Doctrines of the Sarvastivada School of Buddhism
Summary
The Sarvastivada or all exists school became one of the most influential early Buddhist sects due to its comprehensive philosophical system. The article on the Doctrines of the Sarvastivada School of Buddhism outlines the core tenets and historical development of this school. It explains that Sarvastivadins upheld the doctrine that past present and future dharmas phenomena exist in some form. This view was articulated to provide a basis for karmic continuity and causal efficacy; if only present dharmas existed past actions could not yield future results. The article describes how Sarvastivada philosophers analysed reality into momentary dharmas with distinct characteristics. Their Abhidharma texts such as the Mahavibhasa classify dharmas and detail their functions. The school distinguished between conditioned and unconditioned dharmas and discussed the nature of time and the process of perception. The article contrasts Sarvastivada sub schools: the Vaibhāṣika who defended the doctrine of the real existence of dharmas in all three times and emphasised direct perception and the Sautrāntika who criticised this view and maintained that only present dharmas exist while past and future dharmas are conceptual. It notes that these debates laid the groundwork for later discussions in Mahayana. The Sarvastivadins also articulated a sophisticated theory of consciousness describing six types of consciousness and their interrelation with mental factors. Their ethical system emphasised adherence to Vinaya and the cultivation of wisdom through analysis. The article concludes by assessing the influence of the Sarvastivada tradition. It points out that their Abhidharma approach influenced both the Yogācāra and Madhyamaka schools and that their monastic institutions played a key role in disseminating Buddhism to Central Asia and China.
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Conclusion
The Sarvastivada school represents an important stage in Buddhist scholasticism. By proposing that dharmas exist across past present and future the Sarvastivadins addressed metaphysical questions about causality and continuity. Their Abhidharma literature provided a detailed taxonomy of mind and matter that shaped subsequent Buddhist philosophy. The internal debates between Vaibhāṣikas and Sautrāntikas demonstrate the vibrancy of early Buddhist thought. Recognising their contributions helps explain how later Mahayana thinkers inherited and transformed earlier doctrines while building on the analytic groundwork laid by the Sarvastivadins.