Introduction
Contents
1) Introduction
2) Theravada Tradition
3) Vibhajjavada, Analytical view
4) Faith as a Ground for Belief
5) Reasoning as a Group for Belief
6) Conclusion
7) Bibliography
The word Vibhajyavāda, Analytic view may be parsed into vibhajya, loosely meaning "dividing", "analyzing" and vāda holding the semantic field: “view”, “doctrine”, and “teachings”. The analysis of phenomena is the doctrinal emphasis and preoccupation of the Vibhajyavādins.[1] One of the most impotent views in the world is the analytical view because everything has its own different capacity such as gem, gold, silver and so on. The value and applicability of them are very different. Without knowing their true value and applicability, you can not apply them in right time, right place, etc. Analysis of thing means to choose the best one so as to use them rightly and to achieve one own goal quickly and easily. Similarly the developing of a country depends on its president or leader much more so people use to choose and elect a best person to appoint the person as their president or their leader in democratic country.
Likewise,
the analytical view[2]
is one of the features and the thought of the Pāli Canon so as to realize and
enlighten Nibbāna. The name of analytical view has been used to identify
Theravada. Identification of Theravada with Vibhajjavāda
can be traced to the traditional accounts of the Third Buddhist Council as
presented in the Mahāvaṁsa and the commentary to the Vinaya and
the Kathāvatthu[3]. Furthermore
this outlook we have to trace the tendency of terms which becomes very marked
in Abhidhamma Piṭka and earlier in the Nikāyas the analytical
approach, combined with an empiricism, results in certain important insights, and
observation.[4]
Theravāda Tradition
'Analytical
or discriminating doctrine' is an early name for the original Buddha doctrine,
called Theravāda. - The term vibhajja-vādī occurs in M.99 and A.X.94,
though not in the sense of a separate school, but as a characteristic of the
Buddha himself: "Now, by blaming what is blamable and praising what is
praiseworthy, the Blessed One is a 'discriminating teacher' (vibhajja-vadī) and
is not one-sided in his teaching" (A.X.94).[5]
The Third Buddhist
Council, under the leadership of Moggaliputta Tissa emphasized
this analytical approach. Some sub-divisions of Sthaviravāda school which
adopted this approach were regrouped and termed as the followers of Vibhajjavāda.
Those not included in the Vibhajjavāda group were the Mahāsāṃghikas,
Sarvāstivāda and Sammitīya, who were regarded as having the ‘wrong view’ by the
Vibhajjavādins, according to the Theravadin Kathavatthu, a work
ascribed to Moggaliputta Tissa. This book consists of twenty-three
chapters, and is a collection of discussions on the points of controversy. It
gives refutations of the 'heretical' views held by various Buddhist sects on
matters philosophical. The Kathavatthu is the fifth of the seven books
of the Abhidhamma Pitaka.[6]
The
members of the Council also gave a royal seal of approval to the doctrine of
the Buddha, naming it the Vibhajjavada, the Doctrine of Analysis. It is
identical with the approved Theravada doctrine. One of the most
significant achievements of this Dhamma assembly and one which was to
bear fruit for centuries to come, was the Emperor's sending forth of monks,
well versed in the Buddha's Dhamma and Vinaya who could recite all of it
by heart, to teach it in nine different countries as follow:
Country Name
|
Missionary
Name
|
(1)Kasmira-andhara
|
Majjhantikathera.
|
(2)
Mahisamandala
|
Mahadevathera.
|
(3)
Vanavasi
|
Rakkhitathera.
|
(4)
Aparantaka
|
Yona-Dhammarakkhitathera.
|
(5)
Maharattha
|
Mahadhammarakkhitathera.
|
(6)
Yona
|
Maharakkhitathera.
|
(7)
Himavanta
|
Majjhimathera.
|
(8)
Suvannabhumi
|
Sonathera
and Uttarathera.
|
(9)
Lankadipa
|
Mahamahindathera.
|
The Dhamma missions of these monks succeeded
and bore great fruits in the course of time and went a long way in ennobling
the peoples of these lands with the gift of the Dhamma and influencing
their civilizations and cultures.
