The History of Buddhist Thought c28.s2.9

c28.s2.9

¹ The meaning is uncertain. In form vedalla (*vaidalya*) would be an abstract formed from vidala, like vaipulya from vipula. Skt. dala means a fragment, and it may be suggested that vidala, “ split open, expanded,” would mean fragmentary, and vedalla a sutta of fragments. This would suit the fact that those suttas are of a miscellaneous character and as it were made up of fragments. The term vaipulya is quite distinct, and appears to be a deliberate replacing of the earlier term. Although it is best known as a Mahāyāna term it was used, as will be seen, by the Dharmaguptas. It means abundance or fullness, and though the exact reason for its use cannot be proved, it was probably a term descriptive of the very extensive later suttas which were excluded from the four Āgamas.