(17) “To those who are timorous he manifests himself before them and gives them comfort: he first bestows fearlessness on them and then lets them awaken the thought of supreme enlightenment “Showing himself as a hermit, free from sensuality and in possession of the five supernatural powers, he leads all beings to realise discipline, patience, and mercy. “ If there is any who requires attendants, he will be manifested to him as a servant; first he satisfies him in his needs, and then persuades him to cherish the thought of supreme enlightenment. “Whatever beings desire he bestows upon them; he induces them to the way of Buddha, and by the power of the good necessary means he provides them with everything they are need of. “Thus infinite are the ways of Bodhisattvas and measureless his deeds; and innumerable are beings he thus delivers; limitless is his wisdom.

(22) Vimalakirti said; “It is even as you say that the Bodhisattvas of this world are firm in their great compassion towards all beings; and the happiness which is bestowed on all beings by them throughout their lives, is of greater worth than all the deeds wrought in your land during hundreds of thousands of Kalpas. And why ? In the Saha world there are ten kinds of goodness which are never found in other lands of purity. What are they ? (1) To treat the poor with charity, (2) to treat the trespassers with pure discipline, (3) to treat the angry with patience, (4) to treat the indolent with diligence, (5) to treat the distracted with meditation, (6) to treat the ignorant with wisdom, (7) to save those who are in the eight difficulties by the law which removes them, (8) to save those who find pleasure in the Hīnayāna by the law of the Mahayana, (9) to save those who are destitute of virtue by a stock of merit, and (10) ever to perfect all beings with the Fourfold Acceptance,—these are ten kinds of [goodness].”

(16) Thrice he rolled the wheel of the law in the world, the wheel ever pure and testified by gods and men, who through it attain their goal. Thence The Three Treasures made their appearance in the world. He saves all beings from sorrow through this excellent doctrine, which when once given brings them to peace, from which they never fall. He is the Great Physician King who delivers us from old age, disease, and death. Adoration is due to him whose virtues are infinite as the ocean.

(17) He, like Mount Sumeru, unmoved by worldly fame or slander, shows mercy equally to the good and the wicked; his mind, like the sky, shows no partiality. Who reveres not this jewel among men ?

(15) "Besides, the pleasures of music, beauty, rich food, and power, do not require to be studied before they can be appreciated by the mind; nor does the body need the example of others before it can enjoy them. We need no teacher to tell us what to like or dislike, to follow or to avoid. Such knowledge is instinctive in man. The world may condemn this view, but which of us is free from the taint?" "The wise man," answered Complacency, "acts for the common weal, in pursuit of which he does not overstep due limits. Wherefore, if there is a sufficiency, he does not strive for more. He has no use for more, and accordingly does not seek it. But if there is not a sufficiency, then he seeks for more. He strives in all directions, yet does not account it greed. If there is a surplus, he declines it. Even though he refused the whole empire, he would not account it honesty. To him, honesty and greed are not conditions into which we are forced by outward circumstances, but characteristics innate in the individual. He may wield the power of the Son of Heaven, but will not employ it for the degradation of others. He may own the whole empire, yet will not use his wealth to take advantage of his fellows. But a calculation of the troubles and the anxieties inseparable therefrom, cause him to reject these as injurious to his nature, not from a desire for reputation. "When Yao and Shun occupied the throne, there was peace. They did not try to be beneficent rulers. They did not inflict injury by doing good. "Shan Chüan and Hsü Yu both declined the proffered throne. Theirs was no empty refusal. They would not cause injury to themselves.

(1) [This chapter is supplementary to chapter vi.] Is perfect happiness to be found on earth, or not? Are there those who can enjoy life, or not? If so, what do they do, what do they affect, what do they avoid, what do they rest in, accept, reject, like, and dislike? What the world esteems comprises wealth, rank, old age, and goodness of heart. What it enjoys comprises comfort, rich food, fine clothes, beauty, and music. What it does not esteem comprises poverty, want of position, early death, and evil behaviour. What it does not enjoy comprises lack of comfort for the body, lack of rich food for the palate, lack of fine clothes for the back, lack of beauty for the eye, and lack of music for the ear. If men do not get these, they are greatly miserable. Yet from the point of view of our physical frame, this is folly. Wealthy people who toil and moil, putting together more money than they can possibly use,—from the point of view of our physical frame, is not this going beyond the mark? Officials of rank who turn night into day in their endeavours to compass the best ends;—from the point of view of our physical frame, is not this a divergence? Man is born to sorrow, and what misery is theirs whose old age with dulled faculties only means prolonged sorrow! From the point of view of our physical frame, this is going far astray. Patriots are in the world's opinion admittedly good. Yet their goodness does not enable them to enjoy life;

