Early Monastic Buddhism v2.c30.20

v2.c30.20

During the reign of Nanda, the bhikṣu Nāga began to speak highly of the five propositions of Mahādeva, which led to the appearance of four schools.⁴ In this connection, we may refer to the statement of Tāranātha that during the reign of Aśoka (i.e. Kālāsoka) appeared a brāhmaṇa Vatsa in Kashmir who was learned but very wicked. He took pleasure in preaching the Ātmaka theory, travelled over all the countries and turned the simple people into his own teaching and caused a dissension in the Saṅgha.⁵ It is a well known fact that the Vātsiputrīyas were one of the four schools, and probably this school came into existence at an earlier date but was recognised as a separate school at the time of king Nanda.