不思議品第六
🍃 CHAPTER SIX - THE INCONCEIVABLE
爾時舍利弗見此室中無有床座，作是念：「斯諸菩薩、大弟子眾，當於何坐？」
Then, Śāriputra saw that there were no seats in the room and he had this thought, ‘All these bodhisattvas and great disciples, where should they sit?’
長者維摩詰知其意，語舍利弗言：「云何仁者！為法來耶？求床座耶？」
The elder Vimalakīrti, knowing his thoughts, said to Śāriputra, “What is it, Venerable! Have you come for the Dharma? Or are you seeking a seat?
舍利弗言：「我為法來，非為床座。」
Śāriputra said, “I have come for the Dharma, not for a seat.”
維摩詰言：「唯，舍利弗！夫求法者，不貪軀命，何況床座？夫求法者，非有色、受、想、行、識之求，非有界、入之求，非有欲、色、無色之求。唯，舍利弗！夫求法者，不著佛求，不著法求，不著眾求；夫求法者，無見苦求，無斷集求，無造盡證、修道之求。所以者何？法無戲論，若言我當見苦、斷集、證滅、修道，是則戲論，非求法也。唯，舍利弗！法名寂滅，若行生滅，是求生滅，非求法也；法名無染，若染於法，乃至涅槃，是則染著，非求法也；法無行處，若行於法，是則行處，非求法也；法無取捨，若取捨法，是則取捨，非求法也；法無處所，若著處所，是則著處，非求法也；法名無相，若隨相識，是則求相，非求法也；法不可住，若住於法，是則住法，非求法也；法不可見、聞、覺知，若行見、聞、覺知，是則見、聞、覺知，非求法也；法名無為，若行有為，是求有為，非求法也。是故，舍利弗！若求法者，於一切法，應無所求。」
Vimalakīrti said, “Ah, Śāriputra! Those who seek the Dharma are not desirous of [even] life or limb, so what about a seat? Those who seek the Dharma seek [that which is] without form, sensation, perception, conditioning, or consciousness. They seek [that which is] without [there being sense] realms to enter. They seek [that which is] without desire, form, or formlessness. Ah, Śāriputra! Those who seek the Dharma seek without attachment to the Buddha. They seek without attachment to the Dharma. They seek without attachment to the Sangha. Those who seek the Dharma seek without seeing suffering. They seek without cutting off the accumulation [of suffering]. They seek without realizing the cessation [suffering] and without cultivating the [Eightfold] Path. How is it so? The Dharma is without contrived theories. If someone says that I should see suffering, cut off [its] accumulation, realize [its] cessation, and cultivate the Path, then this is just contrived theory and not seeking the Dharma. Ah, Śāriputra! The Dharma is called ‘calm cessation’ [nirvāṇa]. If one practices arising and ceasing, this is seeking arising and ceasing, not seeking the Dharma. The Dharma is called ‘untainted’ [mixed, stained]. If one is ‘tainted’ in regard to dharmas, even up to Nirvāṇa this is tainted attachment, not seeking the Dharma. The Dharma has no where to be practiced. If one practices somewhere, then that is somewhere to practice, not seeking the Dharma. The Dharma is without grasping or letting go. If one grasps at or lets go of things (dharmas), then this is grasping and letting go, not seeking the Dharma. The Dharma is not a refuge. If one needs a refuge, then that is a refuge, not seeking the Dharma. The Dharma is called ‘characteristicless.’ If one’s consciousness flows in accord with characteristics this is seeking characteristics, not seeking the Dharma. The Dharma is unable to abide. If one abides in dharmas then this is a ‘dharma abiding’, not seeking the Dharma. The Dharma cannot be seen, heard, or understood. If one sees, hears, or understands, then this is seeing, hearing, and understanding, not seeking the Dharma. The Dharma is [the] unconditioned. If one practices with[in] conditions this is seeking the conditioned, not seeking the Dharma. For this reason, Śāriputra! If one seeks the Dharma, one should not seek any thing (dharma) at all.”
說是語時，五百天子於諸法中得法眼淨。
When these words word spoken, five hundred godlings attained purification of their Dharma Eye in regard to all phenomena (dharmas).
爾時長者維摩詰，問文殊師利：「仁者遊於無量千萬億阿僧祇國，何等佛土有好上妙功德成就師子之座？」
Then the elder Vimalakīrti asked Mañjuśrī, “Venerable, in roaming throughout immeasurable thousands of ten thousands of millions of asaṃkhyeyas of lands, which Buddha Lands have the finest, most wonderful quality lion-throne seats?”
