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The Previous Buddhist Thinking and the works of Asanga
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liminary stage of Bodhicitta. He names the first of the three sub-sections of the S. Bh. as gotra-bhūmi and gives a brief description of the nature, arrangement, the various marks of the pugalas stationed in this bhūmi as well as of the various pudgalas. This description of Asanga, which represents his Mahāśāsaka view-point, finds full elucidation in the Bodhi., and the MSAB, wherein he gives an elaborate exposition of the gotra-doctrine (i) i. e. regarding the gotra as forming the preliminary stage of Bodhicitta-utpāda, (ii) its fourfold classification as pointed out by Maitreyanātha (iii) the fourfold defects (ādinavas) of gotra, (iv) its fourfold anuśamsa, alongwith (v) a brief description of the agotra-stha pudgalas. S
• Thus, in the Buddhist tradition, gotra originally meant the lineage or family of ordained members of Buddhist church, but later on it conveyed the meaning of the mental faculty or the whole make-up of the individuality of a person intending to acquire bodhi or attain enlightenment.
(6) Avātāra In earlier Buddhist literature, the word avatāra (Paliotāra) has been used in the sense of (a) 'descent to, i. e., approach to, access, fig. chance, opportunity', (b) 'inclination to, being at home with, approach, familiarity', and (c) 'influenced by Ocarati and Ocinna) being after something, spying, finding out, i. e. fault or defect.''
bhavati Padgalānāṁ pratyayaprāptānañ nirvāņań prāptun sprastu saknoti ca. Tatra gotrasya kati paryayanāmänil Bijam dhātuh prakstiriti paryāyanāmāni bhavanti|JGRI, XXIV. 133; Bodhi, 1-2 sq. ; Cp. MVBT, p. 141. Bodhi, p. 2 sq. Vide, JGRI, XXIV. 129, 133. See, MSAB, III; Bodhi, I. For details, and references, See PTTSD s. v. Otāra; BHSD, s. v. avatāra.
