Dharmaguptakas

The Dharmaguptakas were one of the early schools of Buddhism. They originated in the ancient Indian kingdom of Gandhara. Their teachings and practices were preserved primarily in the Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya, a monastic code. The Dharmaguptakas were known for their emphasis on the Vinaya, the rules and regulations for monks and nuns. They also held specific views on the nature of the Buddha and the path to enlightenment. For instance, they believed that a Buddha could be born into any caste and that the path to arhatship was accessible to all. Their scriptural canon was largely written in Gandhari Prakrit and was later translated into Chinese. The Dharmaguptaka school was particularly influential in Central Asia and China, contributing significantly to the spread of Buddhism in these regions. They maintained a distinct lineage of ordination that was preserved in East Asian Buddhism. While the school itself eventually faded in India, its traditions and scriptures left a lasting legacy.