Vimalakirti and the Doctrine of Nonduality

Vimalakirti and the Doctrine of Nonduality

Wang Zhenpeng

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This handscroll depicts an episode from the Vimalakirti Sutra, the Buddhist scripture in which Vimalakirti, a layman, and Manjushri, the Bodhisattva of Wisdom, engage in a theological debate. According to the sutra, Vimalakirti proved the more subtle by remaining silent when asked to explain the ultimate meaning of the Buddhist Law. The subject appealed to China's Confucian elite, for it demonstrated how a cultured layman could surpass even a deity in his understanding of doctrine. The scroll is a rare example of a preparatory draft, submitted for the approval of the future Emperor Renzong (r. 1311–20) before a final version in color was executed.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Vimalakirti and the Doctrine of NondualityVimalakirti and the Doctrine of NondualityVimalakirti and the Doctrine of NondualityVimalakirti and the Doctrine of NondualityVimalakirti and the Doctrine of Nonduality

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.