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Vima Sutra and Musho-Ho-Nin, the teaching of the Undivided
The Vimalakīrti-nirdeśa Sūtra (Sanskrit: Vimalakīrti-nirdeśa Sūtra) is one of the key Mahayana Buddhist scriptures discussed in ‘On Buddhism, scriptures and Mahayana Buddhist sects’ and has been particularly influential in Buddhist thought and culture. The scripture has a unique structure in which a character called Vimalakīrti (維摩詰), a lay believer, expounds the profound teachings of Buddhism.
The Vimalakīrti is structured mainly in the form of Vimalakīrti’s dialogues with visiting disciples and bodhisattvas, in which Vimalakīrti, feigning illness, explains his teachings in an easy-to-understand manner, expressing the spirit of Mahayana Buddhism and showing that lay practitioners also have the potential to practise Buddhist teachings.
The central themes of the Ishma Sutra are Musho-Ho-Nin and the teaching of non-duality, in which Musho-Ho-Nin explains the condition of understanding and accepting that all phenomena are essentially empty and have no substance, while the teaching of non-duality is the ‘study of the good’ as described in ‘Nishida Ikutaro’s ’Study of the Good ’, which teaches the realisation of the truth beyond the dualistic oppositions (good and evil, pure and impure, etc.) described in Ishimazume, and the teaching of fuji is expressed in silence in Ishimazume, symbolising its profundity.
Characteristic episodes include the silence of Koremazume (Koremazume mute), in which Koremazume is silent without uttering any words while the bodhisattvas discuss what the ‘Dharma gate of nonduality’ is, and the meal of Koremazume, who brings food from the Pure Land of Koremazume Buddha in the distant world.
The silence in the Koremazume mute symbolises the state of enlightenment beyond words and concepts, while the meal of the Kouzhaku Buddha implies the existence of other worlds and pure lands, indicating the vast cosmological outlook unique to Mahayana Buddhism.
The Weima Sutra has influenced Mahayana Buddhist thought in the following aspects in particular
- Emphasis on the bodhisattva path: it teaches that it is possible for ordained as well as lay practitioners to practise as bodhisattvas and attain enlightenment.
- Idea of equality: the idea that one can practise Buddhist teachings regardless of gender or social status is emphasised.
In Japan, the Ishma Sutra spread from the Nara to the Heian periods and was particularly noted by famous monks such as Kukai in ‘Kukai, Shikoku Pilgrimage and Pilgrimage to Santiago’ and Saicho in ‘On the Road to Eizan (Saicho and the Tendai Sect)’, and has also influenced Zen and Hosso sect doctrine. The ideas are also reflected in the literature and art of the Heian period, as described in ‘On the history of Japanese art and Buddhist statues’.
The Vimalakaya Sutra is still considered important today from the following perspectives
- Practice in daily life: the scriptures, which feature lay believers as protagonists, give hints on how to incorporate Buddhist teachings into the busy life of modern times.
- Philosophical insights: the teachings of emptiness and nonduality have elements of resonance with contemporary philosophy and psychology, as discussed in ‘The Simulation Hypothesis and Classical and Non-Classical Logic’ and ‘On Emotional Awareness, Buddhist Philosophy and AI’.
reference book
Vimalakīrti Sūtra Reference books include.
1.‘’ by Burton Watson
– Publisher: Columbia University Press
– FEATURES: this translation is written in clear and concise English, making it easy to read for beginners in Buddhism; Watson is a scholar known for his translations of classical Chinese literature and Buddhist texts.
2. ‘The Holy Teaching of Vimalakirti: A Mahayana Scripture’ by Robert A. F. Thurman.
– Publisher: Pennsylvania State University Press
– FEATURES: Robert Thurman is a well-known scholar of Tibetan Buddhism in the West, and this translation is accompanied by extensive annotations and commentary. It is suitable for understanding the Vimalakirtra in the context of Mahāyāna Buddhism.
3. ‘The Vimalakirti Nirdesa Sutra’ by Charles Luk (Lu K’uan Yu).
– Publisher: Shambhala Publications
– FEATURES: This translation helps to understand the Vimalakirti Sutra in the context of Chinese Buddhism. It also includes a Zen perspective.
4. ‘The Sutra of Queen Śrīmālā of the Lion’s Roar and The Vimalakīrti Sutra’ translated by Etienne Lamotte
– Features: Etienne Lamotte is widely respected as a Buddhist scholar and his translation is very precise and scholarly. The book contains the Vimalakīrti Sutra as well as other important sutras.
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