Early Monastic Buddhism v2.c35.4

v2.c35.4

Comparing the two traditions, it will be observed that the two lists agree excepting the first appearance of the Mahīṃsāsaka as stated in the Pāli texts. This anomaly can be easily explained thus: A reference to the doctrines of this school reveals that there were two Mahīśāsaka schools, one earlier and the other later. Vasumitra missed the earlier Mahīśāsakas while enumerating the sub-sects.¹ He, however, points out that the earlier Mahīśāsakas agreed more with the Theravādins while the later with the Sarvāstivādins. It may be that the Pāli tradition was aware of the earlier division only of the Mahīśāsakas, and so naturally placed their origin before the Sarvāstivādins.