觀眾生品第七
🍃 CHAPTER SEVEN - OBSERVING SENTIENT BEINGS
爾時文殊師利問維摩詰言：「菩薩云何觀於眾生？」
Then Mañjuśrī asked Vimalakīrti, “How does a bodhisattva observe (perceive, regard, ‘in-see’, as in insight or vipaśyanā) a sentient being?”
維摩詰言：「譬如幻師，見所幻人，菩薩觀眾生為若此。如智者見水中月，如鏡中見其面像，如熱時焰，如呼聲響，如空中雲，如水聚沫，如水上泡，如芭蕉堅，如電久住，如第五大，如第六陰，如第七情，如十三入，如十九界，菩薩觀眾生為若此。如無色界色，如焦穀牙，如須陀洹身見，如阿那含入胎，如阿羅漢三毒，如得忍菩薩貪恚毀禁，如佛煩惱習，如盲者見色，如入滅盡定出入息，如空中鳥跡，如石女兒，如化人起煩惱，如夢所見已寤，如滅度者受身，如無烟之火，菩薩觀眾生為若此。」
Vimalakīrti said, “Just as an illusionist sees an illusory person, a bodhisattva observes a sentient being like this. As a sage sees the moon on the surface of water; as one sees the image of their own face in a mirror; as a shimmering mirage in the heat; as the echo of a cry; as a cloud in the sky; as foam on water; as the heartwood of a plantain tree; as abiding for only as long as lightning; as a fifth Great Element; as a sixth Aggregate; as a seventh sense; as a thirteenth entrance (ayatana), as a nineteenth realm (dhatu). A bodhisattva observes sentient beings like this. As formlessness within the realm of form; as a sprout from charred grain; as a srota-āpanna (’stream enterer’) with the view of self; as an anāgāmin (’non-returner’) entering a womb; as the three poisons of an arhat (’noble one’); as the broken prohibition against anger of a bodhisattva who has attained [the] patient tolerance; as the latent afflictions of a buddha; as a form seen by someone who is blind; as the inhalations and exhalations of someone who has entered the concentration of complete cessation; as the tracks of a bird in the sky; as the children of a barren woman; as the arisen afflictions of a ‘transformed person’ [i.e. as the erection of a eunuch]; as something seen in a dream by one who is already awake; as a fire without smoke. Bodhisattvas observe sentient beings like this.”
文殊師利言：「若菩薩作是觀者，云何行慈？」
Mañjuśrī said, “If a bodhisattva makes this observation [of] sentient beings, how do they practice mettā (maitrī, friendliness, loving-kindness)?
維摩詰言：「菩薩作是觀已，自念：『我當為眾生說如斯法。』是即真實慈也。行寂滅慈，無所生故；行不熱慈，無煩惱故；行等之慈，等三世故；行無諍慈，無所起故；行不二慈，內外不合故；行不壞慈，畢竟盡故；行堅固慈，心無毀故；行清淨慈，諸法性淨故；行無邊慈，如虛空故；行阿羅漢慈，破結賊故；行菩薩慈，安眾生故；行如來慈，得如相故；行佛之慈，覺眾生故；行自然慈，無因得故；行菩提慈，等一味故；行無等慈，斷諸愛故；行大悲慈，導以大乘故；行無厭慈，觀空無我故；行法施慈，無遺惜故；行持戒慈，化毀禁故；行忍辱慈，護彼我故；行精進慈，荷負眾生故；行禪定慈，不受味故；行智慧慈，無不知時故；行方便慈，一切示現故；行無隱慈，直心清淨故；行深心慈，無雜行故；行無誑慈，不虛假故；行安樂慈，令得佛樂故。菩薩之慈，為若此也。」
Vimalakīrti said, “A bodhisattva who has made this observation thinks, ‘I should explain this kind of Dharma to sentient beings.’ This is True Loving Kindness (bhūtatathatā-maitrī). Practicing the loving kindness of cessation, for there is nothing born; practicing the loving kindness of ‘no-heat’ (atapa), for being without affliction; practicing the loving kindness of equanimity, for the equanimity of the Triple World; practicing the loving kindness of non-contention, for being without arising; practicing the loving kindness of non-duality, for interior and exterior are not participated in; practicing the loving kindness of incorruptibility, for being completely exhausted; practicing the loving kindness of stability, for mind’s imperishability; practicing the loving kindness of purity, for the nature of all dharmas is pure; practicing infinite loving kindness, for being like empty space; practicing the loving kindness of an arhat, for having overcome all bondage and defeating all bandits; practicing the loving kindness of a bodhisattva, for [bringing] peace