenfold purity. * Those who bathe [in that water] are men free from the filth of passion.

(3) I have found this most rare sphere of weal, I know not how; and shall I with open eyes suffer myself to be borne back to these hells? My thought cannot grasp it; like one who is driven mad by spells, I know not by whom I am crazed or who possesses me. My foes, Desire, Hate, and their kindred, are handless and footless, they are neither valiant nor cunning; how can they have enslaved me? But they dwell in my spirit, and there at their ease smite me. And withal I am not wroth with them; fie on my unseemly long-suffering! If all gods and mankind were my foes, they could not drag me to the fire of the hell Avlchi; but into this flame, at the touch whereof not even ashes would remain of Meru, these mighty enemies the Passions hurl me in an instant. No other foes have life so long as the beginningless, endless, everlasting life of my enemies the Passions. All beings may be turned by submission to kindness; but these Passions become all the more vexatious by my submission. Then whilst these everlasting foes, sole source of the birth of the floods of sorrow, are dwelling in my heart, how can I fearlessly rejoice in the life of the flesh? Whence can I have happiness, if these warders of the prison-house of existence, ay, these torturers of the damned in hell and elsewhere, lodge in the house of my spirit, in the bower of my desire? Then I will not lay down my burden until these foes be smitten before my eyes. Men of lofty spirit are stirred to wrath against even a mean offender, and sleep not until they have smitten him. They rage in the forefront of battle, furious, heeding not the anguish of wounds from arrows and javelins, to strike fiercely at the poor creatures doomed by nature to death, and turn not away until they have fulfilled their purpose. How then, and for what reason, should I, who have set myself to strike down these natural foes, the constant causes of all miseries, sink down in base despair, even for hundreds of disasters? Men bear on their limbs, like ornaments, meaningless scars gotten from their enemies; why should sufferings overcome me, who am labouring to accomplish a lofty end? Setting their thoughts upon their mere livelihood, fishers, Chanqlalas, husbandmen, and the like bear the miseries of cold, heat, and the rest; why should not I suffer them for the weal of the world?

(18) These praises and honours destroy my welfare and horror of the flesh; they arouse envy of the worthy and anger at their fortune. Then they who rise against me to crush my glory and honour are in truth working to save me from falling into hell. If I seek deliverance, gains and honours are a fetter that befit me not: how can I hate them that release me from this bond? By the blessing of the Enlightened, as it were, they become a door barring my way into sorrow; how can I hate them? " But he hinders me from righteous works " — nay, it is not well to be angry for this. There is no work of mortification equal to long-suffering, and surely this is an occasion for it. If by my sin here I show not patience towards him, it is I who hinder myself from doing righteousness when the occasion for it has come. If one thing exists not without another, and exists when the other is present, the latter is the cause of the former: how can it be called a hindrance to it? The beggar who comes at the due hour makes no hindrance to the almsgiving; and if a monk comes who can administer the vows, it is not called a hindrance to our taking the vows. We find many beggars in the world, but few who will do us hurt; for if I do no wrong, no man will wrong me. Then an enemy is like a treasure found in my house, won without labour of mine; I must cherish him, for he is a helper in the way to Enlightenment. Thus this fruit of my patience is won by me and by him together; to him must be given the first share, for he is the cause of my patience.

(2) Vimalakirti spoke : “ O Sariputra, he who seeks the Law never spares either life or body; how much less should he think about seats. He who seeks the Law has no desire either for form or sensation or perception or conformation or consciousness ; also he has no desire either for the twelve organs and objects of sense (Ayatanas') or eighteen elements (Dhatus) ; no desire even either for the world of Kama or the world of Rupa or the world of Arupa. O Sariputra, he who seeks the Law has neither attachment to the Buddha nor to the Law nor to the Order. He who seeks the law never seeks the contemplation of suffering, never seeks the attainment of the cessation of suffering, and never seeks the walking on the path of cessation. And why ? The Law is far above mere talk. If I should say that I see suffering, the cause of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the path of cessation, it is mere talk and this is not seeking the Law.