The Vimalakirti Sutra

Among the numerous sutras or sacred texts of Mahayana Buddhism, some, such as the Lotus Sutra, are noted for the majestic scale and sweep of their narrative and their devotional chapters, others like the Heart Sutra for their extreme conciseness.

The Vimalakirti Sutra, one of the most famous and influential works of the Mahayana canon, is outstanding for the eloquent and orderly manner in which it expounds the basics tenets of Mahayana, the liveliness of its episodes, and its frequent touches of humor, these last a rarity in a religious work of this type.

The Vimalakirti Sutra is also unusual in that its central figure is not a Buddha or Buddhas but a wealthy townsman of Shakyamuni's time, Vimalakirti, who in his religious understanding and practice epitomizes the ideal lay believer. For this reason, and because of the sutra's remarkable literary appeal, it has enjoyed particular popularity among lay Buddhists in China, Japan, and the other Asian countries where Mahayana doctrines prevail and has exercised a marked influence on their literature and art.

Highly regarded by nearly all branches of Mahayana Buddhism, it has held a place of particular importance in the Ch'an or Zen sect.

---Taken from the Introduction to Burton Watson's translation of The Vimalakirti Sutra---