Chapter 4- The Consolation of the Invalid

“In the silent theater of an empty house, where Vimalakīrti reclines on his couch, Chapter 4 unfolds as a radiant dialogue of non-dual wisdom, inviting us to witness the bodhisattva’s art of transforming suffering into liberation through the Union of the Two Truths. His feigned sickness, a compassionate mirror of beings’ delusions, reveals the illusory nature of pain — dependently arisen [T1] yet empty of inherent essence [T2] [U2T] — guiding Mañjuśrī and the assembly toward the profound suchness (tathatā) where samsāra and nirvāṇa intertwine. With masterful skill, Vimalakīrti deconstructs dualities of self and other, sickness and health, weaving wisdom’s insight into emptiness [T2] with the boundless compassion that embraces all beings as one’s only child [T1]  [U2T-in-action]. Step into this chapter’s hidden treasure, where the bodhisattva’s domain — neither indulgence nor control, neither worldly nor transcendent — unveils the Middle Way, inviting you to dance in the play of illusions, awakening through compassionate wisdom to the ineffable unity of reality’s boundless heart.”

Last update: August 11, 2025
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Source Text: https://84000.co/translation/toh176 

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TEXT with Comments:

[Text from 84000: “Eighty-four thousand conceive bodhicitta.”]

[Mañjuśrī, despite his own reluctance, is the only bodhisattva to assent to the Buddha’s request, and the fourth and subsequent chapters describe the conversations between him, Vimalakīrti, and a number of other interlocutors from the large assembly accompanying Mañjuśrī to Vimalakīrti’s house in the eager anticipation of hearing the Dharma expressed in the exchange between these two high-level bodhisattvas.]
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Then, the Buddha said to the crown prince, Mañjuśrī,
“Mañjuśrī, go to the Licchavi Vimalakīrti to inquire about his illness.”
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[A. Qualities of the Licchavi Vimalakīrti:

Consummate in the Union of virtuous adapted skillful means [T1] and wisdom [T2] [U2T-in-action], reconciliation of dichotomies [Non-duality / Uopp], teaching skills.]

(Summary A: In this section, Mañjuśrī humbly acknowledges the profound challenges of engaging with Vimalakīrti, portraying him as an archetypal bodhisattva whose qualities embody the Madhyamaka realization of Union of the Two Truths [U2T / U2T-2T] and Non-duality / Union of opposites [Uopp / U2T-opp].
Vimalakīrti's "marvelous eloquence" and "imperturbable intellect" reflect a mastery over language and concepts [T1] ⇐⇒ not as reified entities [T2] ⇐⇒ but as adapted skillful means (upāya) [T1] to deconstruct dichotomies [U2T / U2T-opp] — such as existence/non-existence, samsāra/nirvāṇa, or self/other — revealing their ultimate interdependence [T1-opp] ⇐⇒ and lack of inherent essence [T2-opp] [U2T-opp].
His penetration of "secret mysteries" and "civilizing of devils' abodes" signifies the transcendence of apparent opposites [Non-duality / Uopp / U2T-opp], where even demonic realms are empty of intrinsic reality, tamed through playful engagement with superknowledges that arise from the Union of virtues (like bodhicitta, compassion) [T1] and wisdom (prajñā) [T2] [U2T-in-action] rather than dualistic striving.
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At the core, Vimalakīrti exemplifies the indivisible Union of wisdom [T2] and liberative art (adapted skillful means / upāya) [T1] [U2T-in-action]: his "supreme excellence in the non-dual sphere" points to the Madhyamaka Middle Way, where the ultimate realm (dharmadhātu) is uniform and void ⇐⇒ yet manifests infinitely tailored teachings according to beings' faculties [T1] ⇐⇒ without grasping at modalities as truly existent [T2] [U2T].
This decisiveness in all questions arises not from dogmatic assertions but from the direct insight into the true nature of Reality as it is (tathatā) as pointed out by the Union of the Two Truths [U2T] and Union of opposites [Non-duality / Uopp], allowing him to reconcile provisional truths [T1] ⇐⇒ with the ultimate [T2] ⇐⇒ without contradiction [U2T].
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Thus, the deep message is that true bodhisattva qualities stem from realizing the Union of the Two Truths about all phenomena [U2T] and being able to “act without acting [U2T-in-action]” in accord with it [U2T-in-action].
Enabling effortless, non-dualistic, non-conceptual action, without attachment/rejection or reification, that benefits beings [T1 ] ⇐⇒ while avoiding the extremes of eternalism (clinging to forms) and nihilism (denying efficacy) [T2] [U2T / Uopp].
Mañjuśrī's reliance on the Buddha's grace underscores that such engagement requires surrendering egoic defenses to enter this non-dual dialogue.)

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Mañjuśrī replied, “Lord, it is difficult to attend upon the Licchavi Vimalakīrti.
He is gifted with marvelous eloquence concerning the law of the profound.
He is extremely skilled in full expressions and in the reconciliation of dichotomies.
His eloquence is inexorable, and no one can resist his imperturbable intellect.
He accomplishes all the activities of the bodhisattvas.
He penetrates all the secret mysteries of the bodhisattvas and the buddhas.
He is skilled in civilizing all the abodes of devils.
He plays with the great superknowledges.
He is consummate in wisdom [T2] and liberative art (upāya) [T1] [U2T-in-action].
He has attained the supreme excellence of the indivisible,
non-dual sphere of the ultimate realm.
He is skilled in teaching the Dharma with its infinite modalities [T1] within the uniform ultimate [T2] [U2T].
He is skilled in granting means of attainment in accordance with the spiritual faculties of all living beings.
He has thoroughly integrated his realization with skill in liberative art.
He has attained decisiveness with regard to all questions.
Thus, although he cannot be withstood by someone of my feeble defenses, still, sustained by the grace of the Buddha, I will go to him and will converse with him as well as I can.”

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[B. Followers:]

(Summary: This section depicts a vast assembly of bodhisattvas, disciples, Śakras, Brahmās, Lokapālas, gods, and goddesses following Mañjuśrī to hear the Dharma from Vimalakīrti, anticipating a profound teaching.
From a Madhyamaka perspective, the gathering reflects the interdependent [T1], non-substantial [T2] nature of all phenomena [U2T]: the diverse beings, though appearing distinct, are unified in their shared aspiration for wisdom, illustrating the emptiness of fixed identities.
Their collective movement to Vimalakīrti’s presence signifies the dynamic interplay of conventional appearances [T1] and ultimate truth [T2] [U2T], where the act of following is not attachment to a goal but a spontaneous response to the potential for realizing non-duality.
The deep message is that all beings, regardless of their apparent roles or realms, are inherently linked in the empty yet compassionate unfolding of the Dharma [U2T-in-action], with Vimalakīrti’s teaching serving as a catalyst to reveal the non-separation of samsāra and nirvāṇa.)

