Vision of the Universe Abhirati and the Tathāgata Akṣobhya
妙喜世界與阿閦如來的顯現
11.1Thereupon, the Buddha said to the Licchavi Vimalakīrti, “Noble son, when you see the Tathāgata, how do you view him?”
11.1於是，佛陀對離車維摩詰說道：「善男子，當你見到如來時，你如何看待他？」
Thus addressed, the Licchavi Vimalakīrti said to the Buddha, “Lord, when I see the Tathāgata, I view him by not seeing any Tathāgata. Why? I see him as not born from the past, not passing on to the future, and not abiding in the present time. Why? He is the essence that is the reality of matter, but he is not matter. He is the essence that is the reality of sensation, but he is not sensation. He is the essence that is the reality of intellect, but he is not intellect. He is the essence that is the reality of performance, yet he is not performance. He is the essence that is the reality of consciousness, yet he is not consciousness. Like the element of space, he does not abide in any of the four elements. Transcending the scope of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind, he is not produced in the six sense-media. [F.231.b] He is not involved in the three worlds, is free of the three defilements, is associated with the triple liberation, is endowed with the three knowledges, and has truly attained the unattainable.
於是離車維摩詰對佛陀說：「世尊，我觀看如來，乃是不見任何如來。為什麼呢？我看他不生於過去，不趨向未來，也不住於現在。為什麼呢？他是色的本質，是色的實相，但他不是色。他是受的本質，是受的實相，但他不是受。他是想的本質，是想的實相，但他不是想。他是行的本質，是行的實相，但他不是行。他是識的本質，是識的實相，但他不是識。如同虛空界一樣，他不住於四大中的任何一個。超越眼、耳、鼻、舌、身、意的範疇，他不生於六處。他不涉及三界，遠離三種煩惱，具足三種解脫，具備三種智慧，真正証得了不可思議的境界。」
11.2“The Tathāgata has reached the extreme of detachment in regard to all things, yet he is not a reality-limit. He abides in ultimate reality, yet there is no relationship between it and him. He is not produced from causes, nor does he depend on conditions. He is not without any characteristic, nor has he any characteristic. He has no single nature nor any diversity of natures. He is not a conception, not a mental construction, nor is he a non-conception. He is neither the other shore, nor this shore, nor that between. He is neither here, nor there, nor anywhere else. He is neither this nor that. He cannot be discovered by consciousness, nor is he inherent in consciousness. He is neither darkness nor light. He is neither name nor sign. He is neither weak nor strong. He lives in no country or direction. He is neither good nor evil. He is neither compounded nor uncompounded. He cannot be explained as having any meaning whatsoever.
11.2「如來已經達到對所有事物的極端超脫，但他不是涅槃。他安住於涅槃之中，但涅槃與他之間沒有任何關係。他不是由因生出，也不依靠條件而存在。他既沒有任何特徵，也沒有特徵。他沒有單一的本質，也沒有多樣的本質。他不是概念，不是心的構造，也不是非概念。他既不是彼岸，也不是此岸，也不是介於兩者之間。他既不在這裡，也不在那裡，也不在其他任何地方。他既不是這個，也不是那個。他無法被意識所發現，也不內在於意識。他既不是黑暗，也不是光明。他既不是名稱，也不是標誌。他既不是虛弱，也不是強大。他住在沒有國家或方向的地方。他既不是善，也不是惡。他既不是有為，也不是無為。他無法以任何意義來解釋。」
11.3“The Tathāgata is neither generosity nor avarice, neither morality nor immorality, neither tolerance nor malice, neither effort nor sloth, neither concentration nor distraction, neither wisdom nor foolishness. He is inexpressible. He is neither truth nor falsehood; neither escape from the world nor failure to escape from the world; neither cause of involvement in the world nor not a cause of involvement in the world; [F.232.a] he is the cessation of all theory and all practice. He is neither a field of merit nor not a field of merit; he is neither worthy of offerings nor unworthy of offerings. He is not an object, and cannot be contacted. He is not a whole, nor a conglomeration. He surpasses all calculations. He is utterly unequaled, yet equal to the ultimate reality of things. He is matchless, especially in effort. He surpasses all measure. He does not go, does not stay, does not pass beyond. He is not seen, heard, distinguished, or known. He is without any complexity, having attained the equanimity of omniscient gnosis. Equal toward all things, he does not discriminate between them. He is without reproach, without excess, without corruption, without conception, and without intellectualization. He is without activity, without birth, without occurrence, without origin, without production, and without nonproduction. He is without fear and without subconsciousness; he is without sorrow, without joy, and without strain. No verbal teaching can express him.
