Aspects of Mahayana Buddhism and its Relation to Hinayana c8.s2.t3.40

c8.s2.t3.40

A *puthujjana* is defined in the *Majjhima Nikāya* as one who labours under the delusion of “I-ness” and “Mine-ness” and thinks that he has *rūpa*, *vedanā*, etc. Not knowing the true law, he develops attachment to things which he should avoid, and thereby produces and increases the āsavas (inflowing impurities) of kāma (desire), bhava (desire for existence) and avijjā (ignorance).¹ The Puggala Paññatti² simply says that a puthujjana is one who has neither got rid of the three samyojanas nor applied himself to get rid of them. The Paṭisambhidāmagga³ tells us that the puthujjanas, who are striving to be ariyas, try to be indifferent to the saṅkhārās by looking upon them as anicca, dukkha and anattā but this indifference of theirs does not stay permanently in their minds and sometimes even appears distasteful to them.