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108
Claus Vogel
The Sammatīyas (are so called) because they teach the method of a master honoured sammata] by many people. (Their) teacher was Upāli, a Sūdra strictly adhering to the Vinaya; (their) language (was) the mutilated (or) Apabhramsa language; (their) strips (were) 21 to 25; (and their) insigne (was) a Socika flower*1).
As regards the Sthaviras, (they are called) Sthaviras because they say that they are (of) the (spiritual) family of the noble Sthaviras. (Their) teacher is mentioned to have been) Kātyā(ya)na, a Vaisya foremost in converting the borderland 42), (and their) language, (to have been) the intermediate (way of) recitation; (their) strips and insigne (are said to have been) as with the Sammatīyas.- Some take the language (of) the Mahāsāmghikas (to have been the language of the intermediate (way of) recitation, (that of) the Sammatīyas (to have been) the Prakrit language, (and that of) the Sthaviras (to have been) Apabhramśa.
Thus the 18 (sects) show a great dissimilarity in views and (yet) follow the teaching of the teacher. Accordingly it is said “3):
"On account of the difference in views alone, these (sects) have been
differentiated; different (founding) teachers there are none.” And 44):
"As regards the teaching of the Lion of the sākyas, (that) it has thus come to be 45) (split into) 18 varieties is (the) inevitable (consequence
of) 46) a former act of this lama of the world.” Thus the third recapitulation (of the doctrine) was made. Then, lest ordinary monks not possessed of the (four) magic formulas *) should recite the word of the sage wrongly by proclaiming it in an enlarged or abridged form, [90 b) it was committed to writing in books. Until that 48) (time) it is said to have been recited by heart, and no written text (of it is said) to have existed. Some say that this is not true, for the reason that it has been (fore)told 49): "The son of Ajātasatru named Upa 5) will put the dogmas of
41) Unidentifiable. 42) I.e. Tibet.
*5) In the Srāmaņera- and Bhikṣuvarşāgraprcchā; see Peking Tanjur, mDo section, vol. 90 (u), fol. 79 a 5-6 and fol. 318 a 5 [ - Otani reprint, vol. 127, p. 213 and p. 309).
-) Ib., fol.79b1-2 and fol. 318b 1-2 [~ p. 214 and p. 309), 45) Read gyur-te with the Tanjur versions. 46) Or, reading ñes-pa with the Bhikṣuvarsāgraprccha, "is the punishment for".
4) Especially the first of these, styled dharmadharani, which enables a Bodhisattva to remember a book on simply hearing it. Cf. Bbh p. 272 sq.
48) Read de yan-chad.
+9) Prose paraphrase of Mmk p.604.5–7: tasyāpi suto rājā ukārākhyah prakirtitaḥ / bhavisyati tada ksipram sāsanārtham ca udyatah // tad etat pravacanam śāstu likhāpayisyati vistaram/ "His [i.e. Ajātasatru's] son in turn, known to have a name (beginning) with the letter U, will be king thereafter. Instantly striving for the doctrine, he will have this very preaching of the master written down in full." Cf. Peking Kanjur, rGyud section, vol. 12 (na), fol. 267 a 8 [~ Otani reprint, vol. 6, p. 257).
5) His full name is Udāyin.