The Goddess
天女
6.1Thereupon, Mañjuśrī, the crown prince, addressed the Licchavi Vimalakīrti: “Good sir, how should a bodhisattva regard all living beings?”
6.1於是文殊菩薩王子對離車維摩詰說道：「善男子，菩薩應該如何看待一切眾生呢？」
Vimalakīrti replied, “Mañjuśrī, a bodhisattva should regard all living beings as a wise man regards the reflection of the moon in water or as magicians regard men created by magic. He should regard them as being like a face in a mirror; like the water of a mirage; like the sound of an echo; like a mass of clouds in the sky; [F.208.b] like the previous moment of a ball of foam; like the appearance and disappearance of a bubble of water; like the core of a plantain tree; like a flash of lightning; like the fifth great element; like the seventh sense-medium; like the appearance of matter in an immaterial realm; like a sprout from a rotten seed; like a tortoise-hair coat; like the fun of games for one who wishes to die; like the egoistic views of a stream-winner; like a third rebirth of a once-returner; like the descent of a nonreturner into a womb; like the existence of desire, hatred, and folly in an arhat; [F.209.a] like thoughts of avarice, immorality, wickedness, and hostility in a bodhisattva who has attained tolerance; like the instincts of afflictions in a tathāgata; like the perception of color in one blind from birth; like the inhalation and exhalation of an ascetic absorbed in the meditation of cessation; like the track of a bird in the sky; like the erection of a eunuch; like the pregnancy of a barren woman; like the unproduced afflictions of an emanated incarnation of the Tathāgata; like dream-visions seen after waking; like the afflictions of one who is free of conceptualizations; like fire burning without fuel; like the reincarnation of one who has attained ultimate liberation. [F.209.b]
維摩詰回答說：「文殊菩薩，菩薩應當這樣看待一切眾生——像智者觀看水中月亮的倒影，像魔術師看待魔法變現的人一樣。應當把他們看作鏡子裡的臉孔；如同海市蜃樓的水；如同回聲的聲音；如同天空中的雲團；如同一團泡沫的前一刻；如同水泡的生滅；如同香蕉樹的樹心；如同閃電的光芒；如同第五大界；如同第七個知覺對象；如同無色界中出現的色相；如同爛種子裡長出的芽；如同龜毛衣；如同想死的人玩遊戲的樂趣；如同須陀洹的我見；如同斯陀含的第三次轉世；如同阿那含降入母胎；如同阿羅漢裡存在的貪慾、瞋恨和愚痴；如同已得忍辱波羅蜜的菩薩心中的貪、不持戒、邪惡和敵意；如同如來心中的煩惱本能；如同生來盲人對色相的知覺；如同入於滅盡禪定的苦行者的呼吸吐納；如同天空中鳥的足跡；如同太監的勃起；如同不孕婦女的懷孕；如同如來化身的未生煩惱；如同醒後看到的夢景；如同無有概念之人的煩惱；如同無燃料的火焰燃燒；如同已得涅槃解脫者的轉世。」
“Precisely thus, Mañjuśrī, does a bodhisattva who realizes ultimate selflessness consider all beings.”
「文殊菩薩，正是這樣，領悟了涅槃中無我的菩薩才能這樣思考所有眾生。」
6.2Mañjuśrī then asked further, “Noble sir, if a bodhisattva considers all living beings in such a way, how does he generate the great love toward them?”
6.2文殊菩薩進一步請問：「尊者啊，如果菩薩這樣觀察一切眾生，他怎樣才能生起對他們的大慈心呢？」
Vimalakīrti replied, “Mañjuśrī, when a bodhisattva considers all living beings in this way, he thinks: ‘Just as I have realized the Dharma, so should I teach it to living beings.’ Thereby, he generates the love that is truly a refuge for all living beings; the love that is peaceful because free of grasping; the love that is not feverish, because free of passions; the love that accords with reality because it is the very same in all three times; the love that is without conflict because free of the violence of the passions; the love that is nondual because it is involved neither with the external nor with the internal; the love that is imperturbable because totally ultimate.
