Inconceivable Emancipation: Themes from the Vimalakirti-Nirdesa [Paperback]

Sangharakshita (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2004

Providing a commentary on a classic Mahayana scripture, this book seeks to illuminate the profound relevance of the original text and to evoke its drama, paradox and humour.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

A respected translator and author of over fifty books, Sangharakshita began studying BUddhism at the age of 16. After 20 years studying in India he returned to England and set up the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order which has over 65 centres worldwide, including the USA.

Product Details

• Paperback: 168 pages
• Publisher: Windhorse Publications (August 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0904766888
• ISBN-13: 978-0904766882
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,695,338 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent introduction to a Buddhist classic, December 29, 2006

By 

Bodhipaksa (Newmarket, NH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Inconceivable Emancipation: Themes from the Vimalakirti-Nirdesa (Paperback)

The Vimalakirti Nirdesha -- also known as "The Achintya Vimoksa" or the Inconceivable Emancipation -- deserves to be known as one of the world's greatest spiritual texts and as a literary masterpiece. It's readable, profound, and even at times highly comedic. I can't help but think it would make a great opera!

The sutra deals with Vimalakirti, an advanced Bodhisattva who apparently lives the life of an ordinary householder, and his encounters with various highly advanced spiritual beings -- most of whom are rather nervous about having their own limitations shown up in debate with the householder-saint.

This book is based on a series of lectures by Sangharakshita, which explore various aspects of the Nirdesha. Having heard these lectures before I read the text itself, I was able to get a lot more out of my encounter than I otherwise would have.

Sangharakshita is here at his most erudite and spiritually illuminating. He deals skillfully with the themes that the book raises, such as the need to put compassion ahead of monastic rules, the (at that time revolutionary) need to see people not primarily in terms of gender but to accept them as individuals, and the essential inexpressibility of reality (hence the title, "Inconceivable Emancipation").

If you were only to buy one book by Sangharakshita, I'd say it should be this one. But if you do read this one I think you'd want to read more!

Incidentally, Thurman's translation of the sutra itself is highly recommended.

6 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars How inconceivable one's emancipation could be?, April 6, 2000

By 

Dharmahopeful... (Mexico City, Mexico) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Inconceivable Emancipation: Themes from the Vimalakirti-Nirdesa (Paperback)

The Vimalakirti Nirdesha is not a sutra in the usual way, being a sutra a canonical Budhist text, a part of the Mahayana tradition, and one of the most fascinating teachings to be found anywhere in the Buddhist corpus. Vimalakirti's intention is to irradiate the teaching for us all, he is strong, and wise, even intimidates the very disciples of the Buddha!

When we see a thing, we hardly ever realize that it isn't really there, that it really doesn't exist, but at the same time we cannot be misled by the judgement of our own eyes, the point is: what we see is not absolute, things are existant and at the same time, non-existant.

Vimalakirti is a Boddhisattva, that is, "A Buddha-to-be", someone who takes on the vow to attain Enlightenment for the benefit of absolutely ALL sentient beings. This Vimalakirti lives as an ordinary layman, he seems to be every man, has a family, works to put food on his table, etc... but - the trick is he's way much more than that... he's got the appearance of every third man in order to transmit his message better: the Dharma.

Magical and poetically, the great Vimalakirti explains his views on the Dharma, paradoxical, mythical, profoundly poetical, yet -the intention of the message is quite clear: go for refuge in the teachings. Rejoice in the four reliances, beleive your vows because they are true.

3 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Highly inconceivable from this author!, December 12, 2005

By 

Hakuyu "Ikeda" (Kyoto, Japan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Inconceivable Emancipation: Themes from the Vimalakirti-Nirdesa (Paperback)

In their authentic context, the themes discussed here are fine and well worth digestion. However, in view of the actual social attitude and prejudices cultivated by the Friends of Western Buddhist Order, what with its sexismt, anti-family and anti-marriage prejudices - the author begs a number of questions by speaking as if actually empathised with the message conveyed by the Vimalakirti Nirdesa Sutra.

In practice, the author of this book - and the order to which he belongs, does not advocate Vimalakirti's teaching. The operative psychology of the FWBO is conveyed in texts like
'Buddhism for Today' and 'The Buddhist Vision' - where we find
a thoroughly dualistic doctrine. The human price of this distortion can be established by accessing, on line, the FWBO files, with special reference to the disturbing case of Mark Dunlop, which recounts his experience of abuse - and other people, in one case, actual suicide - as reported in the national press (re. The Guardian Newspaper).