Shall we appreciate Sariputta as the first Buddhist philosopher? With his leadership in clear explanations and promotion of right view, he would have been dedicated to faithful preservation of the true Dhamma. Did he also frame the Dhamma in ways that fit in to the topics of standard philosophy? I am counting the Paṭisambhidāmagga as Sariputta’s, in addition to the suttas spoken by him.
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The Suttas seem to generally emphasize his role and importance.
I have always wondered why this was necessary. If he was really this emninent, wouldn’t this have been clear to everyone from the start, without the need of constantly pronouncing his importance in writing?
Could this in the end point to the contrary, that his role was not undisputed at all, and that some Suttas were created by his supporters to give more weight to his authority?
A heretical thought, I know, but I didn’t want to let this interesting topic go without an answer 
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I’m not sure I follow the argument here. If I also say “If Buddha was really this eminent, wouldn’t this have been clear to everyone from the start, without the need of constantly pronouncing his importance in writing? Could this in the end point to the contrary, that his role was not undisputed at all, and that some Suttas were created by his supporters to give more weight to his authority?” would it make sense?
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In a way, yes, especially when pronounced like this
That Blessed One is an arahant, perfectly enlightened, accomplished in true knowledge and conduct, fortunate, knower of the world, unsurpassed leader of persons to be tamed, teacher of devas and humans, the Enlightened One, the Blessed One. Having realized by his own direct knowledge this world with its devas, Māra, and Brahmā, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its devas and humans, he makes it known to others. He teaches a Dhamma that is good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, with the right meaning and phrasing; he reveals a spiritual life that is perfectly complete and pure.’
But the argument is historical, not logical.
Say you come by a newspaper report about President Trump, reporting on some matter he was involved in, but at the same time also constantly repeating and confirming that he really is the current President of the USA. Would this not imply that there are at least some people who dispute this?
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I don’t think Ven. Sariputta espouses any philosophy other than taught by Buddha. Most of the time it seems they(Ven. Sariputta and other Arahants) were very careful to only teach what Buddha taught. Even in regards to Sila/Ethics, they were careful to ask for Buddha’s advice. Even though they were enlightened and Buddha said they were perfect in regards to Sila).
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I don’t understand what you mean fully, to be honest. I’m a little dull-witted, still learning Buddhism. However I deeply appreciate Sariputta for maintaining the Sangha and administering help to the Buddha. He was truly an Arhat and is welcomed in all of Buddhism for being a great follower of the Buddha. Sariputta would ask for all of us to achieve what he had achieved however, and more along those lines. Do we all want to become Arhats? Are we all working towards it? I think that diligent work that he put in we should as well, and ultimately, ascribe to be like Gautama Buddha Himself. Namaste!
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I am not qualified master of philosophy, only beginning to take an interest because of how useful that discipline is, especially for discovering the cross-walk between ancient ways of thinking and this modern culture. My impression is that philosophy examines things that are intuitively known or understood in a culture … or the points where there is a pressing issue in the culture, like for example among the other traditions in the Buddha’s time the anxiety about karma and how a person can get out of karmic retribution. (We have some different problems today.) Philosophy takes these things and asks the questions which cut through all kinds of muddy thinking and help to see coherently and rationally. In the EBTs, Sariputta is famous for two things: giving detailed explanation for what the Buddha taught in brief, and making lists. My question is about whether Sariputta made a contribution that was important for the later evolution of Buddhist philosophy.
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According to Tillmann Vetter, he came up with Prajñā.