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Thereupon, in that assembly, the bodhisattvas, the great disciples, the Śakras, the Brahmās, the Lokapālas, and the gods and goddesses, all had this thought:
“Surely the conversations of the crown prince Mañjuśrī
and that good man will result in a profound teaching of the Dharma.”

Thus, eight thousand bodhisattvas, five hundred disciples, a great number of Śakras, Brahmās, Lokapālas, and many hundreds of thousands of gods and goddesses, all followed the crown prince Mañjuśrī to listen to the Dharma.
And the crown prince Mañjuśrī, surrounded and followed by these bodhisattvas, disciples, Śakras, Brahmās, Lokapālas, gods, and goddesses, entered the great city of Vaiśālī.

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[C. Welcoming/coming/seeing/going [T1] without welcoming/coming/seeing/going [T2] [U2T-in-action],

without attachment/rejection, reification, effort or absolute; while aware of the true nature of the three spheres of the activity (subject/actor, relation/action, object/result): that they are empty of inherent existence, never absolute [T2-3S] ⇐⇒ because they are dependently co-arisen, interdependent, co-defined, co-evolving, co-imputed by the mind [T1-3S] ⇐⇒ and vice versa; Union of the Two Truths about the three spheres [U3S / U2T-3S] ⇐⇒ like illusions, reflections, mirages, dreams, echos, ‘there, yet not there’.]

(Summary: In this section, Vimalakīrti magically transforms his house into emptiness (śūnyatā), leaving only his invalid’s couch, and greets Mañjuśrī with a paradoxical welcome:
“You are very welcome! Here you are,
without previously having come, been seen, or been heard.”
(i.e. Acting/perceiving without acting/perceiving him [U2T-in-action],
without attachment/rejection, reification, effort or absolute)
This exchange, coupled with Mañjuśrī’s inquiry about Vimalakīrti’s sickness, reveals the Madhyamaka insight into the non-substantial nature of all phenomena (i.e. Union of the Two Truths / U2T).
The empty house symbolizes the ultimate truth of śūnyatā — devoid of inherent existence, with no fixed entities like furniture or servants to reify.
Vimalakīrti’s greeting underscores the non-duality of coming and going, as these are mere conceptual designations (coming/going conventionally) [T1] ⇐⇒ without intrinsic reality (without coming/going in absolute terms, without attachment/rejection or reification) [T2] [U2T] ⇐⇒ aligning with the Madhyamaka view that phenomena lack independent arising or cessation (unborn, unceasing).
His sickness, queried by Mañjuśrī, is framed as an adapted skillful means (upāya) to engage with the world, not a real affliction, reflecting the bodhisattva’s compassionate participation in samsāra [T1] ⇐⇒  while resting in the realization that all is empty [T2] [U2T].
The deep message is that true welcome — whether to guests or suffering — arises from recognizing the illusory nature of appearances, enabling a bodhisattva to abide in emptiness [T2] ⇐⇒ while engaging with beings without attachment or aversion [T1] [U2T].)

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Meanwhile, the Licchavi Vimalakīrti thought to himself,
“Mañjuśrī, the crown prince, is coming here with numerous attendants.
Now, may this house be transformed into emptiness (śūnyatā)!”

Then, magically his house became empty.
Even the doorkeeper disappeared.
And, except for the invalid’s couch upon which Vimalakīrti himself was lying, no bed or couch or seat could be seen anywhere.

Then, the Licchavi Vimalakīrti saw the crown prince Mañjuśrī and addressed him thus:
“Mañjuśrī! Welcome, Mañjuśrī!
You are very welcome!
Here you are [T1], without previously having come,
been seen, or been heard [T2] [U2T-in-action].

Mañjuśrī declared,
“Householder, it is as you say.
Who comes [T1], ultimately comes not [T2] [U2T-in-action].
Who goes [T1], ultimately goes not [T2] [U2T-in-action].
Why? Coming is not really known in coming,
and going is not really known in going.
What is seen [T1] is not to be seen again,
ultimately [T2] [U2T-in-action].

“Good sir, is your condition tolerable?
Is it livable?
Are your physical elements not disturbed?
Is your sickness diminishing?
Is it not increasing?
The Buddha asks about you — if you have slight trouble, slight discomfort, slight sickness, if your distress is light, if you are cared for, strong, at ease, without self-reproach, and if you are living in touch with the supreme happiness.

“Householder, whence came this sickness of yours?
How long will it continue?
How does it stand?
How can it be alleviated?”

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[D. The sicknesses of the bodhisattvas arise from great compassion:]

(Summary: In Section D of the Vimalakīrti Sūtra, Vimalakīrti responds to Mañjuśrī’s inquiry about the origin, duration, and alleviation of his sickness, revealing that his affliction stems from "ignorance and the thirst for existence" and persists as long as living beings remain sick.
From a Madhyamaka perspective, this section profoundly illustrates the bodhisattva’s embodiment of the Union of the Two Truths [U2T] — dependently arisen appearances (conventional truth) [T1] ⇐⇒ and their emptiness of inherent existence (ultimate truth) [T2] [U2T] — through the lens of great compassion (mahākaruṇā).
Vimalakīrti’s sickness is not a personal, inherently real condition [T2] but a skillful means (upāya) manifesting as a provisional appearance to mirror the suffering of all beings, rooted in their deluded grasping at a self and phenomena as inherently existent [T1] [U2T].
This compassionate engagement with samsāra reflects the Madhyamaka rejection of both eternalism (reifying suffering as real) and nihilism (denying the efficacy of compassionate action), navigating the Middle Way where suffering is recognized as empty [T2] ⇐⇒ yet functionally significant for awakening others [T1] [U2T].
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Vimalakīrti explains that his sickness arises from great compassion (and vice versa), likening it to parents who suffer when their only child is ill, recovering only when the child does.
This analogy underscores the bodhisattva’s non-dual connection with all beings [Non-duality / Uopp]: their suffering is his, not because of a reified self [T2] but because the world, for a bodhisattva, consists solely of living beings [T1] ⇐⇒ all empty of inherent essence [T2] ⇐⇒ yet bound by ignorance [T1] [U2T].
The Madhyamaka insight here is that compassion operates within the conventional realm of interdependence — where beings appear to suffer due to deluded perceptions [T1] ⇐⇒ while rooted in the ultimate realization that sickness, self, and world lack svabhāva (inherent existence) [T2] [U2T].
Vimalakīrti’s sickness, therefore, is a deliberate participation in the illusory appearances of samsāra, not as a binding affliction but as a liberative art (skillful means) [T1] ⇐⇒ to guide beings toward the realization of emptiness [T2] ⇐⇒ and the Union of the Two Truths [U2T], which frees them from the root of suffering: the misconception of inherent reality and opposition.
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This dialogue deepens the Madhyamaka perspective by emphasizing that emptiness is not a substance or absolute void but the absence of inherent existence in all phenomena [T2], including emptiness itself (śūnyatā-śūnyatā) [T2-2T].
The house’s emptiness is not a denial of reality but a teaching device pointing to tathatā (suchness), the non-dual reality where appearances [T1] ⇐⇒ and emptiness [T2] ⇐⇒ are inseparable [U2T / U2T-2T].
Vimalakīrti’s assertion that māras and opponents are his “servants” further illustrates this: even deluded forces advocating birth, death, or convictions [T1] ⇐⇒ are empty of inherent power [T2] ⇐⇒ and serve the bodhisattva’s purpose by providing opportunities to engage with samsāra [T1] ⇐⇒ without being bound by it [T2] ⇐⇒ thus teaching liberation [U2T] through the very conditions of delusion.
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Vimalakīrti’s description of his sickness as “immaterial and invisible,” neither physical nor mental, reinforces the Madhyamaka view that phenomena [T1] ⇐⇒ lack inherent nature [T2] [U2T].
The body is insubstantial, an aggregate of the four elements without a self, and the mind is illusory, like a mirage [U3S / U2T-3S].
His sickness exists only insofar as beings’ elements are “disturbed” by ignorance, highlighting that suffering is a dependently arisen appearance [T1] ⇐⇒ empty of intrinsic reality [T2] ⇐⇒ yet experienced conventionally [T1] [U2T].
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The bodhisattva’s compassion [T1] ⇐⇒ and the realization of emptiness [T2] ⇐⇒ are mutually entailing [U2T], each illuminating and sustaining the other in the non-dual Middle Way, allowing engagement with suffering as a skillful means [T1] ⇐⇒ without reification [T2] [U2T].
This non-dual approach avoids the extremes of attachment to worldly forms or aversion to them, embodying the Middle Way where compassion [T1] and wisdom [T2] are unified [U2T] in the direct experience of reality’s suchness — neither existent nor non-existent, but dynamically manifesting for the benefit of all.)

