Early Monastic Buddhism v2.c35.s3.t5.14

v2.c35.s3.t5.14

The last argument resorted to by the Th. is that if the existence of *atīta*, *paccuppanna* and *anāgata* khandhas, dhātus, āyatanas be admitted, then the S. should say that there are (3 × 5 or) 15 khandhas, (3 × 18 or) 54 dhātus, (3 × 12 or) 36 āyatanas which the S. reject saying that they may accept the position that *atīta* or *anāgata* exists from one standpoint and does not exist from aother standpoint (*atthi siyā atītam* or *siyā nātītam* or *nanāgatan ti*). The Th. then bring in their *suddhikanaya* by citing the instance of *nibbāna* and establishes the futility of the assertion of the S. that past and future exist. Both the Th. and S. then quote passages from the Sutta Piṭaka in support of their own contentions, one however remaining unconvinced by the other. From the controversies dealt with above the following may be taken as the opinion of the S.: