Vimalakirti Quotes

“What Vimalakirti demonstrates in every aspect of his life is the ability to excel at the most sophisticated teachings and practices of Buddhist monastic culture while simultaneously living a very worldly life. By picturing this conjunction of presumed opposites in the life of its central character, the sutra suggests a possibility for Buddhism that no one had previously imagined. It claims boldly that the highest and most refined achievements of Buddhism are in fact open to anyone regardless of their vocation in life.”
― Dale S. Wright, Living Skillfully: Buddhist Philosophy of Life from the Vimalakirti Sutra

“Either you live the life of a layperson or you live a monastic life― one or the other. That was the standard assumption. Yet Vimalakirti is pictured as a layperson who at least in certain respects lives like a monk.”
― Dale S. Wright, Living Skillfully: Buddhist Philosophy of Life from the Vimalakirti Sutra

“Vimalakirti's aim was to live in accordance with his vow of compassion for all living beings, and he is described as doing that in every conceivable context. So if we're businesspeople, we see what it would mean to be principled in our pursuit of profit. If we're landlords, we get a model of a relationship to tenants that is fair and respectful. If we're Buddhist meditators who shun loud, complicated urban settings, we are given an image of someone who maintains mindfulness even in the most troubling, complex circumstances.”
― Dale S. Wright, Living Skillfully: Buddhist Philosophy of Life from the Vimalakirti Sutra

“For Vimalakirti, everything—every encounter, every problem, frustration, and issue—is an opportunity for practice.”
― Dale S. Wright, Living Skillfully: Buddhist Philosophy of Life from the Vimalakirti Sutra