The University of Nalanda c10.39

c10.39

This extolment of Mahāyāna, first seen by us in the Prajñāpāramitā-śāstra of Nāgārjuna had been carried on by almost all his followers adding perhaps nothing of their own in the development of philosophy. Their main aim appears to be no other than the refutation of the heretic systems, be they Buddhist or Brāhmaṇic. Statements of like nature we find in Dharmapāla's Vijñaptimātrasiddhi-śāstra where he says, "The 5th *Pravartana* stage is low and inferior; that is to say, the stage of two *yāna* (*Śrāvaka* and *Pratyeka Buddha yāna*) is meant only for the self-benefit and for this purpose suffering is depreciated, while search after *Nirvāṇa* and realisation of the truth of *Ātma-śūnyatā* only are advocated."¹