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So far we have set forth the arguments refuting the views of the Vaibhashikas as well as the Sautrantikas both which schools maintain the reality of external things.

The adherents of this school were also called Vaibhâshikas, and Vibhâshâ was a name given to their exegetical literature. But the association of the Sarvâstivâdins with Mahayanists is clear from the council of Kanishka onwards. Many eminent Buddhists began by being Sarvâstivâdins and became Mahayanists, their earlier belief being regarded as preliminary rather than erroneous.

Vasubandhu and Asanga appear to have broken up this isolation for they first preached the Vaibhâshika doctrines in a liberal and eclectic form outside Kashmir and then by a natural transition and development went over to the Mahayana. But the Vaibhâshikas did not disappear and were in existence even in the fourteenth century. Their chief tenet was the real existence of external objects.

During this period Vasubandhu was a Sarvâstivâdin but of liberal views and while in this phase wrote the Abhidharma-kośa, a general exposition of the Abhidharma, mainly according to the views of the Vaibhâshikas but not without criticism. This celebrated work is not well known in Europe but is still a text-book amongst Japanese Buddhist students.

In their estimation of scripture they reversed the views of the Vaibhâshikas, for they rejected the Abhidharma and accepted only the sûtras, arguing that the Abhidharma was practically an extract from them. As literary criticism this is correct, if it means that the more ancient sûtras are older than the oldest Abhidharma books.

Similarly in Europe a Presbyterian may be a Calvinist, but Presbyterianism has reference to Church government and Calvinism to doctrine. There were in India at this time two vehicles, Maha-and Hinayana, four speculative schools, Vaibhâshikas, etc., four disciplinary schools, Mûla-sarvâstivâdins, etc. These three classes are obviously not mutually exclusive. I-Ching, Takakusu's transl. pp. 196-7.