HISTORY OF INDIAN BUDDHIST PHILOSOPHY

According to the different teaching of various Buddhist sects in India it is possible to divide them into three main divisions as, (1) absolute (2) relative (3) consciousness. The history of arising of various sects can be traced to about 483 B.C if we consider beginning to be from the date of passing away of the Buddha in 543 B.C there could be a problem. Hence the exact date could be considered after the first break away by Mahasangika in 380 B.C. the first 18 sects that aroused were similar to the extend that they all rejected the permanent soul. Create God etc. The Mahasangika aroused hundred years after the passing away in 483 B.C with the second Buddhist council though it is accepted that the division arouse due to Vinaya question, it can be said that Dhamma itself was really the cause, but they are described as those against Vinaya by Theravadin it must be admitted that this is not soul because Mahasangika are known to protect 100 rules more than Theravadin the ten points of Vinaya controversy are mentioned in Chinese text therefore we may surmise that different sects arose not due to Vinaya but due to Dhamma. 100 years after the arising of Mahasangika 18 different sects arose in 283 B.C the text Kathavathupakarana is an important source book which mentions the presence of the individual self of Samitia sect (puggala uppalopati saccikatena paramathenati) this view was criticized by other Buddhist sects. This view was known as Puggalavada which was regarded as that there was individual transmigration from birth to birth Mahayana arose in first century A.D. the Madhyamika tradition arose in second century A.D under the famous master such as Nagajuna, Aredeva, Sangadeva and some other scholars. By the 4 century A.D the Vijnnavada of Yogacara arose. At the beginning of the Madhyamika and Yogacara were one and the same. Maitrinatha, Asanga and Vashupandu were the first teachers of Madhyamika philosophy. These 18 sects were presented even in the 7 century is evident in Yuan chuan recorded. He described that the large number of adherence were of Puggala Vada in India at that time. After the arising of Mahayana tradition all these sects along side, Sarasavadin gave right to Sautrantika and Vaippasrika tradition Madhyamika taught the doctrine of voidness(Sunyata), according to them there is no existence apart from condition relative(sapesakatavada) the Yogacara philosophers maintain that all lives and living is a mentality or mind only(Ciitamatrika). There is no external world, physical world all that exist is only a mental concept the Yogacara and Madhyamika tradition prove parallel till the 7th and 8th century Tantrayana arose in 8th and 9th century. Their theory depicts mysteries meaning. The traditional text show that the various sects arose due to Vinaya disagreement also they say that greedy self seeking. Thinkers of wrong views were instrumental in bringing dissention and sectarianism there is no evidence to prove that their reason are valid the Mahasangika themselves admitted that the ten points of controversy are unethical and against Vinaya, and it is mentioned in their text. It is therefore evidence that these ten points of controversy were not the reason for the arising of sects. Then what is the reason? It is possible to say that the reason lies with the Dhamma according to this variety views they can be categorized as follow: 27 (1) Mahasangika-transcendental (Bhuddho logy).(2) Sarastivada; existence of phenomena(dhamma in the past present in the future time.(3) Sammithiya; individuality of existence of a self.(4) Sautrantika; acceptance of only Sutra as the source of knowledge. (5)Vibhasika; acceptance of only absolute dhamma(Asangata Dhamma)(6) Madhyamika; acceptance of relativity and conditionality. (7) Yogacara Vinnavada; acceptance of mental phenomena only. All these sects could be described as Buddhist sects because they all have in common the basic teaching such as the rejection of a created god and impermanent of the soul. It could be said that these different sects arose due to the opinion held about absolute realists of existence there is no clear exposition in the Buddha exposition regarding the absolute. What is mentioned is only that all phenomena arise and passed away(Udayappiya) therefore many doupt arose,(1) do phenomena have a quality or special feaure.(2) can dhamma has a quality or special feature?(3) how the conditionality or causality interact among Dhamma?(4) what is the life spent of dhamma? These sorts of question appear in Buddha’s exposition and each of the teacher advanced theories according his knowledge and understanding to resolve them. Thus we see the cause for the arising of sect as an attain to interpret the Buddha teaching. According to Theravada source and Mahayana source we can understand that most of the controversy idea erupted because of the various exposition of Dhamma. Tibetan and Chinese source (agama literature reveal much about this controversy.


                                                                                      -Periya Ulukkulame Nandawimala-