Early Monastic Buddhism v2.c34.s9.7

v2.c34.s9.7

Regarding the origin of Caityaśaila and Uttaraśaila schools, Paramārtha³ writes that two hundred years after Buddha’s parinirvāṇa, a second Mahādeva appeared with heretical views. He slipped into the church stealthily (i.e. became a steyasaṃvāsika) by ordaining himself. This event gave occasion for fresh controversies among all the branches of the Sthavira and Mahāsanghika schools, particularly on the question of the validity of ordination given by an ācārya, who is himself not regularly ordained. In this matter the Mahāsanghikas were in agreement with the Sthaviras and excommunicated Mahādeva. At this, Mahādeva got enraged and retired to another mountain and started the Caityaśaila and Uttaraśaila schools.