(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.

(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.”

(14) Again, to practise according to the teaching of all the law, to be in accordance with the twelve chains of causation, to be far above all heresies, to attain to the acquiescence in the eternal law, to be absolutely selfless, to be without personality, yet to be free from dissension, free from discord concerning the law of cause and effect, to be free from ideas of possession, not to depend on words but to depend on meaning, not to depend on knowledge but to depend on wisdom, not to depend on incomplete scriptures but to depend on complete scripture, not to depend on man but to depend on the law, to be in accordance with the nature of things, not to cherish any heretical views, to have no abode, and no refuge, to regard the twelve chains of causation as working in an endless circle thus as follows:—as ignorance is completely annihilated, all component things are completely annihilated, until we come to, as birth is completely annihilated, old age and death are also completely annihilated. This is paying homage to the law, which is superior to all other homages.’ ”

(12) Buddha said: “ Go ye [Bodhisattvas]. Keep back the fragrance of your bodies lest those beings feel attachment [towards you] in their minds. Again you should abandon your real forms lest those who seek to be Bodhisattvas in that land should cherish [the feeling of] self-abasement. Again, you should not be contemptuous of them and thus create a hindrance-thought; and why? All the lands in all the ten quarters are [equal] even as the sky, but only for those beings who find pleasure in the inferior law Buddhas do not manifest their lands of purity.”

(1) Then Manjusri asked Vimalakirti: “ How should a Bodhisattva regard all beings?” Vimalakirti replied and said: “ A Bodhisattva should regard all beings as a magician regards his magical creations created by himself; he should regard them as a wise man regards the moon in water, as his own reflections in a mirror, and again as a mirage in the summer season, as the echo of a calling voice, as clouds in the sky, as foams in the stream, as bubbles on the surface of water, as the solidity of the plantain tree, as the durability of lightning, as a fifth Element, as a sixth Skandha, as a seventh Consciousness, as a thirteenth Ayatana, as a nineteenth Dhatu. And again a Bodhisattva should regard all beings as forms in the Formless World (arupa-dhatu), as a sprout of burnt seed, as egoism held by the Srota-apanna sages, as a rebirth of the Anagamin sages, as the three passions entertained by Arhat sages, as a feeling of greed and anger and idea of violating rules in the mind of a Bodhisattva after attaining to the state of Acquiescence, as residual impressions in a Buddha, as colours seen by the blind, as the breathings of one who has entered the meditation of complete annihilation, as the traces of birds in the sky, as the conception of a barren Woman, as passions felt by magically created person, as dream visions after awaking, as the rebirth of one who has entered Nirvana, as smokeless fire.”

(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.”

(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.

(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.

(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.”

(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.