According to Iwamatsu Asao, the Sanskrit version of the Vimalakīrtinirdeśa could have been changed in the process of Sanskritization. He points out further that Zhi Qian’s translation stands very close to the extant Sanskrit version, despite the fact that Zhi Qian based his translation on a Gandharī text. He concludes, therefore, that Zhi Qian’s translation could have also been changed by a later hand. This paper provides a comprehensive study of the verses of the First Chapter and points out features that contradict the above views through comparing all the different versions. This paper shows also the importance of comparison of all the versions especially the Sanskrit version for the interpretation of the Chinese translations.