文殊師利言：「居士！東方度三十六恒河沙國，有世界名須彌相，其佛號須彌燈王，今現在。彼佛身長八萬四千由旬，其師子座高八萬四千由旬，嚴飾第一。」
Mañjuśrī said, “Kulapati! In the eastern direction, passing beyond lands as numerous as the sands of thirty-six Ganges Rivers, there is a world called Sumeru-dhvaja (’Sign of Mt. Meru’). It’s buddha is called Sumerupradīparāja (’Sumeru Lamp King’), who now appears there. That buddha’s body is eighty-four thousand yojanas tall and their lion-throne seat is eighty-four thousand yojanas high, the foremost in ornamentation.”
於是長者維摩詰現神通力，即時彼佛遣三萬二千師子座，高廣嚴淨，來入維摩詰室，諸菩薩、大弟子、釋、梵、四天王等，昔所未見。其室廣博，悉皆包容三萬二千師子座，無所妨礙。於毘耶離城，及閻浮提四天下，亦不迫迮，悉見如故。
At that, the elder Vimalakīrti manifested spiritual powers [performed a miracle] and then that buddha sent forth thirty-two thousand lion-throne seats - tall, wide, beautiful, and pure. They came and entered Vimalakīrti’s room. All the bodhisattvas, great disciples, Indra, Brahma, and the four heavenly kings and the others saw something they had never soon before. The room was broad and spacious enough to hold all these thirty-two thousand lion-throne seats without the slightest crowding or hindrance. The city of Vaiśālī, Jambudvipa and the four continents were also unmoved. Everything appeared just as it is.”
爾時維摩詰語文殊師利：「就師子座。」與諸菩薩上人俱坐，當自立身如彼座像。其得神通菩薩，即自變形為四萬二千由旬，坐師子座。諸新發意菩薩及大弟子皆不能昇。
Then Vimalakīrti told Mañjuśrī, “Have a lion-throne seat.” And when all the bodhisattvas and great people went to sit down they had to adjust the size of their bodies to be like the seats. The bodhisattvas who had attained supernatural powers (siddhis) then transformed themselves eighty-four thousand yojanas tall and sat down on the lion-throne seats. All the newly initiated bodhisattvas and all the great disciples, however, were unable to ascend [the thrones].
爾時維摩詰語舍利弗：「就師子座。」舍利弗言：「居士！此座高廣，吾不能昇。」
Then Vimalakīrti told Śāriputra, “Have a lion-throne seat.”
Śāriputra said, ‘Kulapati! This seat is way too high. I am unable to ascend [it].
維摩詰言：「唯，舍利弗！為須彌燈王如來作禮，乃可得坐。」於是新發意菩薩及大弟子即為須彌燈王如來作禮，便得坐師子座。
Vimalakīrti said, “Ah, Śāriputra! Make an offering to the Thus Come One Sumerupradīparāja, then you will be able to have a seat.”
At this, all the newly initiated bodhisattvas and the great disciples made offerings to the Thus Come One Merupradīparāja, and were then seated upon the lion-throne seats.
舍利弗言：「居士！未曾有也，如是小室，乃容受此高廣之座，於毘耶離城，無所妨礙，又於閻浮提聚落、城邑，及四天下諸天、龍王、鬼神宮殿，亦不迫迮。」
Śāriputra said, ‘Kulapati! This is unprecedented. Such a small room has made room for such high seats, and there is no hindrance in the city of Vaiśālī, nor any changes in the villages and cities of Jambudvipa, nor in any of the four continents, nor in the palaces of the devas, naga kings and spirits.”
