Tenet system Vaibhasika (objects to be abandoned by the path)

Question 1

Which 2 obscurations (ignorances) are accepted by Vaibhasika? Which obscuration do they not accept (unique to them)?

Answer 1

1. The ignorance of afflictive obscuration and non afflictive obscuration. (afflictive ignorance and non afflictive ignorance)
2. They don’t accept the terminology cognitive obscuration instead they use the term non afflictive ignorance)

(Afflictive obscuration stop us from attaining Nirvana, they are the SGI, the 3 poisons: attachment, aversion, ignorance)

Question 2

What are the 4 factors of the non afflictive ignorance (Vaibhasika)?

Answer 2

Non afflictive ignorance
- due to the enormity of space (not able to see wha happens in different world systems)
- due to the enormity of time (not able to see what happened many eons ago)
- due to the sophistication of attributes of phenomena
- due to the subtle law of karma

Question 3

What is an Arhat and what is an Arya?

Answer 3

An Arhat is necessarily free from cyclic existence and SGI and he/she is an Arya. He/she is on the path of no more learning

An Arya isn’t necessarily an Arhat. An Arya has achieved the path of seeing or above-. He has seen emptiness directly.
An Arya could be an Arhat but isn’t necessarily an Arhat He is either on the path of seeing , path of meditation or path of no more learning

All Arhats should necessarily be Aryas but all Aryas may not be Arhats!