Early Monastic Buddhism v2.c33.s1.7

v2.c33.s1.7

From all these testimonies mentioned above, it is apparent that like the Theravādins and the Sarvāstivādins, the Mahāsaṅghikas also had a complete canon of their own in its three divisions. References to the canon of the Mahāsaṅghikas are found in the inscriptions discovered at Amarāvatī and Nāgārjunikoṇḍa. On the pillar of an outer railing of the Amarāvatī stūpa there are two inscriptions, one of which speaks of certain nuns as *Vinayadhara*¹ and another of the monks of Mahāvanaseliya as *Mahāvinayadhara*.² These distinctly imply the existence of a Vinayapiṭaka in that region about the beginning of the Christian era.