to all sentient beings; practicing the loving kindness of a Thus Come One, for having attained the characteristic of thusness; practicing the Buddha’s loving kindness, for the enlightened state of all sentient beings; practicing the loving kindness of naturally being, for there is no cause to attain; practicing the loving kindness of awakening (bodhi), for the equanimity of the ‘single flavor’; practicing the loving kindness of inequity [or non-equanimity], for cutting off all cravings; practicing the loving kindness of Great Compassion, for guiding by way of the Great Vehicle; practicing the loving kindness of non-revulsion, for observing emptiness without self; practicing the loving kindness of the Dharma of Giving, for never being stingy or regretful [about giving things away]; practicing the loving kindness of keeping Precepts, for those who would transgress them; practicing the loving kindness of Patient Tolerance, for protecting the selves of others; practicing the loving kindness of Vīrya determination, for carrying the burden of sentient beings; practicing the loving kindness of Dhyāna meditation, for not sensing flavor(s); practicing the loving kindness of Prajñā wisdom, for there never being a time of not knowing; practicing the loving kindness of Upāya skillful means, for making everything appear; practicing the loving kindness of not being concealed, for the purity of their upright mind [sincerity]; for practicing the loving kindness of a profound mind, for being without irrelevant practices; practicing the loving kindness of not being crazed, for not [using] false conventions; practicing the loving kindness of peace and joy, for making buddhas delight. The loving kindness of a bodhisattva is like this.”
文殊師利又問：「何謂為悲？」
Mañjuśrī again asked, “What is it to be compassionate (karuṇā)?
答曰：「菩薩所作功德，皆與一切眾生共之。」
He replied saying, “Whatever merit a bodhisattva makes is shared entirely with all sentient beings.”
「何謂為喜？」
“What is it to be joyful (muditā)?”
答曰：「有所饒益，歡喜無悔。」
He replied saying, “Whatever benefit there is, there is joy without regret.”
「何謂為捨？」
“What is it to relinquish (upekṣā)?”
答曰：「所作福祐，無所悕望。」
He replied saying, “Whatever fortune one is blessed with, it is without any expectation.”
文殊師利又問：「生死有畏，菩薩當何所依？」
Mañjuśrī again asked, “There is fear in birth & death (saṃsāra), upon what should the bodhisattva rely?”
維摩詰言：「菩薩於生死畏中，當依如來功德之力。」
Vimalakīrti said, “A bodhisattva within the fear of birth & death should rely upon the power of the merit of the Thus Come One.”
文殊師利又問：「菩薩欲依如來功德之力，當於何住？」
Mañjuśrī again asked, “How should a bodhisattva who wants to rely on upon the power of the merit of Thus Come One abide?”
答曰：「菩薩欲依如來功德力者，當住度脫一切眾生。」
He replied saying, “A bodhisattva who wants to rely on the power of the merit of Thus Come One should abide in liberating all sentient beings.”
又問：「欲度眾生，當何所除？」
[Mañjuśrī] again asked, “Wanting to liberate sentient beings, what should be eliminated?”
答曰：「欲度眾生，除其煩惱。」
[Vimalakīrti] replied saying, “Wanting to save sentient beings, eliminate the[ir] afflictions.”
又問：「欲除煩惱，當何所行？」
[Mañjuśrī] again asked, “Wanting to eliminate afflictions, what should be practiced?”
答曰：「當行正念。」
[Vimalakīrti] replied saying, “Right Mindfulness should be practiced.”
又問：「云何行於正念？」
[Mañjuśrī] again asked, “How does one practice Right Mindfulness?”
答曰：「當行不生不滅。」
[Vimalakīrti] replied saying, “Not arising and not ceasing should be practiced.”
