ABHIDHARMA OF SARVĀSTIVĀDINS

The origin of Sarvāstivāda school is not known. Some scholars believe this school came to be after the Second Buddhist Council. By the time of Third Council this Theravāda got division into various branches and Sarvāstivāda was one of them. The Abhidharma doctrine of this school had much developed along with scholastic Buddhism. This school is considered the most representative of the entire Buddhist schools. Even the Mahāyāna schools were influenced by the doctrines of this school both positively and negatively. Originally, the basic proposition of the Sarvāstivāda school was, as its name signifies, the doctrine of 'sarvaṃ asti' (all things exist). From this popular and plain proposition the school developed a rational and detailed doctrine. The seven Abhidharma books as the fundamental Abhidharma of Sarvāstivāda are: 1. Saṅgītipariyāya 2. Dharmaskandha 3. Prajñāpti 4. Vijñāṇakāya 5. Dhātukāya 6. Prakarana 7. Jñānaprasthāna These seven treatises were divided into three groups:
'early', 'middle' and 'late' according to their doctrinal contents and their form of expression. (1) Early Abhidharma – from the fact that the first three treatises are all attributed to the immediate disciples of the Buddha, such as Sāriputra (Sāriputta), Maudgalyāyana (Moggallāna), Katyāyana (Kaccāyana), we should infer that even if they were not the actual authors, early Abhidharma was developed from the methods of discourses practiced by those disciples. They were versed in Abhidhamma and they were described as the authors of these books, because their discourses provided the prototype for them. The Saṅgītipariyāya is a collection of technical terms, arranged in numerical order in exactly the same manner as that of the Sangīti Sūtra of Dīrgha Āgama (Dīgha Nikāya). The definitions and expositions are more elaborate and minute and what may be called Abhbidhammic definition has been adopted. The dharma-skandha is a collection of important doctrines and theories of the early Buddhist period as found in the āgama. They dealt with the precepts and faith of the lay people, matters concerning the practice and enlightenment of disciples how/or(?) members of the order, and the seven bodhyaṅgas (bojjhaṅgas), thus dealing with the fundamental theory and doctrine of Buddhism. (2) Abhidharma of the middle period – however, we find characteristic which distinguish them from each other. The Vijñāṇakāya and the Dhātukāya nature(?) which are the Abhidharma books of Sarvāstivāda school of the middle period. The Vijñāṇakāya clearly expresses for the first time the thought of 'the existence of phenomena in three states of time'. Sarvāstivāda philosophers maintained that not only present, but past and future phenomena also have real existence throughout the three states of time. The Dhātukāya concerned with mental attitudes while the subject matter of the Vijñāṇakāya was the mind itself. (3) Abhirharma of the late period – the Prakarana Śāstra and the Jñāna Prasthāna Śāstra belong to the Abhidharma of the late period. Chinese tradition makes Vasumitra the author of both of the Dhātukāya of the middle Abhidharma and the Prakarana of the late period. But between these two books we find some traces of development and change. The Dhātukāya introduced the problem and gave some kind of solution. The Prakarana re-examined them and gave other solutions. The last śāstra, the Jñāna Prasthāna in this book, all the topics discussed in the Sarvāstivāda school are treated as whole in the eight chapters: 1. Kṣudrada (miscellany) 2. Saṅyojana (fetters) 3. Jñāna (wisdom) 4. Karma (action) 5. Mahābhūta (four elements of matter) 6. Indriya (controlling principles) 7. Samādhi (meditation) 8. Dṛṣṭi (views)
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SARVĀSTIVĀDINS' TEACHING ON 'INDIVIDUAL' – WORD & BEING (2009) According to the Sarvāstivādins: 1. The existence of five dhammās are: a) citta b) cetasika c) rūpa d) visamprayukta saṅkhāra e) Asaṅskruta 2. The bieng and the objects constituted out of the dhammās at a particular time. 3. The being and the objects are subjected to disintegrate. 4. The dhammās do not disintegrate.
Therāvāda Sarvāstivāda 1 Rūpa Rūpa 2 Vedanā Caitasika 3 Saññā --4 Saṅkhārā Visampsayutta Saṅkārā 5 Viññāṇa Asavikāra citta
The dhammās exist in their subtlest state.
The arguments given in Kathāvattuppakarana: Sarvāstivādins: „All the five dhammās exist but not always and not everyware and in the sense of form.“ (This theory is called by Theravāda 'Suddhikanaya' ='pure logic'. Theravādins: „If the material aggregate does not give up its materiality (rūpabhava) then rūpabhāva becomes permanent, eternally existing like Nibbāna.“ Sarvāstivādins: „Rūpabhava is different from Nibbānabhava.“ Theravādins: They asked whethe the past (atīta) gives up its pastness (atītabhava). Sarvāstivādins: „No, it doesn't. When the atītabhāva exists, anāgatabhāva and paccuppannabhava do not exist like atītabhāva, when the anāgatabhāva exists atītabhāva does not exist like anāgatabhāva.“