維摩詰言：「唯，舍利弗！諸佛菩薩，有解脫，名不可思議。若菩薩住是解脫者，以須彌之高廣內芥子中無所增減，須彌山王本相如故，而四天王、忉利諸天不覺不知己之所入，唯應度者乃見須彌入芥子中，是名住不思議解脫法門。又以四大海水入一毛孔，不嬈魚、鼈、黿、鼉水性之屬，而彼大海本相如故，諸龍、鬼神、阿修羅等，不覺不知己之所入，於此眾生亦無所嬈。又，舍利弗！住不可思議解脫菩薩，斷取三千大千世界，如陶家輪，著右掌中，擲過恒河沙世界之外，其中眾生，不覺不知己之所往。又復還置本處，都不使人有往來想，而此世界本相如故。又，舍利弗！或有眾生，樂久住世而可度者，菩薩即延七日以為一劫，令彼眾生謂之一劫；或有眾生不樂久住，而可度者，菩薩即促一劫以為七日，令彼眾生謂之七日。又，舍利弗！住不可思議解脫菩薩，以一切佛土嚴飾之事，集在一國，示於眾生。又菩薩以一佛土眾生置之右掌，飛到十方遍示一切，而不動本處。又，舍利弗！十方眾生供養諸佛之具，菩薩於一毛孔，皆令得見。又十方國土所有日、月、星宿，於一毛孔普使見之。又，舍利弗！十方世界所有諸風，菩薩悉能吸著口中，而身無損，外諸樹木，亦不摧折。又十方世界劫盡燒時，以一切火內於腹中，火事如故，而不為害。又於下方過恒河沙等諸佛世界，取一佛土，舉著上方，過恒河沙無數世界，如持鍼鋒舉一棗葉，而無所嬈。又，舍利弗！住不可思議解脫菩薩，能以神通現作佛身，或現辟支佛身，或現聲聞身，或現帝釋身，或現梵王身，或現世主身，或現轉輪王身。又十方世界所有眾聲，上中下音，皆能變之，令作佛聲，演出無常、苦、空、無我之音。及十方諸佛所說種種之法，皆於其中普令得聞。舍利弗！我今略說菩薩不可思議解脫之力，若廣說者，窮劫不盡。」
Vimalakīrti said, “Ah, Śāriputra! All buddhas and bodhisattvas have a liberation (vimokṣa) called ‘Inconceivable’ (Acintya). For the bodhisattva who abides in this liberation, the height and the breadth of Sumeru may be placed inside a mustard seed without any increase or decrease. Since Sumeru, the king of mountains, maintains its original characteristics, the four great heavenly kings, and all the devas of the trāyastriṃśas are not aware, do not know that they have entered [a mustard seed]. Only those bound for the other shore see Mt. Sumeru enter into a mustard seed. This is called abiding in the ‘dharma door’ of the Inconceivable Liberation.”
“[One may] also cause the waters of the four great oceans to enter into a single hair pore without discomforting the fish, turtles, tortoises, crocodiles, and [other] aquatic life forms, and the original characteristics of those great oceans [remain just] as before. The nagas, spirits, and asuras do not realize that they have entered [into a single hair pore]. At this, all the sentient beings are not discomforted.”
“Also, Śāriputra! A bodhisattva abiding in the Inconceivable Liberation cuts off grasping the Three Thousand Great Thousand World System, and just like a potter grasping [their] wheel in their right palm, they throw it past world systems as numerous as the grains of sand in the Ganges River, and the sentient beings within are unaware of where they have gone. Also, when it returns to its original location, none of them have any perception of having gone or returned, and the original characteristics of these world systems are just as before.”
“Also, Śāriputra! If there are sentient beings who can be liberated through their desire for longevity, a bodhisattva will extend seven days into an entire kalpa and cause those sentient beings to consider it a kalpa. If there are sentient beings who can be liberated through their desire for brevity of lifespan, a bodhisattva will compress an entire kalpa into seven days and cause those sentient beings to consider it [only] seven days.”
“Also, Śāriputra! A bodhisattva abiding in the Inconceivable Liberation can accumulate the adornments of all buddha lands and manifest them to all sentient beings in a single country. Also, a bodhisattva can take the sentient beings of a buddha land in the right palm and fly to all ten directions, showing them everything, without moving from the original location.”
“Also, Śāriputra! A bodhisattva can make all the items offered to the buddhas by [all] the sentient beings throughout the ten directions visible in a single hair pore. Also, they can make visible all the suns, moons, and constellations of the countries of the ten directions.”
“Also, Śāriputra! A bodhisattva can inhale through the mouth all the winds of the world systems in the ten directions without harming the body, and all the trees outside not being damaged. Also, during the kalpa-ending conflagration by of the world systems of the ten directions, the can take all the fires within his abdomen, and though the fires will be as before they will not be harmed. Also, passing beyond buddha world systems in the lower direction more numerous than the sands of the Ganges River, they can take a single buddha land and lift it up in the upper direction, passing beyond world systems more numerous than the sands of the Ganges River, like they are holding a needle or a thorn, not inconvenienced [at all by doing so].”