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Vimalakīrti replied,
“Mañjuśrī, my sickness comes from ignorance and the thirst for existence and it will last as long as do the sicknesses of all living beings.
Were all living beings to be free from sickness, I also would not be sick.
Why? Mañjuśrī, for the bodhisattva, the world consists only of living beings, and sickness is inherent in living in the world.
Were all living beings free of sickness, the bodhisattva also would be free of sickness.
For example, Mañjuśrī, when the only son of a merchant is sick, both his parents become sick on account of the sickness of their son.
And the parents will suffer as long as that only son does not recover from his sickness.
Just so, Mañjuśrī, the bodhisattva loves all living beings as if each were his only child.
He becomes sick when they are sick and is cured when they are cured.
You ask me, Mañjuśrī, whence comes my sickness;
the sicknesses of the bodhisattvas arise from great compassion.”

Mañjuśrī: Householder, why is your house empty?
Why have you no servants?

Vimalakīrti: Mañjuśrī, all buddhafields are also empty.

Mañjuśrī: What makes them empty?

Vimalakīrti: They are empty because of emptiness.

Mañjuśrī: What is “empty” about emptiness?

Vimalakīrti: Constructions are empty, because of emptiness.

Mañjuśrī: Can emptiness be conceptually constructed?

Vimalakīrti: Even that concept is itself empty, and emptiness cannot construct emptiness.

Mañjuśrī: Householder, where should emptiness be sought?

Vimalakīrti: Mañjuśrī, emptiness should be sought among the sixty-two convictions.

Mañjuśrī: Where should the sixty-two convictions be sought?

Vimalakīrti: They should be sought in the liberation of the tathāgatas.

Mañjuśrī: Where should the liberation of the tathāgatas be sought?

Vimalakīrti: It should be sought in the prime mental activity of all living beings.

Mañjuśrī, you ask me why I am without servants, but all māras and opponents are my servants.
Why?
The māras advocate this life of birth and death and the bodhisattva does not avoid life.
The outsider opponents advocate convictions, and the bodhisattva is not troubled by convictions.
Therefore, all māras and opponents are my servants.
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Mañjuśrī: Householder, of what sort is your sickness?

Vimalakīrti: It is immaterial and invisible.

Mañjuśrī: Is it physical or mental?

Vimalakīrti: It is not physical, since the body is insubstantial in itself.
It is not mental, since the nature of the mind is like illusion.

Mañjuśrī: Householder, which of the four main elements is disturbed: earth, water, fire, or air?

Vimalakīrti: Mañjuśrī, I am sick only because the elements of living beings are disturbed by sicknesses.

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[E. Using the sickness to develop compassion, bodhicitta and wisdom:]

(Summary: In Section E, Vimalakīrti explains how a bodhisattva should console another sick bodhisattva, offering a teaching that transforms the experience of sickness into a vehicle for cultivating compassion (karuṇā), bodhicitta (the aspiration for enlightenment for all beings) [T1], and wisdom (prajñā) [T2] [U2T].
From a Madhyamaka perspective, this section exemplifies the non-dual integration of the Two Truths [U2T] — dependently arisen appearances (conventional truth, T1) ⇐⇒ and their emptiness of inherent existence (ultimate truth, T2) — where sickness, as an empty ⇐⇒ yet apparent phenomenon, becomes a skillful means (upāya) to deepen the bodhisattva’s path [T1] without reifying suffering or liberation [T2] [U2T-in-action].
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Vimalakīrti advises that a bodhisattva should acknowledge the body’s impermanence, misery, selflessness, and peacefulness [T1] ⇐⇒ but avoid extremes [T2]: neither urging renunciation (nihilistic rejection of the body) nor seeking ultimate calm (detachment from beings).
Instead, the bodhisattva uses sickness to foster empathy, recalling their own beginningless suffering and the suffering of all beings, thus arousing bodhicitta — the resolve to work for universal liberation.
This approach reflects the Madhyamaka Middle Way: sickness is not an inherently real obstacle to be eradicated, nor is it ignored, but is recognized as a dependently arisen appearance [T1] ⇐⇒ empty of svabhāva [T2] ⇐⇒ yet functionally significant for cultivating compassion [T1] [U2T].
The bodhisattva confesses past misdeeds without seeking mere escape, maintaining primal purity and striving to become a "king of healers," embodying the non-dual unity of wisdom (seeing emptiness) [T2] and compassion (engaging with beings) [T1]  [ U2T].
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The deep message is that sickness, as an empty phenomenon, serves as a catalyst for the inseparable co-emergence of compassion, bodhicitta, and wisdom [U2T-in-action].
Compassion arises not as a consequence of wisdom but in tandem with it, as the realization of emptiness [T2] reveals the lack of inherent barriers between self and other, enabling boundless empathy within the conventional realm [T1] [U2T].
Interconnection [T1] energizes compassion.
Bodhicitta, the aspiration to awaken all beings, is fueled by this non-dual understanding, where the bodhisattva neither clings to suffering as real [T2] nor abandons its apparent reality for others [T1] [U2T].
Wisdom ensures that this engagement is free from dualistic grasping [T2] ⇐⇒ while compassion [T1] ensures that the realization of emptiness does not lapse into quietism [U2T].
In this way, sickness becomes a liberative art (skillful means), harmonizing the Two Truths in the bodhisattva’s practice [U2T-in-action], manifesting suchness (tathatā) where all actions are spontaneously aligned with the welfare of beings [T1] without reification or rejection [T2] [U2T-in-action].)

