________________ 22 Introduction Karikas 588-597] Now we come to the last folio of our incomplete manuscript. This folio contains a brief discussion on the four apramanas (boundless states, also known as brahmaviharas), eight vimokshas (deliverances) and eight abhibhayatanas (stages of mastery) in the same order as in the Bhashya. The Bhashya after this deals (in three karikas = Akb. VIII. 36-38) with the ten kritsna-ayatanas. This is followed by five concluding verses in which the Kosakara says that he has composed this Abhidharma-sastra conforming to the Kashmira-Vaibhashika school in order to save the Lord's dispensation from growing dissensions and ignorant heretics. Most probably the Dipa too came to a close after a few additional verses. It is most unfortunate that we should have lost the last folio which might have given us the name of the author and also a statement of the circumstances that led to the composition of this important work. II SUTRA AND ABHIDHARMA : This brief sketch of the Dipa and its Vritti reflects predominantly the Vaibhashika attempt to correct the Kosakara of his Sautrantika bias. It is, in a way, a record of the dispute between the Sautrantika and Abhidharmika on the interpretation of the 'Sutras' of the Buddha. Before dealing with the specific differences between the two schools, we may here trace the meaning and interrelation of the terms Sutra and Abhidharma as seen by these schools. The earliest canonical reference to the term sutra is found in the Mahaparinibbana-sutta. It is said there that the 1 Kasmira-Vaibha shika-niti-siddhah prayo maya' yam kathito'bhidharmah Ak. VIII. 40ab. 2 The term sutta occurs several times in the Nikayas. In the Majjhima (I. 133, III. 115) and in the Ang. (II, 7, II. 103, II. 178, III. 86. III. 177, III. 361) it is mentioned as one of the angas of the traditional 'navangasatthusa sana,. The term suttanta occurs in the Samyutta (II. 267) and Ang. (1. 60, 1. 72, II. 247, III. 107, III. 178), but not in the sense of a particular collection of the words of quddha.
