40 bart desseinwheel of the doctrine is given as only one of a series of speci cations
of the word of the Buddha. These are, among others, the statement
that “everything that has been preached by the World-honoured One
is in conformity with the truth (ayathrtha);”^102 and the claim that “the
s tras proclaimed by the Buddha are all perfect in themselves.”^103 Such
standpoints, along with the fact that, according to the Samayabhedopara-
canacakra, the Ekavyavahrikas, the Lokottaravdins, and the Kukkuikas
share the opinion on the nature of the words of the Buddha with
the Mahsghikas, the school from which they later issued,^104 allow
us to give another interpretation of the claim that, according to the
Mahsghikas, “all words of the Buddha equally are the turning
of the wheel of the doctrine.” “All words” probably has to be taken
literally as “everything he said”. This idea of otherworldliness of the
Buddha stands in contrast to the Sarvstivda opinion. The fact that
the Sarvstivda treatises differentiate three vehicles may allude to it
that also the Sarvstivdins understood arhat-ship of the Buddha to be
of a different quality than arhat-ship of a disciple.
As the Mahsghika schools who resided in the K
region
(Bahurutya, Caitika, P rvaaila, Aparaaila) agreed on the so-called
“ ve points of Mahdeva” with the Mahsghika groups that resided
in the north^105 —points that degrade the status of an arhat vis-à-vis the
status of the Buddha—we may safely claim that they most likely also
have agreed with their northern fellow monks on the interpretation of
the rst turning of the wheel of the doctrine, i.e., an interpretation that
relates to the supramundane characteristics of the Buddha.(^102) T.2031.49.15b28–29; T.2032.49.18b13; T.2033.49.20b29. Thesis 5 of Vasumitra;
thesis 4 of Bhavya. See further also ZZ 1–8–3.24a4–11. See also Masuda 1925, p.
19; Bareau 1954, p. 239; 1955b, p. 58; 1956, p. 173.
(^103) T.2031.49.15c24; T.2032.49.18c2–3; T.2033.49.20c26–27. Thesis 39 of Vasumitra.
See further also ZZ 1–8–3.31a2–7. See also Masuda 1925, p. 28 n. 2; Bareau 1954,
p. 244; 1955b, p. 67. 104
T.2031.49.15b27–28; T.2032.49.18b12–13; T.2033.49.20b28. Thesis 3 of
Vasumitra (Sbc); thesis 3 of Bhavya (Nbv); thesis 7 of Vintadeva (Sbcs). See further also
ZZ 1–8–3.23b1–16; Masuda 1925, p. 19; Bareau 1954, pp. 238–239; Bareau 1955b,
p. 58; Bareau 1956, pp. 173, 193. 105
See note 4.
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