presentation  of the attaa  of the 'Saa'svatavaadins

　　   does  not  tally  with  the original  concept.  What

　　   really matters is the idea the Buddhists had of such

　　   a concept.  For when  they  reject  a concept  of an

　　   eternal  soul, they do so in the light of their  own

　　   understanding of it. So it is important to take note

　　   of their  idea  of the attaa  concept  which  may be

　　   described  as  follows: The  attaa is  an  eternally

　　   existent  indiv idual soul which is either identical

　　   with the skandhas  or so closely  attains liberation

　　   nor gets annihilated.

　　　　  C)  Ekaccasassatavaada:  A  concept   of   attaa

　　   different  from  that  of the eternalists  has  been

　　   recorded　　 in   the　　 Brahmajaalasutta　　 of   the

　　   Diigha-Nikaaya.(37)  This  is  the  concept   of  an

　　   eternal  soul unique to the Mahaabrahmaa  as held by

　　   the followers of the Ekaccasassatavaada.  The Buddha

　　   in   order   to   explain　　 the   origin   of   the

　　   Ekaccasassatavaada   relates  the  following  legend

　　   about  the  past  lives  of the  upholders  of  this

　　   philosophy:

　　　　  When the world system dissolves  the beings  are

　　   reborn  in the  Aabhassara  world.  They are made of

　　   mind.  Now  the world  system  begins  to come  into

　　   exitence and an empty Braham-vimaana (Brahma-palace)

　　   appears.  One of the beings  at the end of merits or

　　   span of life falls from the Aabhassara  world and is

　　   reborn in the Brahma-palace. There he lives, made of

　　   mind  (manomayo), feeding  on  joy  (piiti-bhakkho),

　　   radiating light. Etc. and thus does remain there for

　　   a

　　   ────────────

　　   (35) Suma^ngalavilaasinii, Vol.I, p.105(PTS, London,

　　　　   1968)

　　   (36) Diigha Nikaaya, Vol.I,p.16

　　   (37) Ibid.pp.17-19; Dialogues of the Buddha, Part I,

　　　　   pp.30-32

　　　　　　　　　　　　  P.406

　　   long  time.  And  the  feels  lonely  and longs  for

　　   companions.   Just  then  some  beings  die  in  the

　　   Aabhassara  world and are born in the Brahma-palace.

　　   They are just like the being who was first born.  As

　　   these beings were born after he desired for company,

　　   he  thought  himself  to  be  Brahmaa  Mahaabrahmaa,