於是舍利弗心念 日時欲至 此諸菩薩當於何食 時維摩詰知其意 而告之言 佛說八解脫 仁者受行 豈雜欲食而聞法乎 若欲食者 且待須臾 當令汝得未曾有食 時維摩詰卽入三昧 以神通力示諸大衆 上方界分 過四十二恒河沙佛土 有國名衆香 佛號香積 今現在 其國香氣比於十方諸佛世界人天之香 最爲第一 彼土無有聲聞辟支佛名 唯有清淨大菩薩衆 佛爲說法
yú shì shě lì fú xīn niàn rì shí yù zhì cǐ zhū pú sà dāng yú hé shí shí wéi mó jié zhī qí yì ér gào zhī yán fó shuō bā jiě tuō rén zhě shòu xíng qǐ zá yù shí ér wén fǎ hū ruò yù shí zhě qiě dài xū yú dāng lìng rǔ dé wèi céng yǒu shí shí wéi mó jié jí rù sān mèi yǐ shén tōng lì shì zhū dà zhòng shàng fāng jiè fēn guò sì shí èr héng hé shā fó tǔ yǒu guó míng zhòng xiāng fó hào xiāng jī jīn xiàn zài qí guó xiāng qì bǐ yú shí fāng zhū fó shì jiè rén tiān zhī xiāng zuì wéi dì yī bǐ tǔ wú yǒu shēng wén bì zhī fó míng wéi yǒu qīng jìng dà pú sà zhòng fó wéi shuō fǎ
Key Message
The true offering is not material but the Dharma. The fragrance of the Dharma never diminishes when shared, and conveys the joy of meditation to those who receive it.
▸The 'Chapter on the Fragrance-Accumulated Buddha' (香積佛品) depicts the scene in which Vimalakīrti, through his supernormal powers, reveals the land of 'All-Fragrance' (衆香國) located 42 Ganges-sands of Buddha-lands above in the upper direction, and brings food from there.
The 'Chapter on the Fragrance-Accumulated Buddha' (香積佛品) depicts the scene in which Vimalakīrti, through his supernormal powers, reveals the land of 'All-Fragrance' (衆香國) located 42 Ganges-sands of Buddha-lands above in the upper direction, and brings food from there. Noticing that Śāriputra is thinking about hunger, Vimalakīrti enters samādhi and sends a manifestation-body bodhisattva to bring rice from All-Fragrance. All-Fragrance is a Buddha-land where the entire country is filled with fragrance, and its inhabitants enter meditation and attain the Dharma simply through the fragrance of food. The fragrant rice (香飯) that is brought back never diminishes no matter how much is eaten, and gives the joy of the Dharma and the bliss of meditation to all who partake of it. This chapter asks about the relationship between material offering (food) and the offering of Dharma (Dharma-nourishment), and the meaning of true offering beyond form.