11.3「如來既不是布施波羅蜜也不是慳貪，既不是持戒波羅蜜也不是違犯戒律，既不是忍辱波羅蜜也不是惡意，既不是精進波羅蜜也不是懈怠，既不是禪定也不是散亂，既不是般若波羅蜜也不是愚癡。他是無法表達的。他既不是真實也不是虛假；既不是超越世間也不是未能超越世間；既不是導致世間纏縛的原因也不是非導致世間纏縛的原因；他是一切理論和一切修行的滅。他既不是福德田也不是非福德田；他既不值得供養也不是不值得供養。他不是對象，無法接觸。他不是整體，也不是集合。他超越一切計算。他完全無與倫比，卻平等於萬物的涅槃實相。他獨一無二，尤其在精進上。他超越一切量度。他不去、不留、不超越。他看不見、聽不聞、分不清、知不得。他沒有任何複雜性，已經證得一切智智的捨。對一切事物平等相待，他對它們不作分別。他無缺陷、無過度、無腐敗、無概念、無思維分別。他無活動、無生、無發生、無起源、無產生、無非產生。他無恐懼、無下意識；他無悲傷、無喜樂、無勞倦。沒有言語教法能表達他。」
“Such is the body of the Tathāgata and thus should he be seen. Who sees thus, truly sees. Who sees otherwise, sees falsely.”
「如來的身體就是這樣，應當這樣觀看他。誰這樣觀看，就是真實的觀看。誰以其他方式觀看，就是虛假的觀看。」
11.4The venerable Śāriputra then asked the Buddha, “Lord, in which buddhafield did the noble Vimalakīrti die, before reincarnating in this buddhafield?”
11.4尊者舍利弗隨後問佛陀說：「世尊，尊貴的維摩詰在這個佛國淨土投生之前，是在哪一個佛國淨土中去世的呢？」
The Buddha said, “Śāriputra, ask this good man directly where he died to reincarnate here.”
佛陀說：「舍利弗，你應當直接問這位善人，他在哪裡去世後才轉生到這裡。」
11.5Then the venerable Śāriputra asked the Licchavi Vimalakīrti, “Noble sir, where did you die to reincarnate here?” [F.232.b]
11.5那時尊者舍利弗問離車維摩詰說：「仁者，你在哪裡死後才投生到這裡來？」
Vimalakīrti declared, “Is there anything among the things that you see, elder, that dies or is reborn?”
維摩詰說：「尊者，你所看見的事物中，有什麼東西會死亡或重生嗎？」
11.6Śāriputra : There is nothing that dies or is reborn.
11.6舍利弗：沒有任何東西會死亡或轉生。
Vimalakīrti : Likewise, reverend Śāriputra, as all things neither die nor are reborn, why do you ask, “Where did you die to reincarnate here?” Reverend Śāriputra, if one were to ask a man or woman created by a magician where he or she had died to reincarnate there, what do you think he or she would answer?
維摩詰說：「同樣地，舍利弗尊者，既然一切事物都不生不滅，你為什麼還要問『你在哪裡死亡而來此投生呢？』舍利弗尊者，如果有人問一位魔術師所變現出來的男人或女人『你在哪裡死亡而來此變現呢？』你認為他或她會如何回答？」
11.7Śāriputra : Noble sir, a magical creation does not die, nor is it reborn.
11.7舍利弗：尊者，幻化之物不死亦不生。
Vimalakīrti : Reverend Śāriputra, did not the Tathāgata declare that all things have the nature of a magical creation?
維摩詰：舍利弗，如來不是說過一切諸法都具有幻化的本質嗎？
Śāriputra : Yes, noble sir, that is indeed so.
舍利弗：是的，尊者，確實如此。
11.8Vimalakīrti : Reverend Śāriputra, since all things have the nature of a magical creation, why do you ask, “Where have you died to reincarnate here?” Reverend Śāriputra, “death” is an end of performance, and “rebirth” is the continuation of performance. But, although a bodhisattva dies, he does not put an end to the performance of the roots of virtue, and although he is reborn, he does not adhere to the continuation of sin.
