The History Of ‘Northern Buddhists’ of Sarvastivada

Part 4

In the previous two posts we looked at the first four Buddhist councils that were held in a time-span of around 500 years after the Buddha’s pari-Nirvana. Now we’ll be looking at the general history of the early Buddhist schools according to the texts of the Sarvastivada school of the ‘Northern Buddhists.’

Vasumitra’s account of the early Buddhist schools, as recorded in his text called the Samaya-bhedoparacanacakra, who was a senior Sarvastivada monk in the first century A.D. Along with two other elders of the same school, Bhavya and Vinitadeva, he refers to the previously discussed ‘Mahadeva’s five points’ as being the real reason why the Sangha split into two schools at the Second Council: the Mahasamghika and Sthaviravada.

The two original divisions — Mahasamghika and Sthaviravada

Vasumitra mentions that, on account of the differences (of opinion) among the four groups of people in discussing the five points of Mahadeva, the Buddhist Sangha was divided into two schools: the Mahasamghika, and the Sthaviravada. The four groups of monks that were present at the Second Council were: 1. the Naga group, 2. the border country (pratyantika) group, 3. the learned (Bahusrutiya) group, and 4. the venerable (Sthavira) group.

The names of the various schools and sub-schools are given as Vasumitra mentioned them, and the Theravada equivalent name in Pali is included within parentheses (except for the Lokottaravada school, who doesn’t seem to have an equivalent name given in the Theravada text of the Kathavattu).

1. Mahasamghika (Mahasanghikas). The members of this school rejected the last book of the Vinaya Pitaka (parivara) [a sort of summary and index of the preceding Vinaya books], the six sections of the Abhidhamma, the Patisambhidamagga (a book in the Khuddaka Nikaya), the Niddesa (another book in the Khuddaka Nikaya dealing with detailed expositions), and selections from the Jataka tales (birth stories of the Buddha). The school was so called owing to the great number of its followers, which made a great assembly (mahasangiti).

2. Sthaviravada (Theravada). These are likely a Northern group called the Sthaviravada, as Vasumitra indicates that they later changed their name to Haimavata, where in Pali Hemavata means the Himalaya (mountains).

The divisions of the Mahasamghika school

Immediately afterward, during the second century after the death of the Buddha, three schools arose out of the Mahasamghika:

1. Ekavyavaharika (Ekabboharikas). They were so called because they held that all the doctrines are understood by unique and immediate wisdom, for all the doctrines of the Buddha are comprehended by the intellect.

3. Kaukkutika (Gokulikas). They considered all aggregates, no more than a heap of embers (kukkula), whence the flames have died out as from an inferno of ashes. They based their view on the Buddha's declaration made in the Adittapariyaya sutta (“All is on fire, monks”). This view was likely the reason for their original name of Kaukkulika or Kaukkutika.

Later on, again, during the second century, another school, issued from the Mahasamghika:

4. Bahusrutiya (Bahulikas). According to Tibetan sources, they derived their name from their teacher Bahusrutiya. The name also means ‘the learned doctor’.

Once again, immediately after that, during this second century, another school issued from the Mahasamghika:

5. Prajnaptivada (Pannattivadins). Their name means the Conceptualist school, who held that all suffering in life is absolute.

Towards the close of this second century (after the Buddha’s pari-Nirvana), there was an unorthodox priest [in the eyes of Vasumitra] who returned to the correct teachings, (i.e., Buddhism) discarding his heretical views. His name was Mahadeva as well. After becoming a monk and receiving full ordination in the Mahasamghika order, he became well-versed and diligent. He dwelt on the Caitya hill and discussed in detail with the monks of his school, the five points (of the first Mahadeva), after which, on account of disagreements, the school was split up into three schools:

6. Caityasaila (Cetiyavadins). This school derives their name from having dwelt on the Caitya mountain.

7. Aparasaila (Aparaseliyas). Their school was at Dhanakataka, in the Andhaka country, somewhere near Amaravati on the South-East coast of India. According to one tradition, they were connected with the Caityasaila.

8. Uttarasaila [ = Purvasaila] (Pubbaseliyas). According to Tibetan sources, they were so called because they lived on the Purva Mountain. They were also called Uttara (North) because this mountain was to the North of Caitya mountain of the Caityasaila.

In summary, the Mahasamghika school was divided four or five times (if you include the first schism). Including the root and the branch schools separately, it counts as nine schools:

Mahasamghika (Mahasanghikas), Ekavyavaharika (Ekabboharikas), Lokottaravada, Kaukkutika (Gokulikas), Bahusrutiya (Bahulikas), Prajnaptivada (Pannattivadins), Caityasaila (Cetiyavadins), Aparasaila (Aparaseliyas), and Uttarasaila [ = Purvasaila] (Pubbaseliyas).

