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Development of Vinaya as a Pitaka

Vinaya was enacted by the Buddha occasionally on account of the undiscipinary, action

or the misbehavior of monks. According to Buddhist history the first vinaya rule was enacted by

the Buddha after twenty years later from the great enlightenment. in the story of the first Pārājikā

Buddha himself says that he enact sikkhāpada or vinaya rules because of ten factors.1

But even before this major enactment time to time there had some discussion on vinaya

rules. For instances in the Sāmagāma sutta, Tuvaṭaka sutta, Gulissāni sutta and Baddāli sutta etc

reveled some facts related with the behavior of the monk had been discussed by the Buddudha.

Even if at that period there wasn't any particular division in Buddhist teachings as Dhamma and

vinaya in this period behavior development spiritual or development had been governed through

the Dhamma. 2Most importantly in this period ovāda pātimokkha ( admonishing monastic code)

was preached by the Buddha in the assembly of the Sangaha just to remind the purpose and

objectives of the attainment of the ordination. Ovāda pātimokkha contains garland of advices

which recollect and assist monks to go through the path of liberation or guide them the way they

should practice for realization of penultimate liberation.

patient is the greatest asceticism. Nibbāna is the supreme.3

The Samantapāsādikā the commentary of the Vinaya Pitaka says that, our lord Buddha

preached indeed the Ovāda Pātimokkha for twenty years.4 But later in course of the time because

of the attainment of the visabhāga puggala into the order cohesion also became degrade. in the

kakacūpama sutta of the Majjhima nikāya Buddha states that on account of the ven.

Moliyapagguna's misbehavior, persons who attained into this order at early period extremely

please me I just had to advice them and remind them.5

1 Dasa atthavase sikkhāpadāni paññāpessāmi. 2 ahañca kho brahamaṇa vinayāya dhammaṃ desemi rāgassa ca mohassa ca dosassa ca anekavihitānaṃ pāpakānaṃ akusalānaṃ dhammānaṃ vinayāya dhammṃ desemi. Verañja sutta, Anguttaranikāya.

3 Khanti paraṃ tapo titikkhā 4 pana pabhuti āṇāpātimokkhameva uddisīyati. Tañca kho bhikkhū eva uddisanti, na buddhā. Tasmā amhākampi bhagavā paṭhamabodhiyaṃ vīsativassamattameva idaṃ ovādapātimokkhaṃ uddisi. Samatapāsādikā, PTS, 1.187

5 ārādhayiṃsu vata me bhikkhu ekaṃ samayaṃ cittaṃ, idhāhaṃ bhikkhave bhikkhu āmantesiṃ, ahaṃ kho, bhikkhave, ekāsanabhojanaṃ bhuñjāmi. Ekāsanabhojanaṃ kho ahaṃ, bhikkhave, bhuñjamāno appābādhatañca sañjānāmi appātaṅkatañca lahuṭṭhānañca balañca phāsuvihārañca. Etha tumhepi, bhikkhave, ekāsanabhojanaṃ bhuñjatha. Ekāsanabhojanaṃ kho, bhikkhave, tumhepi bhuñjamānā appābādhatañca sañjānissatha appātaṅkatañca lahuṭṭhānañca balañca phāsuvihārañcāti. Na me, bhikkhave, tesu bhikkhūsu anusāsanī karaṇīyā ahosi; satuppādakaraṇīyameva me, bhikkhave, tesu bhikkhūsu ahos, MN., Kakacūpama sutta

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The Sarabhaṅgha Theragāthā in the Theragāthiāpāli also reveals few important facts on

period without vinaya and period of enacting vinaya.6 Evidently enactment of the first Pārājikā

rule is considered as the dawn of a new era in Buddhist dispensation. it is accepted fact that

Vinaya came into existence as mechanical system of rules when people were not governed

themselves through the Dhamma. Both Dhamma and Vinaya deals with an ethical basement but

vinaya are specified for both Bhikkhū-s and Bhikkuṇī-s. on the other hand vinaya is an external

enforcement to keep monks and nuns stick with the Dhamma or remind their main objectives of

celibacy life again and again.

