Early Monastic Buddhism v2.c41.s1.3

v2.c41.s1.3

In the Nikāya-saṅgraha, a late Sinhalese work, there is the additional information that the monks who were compelled to leave the Saṅgha of the Theriya Nikāya (= Theravādins) became members of the non-Theravāda sects, particularly the Mahāsaṅghikas. In course of time they became subdivided into nine sub sects, viz., Hemavata, Rāj<bos>-giriya, Siddhatthaka (see above, p. 109), Pūrvaśaila, Aparaśaila (see above, p. 74 f.), Vājiriya, Vetullaka, Andhaka and Anya-Mahāsaṅghika. In the Mahāvaṃsa the first six sects are mentioned as some of the later schools which came into being after the first eighteen. The Śaila schools on account of their location in the Andhra country were also known as the Andhakas (see above, p. 49). The Vetullakas or the Vaitulyas (see above, p. 110) and the Anya-Mahāsaṅghikas referred to in the Kathāvatthu as ekacce Mahāsaṅghikā (see above, p. 74) were also later offshoots of the Mahāsaṅghikas with stronger pro-Mahāyānic views.