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Mañjuśrī: Householder, how should a bodhisattva console another bodhisattva who is sick?

Vimalakīrti:
– He should tell him that the body is impermanent, but should not exhort him to renunciation or disgust.
– He should tell him that the body is miserable, but should not encourage him to find solace in liberation; that the body is selfless, but that living beings should be developed; that the body is peaceful, but not to seek any ultimate calm.
– He should tell him to confess his evil deeds, but not just to escape them.
– He should encourage his empathy for all living beings on account of his own sickness, his remembrance of suffering experienced from beginningless time, and his consciousness of working for the welfare of living beings.
– He should encourage him to manifest the roots of virtue, to maintain the primal purity and the lack of craving,
– and thus to always strive to become the king of healers, who can cure all sicknesses.
– Thus should a bodhisattva console a sick bodhisattva, in such a way as to make him happy.

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[F. Controlling without controlling the mind during sickness [U2T-in-action],

without attachment/rejection, reification, effort or absolute,
while being aware of the Union of the Two Truths about the three spheres of the activity (subject/actor, relation/action, object/result).
Non-duality / Union of opposites [Uopp / U2T-opp] like: self / other, internal / external, controlling / non-controlling, sickness / liberation, bondage / freedom, samsara / nirvana, compassion / wisdom, conventional-relative / absolute, appearance / emptiness, difference / sameness, movement / stillness, word / silence, action / non-action.]

(Summary: In Section F, Mañjuśrī asks how a sick bodhisattva should control their mind, and Vimalakīrti responds with a teaching that embodies the Madhyamaka Middle Way: neither suppressing the mind dualistically [T1] nor indulging in deluded proliferations [T2], but realizing the true nature of the three spheres of the activity [U2T-3S], of sickness, self, and phenomena while compassionately engaging with their conventional appearances.
Vimalakīrti explains that sickness stems from misunderstanding rooted in beginningless ignorance, manifesting as unreal mental constructions.
The bodhisattva transcends this by recognizing the body as an aggregate of dependently arisen elements [T1] ⇐⇒ without owner or self — lacking inherent existence [T1] [U2T].
This insight reveals that sickness has no ultimate reality [T2] ⇐⇒ yet its conventional appearance is not denied [T1], serving as a skillful means (upāya) to awaken compassion for all beings [U2T].
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Rather than "eliminating" sickness as if it were a real entity, the bodhisattva sees through the delusion of egoism and possessiveness, which are themselves empty, leading to freedom from dualism [Uopp / U2T-opp] — the non-involvement with internal (mind) or external (body, world) phenomena as inherently existent.
This freedom is described as abiding in sameness / non-duality / Uopp (samatā), where self, sickness, and liberation are equal in their emptiness [T2-opp] ⇐⇒ mere verbal designations [T1-opp] ⇐⇒ without substantial reality [T2-opp] [U2T-opp].
In this non-dual realization, wisdom (prajñā, insight into emptiness) [T2-in-action] ⇐⇒ and compassion (karuṇā, engagement with beings’ suffering) [T1-in-action] ⇐⇒ are inseparable, each implying the other [U2T-in-action].
The bodhisattva perceives sensations as ultimately non-sensations — empty of inherent nature [T2] — yet does not abandon them [T1], using their own apparent suffering to cultivate great compassion for beings in samsaric realms, resolving to guide them to liberation without reifying their pain.
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The deep message is that "controlling the mind" is not a forceful act but a non-grasping awareness that rests in the Union of the Two Truths [U2T]: sickness and mind are empty [T2] ⇐⇒ yet their conventional arising [T1] fuels compassionate action [U2T-in-action].
This Middle Way avoids the extremes of indulgence (clinging to appearances as real) and control (seeking to annihilate them), embodying suchness (tathatā) where wisdom [T2] and compassion [T1] co-emerge [U2T] to transform suffering into a path of liberation for all, without positing anything to be eliminated or attained.)

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Mañjuśrī asked, “Noble sir, how should a sick bodhisattva control his own mind?”

Vimalakīrti replied,
“Mañjuśrī, a sick bodhisattva should control his own mind with the following consideration: Sickness arises from total involvement in the process of misunderstanding from beginningless time.
It arises from the afflictions that result from unreal mental constructions, and hence ultimately nothing is perceived which can be said to be sick.
Why? The body is the issue of the four main elements, and in these elements there is no owner and no agent.
There is no self in this body, and, except for arbitrary insistence on self, ultimately no ‘I’ which can be said to be sick can be apprehended.
Therefore, thinking, ‘ “I” should not adhere to any self, and “I” should rest in the knowledge of the root of illness,’ he should abandon the conception of himself as a personality and produce the conception of himself as a thing, thinking,
‘This body is an aggregate of many things.
When it is born, only things are born; when it ceases, only things cease.
These things have no awareness or feeling of each other.
When they are born, they do not think, “I am born”;
when they cease, they do not think, “I cease.” ’

“Furthermore, he should understand thoroughly the conception of himself as a thing by cultivating the following consideration:
‘Just as in the case of the conception of “self,”
so the conception of “thing” is also a misunderstanding,
and this misunderstanding is also a grave sickness;
I should free myself from this sickness and should strive to abandon it.’

“What is the elimination of this sickness?
It is the elimination of egoism and possessiveness.
What is the elimination of egoism and possessiveness?
It is the freedom from dualism.
What is freedom from dualism?
It is the absence of involvement with either the external or the internal.
What is absence of involvement with either external or internal?
It is non-deviation, non-fluctuation, and non-distraction from sameness.
What is sameness?
It is the sameness of everything from self to liberation.
Why? Because both self and liberation are void.
How can both be void?
As verbal designations, they both are void, and neither is established in reality.
Therefore, one who sees such sameness
makes no difference between sickness and voidness;
his sickness is itself voidness,
and that sickness as voidness is itself void.

“The sick bodhisattva should recognize that sensation is ultimately non-sensation, but he should not realize the cessation of sensation.
Although both pleasure and pain are abandoned when the buddha-qualities are fully accomplished, there is then no sacrifice of the great compassion for all living beings living in the bad migrations.
Thus, recognizing in his own suffering the infinite sufferings of these living beings, the bodhisattva correctly contemplates these living beings and resolves to cure all sicknesses.