又問：「何法不生？何法不滅？」
[Mañjuśrī] again asked, “What dharma does not arise? What dharma does not cease?”
答曰：「不善不生，善法不滅。」
[Vimalakīrti] replied saying, “Non-virtue does not arise. The virtuous dharma does not cease.”
又問：「善不善孰為本？」
[Mañjuśrī] again asked, “What is the origin of virtue and non-virtue?”
答曰：「身為本。」
[Vimalakīrti] replied saying, “The body is the origin.”
又問：「身孰為本？」
[Mañjuśrī] again asked, “What is the origin of the body?”
答曰：「欲貪為本。」
[Vimalakīrti] replied saying, “Craving (taṇhā) is the origin.”
又問：「欲貪孰為本？」
[Mañjuśrī] again asked, “What is the origin of craving?”
答曰：「虛妄分別為本。」
[Vimalakīrti] replied saying, “False discriminations is the origin.”
又問：「虛妄分別孰為本？」
[Mañjuśrī] again asked, “What is the origin of false discriminations?”
答曰：「顛倒想為本。」
[Vimalakīrti] replied saying, “Inverted perception is the origin.”
又問：「顛倒想孰為本？」
[Mañjuśrī] again asked, “What is the origin of inverted perception?
答曰：「無住為本。」
[Vimalakīrti] replied saying, “Not abiding is the origin.
又問：「無住孰為本？」
[Mañjuśrī] again asked, “What is the origin of not abiding?”
答曰：「無住則無本。文殊師利！從無住本，立一切法。」
[Vimalakīrti] replied saying, “Not abiding has no origin. Mañjuśrī! All dharmas are established upon the origin of not abiding.”
時維摩詰室有一天女，見諸大人聞所說法，便現其身，即以天華，散諸菩薩、大弟子上。華至諸菩薩，即皆墮落，至大弟子，便著不墮。一切弟子神力去華，不能令去。爾時天女問舍利弗：「何故去華？」
At that time, there was a goddess in Vimalakīrti’s room. Seeing all the great people explaining the Dharma, she made a bodily appearance and then showered all the bodhisattvas and great disciples with heavenly flowers. The flowers, falling on all the bodhisattvas, fell off. [When they] fell on the great disciples they became attached and didn’t fall [off]. Each of the disciples’ [tried to use] spiritual powers to remove the flowers, but they were unable to remove them. Then the goddess asked Śāriputra, “Why remove the flowers?”
答曰：「此華不如法，是以去之。」
He replied saying, “These flowers are not in accord with the Dharma. This is the reason to remove them.”
天曰：「勿謂此華為不如法。所以者何？是華無所分別，仁者自生分別想耳！若於佛法出家，有所分別，為不如法；若無所分別，是則如法。觀諸菩薩華不著者，已斷一切分別想故。譬如人畏時，非人得其便；如是弟子畏生死故，色、聲、香、味、觸得其便也。已離畏者，一切五欲無能為也；結習未盡，華著身耳！結習盡者，華不著也。」
The Goddess said, “Don’t say these flower are not in accord with the Dharma. For what reason? These flowers are undifferentiated. It is only the Venerable, himself, that gives rise to differentiated perception! If one has left their home for the Buddha Dharma, having such differentiation is not in accord with the Dharma. Observe all the bodhisattvas, to whom the flowers are not attached. It is because they have cut off all differentiated perceptions. It is just like when someone is afraid - the inhuman are able to control them. Like this, because the disciples fear birth & death (saṃsāra), visible forms, sounds, scents, flavors, and bodily sensations are able to control them. Each of the five desires is unable to affect one who has transcended fear. These flowers will remain attached to your body only as long as habitual entanglements have not been exhausted! The flowers do not become attached to those whose habitual entanglements have been exhausted.”
舍利弗言：「天止此室，其已久如？」
Śāriputra said, “For how long has the goddess has been abiding in this room ?”
答曰：「我止此室，如耆年解脫。」
[She] replied saying, “I have been abiding in this room for as long as the Elder has been liberated.”
舍利弗言：「止此久耶？」
Śāriputra said “Abiding this long?”
天曰：「耆年解脫，亦何如久？」
The Goddess asked, “How long has the Elder been liberated?”