維摩詰回答說：「文殊菩薩，當菩薩以這樣的方式看待所有眾生時，他這樣想：『就像我已經實現了法一樣，我應該把它傳授給眾生。』由此，他生起的慈心是真正為所有眾生的庇護；這種慈心是寧靜的，因為它不執著；這種慈心是不躁動的，因為它不受煩惱所困；這種慈心符合現實，因為它在三世都完全相同；這種慈心沒有衝突，因為它不受煩惱的暴力；這種慈心是無二的，因為它既不著於外物也不著於內在；這種慈心是不可動搖的，因為它完全究竟。」
6.3“Thereby he generates the love that is firm, its high resolve unbreakable, like a diamond; the love that is pure, purified in its intrinsic nature; the love that is even, its aspirations being equal; the arhat’s love that has eliminated its enemy; the bodhisattva’s love that continuously develops living beings; the Tathāgata’s love that understands reality; the Buddha’s love that causes living beings to awaken from their sleep; the love that is spontaneous because it is fully enlightened spontaneously; the love that is enlightenment because it is unity of experience; the love that has no presumption because it has eliminated attachment and aversion; the love that is great compassion because it infuses the Mahāyāna with radiance; the love that is never exhausted because it acknowledges voidness and selflessness; [F.210.a] the love that is giving because it bestows the gift of Dharma free of the tight fist of a bad teacher; the love that is morality because it improves immoral living beings; the love that is tolerance because it protects both self and others; the love that is effort because it takes responsibility for all living beings; the love that is contemplation because it refrains from indulgence in tastes; the love that is wisdom because it causes attainment at the proper time; the love that is liberative art because it shows the way everywhere; the love that is without formality because it is pure in motivation; the love that is without deviation because it acts from decisive motivation; the love that is high resolve because it is without passions; the love that is without deceit because it is not artificial; the love that is happiness because it introduces living beings to the happiness of the Buddha. Such, Mañjuśrī, is the great love of a bodhisattva.”
6.3「因此，他生起了堅定的慈，其堅定決心不可破壞，如同金剛；純淨的慈，在其本質中被淨化；平等的慈，其願望相等；阿羅漢的慈，已消除其敵人；菩薩的慈，持續發展眾生；如來的慈，理解實相；佛陀的慈，使眾生從睡夢中覺醒；自發的慈，因為它是完全自發地開悟；菩提的慈，因為它是體驗的統一；沒有臆斷的慈，因為它已消除執著和厭離；大悲的慈，因為它以光輝灌注大乘；永不枯竭的慈，因為它承認空性和無我；布施的慈，因為它不吝嗇地給予法的禮物，不像惡劣教師的執著；持戒波羅蜜的慈，因為它改善不道德的眾生；忍辱波羅蜜的慈，因為它保護自己和他人；精進波羅蜜的慈，因為它對所有眾生承擔責任；禪定的慈，因為它避免沉溺於感受；般若波羅蜜的慈，因為它在適當時機引致成就；方便的慈，因為它在各處指示道路；沒有形式的慈，因為它的行動動機純淨；沒有偏差的慈，因為它出於堅定的決心而行動；堅定決心的慈，因為它沒有煩惱；沒有欺騙的慈，因為它不是人為的；樂的慈，因為它將眾生引入佛陀的樂。文殊菩薩，這就是菩薩的大慈。」
6.4Mañjuśrī : What is the great compassion of a bodhisattva?
6.4文殊菩薩：菩薩的大悲是什麼？
Vimalakīrti : It is the giving of all accumulated roots of virtue to all living beings.
維摩詰說：「就是將所有積累的善根都奉獻給一切眾生。」
Mañjuśrī : What is the great joy of a bodhisattva?
文殊菩薩：菩薩的大喜是什麼？
Vimalakīrti : It is to be joyful and without regret in giving.
維摩詰：就是在布施時歡喜無悔。
6.5Mañjuśrī : What is the equanimity of a bodhisattva?
6.5文殊菩薩：菩薩的捨是什麼？
Vimalakīrti : It is what benefits both self and others.