However the first Pārājikā (defeat) rule was imposed by the Buddha on account of the

misbehavior of the Sudinna is considered as the first authoritative injunction in this

dispensation.7 But it doesn't mean that this as the origin of Vinaya because Vinaya was there

even before this enactment within the Dhamma but latter specially because of the misconduct of

the monks Buddha compel to impose Vinaya as a code of law for the long lasting of the Sāsāna

and most importantly for the comfort and unity of the monks.

Tendency of securing vinaya is highly admired by the Buddha himself and also few of

the foremost disciples in front of the Buddha. Before the enactement of the first Pārājikā the

Buddha was requested by Ven. Sariuptta to promulgate vinaya. Most importantly appointing a

foremost position relating to the vinaya is considered as one of the crucial movement regarding

vinaya. According to the Etadagga Pāli in the Anuttara nikāya Ven. Upāli was appointed as the

foremost of the vinaya.8

Vinaya rules enacted by the Buddha occasionally in terms with the malpractices or the

unacceptable actions were committed by monks became a large collection as time goes on. In

analyzing the vinaya pitaka on this context it reveals a few important reasons on development of

vianya as a Pitaka. for instance if it is taken the first Pārājikā, which was promulgated by the

Buddha on account of the sexual intercourse was done by ven Suddinna. it is known as major

enactment or the Paññatti. But in latter period with the prevention of this point monks allure to

6 Sare hatthehi bhañjitvā, katvāna kuṭimacchisaṃ;Tena me sarabhaṅgoti, nāmaṃ sammutiyā ahu.

‘‘Na mayhaṃ kappate ajja, sare hatthehi bhañjituṃ;Sikkhāpadā no paññattā, gotamena yasassinā

7 Tenahi bhikkhave bhikkhūnaṃ sikkhāpadaṃ paññapessāmi.8 Etadaggaṃ mamabhikkhave savakānaṃ vinayadharānaṃ yaditaṃ upāli.

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find some alternatives method. Then on the time of its arising the Buddha also imposed sub rules

or some enactments preventing those malpractices too. Those sub enactment or the secondary

enactment also included into the Vinaya as anupaññatti. But letter with the gradual inclement of

the members in the order initiate disciples may have compelled to arrange all the vinaya rules in

a thematic order for sake of their easy memorizing.

Obviously reason for this thematic arrangement is that in course of time with the

development of the Buddhist order there was a great need of well arrange system of Vianaya or a

formal code of discipline for the well being of the Sanga. For the long-lasting of the order and

well being and unity of the Sangha the Buddha has admonished to monks to preach Pātimokkha

at every fortnight. Here Pātimokkha means the collection of rules which should be prevented or

abandoned by the Bhikkū-s in their day to day life.

In the Sumangalavilāsini the commentary of the Dīghanikāya explains another important

fact which also can be assumed as an impact on this thematic arrangement. In explaining the

difference between the Buddha and Arahant Sumaṅgalavilāsini explains that " bodily conduct of

Arahant not as purified as the Buddha. Arahants never commit or became to worldly wrong

( which is not accepted as a right thing by the society) But they can fall into enacted wrong

doings because of not knowing about the particular enactment.9 In that case there was a bad need

of conveying the message that the Buddha has enacted particular rule on their action and from

here onward as the disciples' of the Great samana you are not permitted to do this. In this sense

the Pātimokkha can be considered as the nucleus of the Vinaya Pitaka.

In order to the present structure of the Vinayapitaka the development of Vinayapitaka can

be discussed under following heads.

Main Prescription ( Paññātti)

Secondary Prescription ( Anupaññatti)

9Kiṃ pana sesakhīṇāsavānaṃ kāyasamācārādayo aparisuddhāti? No aparisuddhā. Na pana

tathāgatassa viya parisuddhā. Appassutakhīṇāsavo hi kiñcāpi lokavajjaṃ nāpajjati,

paṇṇattiyaṃ pana akovidattā vihārakāraṃ kuṭikāraṃ sahagāraṃ sahaseyyanti evarūpā

kāyadvāre āpattiyo āpajjati.