舍利弗默然不答。天曰：「如何耆舊大智而默？」
Śāriputra was silent and did not reply. The Goddess asked, “What is the Elder’s great wisdom that he is silent?”
答曰：「解脫者無所言說，故吾於是不知所云。」
[Śāriputra ] replied saying, “There is nothing to be said about Liberation. For this reason, I did not know how to reply to this.”
天曰：「言說文字，皆解脫相。所以者何？解脫者，不內、不外，不在兩間，文字亦不內不外，不在兩間。是故，舍利弗！無離文字說解脫也。所以者何？一切諸法是解脫相。」
The Goddess said, “Words and speech, writing and letters, these are all characteristics of Liberation. How is it so? Liberation is not interior or exterior, nor somewhere between the two. Writing and letters are also neither interior nor exterior, nor somewhere between the two. For this reason, Śāriputra! Liberation does not transcend writing and letters. How is it so? Each and every dharma are the characteristic of Liberation.”
舍利弗言：「不復以離婬、怒、癡為解脫乎？」
Śāriputra said, “But isn’t Liberation the transcending of attraction, anger, and ignorance [i.e. the ‘Three Poisons’]?”
天曰：「佛為增上慢人，說離婬、怒、癡為解脫耳；若無增上慢者，佛說婬、怒、癡性，即是解脫。」
The Goddess said, “The Buddha only teaches that Liberation is the transcending of attraction, anger, and ignorance for people with excessive arrogance. If someone is without excessive amounts arrogance, the Buddha teaches that the very nature of attraction, anger, and ignorance is Liberation.”
舍利弗言：「善哉，善哉！天女！汝何所得？以何為證？辯乃如是！」
Śāriputra said, “Excellent, excellent! Goddess! What is it that you have attained? By what realization? That you are as eloquent as this!”
天曰：「我無得無證，故辯如是。所以者何？若有得有證者，即於佛法為增上慢。」
The Goddess said, “I am without attainment and without realization, for that reason I am as eloquent as this. How is it so? If I was one having attained, having realized, than I would be being excessively arrogant toward the Buddha Dharma.”
舍利弗問天：「汝於三乘，為何志求？」
Śāriputra asked the Goddess, “Of the three vehicles, which have you resolved to seek?”
天曰：「以聲聞法化眾生故，我為聲聞；以因緣法化眾生故，我為辟支佛；以大悲法化眾生故，我為大乘。舍利弗！如人入瞻蔔林，唯嗅瞻蔔，不嗅餘香。如是，若入此室，但聞佛功德之香，不樂聞聲聞、辟支佛功德香也。舍利弗！其有釋、梵、四天王，諸天、龍、鬼神等，入此室者，聞斯上人講說正法，皆樂佛功德之香，發心而出。舍利弗！吾止此室，十有二年，初不聞說聲聞、辟支佛法，但聞菩薩大慈大悲，不可思議諸佛之法。舍利弗！此室常現八未曾有難得之法。何等為八？此室常以金色光照，晝夜無異，不以日月所照為明，是為一未曾有難得之法；此室入者，不為諸垢之所惱也，是為二未曾有難得之法；此室常有釋梵四天王、他方菩薩來會不絕，是為三未曾有難得之法；此室常說六波羅蜜不退轉法，是為四未曾有難得之法；此室常作天人第一之樂，絃出無量法化之聲，是為五未曾有難得之法；此室有四大藏，眾寶積滿，賙窮濟乏，求得無盡，是為六未曾有難得之法；此室釋迦牟尼佛、阿彌陀佛、阿閦佛、寶德、寶炎、寶月、寶嚴、難勝、師子響、一切利成，如是等十方無量諸佛，是上人念時，即皆為來，廣說諸佛秘要法藏，說已還去，是為七未曾有難得之法；此室一切諸天嚴飾宮殿，諸佛淨土，皆於中現，是為八未曾有難得之法。舍利弗！此室常現八未曾有難得之法，誰有見斯不思議事，而復樂於聲聞法乎？」
The Goddess said, “Because I use the dharma of Voice Hearers to convert sentient beings, I am for the Voice Hearer (śrāvaka). Because I use the Dharma of Dependent Origination to convert sentient beings, I am for the solitary buddha (pratyekabuddha). As I use the Dharma of Great Compassion, I am for the Great Vehicle (Mahāyāna).”