維摩詰：那是利益自己和他人的。
Mañjuśrī : To what should one resort when terrified by fear of life?
文殊菩薩：當被生命的恐懼所驚嚇時，應該歸依什麼？
Vimalakīrti : Mañjuśrī, a bodhisattva who is terrified by fear of life should resort to the magnanimity of the Buddha.
維摩詰：文殊菩薩，為生命恐懼所驚嚇的菩薩應該求助於佛陀的寬宏大量。
6.6Mañjuśrī : Where should he who wishes to resort to the magnanimity of the Buddha take his stand?
6.6文殊菩薩：想要依靠佛陀的寬宏大量的人應該站在哪裡？
Vimalakīrti : He should stand in equanimity toward all living beings.
維摩詰：他應當對所有眾生保持捨心。
Mañjuśrī : Where should he who wishes to stand in equanimity toward all living beings take his stand?
文殊菩薩：想要對一切眾生保持捨心的人應該站在哪裡呢？
Vimalakīrti : He should live for the liberation of all living beings.
維摩詰：他應當為了一切眾生的解脫而生活。
6.7Mañjuśrī : What should he who wishes to liberate all living beings do? [F.210.b]
6.7文殊菩薩：想要解脫一切眾生的人應該做什麼？
Vimalakīrti : He should liberate them from their afflictions.
維摩詰：他應該使他們從煩惱中解脫。
Mañjuśrī : How should he who wishes to eliminate afflictions apply himself?
文殊菩薩：希望消除煩惱的人應該如何修行呢？
Vimalakīrti : He should apply himself appropriately.
維摩詰：他應該適當地運用精進。
6.8Mañjuśrī : How should he apply himself, to “apply himself appropriately”?
6.8文殊菩薩：怎樣才是「恰當地應用自己」呢？
Vimalakīrti : He should apply himself to productionlessness and to destructionlessness.
維摩詰：他應當致力於無生和無滅。
Mañjuśrī : What is not produced? And what is not destroyed?
文殊菩薩：什麼是不生？什麼是不滅？
Vimalakīrti : Evil is not produced and good is not destroyed.
維摩詰：惡不生，善不滅。
6.9Mañjuśrī : What is the root of good and evil?
6.9文殊菩薩：善惡的根源是什麼？
Vimalakīrti : Materiality is the root of good and evil.
維摩詰：物質是善惡的根源。
Mañjuśrī : What is the root of materiality?
文殊菩薩：物質的根源是什麼？
Vimalakīrti : Desire is the root of materiality.
維摩詰：欲望是物質的根源。
6.10Mañjuśrī : What is the root of desire and attachment?
6.10文殊菩薩：貪欲和執著的根源是什麼？
Vimalakīrti : Unreal construction is the root of desire.
維摩詰：虛妄分別是欲望的根本。
Mañjuśrī : What is the root of unreal construction?
文殊菩薩：不實的虛構有什麼根源？
Vimalakīrti : The false concept is its root.
維摩詰：虛妄分別就是它的根源。
6.11Mañjuśrī : What is the root of the false concept?
6.11文殊菩薩：虛妄念頭的根源是什麼？
Vimalakīrti : Baselessness.
維摩詰：無所有。
Mañjuśrī : What is the root of baselessness?
文殊菩薩：無根的根是什麼？
Vimalakīrti : Mañjuśrī, when something is baseless, how can it have any root? Therefore, all things stand on the root that is baseless.
維摩詰：文殊菩薩，既然某些事物是無根據的，它們怎麼可能有根呢？因此，一切法都建立在無根的根本之上。
6.12Thereupon, a certain goddess who lived in that house, having heard this teaching of the Dharma of the great heroic bodhisattvas, and being delighted, pleased, and overjoyed, manifested herself in a material body and showered the great spiritual heroes, the bodhisattvas, and the great disciples with heavenly flowers. When the flowers fell on the bodies of the bodhisattvas, they fell off on the floor, but when they fell on the bodies of the great disciples, they stuck to them and did not fall. [F.211.a] The great disciples shook the flowers and even tried to use their magical powers, but still the flowers would not shake off.
