Metaphor and Literalism in Buddhism: The ... - misterdanger.net

THE DOCTRINAL DEVELOPMENT OF NIRVANA
Table 5.1 Rebirth process between the Sarvastivada-Vaibhalikas and the
Sautrantikas
rebirth process
Sarvastivada-
Vaibhalikas AkLepakakarman
Table 5.1 summarises the difference between the Sarvastivada-Vaibhalika
and the Sautrantika. For the Sautrantikas, there is no need to assume the existence
of both dharmas not associated with the mind (cittaviprayuktasaNskAra)
to explain the process of conception, especially from the previous action to
the present psychophysical series of aggregates (skandhasaNtAna).
The outcome of this Sautrantika criticism could not be ignored, since it
could change the whole interpretation of the two nirvana theory that had been
carefully established by the Sarvastivada-Vaibhalikas in the JñAnaprasthAna
and the MahAvibhALAUAstra. The core of their interpretation of the two nirvana
theory concerns what clinging (upadhi) in ‘with a remainder of clinging’
(saupadhiUeLa) refers to. The answer given by the Sarvastivada-Vaibhalikas
was vitality (Ayu) in the JñAnaprasthAna 93 and both life faculty ( jCvitendriya)
and homogeneous character of the group (nikAyasabhAga) in the
MahAvibhALAUAstra. 94
Their answers did not represent either of the two aspects of the word
clinging (upadhi/upAdi): in the subjective sense it denotes defilements in general;
in the objective sense it denotes the ‘fuel’ of a fire underlining ‘the five
aggregates’ in a metaphorical structure. 95 That is to say, the Sarvastivada-
Vaibhalika’s interpretation of the two nirvana theory was established under
the heavy influence of their abhidharmic systematisation.
Although their possible reference for ‘with a remainder of clinging’
(saupadhiUeLa) is ‘the momentum (Avedha) of the series of aggregates
(skandhasaNtAna)’, this is not a separate existent, like life faculty and homogeneous
character in the Sarvastivada-Vaibhalika, but a name given to a
certain power that belongs to the series of aggregates. Whether so intended
or not, the Sautrantika criticism of both dharmas not associated with the
mind (cittaviprayuktasaNskAra) seems to turn this tide and let the interpretation
of the two nirvana theory return to the metaphorical structure of
nirvana in the early canon.
Nirvana from the SautrAntika ontological perspective
In ‘The Chinese abhidharma works’ in Chapter 3, we saw that the
Sarvastivada-Vaibhalika understanding of nirvana was closely related to
90
jCvitendriya
nikAyasabhAga
skandhasaNtAna
Sautrantikas AkLepakakarman the momentum (Avedha) of skandhasaNtAna