Tag Archives: Robert Thurman

A Man for all Seasons

Posted on February 25, 2012 by Vajragoni

2. Inconceivable Skill in Liberative Technique

Thurman masterfully translates upaya (expedient tool) as a liberative method skillfully employed by Vimalakirti, who cleverly deploys many and diverse expedient means for the liberation of sentient beings. read more

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Field of Dreams

Posted on February 24, 2012 by Vajragoni

This vast throng of spectators is in total awe of the Buddha, sitting majestically upon his royal Lion throne. As they circumambulate-round him clockwise seven times, they lay down at his feet a spectacular parasol (a canopy): read more

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Now Voyager

Posted on February 23, 2012 by Vajragoni

Purification of the Buddha-field, cont’d

Their mindfulness, intelligence, realization, meditation, incantation, and eloquence all were perfected. They were free from all obscurations and emotional involvement, living in liberation without impediment. They were totally dedicated through the transcendences of generosity, subdued, unwavering, and sincere morality, tolerance, effort, meditation, wisdom, skill in liberative technique, commitment power, and gnosis. They had attained the intuitive tolerance of the ultimate incomprehensibility of all things. They turned the irreversible wheel of the Dharma. They were stamped with the insignia of signlessness. read more

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Other voices…Other rooms

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Vajragoni

I have chosen Robert Thurman’s translation of the Vimalakirti Sutra for our 40-day Dharma study. Charles Luk’s version is fine, but Thurman’s version seems to resonate more for me. Also, Luk’s subtitle of his published translation of the sutra is “Ordinary Enlightenment”. As we shall see, there is nothing Ordinary or Extraordinary when it comes to Vimalakirti (Vimalakirti supersedes all known categorical imperatives). read more

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