Then, the Buddha, seated serenely under the Bodhi tree, turned to his esteemed disciple, Crown Prince Manjusri, and uttered with a tone of gentle authority, “Manjusri, I entrust upon you a task of great importance. Go forth to the abode of Licchavi Vimalakirti and inquire about his ailment.”
Manjusri, revered for his wisdom and insight, hesitated momentarily, acknowledging the renowned intellect and eloquence of Vimalakirti. Despite the apprehension gnawing at the edges of his resolve, he bowed reverently to the Buddha and replied, “Lord, your command is my honor to fulfill. Though the task may be daunting, I shall embark upon this journey guided by your divine grace.”
In the vast assembly of bodhisattvas, disciples, celestial beings, and gods, anticipation hung palpably in the air. The prospect of witnessing the exchange between Manjusri, the embodiment of wisdom, and Vimalakirti, the paragon of skillful means, promised profound insights into the essence of existence.
With a retinue of bodhisattvas and celestial beings trailing in his wake, Manjusri set forth towards the great city of Vaisali, where Vimalakirti resided.
Meanwhile, within the confines of his humble abode, Vimalakirti, perceiving the approach of Manjusri and his entourage through his boundless wisdom, willed his dwelling into a state of emptiness. Magically, the physical trappings dissolved into nothingness, leaving only the sickbed upon which he reclined, a solitary beacon amidst the void.
As Manjusri crossed the threshold into Vimalakirti’s ethereal abode, the air crackled with anticipation. Vimalakirti, perceiving Manjusri’s arrival through the subtle currents of cosmic consciousness, greeted him with a warm smile, his voice resonating with profound tranquility. “Manjusri, welcome,” he exclaimed, his words transcending the bounds of ordinary speech. “Your presence graces my humble abode. Here you stand, yet you neither come nor go. You are heard, yet no sound reverberates in this emptiness.”
Manjusri, humbled by Vimalakirti’s words, inquired about his well-being with genuine concern. “Householder,” he began, “how fares your health? Is your affliction bearable? Does the light of the Buddha’s teachings bring solace to your heart?”
Vimalakirti, reclining upon his sickbed with an air of serene resignation, responded with profound insight. “Manjusri, my ailment springs forth from the well of ignorance, nourished by the relentless currents of samsara. As long as sentient beings endure the scourge of affliction, so too shall my suffering persist. For the bodhisattva, the suffering of all beings is but his own, borne with boundless compassion.”
Their conversation, like a symphony of enlightenment, unfolded in intricate patterns of question and answer, each exchange revealing deeper layers of truth. Manjusri, ever the seeker of wisdom, probed Vimalakirti’s teachings with earnest curiosity, delving into the nature of emptiness, compassion, and the path to liberation.
Vimalakirti, with the clarity of a sage, expounded upon the bodhisattva’s domain, a realm where the boundaries between self and other, sickness and health, nirvana and samsara, dissolved into the boundless expanse of emptiness.
Their dialogue, a tapestry woven with threads of profound insight and compassionate wisdom, resonated throughout the cosmos, stirring the hearts of gods and beings across the celestial realms.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting an ethereal glow upon the tranquil landscape, Manjusri and Vimalakirti concluded their discourse. Eight thousand gods, inspired by the teachings of Vimalakirti, kindled the flame of enlightenment within their hearts, aspiring to traverse the path of liberation.
And so, amidst the infinite expanse of the cosmos, the encounter between Manjusri and Vimalakirti echoed as a timeless testament to the boundless potential of wisdom and compassion to illuminate the path to enlightenment for all sentient beings.
Link: https://wisdomtea.org/2024/04/04/consolation-of-the-invalid/
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