1 “A disciplined life gives strength” (page 118). Comment on this.

2. “Buddhism is a middle way between the extreme of authoritarianism and the extreme of individualistic thinking for oneself” (page 119). Which of these extremes do you tend most towards? How might you develop more of a middle way?

3. In the last paragraph of page 123, Sangharakshita suggests a number of questions for investigating the significance of the symbolism in this part of the Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa. What are your thoughts on at least one of these questions?

4. What is the significance of the world Sarvagaṇḍhasugaṇḍhā with its marvellous meals and communication through perfume?

5. Write something about your own experience of non-verbal communication.

6. What can we learn from the perfuming of the conditioned by ‘Ultimate Reality’? How does conditioned existence ‘perfume Ultimate Reality’?

7. “It is important, therefore, that we acquire new senses and new means of communication … that we very much enlarge the total range of our being and consciousness” (page 131). How could you put this into practice?