Traverses on Less Trodden Path of Indian Philosophy and Religion

Author(s): Yajneshwar S Shastri
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

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CONCEPTION OF REALITY IN MAHAYANA BUDDHISM
Buddbism has produced outstanding Philosopbical personalities who made substantial contributions not only to Indian Pbilosophy but to the world thought.
Gautama, toe Buddha, who was founder father of this School. has not built any particular sect or school of thought. He was not much concerned about metaphysical problems, such as existence of self,' nature of the world and Reality' etc. In fact he had warned against metaphysics. He has emphasised on the moral aspects of human conduct; his approach was mainly ethical. He was not interested in establishing any pbilosopbicai system as such, But his followers, taking inspiration from his teachiogs became divided on the grounds of metaphysics and established many Philosophical Systems.
Buddhism is divided into two important sects, Viz., Hina yāná (lower vehicle) and Mahayana (greater vehicle). Vaibhāșika (Sarvästivado), Sautrantika, Madhyam iko (Sünyāvada) and Vijñānavāda (Yogacāra) are the four famous schools in the history of Buddhism. The first two belong to Hinayāpa and the other two to Mahayāna. Vaibhāșika School is so called because this school gives more importance to the commentaries called Mahavibhāṣā and Vibhaşā on Abhidharma treatise. They are also called as Sarvästivādins, because they believe in existence of all things (sarvamasti). physical as well as mental. This school is radial pluralism erected on the depial of Soul-Substance (Pudgalanairatmya) and the acceptance of discrete momentary entities. According to this school, everything is momentary, there is nothing human or divine, that is permanent. For these philosophes seventy five dharmas are the ultimate elements of existence, wbich are momoptary and yet real. Vaibhaşikas believe in theory of direct perception (bahyapratyakşavāda). These thinkers argue that there is no permanent Reality as such and thus realisation (Nirvana) is also not realising some. thing permanent spiritual entity but extinction of all desires, passions and miseries.
The Saufrântikas, (the followers of Sutrapiļaka) uphold most of the doctrines of Vaibhāșika school, such as non-soul theory, doctrine of momentariness and liberation as mere extinction of miseries, etc. But according to these Philosophers external objects are not directly perceived