“Śāriputra! Like someone who enters a forest of campaka (Michelia champaka). They will only be able to smell campaka, they will not smell other scents. Like this, if someone enters this room, they will only hear of scent of the merit of the Buddha. They will not delight in hearing about the scents of merit of voice hearers and solitary buddhas.”
“Śāriputra! Those Indras, Brahmas, four heavenly kings, all the devas, nagas, and other spirits who have entered this room to hear this superior person explain the Correct Dharma, they all delight in scent of the merit of the Buddha, and generate a mind set on bringing them about.”
“Śāriputra! I have been abiding in this room for twelve years. From the outset, I have not heard voice hearer of solitary buddha Dharma explained. I have only heard about the bodhisattva’s great kindness and great compassion, and all the inconceivable Dharma of the Buddha.”
“Śāriputra! This room constantly manifests eight unheard-of-before, hard to encounter Dharmas. What eight? This room is always illuminated with a golden light that doesn’t change, day or night; an illumination not of the Sun or Moon. This is the first unheard-of-before, hard to encounter Dharma. Those who enter this room are not afflicted by defilements. This is the second unheard-of-before, hard to encounter Dharma. This room always has Indras, Brahmas, the four heavenly kings, and bodhisattvas from their regions who come together uninterruptedly. This is the third unheard-of-before, hard to encounter Dharma. In this room the irreversible Dharma of the Six Paramitas is constantly explained. This is the fourth unheard-of-before, hard to encounter Dharma. This room constantly makes the foremost delightful music of heavenly beings which transforms into the immeasurable sound of the Dharma. This is the fifth unheard-of-before, hard to encounter Dharma. This room has four great treasuries, filled with masses of jewels that are given to the poor and used to help those in need, without ever being depleted. This is the sixth unheard-of-before, hard to encounter Dharma. In this room, when this superior person [Vimalakīrti] is mindful of Śākyamuni Buddha, Amitābha Buddha, Akṣobhya Buddha, ‘Jewel Virtue’ (Ratnaśrī), ‘Jewel Mirage’ (Ratnācis), ‘Jewel Moon’ (Ratnacandra), ‘Jewel Array’ (Ratnayūha), ‘Difficult to Conquer’ (Sudurjayā), ‘Lion’s Echo’ (Siṃhakīrti), and Achieving All Benefits (Sarvārthasiddha), all the immeasurable buddhas of the ten directions such as these all come at once and broadly expound the secrets and essentials of the Dharma Treasury. And when they have finished explaining, they leave and return [to that direction]. This is the seventh unheard-of-before, hard to encounter Dharma. In this room appear all the decorated palaces of the heavens and all the pure lands of the Buddhas. This is the eighth unheard-of-before, hard to encounter Dharma.”
“Śāriputra! This room constantly manifests these eight unheard of before, hard to encounter Dharmas. Who could see these inconceivable things and still take delight in hearing voice hearer dharma?”
舍利弗言：「汝何以不轉女身？」
Śāriputra asked, “Why do you not change your female body?”
天曰：「我從十二年來，求女人相了不可得。當何所轉？譬如幻師化作幻女，若有人問：『何以不轉女身？』是人為正問不？」
The Goddess said, “For twelve years I have been seeking the characteristics of being a female and I have not found them. What is there to change? It is like an illusory female created by an illusionist. If someone were to ask, ‘Why do you not change your female body?’ would this person be asking a proper question, or not?”
舍利弗言：「不也！幻無定相，當何所轉？」
Śāriputra replied, “No! An illusion has no fixed characteristics. What is there to change?”
天曰：「一切諸法亦復如是，無有定相，云何乃問不轉女身？」
The Goddess said, “Each and every dharma is also like this, without any fixed characteristic. Why even ask about changing a female body?”
即時天女以神通力，變舍利弗令如天女，天自化身如舍利弗，而問言：「何以不轉女身？」
Then the Goddess used her spiritual power, transforming Śāriputra into the Goddess and herself into the body of Śāriputra, and then asked, “Why do you not change your female body?”
