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The '''Prajñaptivāda''' ([[Sanskrit]]; {{CJKV|t=說假部|p=Shuō Jiǎ Bù}}) was a branch of the [[Mahāsāṃghika]], one of the [[early Buddhist schools]] in [[India]]. The Prajñaptivādins were also known as the ''[[Bahuśrutīya]]-Vibhajyavādins''.<br />
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== History ==<br />
According to Vasumitra, the Prajñaptivāda school is said to have developed as one of several Mahāsāṃghika subschools.<ref>Harris, Ian Charles. ''The Continuity of Madhyamaka and Yogacara in Indian Mahayana Buddhism.'' 1991. p. 98</ref> They are recorded as having taken up residence in the [[Himalayas]].<ref>Sree Padma. Barber, Anthony W. ''Buddhism in the Krishna River Valley of Andhra.'' 2008. p. 68.</ref> According to [[Taranatha|Tāranātha]], the Prajñaptivādins continued to flourish in [[Magadha]] through the [[Pala Empire]] as late as the 10th century CE.<ref>Warder, A.K. ''Indian Buddhism''. 2000. p. 282</ref><ref>Walser, Joseph. ''Nāgārjuna in Context: Mahāyāna Buddhism and Early Indian Culture.'' 2005. p. 218</ref> [[A. K. Warder]] writes that the Prajñaptivādins were not known to have left Buddhism's original territory (modern [[Northeast India]], [[Bengal]] and [[Nepal]]).<ref>Warder, A.K. ''Indian Buddhism''. 2000. p. 282</ref><br />
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== Doctrines and teachings ==<br />
The ''Samayabhedhoparacanacakra'' records that the doctrines of the Prajñaptivāda school were similar to those of the main Mahāsāṃghika school.<ref>Dutt, Nalinaksha. ''Buddhist Sects in India.'' 1998. p. 118</ref><br />
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=== Prajñapti ===<br />
According to [[André Bareau]], the name ''Prajñaptivāda'' refers to their doctrine that phenomena are the product of conceptualization (Skt. ''prajñapti'').<ref>Sree Padma. Barber, Anthony W. ''Buddhism in the Krishna River Valley of Andhra.'' 2008. p. 68.</ref> The Prajñaptivādins distinguished between conventional truth (Skt. ''saṃvṛti'') and ultimate truth (Skt. ''paramārtha''), and between reality (Skt. ''tattva'') and mere concepts (Skt. ''prajñapti'').<br />
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Vasumitra writes that the Prajñaptivādins viewed all conditioned phenomena as being mere concepts or notions (Skt. ''prajñapti''), and therefore they were considered to be [[dukkha|suffering]].<ref>Harris, Ian Charles. ''The Continuity of Madhyamaka and Yogacara in Indian Mahayana Buddhism.'' 1991. p. 98</ref> Contrary to the [[Sarvastivada|Sarvāstivādins]], the Prajñaptivādins did not view the [[skandha]]s or the five elements as suffering.<ref>Walser, Joseph. ''Nāgārjuna in Context: Mahāyāna Buddhism and Early Indian Culture.'' 2005. p. 220</ref> Instead these were viewed as existing merely as nominal entities without any ultimate existence.<ref>Walser, Joseph. ''Nāgārjuna in Context: Mahāyāna Buddhism and Early Indian Culture.'' 2005. p. 220</ref><br />
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=== Merit and karma ===<br />
The Prajñaptivādins believed that the Noble Path is eternal and immutable, and that it is not possible for it to be lost or destroyed.<ref>Petzold, Bruno. ''The Classification of Buddhism: Comprising the Classification of Buddhist Doctrines in India, China, and Japan.'' 1995. p. 438</ref> They also held that the path was not something that could be cultivated through contemplation.<ref>Walser, Joseph. ''Nāgārjuna in Context: Mahāyāna Buddhism and Early Indian Culture.'' 2005. p. 219</ref> However, they believed that the Path could be attained through all-knowledge (Skt. ''sarvajñāna'') and the accumulation of [[Merit (Buddhism)|merit]].<ref>Walser, Joseph. ''Nāgārjuna in Context: Mahāyāna Buddhism and Early Indian Culture.'' 2005. p. 219</ref> Whether one meets an untimely death or attains the Noble Path, the Prajñaptivādins viewed all such outcomes as being the result of merit and [[Karma in Buddhism|karma]].<ref>Walser, Joseph. ''Nāgārjuna in Context: Mahāyāna Buddhism and Early Indian Culture.'' 2005. p. 220</ref><br />