The division of the Sthaviravada school

According to Vasumitra, the Sthaviravada branch remained in harmony for some time, but at the beginning of the third century (after the death of the Buddha) there was a disagreement in the Sangha, and it split up into two schools:

1. Sarvastivada (Sabbatthivadins), otherwise called the Hetuvada. Their name means All (sarva) Exists (asti) School (vada). They held that all constituted realities (dharmas) exist in the past, present, and in the future. It is unclear why Vasumitra associates them with Hetuvada (Causation school). As a school hetuvada is mentioned in the Majjhima Nikaya (MN I.409) but it is unlikely to be a reference to the Sarvastivada school’s tenets.

2. The original (mula) Sthaviravada, which changed its name into the Haimavata (Hemavatikas) school. These are likely a Northern group called the Sthaviravada, as Vasumitra indicates that they later changed their name to Haimavata, where in Pali Hemavata means the Himalaya (mountains).

Subsequently during the third century, one school issued from the Sarvastivada:

3. Vatsiputriya (Vajjiputtakas). The name of a large group of monks belonging to the Vajjian clan and originating from Vesali, who, one century after the Buddha's death, brought forward ten points that were discussed at the Second Council.

Immediately afterwards, during this third century, four schools originated from the Vatsiputriya:

4. Dharmottariya (Dhammuttariyas). They were so called after their teacher, Dhammuttara. Their teachings were very similar to their main school of the Vatsiputriya.

5. Bhadrayaniya (Bhadrayanikas). Literally, the name of this school means ‘Used to being auspicious,’ this is far from being a modest Buddhist school name at all! The Katha-vattu translation calls it the ‘lucky vehicle’.

6. Sammatiya (Sammitiyas). In Tibetan sources, they are described as disciples of a teacher named Sammata. The name also means ‘the complete school’.

7. Channagirika (Channagarikas). The name of this school is somewhat of a mystery, as it means ‘those coming from six towns,’ but we’re not clear what these towns were called.

Immediately afterwards, during this third century, another school issued from the Sarvastivada:

8. Mahisasaka (Mahimsasakas). It is unclear whether Vasumitra is referring to the the early Mahisasaka school to which Buddhadeva Thera belonged, at whose requested a commentary on the Jataka tales (birth stories of the Buddha) was written, who were close in agreement with the Theravada school of today; or the later Mahisasaka school who were in close agreement with the doctrines of the Sarvastivada school.

Immediately afterwards, during the same century, one school issued from the Mahisasaka:

9. Dharmaguptika (Dhammaguttikas). The name of this school means the Guardians of the teachings (dharma). They had their own Vinaya text, and they were called after their leader, Dharmagupta. The Dharmagupta Vinaya is used in both China and Tibet today.

At the end of the third century one school seceded from the Sarvastivada:

10. Kasyapiya (Kassapikas) [also known as Suvarsaka]. The followers of the monk named Kassapa, obviously not the Maha-Kassapa of the First Council. The Kasyapiya school was known by three other names, Sthaviriya, Saddharma-varsaka = the flower of the true teaching (by Bhavya from the Sarvastivada school), and Suvarsaka (by Taranatha). Although they split from the Sarvastivada school, they seem to have been more in agreement with those of the Sthaviravada school, which is probably the reason why they were also called Sthaviriya.

At the beginning of the fourth century (after Buddha’s Pari-Nirvana), one school originated from the Sarvastivada:

11. Sautrantika [ = Samkrantika] (Sankantikas). The followers of this school declare “I take Ananda as my preceptor.” What this means is, that they only adhere to the teachings of the sutras, as Ananda recited the Sutra basket (pitaka) at the First Council. They do not accept the Abhidharma basket as the teachings of the Buddha.

In summary, the Sthaviravada school was divided seven times or eight times (if you include the first schism). Including the root and the branch schools separately, it counts as eleven schools:

Sarvastivada (Sabbatthivadins) [aka Hetuvada], the original (mula) Sthaviravada [aka Haimavata (Hemavatikas)], Vatsiputriya (Vajjiputtakas), Dharmottariya (Dhammuttariyas), Bhadrayaniya (Bhadrayanikas), Sammatiya (Sammitiyas), Channagirika (Channagarikas), Mahisasaka (Mahimsasakas) [the early Mahimsasakas], Dharmaguptika (Dhammaguttikas), Kasyapiya (Kassapikas) [aka Suvarsaka], and Sautrantika [aka Samkrantika] (Sankantikas).

The traditional number of 18 early schools that is usually mentioned by the Theravada school, but this does not entirely match the 20 early schools that Vasumitra lists. Especially the omission of the Lokottaravada in the Theravada account is puzzling.

In the next article, the general history of Buddhist schools according to the ‘Southern Buddhists’ of the Theravada school will be discussed.

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