With the spread of Dhamma
through the words of the Buddha, in due course India came to be known as
Visvaguru, the teacher of the world.[7]
In solving
the problem why in the account of the third Council the Buddha is represented
as Vibhajjavādĩ ,we may do well to focus our attention on the following facts: It is
will be observed that in this account
the term Vibhajjavādĩ is used in such a way as to distinguish the
teacing of the Buddha from such theories
as eternalism and annihilationism.[8]
The
Theravada tradition holds that after the Third Council, the Vibhajjavādins
evolved into four groups: the Mahīśāsaka, Kāśyapīya, Dharmaguptaka, and
the Tāmraparnīya. Theravada is descended from the Tāmraparnīya,
which means 'the Sri Lankan lineage'. The Vibhajjavadins are claimed to
have seen themselves as orthodox Sthaviravādas. According to Sinhalese
tradition, Buddhism under the name of Vibhajjavāda was brought to Sri Lanka by Mahinda, who is believed to be the son of Emperor Asoka, an event dated by modern scholars
to 246 BCE.[9]
Here
we find all the three Theravada schools[10]
established in Ceylon and divided just as described in Ceylon Chronicles. The Mahaviharavasins,
“inhabitants of the great Vihara,” claimed to be the orthodox Theravasins
estalablised by Ven. Mahamahinda at Anuradhapura at the time of the
official introduction of Buddhism into Ceylon under Asoka when the Mahavihara
was built. The three Thervadins schools of Ceylon: the orthodox Theravadins,
the Dharmarucis, and the Sāgaliya. Its grouping of the schools also allows us
to see the main lines of development. In other words, according to some
sources, the Theravada seems to have been originally based on Pāṭaliputta.
Later it became popular in the western countries making Ujjayinĩ its
second centre, and then it gradually made its headway toward the south, settling in and around
Kāňchi, and migrated ultimately to Ceylon, Burma, Siam, Cambodia and Laos and
so on.[11]
Vibhajjavāda
In
the Mahāvaṁsa and Vinyaṭṭhakathā narration explains how Vibhajjavāda began to be famous
because various monks’ belonged Heretical groups entered to the Sāsana
disguising them as Buddhist monks. That was
why The Third Buddhist Council was held at Pāṭaliputta under the aegis
of the celebrated Buddhist monarch, Priyadasri
Asoka. He was won over to the Buddhist faith within a few years of his
accession to the throne. The object of the Third Buddhist Council was supplied by the need to found the
purity of the Canon which had been imperiled
by the rise of different schools and their challenger claims, teachings
and practices. According to Kern, the Council was not a general Council but a
party conference of Vibhajjavāda. Tissa Moggaliputta, who is reputed to have
converted the Emporor the Buddhist faith, was pained to observe the corrupt practice
and the heretical doctrine preached by sectarians of various descriptions. He
succeeded in subduing the heresies and
expelling the sectarians from the Church. The most important benefit of the
Council was that he restored the true faith and propounded the Abhidhamma
treatise, the Kathāvatthu to analyze heretical view.[12]
Tissa
Moggaliputta convinced King Asoka in Buddhism. It
was under his influence that the emperor made over to Buddhist Order his son
Mahinda and daughter Saṅghamittā. Those two crossed to Ceylon and converted the
whole island to the Budddhist faith.[13] With the conversion of King Asoka, the
material prosperity of the monasteries grew by leaps and bounds and the monks
lived in ease and comfort. The heretics who lost their income and honour
entered the Buddhist Order. However they went on and adhered to their old faith
and practice and preached their doctrine
as the doctrines of the Buddha. The number of the heretics and false monks
became far larger than that of the true believers. As result for 7[14]
years no Uposatha or Pavāranā ceremony was held in any of the monasteries. The
community of the faithful monks rejected to participate these festival with the
heretics. The king Asoka sent commands for the observance of the Uposatha[15].
A
grievous blunder was committed by the Minister who was entrusted with this
task. He misunderstood the command and
beheaded many monks who no obeyed the
king’s order.When the king knew it and apologized what happened wrong and asked
whether it was his responsibility. When he asked that event, Tissa
Moggaliputta Thera replied that it was not responsibility due to Minister’s
misunderstanding. After that, the king learnt the Damma for 7 days so as to test whether they are true Buddhist monks are or not. Then he asked the 60,000 heretical monks
what are Buddha’s teachings, they responded the eternal soul was the Buddha’s
teachings and they were expelled from Brotherhood by the king. He thereafter
interrogated the true believers about the doctrine taught by the Buddha and
they answered that it was Vibhajjavāda ( the religion of analytical reasoning).
This is one of the original Vibhajjavāda within the development of
Thervāda.[16]
A proper interpretation of the word of Vibhajjavāda will not only show
why Thervāda came to be called Vibhajjavāda but also shed much
light on the actual causes that led the Third Buddhist Council.[17]
George
Turnour who translated the Mahāvamsa as the religion of investigated
truth said “the Buddha always followed the analytical method and therefore
Buddhism could rightly be called a doctrine of analysis, Vibhajjavāda.[18]
The sub-commentary to the Mahāvaṃsa
explains it as “ the Buddha is Vibhajjavādins because he analyses the
individual being into aggregates”[19]. It
is the basic factors of empirical reality as presented in Abhidhamma
which it is on the importance of analysis that the emphasis is laid. The Abhidhamma
does not depend on only analysis(bheda) but on synthesis (Saṅgaha) as
well. Hence to present Buddhism as a doctrine of analysis is to overlook the
importance attached to synthesis in the Buddhist methodology.[20]
The
Sāratthadĩ, a Vinaya sub-commentary, says the the Buddha
is called Vibhajjavādĩ because he
follows the method of qualified exapanation whereby he is able to to keep away
from such extremist views as eternalism and annihilationism. Vimativinodan ĩ
states Buddha is ekanta vibhajjasĩla that the Budddha always maintains
Vibhajjavāda view.[21]
The
Buddha was once staying at Migaramatupasada, and on the day of the pavarana,
he summoned the five hundred arahants who were with him and asked if they had
any fault to find with him. This means to find out what the Buddha did
something wrong in order to analyses what is good or bad. [22]
An example which the Buddha was one who
speaks after making an analysis is found the subha sutta of Majjhimanikāya.
It is records a conversation between the
Buddha and Subha, young man as follow---
“Master Gotama, the
brahmins say this: ‘The householder is accomplishing the true way, the Dhamma
that is wholesome. The one gone forth [into homelessness] is not accomplishing
the true way, the Dhamma that is wholesome.’ What does Master Gotama
say about this?”
“Here, student, I am
one who speaks after making an analysis; I do not speak one-sidedly. I do not
praise the wrong way of practice on the part either of a householder or one
gone forth; for whether it be a householder or one gone forth, one who has
entered on the wrong way of practice, by reason of his wrong way of practice,
is not accomplishing the true way, the Dhamma that is wholesome. I
praise the right way of practice on the part either of a householder or one
gone forth; for whether it be a householder or one gone forth, one who has
entered on the right way of practice, by reason of his right way of practice,
is accomplishing the true way, the Dhamma that is wholesome.”[23]
This means the Buddha gave his answer following the vibhajjavāda method.
Another instance of the Buddha following the
Vibhajjavāda modr of explanation is
recorded in the Aṅguttara Nikāya:
“ Sir, the Blessed One blames what is blame, praise what is
praiseworthy. Sir, by blaming what is blamable, praising what is praiseworthy.
The Buddha speaks after analyzing.[24]
Another
analytical teaching called Kālāma Sutta is more popular and well-known in the
west than in Buddhist countries in Asia. It said “everything should be examined
before accepting it.” The Kālāma Sutta has
been relatively neglected in traditional Buddhist countries and came into
prominence when the Buddha’s teaching came to the attention of Western
scholars. They were surprised that the Buddha had already proclaimed what some
of their more enlightened philosophers had been saying on what were valid
grounds for belief. Since then there has been a revival of interest in this Sutta
in Buddhist countries, and opinion on its interpretation has varied. Ven
Soma Thera who translated it for the Wheel Series (No. 8, 1959) calls it the
Buddha’s Charter of Free Inquiry and wrote: “the spirit of the sutta signifies
a teaching that is exempt from fanaticism, bigotry, dogmatism, and
intolerance”. A detailed discussion of the terms used is contained in K. N.
