Early Monastic Buddhism v2.c35.s3.t4.45

v2.c35.s3.t4.45

The fourth book is entitled *Dharmaskandha*. Its authorship is attributed to Śāriputra. It was translated into Chinese by Hiuen-tsang (659 A.D.). In the colophon of the Chinese translation this text is described as "the most important of the Abhidharma works, and the fountain-head of the Sarvāstivāda system". This book it seems appealed to the Chinese not for its subtleness and depth of philosophical discussions but for its comprehensiveness as outlining the general course of spiritual training prescribed for a Buddhist monk. This work also can be paralleled to the *Visuddhimagga* of Buddhaghosa. Its 21 sections are as follows: *Śikṣāpadas* or *Śīlas*; attainments leading to Srotaāpatti; development of faith in the Triratna; the fruits of four stages of sanctification, four *ariya-pudgalas*; *samyak-samkalpa* of the eight-fold path; attainment of *ṛddhipādas*; practice of *smṛtyupasthānas*; exposition of the *āryasatyas*; four *dhyānas*; four *apramāṇas*; four higher *samāpattis* (*ārūpyas*), practice of *bhāvanā*; exposition of *bodhyaṅgas*, and then an exposition of *indriyas*, *āyatanas*, *skandhas* and *dhātus*. Its concluding chapter explains the twelve terms of the formulæ of causation (*pratītyasamutpāda*).