6.12於是，住在那所房子裡的一位天女，聽到了大心英雄菩薩們的這部法的教導，感到歡喜、愉悅和狂喜，就以物質身體顯現出來，用天界的花朵灑在大心英雄、菩薩們和大弟子身上。當花朵落在菩薩的身上時，花朵掉落在地板上，但當花朵落在大弟子的身上時，花朵就粘住了，不掉下來。大弟子們搖晃花朵，甚至試圖使用他們的神通力量，但花朵仍然搖不掉。
6.13Then, the goddess said to the venerable Śāriputra, “Reverend Śāriputra, why do you shake these flowers?”
6.13那時，天女對尊者舍利弗說：「尊者舍利弗，您為什麼要抖落這些花呢？」
Śāriputra replied, “Goddess, these flowers are not proper for religious persons and so we are trying to shake them off.”
舍利弗回答說：「天女，這些花對於修行人來說是不恰當的，所以我們才試著要把它們抖掉。」
6.14The goddess said, “Do not say that, reverend Śāriputra. Why? These flowers are proper indeed! Why? Such flowers have neither constructual thought nor discrimination. But the elder Śāriputra has both constructual thought and discrimination.
6.14天女說：「尊敬的舍利弗，不要這樣說。為什麼呢？這些花確實是恰當的！為什麼呢？這樣的花既沒有分別心，也沒有執著心。但是舍利弗長老，你卻既有分別心，又有執著心。」
6.15“Reverend Śāriputra, impropriety for one who has renounced the world for the discipline of the rightly taught Dharma consists of constructual thought and discrimination, yet the elders are full of such thoughts. One who is without such thoughts is always proper.
6.15「舍利弗尊者，對於已出家修行正法紀律的人來說，不相應之事在於建構思想和分別，然而長老們卻充滿了這樣的思想。沒有這樣思想的人才是常恆相應的。」
6.16“Reverend Śāriputra, see how these flowers do not stick to the bodies of these great spiritual heroes, the bodhisattvas! This is because they have eliminated constructual thoughts and discriminations.
6.16「尊者舍利弗，你看這些花不粘著在這些大心英雄菩薩們的身體上！這是因為他們已經消除了種種分別思想。」
“In the same way that evil spirits have power over fearful men but cannot disturb the fearless, those intimidated by fear of the world are in the power of forms, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures, which do not disturb those who are free from fear of the passions inherent in the constructive world. Thus, these flowers stick to the bodies of those who have not eliminated their instincts for the passions and do not stick to the bodies of those who have eliminated their instincts. Therefore, the flowers do not stick to the bodies of these bodhisattvas, who have abandoned all instincts.”
「就像邪靈對害怕的人有力量，但卻無法擾動無所畏懼的人一樣，那些被世間恐懼所威脅的人受色、聲、香、味、觸的控制，而那些不害怕煩惱本質的人則不受這些干擾。因此，這些花黏著在沒有消除煩惱本能的人身上，卻不黏著在已經消除煩惱本能的人身上。所以這些花不黏著在已經放棄一切本能的菩薩身上。」
6.17Then the venerable Śāriputra said to the goddess, “Goddess, how long have you been in this house?” [F.211.b]
6.17那時，尊者舍利弗對天女說：「天女，妳在這個房子裡已經多久了？」
The goddess replied, “I have been here as long as the elder has been in liberation.”
天女回答說：「我在這裡的時間，就像長老證得解脫的時間一樣長。」
6.18Śāriputra said, “Then, have you been in this house for quite some time?”
6.18舍利弗說：「那麼，妳在這個房子裡已經很久了？」
The goddess said, “Has the elder been in liberation for quite some time?”
天女說：「尊者在解脫中已經很久了嗎？」
At that, the elder Śāriputra fell silent.
於是，長老舍利弗沉默不語。
6.19The goddess continued, “Elder, you are ‘foremost of the wise!’ Why do you not speak? Now, when it is your turn, you do not answer the question.”
