10 Facts About Sarvastivada

1.

Sarvastivada was one of the early Buddhist schools established around the reign of Ashoka .

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2.

Sarvastivada is a Sanskrit term that can be glossed as: "the theory of all that exists".

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3.

The Sarvastivada argued that all dhammas exist in the past, present and future, the "three times".

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4.

Sarvastivada was known by other names, particularly hetuvada and yuktivada.

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5.

Sarvastivada was a widespread group, and there were different sub-schools or sects throughout its history, the most influential ones being the Vaibhasika and the Sautrantika schools.

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6.

The Vaibhasika-Sarvastivada, which had by far the most "comprehensive edifice of doctrinal systematics" of the early Buddhist schools, was widely influential in India and beyond.

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7.

Sarvastivada is famous for his Abhidharmakosa, a very influential abhidharma work, with an auto commentary that defends Sautrantika views.

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8.

The Sarvastivada is therefore the only early school besides the Theravada for which we have a roughly complete sutra collection, although unlike the Theravada it has not all been preserved in the original language.

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9.

However, in the corresponding passage found in the later Sariputrapariprccha, the Sarvastivada are described as wearing black robes and the Dharmaguptas as wearing dark red robes.

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10.

Etienne Lamotte has pointed out that a Sarvastivada master is known to have stated that the Mahayana Prajna sutras were to be found amongst their Vaipulya sutras.

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