Early Monastic Buddhism v2.c35.s4: The Dharmaguptas
Early Monastic Buddhism v2.c35.s4
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The Dharmaguptas
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The third in importance among the schools of this group is the Dharmaguptas. It has been shown in the account of the First Council that certain supporters of Purāṇa and Gavampati did not accept *in toto* the Vinaya rules as adopted by Mahākassapa.² In the *Abhidharmakośa* (iv. 39) there is a reference to the Dharmaguptas mentioning that they would not accept the Prātimokṣa rules of the Sarvāstivādins as authoritative on the ground that the original teachings of Buddha were lost.
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² EMB., I, p. 333.
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About the literature of this school, the only information we have is that it had a Vinaya text of its own (Nanjio, 1117) and that the *Abhiniṣkramaṇa-sūtra* belongs to this school. This sūtra was translated into Chinese between 280 and 312 A.D.¹ Prof. Przyluski furnishes us with the information that the canon of this school had the following divisions:
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¹ Translated into English by Beal under the title "*The Romantic Legend of Śākya Buddha*."
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| Vinaya-piṭaka | Bhikṣu-prātimokṣa / Bhikṣuṇī-prātimokṣa / Khandhaka / Ekottara . |
| Sūtra-piṭaka | Dīrgha-āgama / Madhyama-āgama / Ekottara-āgama / Saṃyukta-āgama / Kṣudraka-āgama . |
| Abhidharma-piṭaka | Difficult (texts) / Not difficult (texts) / Saṃgraha / Saṃyukta . |
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Prof. Przyluski, on the basis of the commentary of K'ouei-ki on Vasumitra's treatise, remarks that this school was noted for its popularity in Central Asia and China. De Groot remarks in his *Code du Mahāyāna en chine* (p. 3) that the Prātimokṣa of the Dharmaguptas was actually in use as the disciplinary rules in all the convents of China. The first formula translated into Chinese in 152 A.D. by K'aung-seng-kai who was a Sogdian, belonged to this school, so also was the other text (*Kie-mo*) translated in 254 A.D. by T'an-tai, who was a Parthian. Hence, it is inferred that this school was established in the Iranian countries in the third century A.D. Buddhayaśas, a native of Kipin (mod. Kashmir), introduced the Vinaya of this school into China and from this Prof. Przyluski concludes that this school has its centre in the north-west.² He also identifies Dharmagupta with Yonaka Dhammarakkhita, mentioned in the Ceylonese chronicles as the apostle sent to Aparāntaka. The reason adduced by him for this identification is that the region between the North-West and Avanti was traversed by the Yavanas, Śakas and Pallavas about the beginning of the Christian era, and the preacher is described as a Yonaka and then again Dhammarakkhita and Dharmagupta are identical in meaning (i.e. *rakkhita* = *gupta*).
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² *Le Concile de Rājagṛha*, p. 325-6.
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About the doctrines of this school. Vasumitra writes that these were mainly the same as those of the Mahāsanghikas, though it was a branch of the Sarvāstivādins. The doctrines specially attributed to them are as follows:—
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(i) Gifts made to the Sangha are more meritorious than those to the Buddha, though Buddha is included in the Sangha.¹ This is a view contrary to that of the Mahīśāsakas and also to that expressed in the *Dakkhiṇāvibhaṅgasutta*² inspite of the fact that Buddha asked Mahāpajāpati Gotamī to offer the robe meant for him to the Sangha.
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¹ See above, p. 116, also *Kośa* (Fr. Transl.), iv. 117.
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² *Majjhima*, iii, p. 253.
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(ii) Gifts made to a *stūpa* are meritorious. This opinion is opposed to that of the Śaila schools (see above, p. 105).
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(iii) Vimukti (emancipation) of the Śrāvakayāna and Buddha-yāna is the same, though there may be difference in the paths leading to emancipation. This opinion is in agreement with that of the Sarvāstivādins.³
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³ See above, p. 116.
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(iv) Heretics cannot gain the five supernatural powers.⁴
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⁴ See above, pp. 116, 161; for opinions of other schools on this point see Masuda, p. 42 n.
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(v) The body of an *arhat* is pure (*anāsrava*).⁵ (vi) Realisation of the truths (*abhisamaya*) takes place not gradually but all at once. This is contrary to the opinion of the Sarvāstivādins (discussed above, p. 154-5) but is in agreement with that of the Theravādins.¹
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⁵ See above, p. 80 n, also *infra*, p. 169.
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¹ This doctrine is not mentioned by Vasumitra. It is found in the *Kośa*, vi. 27, see *Vyākhyā* (Jap. ed.). p. 542.
Cites (3)
- Abhidharmakośa — Vasubandhu, Sanskrit
- Dakkhiṇāvibhaṅgasutta — Pāli
- Abhidharmakośabhāṣya — Classical Tibetan