6.19天女繼續說道：「長老啊，你是『智慧最第一』的人！你為什麼不說話呢？現在輪到你回答時，你卻不答話。」
Śāriputra : Since liberation is inexpressible, goddess, I do not know what to say.
舍利弗：既然解脫是無法言說的，天女，我不知道說什麼才好。
6.20Goddess: All the syllables pronounced by the elder have the nature of liberation. Why? Liberation is neither internal nor external, nor can it be apprehended apart from them. Likewise, syllables are neither internal nor external, nor can they be apprehended anywhere else. Therefore, reverend Śāriputra, do not point to liberation by abandoning speech! Why? The holy liberation is the equality of all things!
6.20天女：長老所發音的所有音節都具有解脫的本質。為什麼呢？解脫既不在內部，也不在外部，也不能在它們之外被領會。同樣地，音節既不在內部，也不在外部，也不能在其他任何地方被領會。因此，尊敬的舍利弗，不要通過放棄言語來指向解脫！為什麼呢？因為聖聖的解脫就是萬物的平等性！
6.21Śāriputra : Goddess, is not liberation the freedom from desire, hatred, and folly?
6.21舍利弗：天女，解脫不就是遠離貪欲、瞋恨和愚癡嗎？
Goddess: “Liberation is freedom from desire, hatred, and folly”—that is the teaching for the excessively proud. But those free of pride are taught that the very nature of desire, hatred, and folly is itself liberation.
天女：「解脫是遠離貪欲、瞋恨和愚癡」——這是為過度驕傲的人而教導的。但對於沒有驕傲的人，則教導他們貪欲、瞋恨和愚癡的本質本身就是解脫。
6.22Śāriputra : Excellent! Excellent, goddess! Pray, what have you attained, what have you realized, that you have such eloquence?
6.22舍利弗：太好了！太好了，天女！請問妳證得了什麼，證悟了什麼，才有這樣的雄辯能力？
Goddess: I have attained nothing, reverend Śāriputra. I have no realization. Therefore I have such eloquence. Whoever thinks, “I have attained! I have realized!” is overly proud in the discipline of the well taught Dharma.
天女：尊敬的舍利弗，我沒有獲得任何東西，我也沒有證悟。正因為如此，我才能有這樣的辯才。凡是認為「我已經獲得了！我已經證悟了！」的人，在善妙法的修學中就過於驕傲了。
6.23Śāriputra : Goddess, do you belong to the Disciple Vehicle, to the Solitary Sage Vehicle, or to the Great Vehicle?
6.23舍利弗：天女，妳屬於聲聞乘、緣覺乘，還是大乘？
Goddess: I belong to the Disciple Vehicle when I teach it to those who need it. [F.212.a] I belong to the Solitary Sage Vehicle when I teach the twelve links of dependent origination to those who need them. And, since I never abandon the great compassion, I belong to the Great Vehicle, as all need that teaching to attain ultimate liberation.
天女：當我為需要的人說法時，我屬於聲聞乘。當我為需要的人開示十二因緣時，我屬於緣覺乘。又因為我從未放棄大悲，我屬於大乘，因為所有眾生都需要這個教法才能證得涅槃解脫。
6.24Nevertheless, reverend Śāriputra, just as one cannot smell the castor plant in a magnolia wood, but only the magnolia flowers, so, reverend Śāriputra, living in this house, which is redolent with the perfume of the virtues of the buddha qualities, one does not smell the perfume of the disciples and the solitary sages. Reverend Śāriputra, the Śakras, the Brahmās, the Lokapālas, the devas, nāgas, yakṣas, gandharvas, asuras, garuḍas, kinnaras, and mahoragas who live in this house hear the Dharma from the mouth of this holy man and, enticed by the perfume of the virtues of the buddha qualities, proceed to conceive the spirit of enlightenment.
