In the Wiki it claims that… “In at least some of the early Buddhist schools some of the early Buddhist schools used the concept of three vehicles including Pratyekabuddhayāna. For example, the Vaibhāṣika Sarvāstivādins are known to have employed the outlook of Buddhist practice as consisting of the Three Vehicles:
Śrāvakayāna
Pratyekabuddhayāna
Bodhisattvayāna” and that
“… the Dharmaguptakas regarded the path of a pratyekabuddha (pratyekabuddhayāna) and the path of a bodhisattva (bodhisattvayāna) to be separate.” - "One of their tenets reads, “The Buddha and those of the Two Vehicles, although they have one and the same liberation, have followed different noble paths.”…
…does this mean the traditional Bodhisattva definition of “one who has recieved a Prediction from a Buddha?” / NOT an oath born Bodhisattva like in China?
Probably. Receiving the prediction and then making the resolve for bodhicitta is the bodhisattva career in texts like the Mahavastu and Abhiniskramana. The Mahavadana Sutra in DN/DA and the Mahavastu are the most accessible early Buddhist sources for the bodhisattva path in early Buddhism, along with the Jataka collections organized along the lines of paramitas. But what has this to do with pratyekabuddhas … ?
The three vehicles are also found in Asanga’s Yogacarabhumi, which is one of those early Mahayana bridges that began the transition from early Buddhism. Much of it is standard Abhidharma thought with some modifications and a large treatise on bodhisattva practice added to it.
The suttas themselves do not explicitly mention the conditions necessary to become a Pratyekabuddha (Pali: Paccekabuddha). However, some conditions are expressed in other Buddhist texts:
A desire to attain Enlightenment without the assistance of a Sammasambuddha (as the Buddha Gotama), or to achieve Enlightenment in a period when there is no Buddha Sasana (Buddhist dispensation) present in the world.
– It is possible for multiple Paccekabuddhas to arise in a given era, but a Paccekabuddha cannot arise during the existence of a Buddha Sasana.
Making a resolution to become a Paccekabuddha while performing meritorious deeds before a Sammasambuddha, and receiving confirmation from that Buddha regarding this aspiration.
– Many current schools tend to cite this condition as mandatory, but I have my doubts.
Developing the perfections (paramis) for a much longer period than required to become a disciple Arahant, but not to the extent needed to become a Sammasambuddha.
– Some texts mention a period of 2 Assankheyya Kappas (immeasurable aeons) for becoming a Paccekabuddha. An arahant disciple requires something between 100 ordinary aeons (for less ambitious disciples) and 1 Assankheyya Kappa (for chief disciples like Sariputta and Moggallana).
A Paccekabuddha is said to be superior to a disciple Arahant but inferior to a Sammasambuddha. The merits and demerits resulting from actions directed towards a Paccekabuddha are considered greater than those directed at solitary arahant disciples, for example.
One of the primary objectives of Paccekabuddhas seems to be assisting Bodhisattas in their journey toward Supreme Enlightenment. I also suspect (though I cannot cite texts to support this personal idea) that another objective of Paccekabuddhas is to help beings who lack the necessary conditions to be born during a Buddha Sasana to acquire the prerequisites for rebirth in a Buddha Sasana, thereby increasing their chances of escaping Samsara.
I also suspect that it is possible to attain Paccekabuddhahood without the assistance of a Sammasambuddha, given how rare such Buddhas are. However, with the guidance of a Sammasambuddha, achieving this realization would be veeery much easier.
