The Abhidharmamahāvibhāṣāśāstra (hereafter AMV) discusses the meanings of latent defilements (anuśaya). In this discussion it is mentioned that latent defilements leave strong traces (vāsanā), and other defilements (kleśa) do not leave. Furthermore, AMV indicates that traces contain the factor that differentiates pratyekabuddhas and śrāvakas who have gained enlightenment (bodhi) from Buddhas. Buddhas' enlightenment perfectly destroyed defilements and their traces, Their powers and qualities have no equal. “Wrong cognition” whatever is mistake or ignorance, defiled or undefiled, never arises in them. On the other hand, pratyekabuddhas and śrāvakas have only abandoned defilements and defiled ignorance. Their traces have not been perfectly destroyed. Undefiled wrong cognition may arise in them, although defiled cognition and ignorance do not arise in pratyekabuddhas and śrāvakas. Undefiled wrong cognition is categorized into three types: (1) similitude of defilement, (2) incorrectness, and (3) ignorance. It seems that defilements abandoned by vision do not cause themselves, but their traces influence and even cause defilements that are abandonable by cultivation. Moreover, the traces of defilements that are abandonable by cultivation cause not only undefiled cognition which is similar to defilements, but also undefiled mistake or ignorance, for example, about the distinction of unborn baby's sex. AMV refers to things beyond the range of perception by the senses of pratyekabuddhas and śrāvakas. It is a complex problem what they need to abandon for the sake of entering nirvāṇa.
