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UPSC CSE Prelims 2017

Buddhist Metaphysics

Authentic Past Paper Standard Evaluation

With reference to the religious history of India, consider the following statements: 1. Sautrantika and Sammitiya were the sects of Jainism. 2. Sarvastivadin held that the constituents of phenomena were not wholly momentary, but existed forever in a latent form. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Solution & Analysis

Answer: B

Concept Early Buddhism split into numerous schools (the 'Eighteen Schools') with differing metaphysical views on the nature of reality and existence.

Explanation Sarvastivada (literally 'all exists') taught that past, present, and future dharmas (factors) exist simultaneously. Sautrantikas relied strictly on 'Sutras', rejecting the Abhidharma.

Logical Breakup
Logic 1: Statement 1 is incorrect. Both Sautrantika and Sammitiya are early schools of Buddhism, not Jainism.
Logic 2: Statement 2 is correct. The Sarvastivada school believed that while phenomena are ever-changing, their underlying constituents (dharmas) exist eternally in all three periods of time.

Active Recall

Question

What was the unique belief of the Sammitiya sect?

Answer

They believed in a 'pudgala' (person), a sort of enduring entity that transmigrates, which was controversial among other Buddhist schools that taught 'Anatta' (no-self).

Core Insight

The Sarvastivadin view 'Sarvam Asti' (Everything Exists) was a major departure from the standard Buddhist doctrine of absolute momentariness.

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