http://khenposodargye.org/ The Lecture Notes of Chapter One of the Vimalakirti Sutra by Khenpo Sodargye’s translation team Lecture 1 .................................................................................................................................. - 3 - A Few Words before the Teaching ........................................................................................... - 3 - Which Version Are We Going to Use ....................................................................................... - 4 - What Benefits Will the Teaching Bring to You? ....................................................................... - 5 - Khenpo’s Expectations for Those Who Follow the Teaching .................................................. - 7 - Lecture 2 .................................................................................................................................. - 9 - What You Need to Do Before and After the Teaching ............................................................ - 9 - Who is Vimalakirti? ................................................................................................................ - 12 - Who is Kumarajiva? ............................................................................................................... - 15 - When & Where the Teaching Takes Place? .......................................................................... - 19 - Lecture 3 ............................................................................................................................... - 23 - The Three Styles of Teaching ................................................................................................. - 23 - Qualities of Bodhisattvas ....................................................................................................... - 24 - Lecture 4 ............................................................................................................................... - 36 - Qualities of Bodhisattvas ....................................................................................................... - 36 - The Names of Bodhisattvas ................................................................................................... - 47 - An AmaZing Story of Manjushri ............................................................................................. - 49 - Lecture 5 ............................................................................................................................... - 51 - Importance of Patience and Perseverance ........................................................................... - 51 - The Other Audiences of the Dharma Assembly .................................................................... - 53 - Can You Believe This Grand Scene? ...................................................................................... - 55 - The Offering of Jewel Accumulation ..................................................................................... - 56 - The Importance of Making Offerings to the Buddha ............................................................ - 58 - The Verses Proclaimed by Jewel Accumulation .................................................................... - 59 - Lecture 6 ............................................................................................................................... - 67 - The Verses Proclaimed by Jewel Accumulation .................................................................... - 67 - Bodhisattva Jewel Accumulation Asked Buddha a Question ................................................ - 76 - - 1 - http://khenposodargye.org/ Lecture 7 ............................................................................................................................... - 80 - Bodhisattva Jewel Accumulation Asked Buddha a Question ................................................ - 82 - What is a Buddha land? ......................................................................................................... - 85 - Lecture 8 ............................................................................................................................. - 102 - How Should Bodhisattvas Cultivate Their Buddha Land? ................................................... - 102 - Pure Mind, Pure Land .......................................................................................................... - 104 - Shariputra’s Doubt ............................................................................................................... - 108 - Conch Crest Brahma King’s Answer .................................................................................... - 109 - The Buddha’s Evidence ........................................................................................................ - 112 - - 2 - http://khenposodargye.org/ Lecture 1 A Few Words before the Teaching a. Taking Notes Khenpo Sodargye Rinpoche encourages students to take notes during the teaching. In fact, memorizing the teachings by heart would be best, especially if you can memorize the content as well as the meaning, but taking notes is encouraged. Some say that writing directly on a sutra is not respectful, but many Tibetan Buddhism masters took notes directly onto their texts. In fact, annotating in a respectful manner, on the margins of the sutra, is fairly useful. It can help with comparing content and meaning in a clear and more helpful way. b. Time and Schedule Khenpo urges us to be punctual and to attach great importance to attending his live teachings. When it comes to catching a train, an airplane, or attending a meeting, most people would be very prompt. So why is it that some people only turn up halfway through a Dharma class? Therefore, in your mind you should attach great importance to the Dharma classes, and add them to your schedule. This way you can gain the greatest benefits. c. Suggestions to the Western Students Khenpo is aware that people from other parts of the world want to study this sutra. Therefore English and Japanese simultaneous interpretations are offered to help them. Although the number is rather small compared to the Chinese audience, it is still meaningful to provide such an opportunity for them to follow the teaching. As Khenpo said, “On the one hand, it is an auspicious start; on the other hand, even if there are just a few people who are able to follow the teachings, it is my great pleasure to help them understand and further realize this profound wisdom which originated from the ancient East.” Khenpo particularly reminds the western audience that the Vimalakirti Sutra carries the profound Buddhist philosophy from the ancient East. Thus some of the messages in the teachings could sound abruptly shocking to westerners, especially in the 21st century. For example, the teachings in Buddhism are quite different to the commonly held beliefs of individualism that pervade in the West. Therefore, Khenpo suggests that the audience keep an - 3 - http://khenposodargye.org/ open heart and an open mind while studying this sutra, so as to take the ancient teaching into their hearts and to reflect deeply on it. This is how Buddhist philosophy can benefit students, no matter what their ethnic, cultural background or language. Otherwise, if one only holds a critical mind from the perspective of western thought and fails to accept the teaching in an inclusive manner, no matter whether one is a scholar or a practitioner, then the study of the sutra may not necessarily bring one great benefits. Actually, this suggestion is not just for westerners. Different beings have different mindsets, preferences, propensities and capacities. So their interest and their focus on the Vimalakirti Sutra could also be different. But all in all, an open and inclusive mind is crucial during the learning process. Which Version Are We Going to Use There are currently various translations of this sutra in English, French, Russian, German, Hungarian, Japanese, Korean, Mongolian, and Manchurian. Although lost for centuries, in 1999, a version in the original Sanskrit was recovered amongst the Chinese government’s Potala collection in Tibet. The Tibetan translation has two known versions, one of which is found in the Kangyur Canon, translated from original Sanskrit around the early 8th or 9th century, and the other being the Tun-Huang version found in the early 20th century. Historically speaking, Han Chinese had extraordinary faith in the Vimalakirti Sutra, and because it was highly emphasized in Han Buddhism, the Vimalakirti Sutra has been translated from the original version seven times throughout history, the first being produced in 188 CE by the Kuṣāṇa monk Lokakṣema. Today, only three versions are still in existence: • Fóshuō Wéimójié Jīng (佛說維摩詰經) – translated by Zhi Qian in 223-228 CE • Wéimójié Suǒshuō Jīng (維摩詰所說經) – translated by Kumārajīva in 406 CE • Shuō Wúgòuchēng Jīng (說無垢稱經) – translated by Xuanzang in 650 CE Earlier translations have been done by Lokakṣema (188 CE), Dharmarakṣa (308 CE), Upaśūnya (545 CE), and Jñānagupta (591 CE). Of the three remaining renditions, Kumarajiva’s has traditionally been the most popular. - 4 - http://khenposodargye.org/ In the English language, there have been more than four versions translated. Some were translated from the Chinese version by Kumarajiva, and others were translated from the Tibetan version in the Kangyur Canon. Most Japanese versions are based on Kumarajiva’s version. This time Khenpo Sodargye will give the oral transmission