Sarvāstivāda and Sautrāntika Epistemology of External Object

By : Kang Wang & Chen Yuqiao

Page No: 125-159

Abstract:
The Sarvāstivāda posited that the perception (*buddhi) of any external object or matter is a direct process, whereas the Sautrāntika contended that the external object is perceived indirectly. The hypothesis being proposed in this research article is that the root reason for their disagreement on how to perceive the external object arises from epistemology. The Sarvāstivāda adhered to the concept of “tri-temporal existence”, asserting the actual existence of past, present, and future, while the Sautrāntika maintained that only the present instant exists. This paper suggests that their ontological disagreements can be alternatively justified from an epistemological standpoint. The Sarvāstivāda posited that the physical assemblage (和集 *saṃcaya) of atoms (paramāṇu) can be directly perceived, refining presentational perception by introducing “simultaneous causality” (sahabhū-hetu) and three types of “direct perception” (pratyakṣa). In contrast, the Sautrāntika, grounded in the concept of the “pursuant element” (anudhātu), formulated the theory of “consciousness having representational form (ākāra).” Consequently, according to the Sautrāntika, the cognition of external objects is indirect, with the direct object of cognition being the unified complex ( 和合 *sāmagrī) of atoms. This refinement in their theory constitutes the Sautrāntika’s approach to representational perception

Authors
Kang Wang: Guangzhou Kelin Academy, Guangzhou, 510000, China.
Chen Yuqiao: East Gate of Guangxiao Temple, No. 177 Haizhu North Road, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou City. China