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The Vimalakirti Sutra
The Vimalakirti Sutra L17 The main speaker of this session is Khenpo Sodargye Don’t Mistake Lapis Lazuli for Crystal
This session opens with a Tibetan oral transmission, followed by an important supplement to the previous lesson. Khenpo explains that the radical Mahayana teachings in Lesson 16 — such as not severing the three poisons — are not a rejection of ethics but a pointing to ultimate nature, and practitioners should not be alarmed. He then introduces Venerable Purna, foremost among the Buddha's disciples in teaching the Dharma. Purna was known for his extraordinary courage and willingness to teach in dangerous regions. Yet despite his skill, Vimalakirti challenges him: before teaching, one must first enter samadhi to discern the true spiritual capacity of one's students. The metaphor used is clear — do not mistake lapis lazuli for crystal, meaning do not give Hinayana teachings to those with Mahayana capacity. Khenpo elaborates that even experienced teachers often teach from personal preference rather than true knowledge of others' capacity, leading to mismatch and harm. Vimalakirti then reveals the deeper truth: these new bhiksus had actually already generated Mahayana bodhicitta in front of five hundred Buddhas in past lives, but had forgotten it. To restore their memory, Vimalakirti enters a samadhi revealing past lives. The bhiksus suddenly recall everything, bow to Vimalakirti, and receive teachings that ensure they will not regress from the path of awakening. The session closes with a brief introduction to Venerable Katyayana, foremost in explaining the meaning of the Dharma.