Jayatilleke’s work on the Buddhist epistomoloy. However their interpretation has recently been
challenged by Bhikkhu Bodhi, Sanath
Nanaykkara and others. It is
therefore necessary to reflect on what the sutta says, and consider its
importance.[25]
The Sutta starts with the famous ten conditions
which the Buddha said were not valid grounds for believing in a
teaching. Six of these conditions deal with various forms of faith and reliance
on authority, and four relate to different kinds of wrong reasoning. The Buddha
then gives the grounds on which a teaching could be accepted as correct.
Finally there is the concluding section in which the Buddha deals with the
doctrines of kamma and rebirth. We shall consider each of these in the
four sections that follow.[26]
Faith
as a Ground for Belief
Six
grounds are given which are considered unsatisfactory because they rely on
faith and authority.
(1)
Anussavena;. This has been translated as ‘report’, ‘tradition’, and even
more formally as ‘revelation’.
(2)
Paramparāya. This refers to a teaching which is handed down from teacher
to pupil.
(3)
Itikirāya . This has usually been translated as ‘hearsay’ (Woodword for the
Pali Text Society) and ‘rumour’ (Bhikkhu Soma) but it includes all kinds
of legendary and historical material.
(4)
Iṭakasampadāya. This refers to a
system which relies on a textual tradition for its validity. It would apply
where a ‘holy book’ is the basis of belief, like the Vedas, the Bible or the
Koran. In Buddhism, commentaries are criticized because the definitions of a Dhamma are different such as the name of Magha, the king of gods. A commentary says " he was Bodhisatta". But another one says " no, he is the present king of the gods".
(5)
Bhavyarpatāya. This is a difficult term to translate. Wood-word has ‘because
it fits becoming’.
(6)
Sama.no no garu . This literally means ‘our teacher (or recluse) is
venerable’.
Reasoning
as a Ground for Belief
The
Buddha gives four types of unsound reasoning as also being unsatisfactory.
These are:
(1)
Takkahetu. This is translated as ‘based on (deductive) logic’.
(2)
Nayahetu. This has been translated as ‘from a standpoint’.
(3)
Ākāraparivitakkena. This refers to accepting anything ‘after considering
reasons.
(4)
Diṭṭinijjhānakkhantiyā. ‘Reflection on and approval of some theory’.
This procedure involves starting from some view (diṭṭhi) which may be one’s own
or derived from some teacher.
The
identification of these four types of wrong reasoning does not mean that the
Buddha did not approve the use of logic or reasoning. They have their proper
place. In fact Buddhist philosophers developed elaborate systems of logic that
would compare well with those of any other logician. The Abhidhamma is
replete with examples of logical analysis. It is only wrong logic, or specious
reasoning, that the Buddha warns people against. The identification of these
four types of wrong reasoning does not mean that the Buddha did not approve the
use of logic or reasoning. They have their proper place. In fact Buddhist philosophers
developed elaborate systems of logic that would compare well with those of any
other logician. The Abhidhamma is replete with examples of logical analysis. It
is only wrong logic, or specious reasoning, that the Buddha warns people
against.[27]
Conclusion
The
core teachings of the Buddha are the four noble truths. To realize them,
Vipassanā, Insight Meditation has to be practiced, that is, Mind and matter are
analyzed and contemplated as three characteristics: impermanence, suffering,
and selflessness. The lessons of Vibhajjavāda, Analytical view we learn
are when a problem arise, we need to learn, know, understand and analyze the
problem, and its roots then we should
accept and admit what are beneficial and reject what are unbeneficial just like Venerable Tissa Moggaliputta
and Emperor Asoka solved the
heretical problem in The third Buddhist council. E.g. the king Asoka learnt the
Damma for 7 days so as to test whether they are true Buddhist monks are or not.
