注維摩詰經 2.218

2.218

[Kumāra]jīva says: In the śrāvaka Dharma, the uncontaminated wisdom of the arhats surpasses the worldly wisdom of the bodhisattvas; in the Mahāyāna Dharma, [bodhisattvas] surpass them in both respects. Here, the śrāvaka Dharma is employed to clarify the great and the small, which is why the disciples are instructed first. Śāriputra is foremost in wisdom among the disciples, so he was instructed first. The reason [the Buddha] instructed him despite knowing he was not equal to the task is that he wished to make him reveal Vimalakīrti's extraordinary eloquence and to arouse the great assembly. He further instructed the others because he wished to have each praise his excellence, making clear that his multifaceted responsiveness, eloquence, and wisdom know no bounds. Below, regarding 'quiet sitting', the Sanskrit text says 'collecting body and mind'.

[Seng]zhao says: The ultimate person communicates silently with a mind held afar; without needing prior spoken words, he secretly responds to hidden triggers—hence he instructed him to inquire after the illness. Śāriputra is foremost in wisdom at the head of the five hundred disciples, so he was commanded first. The Tathāgata knew that none of them was equal to it, yet still commanded them, because he was going to reveal the inexhaustible virtue of the Pure Name in order to engender feelings of awe and reverence in the assembled multitude. 'Śāri' was his mother's name; 'putra' in the language of Qin means 'son'. In India, children are often named after their mothers.

[Dao]sheng says: Knowing his intent means understanding his purpose. Regarding today's mission, reason dictates that it belonged to Mañjuśrī, yet [the Buddha] commanded the others: by relying on the conventional protocol of sending an envoy, he wished to indirectly reveal Vimalakīrti's virtue. The reason his virtue was revealed through this is that their encounter had already occurred in the past, so today he was bound to hold him in high esteem; if such esteem accords with reason, then the principle is worthy of respect. If one has submitted to his virtue and relies on hearing the principle to regard it as noble, how could one fail to awaken when it comes time to discuss the illness? As for the manner of dispatching envoys, it must proceed from the near to the far; this is why he took the disciples first and the bodhisattvas later. Śāriputra was the foremost of those who personally attended [the Buddha], which is why he was commanded first.