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[G. Perceiving without perceiving [U2T-in-action], 

without attachment/rejection, reification, effort or absolute,
while being aware of the Union of the Two Truths about the three spheres of the activity (subject/perceiver, relation/perception, object/perceived), free from all extremes, without grasping / rejecting:]

(Summary: In Section G, Vimalakīrti elaborates on the bodhisattva’s approach to liberating beings, emphasizing that there is “nothing to be accepted/applied, and nothing to be rejected/removed,” and that teaching the Dharma involves revealing the basis of sickness — object-perception / reification — without objectifying it.
From a Madhyamaka perspective, this section encapsulates the Middle Way, where the bodhisattva navigates the non-dual Union of the Two Truths [U2T]: dependently arisen appearances (conventional truth, T1) ⇐⇒ and their emptiness of inherent existence (ultimate truth, T2).
The phrase “perceiving without perceiving” points to the bodhisattva’s realization that phenomena, including sickness and the three realms of existence, are empty of svabhāva (inherent existence) [T2] ⇐⇒ yet appear conventionally as objects of perception due to ignorance [T1] [U2T].
This insight avoids the extremes of eternalism (grasping phenomena as real) and nihilism (rejecting their conventional efficacy), embodying suchness (tathatā) where perception itself is neither affirmed nor negated.
-
Vimalakīrti explains that the basis of sickness is object-perception / reification — the deluded tendency to reify phenomena as inherently existent, such as the self or the three realms [3S].
The “thorough understanding” of this basis is non-perception, not as a denial of appearances but as the realization that nothing is ultimately perceived as inherently real, because both self and other lack intrinsic existence.
This non-perception is not a passive void but an active, compassionate engagement with beings, teaching them the Dharma to awaken them to the empty nature of their suffering.
The bodhisattva’s approach is free from grasping (clinging to phenomena as real) or rejecting (denying their conventional role), aligning with the Madhyamaka rejection of dualistic views.
Compassion [T1] and wisdom [T2] co-emerge inseparably [U2T]: wisdom sees the emptiness of all objects [T2], while compassion engages with beings’ apparent suffering [T1] without reification, using the very illusion of object-perception as a skillful means (upāya) to guide them toward liberation.
-
The deep message is that the bodhisattva’s liberation activity operates in the non-dual space of “perceiving without perceiving,” where the Dharma is taught without positing anything to add or remove. This reflects the Middle Way, where the conventional appearance of beings and their suffering is honored as dependently arisen, yet known as empty, enabling the bodhisattva to work tirelessly for others’ awakening without falling into sentimental attachment or nihilistic detachment. The inseparability of compassion and emptiness ensures that every act of teaching is both a revelation of suchness and a compassionate response to illusory suffering, harmonizing the Two Truths in effortless, non-conceptual action.)

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TEXT:

“As for these living beings,
there is nothing to be applied,
and there is nothing to be removed
(Middle Way in everything);
one has only to teach them the Dharma for them
to realize the basis from which sicknesses arise.
What is this basis?
It is object perception.
To the extent that a basis of object-perception is objectified, it is the basis of sickness.
What is it that is objectified?
The three realms of existence are objectified.
What is the thorough understanding of the basis of that object-perception?
It is its non-perception, as one does not objectify a thing that is not perceived.
What does one not perceive?
One does not perceive the two views,
the view of the self and the view of the other.
Therefore, it is called non-perception.

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[H. Controlling without controlling the mind [U2T-in-action], free from all extremes, without grasping / rejecting:]

TEXT:

“Mañjuśrī, thus should a sick bodhisattva
control his own mind in order to overcome old age, sickness, death, and birth.
Such, Mañjuśrī, is the sickness of the bodhisattva.
If he takes it otherwise, all his efforts will be in vain.
Just as one is called ‘hero’ when one overcomes all enemies, so, too, one is called ‘bodhisattva’ when one conquers the miseries of aging, sickness, and death.

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.
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[I. Using suffering on the path, to develop bodhicitta, compassion and wisdom:]

(Summary: In Section I, Vimalakīrti teaches that a sick bodhisattva should recognize the unreal and not inherently existent nature of their own sickness and extend this insight to all beings’ suffering, thereby arousing great compassion (mahākaruṇā) without falling into sentimental or purposive views.
From a Madhyamaka perspective, this section illuminates the bodhisattva’s path as a non-dual integration of the Two Truths—dependently arisen appearances (conventional truth, T1) and their emptiness of inherent existence (ultimate truth, T2)—
where suffering is transformed into a skillful means (upāya) to cultivate bodhicitta, compassion, and wisdom.
The realization that suffering is empty ⇐⇒ like a dream ⇐⇒ does not negate its conventional appearance but empowers the bodhisattva to engage with it compassionately, using it to fuel the aspiration for universal enlightenment (bodhicitta) [T1] ⇐⇒ without reifying afflictions as inherently real [T2] [U2T].
-
Vimalakīrti’s instruction to view sickness as “unreal and not inherently existent” aligns with the Madhyamaka understanding that all phenomena, including suffering, lack svabhāva (inherent existence) [T2] ⇐⇒ and arise dependently due to ignorance [T1] [U2T].
This insight prevents the bodhisattva from falling into sentimental compassion, which exhausts through attachment to purposive views (e.g., seeing suffering or beings as ultimately real).
Instead, great compassion arises in tandem with wisdom [U2T], recognizing suffering’s empty nature while responding to its conventional presence.
By contemplating their own suffering as illusory ⇐⇒ yet empathetically resonant with all beings’ pain, the bodhisattva strengthens bodhicitta — the resolve to liberate all from delusion [T1] ⇐⇒ without clinging to dualistic notions of self or other [T2] [U2T].
This non-dual compassion, free from involvement with sentimental views, allows the bodhisattva to reincarnate voluntarily, as if liberated, teaching the Dharma to free beings from bondage without being bound themselves.
-
The deep message is that suffering, when understood as empty [T2] ⇐⇒ yet conventionally apparent [T1] [U2T], becomes a powerful vehicle for the inseparable co-emergence of compassion, bodhicitta, and wisdom.
Wisdom (prajñā) reveals the emptiness of suffering [T2], dissolving fixation on it as real ⇐⇒ while compassion (karuṇā) engages with its apparent reality [T1] to benefit beings, and bodhicitta unifies these as the aspiration to awaken all.
This reflects the middle way, avoiding extremes of eternalism (reifying suffering) or nihilism (denying its conventional role).
The bodhisattva’s path thus embodies suchness (tathatā), where suffering is neither grasped nor rejected but used as a liberative art to manifest the non-dual harmony of the Two Truths, guiding beings to liberation through their own illusory afflictions.)

