Understanding Paccekabuddhas in Buddhist Philosophy : หน้า 63/141

V. Reference 2: Dhammakāya and Paccekabuddhas A Paccekabuddha is counted as one of the two types of Buddhas. According to Buddhist philosophy, a Paccekabuddha is a person who is of the highest wisdom of realization that he can be self-enlightened, in the same way as a Buddha can. However, he is said to lack teaching ability in that he cannot teach a body of people to 90 A.I.77. Some scholars argue that the concept of a Paccekabuddha is originally non-Buddhist, and that it has been included into Buddhist texts later. A reason given is that the references to Paccekabuddhas are found also in the canon of Jainism. Gombrich proposes also that the assimilation of the concept regarding Paccekabuddhas into Buddhist canon could have resulted from an actualisation of ‘an interstitial category’ inferred logically. Norman, likewise, claims that the concept regarding this type of enlightened beings is ‘pre-Buddhist’ and ‘pre-Jainist’. The issue is discussed in detail in K. R. Norman, “The Pratyeka-Buddha in Buddhism and Jainism,” in Buddhist Studies: Ancient and Modern (London: Curzon Press, 1983). However, this can be looked at also from a different point. In the Buddha’s time, Buddhism was not regarded by the Buddha or his disciples as a particular ‘school of thought.’ Rather, it seems to be seen as ‘a way of practice’ or ‘a way of life.’ The Buddha’s main concern of delivering his teaching is the audience’s enlightenment or spiritual realisation, as mentioned in the Abhayarājakumāra-sutta (M.I.395) where he declares his speaking characters, which can be summarised as follows: 1. Knowing what is untrue, incorrect, and useless, whether or not it will be dear or agreeable to the audience, the Buddha would not speak it. 2. Knowing what is true, correct, but useless, whether or not it will be dear or agreeable to the audience, the Buddha would not speak it. 3. Knowing what is true, correct, and useful, whether or not it will be dear or agreeable to the audience, the Buddha would know the right time to speak it. The point of this declaration is that, the Buddha would say only what he knows is true, correct, and beneficial to listeners and at an appropriate time. Even though it is not dear or agreeable to his audience, he would know the right time to speak it. This is done for the audience’s good. He compares this with taking out a stick or pebble from a child’s mouth, even if it means drawing blood, in order to save that child. The Buddha’s speech is thus characterised by his compassion to beings. Considering the characteristics of his speech as such, it is more likely that the Buddha does not think of Paccekabuddhas as ‘Buddhist’ or ‘non-Buddhist’ but rather ‘enlightened beings.’ The same holds true for his statement regarding any noble disciples. For example, the Buddha would call anyone who possesses qualities of a Stream-attainer as a ‘Stream-attainer’ (sotāpanna). The categorisation of ‘Buddhist’ and ‘non-Buddhist’ by means of ‘registering’ to a ‘particular school of thought’ seems to be a later classification or merely scholarly definition or differentiation for the convenience of discussion proposed within the academic arena.