AndhakÄ
1. AndhakÄ.- Mentioned in a list of tribes that came to pay homage to Jatukannika Thera when he was born as a banker in HaṃsavatÄ« (Ap.ii.359). The Andhakaraá¹á¹ha was on the banks of the GodhÄvarÄ« and near where BÄvarÄ« lived. Assaka and Aḷaka, mentioned in the VatthugÄthÄ of the ParÄyanavagga (Sn.977), are described in the Sutta NipÄta Commentary as Andhaka kings. SnA.ii.581; Vincent Smith places them originally in Eastern India between the Krṣṇa and GodÄvarÄ« rivers (Z.D.M.G. 56, 657ff.); see also Burgess: Arch. Reports on W. India, ii.132 and iii.54. Cunningham: 603-607.
In the Aitareya Brahmaṇa (vii.18) the Andhakas are mentioned together with the Pulindas, etc., as an outcast clan. They again appear associated in the time of Asoka (Vincent Smith: Z.D.M.G. 56, 652f). The MahÄbhÄrata (xii.207, 42) places the Pulindas, the Andhas and the Sabaras in the Daká¹£iṇapatha.
2. AndhakÄ.- An important group of monks that seceded from the TheravÄda. They included as minor sects Pubbaseliyas, Aparaseliyas, RÄjagirikas and Siddhatthikas (Points of Controversy, p. 104, extract from KathÄvatthu Cy.). They were still powerful in Buddhaghosa’s time (Ibid., xxxiv). The Andhakas are not mentioned as a special sect either in the MahÄvaṃsa or in the DÄ«pavaṃsa, though in the MahÄvaṃsa the sects spoken of above as offshoots of the Andhakas (RÄjagiriyÄ, SiddhatthikÄ, Pubba- and Apara-seliyÄ) are given. (Mhv.v.12f.; also the Mbv.97) For a very valuable account of the different schools and their relation to each other, see Points of Controversy, pp. xxxv-xlv. About the Andhakas see particularly pp. xliii.ff.
There were various doctrines held by all the Andhakas either in common with other sects or alone, and various other doctrines held only by some of the minor groups of Andhakas. For a summary of these see Points of Controversy, pp. xx-xxiv.
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