'Saa'svatavaada legend. In this translation not only

　　   the   two  verbs   of  motion   ( sandhaavanti   and

　　   sa.msaranti) indicating repeated deaths and rebirths

　　   and so underlining  changes  are connected  with the

　　   sattaa  but  also  the  verb  of  existence  (atthi)

　　   indicating  permanency  becomes associated  with the

　　   same sattaa.  If we accept this translation  we have

　　   to  admit  that the  'Saa'svatavaadins  thought  the

　　   concept of eternity to be compatible with the

　　   ────────────

　　   (29) In the Mahaapadaanasutta  we have evam-jaati in

　　　　   place of evam-vanno. Both the terms mean social

　　　　   class or caste. (Diigha Nilaaya, Vol. II.p.8)

　　   (30) Diigha Nikaaya, Vol.I,p.13 (PTS,London, 1975)

　　   (31) Ibid, p.15

　　   (32) Dialogues   of  the  buddha,  Part  I.p.28(PTS,

　　　　   London, 1977)

　　　　　　　　　　　　  P.404

　　   notion  of change.  The soul's enternity  was not at

　　   variance  with  its  identity  with  the  changeable

　　   skandhas. But there is no reason to believe that the

　　   'Saasvatavaadins  were so unrealistic  as to support

　　   such  an  unreasonable  view.   We  have  seen  that

　　   according  to the 'Saa'svatavaada  the eternal  soul

　　   characterised  by a sense of 'I' was different  from

　　   the changing individuals.  Moreover, other religious

　　   groups  contemporary  of the 'Saa'svatavaadins  were

　　   also   not   supporters   of   such   a  view.   The

　　   ucchedavaadins  (33) took the soul  to be  identical

　　   with  the skandhas, and consistent  with  this  view

　　   they held that the soul is destroyed  together  with

　　   the body. The Ekaccasassatavaadins (34) believed the

　　   Mahaabrahmaa to be eternal as they did not appear to

　　   have known that the Mahaabrahmaa  was also identical

　　   with  the  skandhas, created, and subject  to death.

　　   All　　 the   religious　　 groups　　 including　　 the

　　   'Saa'svatavaadins  thus  seem  to have held the view

　　   that the soul to be eternal  must  have an existence

　　   independent  of  the  skandhas.  So the  translation

　　   making  the sattaa eternal  cannot be accepted.  The

　　   only  other  possibility  is to take 'atthi'  in the

　　   sense of a singular  number  and to connect  it with

　　   'attaa'. Then we get the following translation: "The

　　   soul  is eternal;  and  the world  giving  birth  to