The Buddha-field and its pure state - excerpt from Vimalakirti Nirdesa Sutra Thereupon, magically influenced by the Buddha, the venerable Shariputra had this thought: If the Buddha-field is pure only to the extent that the mind of the bodhisattva is pure, then, when Shakyamuni Buddha was engaged in the career of the bodhisattva, his mind must have been impure. Otherwise, how could this Buddha-field appear to be so impure? The Buddha, knowing telepathically the thought of venerable Shariputra, said to him, What do you think, Shariputra? Is it because the sun and moon are impure that those blind from birth do not see them? Shariputra replied, No, Lord. It is not so. The fault lies with those blind from birth, and not with the sun and moon. The Buddha declared, In the same way, Shariputra, the fact that some living beings do not behold the splendid display of virtues of the Buddha-field of the Tathágata is due to their own ignorance. It is not the fault of the Tathágata. Shariputra, the Buddha-field of the Tathágata is pure, but you do not see it. Then the Brahma Sikhin said to the venerable Shariputra, Reverend Shariputra, do not say that the Buddha-field of the Tathágata is impure. Reverend Shariputra, the Buddha-field of the Tathágata is pure. I see the splendid expanse of the Buddha-field of the Lord Shakyamuni as equal to the splendor of, for example, the abodes of the highest deities. Then the venerable Shariputra said to the Brahma Sikhin, As for me, O Brahma, I see this great earth, with its highs and lows, its thorns, its precipices, its peaks, and its abysses, as if it were entirely filled with ordure. (impurity) Brahma Sikhin replied, The fact that you see such a Buddha-field as this as if it were so impure, reverend Shariputra, is a sure sign that there are highs and lows in your mind and that your positive thought in regard to the Buddha-gnosis is not pure either. Reverend Shariputra, those whose minds are impartial toward all living beings and whose positive thoughts toward the Buddha-gnosis are pure see this Buddha-field as perfectly pure. Thereupon the Lord touched the ground of this billion-world-galactic universe with his big toe, and suddenly it was transformed into a huge mass of precious jewels, a magnificent array of many hundreds of thousands of clusters of precious gems, until it resembled the universe of the Tathágata Ratnavyuha, called Anantagunaratnavyuha. Everyone in the entire assembly was filled with wonder, each perceiving himself seated on a throne of jeweled lotuses. Then, the Buddha said to the venerable Shariputra, Shariputra, do you see this splendor of the virtues of the Buddha-field? Shariputra replied, I see it, Lord! Here before me is a display of splendor such as I never before heard of or beheld! The Buddha said, Shariputra, this Buddha-field is always thus pure, but the Tathágata makes it appear to be spoiled by many faults, in order to bring about the maturity of the inferior living beings. For example, Shariputra, the gods of the Trayastrimsa heaven all take their food from a single precious vessel, yet the nectar, which nourishes each one, differs according to the differences of the merits each has accumulated. Just so, Shariputra, living beings born in the same Buddha-field see the splendor of the virtues of the Buddha-fields of the Buddhas according to their own degrees of purity.
Posted on: Mon, 18 Aug 2014 08:32:15 +0000
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