6.24尊敬的舍利弗，就像在含笑樹林中聞不到蓖麻的氣味，只能聞到含笑花的香氣一樣，尊敬的舍利弗，住在這所充滿佛陀品質的美德香氣的房屋裡，人們聞不到聲聞和緣覺的香氣。尊敬的舍利弗，住在這所房屋中的帝釋天、梵天、護世天王、天神、龍、夜叉、乾闥婆、阿修羅、金翅鳥、緊那羅和摩睺羅伽，從這位聖人的口中聽聞佛法，受到佛陀品質的美德香氣所吸引，開始生起菩提心。
6.25Reverend Śāriputra, I have been in this house for twelve years, and I have heard no discourses concerning the disciples and solitary sages but have heard only those concerning the great love, the great compassion, and the inconceivable qualities of the Buddha.
6.25尊者舍利弗，我在這個房子裡已經住了十二年，從未聽過關於聲聞和緣覺的教法，只聽過關於大慈、大悲和佛陀不可思議功德的教法。
6.26Reverend Śāriputra, eight strange and wonderful things manifest themselves constantly in this house. What are these eight?
6.26尊敬的舍利弗，在這個房子裡經常顯現八種奇異而美妙的事物。這八種是什麼呢？
A light of golden hue shines here constantly, so bright that it is hard to distinguish day and night, and neither the moon nor the sun shines here distinctly. That is the first wonder of this house.
這裡常常放射著金色的光芒，光線如此明亮，以至於很難分辨白天和夜晚，月亮和太陽也無法在這裡清晰地照耀。這是這座房子的第一個奇妙之處。
6.27Furthermore, reverend Śāriputra, whoever enters this house is no longer troubled by his afflictions from the moment he is within. That is the second strange and wonderful thing.
6.27舍利弗尊者，任何進入這個房子的人，一旦踏入其中，就不再為煩惱所困擾。這是這個房子第二個奇妙之處。
Furthermore, reverend Śāriputra, this house is never forsaken by Śakra, Brahmā, the Lokapālas, and the bodhisattvas from all the other buddhafields. That is the third strange and wonderful thing. [F.212.b]
還有，尊者舍利弗，這間房舍始終得到帝釋天、梵天、護世天王和來自其他佛國淨土的菩薩們的關照，從不被他們遺棄。這是這間房舍的第三種奇妙之處。
6.28Furthermore, reverend Śāriputra, this house is never empty of the sounds of the Dharma, the discourse on the six transcendences, and the discourses of the irreversible wheel of the Dharma. That is the fourth strange and wonderful thing.
6.28此外，尊敬的舍利弗，這座房子裡始終充滿著法的聲音、關於六波羅蜜的講述，以及不退轉法輪的講述。這是第四個奇異殊勝的事物。
Furthermore, reverend Śāriputra, in this house one always hears the rhythms, songs, and music of gods and men, and from this music constantly resounds the sound of the infinite Dharma of the Buddha. That is the fifth strange and wonderful thing.
舍利弗尊者，而且在這房屋裡，人們總是能聽到諸天與人類的節奏、歌曲和音樂，而從這些音樂中，不斷迴盪著佛陀無限法的聲音。這是第五個奇妙不可思議的事。
6.29Furthermore, reverend Śāriputra, in this house there are always four inexhaustible treasures, replete with all kinds of jewels, which never decrease, although all the poor and wretched may partake of them to their satisfaction. That is the sixth strange and wonderful thing.
6.29此外，尊敬的舍利弗，在這間房子裡，總是有四種取之不盡的寶藏，裡面充滿了各種珍寶，雖然所有貧苦的人都可以盡情享用，但這些寶藏卻永遠不會減少。這是第六個奇妙的事物。
6.30Furthermore, reverend Śāriputra, at the wish of this good man, to this house come the innumerable tathāgatas of the ten directions, such as the Tathāgatas Śākyamuni, Amitābha, Akṣobhya, Ratnaśrī , Ratnārcis, Ratnacandra, Ratnavyūha, Duḥprasāha, Sarvārthasiddha, Prabhūtaratna, Siṃhanādanādī, Siṃhaghoṣa, and so forth, and when they come they teach the door of Dharma called The Secrets of the Tathāgatas, and then depart. That is the seventh strange and wonderful thing.
