『維摩経』の今日的意義：世に住む維摩 ― 「行動する仏教」への視点=《維摩詰經》的現代意義：世俗中的維摩 ― 以實踐中的佛教為視點=The Contemporary Significance of the Vimalakirtinirdeśa: Vimalakirti Staying in the world as a Perspective on Engaged Buddhism
Regarding Mahayana Buddhism, Ryujo Yamada has said, ＂(Mahayana Buddhism) was started by declaring it in the Prajñaparamita sutras, so the main essence of it is prajñaparamita … the origin of Mahayana Buddhism is attributed to the appearance of its bodhisattvas,＂ in his Daijo bukkyo seiritsu ron josetsu 大乗仏教成立論序説 (Prolegomenon to the Theory of the Establishment of Mahayana Buddhism). As the Vimalakirtinirdeśa is one of the sutras of early Mahayana Buddhism, it is exactly the sutra which explains Mahayana bodhisattvas based on prajñaparamita emptiness and non duality. The main character of this sutra, Vimalakirti, is described as an ideal Mahayana bodhisattva who came down to the impure land wishing to make the people there happy. The heroic figure Vimalakirti, who bravely shows the truth without being captured by conservative ideas, might inspire people in this confused modern world and lead them to the way of the truth. The theory of purifying the Buddha land shown in this sutra contains the teachings which are available to realize world peace and build an ideal society even today. Moreover, Vimalakirti's activities in secular society might provide guidelines for Engaged Buddhism or Humanistic Buddhism in modern days.
