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Early Monastic Buddhism v1.c23.s3: (b) Question of the inclusion of Ānanda

Early Monastic Buddhism v1.c23.s3

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(b) Question of the inclusion of Ānanda

v1.c23.s3.1

In all the accounts (*a* to *j*), the indispensability of Ānanda for the compilation of the Piṭakas is acknowledged but at the same time, in most of the accounts, it is pointed out by Kāśyapa that Ānanda was yet a *śaikṣa*³ and not an *aśaikṣa* (arhat), and hence he was unfit to take part in the Council which was composed exclusively of Arhats. Some of the sources (e. g. f) make Ānanda attain arhat-hood (aśaikṣa) just on the eve of the Council.

v1.c23.s3.2

¹ The italic letters *a* to *k* refer to the works mentioned above.

v1.c23.s3.3

³ A *śaikṣa* is one who is in any one of three stages of sanctification, viz., sotāpatti, sakadāgāmi and anāgāmi., As some texts attri-

v1.c23.s3.4

*Aśokavadāna*¹ and the *Mahīśāsaka*,² *Mahāsānghika*³ and the *Dharmagupta*⁴ Vinaya locate the place of Ānanda’s exertion at Vaiśālī and credit one Vṛjipatra, a disciple of Ānanda, for encouraging Ānanda to make the exertion. Vaiśālī was one of the stopping places of Mahākassapa and his colleagues on their way from Kuśinagara to Rājagṛha, and it was at Vaiśālī that Ānanda stayed behind to qualify himself for membership of the Council.⁵

v1.c23.s3.5

¹ *Le Concile de Rājagṛha*, pp. 34 ff.

v1.c23.s3.6

² *Ibid.*, p. 138.

v1.c23.s3.7

³ *Ibid.*, p. 138.

v1.c23.s3.8

⁴ *Ibid.*, pp. 1733-4.

v1.c23.s3.9

⁵ *Ibid.*, pp. 173-4. The *Cullavagga* (p. 286) is, however, silent about Vaiśālī; its account leads us to infer that the attainment of arhathood by Ānanda happened at Rājagaha.

v1.c23.s3.10

This account appears more plausible than that of *Cullavagga* in which Ānanda is stated to have suddenly attained arhathood on the eve of the session of the Council, but still more plausible is the account of the *Sarvāstivāda* Vinaya, in which it is said that Ānanda though a śaikṣa was admitted into the Council by courtesy with the special permission of the assembly (*Saṅgha*) of monks⁶

v1.c23.s3.11

⁶ *Le Concile de Rājagṛha*, p. 225.

Cites (5)