“Also, Śāriputra! A bodhisattva abiding in the Inconceivable Liberation is able to use their spiritual powers to manifest the body of a buddha, or to manifest the body of a pratyeka-buddha, or to manifest the body of a śrāvaka, or to manifest the body of Indra, or to manifest the body of Brahma, or to manifest the body of a world lord, or to manifest the body of a wheel-turning sage king. They are also able to transform all the voices throughout the world systems - high, medium, and low - into the voices of the buddha, making the sounds of impermanence, suffering, emptiness, and no-self. Also, all the various kinds of Dharmas explained by the buddhas of the ten directions are heard everywhere in those sounds.”
“Śāriputra! I have now briefly explained the power of the bodhisattva’s Inconceivable Liberation. If I were to explain it extensively, a kalpa could pass and I would still not be finished.”
是時大迦葉聞說菩薩不可思議解脫法門，歎未曾有，謂舍利弗：「譬如有人，於盲者前現眾色像，非彼所見；一切聲聞聞是不可思議解脫法門，不能解了，為若此也！智者聞是，其誰不發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心？我等何為永絕其根，於此大乘，已如敗種！一切聲聞聞是不可思議解脫法門，皆應號泣，聲震三千大千世界；一切菩薩應大欣慶，頂受此法。若有菩薩信解不可思議解脫法門者，一切魔眾無如之何。」大迦葉說是語時，三萬二千天子皆發阿耨多羅三藐三菩提心。
At that moment Mahākāśyapa, hearing this explanation of the bodhisattva’s Inconceivable Liberation, sighed at what he had never heard before and said to Śāriputra, “It is like someone putting various painted images before a blind person. They are not being seen. All the śrāvakas hear this Inconceivable Liberation Dharma Door, but they are unable to understand it, even though it’s there! If a wise person hears this, who wouldn’t generate anuttara-samyak-sambodhi citta? How have we cut off our capacities for this Great Vehicle for so long, just like destroyed seeds? All the śrāvakas, hearing this Inconceivable Liberation Dharma Door, should all cry out with a voice that shakes the Three Thousand Great Thousand World System, and all the bodhisattvas should be anointed by joy at receiving this Dharma. If a bodhisattva is ‘faithfully liberated’ in the Inconceivable Liberation Dharma Door, what could the Hordes of Mara do?”
When Mahākāśyapa gave said these things, thirty-two thousand godlings all generated anuttara-samyak-sambodhi citta.
爾時維摩詰語大迦葉：「仁者！十方無量阿僧祇世界中作魔王者，多是住不可思議解脫菩薩。以方便力，教化眾生，現作魔王。又，迦葉！十方無量菩薩，或有人從乞手足耳鼻、頭目髓腦、血肉皮骨、聚落城邑、妻子奴婢、象馬車乘、金銀琉璃、車磲、馬碯、珊瑚、琥珀、真珠珂貝、衣服飲食，如此乞者，多是住不可思議解脫菩薩，以方便力，而往試之，令其堅固。所以者何？住不可思議解脫菩薩，有威德力，故現行逼迫，示諸眾生，如是難事；凡夫下劣，無有力勢，不能如是逼迫菩薩。譬如龍象蹴踏，非驢所堪，是名住不可思議解脫菩薩智慧方便之門。」
Then Vimalakīrti said to Mahākāśyapa, “Venerable! Those that make [act as] Mara Kings within immeasurable asaṃkhyeya world systems throughout the Ten Directions, many are bodhisattvas abiding in the Inconceivable Liberation. By the power of skillful means they teach and transform sentient beings, appearing to act as Mara Kings.”
“Also, Kāśyapa! The immeasurable Bodhisattvas throughout the Ten Directions - people come to them begging for a hand, a foot, an ear, or nose; their head, eyes, marrow or brains; blood, flesh, skin, and bone; their gatherings and settlements, their cities and states; their spouses and children, servants and slaves; elephants, horses, carts and vehicles; gold, silver, lapis lazuli, mother-of-pearl, agate, coral, and conch shells; cloth and clothing, drink and food - like this, people begging, many are bodhisattvas abiding in the Inconceivable Liberation. By the power of skillful means, they go to test the [bodhisattvas] resolve. How so? A bodhisattva abiding in the Inconceivable Liberation has awesome ‘virtue power’ and can, therefore, practice ‘compelling’, demonstrating such hardships of sentient beings. Ordinary people are inferior. They are without the power and unable to ‘compel’ bodhisattvas like this. It is just like the kicking or trampling of a dragon or elephant. No donkey could withstand it. This is called abiding in the gateway of bodhisattva’s Wisdom and Skillful Means of the Inconceivable Liberation.”