11.8維摩詰：尊敬的舍利弗，既然一切事物都具有幻化的本質，你為什麼還要問「你是從何處死亡而在這裡轉生的呢？」尊敬的舍利弗，「死亡」是表演的終結，「轉生」是表演的延續。但是，菩薩雖然死亡，卻不會終止善根的表現，雖然轉生，卻不會執著於罪業的延續。
11.9Then, the Buddha said to the venerable Śāriputra, “Śāriputra, this holy person came here from the presence of the Tathāgata Akṣobhya in the universe Abhirati.”
11.9那時，佛陀對尊者舍利弗說：「舍利弗，這位聖人是從阿閦佛的面前來到這裡，而阿閦佛住在妙喜世界。」
Śāriputra : Lord, it is wonderful that this holy person, having left a buddhafield as pure as Abhirati, should enjoy a buddhafield as full of defects as this Sahā universe!
舍利弗：主人啊，這位聖者離開了像妙喜世界一樣清淨的佛國淨土，卻樂於住在像娑婆世界這樣充滿缺陷的佛國淨土，這實在是太不可思議了！
11.10The Licchavi Vimalakīrti said, “Śāriputra, what do you think? Does the light of the sun accompany the darkness?”
11.10離車維摩詰說：「舍利弗，你認為怎樣？太陽的光明會伴隨黑暗存在嗎？」
Śāriputra : Certainly not, noble sir!
舍利弗：當然不會，尊敬的先生！
11.11Vimalakīrti : Then the two do not go together?
11.11維摩詰：那麼這兩者就不能同時存在？
Śāriputra : Noble sir, those two do not go together. As soon as the sun rises, all darkness is destroyed.
舍利弗：尊者，這兩者是不能同時存在的。太陽一升起，所有的黑暗就被消除了。
11.12Vimalakīrti : Then why does the sun rise over the world? [F.233.a]
11.12維摩詰：那麼太陽為什麼在世界上升起呢？
Śāriputra : It rises to illuminate the world, and to eliminate the darkness.
舍利弗：它升起是為了照亮世界，消除黑暗。
Vimalakīrti : Just in the same way, reverend Śāriputra, the bodhisattva reincarnates voluntarily in the impure buddhafields in order to purify the living beings, in order to make the light of wisdom shine, and in order to clear away the darkness. Since they do not associate with the afflictions, they dispel the darkness of the afflictions of all living beings.
維摩詰：尊者舍利弗，菩薩正是如此，他們自願在不淨的佛國淨土中投生，是為了淨化眾生，是為了使般若波羅蜜的光芒照耀，是為了驅除黑暗。因為他們不與煩惱相聯繫，所以能夠驅除所有眾生的煩惱黑暗。
11.13Thereupon, the entire multitude experienced the desire to behold the universe Abhirati, the Tathāgata Akṣobhya, his bodhisattvas, and his great disciples. The Buddha, knowing the thoughts of the entire multitude, said to the Licchavi Vimalakīrti, “Noble son, this multitude wishes to behold the universe Abhirati and the Tathāgata Akṣobhya—show them!”
11.13於是，整個大眾都生起了想要看到妙喜世界、阿閦佛、他的菩薩和他的大弟子的願望。佛陀知道了整個大眾的心念，對離車維摩詰說：「善男子，這個大眾想要看到妙喜世界和阿閦佛——你就把它顯示給他們看吧！」
11.14Then the Licchavi Vimalakīrti thought, “Without rising from my couch, I shall pick up in my right hand the universe Abhirati and all it contains: its hundreds of thousands of bodhisattvas; its abodes of devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, and asuras, bounded by its Cakravāḍa mountains; its rivers, lakes, fountains, streams, oceans, and other bodies of water; its Mount Sumeru and other hills and mountain ranges; its moon, its sun, and its stars; its devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, and asuras themselves; its Brahmā and his retinues; its villages, cities, towns, provinces, kingdoms, men, women, and houses; its bodhisattvas; its disciples; the tree of enlightenment of the Tathāgata Akṣobhya; and the Tathāgata Akṣobhya himself, seated in the middle of an assembly vast as an ocean, [F.233.b] teaching the Dharma. Also the lotuses that accomplish the buddha-work among the living beings, and the three jeweled ladders that rise from its earth to its Trāyastriṃśa heaven, on which ladders the gods of that heaven descend to the world to see, honor, and serve the Tathāgata Akṣobhya and to hear the Dharma, and on which the men of the earth climb to the Trāyastriṃśa heaven to visit those gods. Like a potter with his wheel, I will reduce that universe Abhirati, with its store of innumerable virtues, from its watery base up to its Akaniṣṭha heaven, to a minute size and, carrying it gently like a garland of flowers, will bring it to this Sahā universe and will show it to the multitudes.”
