The present research focuses on examining the status of the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa within the people of China. In particular, the beliefs characteristics that formed during the process of its dissemination among the general population. It asserts that the two worlds of the common people and intellectuals generated different beliefs and views during the dissemination of Buddhism in China. In contrast to the fact that the intellectuals focused on profound philosophy (Xuanli), the common people worshipped Vimalakirti’s extraordinary power, copied and enshrined the Sūtra, chanted, and integrated folk ways with repentance and Buddhist rituals, all of which illuminated a trend towards religious popularization of religious thought. However, such folk religion has also been incorporated into the intellectuals’ profound philosophy since the middle of the Tang Dynasty, due to the popularisation of Buddhism and its art, which was driven by the Pure Land and Chan sects. These variations in belief representation stemmed from the sophisticated inclusions of the Sūtra and its adaptability to individual conditions and capabilities during preaching. In addition, the differentiation between the two belief manifestations connects to their cultural levels and belief needs.