(6) Buddha then said to Sudatta a son of a Wealthy merchant: “ Go thou to Vimalakirti to inquire after his health.” Sudatta replied to Buddha and said: “ I am not worthy to go and inquire after his health, and why ? I remember once at my father’s house, I performed a great charity festival for full seven days, offering food to all Sramanas, Brahmans and heretics as well as to the poor, the humble, the suffering, and beggars. When the period of seven days expired, Vimalakirti came into the assembly and said to me: ‘ O son of the wealthy merchant, the great charity festival should not be conducted in such a manner as thou hadst. Thou shouldst conduct a charity festival of spiritual gifts. What have we to do with the bestowal of material wealth ? ’ I inquired : ‘ Sir, What is the spiritual charity festival ? [He replied :] ‘ The spiritual charity festival is not in succession but all simultaneously. It is to look after the welfare of all beings at one and the same time. This is called the spiritual charity festival.’ ‘ What does it mean ? ’ ‘ For the sake of enlightenment thou shouldst cherish the thought of mercy. For the sake of salvation thou shouldst cherish the thought of great compassion. For the maintenance of the true law thou shouldst cherish the thought of joy. For the attainment of knowledge thou shouldst dwell in the thought of impartiality. Removing all covetousness, virtue of charity should be practised. To teach the trespassers of morality, rules of discipline should be observed. Possessing the doctrine of selflessness cherish the Kshanti Paramita. Being far above the forms of body and mind cherish the Virya Paramita. Obtaining the form of Bodhi cherish the Dhyana Paramita. Obtaining omniscience cherish the Prajna Paramita. Teaching beings [the thought of] emptiness should be cherished. Not abandoning the created things cherish [the thought of] formlessness. Manifesting human birth cherish [the thought of] non-action. For the maintenance of the true law, necessary means should be cherished. To save all beings cherish the four deeds of acceptance. To revere all beings cherish the means of removing arrogance. On the foundation of the body, life and wealth, the threefold law of permanency should be established. In the sixfold remembrance memory should be exercised. Cherish the sincere mind in the possession of the sixfold peace. Abide with the right living practising the true law. Be near to the intelligent and the holy with a pure and joyous mind. Cherish the thought of self-control without hating the wicked. Cherish the profound mind practising the way of mendicants. Cherish the thought of readiness to hear practising according to the doctrine. Establish the quiet hermitage there abiding in peace. Be seated in meditation following the wisdom of Buddha. Set up thy place of holy work liberating all beings from bondage. Accumulate merits being endowed with splendour and purifying the Buddha-land. Follow judgment knowing the thoughts of all beings and preaching the law according to each one’s need. Follow the discriminating intelligence knowing how all things being far beyond either giving or taking enter the domain of the one form. Bring forth all goodness exterminating all passion, every obstacle and all wickedness. Bring forth all causes which help the law of enlightenment possessing all intelligence and all goodness. O noble youth, thus is the ceremony of gifts of spiritual things. If a Bodhisattva performs the ceremony of gifts of spiritual things he is called a. great giver and he is also the cause of the merits of all the worlds.’ “ O Blessed One, when Vimalakirti had spoken thus, two hundred Brahmans all cherished the thought of supreme enlightenment. My mind then obtained purity, and praised him saying that I had never heard the like before, and bowed to him touching his feet, and took from my neck a necklace worth a hundred thousand [gold pieces J and presented it to him; but he would not accept it. Then I said : ‘ Sir, I pray only that thou wouldst accept my gift and do with it as thou pleasest. Vimalakirti then accepting the necklace, divided it into two parts, and offered one part to the meanest beggar in the assembly and the other to the Tathagata Durdharsha. All the assembly saw the Tathagata Durdharsha of the land of light, and also saw the necklace on that Buddha transformed into a jewelled terrace supported by four columns, and adorned on all sides and even transparent and visible. Then Vimalakirti manifesting this miraculous power said : ‘ When a giver with equanimity gives even to the meanest beggar, he is like the Tathagata himself, in his stock of merits there is no trace of discrimination, his great compassion is like [that of the Tathagata], and he expects no reward, then this is called the perfecting the spiritual gift.’ Then all in the city even to the meanest beggar seeing his miraculous power and hearing his speech awakened the thought of supreme enlightenment. Therefore I am not worthy to go and inquire after his health.” Thus all the Bodhisattvas each relating his story, praised the words of Vimalakirti, and declared themselves unworthy to go and inquire after his health.

