The Development of the Buddhist Creed - Research Paper Example

29 February Analysis of Vimalakirti Sutra The development of the Buddhist creed has historically proceeded through the differentiation of various schools and branches of the general doctrine of this religion. Such differentiation has usually taken form of the development of respective doctrinal literature generally specific for each given sect/school. Therefore it is necessary to try and analyze a specific text representative of a particular Buddhist scholastic doctrine in order to understand its inner development and the connection with the whole corpus of Buddhist texts and teachings. Within a framework of the present study, the Vimalakirti Sutra has been selected for analysis. This text is claimed to have been composed in India approximately in early 2nd century CE . Representing a story of a certain Vimalakirti, this sutra provides a sophisticated theological account of the concept of bodhisattva as the ideal form of attaining the Awakening, which is contrasted and compared with the traditional Buddhist idea of arhat. Nonetheless, the Arhatship is far from being rejected in the text of the sutra; on the contrary, the text purports to provide instructions for both categories. The main thrust of the Vimalakirti Sutra is aimed at the followers of the Mahayana tradition of Buddhism. This tradition encompasses a number of Buddhist schools and sects that, despite their manifold differences, agree on the necessity of helping the other being to achieve Awakening, rather than purely individual efforts at attaining this condition themselves. The former variant, known as the Bodhisattva Path, is construed as involving the dedication of life energies of the prospective bodhisattva to the assistance to other living beings, rather than disappearing from the worldly existence (sa?sara) at the end of the personal lifetime, as in the case of traditional concept of arhat. The collectivist impulse found in Mahayana allowed it to become more popular than traditional ‘Southern’ schools of Buddhism in many regions of the world, including Japan, Mongolia, China, etc. The Mahayana Buddhism was not, however, a completely laymen-based phenomenon, as there is strong evidence that the monastic spiritualists play an important part in its development (Mitchell 97). The main aim of Mahayana devotees has always been the definition of the essence of the ‘Great Vehicle’ that can allow them to reach the condition of Buddha through the path of Bodhisattva. Such Great Vehicle was eventually associated with the altruistic desire (bodhicitta) to assist the other mortals in achieving the Awakening necessary to free themselves from the shackles of earthly existence. Various Mahayana schools used differing terminology to describe the specific stages that must be passed on the way to the state of Bodhisattva, but eventually the majority of Mahayana teachers laid down the sequence of Ten Stages that are to be passed by the true Bodhisattva, with generosity, morality, tolerance, effort, concentration, and true wisdom being the most important virtues of this set. It is worth noting that it was the Vimalakirti Sutra that introduced this canon of virtues of Bodhisattva for the first time in history of Mahayana school. The role of the Vimalakirti Sutra for the adherents of Mahayana Buddhism is rather encompassing, as this is the text that laid down some of the most important tenets of Mahayana doctrine. The main subject of the sutra is both practical and philosophical, as it combines the discussion of the most important themes in Buddhist ontology (e.g. the concept of ‘emptiness’, or sunyata) with the practical advice and contemplations on the integration of Mahayana Buddhist practices in daily life of the devotee. The Vimalakirti Sutra played an important role in further development of Mahayana cosmogony; by introducing the concept of ‘Buddha-field’, it has connected the notions of cosmic existence inherited from the Hindu tradition with the specifically Buddhist philosophy of emptiness and Awakening. Its systematization of the virtues of Buddha and the establishment of connection between the spiritual efforts of a devotee and the correct behavior in worldly existence helped to make Mahayana Buddhism more understandable for the rank-and-file lay persons that could not bother themselves with the high-profile philosophical discussions. In that way, the Vimalakirti Sutra facilitated the transformation of the Mahayana doctrine into a more popular creed. The practical dimension of the Vimalakirti Sutra involves the thesis on the necessity for the prospective bodhisattvas to engage with the surrounding world in order to attain the empirical connection with the world, while maintaining the clearness of mind and self-control. Unlike earlier forms of purely monastic Buddhism, the Mahayana doctrine as expounded by the Vimalakirti Sutra provides for the involvement of its adepts in the external world, yet avoiding the distractions of the material world. In this way, the Vimalakirti Sutra lays the foundations for the active attitude to life, which is common among the adepts of many Mahayana schools. Finally, the emphasis on fundamentally ‘emptiness’-based nature of Dharma that is found in this sutra has contributed to the flourishing of the wide array of different Mahayana schools, making this tradition in Buddhism far more tolerant and receptive to alternative concepts and practices, which may have contradicted the initial Buddhist doctrine. In that way, the Mahayana Buddhism became far less rigid than its orthodox counterpart. The terminology employed in the text of the Vimalakirti Sutra played an important role in the development of conceptual basis for the modern Mahayana Buddhism. In particular, the concept of nonduality is one of the most important aspects of this sutra, as it expounds the attitude of Buddhists to the problem of overcoming the worldly existence while remaining in this world. Within the context of the Vimalakirti Sutra, a condition of nonduality is construed as involving the supersession of traditional concepts of ‘grasping’ and ‘non-grasping’, with the result that the deed of a particular subject is viewed through the lenses of either its ‘perceptual manifestation’ or ‘objectlessness’. The Vimalakirti Sutra posits that it is those who manage to achieve the state of simultaneous ‘nongrasping’ and ‘nonrejection’ that may be viewed as ones who have overcome the all-encompassing condition of duality. Without this, it is said that even in explanations proffered by the wise men duality continues haunting the minds of the disciples. Another important concept mentioned in the Vimalakirti Sutra is that of Ten Virtuous Practices of Bodhisattvas. This set of virtues that have been mentioned here earlier accounts for the specific code of conduct, which is to be followed by the prospective bodhisattvas. The idea of the world as a ‘buddha-field’ is introduced in the text of the sutra to denote the connection between the spiritual and corporeal practice – one of the most important recurrent themes in the scriptures of Mahayana Buddhist schools. The stylistic features of the Vimalakirti Sutra are typical for the Hindu-influenced texts of Buddhist scriptures in general. The repeated use of particular word constructions (“This should be done and this should not be done. This is proper and that should be abandoned. This is an obscuration and that is without obscuration. This is sin and that rises above sin. This is the path and that is the wrong path”) are employed by the author (s) for the purposes of instilling greater understanding of the chosen concepts in the mind of a reader, while the dialogue-based narrative of the sutra emphasizes the importance of the personal teaching by the buddhas and bodhisattvas as opposed to merely reciting the received wisdoms. In general, the style of the Vimalakirti Sutra is identical to the majority of Hindu and Buddhist sacred texts of the respective period. The Vimalakirti Sutra proved an important stage in the development of the mature Mahayana doctrine. By establishing the concept of multiplicity of ‘buddha-fields’ as the ways of reaching the Awakening, it provided for the proliferation of varied Mahayana schools and sects that in turn became the starting point for the development of such renowned versions of modern Buddhism as Tibetan and Zen Buddhism. The sutra’s emphasis on the connection between practical works and the spiritual practices aimed at reaching the condition of bodhisattva likewise contributed to the development of Buddhist ethics and praxeological teachings. With respect to Vimalakirti Sutra’s strengths and weaknesses as a source for researching the respective religious creed, it may be noted that its somewhat cryptic and verbose style may make it difficult for the beginners to understand its general message; however, this sutra is relatively accessible and may prove a good starting point for understanding the Mahayana Buddhism. Works Cited Mitchell, Donald. Buddhism: Introducing the Buddhist Experience. 2nd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008. Print. Read More