One upādhyāya and Two ācāryas Prescribed in the (Mūla) sarvāstivādin Karmavācanā

Abstract

The present writer re-edited one of the Gilgit Karmavācanās, which prescribes admission (pravrajyā) and ordination (upasaṃpad) among the (Mūla) sarvāstivādin. At section 4.10 of the Karmavācanā, there is a noteworthy description of preceptors (upādhyāya) and instructors (ācārya). This paper investigates the description by making use of the Mūlasarvāstivādavinaya (Pravrajyāvastu), Uttaragrantha, Genben shuo yiqie youbu baiyi jiemo根本説一切有部百一羯磨,Genben sapoduo bu lüshe根本薩婆多部律攝,and Vinayas-ūtravṛttyabhidhānasvavyākhyāna.

Among the (Mūla) sarvāstivādins, there are two types of preceptor and five types of instructor. Section 4.10 of the Karmavācanā describes that one type of preceptor and two types of instructor are involved in the ordination ceremony. The two types of instructor refers to an inquirer in private (rahoʼnuśāsaka) and an executor of legal acts (karmakāraka), according to the Mūlasarvāstivādavinaya (Pravrajyāvastu) and so forth. Therefore, the description of the Karmavācanā corresponds to the traditional expression “three teachers and seven witnesses (三師七証)”, which indicates the persons who are obligated to participate in the ordination ceremony.