The Sutra of Queen Srimala of the Lion's Roar / The Vimalakirti Sutra

There are two titles in this volume.

The Sutra of Queen Srīmālā is an important early Mahayana text. It is a unique development within the Buddhist tradition because of its egalitarian and generous view concerning women, portraying, on the one hand, the dignity and wisdom of a laywoman and her concern for all beings, and, on the other, the role of woman as philosopher and teacher. The major philosophical emphases of the text are the theories of the “womb of the Buddha” and the One Vehicle.

The Vimalakīrti Sutra is a well-known sutra that deals extensively with the doctrines of nonduality and emptiness.

• John R. McRae, Translator

  John R. McRae (1947-2011) was a preeminent scholar of Chinese Buddhism who specialized in the rise of Chan (Zen) during the Tang Dynasty. He held positions at Cornell University, Indiana University, and Komazawa University and served for many years as Chair of the Bukkyō Dendō Kyōkai Publication Committee.

• Diana Y. Paul, Translator