A Variety of Bodhisattvas Depicted in the <i>Vimalakīrtinirdeśa</i>

Abstract

The Vimalakīrtinirdeśa is certainly one of the most popular early Mahāyāna sūtras and, compared to what is considered as the tradition, has a quite unique narrative style and a story setting. Just like the unorthodoxy of this sūtra, bodhisattvas depicted in the story are not only many and various but also very unusual and remarkable. Surprisingly, and despite its popularity, hardly any prior studies have shed light on this topic. There are few previous researches that discussed the bodhisattva doctrine expounded in the sūtra. Their focus, however, is placed mainly on Vimalakīrti himself as the ideal of a Mahāyāna bodhisattva.