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=== Spoken teachings ===<br />
The Prajñaptivādins held that the Buddha's teachings in the various ''piṭakas'' were nominal (Skt. ''prajñapti''), conventional (Skt. ''{{IAST|saṃvṛti}}''), and causal (Skt. ''hetuphala'').<ref>Dutt, Nalinaksha. ''Buddhist Sects in India.'' 1998. p. 118</ref> Therefore, all teachings were viewed by the Prajñaptivādins as being of provisional importance, since they cannot contain the ultimate truth.<ref>Harris, Ian Charles. ''The Continuity of Madhyamaka and Yogacara in Indian Mahayana Buddhism.'' 1991. p. 98</ref> It has been observed that this view of the Buddha's teachings is very close to the fully developed position of the [[Mahāyāna sūtras]].<ref>Dutt, Nalinaksha. ''Buddhist Sects in India.'' 1998. p. 118</ref><ref>Harris, Ian Charles. ''The Continuity of Madhyamaka and Yogacara in Indian Mahayana Buddhism.'' 1991. p. 98</ref><br />
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== Relationship to Mahāyāna ==<br />
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=== Theories ===<br />
André Bareau considers the origin of the Mahāyāna tradition to be in the early Mahāsāṃghika schools, and cites the Bahuśrutīyas and Prajñaptivādins as sub-sects of the Mahāsāṃghika that may have played an important role in bridging the flow of [[Mahayana]] teachings between the northern and southern Mahāsāṃghika traditions.<ref>Ray, Reginald. ''Buddhist Saints in India: A Study in Buddhist Values and Orientations.'' 1999. p. 426</ref><br />
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=== Two truths doctrine ===<br />
The Prajñaptivādins were early articulators of the [[two truths doctrine]] that is so important to the Mahāyāna, where it is usually found in the relationship between skillful means (Skt. ''[[upaya|upāya]]'') and wisdom (Skt. ''[[prajñā (Buddhism)|prajñā]]''). Ian Charles Harris has noted that the doctrines of the Prajñaptivāda school are indeed similar to the early Mahāyāna view of the two truths.<ref>Harris, Ian Charles. ''The Continuity of Madhyamaka and Yogacara in Indian Mahayana Buddhism.'' 1991. p. 98</ref><br />
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There is also evidence that the Prajñaptivādins were an influence on [[Nagarjuna|Nāgārjuna]], who is also among the storied promulgators of the two truths doctrine (using some of the same technical terms), and who in his ''[[Mūlamadhyamakakārikā]]'' only cites one text by name, that being the ''[[Kaccānagotta Sutta|Kātyāyana Gotra Sūtra]]'', of which the Prajñaptivādins were known to be fond.<ref>Harris, Ian Charles. ''The Continuity of Madhyamaka and Yogacara in Indian Mahayana Buddhism.'' 1991. p. 98</ref><br />
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== References ==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
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==See also==<br />
{{wikisource|Saṃyukta Āgama 301: Kātyāyana Gotra Sūtra}}<br />
*[[Schools of Buddhism]]<br />
*[[Early Buddhist schools]]<br />
*[[Nikaya Buddhism]]<br />
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{{Buddhism topics}}<br />
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[[Category:Nikaya schools]]<br />
[[Category:Mahāsāṃghika]]<br />
[[Category:Early Buddhist schools]]</div>118.100.247.173