When the World Honored One heard that the Elder Vimalakīrti was ill in bed, he ordered Manjushri Bodhisattva to visit and express his condolences. All Bodhisattvas, disciples of the Buddha, gods, etc. knew that these two great masters would expound the wonderful Dharma when they met, so they went together to the elder's place in the great city of Viyali. Sure enough, a wonderful discussion unfolded...

At noon, Shariputra thought to himself: "It's time to fast. Do so many Bodhisattvas and four disciples want to fast here with the elder?" ?"

The elder Vimalakirti immediately understood and said: "All benevolent people always listen to the Buddha's teachings on the wonderful path of liberation. How can you indulge in worldly desires of food and drink without seeking the way to escape from life and death? Taste? However, after a while, there will be delicious delicacies beyond the world for everyone to enjoy.”

The elder immediately entered Samadhi and manifested his magical power for everyone to see, forty-two years away. There is a pure land world outside the Ganges Sand Buddha Land, called the "Land of Fragrances". Because of the presence of the Incense Buddha, the land is filled with fragrance, which is the best among the Ganges Sand Worlds. There are no two-vehicle people here, only the pure and great Bodhisattvas build their pavilions with incense. The gardens, ponds, and ponds are also filled with fragrant flowers and trees. The grains and fruits are plentiful, and their fragrance permeates the immeasurable worlds in the ten directions.

At this time, the elder Vimalakirti asked: "Which benevolent person is willing to go and offer fragrant rice for alms?" Among the crowd, Manjushri Bodhisattva was the most powerful and wise, and all the great disciples looked at each other in confusion. , dare not make a sound.

The elder Vimalakirti asked knowingly: "There are so many disciples of the World Honored One, no one can help?"

Manjushri Bodhisattva is calm and peaceful Yan said: "Elder, the World-Honored One often says, do not look down on those who are late in learning..."

Then the elder transformed into a Bodhisattva, with a bright appearance and awe-inspiring virtues, standing in front of the assembly. middle. The elder said to Hua Bodhisattva: "Please go to the world above, and pass through the land of Buddha, which is like the sand of the forty-two Ganges. There is a country named Zhongxiang, and the Buddha is named Xiangji. Xiangji Buddha is now having a meal with all the Bodhisattvas. Please pay homage to me and inquire about it. Xiangji Buddha, and please the Tathagata to mercifully donate some fasting food, and form a relationship with practitioners in the Saha world, so that "those who enjoy the small Dharma" can receive wonderful offerings, and all of them will have a great bodhicitta and promote the Buddha's virtues."

The transformed Bodhisattva immediately went to the Land of Fragrances. When the Bodhisattvas who were fasting saw his beautiful and solemn appearance, they sighed that it was rare, and asked Xiangji Buddha: "Where is the world of Saha? And what is a 'person who enjoys the small Dharma'?"

Xiangji Buddha replied: "The Saha World is outside the Buddha Land of the Forty-Two Ganges Sands. Now there is a Buddha named Sakyamuni. He lives compassionately in the evil world of five turbidities, enlightens the Hinayana beings who believe in happiness, and arouses great bodhicitta. In that world, there is a The Bodhisattva, named Vimalakīrti, has attained the unimaginable state of liberation and preaches the Dharma for them. Therefore, he sends this incarnation of the Bodhisattva to praise and praise the Land of Fragrance and the Buddha's virtues, so that the Buddhas in that country can increase their merits and move toward the Mahayana. ”

All the Bodhisattvas present sighed: “This layman Vimalakirti is really powerful!” Xiangji Buddha also nodded and praised: “Yes! Because layman Vimalakīrti has a broad mind, he has achieved great results.” His merits and magical powers are also immeasurable, and he can incarnate in the pure lands of the ten directions without obstacles, so he can help the Buddha spread and benefit sentient beings."

So Xiangji Tathagata filled the fragrant bowls with fragrant rice and gave it to the incarnate Bodhisattva. At this time, the nine million Bodhisattvas present here asked with one voice: "Can we go to the Saha world together and personally make offerings to Sakyamuni Buddha, Vimalakīrti and other Bodhisattvas?" The Tathagata readily agreed and reminded carefully: "Everyone Bodhisattvas should collect the incense of their bodies to prevent sentient beings in that land from having thoughts. At the same time, your appearance is extremely majestic and must be hidden. Don't make other Bodhisattvas feel ashamed of their dirty appearance when they see the turbidity of good and evil karma in that world. You should look at your own mind and don't do it. Because the lands in the ten directions are like empty space, the Buddhas and Tathagatas want to save living beings who enjoy the small dharma, so they do not complete the pure Buddha land achieved by the Buddha."

