Vimalakirti

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Vimalakīrti is by some considered to be the first Zen Buddhist Master aside from the Buddha himself. He is a historical figure living around the time of Gautama Buddha (sixth to fifth century BC). There is no mention of him in texts until after Nāgārjuna (first century BC to first century AD) revived the Mahāyāna teachings in India.

He is the subject of the Vimalakirti sutra. This text was translated into Chinese seven times starting in the third century. Two of which are the Kumārajīva version (A.D. 406) being the most widely used, and the Hsüan Tsang version (A.D. 650 being the most accurate to the original. Chos Nid Tshul Khrims also translated it into Tibetan in the ninth century. Most Japanese versions are based on the Chinese Kumarajiva version. The original Sanksrit text is sadly lost, only fragments still remain in certain Mahayana texts.

[edit] References

Thurman, Robert A. F. translator of The Holy Teaching of Vimalakirti: A Mahayana Scripture. Pennsylvania State University Press, 2000 ISBN 0-271-01209-9

[edit] External links

• Vimalakirti Nirdesa Sutra (translation by Robert Thurman)