Aspects of Mahayana Buddhism and its Relation to Hinayana c5.s2.t11.4

c5.s2.t11.4

But the most important doctrine of the Sarvāstivādins, which, I believe, led to the development of Mahāyāna, is their extreme *Astitvavāda* (the theory of the actual existence of elements composing a being). We may say that Mahāyāna is a continuation of the Buddhological speculations of the Mahāsānghikas and their offshoots, and a revolt against the *Astitvavāda* of the Sarvāstivādins—a dogma which appeared to the Mahāyānists as an utter distortion of Buddha’s teachings.² It was this revolt which resulted in the other extreme, the establishment of *Dharmaśūnyatā* (non-existence of everything whatsoever) as the real teaching of Buddha.