Early Monastic Buddhism v2.c35.s4.6

v2.c35.s4.6

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*).