Differentiate Epistemological approaches of Vaibhashika and Sautantrika School of Buddhism.

The Vaibhashika and Sautrantika schools of Buddhist philosophy, both belonging to the Sarvastivada tradition, differ primarily in their epistemological approaches.

Vaibhashika adherents advocate for a more substantialist view, positing the existence of dharmas (ultimate constituents of reality) as independently real entities. They assert that direct perception (pratyaksha) provides valid knowledge of these discrete dharmas, and inferential reasoning (anumana) supplements this understanding.

On the other hand, the Sautrantika school adopts a more nominalistic stance. They argue against the inherent existence of dharmas and contend that only mental perceptions (vijnapti) are real. Sautrantikas assert that direct perception is the primary source of knowledge, while inference is a secondary method dependent on perception.

The key distinction lies in the ontological status of dharmas and the role assigned to inference. Vaibhashika upholds a more realistic interpretation, whereas Sautrantika adopts a more pragmatic and anti-realist perspective, emphasizing the provisional nature of inferred entities. These nuanced differences in their epistemological approaches contribute to the broader philosophical diversity within the Sarvastivada tradition.