AN ANALYTICAL STUDY OF VIMALAKĪRTI NIRDEŚA SŪTRA

Abstract

Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa Sūtra is a Mahāyāna Buddhist text which was likely to be composed in 100 CE. There are twelve chapters written in prose, they are classical Sanskrit, besides, there are some verses in chapter one and chapter seven, those verses are composed in hybrid Sanskrit. It is a popular and influential sūtra which depicts the teaching addressed to Bodhisattvas by a layman named Vimala. This sūtra is a creative work filled by artistic imaginations. It contains many humorous stories of great wisdom. This is the typical characteristic of Mahāyāna Buddhism. This sūtra is special because it shows respect for non-monastic practitioners and stating the equality of laymen and women in Mahāyāna Buddhism. The Buddha Field is based on the common world and common people. Vimala showed his abhijñā and wisdom. This incredible abhijñā is the teaching method for attracting common people. It empowers the Buddha and Bodhisattvas with supernatural power. This is a suitable and effective way for dharma preaching. Meanwhile, abhijñā also reveals the doctrine of śūnyatā and mokșa. As seen in Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa Sūtra, Vimala appeared to be sick. This is a metaphor which refers to the skandha on the human body, we should not rely our bodies which would finally lead to decay. We should abandon this kind of sick, hollow, useless, impermanent body, never rely on it. We should pursuit the tathāgata-gotra. When we get this kind of body, we can get rid of all illness and troubles. Then, how to get the body of tathāgata-gotra? We need to hold the six pāramitā and go on practicing. Through the virtue of offering (dāna); the first of the 6 six pāramitā, lay people can gain karmic merit by donating to temples. Besides donation, we should practice meditation, as Vimal told, dhyāna can help removing skandha (five aggregates). Also, we have to go through bad conditions. We need to use our wisdom to attain perfect enlightenment. So that the Buddha Field of virtue and great vyūha will appear. Hence, applying the appropriate teaching method with inconceivable skill in liberative technique in Buddhist study is recommended.