Buddhist Sects in IndiaThis extraordinary book is the only authentic document of its kind. Beginning with a detailed and lucid exposition of the political background of India from Ajatasatru to Mahapadma nanda, it goes on to trace the sources of the Second Buddhist Council, to locate with unerring exactitude the disruptive forces in the Sangha and, in the fourth chapter, to classify the Sects. In the chapters that follow, the learned author deals with the Mahasanghikas, doctrines of Group II-V Schools. In every chapter, if not on every page, current but ill-founded assumptions are rejected and their illogicalities exposed to the reader's view. The eager student is given a panoramic view of the doctrinal developments that took place during the period concerned by this book. With irrefutable arguments and considerable ratiocinative skill does the writer conclude that the Mahasanghikas were evidently the earliest school of the Hinayanists to show a tendency towards conceiving Buddha docetically. |
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Abhidhamma Abhidharmakośa according adept Agama Amaravati Andhakas Anguttara Anuśaya arhathood Arhats Aśoka attained atthi attributed Avadānas Bhavya bhikkhus Bodhi Bodhisattva Bu-ston Buddha Buddhist centre century Ceylonese Chinese citta conception Council Dharmaguptas dharmas dhātu dhyānas Digha disciples discussed Divyāvadāna doctrines existence four Haimavatas hence Hinayāna Hinayānists Hiuen Tsang I-tsing Ibid India inscriptions Jatakas Kālāśoka Kashmir Kathāvatthu khandhas king Kośa lokottara Lokottaravādins Lüders Magadha magga Mahā Mahādeva Mahasanghikas Mahāvamsa Mahāvastu Mahāyāna Mahāyānists Mahīśāsakas Majjhima Masuda Mathura mentioned mind monasteries monks Nāgārjunikonda Nanda Nikāya Nirvāņa object opinion Pāli Paramārtha pāramitās Pataliputra phalas Pitaka Prajñāpāramitā Prof puggala rāga refers regarded reign rules rūpa Saila schools Sammitīyas Sangha sanghikas Sanskrit Sarvāstivādins Sautrāntikas sects skandhas sotāpanna Śrāvakas statement Sthavira stūpa sūtras suttas Taranātha teacher Theravāda Theravādins Tibetan tion tradition translated truth Upagupta Vaiśāli Vasubandhu Vasumitra Vasumitra's treatise vijñāna Vinaya texts W.II Watters