Mahasamghika

E940214

Mahasamghika was one of the earliest and most influential Buddhist monastic schools in ancient India, known for its doctrinal positions that emphasized the transcendental nature of the Buddha.

All labels observed (5)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (50)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Buddhist monastic community
early Buddhist school
associatedConcept bodhisattva ideal
multiple Buddha bodies
proto‑Mahāyāna ideas
continentOfOrigin Asia
countryOfOrigin Ancient India
linked to: ancient India
declinePeriod late first millennium CE
doctrinalPosition Buddha as supramundane
Buddha’s body is not subject to ordinary limitations
Buddha’s knowledge is all‑embracing
Buddha’s lifespan is inconceivably long
Buddha’s speech is always true and profound
emphasis on transcendental nature of the Buddha
existence of bodhisattvas
fallibility of arhats
multiplicity of Buddhas in the ten directions
geographicRegion Andhra region
linked to: Andhra

Deccan
linked to: Deccan Plateau

Magadha
hadSubsect Aparaśaila
Bahuşrutīya
Caitika
Lokottaravāda
Prajñaptivāda
Pūrvaśaila
historicalStatus one of the earliest Buddhist schools
one of the most influential early Buddhist schools
influenced Mahāyāna Buddhism
linked to: Mahayana

concept of transcendent Buddha
development of bodhisattva doctrine
language Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit
Prakrit
monasticCodeType Vinaya
originatedFrom early Buddhist community (Saṅgha)
relatedTradition Dharmaguptaka
Sarvāstivāda
Theravāda (as another early school)
linked to: Theravada
religion Buddhism
scripturalCollection Mahāsāṃghika Vinaya
Mahāsāṃghika Āgamas
scripturalLanguage Prakrit
Sanskrit
separatedFrom Sthavira
linked to: Sthavira Nikaya
timeOfOrigin 3rd century BCE
period after the Second Buddhist Council
viewOnArhat arhats are fallible and inferior to Buddhas
viewOnBuddha Buddha is lokottara (transcendent)
linked to: Buddha

Buddha’s mind is omniscient
Buddha’s physical appearance is a skillful display

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (7)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Indian Buddhism hasSchool Mahasamghika
Āgamas associatedWith Mahāsāṃghika school
linked to: Mahasamghika
Sthavira Nikaya contrastedWith Mahasamghika
Sarvastivada school doctrinalOpponent Mahāsāṃghika school
linked to: Mahasamghika
Vallabhi Buddhist University associatedWith Mahāsāṃghika-Lokottaravāda tradition
subject linked to: Vallabhi Buddhist university
linked to: Mahasamghika
Second Buddhist Council associatedWith Mahāsāṃghika faction
linked to: Mahasamghika
Dharmaguptaka relatedSchool Mahāsāṃghika
linked to: Mahasamghika