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Composition of Pātimokkha

Categorization of offences in terms with their gravity

Thematic arrangement

Categorization of rules in to different portions in order to their nature

Aggregation of Parivārapāli.

Morris Vinternitz being based on the description of fourfold basic needs of monks

explain that, all those indicates that there must have been a fairly long development of the

discipline of the community prior to the final compilation of the vinaya pitaka and that the bulk

of the rules originated not all at once but gradually. 10

Main Prescription ( Paññātti)

The main prescription or the first enactment on a malpractice is known as Paññatti. For

instance first Pārājikā

If a monk would engage in sexual intercourse he is defeated and no longer suitable for

affiliation.11 This way the precept was enacted by the Buddha for monks. 12

Secondary prescription (Anupaññatti).

But sometimes because of the alternative actions of monks in relation to the enacted

precept, originally formulated is considered as in completed and those were supplemented by the

Buddha. For instance after the Buddha had ruled that, "If a monk would engage in sexual

intercourse he is defeated and no longer suitable for affiliation."13 Certain monks held the view

that the Buddha has prevented engaging sexual intercourse with women and therefore he

befriended with a monkey in the great Vesali forest by giving foods and engaged sexual

intercourse with it.14 Consequently Buddha had to specify the rule as, If a monk would engage in

10 History of Indian literature , p. 2311 ‘‘Yo pana bhikkhu methunaṃ dhammaṃ paṭiseveyya, pārājiko hoti asaṃvāso’’ti12 Evañcidaṃ bhagavatā bhikkhūnaṃ sikkhāpadaṃ paññattaṃ hoti13 ‘‘Yo pana bhikkhu methunaṃ dhammaṃ paṭiseveyya, pārājiko hoti asaṃvāso’’ti14 Tena kho pana samayena aññataro bhikkhu vesāliyaṃ mahāvane makkaṭiṃ āmisena

upalāpetvā tassā methunaṃ dhammaṃ paṭisevati.

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sexual intercourse even with a female animal he is defeated and no longer suitable for

affiliation.15 These types of expanding are known as anupaññatti.

Composition of Pātimokkha

"the Buddha admonished that all the monks who stay in a one place or monks who stay at nearby

places should rehearse the Pātimokkha at the full moon poya day having gathered as a one

assembly."16 In their daily life major obstacles or threats which monks have to face in their

celibacy life are included into the Pātimokha which composites,

Pārājikā -4

Saṅghādisesa - 13

Aniyata - 2

Nissaggiya Pācittiya - 30

Pācittiya - 92

Pāṭidesanīya - 4

Sekhiyā - 75

Adhikaraṇasamatha 7

collection of these 227 rules are entitled as Pātimokkha. But according to the Vajjiputtaka

sutta in the Anguttara nikāya, there were 152 precepts at the time of the Buddha as Pātimokkha

which was advised to be rehearsed at every fortnight.17 Latter custodians monks may have added

sekhiya also into this with the 75 sekhiyās it becomes 227. In analyzing these rules except

sekhiyā all other disciplines are unique to the monks and nuns. These rules are arranged

according to the gravity of the respective offence. Even there are number differences of precept

15 Yo pana bhikkhu methunaṃ dhammaṃ paṭiseveyya antamaso tiracchānagatāyapi, pārājiko hoti asaṃvāso’’ti16 Atha kho bhagavato rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṃ cetaso parivitakko udapādi – ‘‘yaṃnūnāhaṃ yāni mayā bhikkhūnaṃ paññattāni sikkhāpadāni, tāni nesaṃ pātimokkhuddesaṃ anujāneyyaṃ. So nesaṃ bhavissati uposathakamma’’nti. Atha kho bhagavā sāyanhasamayaṃ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito etasmiṃ nidāne etasmiṃ pakaraṇe dhammiṃ kathaṃ katvā bhikkhū āmantesi – idha mayhaṃ, bhikkhave, rahogatassa paṭisallīnassa evaṃ cetaso parivitakko udapādi ‘yaṃnūnāhaṃ yāni mayā bhikkhūnaṃ paññattāni sikkhāpadāni, tāni nesaṃ pātimokkhuddesaṃ anujāneyyaṃ. So nesaṃ bhavissati uposathakamma’nti. Anujānāmi, bhikkhave, pātimokkhaṃ uddisituṃ. Evañca pana, bhikkhave, uddisitabbaṃ., Mahāvaggapāli, Uposathakkhandaka17 Sādhikamidhaṃ bhante diyaḍḍhasikkhāpadasataṃ anvaddhamāsaṃ uddesaṃ āgacchati. nāhaṃ bhante ettha sakkomi sikkhitun'ti sakkhissasi pana tvaṃ bhikkhu tīsu sikkhāsu sikkhituṃ. Anuttaranikāya I, PTS London: p. 239

