Sarvastivada

 

Early Buddhism

Scriptures

Pali Canon Agamas Gandharan texts

Councils

1st Council 2nd Council 3rd Council 4th Council

Schools

First Sangha ├ Mahāsāṃghika └ Sthaviravāda     ├ Sarvāstivāda     └ Vibhajjavāda         ├ Theravāda         └ Dharma-              guptaka

Sarvastivada is a school of Buddhism. Sarvastivada is a Sanskrit term, meaning literally "the theory of all exists". The Pali equivalent is Sabbatthivada.

Origin of the term

Although there is some dispute over how the word "sarvastivada" is to be analyzed, the general consensus is that it is made of three parts: sarva "all" or "every" + asti "exist" + vada "speak", "say" or "theory". This equates perfectly with the Chinese term, 說一切有部 shuōyīqièyǒu bù^[1], which is literally "the sect that speaks of the existence of everything", as used by Xuanzang and other translators. Their main thesis can be described as "the existence of all dharmas in the past, present and future". The Abhidharma Kosa-bhaṣya, a later text, states:

“

25c-d. He who affirms the existence of the dharmas of the three time periods [past, present and future] is held to be a Sarvastivadin.[2]

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Philosophy

Although the Sarvastivada themselves would state that their teaching of "all exists" is a direct teaching of the Buddha himself, as shown by their attributing the earliest Abhidharma texts to direct disciples of the Buddha, and constant reference to the sūtras throughout, the school in its entirety is more rightly to be considered as part of the age of scholastic Buddhism. In this time frame, they take their name in contradistinction to the Vaibhajyavāda – "the theory of distinction" – i.e. the a distinction is to be made as to what dharmas do and do not exist, in the past, present and future. The Abhidharma Kosa-bhaṣya also states:

“

Those who affirm the existence of the present [dharmas] and a part of the past, namely the existence of action which has not given forth its result; and the non-existence of the future and a part of the past, namely the non-existence of action which has given forth its result, are regarded as Vibhajyavādins; [they do not belong to the Sarvāstivādin School].[3]

”

Although united with regards to their central thesis of sarvāsti, there were different theories on how this was actually to be explained and understood. The Abhidharma Kosa-bhaṣya describes four main theses on sarvasti:

“

Insert the text of the quote here, without quotation marks.

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Later Sarvastivada takes a combination of the first and third theses as its model. It was on this basis, that the school’s doctrines were defended in the face of growing external, and sometimes even internal, criticism.

There were also many other subsidiary doctrines and issues, all inextricably related, that different Sarvastivada leaders and scholars, debated and discussed with earnest intent. Their doctrines were not confined to "all exists", but also include the theory of momentariness (ksanika), conjoining (samprayukta) and simultaneity (sahabhu), conditionality (hetu and pratyaya), the culmination of the spiritual path (marga), and others. These doctrines are all inter-connected however, and it is the principle of "all exist" that is the axial doctrine holding the larger movement together when the precise details of other doctrines are at stake.

The Sarvastivada was also known by other names. In particular, Hetuvada and Yuktivada. Hetuvada comes from hetu – "cause", which indicates their emphasis on causation and conditionality. They proposed their own system of six conditions and five results, which aided their explanation of conjoining and simultaneous causation. Yuktivada comes yukti – "reason" or even "logic", which shows their use of rational argument, and syllogism. A study of the various texts reveals the development of increasingly sophisticated systems of argument, which in turn became influential on later, formal, Buddhist logic and reasoning. They even take up the name Sunyavada when confronting the Pudgalavada "personalists", which refers to their standpoint of being "devoid of a pudgala", and should not be confused with later Mahayana Sunyavada.

Among the defining canonical texts composed by the Sarvastivada was the Mahavaibhasabhidharmasastra, traditionally considered a systematization of the spoken teachings of Gautama Buddha. This text reflects the unique Sarvastivadin cosmology and ontology, an elaborate structure of essences and universals.

The basic approach of the Sarvastivada was to regard the universe as reducible to various elements or co-efficients of existence; apparently, these were determined by taking lists of the various "indivisible" factors and substances named in the Buddha's dialogues. Heat, for instance, was the "lakṣaṇa" (distinguishing mark) of fire, and there was a common "dharma" relating all fire. The Abhidharma's approach led to many fascinating insights, including an anticipation of Newton's colour theory (specifying that white light is composed of coloured light, and then explaining those primary colours in terms of "lakṣaṇa" and "dharma"), and some very detailed systems of psychology.

Among the critics of the Sarvāstivada was Nagarjuna, who completely repudiated their interpretation of the Buddha's teaching as implying atom-like unities at the basis of visible phenomena, and many of the other features of their philosophy, such as a complex theory of causality and (as mentioned) time.

Ironically it was Vasubandhu, who put the Sarvastivada philosophy into the form in which it is most read (and used) in Mahayana Buddhist religious practice today: the Abhidharmakośa. However, the 'Kosa is actually considered a Sautrantika "those who uphold the Sutras" work. This was how it was criticized by Samghabhadra, a leading Sarvastivada pandit of the time. As such, certain elements are critical of the Sarvastivada presentation of Adhidharma.

Samghabhadra wrote a text, the Nyananusara "according to reason", based upon the same verses as the Kosa, but with a different commentary. This work is presently only extant in Chinese (from Xuan Zang's translation, and little is known of it in English.

Texts of the Sarvāstivāda Abhidharma

The Sarvāstivāda Abhidharma consists of seven texts. The texts of the Sarvāstivādin Abhidharma are:

• Sangitiparyaya ('Discourses on Gathering Together')
• Dharmaskandha ('Aggregation of Dharmas')
• Prajnaptisastra ('Treatise on Designations')
• Dhatukaya ('Body of Elements')
• Vijnanakaya ('Body of Consciousness')
• Prakaranapada ('Exposition')
• Jnanaprasthana ('Foundation of Knowledge')

Following these, are the texts that became the authority of the Vaibhasikas, the Kasmiri Sarvastivada Orthodoxy:

• Mahavibhasa ("Great Commentary", on the Jnanaprasthana)

Little research in English has been made in these texts.

Notes

1. ^ Taisho 27, n1545
2. ^ de la Vallee Poussin, Pruden: Abhidharma-kośa-bhāṣyām, Asian Humanities Press, 1988. Pg. 807
3. ^ de la Vallee Poussin, Pruden: Abhidharma-kośa-bhāṣyām, Asian Humanities Press, 1988. Pg. 808
4. ^ de la Vallee Poussin, Pruden: Abhidharma-kośa-bhāṣyām, Asian Humanities Press, 1988. Pg. 807

See also

• Early Buddhist Schools
• Schools of Buddhism
• Pratimoksha

External links

• Sects & Sectarianism - The origins of Buddhist Schools

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