(14) “ He causes a world conflagration and reduces the universe into nothing; this is to make all beings realise transiency of things, as they are possessed by the idea of permanency. ‘ When countless millions of beings come to invite the Bodhisattva, he goes even simultaneously to all their houses and make them walk in the way of Buddha. “All the books of spells and all kinds of arts he produces, making use of all these things in order to benefit all beings. “ He mixes himself among all the heretics of the world becoming himself one of the mendicants and helps others to be freed from errors, while he himself never falls into any of these heresies. “ He manifests himself as the sun or moon or Sakra. or Brahman who is the lord of this world, or sometimes even as earth or water, or again as fire or wind. ‘ When there is a plague in this kalpa, he shows himself as a medicinal herb; those who use it will be cured of disease and all poisonous [effects] will be nullified. “When there is a famine in this kalpa, he shows himself as food; and delivering people from hunger and thirst, he preaches the law to them. “

(16) "And now, as all the world is in error, I, though I know the true path,—how shall I guide? If I know that I cannot succeed and yet try to force success, this would be but another source of error. Better, then, to desist and strive no more. But if I strive not, who will? "An ugly man who has a son born to him in the middle of the night will hurry up with a light, in dread lest the child should be like himself. "An old tree is cut down to make sacrificial vessels, which are then ornamented with colour. The stump remains in a ditch. The sacrificial vessels and the stump in the ditch are very differently treated as regards honour and dishonour; equally, as far as destruction of the woods original nature is concerned. Similarly, the acts of Robber Chê and of Tsêng and Shih are very different; but the loss of original nature is in each case the same. "The causes of this loss are five in number; viz.—The five colours confuse the eye, and the eyes fail to see clearly. The five sounds confuse the ear, and the ear fails to hear accurately. The five scents confuse the nose, and obstruct the sense of smell. The five tastes cloy the palate, and vitiate the sense of taste. Finally, likes and dislikes cloud the understanding, and cause dispersion of the original nature. "These five are the banes of life; yet Yang and Mih regarded them as the summum bonum. They are not my summum bonum. For if men who are thus fettered can be said to have attained the summum bonum, then pigeons and owls in a cage may also be said to have attained the summum bonum!

(195) He who pays homage to those who deserve homage, whether the awakened (Buddha) or their disciples, those who have overcome the host (of evils), and crossed the flood of sorrow, he who pays homage to such as have found deliverance and know no fear, his merit can never be measured by anybody.

(7) "Those whose hearts are in a state of repose give forth a divine radiance, by the light of which they see themselves as they are. And only by cultivating such repose can man attain to the constant. "Those who are constant are sought after by men and assisted by God. Those who are sought after by men are the people of God; those who are assisted by God are his chosen children. "To study this is to study what cannot be learnt. To practise this is to practise what cannot be accomplished. To discuss this is to discuss what can never be proved. Let knowledge stop at the unknowable. That is perfection. And for those who do not follow this, God will destroy them! "With such defences for the body, ever prepared for the unexpected, deferential to the rights of others,—if then calamities overtake you, these are from God, not from man. Let them not disturb what you have already achieved. Let them not penetrate into the soul's abode. For there resides the Will. And if the will knows not what to will, it will not be able to will. "Whatsoever is not said in all sincerity, is wrongly said. And not to be able to rid oneself of this vice is only to sink deeper towards perdition. "Those who do evil in the open light of day,—men will punish them. Those who do evil in secret,—God will punish them. Who fears both man and God, he is fit to walk alone.

(3) "Man may rest in the eternal fitness; he may abide in the everlasting; and roam from the beginning to the end of all creation. He may bring his nature to a condition of ONE; he may nourish his strength; he may harmonize his virtue, and so put himself into partnership with God. Then, when his divinity is thus assured, and his spirit closed in on all sides, how can anything find a passage within? "A drunken man who falls out of a cart, though he may suffer, does not die. His bones are the same as other people's; but he meets his accident in a different way. His spirit is in a condition of security. He is not conscious of riding in the cart; neither is he conscious of falling out of it. Ideas of life, death, fear, etc., cannot penetrate his breast; and so he does not suffer from contact with objective existences. And if such security is to be got from wine, how much more is it to be got from God. It is in God that the Sage seeks his refuge, and so he is free from harm. "An avenger does not snap in twain the murderous weapon; neither does the most spiteful man carry his resentment to a tile which may have hit him on the head. And by the extension of this principle, the empire would be at peace; no more confusion of war, no more punishment of death.