What is "sarvastivada"

The Sarvāstivāda ( Sanskrit; ) were an early school of Buddhism that held to the existence of all dharmas in the past, present and future, the "three times". Vasubandhu's states, "He who affirms the existence of the dharmas of the three time periods [past, present and future] is held to be a Sarvāstivādin."

The Sarvāstivādins were one of the most influential Buddhist monastic groups, flourishing throughout Northwest India, Northern India, and Central Asia. The Sarvāstivādins are believed to have given rise to the Mūlasarvāstivāda sect, although the relationship between these two groups has not yet been fully determined.