11.14那時，離車維摩詰心想：「我不起身離開我的床榻，就用右手托起妙喜世界以及其中的一切：幾十萬菩薩、天神、龍、夜叉、乾闥婆和阿修羅的住處，以輪圍山為邊界；河流、湖泊、噴泉、溪流、海洋和其他各種水體；須彌山及其他丘陵和山脈；月亮、太陽和星辰；天神、龍、夜叉、乾闥婆和阿修羅；梵天及其眷屬；村莊、城市、城鎮、地區、王國、男人、女人和房屋；菩薩；聲聞；阿閦佛的菩提樹；以及阿閦佛本身，坐在廣大如海的集會中央，講說法。還有那些在眾生中成就佛陀事業的蓮花，以及三個寶貴的階梯從妙喜世界升到三十三天，三十三天的天神通過這些階梯下到世間，親見、尊敬和侍奉阿閦佛，聽聞法；世間的人們也通過這些階梯上升到三十三天拜訪那些天神。我就像陶匠用轉輪一樣，將妙喜世界從其水基直到非想非非想天，連同其無量的功德福報，縮小至微小之物，輕輕地像拿著花環一樣托著它，帶入這娑婆世界，展示給眾多的人民。」
11.15Then, the Licchavi Vimalakīrti entered into a concentration, and performed a miraculous feat such that he reduced the universe Abhirati to a minute size, and took it with his right hand, and brought it into this Sahā universe.
11.15於是，離車維摩詰進入禪定，運用神通之力，將妙喜世界縮小至極微之處，用右手托取，帶入到這個娑婆世界中。
In that universe Abhirati, the disciples, bodhisattvas, and those among gods and men who possessed the superknowledge of the divine eye all cried out, “Lord, we are being carried away! Sugata, we are being carried off! Protect us, O Tathāgata!”
在妙喜世界裡，聲聞、菩薩，以及那些具有天眼通的天神和人類都呼喊起來：「世尊啊，我們被帶走了！善逝啊，我們被帶離了！請保護我們，如來啊！」
11.16But, to discipline them, the Tathāgata Akṣobhya said to them, “You are being carried off by the bodhisattva Vimalakīrti. It is not my affair.”
11.16但是，為了教化他們，如來阿閦佛對他們說：「你們是被菩薩維摩詰背負著，這不是我的事。」
As for the other men and gods, they had no awareness at all that they were being carried anywhere.
至於其他的人類和天神，他們完全沒有意識到自己被帶往任何地方。
11.17Although the universe Abhirati had been brought into the universe Sahā, the Sahā universe was not increased or diminished; it was neither compressed nor obstructed. Nor was the universe Abhirati reduced internally, and both universes appeared to be the same [F.234.a] as they had ever been.
11.17雖然妙喜世界被帶入了娑婆世界，但娑婆世界既沒有增加也沒有減少；既不被壓縮也不被阻礙。妙喜世界在內部也沒有被縮小，兩個世界看起來都和以前一樣。
11.18Thereupon, the Buddha Śākyamuni asked all the multitudes, “Friends, behold the splendors of the universe Abhirati, the Tathāgata Akṣobhya, the array of his buddhafield, and the splendors of these disciples and bodhisattvas!”
11.18於是釋迦牟尼佛問全體大眾說：「諸位，請看妙喜世界的殊勝莊嚴、阿閦佛如來、他的佛國淨土的莊嚴境界，以及這些聲聞和菩薩的殊勝莊嚴！」
They replied, “We see them, Lord!”
他們回答說：「我們看到了，主人！」
The Buddha said, “Those bodhisattvas who wish to embrace such a buddhafield should educate themselves in all the bodhisattva-practices of the Tathāgata Akṣobhya.”
