Recently I read a copy of the Buddhist Text Translation Society’s Vimalakīrti Sūtra. This is at least my third reading of this sūtra and what struck me this time through was the discussion of Buddhalands.

In Chapter 16 of the Lotus Sūtra we’re told:

[This] pure world of mine is indestructible.
But the [perverted] people think:
“It is full of sorrow, fear, and other sufferings.
It will soon burn away.”

Morning and evening each day in the service prayer we vow, “May we realize this world is the Eternal Buddha’s Pure Land!”

That’s always been hard to understand. The Vimalakīrti Sūtra sheds some light on this.

In the sūtra, Vimalakīrti shows his audience a distant Buddhaland called Myriad Fragrances in which the Buddha Collection of Supreme Fragrances reigns. Everything in this world is composed of fragrance, even the Dharma.

Later in the sūtra Ananda discusses with the Buddha what happened at Vimalakīrti ‘s house:

Ananda said to the Buddha, “This is unprecedented, World Honored One! This fragrant food is able to accomplish the Buddhas’ work!”

The Buddha said, “Indeed, Ananda! Indeed! There are some Buddhalands where the brilliance of the Buddha’s light accomplishes the Buddhas’ work; where the myriad Bodhisattvas accomplish the Buddhas’ work; where people conjured by the Buddha accomplish the Buddhas’ work; where bodhi trees accomplish the Buddhas’ work; where the Buddha’s robes and bedding accomplish the Buddhas’ work; where food accomplishes the Buddhas’ work; where gardens, groves, and pavilions accomplish the Buddhas’ work; where the thirty-two hallmarks and eighty subsidiary characteristics accomplish the Buddhas’ work; where the Buddha’s body accomplishes the Buddhas’ work; or where empty space accomplishes the Buddhas’ work. In response to these conditions, living beings are led to undertake the practice of the precepts.

“There are places where dreams, illusions, shadows, echoes, reflections in a mirror, the moon’s reflection in water, mirages in the heat, and other such analogies accomplish the buddhas’ work; or where sounds, language, and words accomplish the Buddhas’ work. There are pure Buddhalands where tranquil silence, the absence of words, explanations, comments, and opinions, nonaction, and the unconditioned accomplish the Buddhas’ work. In this way, Ananda, there is nothing about the Buddhas’ deportment, nothing in what they do, that does not accomplish the Buddhas’ work.

“Ananda! Living beings are troubled by the four demons and the eighty-four thousand afflictions; through these troubles, the Buddhas carry out their work. This is to enter the Dharma-door of all Buddhas. Bodhisattvas who enter this door do not give rise to joy, craving, or conceit when they see pure and well-adorned Buddhalands, nor do they give rise to worry, aversion, or contempt when they see impure Buddhalands. They have only pure thoughts toward all Buddhas and feel unprecedented joy and reverence.

“The merit of all Buddhas is equal. In order to teach living beings, the Buddhas manifest different Buddhalands.”

I’m reminded of the verse in the Sūtra of Innumerable Meanings in which we learn that the Buddha “emerges according to the good karmic actions of living beings.”

I also want to note that I enjoyed the translation. Compared to the BDK America 2004 translation, this is more readable, but not quite as good as Burton Watson’s 1997 Columbia University Press translation.

An example of the difference can be seen on page 106, where Vimalakīrti has just shown everyone the Buddha Collection of Supreme Fragrances and his Bodhisattvas sitting down for a meal.

Then Vimalakīrti asked the assembled Bodhisattvas, “Humane Ones, who among you can go to that Buddha for food?” But all of them were silenced by Mañjuśrī’s awe-inspiring spiritual power. Vimalakīrti said, “Humane Ones, is none of you ashamed?”

Mañjuśrī said, “Didn’t the Buddha say not to look down on those not yet learned?”

In reading this I stumbled. Mañjuśrī isn’t doing anything. What’s going on? Watson’s translation offers this on page 113:

Then Vimalakirti addressed the bodhisattvas, saying, “Sirs, who among you can bring us some of that Buddha’s food?”

Out of deference to Manjushri’s authority and supernatural powers, however, all of them remained silent.

[Addressing Manjushri,] Vimalakirti said, “Sir, a great assembly such as this this is shameful, is it not?”

Manjushri replied, “As the Buddha has told us, never despise those who have yet to learn.”

I suppose one could argue that Watson has inserted his opinion rather than simply translating the Chinese text, but I find his version to more readable as a result and therefore better for it.