Early Monastic Buddhism v2.c34.s2.5

v2.c34.s2.5

In the niyāmokkantikathā² (Kvu., IV. 8, XII. 5, 6 XIII. 4) the same attitude is taken by the Theravādins. By niyāma, the Theravādins understand sammattaniyāma and micchattaniyāma, the former being the practice of brahmacariya (purity in conduct) and ariyamagga (path of sanctification) including, for the Bodhisattvas, the fulfilment of pāramis, leading to nibbāna (i.e. samyaktva or sammatta), and the latter the commission of heinous crimes (anantariyakamma) leading to hell (i.e., mithyātva or micchatta), all other practices being looked upon as aniyata (un-predestined).³ In the sense as expressed above any Śrāvaka can be a sammattaniyāma and he need not be a bodhisattva. The Theravādins do not recognise the bodhisattvas as superior in attainments to the Śrāvakas, and in the matter of brahmacariya and practice of ariyamagga they do not want to make any distinction between a Śrāvaka and a Bodhisattva.