Michael Pye is Professor (emeritus) at Marburg University and a visiting Research Associate of Otani University in Kyoto. His writings have ranged widely over problems in the study of religions, studies in Buddhist thought and many aspects of contemporary Japanese religion. His major publications include Skilful Means and Emerging from Meditation.

• Preface with Acknowledgements List of Illustrations Conventions on Names, Titles and Scripts 1 Introduction Part One: The Teaching of Vimalakirti 2 Vimalakirti's Discourse on Emancipation Izumi Hokei (trans.) Part Two: Related Strands in Early Mahayana Buddhism 3 The Heart Sutra (Prajna-paramita-hrdaya-sutra) Shaku Hannya 4 Nagarjuna's Mahayana-vimsaka Yamaguchi Susumu (trans.) 5 Outline of the Avatamsaka Sutra (Kegonkyo) Beatrice Lane Suzuki 6 The Hymn on the Life and Vows of Samantabhadra Izumi Hokei (trans.) Part Three: Hints of Laity in the Esoteric Tradition 7 Fudo the Immovable Beatrice Lane Suzuki 8 Ceremonies for Disciples on Mount Koya Beatrice Lane Suzuki Part Four: Revisiting Masters of the Nenbutsu 9 The Pure Land Doctrine in Shoku's "Plain Wood" Nenbutsu Sugihira Shizutoshi 10 Myoe's Critique of Honen Bando Shojun 11 Ippen Shonin and the Nenbutsu Yanagi Soetsu 12 Shinran and his Song on Amida Beatrice Lane Suzuki 13 On Steadfast Holding to the Name Kakunyo Shonin 14 Rennyo the Restorer Kaneko Daiei 15 Asahara Saichi the Myokonin Sato Taira 16 The Rite of Reception into Jodo Shinshu Dan Bornstein Synoptic List of Text Titles Character List for Historical Persons Original Publication Details A Note on The Eastern Buddhist

"The most important contribution in this volume is probably an English translation (from the Chinese version) of the Vimalakirti-nirdesa by Izumi Hokei (1884-1947) which is assembled from different issues of The Eastern Buddhist. It supplements various other translations of this important text which exist already. [...] In addition to these valuable translations there are a couple of interesting contributions by various authors focusing on diverse aspects of 'lay spirituality' and sometimes giving insight into the diversified interest of Japanese Zen or Shin Buddhists. The volume includes a valuable synoptic list of texts which are directly referred to in the volume and an excellent index which helps to explore its rich content." --Franz Winter, University of Graz, Religious Studies Review 44.1 (March 2018)