After the Bodhisattva believed in and followed it, he and the incarnate Bodhisattva took the alms bowl and relied on the power of Tathagata and Vimalakirti to arrive at the elder's home from that world in a moment.

Vimalakirti immediately manifested himself into the seat of nine million disciples, and respectfully invited all the Bodhisattvas to ascend to the seat. The incarnate Bodhisattva presented a bowl full of fragrant rice, and for a moment the fragrance filled the whole city and even the three thousand worlds. Anyone who smells this aroma will feel more relaxed physically and mentally than ever before.

In the city, the Lord Yue Gai immediately brought 84,000 followers to Vimalakirti's residence. The gods of the earth, the sky, and the gods also came after smelling the fragrance.

At this time, the Elder Vimalakirti respectfully invited the Venerable Sariputta and other great disciples to eat the meal: "This is the Tathagata's nectar-flavored rice, which is diffused by the great compassion. If you use it with narrow and poor knowledge, it will be difficult to use it." "

Some people in the crowd questioned: "How can such a small amount of food be enough for so many people?"

The incarnation Bodhisattva replied calmly: "Don't be a sravaka. Xiaozhi, I weigh the Tathagata's immeasurable blessings and wisdom! Even if the four seas are exhausted, this fragrant rice can satisfy everyone for a long time and will never be exhausted. Why is it because the Tathagata has endless merits of freedom and liberation? ”

After saying this, everyone can enjoy the wonderful taste of nectar with peace of mind, and feel great physical and mental peace, and their pores also emit fragrance, just like the fragrance of all the flowers, plants and trees in the fragrant land.

The elder Vimalakīrti saw that the crowd was full of Dharma joy, and took advantage of this opportunity to ask the Buddha Xiangji: "How does Xiangji Buddha teach the Dharma on a daily basis?"

The Bodhisattvas said: "Xiangji Tathagata There is no need for words or words, but the incense is used to enable gods and humans to observe the rules and practices. Practitioners can sit under the incense tree and smell the wonderful incense, and then they will have all the merits and virtues and achieve the path of Bodhisattva." He asked again. : "I wonder what Lord Sakyamuni preached?"

Elder Vimalakirti said: "The living beings here are strong and difficult to convert, so Sakyamuni Tathagata spoke strong words to tame them, talking about hells and hungry ghosts. Wait for the karma and retribution of all evil ways, and then encourage you to practice the ten good deeds, observe the precepts, and finally lead to the right path without defects."

Hearing this, Zhongxiang Bodhisattva felt respectful and grateful: "It is really too extraordinary. Like World Honored Sakyamuni, who hides his infinite power and preaches salvation according to the joy of the roots of sentient beings in this area; and the Bodhisattva in this area can also work hard and be patient, and be born in this land with immeasurable compassion to help transform. " Dharma wheel. "

The elder Vimalakīrti said happily: "As he said, the Bodhisattva in this land has made firm and compassionate vows for all living beings. However, he has benefited all living beings in this land for one lifetime, which is more than the land of Xiangji. Practice for thousands of kalpas. Because there are ten good things in the Saha world that are not found in other pure lands, they are: to overcome poverty with generosity, to overcome taboos with pure precepts, to overcome anger with patience, to overcome laziness with vigor, and to combat confusion with meditation. , use wisdom to conquer the ignorant, use the method of removing difficulties to overcome the eight difficulties, use the Mahayana method to bring happiness to the Hinayana people, use various good roots to help those who have no virtue, and always use the four methods to achieve the goal of achieving sentient beings, these are the ten good methods."

All the people present at the meeting heard the extraordinary motivations and subtle Dharma doors of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and all aroused the supreme bodhicitta. Tens of thousands of Bodhisattvas immediately achieved the endurance of the unborn Dharma.

Allusions are excerpted from: "Vimalakīrti Sutra·Xiangji Buddha Chapter 10"

Reflection:

Sakyamuni Tathagata has been beneficial to the bodhisattva path for many kalpas. Being sentient, I feel the rewards of immeasurable blessings and wisdom, and the power of immeasurable freedom. However, out of compassion for the ignorant and inferior beings, he showed his inferior body in the land of Saha, attained enlightenment with the eight characteristics, and preached the Dharma with compassion for forty-nine years, teaching all to escape from suffering and gain happiness.

Our karma is caused by the evil world of the five turbidities. If we can listen to the Buddha's teachings, we should think about the vastness of the Buddha's grace, diligently practice the Tao, perform ten good deeds, and achieve the Tao to repay the Buddha's grace. I further make a great vow to follow Buddha's actions, to worship the Three Jewels, and to serve all Buddhas in the ten directions without any fatigue. If you practice all the Dharma doors, you will gain mastery of them all, and you will be able to achieve widespread blessings and wisdom, and you will be able to bring peace to the world.