佛陀說道：「那些希望獲得這樣的佛國淨土的菩薩，應當在阿閦佛的一切菩薩行持中教育自己。」
11.19While Vimalakīrti, with his miraculous power, showed them thus the universe Abhirati and the Tathāgata Akṣobhya, one hundred and forty thousand living beings among the men and gods of the Sahā universe conceived the spirit of unexcelled, perfect enlightenment, all of them formed a prayer to be reborn in the universe Abhirati, and the Buddha prophesied that in the future all would be reborn in the universe Abhirati. And the Licchavi Vimalakīrti, having thus developed all the living beings who could thereby be developed, returned the universe Abhirati exactly to its former place.
11.19維摩詰用他的神通力量，將妙喜世界和阿閦佛展現給他們看。在這個過程中，娑婆世界的一百四十萬位人類和天神受到感化，都心生了對無上、圓滿菩提的渴求。他們都發願希望能夠往生到妙喜世界，佛陀預言他們將來都會往生到妙喜世界。離車族的維摩詰這樣度化了所有能被度化的眾生之後，就將妙喜世界恢復到原來的位置。
11.20The Lord then said to the venerable Śāriputra, “Śāriputra, did you see that universe Abhirati, and the Tathāgata Akṣobhya?”
11.20世尊就對尊者舍利弗說：「舍利弗，你看到那個妙喜世界和如來阿閦佛了嗎？」
Śāriputra replied, “I saw it, Lord! May all living beings come to live in a buddhafield as splendid as that! May all living beings come to have miraculous powers just like those of the noble Licchavi Vimalakīrti!
舍利弗回答說：「我看到了，世尊！願一切眾生都能住在如此莊嚴的佛國淨土中！願一切眾生都能擁有如同尊貴的離車維摩詰一樣的神通妙力！」
11.21“We have gained great benefit from having seen a holy man such as he. [F.234.b] We have gained a great benefit from having heard such teaching of the Dharma, whether the Tathāgata himself still actually exists or whether he has already attained ultimate liberation. Hence, there is no need to mention the great benefit for those who, having heard it, believe it, rely on it, embrace it, remember it, read it, and penetrate to its depth, and, having found faith in it, teach, recite, and show it to others and apply themselves to the yoga of meditation upon its teaching.
11.21「我們因為見到了像他這樣的聖人而獲得了很大的利益。我們因為聽聞到這樣的法教而獲得了很大的利益，無論如來本身還存在於世間，還是已經進入涅槃。因此，對於那些聽聞法教後，能夠相信它、依靠它、接納它、憶念它、誦讀它，並深入理解它的人，更不用說能夠對它生起信心，並將它教導他人、誦讀它、向他人宣示它，以及透過對其教義的禪定波羅蜜修習而實踐的人所獲得的巨大利益了。」
11.22“Those living beings who understand correctly this teaching of the Dharma will obtain the treasury of the jewels of the Dharma.
11.22「那些正確理解這部法教的眾生，將會獲得法寶的寶藏。」
“Those who study correctly this teaching of the Dharma will become the companions of the Tathāgata. Those who honor and serve the adepts of this doctrine will be the true protectors of the Dharma. Those who write, teach, and worship this teaching of the Dharma will be visited by the Tathāgata in their homes. Those who take pleasure in this teaching of the Dharma will embrace all merits. Those who teach it to others, whether it be no more than a single stanza of four lines, or a single summary phrase from this teaching of the Dharma, will be performing the great Dharma-sacrifice. And those who devote to this teaching of the Dharma their tolerance, their zeal, their intelligence, their discernment, their vision, and their aspirations, thereby become subject to the prophesy of future Buddhahood!”
「那些正確研習這聖法的人，將成為如來的同伴。那些尊敬並服侍這教法的修行者，將成為聖法真正的護持者。那些書寫、宣說和禮拜這聖法的人，將蒙如來親臨其家。那些欣樂這聖法的人，將圓滿所有福德。那些向他人宣說這聖法者，即使只是一首四句的偈頌，或這聖法中的一句簡要總結，都是在進行偉大的法供養。而那些以忍辱波羅蜜、精進、智慧、分別、洞見和願力投入這聖法的人，將獲得未來成佛的授記！」