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Motorcycle Book Store > Motorcycle books beginning with V
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The Vimalakirti Sutra |
Author:
Published: 2000-08-15 |
List price: $22.00
Our price: $19.80
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As of: December 02nd, 2008 11:59:37 AM
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Customer comments on this selection.
 Great book
It is a great read and you can learn so much about the practice of true buddhism too.
They did lots great reseach of this book.
 The Bodhisattva's Way
While it would be hard to find something to say that hasn't already been said this will be an attempt none-the-less to praise this work still further. This sutra explains, beautifully, why one should take the path of the bodhisattva. Everyone will benefit from reading this.
So good you can read it out loud to friends
Although I have a slight preference for the magnificent translation of this very funny and insightful sutra by Columbia University's Robert Thurman, this translation by Burton Watson was the first version that I read. And re-read--many times. Once you enter into the story, it is remarkably funny. One disciple after another declines Lord Buddha's request to go see the "ailing bodhisattva", Vimalakirti. "Why?" they say, why won't they go see Vimalakirti? Each has a different reason, but in short, they won't go because the last time they ran into this fellow, he gave them a very hard time indeed about whatever they were doing, said things that they are still puzzling over, and enlightened many thousands of listeners in the process. Those readers who are familiar with the puzzles of Zen koans will be at home with many of the dichotomies, but this narrative goes much further than just short anecdotes for meditation. The entire way of the Bodhisattva is spelled out in the pages of this book in unforgettable detail. It is one of the earliest and greatest works of Mahayana Buddhism with many of the key ideas that would be developed later schools like the Madhyamika.
I highly recommend both translations to all serious dharma students.
 Not into Propaganda
No reflection on Mr. Watson's translation--the book is very readable and is of historical interest. But it's mostly an apologetic for Mahayana vs. Theravada Buddhism. Though it does indicate that a layman can spiritually reach higher than monks. While compassion is very appealing this book is unconvincing that Mahayanists have higher enlightenment than Theravadists. True, this book does have the "koan" in which the protagonist is speechless to demonstrate a lack of duality. But, it was disappointing as a whole. Per David Snellgrove: "The fault in this plot is that it makes us expect too much from Vimalakirti's argumentative power. Modern novelists make the same mistake...the actual quality of his discourse is not good enough. We are left wondering why all the Saints stood in such awe of him. The author of this sutra tries to make up for this defect by a series of flighty miraculous episodes, which serve only to enhance the general effect of triviality." p. 272 in Edward Conze, I. B. Horner, David Snellgrove, & Arthur Waley, Buddhist Texts through the Ages (Boston: Shambhala, 1954).
Inspiring Story of a Great Layman
Vimalakirti was a deeply enlightened layman who lived during the time of the Buddha. As previous reviewers have emphasized, this particular sutra is greatly important to all of Mahayana Buddhism. This sutra opens with a pretty amazing scene in which Vimalakirti grows ill, and the Buddha sends his utmost students to convey Buddha's greetings to him. Many arhats and bodhisattvas gathered together in Vimalakirti's home, where they all tried to express the Dharma of "not two", which as a previous reviewer noted, was to show the point which is not made by dualistic thinking. One bodhisattva said, "The sky and ground are not two." Another said , "Good and bad are not two." Still another, "Coming and going are not two." They all had many explanations of "not two" ; it was an extremely remarkable exchange.Finally Manjushri said, "If you speak or don't speak, it's still not two." Everybody thought, "What a wonderful teaching." Then Manjushri turned to Vimalakirti and said, "What is your view of the Dharma of not two?" And Vimalakirti just sat there, not opening his mouth at all. Thus, Vimalakirti provided the best answer of them all. It's the most complete and deepest answer; for if you open your mouth, it's already NOT not-two; you would already be making two things. Just like Buddha nature, words and speech simply cannot touch it. Burton Watson has translated many important works for us all, including the saying of Zen master Lin Chi in book format. This particular translation is concise and in-line with the majority of other translations I have looked over of this monumental sutra; therefore based on this viewpoint, I feel this is a really good place to get your information for this sutra. You'll get a lot out of it, and I think you'll truly enjoy it. Take care!
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