譬如高原陆地不生莲华，卑湿淤泥乃生此华。

如是， 见无为法入正位者，终不复能生于佛法，烦恼泥中乃有众生起佛法耳。

《维摩诘所说经》卷2

For instance, lotuses do not grow in highlands butonly in muddy swamps. Likewise, the Buddhadharma will never arise again in those who havewitnessed the non-active dharma and enteredremainderless nirvana, but rather, it only arises insentient beings mired in vexation.

Vimalakirti Nirdesa Sutra, Vol. 2

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所以最漂亮、最清净的莲花，却是从最卑贱的淤泥当中出生的。换句话说，如果要成佛的话，就得在人间，因为人间是五欲具足的地方，是贪瞋痴慢疑具足的地方，这就好比淤泥；就只有在人间，你会看见各种众生奇奇怪怪的千般想法，让你料想不到；正因为有这些因缘，才能够帮助你成就佛道。

《维摩诘经讲记》第四辑，页319-320

Therefore, the prettiest and purest lotuses grow from thelowliest silt. In other words, if you intend to attainBuddhahood, then you must stay in the human worldbecause it is the place filled with the five desires, togetherwith greed, anger, ignorance, arrogance and doubt; theyare just like silt. Only in the human world will youencounter all kinds of sentient beings’ thoughts, strangeand weird beyond your imagination. These are preciselythe necessary causes and conditions to help you achieveBuddhahood.

A Discourse on the Vimalakirti Nirdesa Sutra, Vol. 4, p p. 319-320

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