Vicikitsā in Abhidharma Literature:

Researching Sarvāstivāda’s True Principle on the Mahāvibhāṣā

Abstract

Buddhism shows the way from confusion to enlightenment. If we remove confusion, we can attain enlightenment. Thus confusion is vicikitsā, a kleśa. It is translated as “doubt” (yi 疑), or “hesitation” (youyu 猶預).

In this paper, I investigate the description of vicikitsā in order to research the true principle in Abhidharma theory. As the method, I examined the kleśa scheme that contains vicikitsā such as saṃyojana, anuśaya, and nivaraṇa in the Mahāvibhāṣā (Chi. Da piposha lun 大毘婆沙論).

As a result, in most Abhidharma descriptions vicikitsā is defined hesitating to accept the Four Noble Truths. The reason is considered to be that the Sarvāstivāda scheme of kleśa, and the holy path is formed from the four truths.

In contrast, a few descripts show that correcting vicikitsā consists in the observation of cause and effect in the three times, in other words, contemplating dependent arising. I think these ideas come from the practical methodology such as the five nivaraṇa, three disciplines, and so on.

In the end, the Sarvāstivāda truth theory divides into two, four truths and dependent arising. From this, it could be said that Abhidharma ideas contain both ideological and practical elements.