30 bart desseinIt is evident from the above scheme that when practicing the noble
path, one goes from one position to the next, hereby alternatively aim-
ing at de lement of the realm of sensual passion on the one hand, and
de lement of the realm of form and of the realm of formlessness on
the other hand. In the course of this process, eighty-eight contaminants
are subdued.
This Sarvstivda path to salvation shows how the theory of the four
truths, which may have been connected to the idea of liberating insight
at an early date,^59 was further developed into the framework of the path
of vision as one of the two constituent parts of the way to liberation.
As the Kmra *Abhidharmamahvibhstra most probably post-dates
Dharmare
hin’s *Abhidharmahdaya,^60 the development of the theory
of the four truths in its connection to the path of vision and to the
annihilation of de lement leading to nirva, must have been known to
its compilers. It must be to this process of attaining liberation through
the annihilation of de lement that the *Abhidharmamahvibhstra
refers when characterising the “turning” of the wheel of the doctrine
as “turning without stopping [.. .], leaving behind this and aiming at
that [... and] being able to subdue enemies”.^61
This rst section gives the opinion of the compilers of the *Abhidhar-
mamahvibhstra. The following section gives various opinions to
justify how the wheel of the doctrine can be called “brahm-wheel”^62
and also be identi ed with the “path of vision” (daranamrga) only.^63
“Brahm-wheel” hereby refers to the quality of the Buddha as brahm,
in the sense of calm (nta) and appeasement (tbh ta). As it was the
World-honoured One who set the wheel of the doctrine in motion,
the wheel belongs to Him, and so it is justi ed to call this wheel
“brahm-wheel”.^64 This passage reiterates the s tra fragment quoted in(^59) With reference to the Majjhimanikya, Schmithausen 1981, pp. 206–207, suggests
that it is very likely that even before the composition of the stereotyped detailed descrip-
tion of the path to liberation, there was a xed association between liberation (or at
least enlightenment) and insight into the noble truths. He further claims that there may
have been even a clear-cut view or theory according to which liberation was achieved
by insight into the four noble truths. See also Schmithausen 1981, p. 240.
(^60) See Lin 1949, p. 51; Willemen 1975, p. iii; Frauwallner 1971b, p. 86; Ryose 1986,
p. 4; Dessein 1996, p. 647.
(^61) T.1545.27.911b28–29.
(^62) T.1545.27.811c1–28. See also T.1546.28.158a9–b1.
(^63) T.1545.27.911c29–912b4.
(^64) See T.1558.29.128b24–26. See also T.1559.29.279c27–280a1; T.1545.27.911c5–6
and La Vallée Poussin 1980, vol. 4, p. 245.
Heirman_f3a_15-48.indd 30 3/13/2007 11:21:17 AM