• Dr. Seshagiri Rao. Regulagadda

The Vaibhasika derives its name from its exclusive emphasis on a particular commentary, the Abhidhammamaha Vaibhasa of Abhidhamma. In the true spirit of the doctrine of dependent origination, the Vaibhasika holds that reality is pure flux and change. This school belongs to Theravada. The Vaibhasika speaks about the existence of the mental and non-mental realities. It teaches that we can really know the external entities and the world outside. This notion is known as bahya-pratyeksha-vada. This school holds onto pluralism, realism, and nominalism. According to Vaibhasika, the world is in reality as it appears to us. The ultimate constituents (dharma) of reality are the same as those that make up the world of our empirical experience. Since they hold that the dharma is ultimate and independent of our consciousness, Vaibhasika is realism. Vaibhasika is pluralism as it asserts dharma as distinct and irreducible. For Vaibhasika, the reality is particular and is devoid of any universal, unchanging entities. Thus Vaibhasika can be considered as nominalism too. The name Sautrantika is derived from the fact that it gives greater importance to the authority of the sutra-pitaka of the Pali Canon. This school also belongs to Theravada Buddhism. The Sautrantika subscribes to both the mental and the non-mental reality. The important difference between both these schools is that while the Vaibhasika maintains direct perception of the external objects, the Sautrantika holds the inference from the perceptions, which are representations of external objects. The second important difference between the Sautrantika and Vaibhasika is that, unlike the Vaibhasika, the Sautrantika distinguishes between the world as it appears to us (phenomena) and the world as it is in itself (nomena). Here Sautrantika denies the absolute, ultimate, and independent ontological status of dharma. Another point of disagreement between the Sautrantika and the Vaibhasika is concerned with the nature of the relation between successive point-instants of existence. For the Vaibhasika, the past, present, and future are equally real.

Vaibhasika,Abhidhamma,Sautrantika,Ontological,Nomena

"Philosophy of Vaibhasika and Soutratika on Nature of Reality", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.13, Issue 3, page no.c244-c253, March-2026, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2603231.pdf

"Philosophy of Vaibhasika and Soutratika on Nature of Reality", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.13, Issue 3, page no. ppc244-c253, March-2026, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2603231.pdf