Traverses on Less Trodden Path of Indian Philosophy and Religion

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

Page 111

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Traverses on less trodden patb...
as Vaibhāșikas believe, but only indirectly inferred (bah yānuine ya). They admit the extramental existence of the world. We do not know the thing in itself. We can only know ideas which are copies or mental pictures and from these copies we inter the existence of the originals. Thinkers of this school of Hina yūna, cut down the numbers of seventy five dharinas (i.e. elements of existence) of the Vaibhāsika to forty three and treat the rest as subjective or mental construction and hence unrcal.
These two schools of Hinayina are the upholders of theory of momentariness. (Kşanabhangavāda). The ultimate aim of these two schools of Hinayāna is attaioment of individual Nirvāņa (liberation) which is negative (i.e. extinction of miseries).
Mahāyāna is revolt against the feeble mindedness and selfishness of the Hina yāna Buddhists. The Mahasanghikas revolted against the Sthavira's narrow interpretation of Buddha's teachings. They have interpreted them in a broader sense. To show greatness or superiority of their system, practice and conduct, they coined the term Mahāyina (the great vehicle) and dubbed Sthavira's (olders') view as Hina yana (lower vehicle).
Ašvaghosa, Nagarjuna, Asanga and Vasubandhu are the first rank thinkers of the Mahāyāna Buddhism. All these Philosophers unanimously criticised the Hinayānists for not understanding the deepest meaning of Buddha's teachings.
Ašvaghoşa (circa 1st A.D.) is the Chief exponent of Mahāyāna Budd. hism. His Mabāyānasraddhotpadašāstra ( The Awakening of Faith)1 plays very important role in the development of Mahāyāna Buddhism. All the important principles of latter schools are found in this work, though not in a full fledged form. The special contribution of this work of Ašvaghoşa to latter schools of Mahayāna is its absolutistic approach towards reality.
Ašvaghoşa declares in clear terms that Hinayānists being feeble minded are unable to grasp the deeper meaning of Buddha's teachings about Reality and his aim is to unfold fundamental teachings of the master as against the errors of the Hinayānists. As against the Honayänists, who have maintained the elements of existence (dharmas ) as real entities, ho defines Reality as 'that which is ultimately indescribable beyond all the categories of intellect and hence it cannot be said neither existence for non-existence, nor both, nor neither, neither one or mor many neither affirmation nor negation. It is formeless. Once we penetrate beyond 1. (a) The Awakening of Faith by D. T. Suzuki, Chikago, 1900. 2. (b) The Awakening of Faith by T. Richard, ed. A. H. Walton, London, 1961. 2. Awakenin of Faith by D. T. Suzuks, P. 47. 3. Ibid., P. 59.