The Zen Joke

The Lotus Sutra is a best-seller in East-Asian Buddhism but if we read it today it isn't very impressive at all. I think there are three main reasons for being so popular in Asia: (1) its magical-devotional value; (2) its rich scenery and large number of parables; (3) the hard work of commentators to bring out a hidden meaning. Not impressive for us because it has little or no magical value for us, can't read it as if it were a novel and it's difficult to make much sense of the whole thing. Same could be said about many other Vaipulya (Mahayana) sutras. Koans are another thing. Originally they're (mostly) fictional stories - perhaps better to call them folk tales - in books about the history/legend of Zen situated mainly in the Tang era (618-907). Such stories were popular not just because they are meant to be expressions of the enlightened state but rather because they're perplexing and funny.

I believe there's lot of entertainment in Buddhism without which it could not have penetrated cultures and societies throughout Asia. It's enough to think of the Jatakas, the primary teachings for lay people, to see my point. Those stories about Gautama's former lives served as an inspiration and source for the emergence of bodhisattvahood as a religious path. But as time goes by the tales of old become legends for the present and they're taken as historical events to serve as examples. Of course, it is a complicated thing for a once nearly heretical idea to turn into orthodoxy and it needs more than a moment of fame. Anyhow, looking at a group of Buddhist teachings as entertainment can be useful in understanding their purpose. It also helps conceiving methods to teach the Dharma today. This is skilful means of course, the secret weapon of buddhas and bodhisattvas to tame beings lost in the fog of delusion.

For instance, a modern version of the Lotus Sutra could be a fantasy novel where the heroes are looking for the Lotus Sutra. I can imagine the Avatamsaka Sutra as a sci-fi series full of spaceships and alien creatures, and Sudhana is the captain leading his men to unknown worlds. The Larger Amita Sutra could be a post-apocalyptic film about Dharmakara - Deekay for friends - saving humanity. The Vimalakirti Sutra might be a sitcom full of witty punch lines. Not to mention Tantric horror and porn movies. Such reproductions of holy scriptures could serve a great purpose in introducing the radically different view of wisdom and compassion. But they must be high quality works for sure, both in content and appearance.