Then the Bodhisattva asked Vimalakirti: “In what manner does the world-honoured Sakyamuni preach the law here?” Vimalakirti replied: “Beings of this world are very self-willed and difficult to teach. Therefore, Buddha preaches to them in severe words in order to subdue them: the unhappy regions such as hell, the animal world, and the world of hungry spirits are the regions for the ignorant; Evil deed is the result of evil deed; evil speech is the result of evil speech, evil thought is the result of evil thought; murder is the result of murder; robbery is the result of robbery; adultery is the result of adultery; lying is the result of lying; duplicity is the result of duplicity; abusing is the result of abusing; idle word is the result of idle word; covetousness is the result of covetousness; anger is the result of anger; misconception is the result of misconception; avarice is the result of avarice; the breach of precepts is the result of breach of precepts; quick temper is the result of quick temper; slothfulness is the result of slothfulness; distraction of mind is the result of distraction of mind; ignorance is the result of ignorance; so with initiation into disciplinary life, living disciplinary life, violation of disciplinary life, what ought to be done, what ought not to be done, the obstacles, absence of the obstacles, guiltiness, purity or impurity, passion or passionlessness, right or wrong, the created or the uncreated, the world or Nirvana.—with these divers doctrines he subdues the minds of all beings and conquers them; because they are as difficult to subdue as those of monkeys. Just as severe pain which penetrates even to the bone is to be inflicted upon an elephant or a horse in order to bring it to complete subjection as it is so obstinate and difficult to subdue, even so severe words must be spoken to discipline those beings who are obstinate and difficult to subdue.”

The Lord Buddha replied to Subhuti, saying: “Truly a most excellent theme! As you affirmed, I preserve in the faith, and instruct in the Law, this...

Upon that occasion, the venerable Subhuti occupied a place in the midst of the assembly. Rising from his seat, with cloak arranged in such manner...