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.

With the Lord Buddha, there were assembled together twelve hundred and fifty mendicant disciples, all of whom had attained to eminent degrees of...