VIMALAK?RTI

Vimalak?rti is a nonhistorical human bodhisattva known primarily as the main protagonist of an early Mah?y?na s?tra called the Vimalak?rtinirde?a (The Teaching of Vimalak?rti). Although a layman, Vimalak?rti is depicted as possessing the highest wisdom and attainment. Out of sympathy with the suffering of all beings and as a strategy for teaching (up?ya), he feigns a serious illness and, knowing this, the Buddha instructs each of his ?r?vaka and bodhisattva disciples to ask after his health. All are reluctant to go, having been humiliated by Vimalak?rti's greater wisdom before, and only Mañju?r? agrees. All the others follow to watch the encounter, the climax of which is a discussion in which Vimalak?rti asks each bodhisattva in turn how one enters nondualism. Mañju?r? offers the ultimate insight that all dharmas are beyond discourse, but is trumped by Vimalak?rti, who remains silent when asked for his own answer. Vimalak?rti also displays a dry sense of humor, directed primarily against ??riputra, as the main representative of the ?r?vaka community.

As a spiritually accomplished layman Vimalak?rti offered an influential model for Buddhists in East Asia, where Indian Buddhist monasticism conflicted with Chinese social values. His popularity led to his depiction in painting and a number of lesser known texts in which he was the protagonist. The Vimalak?rtinirde?a is also popular amongst Western Buddhists and has been translated into English several times.

See also:Laity

Bibliography

Lamotte, Étienne. The Teaching of Vimal?kirti, tr. Sara Boin. London: P?li Text Society, 1976.

Watson, Burton. The Vimalak?rti S?tra. New York: Columbia University Press, 1996.

Andrew Skilton