[Buddha-l] Schools

[tccahill]

I've not yet read Nicholson's book, but I look forward to
reading it soon.  One of the proponents of the idea that
Hinduism is quite recent, Heinrich von Stietencron, puts
forward some very interesting evidence that could be of
interest to members of this list.  He presents the
self-perception of Shaivas in the second half of the 11th
century via a ritual designed to remove a person's
distinguishing mark (linga). This mark indicated a person's
religious identity and carried all the merit earned from
following that path. The text's author, Somaśambhu,
attempted to quantify the spiritual attainments of different
sorts of folks.  He lists several groups on a scale of 36
"tattvas," naturally placing all sorts of Śaivas near
the top.  Non-Śaiva cannot attain a stage higher than
#25.  Von Stietencron summarizes what the text and its
commentaries say so that we have a rough idea of how close
to the ultimate an accomplished practioner of a given path
could get. Here's Somaśiva's list (fleshed out by von
Stietencron) starting with the most lowly:

tattvas 1-5:  Materialists, Śāktas, astrologers
tattva 20: Smārtas (accomplished in Veda)
tattva 21: followers of Nyāya
tattva 22: Buddhists
tattva 23: Vaiśeṣikas
tattva 24a: Jainas
tattva 24b: Mīmāṃsakas and
Pāñcarātrins
tattva 25: Vaiṣṇavas or Bhāgavatas,
followers of Vedānta, Sāṃkha and Yoga
-------
tattva 27: Mahāvratas (=Kāpālikas)
tattva 31: Pāśupatas
tattva 36: followers of the Śaivasiddhānta

For details, see
"Religious Configurations in Pre-Muslim India and the Modern
Concept of Hinduism" in
*Representing Hinduism: Construction of Religious Traditions
and Natonal Identity*   (1995).

I found it interesting that Somaśambhu valued the paths
of Buddhists and Jains more highly than those of
Śāktas, Smārtas, Naiyāyikas and others
very much within the "Hindu tradition."  And, Richard, you
can be happy that he didn't put any Buddhists into those
perplexing "schools"!

Tim Cahill
Loyola University