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TEXT:

“The sick bodhisattva should tell himself:
‘Just as my sickness is unreal and non-existent,
so the sicknesses of all living beings are unreal and non-existent.’
Through such considerations,
he arouses the great compassion toward all living beings
without falling into any sentimental compassion,
but instead, arouses great compassion toward all living beings
through striving to eliminate the incidental afflictions.
Why? Because great compassion that falls into
sentimentally purposive views only exhausts
the bodhisattva in his reincarnations.
But the great compassion that is free of involvement
with sentimentally purposive views
does not exhaust the bodhisattva in all his reincarnations.
He does not reincarnate through involvement with such views
but reincarnates with his mind free of involvement.
Hence, even his reincarnation is like a liberation.
Being reincarnated as if being liberated,
he has the power and ability to teach the Dharma
that liberates living beings from their bondage.
As the Lord declares:
‘It is not possible for one who is himself bound to deliver others from their bondage.
But one who is himself liberated is able to liberate others from their bondage.’
Therefore, the bodhisattva should participate in liberation
and should not participate in bondage.

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[J. Importance of the Union of virtuous adapted skillful means (upāya) and wisdom [U2T-in-action]:]

(Summary: In Section J, Vimalakīrti underscores the necessity of uniting wisdom (prajñā) and liberative art (upāya) for the bodhisattva’s liberation, declaring:
“(i) Wisdom not integrated with liberative art is bondage,
(ii) but wisdom integrated with liberative art is liberation.
(iii) Liberative art not integrated with wisdom is bondage,
(iv) but liberative art integrated with wisdom is liberation.”
From a Madhyamaka perspective, this teaching encapsulates the non-dual inseparability of the Two Truths—dependently arisen appearances (conventional truth, T1) and their emptiness of inherent existence (ultimate truth, T2)—where wisdom and upāya (skillful means, manifesting as compassionate action) are mutually entailing, neither prior nor subordinate.
– Wisdom alone, fixating on voidness, signlessness, and wishlessness without compassionate engagement, leads to a sterile quietism, a form of bondage.
– Similarly, upāya without wisdom, driven by deluded attachments or convictions, binds one to samsāra.
– True liberation arises only in their harmonious union, embodying suchness (tathatā), where the bodhisattva acts for beings’ benefit [T1] ⇐⇒ without reifying phenomena [T2] [U2T].
-
Vimalakīrti explains that wisdom integrated with upāya involves concentrating on cultivating virtues and adorning buddhafields for beings’ welfare [T1] ⇐⇒ while deeply investigating emptiness [T2], ensuring actions are free from grasping at inherent existence.
Conversely, upāya integrated with wisdom dedicates virtuous roots to enlightenment [T1] ⇐⇒ without pride or attachment [T2], transcending passions and dualistic views.
The bodhisattva’s wisdom recognizes body, mind, and sickness as impermanent, empty, and selfless [T2] ⇐⇒ while their upāya engages these appearances without seeking their cessation [T1], tirelessly benefiting beings.
This non-dual integration avoids extremes of eternalism (clinging to forms) and nihilism (abandoning action), reflecting the middle way where wisdom illuminates the emptiness of all phenomena [T2] ⇐⇒ and upāya channels this insight into compassionate, adaptive action tailored to beings’ needs [T1] [U2T].
-
The deep message is that the bodhisattva’s path rests on the co-emergence of wisdom and upāya, mirroring the Two Truths’ inseparability.
Wisdom reveals the empty nature of all phenomena, preventing reification [T2] ⇐⇒ while upāya ensures this insight manifests as boundless compassion, neither rejecting samsāra nor grasping at it as real.
This union, grounded in tathatā, enables the bodhisattva to navigate samsāra as a liberative field, transforming apparent bondage into liberation for all beings without positing anything to attain or eliminate.)

.

TEXT:

“What is bondage? And what is liberation?
To indulge in liberation from the world
without employing liberative art is bondage for the bodhisattva.
To engage in life in the world with full employment of liberative art is liberation for the bodhisattva.
To experience the taste of contemplation, meditation,
and concentration without skill in liberative art is bondage.
To experience the taste of contemplation and meditation with skill in liberative art is liberation.
-
(i) Wisdom not integrated with liberative art is bondage,
(ii) but wisdom integrated with liberative art is liberation.
(iii) Liberative art not integrated with wisdom is bondage,
(iv) but liberative art integrated with wisdom is liberation.

(i) “How is wisdom not integrated with liberative art a bondage?
Wisdom not integrated with liberative art consists of concentration on voidness, signlessness, and wishlessness, and yet it fails to concentrate on cultivation of the auspicious signs and marks, on the adornment of the buddhafield, and on the work of development of living beings — and it is bondage.

(ii) How is wisdom integrated with liberative art a liberation?
Wisdom integrated with liberative art consists of concentration on cultivation of the auspicious signs and marks, on the adornment of the buddhafield, and on the work of development of living beings, all the while concentrating on deep investigation of voidness, signlessness, and wishlessness — and it is liberation.

(iii) “What is the bondage of liberative art not integrated with wisdom?
The bondage of liberative art not integrated with wisdom consists of the bodhisattva’s planting of the roots of virtue without dedicating them for the sake of enlightenment, while living in the grip of dogmatic convictions, passions, attachments, resentments, and their subconscious instincts.

(iv) “What is the liberation of liberative art integrated with wisdom?
The liberation of liberative art integrated with wisdom consists of the bodhisattva’s dedication of his roots of virtue for the sake of enlightenment, without taking any pride therein, while forgoing all convictions, passions, attachments, resentments, and their subconscious instincts.

(v) “Mañjuśrī, thus should the sick bodhisattva consider things.
His wisdom is the consideration of body, mind, and sickness as impermanent, miserable, empty, and selfless.
His liberative art consists of not exhausting himself by trying to avoid all physical sickness, and of applying himself to accomplish the benefit of living beings, without interrupting the cycle of reincarnations.
Furthermore, his wisdom lies in understanding that body, mind, and sickness are neither new nor old, whether considered simultaneously or sequentially.
And his liberative art lies in not seeking pacification or cessation of body, mind, or sicknesses.

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.
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[K. The Domain of a Bodhisattva:

Union of virtuous adapted skillful means (upāya) (like bodhicitta, compassion, six paramitas, four immeasurables, dedication) [T1] ⇐⇒ and the perfection of wisdom [T2] [U2T]; “acting without acting”, without attachment/rejection, reification, effort or absolute; aware of the true nature of the three spheres of the activity [U2T-3S]; more and more in accord with the Middle Way free from all extremes: not accepting / seeking / affirming, not rejecting / abandoning / negating and not changing / improving / purifying anything in absolute terms, just conventionally, relatively; more and more in accord with Reality as it is (tathatā) as pointed by the Union of the Two Truths (U2T / U2T-2T), Union of the three spheres [U3S / U2T-3S], and Union of opposites [Uopp / U2T-opp]:]

