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Early Monastic Buddhism v2.c34.s12: XVI Doctrines of the Prajñaptivādins only

Early Monastic Buddhism v2.c34.s12

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XVI Doctrines of the Prajñaptivādins only

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Regarding the special doctrines of the *Prajñaptivādins*¹ Vasumitra remarks that they agreed mainly with the Mahāsanghikas (i.e. later Mahāsanghikas). They held in addition the following opinions:

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¹ Cf. *Samadhirāja-sūtra*, p 78: nītārthamantravijñe jānati yathopadiṣṭa sugatena śūnyatā | yasmin punaḥ pudgalasattvapurūṣa neyārtho jānati sarvadharmān ||

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(i) *Skandhas* and *duḥkha* are not concomitant;
(ii) The twelve *āyatanas* are not real;
(iii) Either attainment of *ārya-mārga* or death is dependent on *karma*.

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The Prajñaptivādins, as Paramārtha tells us, appeared some time after the Bahuśrutīyas, and distinguished themselves as Bahuśrutīyavibhajyavādins. The main difference between the Prajñaptivādins and Bahuśrutīvas is that the former partly like the Mahāyānists held the view that Buddha's teachings as embodied in the Piṭaka should be distinguished as nominal (prajñapti), real (paramārtha), conventional (samvṛti) and causal (hetuphala). This school, as against the Bahuśrutīyas, agreed more with the views of the Mahāsanghikas than with those of the Sarvāstivādins.¹

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³ This school came into existence 200 years after the Mahāsanghikas (*Kośa*, v. p. 24).

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¹ See Demiéville, op. cit., p. 49-50.

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XVII. Doctrines of the Rājagirikas and the Siddhatthikas

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In the Kathāvatthu, but not in Vasumitra's treatise certain special doctrines have been attributed to the Rājagirikas, and Siddhatthikas. To the former are attributed the following:

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(i) Natthi keci dhammā kehici dhammehi samgahītā or sampayuttā (VII. 1 & 2)

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There is no such thing as a quality attached to or adhering in another e.g. oil in mustard seeds, feeling in perception, and so forth.²

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² Cf. The topics of the Dhātu-kathā, (P.T.S.).

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(ii) Natthi cetasiko dhammo (VII. 3)

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This is a corollary to the previous opinion. It says that citta (mind) functions and there are no mental states associated with it.

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(iii) Cetasiko dhammo dānan ti (VII. 4)

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(iv) Ito dinnena tattha yāpenti (VII. 6)

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By the former it means that gift is not material: the mind for making a gift is really giving. By the latter it holds that merits are accumulated, and that a person enjoys its fruits in after life on account of such accumulation.

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(v) Paribhogamayam puññaṃ vaddhati (VII. 5)

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The accumulating merits can go on increasing (by renewal of gifts of robes and other articles to monks, and so forth).

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(vi) Natthi arahato akālamaccu (XVII. 2)

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Arhats cannot die untimely, i.e. their death is also subject to the influence of karma.³ (vii) Sabbam idaṃ kammato (XVII. 3) Everything is subject to deeds. (viii) Kappaṭṭho kappam tiṭṭheya (XIII. 1) A being destined to live for an aeon lives for an aeon, as one consigned to purgatory for committing Saṅghabheda.

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³ Based on the statement: kammunā vattatī loko.

Cites (4)