The Holy Teaching of Vimalakīrti

by Burton Watson

Book Overview

This book presents the major teachings of Mahāyāna Buddhism in a precise, dramatic, and even humorous form. For two millennia this Sūtra, called the "jewel of the Mahāyāna Sūtras," has enjoyed immense popularity among Mahāyāna Buddhists in India, central and southeast Asia, Japan, and especially China, where its incidents were the basis for a style in art and literature prevalent during several centuries...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0271006013
• ISBN13: 9780271006017
• Release Date: August 2003
• Publisher: Penn State University Press
• Length: 176 Pages
• Weight: 0.69 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

An Interesting Look at a Fascinating Buddhist Saint, but still Challenging for a Newcomer

First of all, I agree with other reviewer's assertions that this is not a book for beginners. Without a basic understanding of foundational Buddhist thought and Buddhist cosmology, this book wouldn't make much sense. Vimalakirti is one of my favorite characters since he is a great example of how a lay person can achieve Buddhahood. He could enter gambling halls and other dens of iniquity, engage in business and family life, and still remain unsullied as he taught the Dharma. This book is one of the few readable texts about him. Although very well translated, it still retains some of the repetition and obscure references found in any ancient Buddhist work having a basis in an oral tradition. If you have an intermediate knowledge of Buddhism, this is an excellent work.

Simply my favorite Buddhist text

I agree with many of the other reviewers in this space. This sutra is quite simply my favorite Buddhist text, and Prof Thurman's translation is my favorite translation. I travel with this book because it is so compact and precise in describing the way of the Bodhisattva, the great vehicle of the Mahayana path. I have heard Prof Thurman read from his book, and his transmission is no small contribution to the progress of Buddhism in the West. Several reviewers have mentioned the humor. I have fond memories of reading this text out loud to my fellow dharma students, and having a good laugh each time a disciple sheepishly declines Lord Buddha's invitation to go visit the ailing bodhisattva, Vilmalakirti. The replies of Vimalakirti, on the other hand, are the highest wisdom I know of in Buddhism, and reflecting on them is a great treasure.

A brilliant sutra....

This is the Vimilikirtisastra, a Mahayana treatise that deals with nonduality. What this means is that the construct of the Therevada (or Hinayana-- meaning devotional Buddhism) is replaced by something other-- larger-- (from Sanskrit little vehicle to larger vehicle).What does this mean to you? You have a book here in which all of the paired items (good/bad, monk/layperson, holy/inholy) start to be broken down. Buddhism becomes 'purer' through being less pure, more people are offered the ability to have salvation...More than that, this is a fun read that can be gone through multiple times-- which will be necessary if you want to fully grasp all that this book says. It will alter your conception of what the Dharma is, or introduce you to one if you're just beginning to learn about it. I would suggest, though, that you have some background in the Therevada stuff before you start-- otherwise this book would kind of be pointless: excepting that parts of it are amusing. Prof. Thurman has a knack for translation...

The jem of sutras

This Sutra is noted as the "jewel of the Mahayana sutras". Vimalakirti, a man of the world (lay practitioner) is said to be the highest of all of Buddhas disciples. Vimalakirti in this sutra clears up the confusions surrounding the central Buddhist concepts of emptiness, or voidness. This is a must have book for the serious Buddhist student.