(Summary: In Section K, Vimalakīrti describes the "domain of a bodhisattva" as a non-dual mode of being that transcends conventional and ultimate extremes, neither indulging nor controlling the mind, but resting in the middle way of suchness (tathatā).
-
From a Madhyamaka perspective, this section articulates the bodhisattva’s realization of the Union of the Two Truths—dependently arisen appearances (conventional truth, T1) and their emptiness of inherent existence (ultimate truth, T2)—manifesting as a dynamic, compassionate engagement with the world [T1] ⇐⇒ without reification or rejection [T2] [U2T].
The domain is neither the ordinary person’s deluded clinging to samsāra nor the arhat’s cessation of engagement, but a unique space where the bodhisattva operates within the triple world (desire, form, formless realms) [T1] ⇐⇒ while indivisible from the ultimate realm of emptiness [T2], cultivating virtues and liberating beings [T1] ⇐⇒ without attachment/rejection to outcomes or dualistic views [T2] [U2T].
-
Vimalakīrti lists qualities of this domain: it embraces solitude without exhaustion, seeks omniscience without premature attainment, knows the four noble truths without realizing them at the wrong time, and manifests buddhafield qualities while recognizing their uncreated, empty nature.
These reflect the Madhyamaka balance of wisdom (prajñā) and compassion (karuṇā), which co-emerge inseparably.
Wisdom perceives all phenomena — body, mind, buddhafields, even liberation — as empty of svabhāva, preventing fixation on signs or results [T2].
⇐⇒ Compassion, as skillful means (upāya), engages with beings’ conventional needs [T1], voluntarily reincarnating, teaching the Dharma, and adorning buddhafields without grasping at them as real.
⇐⇒ This non-dual domain avoids extremes of indulgence (ordinary delusion) and control (forced cessation), embodying a spontaneous, non-conceptual presence where the bodhisattva transcends māras, cultivates the six perfections, and masters superknowledges without falling into dualistic traps like quietism or attachment.
-
The deep message is that the bodhisattva’s domain is the lived expression of tathatā, where the Two Truths are harmonized: emptiness ensures freedom from reifying phenomena [T2] ⇐⇒ while compassionate activity ensures engagement with the world’s illusory appearances for universal awakening. ⇐⇒ This non-dual space, neither samsaric nor nirvanic, allows the bodhisattva to turn the wheel of Dharma, manifest virtues, and guide beings to liberation [T1] ⇐⇒ without ever departing from the ultimate reality of emptiness [T2], inspiring even gods to conceive bodhicitta, as seen in the section’s conclusion.)

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TEXT:

“That, Mañjuśrī, is the way a sick bodhisattva should concentrate his mind;
– he should live neither in control of his mind,
– nor in indulgence of his mind.

Why?
– To live by indulging the mind is proper for fools
– and to live in control of the mind is proper for the disciples.

Therefore, the bodhisattva should live
neither in control nor in indulgence of his mind.
Not living in either of the two extremes
is the domain of the bodhisattva.

– “Not the domain of the ordinary individual
and not the domain of the arhat,
such is the domain of the bodhisattva.
– The domain of the world
yet not the domain of the afflictions,
such is the domain of the bodhisattva.
– Where one understands liberation,
yet does not enter final and complete liberation,
there is the domain of the bodhisattva.
– Where the four māras manifest,
yet where all the works of māras are transcended,
there is the domain of the bodhisattva.
– Where one seeks the gnosis of omniscience,
yet does not attain this gnosis at the wrong time,
there is the domain of the bodhisattva.
– Where one knows the four noble truths,
yet does not realize those truths at the wrong time,
there is the domain of the bodhisattva.
– A domain of introspective insight,
wherein one does not arrest voluntary reincarnation in the world,
such is the domain of the bodhisattva.
– A domain where one realizes birthlessness,
yet does not become destined for the ultimate,
such is the domain of the bodhisattva.
– Where one sees relativity without entertaining any convictions,
there is the domain of the bodhisattva.
– Where one associates with all beings,
yet keeps free of all afflictive instincts,
there is the domain of the bodhisattva.
– A domain of solitude with no place for the exhaustion of body and mind,
such is the domain of the bodhisattva.
– The domain of the triple world,
yet indivisible from the ultimate realm,
such is the domain of the bodhisattva.
– The domain of voidness,
yet where one cultivates all types of virtues,
such is the domain of the bodhisattva.
– The domain of signlessness,
where one keeps in sight the deliverance of all living beings,
such is the domain of the bodhisattva.
– The domain of wishlessness,
where one voluntarily manifests lives in the world,
such is the domain of the bodhisattva.

– “A domain essentially without undertaking,
yet where all the roots of virtue are undertaken without interruption,
such is the domain of the bodhisattva.
– The domain of the six transcendences,
where one attains the transcendence of the thoughts and actions of all living beings,
such is the domain of the bodhisattva.
– The domain of the six superknowledges,
wherein defilements are not exhausted,
such is the domain of the bodhisattva.
– The domain of living by the holy Dharma,
without even perceiving any evil paths,
such is the domain of the bodhisattva.
– The domain of the four immeasurables,
where one does not accept rebirth in the heaven of Brahmā,
such is the domain of the bodhisattva.
– The domain of the six remembrances,
unaffected by any sort of defilement,
such is the domain of the bodhisattva.
– The domain of contemplation, concentration, and absorption,
where one does not reincarnate in the formless realms by force of these concentrations and absorptions,
such is the domain of the bodhisattva.
– The domain of the four foci of mindfulness,
where body, sensation, mind, and things are not ultimately of concern,
such is the domain of the bodhisattva.
– The domain of the four right efforts,
where the duality of good and evil is not apprehended,
such is the domain of the bodhisattva.
– The domain of the four bases of magical powers,
where they are effortlessly mastered,
such is the domain of the bodhisattva.
– The domain of the five spiritual faculties,
where one knows the degrees of the spiritual faculties of living beings,
such is the domain of the bodhisattva.
– The domain of living with the five powers,
where one delights in the ten powers of the tathāgata,
such is the domain of the bodhisattva.
– The domain of perfection of the seven factors of enlightenment,
where one is skilled in the knowledge of fine intellectual distinctions,
such is the domain of the bodhisattva.
– The domain of living by the eightfold path,
without even perceiving any evil paths,
such is the domain of the bodhisattva.
– The domain of the cultivation of the aptitude for mental quiescence and transcendental analysis, where one does not fall into extreme quietism,
such is the domain of the bodhisattva.
– The domain of the realization of the unborn nature of all things,
yet of the perfection of the body,
the auspicious signs and marks,
and the ornaments of the Buddha,
such is the domain of the bodhisattva.
– The domain of manifesting the attitudes of the disciples and the solitary sages without sacrificing the qualities of the Buddha,
such is the domain of the bodhisattva.
– The domain of conformity to all things utterly pure in nature while manifesting behavior that suits the inclinations of all living beings,
such is the domain of the bodhisattva.
– A domain where one realizes that all the buddhafields are indestructible and uncreatable,
having the nature of infinite space,
yet where one manifests the establishment of the qualities of the buddhafields in all their variety and magnitude,
such is the domain of the bodhisattva.
– The domain where one turns the wheel of the holy Dharma and manifests the magnificence of ultimate liberation,
yet never forsakes the career of the bodhisattva,
such is the domain of the bodhisattva!”

