Summary
s.1While the Buddha is teaching outside the city of Vaiśālī, a notable householder in the city—the great bodhisattva Vimalakīrti—apparently falls sick. The Buddha asks his disciple and bodhisattva disciples to call on Vimalakīrti, but each of them relates previous encounters that have rendered them reluctant to face his penetrating scrutiny of their attitudes and activities. Only Mañjuśrī has the courage to pay him a visit, and in the conversations that ensue between Vimalakīrti, Mañjuśrī, and several other interlocutors, Vimalakīrti sets out an uncompromising and profound view of the Buddha’s teaching and the bodhisattva path, illustrated by various miraculous displays. Its masterful narrative structure, dramatic and sometimes humorous dialogue, and highly evolved presentation of teachings have made this sūtra one of the favorites of Mahāyāna literature.
s.1佛陀在毘舍離城外教導時，城中有一位著名的居士——偉大的菩薩維摩詰——顯現生病了。佛陀請他的弟子和菩薩弟子去探望維摩詰，但他們各自述說了以前的經歷，這些經歷使他們不願意面對維摩詰對他們的態度和行為的深刻審視。只有文殊菩薩有勇氣去拜訪他，在隨後發生在維摩詰、文殊菩薩和其他幾位對話者之間的對話中，維摩詰闡述了對佛陀教法和菩薩道的堅定不移且深刻的見解，並通過各種神奇的顯現加以說明。其精妙的敘事結構、戲劇性且有時幽默的對話，以及高度發展的教法呈現方式，使得這部經成為大乘文獻中最受歡迎的經典之一。