Disease is emptiness―what made him ill? Vimalakīrtinirdeśa Chap. 4 (working)

Mañjuśrī : “Where is the origin of this disease, O householder? How long have you had the disease? And when will it subside?”

Vimalakīrti said: “Mañjuśrī, as long as ignorance and craving for existence are grasped, for that long, my illness exists. When all sentient beings become free from illness, then my illness will cease.”

1. What did Vimalakīrti talk about?
2. §1-5 Introduction
3. §6-7 What is the origin of the disease?
1. 3.1 Conversations
2. 3.2 Conclusion
4. §8 What is the emptiness?
1. 4.1 Conversations
2. 4.2 Discussion and Conclusion
5. §９ What kind of illness do you suffer?
1. 5.1 Conversations
2. 5.2 Conclusion
6. §10 In which way can we say hello to ill Bodhisattvas?
7. §11-16 What kind of thoughts should Bodhisattvas have?
8. §17-20 What is the wisdom without supported by measures?

1. What did Vimalakīrti talk about?

In Vimalakīrtinirdeśa, emptiness is explained in the form of conversation between Mañjuśrī and Vimalakīrti. I think you can just read it down. my excerpt for your convenience. If you’re interested, the full text and English translation is here.

2. §1-5 Introduction

Compliments to Vimalakīrti and stage-setting. Mañjuśrī goes to Vimalakīrti’s house, and Vimalakīrti prepares for it removing all goods to make it empty. Mañjuśrī greets Vimalakīrti.

3. §6-7 What is the origin of the disease?

3.1 Conversations

Mañjuśrī: “Where is the origin of this disease, O householder? How long have you had the disease? And when will it subside?”

Vimalakīrti said: “As long, Mañjuśrī, as ignorance (avidyā) and craving for existence (bhavatṛṣṇā) are grasped, for that long, my illness exists. When all sentient beings become free from illness, then my illness will cease. Why is that? Because, Mañjuśrī, the Bodhisattva’s cycle of existence (saṃsāra) is based on sentient beings, and illness is dependent on the cycle of existence. When all sentient beings become free from illness, then the Bodhisattva will be free from disease.”

Vimalakīrti: “For example, Mañjuśrī, suppose a householder has one son who becomes sick. His parents also become distressed, and they will be unhappy until that only son is free from his illness. In the same way, Mañjuśrī, a Bodhisattva has the love of an only son for all sentient beings. He becomes sick with the sickness of sentient beings, and he becomes well with the well-being of sentient beings. Furthermore, Mañjuśrī, you ask: “From where does the sickness arise?” The sickness of the Bodhisattvas arises from great compassion.”

3.2 Conclusion

All sentients’ illness affects Bodhisattvas’ beings, makes them ill.

4. §8 What is the emptiness?

4.1 Conversations

Mañjuśrī said: Your house, householder, is empty. And you have no attendant.

Vimalakīrti said: All the Buddha fields, O Mañjuśrī, are empty.

Mañjuśrī said: Why are they empty?

Vimalakīrti said: empty by emptiness

Mañjuśri asks: What is the emptiness of emptiness?

Vimalakīrti said: and non-conceptualizations are the emptinesses of emptiness

Mañjuśri said: Is emptiness possible to conceive of again?

Vimalakīrti said: That by which it is conceptualized is also empty. And emptiness does not conceptualize emptiness.

Mañjuśri said: householder, where should emptiness be sought?

Vimalakīrti said: Mañjuśri, emptiness is to be sought from the sixty-two wrong views.

Mañjuśri said: Where are the sixty-two wrong views to be sought again?

Vimalakīrti said: They are to be sought through the Tathagata’s liberation.

Mañjuśri said: Furthermore, where should the liberation of the Tathagata be sought?

Vimalakīrti: said: It must be sought from the conduct of the minds of all beings. But Mañjuśri do you speak thus? Who is the attendant? All Māras(Devils) and all non-Buddhist proponents are my attendants. For what reason? Māras(Devils) extol cyclic existence (saṃsāra), and saṃsāra is the attendant of the Bodhisattva. The non-Buddhist proponents extol wrong views (dṛṣṭigata), and the Bodhisattva does not waver from all wrong views. Therefore, all Māras and all non-Buddhist proponents are my attendants.

4.2 Discussion and Conclusion

On the former half, Vimalakīrti seems to talk about how the concept “Emptiness” is constructed. The later half, he talks about why the sentients make repeatedly misconducts. I put a figure (fig.1) explaining Vimalakīrti’s view on sentients’ misconduct.

Fig.1 Vimalakīrti exlpains what cause saṃsāra

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5. §９ What kind of illness do you suffer?

5.1 Conversations

Mañjuśrī said: What kind of sickness is this, householder, that you have?

Vimalakīrti said: invisible, imperceptible

Mañjuśrī asked: “Is this disease associated with the body or associated with the mind?”

Vimalakīrti said: It is not connected with the body because of the body’s isolation, nor is it connected with the mind because of the mind’s illusory nature.

Mañjuśrī said: There are these four elements, householder. Which four? Namely, the earth element, the water element, the fire element, and the wind element. Then which element among them obstructs (or oppresses)?

Vimalakīrti said: O Mañjuśrī, with this very kind of nature, the disease of all sentient beings is what I am afflicted with.

5.2 Conclusion

Vimalakīrti doesn’t give any glimpse to ancient Indian “Four elements theory”. He knows it wrong.