Early Monastic Buddhism v2.c34.s1.3

v2.c34.s1.3

In the *Kathāvatthu* (XVII. 1 & 2) the above doctrines are attributed to the Vetulyakas, according to whom the Buddha does not live in the world of men neither should he be located anywhere and it is his created form (*abhinimmito jino*) that delivered the religious discourses. The Theravādins account for this heresy by saying that it is due to the literal but wrong interpretation of the passage: *Bhagavā loke jāto loke sambuddho lokam abhibhuyya viharati anupalitto lokenā ti* (Buddha, born and enlightened in this world, overcame this world and remained untouched by the things of the world—*Sam. Nik.*, iii. 140). This is supplemented by further discussions in the *Kvu.*, (XVIII. 1, 2 & XXI. 6) relating to the heresies also attributed to the Vetulyakas, viz., *Na vattabbam*, “*Buddho Bhagavā manussaloke aṭṭhāsī*” ti (It should not be said that Buddha lived in the world of men—XVIII. 1); *Sabbā disā Buddhā tiṭṭhantī ti*¹ (Buddhas exist in all corners of the world—XXI. 6) and *Abhinimmitena desito ti* (the discourses are delivered by created forms—XVIII. 2). These show that according to the opponents of the Theravādins the Buddha is omnipresent and as such is beyond the possibility of location in any particular direction or sphere and that all the preaching of Buddhism has been done by the apparitional images of Buddha.