Early Monastic Buddhism v2.c35.s3.t3: Buston's information about the School
Early Monastic Buddhism v2.c35.s3.t3
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Buston's information about the School
v2.c35.s3.t3.1
According to Buston, the founder of this school was Rāhulabhadra of the Kṣatriya caste "renowned for his devotion to discipline." The mantle worn by the members of this school had 25 to 29 fringes, and their badge had an *utpala* (a lotus), a jewel, and the leaf of a tree.⁴
v2.c35.s3.t3.2
⁴ Buston, II, p 100.
v2.c35.s3.t3.3
He further writes "Just as the high classes establish the mundane laws and customs of a country or race, in a similar manner the Sarvāstivādins as they spoke in Sanskrit, the language of the higher classes, represent the foundation of the other sect."¹
v2.c35.s3.t3.4
¹ Buston, II, pp 99-100
v2.c35.s3.t3.5
It cannot be definitely stated whether Buston had the Sarvāstivādins or the Mūla-Sarvāstivādins in mind.²
v2.c35.s3.t3.6
² Hiuen Tsang states that the Sarvāstivādins had a peculiar mode of wearing and colouring their robes not approved by the followers of several schools (Watters, I, pp 150 ff Takakusu, I-tsing)