Venerable Tissa Moggaliputta and Emperor Asoka also analyzed the Buddha’s teachings
and heretical teachings in order to purify and uplift Buddhism as a result, Buddhism was
propagated broadly to nine countries namely Kasmira-Gandhara, Mahisamandala, Vanavasi, Aparantaka, ) Maharattha, Yona,
Himavanta, Suvannabhumi and Lankadipa. Then Between 399 and 414 CE,
the Chinese monk Faxian (Fa-Hsien, Fa Hien)[28] took the Dharmaguptika
Vinaya from Sri Lanka,[29]
which remains to this day the rules guiding the monastics of the whole of East
Asia.[30]
Although a few Vinaya texts were available to Faxian, the growing
Buddhist community in China was aware of the paucity of these texts essential
for the establishment and proper functioning of monastic institutions. This means
the whole Buddhism depends on the third Buddhist Council which focused on Vibhajjavāda
because Buddhist Monastic codes are the life of Buddha’s dispensation (Sāsanā)
so Vibhajjavāda plays an important role in Buddhism.[31]
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[2] Vibhajjavāda
[3] Prof.
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[4] K.N.
Jayatilleke. Early Buddhist theory of Knowledge. Ed. Alex Wayman. P.277. New Delhi: Shri Jainendra Press, 1998.
[5] Vibhajja Vāda, 1 Definition(s). www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 19 October, 2012. <http://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/vibhajja-v%C4%81da/index.html>
[6]
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[7]
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[8] Y.
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[9] Vibhajjavāda. en.wikipedia.org.com.
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[10]
“The
school of elders.”
[11]
N.N. Bhattacharyya. Buddhism in the History of Indian Ideas. P.194. New
Delhi: Rajkamal Electric Press, 2000.
[12] 2500 years of Buddhism. ed.
Prof. P.V. Bapat. P44. New Delhi: The publications divition, Ministery of
Information and Broadcasting, Goverrment of India, 1956.
[13] Ibid
[14] In The Theravāda Abhidhamma, Y.
Karunadasa said “for 6 years no Uposatha or Pavāranā ceremony was held in any
of the monasteries”
[15]
2500 years of Buddhism.
ed. Prof. P.V. Bapat. P44. New Delhi: The publications divition, Ministery of
Information and Broadcasting, Goverrment of India, 1956.
[16] Ibid
[17] Ibid2
[18] Y. Karunadasa, The
Theravāda Abhidhamma: Its Inquiry into the Nature of Conditioned Reality.
P.284. Hong Kong: The University of Hong Kong, 2010.
[19]
Khandhaṃ vibhajjakattā vibhajjavādĩ.
[20] Y. Karunadasa, The
Theravāda Abhidhamma: Its Inquiry into the Nature of Conditioned Reality.
P.284. Hong Kong: The University of Hong Kong, 2010.
[21] Ibid
[22]
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[23] Bhikkhu Ñāṇamoli and Bhikkhu Bodhi , Majjhima Nikāya 99, Part
Two – The Middle Fifty Discourses (Majjhimapaṅṅāsapāḷī). www.palicanon.org.
Retrieved 18 October, 2012 <http://www.palicanon.org/en/sutta-pitaka/transcribed-suttas/majjhima-nikaya/166-mn-99-subha-sutta-to-subha.html>
[24] Y. Karunadasa,
The Theravāda Abhidhamma: Its Inquiry into the Nature of Conditioned Reality.
P.287. Hong Kong: The University of Hong Kong, 2010.
[25]
Gunasekara. The Significance of the
Kālāma Sutta. www.vgweb.org. Retrieved 18 October, 2012 <http://www.vgweb.org/bsq/kalama.htm#art6>
[26] Ibid
[27] Ibid
[28] The Journey of Faxian
to India.
http://depts.washington.edu.com.Retrieved
22 October, 2012. <http://depts.washington.edu/silkroad/texts/faxian.html>
[29] The Dharmaguptika is same the origin of Theravāda school.
Sthaviravāda school is the origin of these two.
[30]Professor Ananda W. P. Guruge. Sri Lanka - from Euro-Asian
commercial hub to pan-world socio-political importance. http://www.dailynews.lk. Retrieved 18 October, 2012
[31] Vinayo
nāma sāsanassa āyu.
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