舍利弗以天女像而答言：「我今不知何轉而變為女身？」
Śāriputra, appearing to be as the Goddess, replied saying, “I don’t know how to change, or even how I was transformed into a female body.”
天曰：「舍利弗！若能轉此女身，則一切女人亦當能轉。如舍利弗非女而現女身，一切女人亦復如是，雖現女身，而非女也。是故佛說一切諸法非男、非女。」
The Goddess said, “Śāriputra! If you could change this female body, then all females should be able to change. As Śāriputra is not female, yet appears in a female body, each female is also like this. Though appearing in female bodies, they are not female. For this reason the Buddhas says all dharmas are neither male nor female.”
即時天女還攝神力，舍利弗身還復如故。天問舍利弗：「女身色相，今何所在？」
Then the Goddess withdrew her spiritual power and Śāriputra returned his original body. The Goddess then asked Śāriputra, “Where are the form and characteristics of the female body?”
舍利弗言：「女身色相，無在無不在。」
Śāriputra said, “The form and characteristics of the female body are nonexistent yet do not not exist”
天曰：「一切諸法，亦復如是，無在無不在。夫無在無不在者，佛所說也。」
The Goddess said, “Each and every dharma is also like this, nonexistent yet not not existing. Nonexistence yet not not existing is what the Buddha has explained.”
舍利弗問天：「汝於此沒，當生何所？」
Śāriputra asked the Goddess, “When you pass away from here, where will you be (re)born?”
天曰：「佛化所生，吾如彼生。」
The Goddess said, “As buddhas are born by transformation, I will be reborn like that.”
曰：「佛化所生，非沒生也。」
[Śāriputra] replied, “The birth of buddhas by transformation is not passing away and being reborn.”
天曰：「眾生猶然，無沒生也。」
The Goddess said, “Sentient beings are as well, without passing away or being reborn.”
舍利弗問天：「汝久如當得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提？」
Śāriputra asked the Goddess, “How long will it be until you attain anuttarā-saṃyak-saṃbodhi?”
天曰：「如舍利弗還為凡夫，我乃當成阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。」
The Goddess said, “I will have accomplished anuttarā-saṃyak-saṃbodhi when Śāriputra returns to being a lay person.”
舍利弗言：「我作凡夫，無有是處。」
Śāriputra said, “For me to be a lay person, this could not take place.”
天曰：「我得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，亦無是處。所以者何？菩提無住處，是故無有得者。」
The Goddess said, “My attaining anuttarā-saṃyak-saṃbodhi, this could also not take place. How is it so? Bodhi (awakening) is without a place of abiding, for this reason there is no one to attain it.”
舍利弗言：「今諸佛得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提，已得當得，如恒河沙，皆謂何乎？」
Śāriputra said, “All the buddhas who are now attaining, have attained, or will attain anuttarā-saṃyak-saṃbodhi, like the sand of the Ganges River - What about all of them?”
天曰：「皆以世俗文字數故，說有三世，非謂菩提有去來今。」
The Goddess said, “It is entirely through conventional letters (or words) and numbers that is said there is a Triple World (past, future, and present). It is not to say that Bodhi goes, comes, or is.”
天曰：「舍利弗！汝得阿羅漢道耶？」
The Goddess said, “Śāriputra! Have you attained the Way of Arhatship?
曰：「無所得故而得。」
[He] replied, “Since there is nothing to attain, it is attained.”
天曰：「諸佛、菩薩亦復如是，無所得故而得。」
The Goddess said, “All buddhas and bodhisattvas are also like this. Since there is nothing to attain, it is attained.”
爾時維摩詰語舍利弗：「是天女已曾供養九十二億佛，已能遊戲菩薩神通，所願具足，得無生忍，住不退轉；以本願故，隨意能現，教化眾生。」
At this time Vimalakīrti said to Śāriputra, “This Goddess has already made offerings to ninety-two million buddhas and can roam about in the spiritual penetrations of the bodhisattva, her vows completed, having attained the patient tolerance of the birthlessness [of all dharmas]. Because of her original vow she appears [at will] in accord with the mind in order to teach and transform sentient beings.