.

When Vimalakīrti had spoken this discourse, eight thousand of the gods in the company of the crown prince Mañjuśrī conceived the spirit of unexcelled, perfect enlightenment.

CONCLUSION of Chapter 4

Chapter 4 of the Vimalakīrti Sūtra, titled "The Consolation of the Invalid," unfolds as a profound dialogue between Mañjuśrī (wisdom) and the Licchavi Vimalakīrti (skillful means), using the latter's feigned illness as a central metaphor to illuminate the bodhisattva's path. 

At its essence, this chapter reveals the non-dual nature of reality [Non-duality / Uopp], where suffering, “emptiness [T2] and compassion [T1] interpenetrate [U2T]” without hierarchy or separation.

Vimalakīrti, portrayed as an embodiment of Madhyamaka wisdom, demonstrates that the bodhisattva's engagement with the world is neither an affirmation of inherent existence [T2] nor a negation of conventional appearances [T1], but a skillful navigation of the Union of the Two Truths [U2T] (satyadvaya): the dependently co-arisen, relatively functional phenomena (saṃvṛti-satya) [T1] ⇐⇒ and their emptiness of inherent existence (paramārtha-satya) [T2] [U2T].

His illness, far from a personal affliction, serves as a liberative art (upāya) (skillful means) to draw forth the assembly and provoke inquiry, underscoring that all phenomena — be they sickness, houses, or buddha-fields — are empty of svabhāva (inherent essence) [T2] ⇐⇒ yet arise interdependently to benefit beings [T1] [U2T].

This subtle message challenges dualistic perceptions [Non-duality / Uopp], inviting practitioners to see suffering not as an obstacle to be eradicated but as an illusory gateway to awakening, where the realization of emptiness (śūnyatā) [T2] ⇐⇒ and great compassion (mahākaruṇā) [T1] ⇐⇒ co-emerge inseparably [U2T], each illuminating and sustaining the other in the dynamic suchness (tathatā) of reality.

The chapter's hidden treasure lies in its deconstruction of sickness as rooted in ignorance and object-perception, revealing how the bodhisattva transforms apparent bondage into liberation.
– Vimalakīrti's empty house, a masterful display of śūnyatā, is not mere voidness but a teaching device that exposes the constructed nature of all realms, including buddha-fields [T1] ⇐⇒ as empty because of emptiness [T2], yet even emptiness is empty of conceptual reification [T2-2T] [U2T-2T].
– This points to the Madhyamaka Middle Way, avoiding the extremes of eternalism (clinging to phenomena as truly existent) [T2] and nihilism (denying their conventional efficacy) [T1] [U2T].
– Subtly, the dialogue shows that compassion [T1] arises not as a consequence of wisdom [T2] but in mutual entailment [U2T]: the bodhisattva's "sickness" mirrors beings' deluded thirst for existence, persisting as long as ignorance endures, yet it is wielded with wisdom to console and awaken others.
– In consoling the sick, Vimalakīrti advises acknowledging impermanence [T1] and selflessness [T2] ⇐⇒ without renunciation or disgust, fostering bodhicitta (the aspiration for universal enlightenment) through empathetic remembrance of beginningless suffering [T1] [U2T].
– This essence highlights that true healing occurs not by removing sickness — as nothing inherently exists to remove — but by realizing its empty basis [T2] ⇐⇒ allowing compassion to flow boundlessly without sentimental exhaustion [T1] [U2T].

A deeper layer unveils the paradoxical "control without control” of the mind, where the bodhisattva neither indulges in dualistic proliferations [T2] nor suppresses them forcefully [T1], but abides in sameness (samatā) [U2T], perceiving without perceiving.
This non-dual awareness recognizes object-perception as the root of sickness — the reification of self, other, and the three realms — yet transcends it through non-perception, understanding that both views (subject/self and object/other) [T1] are empty designations [T2] [U2T].

The subtle message here is the freedom from grasping [T2] or rejecting [T1] [U2T]: the bodhisattva overcomes aging, sickness, and death not by conquering them as real enemies but by seeing their illusory nature, earning the title "bodhisattva" through conquering miseries without positing a conqueror or conquered.

Hidden within this is the transformative power of suffering on the path — unreal and not inherently existent ultimately [T2] ⇐⇒ yet a catalyst for great compassion [T1] [U2T] free from purposive views.

By viewing their own pain as empty, the bodhisattva reincarnates voluntarily, unbound yet liberating others, embodying the Lord's declaration that only the liberated can liberate, thus turning samsāra into a field of non-dual activity.

At the chapter's core is the imperative Union of wisdom [T2] and liberative art [T1] [U2T-in-action], where neither suffices alone:
– wisdom without upāya binds one to isolated contemplation,
– while upāya without wisdom entangles in passions.
– Integrated, they manifest as liberation, with wisdom's investigation of voidness, signlessness, and wishlessness fueling compassionate cultivation of virtues and buddhafields.

This Madhyamaka insight reveals that the bodhisattva's domain is neither indulgence [T2] nor control [T1], neither worldly affliction nor arhat-like cessation, but a vast, non-conceptual space where the triple world [T1] and ultimate realm [T2] are indivisible [U2T]. 

Subtly, Vimalakīrti lists this domain's qualities — seeking omniscience without untimely attainment, associating with beings without afflictive instincts, realizing birthlessness without abandoning reincarnation — to illustrate the effortless harmony of the Two Truths [U2T].

The hidden treasure is that this domain is tathatā itself [U2T]: empty yet virtuous, signless yet delivering beings, wishless yet manifesting lives.
It avoids all extremes, mastering perfections, truths, and powers without dualistic concern, turning even māras into opportunities for transcendence.

Ultimately, Chapter 4's profound essence is the bodhisattva's compassionate embodiment of emptiness in action, inspiring the assembly — including gods — to conceive unexcelled enlightenment.

The subtle messages weave a tapestry of non-duality: sickness as compassion's manifestation [T1], emptiness as the groundless ground [T2] of liberative play, and wisdom-compassion [U2T] as co-emergent forces dismantling delusion without effort.

Hidden treasures abound in the paradoxes — welcome without coming [U2T-in-action], servants as māras, perception without object — each dismantling reified views to reveal reality's inconceivable openness.

The core teaching, from a Madhyamaka lens, is that liberation is not escape from the world but its non-dual embrace: beings' suffering, empty yet apparent, becomes the very path to awakening, where the bodhisattva dwells in the middle way, benefiting all without self or other, in the boundless domain of suchness.

This chapter thus serves as a timeless invitation to realize that, like Vimalakīrti's couch in an empty house, the bodhisattva rests amid illusions, unperturbed, ever guiding toward the ultimate uniformity of the Dharma.