Early Monastic Buddhism v2.c33.5

v2.c33.5

The importance and popularity of the Mahāsanghikas have been raised not so much by the sub-sects mentioned above but by the schools, which came into existence still later, we mean, the Śaila schools of Vasumitra and Bhavya and the Andhakas of the Pāli tradition. The former speak of three Śaila schools, Caitya, Apara and Uttara, while in Pāli appear four or five names: Hemavatika, Rājagirika, Siddhatthika, Pubbaseliya and Aparaseliya. Though the Pāli tradition is partially corroborated by Vinītadeva’s list, it has been fully borne out by the inscriptions recently unearthed at Nāgārjunikoṇḍa, where as also at Amarāvatī (Dhanakaṭaka) appear the following names:—