Doctrines of the Sammitiya School of Buddhism

Summary

This paper explores the Sammitiya (Vatsiputriya) school, a branch of early Buddhism noted for positing the existence of a pudgala or personal self. Using the Kathavatthu and other Abhidharma texts, the author recounts debates between Sammitiyas and Theravadins over whether the pudgala is an ultimate reality, a conditioned phenomenon or an illusory convention. Critics like Vasubandhu argued that belief in a self contradicts the doctrine of anatman and leads to eternalism, while Sammitiyas maintained that without a functional subject moral responsibility and karmic continuity make little sense. The article summarises subsidiary Sammitiya doctrines, such as views on arhatship and the possibility of regression, and situates the school’s influence in regions like Sindh and Bengal. By examining philosophical arguments and historical records, it highlights the diversity of early Buddhist thought and the role of doctrinal debate in shaping Buddhist philosophy.