________________ 114 Introduction person only the innate or the upapatti-labhika roots of good. But when a person (like Maskari Gosaliputra for instance) comes to hold such extremely grave (adhimatra-adhimatra) wrong views as nastikavada, ahetukavada or akriyavada, then he destroys even these innate and the most subtle (upapatti-labhika) kusala-mulas pertaining to the kama loka, whereupon he is called a samuchchhinna-kusala-mula. After stating this Vaibhashika theory of the loss of kusala dharmas the Dipakara turns to the Kosakara's definition of a samuchchhinna-kusala mala. This he condemns as contrary to the Scriptures where it is specifically stated that the kusala-malas are completely annihilated. He then criticises the theory of bija with the argument that the kusala and akusala being incompatible like light and darkness cannot coexist at one time. Even if they coexist, in the case of a samuchchhinna-kusala-mula, the kusala elements are entirely lost. How can a new kusala arise in this person? If it arises from the akusala then one may as well argue that rice is obtained from barley seeds or that mithyaduishti is produced by right thinking. Thus the Kosakara's theory of bija and the consequent wrong definition of a samuchchhinna-kusala-mula do not stand the test of either the Scriptures or of reasoning. The Kosakara's definition of the term samuchchhinna-kusala. mula is identical with the Yogachara difinition of this terin. In the Mahayana-Sutralankara only the imminent liberation of a samuchchhinna-kusala-mula is denied. This suggests that he may attain parinirvana in the distant future. This would mean that according to the Yogacharas such a person is not completely devoid of a kusala-mula. The contention of the Kosakara that the innate kusala-malas are never entirely destroyed marks a still further departure from the orthodox Hinayana. In implies that unlike the akusala-bijas which are completely annihilated, the elements of kusala persist throughout the series of existence. This is a characteristically Mahayanist view in as much as it 1 Adv. pp. 169-71. 2 Msa. III. 11. See Studies in the Lankavatara-sutra, p. 220.
