Science fiction beyond science fiction, or Shariputra too small to mount a Buddha's seat - Vimalakirti Sutra - chapter 6
After a heavy dose of philosophy in chapter five, chapter six is again a bit more playful. Shariputra - the eternal punching bag of the Mahayana sutras - looks at the multitude of monks, nuns, bodhisattvas, gods, demons and other mythical beings who have gathered in Vimalakirti’s small sick room and wonders where they should sit. Vimalakirti, who can read the mind of others, exposes him of completely missing the point: “Did you come here for the sake of the Law [Dharma], or are you just looking for a place to sit?”, he asks (Vimalakirti Sutra, 1997, p. 75.) The humiliated Shariputra replies that he has of course come for the Dharma. This is all Vimalakirti needs to reel off a fine teaching of what it means - or rather what it does not mean - to seek the Dharma, apparently denying many of the fundamental tenets of Buddhism. “The Dharma has nothing to do with idle theorizing” sums up his criticism of the orthodox Buddhist doctrines. And the conclusion of this impromptu lecture is th...