Sanghabhuti, an Indian Buddhist monk, who travelled to China at the end of the fourth century AD, was the author of a commentary on :
Contents15
- APrajnaparamita Sutra
- BVisuddhimagga
- CSarvastivada Vinaya
- DLalitavistara
Show answer
Answer: (C) Sarvastivada Vinaya
Correct Answer: (c) Sarvastivada Vinaya.
Sangabhuti was an Indian Buddhist monk who travelled to China in the late 4th century AD.
He wrote a commentary on the Sarvastivada Vinaya (the monastic rules of the Sarvastivada school of Buddhism).
Many Indian Buddhist monks went to China to translate texts and spread Buddhism — Sangabhuti was one of them.
The Sarvastivada school was one of the major early Buddhist schools, and its Vinaya (discipline/rules) texts were important for monastic life.
Sangabhuti was one of many Indian Buddhist monks who traveled to China in the 4th-5th centuries AD to translate texts and establish Buddhist schools there.
The Sarvastivada school was a major early Buddhist sect with its own set of Vinaya rules governing monastic discipline, distinct from other Buddhist schools.
UPSC is testing knowledge of specific monk-text combinations in the transmission of Buddhism from India to China.
Sanghabuti & Indo-Chinese Buddhist Exchange
Art And Culture Sanghabuti fourth century AD travelled to China
Sanghabuti: Indian Buddhist Monk & His Chinese Mission
Sanghabuti was an Indian Buddhist monk who travelled to China in late 4th century AD
He wrote a commentary on Sarvastivada Vinaya (monastic rules)
Part of the broader Indo-Chinese Buddhist exchange movement
Historical Context
Sanghabuti represents the significant wave of Indian Buddhist missionaries who travelled to China during the 4th-5th centuries AD. This period marked intense cultural and religious exchange between India and China, with monks carrying Buddhist texts, practices, and scholarly traditions across the Silk Route.
Key Contributions
Authored commentary on Sarvastivada Vinaya - the monastic disciplinary code
Helped establish Sarvastivada school practices in Chinese Buddhism
Contributed to translation and interpretation of Indian Buddhist texts in China
Part of the scholarly tradition that preserved Buddhist literature across cultures
Other Options Explained
Text | Nature | Key Association | Why Not Sanghabuti |
|---|---|---|---|
Prajnaparamita Sutra | Mahayana wisdom literature | Perfection of Wisdom teachings | Different school & genre |
Visuddhimagga | Theravada meditation manual | Buddhaghosa (5th century) | Different author & tradition |
Lalitavistara | Biographical sutra | Life of Buddha | Different literary genre |
Don't confuse Sanghabuti with Buddhaghosa - both 4th-5th century monks but different traditions
Sarvastivada ≠ Mahayana - Sarvastivada was early Buddhist school, not Mahayana
Vinaya = monastic rules, not philosophical sutras or meditation manuals
Sarvastivada Vinaya & Monastic Rules
Art And Culture Sarvastivada Vinaya
Sarvastivada Vinaya: Monastic Discipline Code
Vinaya = code of monastic discipline and rules for Buddhist monks and nuns
Sarvastivada was major early Buddhist school (everything exists)
Sarvastivada Vinaya contains specific rules for this school's monasteries
What is Vinaya
Vinaya literally means 'discipline' and constitutes one of the three baskets (Tripitaka) of Buddhist canonical literature. It contains detailed rules governing monastic life - from daily conduct to ceremonial procedures.
Sarvastivada School Context
# Sarvastivada School
## Core Doctrine
- *Sarvam asti* (everything exists)
- Past, present, future all real
- Dharmas have real existence
## Literature
- Sarvastivada Vinaya
- Abhidharma texts
- Commentaries
## Geographic Spread
- Northwest India
- Central Asia
- Kashmir region
- Parts of ChinaSignificance in Buddhism
One of 18 early Buddhist schools that emerged after Buddha's death
Influential in Gandhara region and along Silk Route trade paths
Their Vinaya texts preserved through Chinese and Tibetan translations
Contributed to development of Mahayana philosophy in later periods
Buddhist Canonical Literature Types
Art And Culture Prajnaparamita Sutra Visuddhimagga Lalitavistara
Major Categories of Buddhist Literature
Tripitaka = three baskets: Vinaya (rules), Sutra (teachings), Abhidhamma (analysis)
Mahayana sutras include Prajnaparamita, Lotus Sutra, Lalitavistara
Commentarial literature like Visuddhimagga explains canonical texts
Key Buddhist Texts by Category
Text Type | Example | Content | Tradition | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Wisdom Literature | Prajnaparamita Sutra | Perfection of Wisdom teachings | Mahayana | Sanskrit |
Biographical Sutra | Lalitavistara | Life story of Buddha | Mahayana | Sanskrit |
Meditation Manual | Visuddhimagga | Path of purification practices | Theravada | Pali |
Monastic Rules | Sarvastivada Vinaya | Disciplinary code | Early schools | Sanskrit/Chinese |
Literary Significance
Prajnaparamita = foundational Mahayana philosophy on emptiness (sunyata)
Visuddhimagga by Buddhaghosa = authoritative Theravada meditation guide
Lalitavistara = elaborate poetic account of Buddha's birth to enlightenment
These texts spread Buddhism across different cultures and languages
Don't mix schools: Prajnaparamita = Mahayana, Visuddhimagga = Theravada, Sarvastivada = early school
Vinaya ≠ Sutra - Vinaya contains rules, Sutras contain teachings and stories
Buddhaghosa wrote Visuddhimagga, not Sanghabuti
Indo-Chinese Buddhist Cultural Exchange
Art And Culture travelled to China
Buddhist Cultural Exchange Between India & China (4th-7th Centuries)
4th-7th centuries marked peak Indo-Chinese Buddhist exchange
Indian monks travelled to China; Chinese pilgrims came to India
Silk Route facilitated this religious and cultural transmission
Historical Movement
The 4th-5th centuries AD witnessed unprecedented Buddhist cultural exchange. While Indian monks like Sanghabuti carried texts and teachings to China, Chinese pilgrims like Fa-hien (5th century) and later Hiuen Tsang (7th century) travelled to India seeking authentic Buddhist knowledge.
Key Figures in Buddhist Exchange
Direction | Notable Figures | Period | Contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
India → China | Sanghabuti, Kumarajiva | 4th-5th century | Text translation, monastery establishment |
China → India | Fa-hien, Hiuen Tsang | 5th, 7th century | Pilgrimage records, text collection |
Both Ways | Various translators | 4th-8th century | Cultural synthesis, new schools |
Impact on Buddhism
Translation movement preserved Sanskrit Buddhist texts in Chinese
Development of Chinese Buddhist schools adapted to local culture
Created international Buddhist scholarly network across Asia
Facilitated spread of Mahayana Buddhism beyond India