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

CONCLUSION
The Sautrantikas probably knew the diverse nature of the early canon
and represented the meaning of the early canon better than the Sarvastivadins.
However, this does not mean they are worthy of their name, the followers of
the sEtras. As seen in Chapter 5, they were not determined to revitalise the
value of the early canon (sEtra), but instead used the early canon to defend
their extreme ontological position and to argue against their opponents,
such as the Sarvastivada-Vaibhalikas.
This attitude may further explain Vasubandhu’s later introduction of the
Mahayana concept of latent consciousness (AlayavijñAna) in his KarmasiddhiprakaraOa,
which seems to have been composed before his conversion to
the Yogacara school. His priority seems to have been not to go back to the
teachings of the early canon but to protect or to complete their own extreme
ontological position.
As noted in the Introduction, the Yogacara school insisted on three 24 or
possibly four 25 nirvanas. The task of comparing these nirvanas with the
traditional two nirvana theory requires further understanding of relevant
Mahayana materials from the doctrinal and historical perspectives. I hope
the current study may serve as the foundation for further study of the
Mahayana concept of nirvana and their equivalent of the two nirvana theory.
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