6.30此外，尊者舍利弗，按照這位善人的心願，十方的無數如來來到這個房子裡，比如釋迦牟尼佛如來、阿彌陀如來、阿閦佛如來、寶積如來、寶光如來、寶月如來、寶莊嚴如來、難勝如來、一切義成就如來、多寶如來、獅子吼如來、獅子音聲如來等等，他們來到這裡時，就講授名為《如來祕密藏》的法門，然後離去。這是第七個奇特殊勝的事。
6.31Furthermore, reverend Śāriputra, all the splendors of the abodes of the gods and all the splendors of the fields of the buddhas shine forth in this house. That is the eighth strange and wonderful thing.
6.31此外，尊者舍利弗，諸天居所的一切光輝和諸佛的佛土的一切光輝都在這棟房子裡閃耀。這是第八個奇異而殊勝的事物。
Reverend Śāriputra, these eight strange and wonderful things are seen in this house. Who then, seeing such inconceivable things, would believe the teaching of the disciples?
舍利弗尊者，這八種奇妙稀有之事都出現在這間房子裡。那麼，誰見到這樣不可思議的事物，還會相信聲聞的教法呢？
6.32Śāriputra : Goddess, what prevents you from transforming yourself out of your female state?
6.32舍利弗：天女，什麼阻止妳變離女身？
Goddess: Although I have sought my “female state” for these twelve years, [F.213.a] I have not yet found it. Reverend Śāriputra, if a magician were to incarnate a woman by magic, would you ask her, “What prevents you from transforming yourself out of your female state?”
天女：雖然我已經尋求我的「女身」十二年了，但我還是沒有找到它。尊敬的舍利弗，如果一位魔術師用魔法幻化出一個女人，你會問她「什麼阻止你改變自己的女身呢？」
6.33Śāriputra : No! Such a woman would not really exist, so what would there be to transform?
6.33舍利弗：不會的！這樣的女人本來就不真實存在，那麼還有什麼需要轉變呢？
Goddess: Just so, reverend Śāriputra, all things do not really exist. Now, would you think, “What prevents one whose nature is that of a magical incarnation from transforming herself out of her female state?”
天女：就是這樣，舍利弗，一切事物都不真實存在。現在，你會認為「那些本性就是幻化身的人，什麼阻止她們變離女身呢？」嗎？
6.34Thereupon, the goddess employed her magical power to cause the elder Śāriputra to appear in her form and to cause herself to appear in his form. Then the goddess, transformed into Śāriputra, said to Śāriputra, transformed into a goddess, “Reverend Śāriputra, what prevents you from transforming yourself out of your female state?”
6.34於是天女運用她的神通，使長老舍利弗顯現為她的形象，使她自己顯現為他的形象。然後那位化身為舍利弗的天女，對化身為天女的舍利弗說：「尊敬的舍利弗，是什麼阻止你從女身中變化出來呢？」
And Śāriputra, transformed into the goddess, replied, “I no longer appear in the form of a male! My body has changed into the body of a woman! I do not know what to transform!”
舍利弗化身為天女，回答說：「我不再呈現男性的形象！我的身體已經變成女性的身體！我不知道應該怎樣去轉變！」
6.35The goddess continued, “If the elder could again change out of the female state, then all women could also change out of their female states. All women appear in the form of women in just the same way as the elder appears in the form of a woman. While they are not women in reality, they appear in the form of women. With this in mind, the Buddha said, ‘In all things, there is neither male nor female.’ ”
6.35天女繼續說道：「如果舍利弗長老能夠再次改變女身，那麼所有女性也都能改變她們的女身。所有女性顯現女身的方式，就像舍利弗長老顯現女身的方式一樣。她們實際上並不是女性，只是顯現女身的形相。基於這個道理，佛陀說過：『在一切事物中，既沒有男性也沒有女性。』」
6.36Then, the goddess released her magical power and each returned to their ordinary form. She then said to him, “Reverend Śāriputra, what have you done with your female form?”
6.36於是天女收起她的神通力量，各自恢復了原本的樣子。她接著對他說：「尊敬的舍利弗，你對你的女身做了什麼呢？」
Śāriputra : I neither made it nor did I change it.
