The History of Buddhist Thought c21.36

c21.36

It is the *Kathāvatthu* which chiefly allows us to see the relation of the Theravādins to other schools. The Sarvāstivādins are mentioned by the commentary only three or four times, evidently because there was little matter of dispute between these schools. Other doctrines chiefly of psychological and ethical import are mentioned, which although not attributed to the Sarvāstivādins belong to the problem of the classification of dharmas or mental factors as elaborated in the Abhidharma schools. There are three questions concerning Bodhisattas, but only in one case, and that only in the commentary, can any reference to the career of the bodhisattva be seen. There it is said (xiii, 4) that Buddhas by the power of their knowledge have prophesied that “this person in the future will attain enlightenment”. This rather resembles the Sarvāstivāda doctrine than that of the Theravādins and Mahāsanghikas, who represent Buddha as prophesying only of his successor Metteyya.