The Buddhist Schools of the Small Vehicle - The Lokottaravādins & Ekavyāvahārikas

Textual analysis and comparative discussion on early Buddhist sects and scriptures.
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Ceisiwr
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The Buddhist Schools of the Small Vehicle - The Lokottaravādins & Ekavyāvahārikas

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Lokottaravādins

Next in Bareau's exploration of the early Buddhist schools comes the Lokottaravādins, who were a sub-sect within this tradition. It seems there was some confusion in the ancient texts between the Lokottaravādins and the Ekavyāvahārikas, with Bareau claiming they should be viewed as one in the same. The cause of the internal schism within Mahāsāṃghika was centred around accepting the Mahāyāna sūtras.

Texts
The first part of their Vinaya-piṭaka, the Mahāvastu, survives today. No other texts from this school have been preserved.

Doctrines
1) The worldly dharmas (laukikadharmas) have no reality as they are the fruits of karma.

2) The transcendental dharmas (lokottaradharmas) exist, since they are not produced by perversion. It is in them that exist the Path and the fruit of the Path.

3) The fruit of the Path consists of two kinds of emptiness; pudgalaśūnyatā and dharmaśūnyatā.

4) The Path is the knowledge which enables understanding of the two kinds of emptiness.

5) The two kinds of emptiness are real and the knowledge of the two kinds of emptiness is true - An object produces real knowledge and with true knowledge one can understand a real object. This is why the Path has a real existence.

6) The Buddhas are transcendental (lokottara).

7) The Buddhas are free from impurities and worldly dharmas.

8) With each word the Buddhas set turning the Wheel of the Dharma.

9) The Buddha, with a single sound, utter all the elements of the Dharma.

10) Everything the Buddha's say conforms with the meaning.

11) The words of the Buddha manifest their essence (garbha).

12) The material body of the Buddha is unlimited.

13) The life span of the Buddhas is infinite.

14) The might of the Buddhas is unlimited.

15) The Buddhas exist as substance (dravya).

16) The Buddhas are constantly in samādhī.

17) The Buddhas never utter a single word but beings, thinking that they speak, become joyful.

18) The Buddhas neither sleep nor dream.

19) The Buddhas never experience satisfaction despite wining over beings and arousing faith in them.

20) The Buddhas answer questions without having to reflect.

21) In a single moment the Buddhas understand all things.

22) Through wisdom joined with a single thought moment, the Buddhas know all things.

23) For Buddhas, knowledge of destruction and non-arising continue unceasingly until final liberation.

24) The Buddhas have a pure birth.

25) The bodhisattvas do not experience a thought of sense desire, ill-will or harmfulness.

26) The bodhisattvas enter the womb as a white elephant.

27) The bodhisattvas are born from their mothers right side when they choose.

28) Bodhisattvas can be born in bad destinations of their own accord in order to perfect others.


Ekavyāvahārikas

Although sometimes treated as a different tradition, they appear to be one in the same as the Lokottaravādins. Bhavya explains their name as:

"Knowing fully (vijñamāna) by means of a single thought (ekacittena) all the Teachings (sarvadharma) of the Bhagavat Buddhas, in a single instant (ekakṣaṇe) one knows fully all things (sarvadharma) by means of wisdom (prajñā) with which one is endowed. Because they are associated with such a practice, they are called Ekavyāvahārikas."

Doctrines associated with the Lokottaravādins under the name Ekavyāvahārikas are:

1) Everything is fictitious, both the conventional and the ultimate.

2) Saṃsāra and Nirvāṇa are merely designations/concepts (prajñapti) and are devoid of any real substance.

Coming next: The Gokulikas/Kukkuṭikas.
“The teacher willed that this world appear to me
as impermanent, unstable, insubstantial.
Mind, let me leap into the victor’s teaching,
carry me over the great flood, so hard to pass.”
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