舍利弗：我既沒有造作它，也沒有改變它。
Goddess: Just so, all things are neither made nor changed, and that they are not made and not changed, that is the teaching of the Buddha. [F.213.b]
天女：正是如此，一切事物既不是被製造的，也不是被改變的，它們不被製造、不被改變，這就是佛陀的教導。
6.37Śāriputra : Goddess, where will you be born when you transmigrate after death?
6.37舍利弗：天女，你死後輪迴時會到哪裡去？
Goddess: I will be born where all the magical incarnations of the Tathāgata are born.
天女：我將出生在所有如來的幻化身出生的地方。
6.38Śāriputra : But the emanated incarnations of the Tathāgata do not transmigrate nor are they born.
6.38舍利弗：然而如來的化身既不輪迴，也不投生。
Goddess: All things and living beings are just the same; they do not transmigrate nor are they born!
天女：一切事物和眾生都是一樣的；它們不輪迴也不出生！
6.39Śāriputra : Goddess, how soon will you attain the perfect enlightenment of buddhahood?
6.39舍利弗：天女，你何時才能證得圓滿的佛陀菩提？
Goddess: At such time as you, elder, become endowed once more with the qualities of an ordinary individual, then will I attain the perfect enlightenment of buddhahood.
天女：長者，當您再次具備普通人的特質時，我就會證得佛陀的圓滿菩提。
6.40Śāriputra : Goddess, it is impossible that I should become endowed once more with the qualities of an ordinary individual.
6.40舍利弗：天女，我不可能再次具有普通人的特性。
Goddess: Just so, reverend Śāriputra, it is impossible that I should attain the perfect enlightenment of buddhahood! Why? Because perfect enlightenment stands upon the impossible. Because it is impossible, no one attains the perfect enlightenment of buddhahood.
天女：正是如此，尊敬的舍利弗，我也不可能證得完美的佛陀菩提！為什麼呢？因為完美的菩提是建立在不可能的基礎之上。正因為是不可能，所以沒有人能夠證得完美的佛陀菩提。
6.41Śāriputra : But the Tathāgata has declared: “The tathāgatas, who are as numerous as the sands of the Ganges, have attained perfect buddhahood, are attaining perfect buddhahood, and will go on attaining perfect buddhahood.”
6.41舍利弗：但如來曾宣說：「如恆河沙數之多的如來，已經證得完全的佛果，正在證得完全的佛果，將會證得完全的佛果。」
Goddess: Reverend Śāriputra, the expression “the buddhas of the past, present, and future” is a conventional expression made up of a certain number of syllables. The buddhas are neither past, nor present, nor future. Their enlightenment transcends the three times! But tell me, elder, have you attained the state of arhat?
天女：尊敬的舍利弗，「過去、現在、未來的諸佛」這個說法，是一個由一定數量音節組成的習慣用語。諸佛既不屬於過去，也不屬於現在，也不屬於未來。他們的菩提超越了三時！但請告訴我，長者，你是否已經證得阿羅漢的果位呢？
6.42Śāriputra : It is attained, because there is no attainment.
6.42舍利弗：之所以能證得，是因為沒有證得。
Goddess: Just so, there is perfect enlightenment because there is no attainment of perfect enlightenment.
天女：正是如此，因為沒有菩提的證得，所以才有圓滿的菩提。
6.43Then the Licchavi Vimalakīrti said to the venerable elder Śāriputra, “Reverend Śāriputra, this goddess has already served ninety-two million billion buddhas. She plays with the superknowledges. [F.214.a] She has truly succeeded in all her vows. She has gained the tolerance of the birthlessness of things. She has actually attained irreversibility. She can live wherever she wishes on the strength of her vow to develop living beings.”
6.43離車維摩詰對尊者舍利弗說：「尊者舍利弗，這位天女已經侍奉過九十二百千萬億尊諸佛。她已經掌握了神通。她真正圓滿了所有的願力。她已經獲得了無生法忍。她實際上已經達到了不退轉的境界。她能夠依靠利益眾生的願力，自由選擇任何地方居住。」