DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.45392#0228
Buddha & the Gospel of Buddhism
It must not, however, be supposed that early Buddhists
extended the idea of tolerance so far as to believe that it
was possible to attain salvation otherwise than through
the Doctrine and Discipline expressly taught by Gautama.
Heresy, on the contrary, is regarded as a damnable sin, to
be expiated in the purgatories. The Ajlvikas are regarded
as particularly impious, and Gautama being asked whether
any such can attain to heaven after death—to say nothing
of Nibbana—replies: “In the ninety-one aeons, O Vatsya,
which I recall, I remember but one single Ajlvika who
attained to heaven and he acknowledged the truth of
kamma and the efficacy of works.” 1
“Void are the systems of other teachers,” says Gautama,
—“void of true saints,” 2 a view that is echoed by Brother
Nagita as follows:
Outside our Order many others be, who teach
A path, never, like this one, to Nibbana leading?
Nor was free thinking actually tolerated within the order.
The whole object of the Buddhist Councils, as well as of
the final writing down of the Pali canon, was to fix the
true doctrine and eradicate the false. Heretical brethren
were excommunicated; the best evidence of this appears
in certain of the Edicts of Asoka, who lays down that the
Way of the Church must not be departed from, and that
those who break the unity of the Church shall be unfrocked,
and must dwell apart from the Brethren.4 It is quite
1 Anguttara Nikaya, ii, p. 227.
2 Maltdparnibbana Sutta {Dialogties of the Buddha, ii, 152). Cf. also,
“ For all beings salvation is only to be found in Buddha, Dhamma, and
Sangha.”—Khuddakapatha.
3 Psalms of the Brethren, No. lxxxvi (Nagita).
4 Mr. R. F. Johnston is therefore not quite correct in saying that
expulsion from monkhood is never inflicted for free thought or in-
fidelity.—Buddhist China, p. 308.
158
It must not, however, be supposed that early Buddhists
extended the idea of tolerance so far as to believe that it
was possible to attain salvation otherwise than through
the Doctrine and Discipline expressly taught by Gautama.
Heresy, on the contrary, is regarded as a damnable sin, to
be expiated in the purgatories. The Ajlvikas are regarded
as particularly impious, and Gautama being asked whether
any such can attain to heaven after death—to say nothing
of Nibbana—replies: “In the ninety-one aeons, O Vatsya,
which I recall, I remember but one single Ajlvika who
attained to heaven and he acknowledged the truth of
kamma and the efficacy of works.” 1
“Void are the systems of other teachers,” says Gautama,
—“void of true saints,” 2 a view that is echoed by Brother
Nagita as follows:
Outside our Order many others be, who teach
A path, never, like this one, to Nibbana leading?
Nor was free thinking actually tolerated within the order.
The whole object of the Buddhist Councils, as well as of
the final writing down of the Pali canon, was to fix the
true doctrine and eradicate the false. Heretical brethren
were excommunicated; the best evidence of this appears
in certain of the Edicts of Asoka, who lays down that the
Way of the Church must not be departed from, and that
those who break the unity of the Church shall be unfrocked,
and must dwell apart from the Brethren.4 It is quite
1 Anguttara Nikaya, ii, p. 227.
2 Maltdparnibbana Sutta {Dialogties of the Buddha, ii, 152). Cf. also,
“ For all beings salvation is only to be found in Buddha, Dhamma, and
Sangha.”—Khuddakapatha.
3 Psalms of the Brethren, No. lxxxvi (Nagita).
4 Mr. R. F. Johnston is therefore not quite correct in saying that
expulsion from monkhood is never inflicted for free thought or in-
fidelity.—Buddhist China, p. 308.
158