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as lesser and greatly Pātimokkha is common for monks and nuns. The term pātimokkha and its

content can be seen in the vinaya and sutta pitaka itself which indicates that this belong to the

earliest stratum of the development of the Vinaya Pitaka.

Obviously the establishment of the Bhikkuṇi order occurred after the well establishment of

the Bhikkhu sāsana. Bhikkhuṇi pātimokkha also promulgated comparatively letter period than

the Bhikkhu patimokkha but among 311 rules in the Bhikkhūni pātimokkha 181 are shared with

the Bhikkhu pātimokkha.

In composing the Pātimokkha all the rules have been arranged in a thematic order and the

categorization has done by being based on the gravity of offences. Main prescription have been

arranged at first and related secondary prescriptions also have been included under the main

prescription. Just as a well formal modern penalty code. There are various interpretations on

Pātimokkha,18

Categorization of offences in terms with their gravity

All the offences in Pātimokkha have been arrayed in a respective method following the gravity

of offence. For instance among the 8 types of offences in the Pātimokkha the first category of

offences in known as Pārājikā or the major offences for the one who has committed this offence

should be undergone with greatest punishment which is known as expulsion. Such person is

known as Pārājiko ( one who is defeated). The second category is known as Saṅghādise. This

gravity has discided by the method of reformation that they have to follow.

Thematic arrangement

Pārājikā, Saṅghādisesa, Pācittiya, Khandaks

Categorization of rules in to different portions in order to their nature

18 Pātimokkhaṃ ti adhimekaṃ mukhametaṃ pamukha metaṃ kusalānaṃ dhammānaṃ tena vuccati pātimokkhaṃ.

Tattha sīlaṃ yo naṃ pāti rakkhati, taṃ mokkheti mocayati āpāyikādīhi dukkhehi, attānuvādādīhi vā bhayehīti pātimokkhaṃ.

පා�මො��ක්‌ඛං�‌අනවජ්‌ජා�න�, ධම්‌��න�‌යං�‌�මො�සින�;මුඛං�‌මො��ක්‌ඛංප්‌පාමොවසා�යං, පා�තිමො��ක්‌ඛං�‌පාකා�සිතං�

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ඉදං�‌පාඨ�පා�රා�ජිකා’’න්‌ති‌ඨමොපාසුං�. පාඨ�පා�රා�ජිමොකා‌සාඞ්‌ග���රා"ළ්‌මො�‌පාඤ්‌ච‌අරා�න්‌තංසාතං�නි සාඞ්‌ග��‌ආමොරා�පිතංනමොයංමොනව‌ගණසාජ්‌ඣා�යං�කා�සුං‌– ‘‘මොතංන‌සා�මොයංන‌බුද්‌මොධ�‌භගව�‌මොවරාඤ්‌ජා�යං� වි�රාතී’’ති. මොතංසා�‌සාජ්‌ඣා�යං�රාද්‌ධකා�මො0මොයංව‌සා�ධුකා�රා�‌දංදං��න�‌වියං‌���පාථවී‌උදංකාපාරියංන්‌තං� කාත්‌ව�‌අකාම්‌පිත්‌ථ.

එමොතංමොනව‌නමොයංන‌මොසාසා�නි‌තීණි‌පා�රා�ජිකා�නි‌සාඞ්‌ග��‌ආමොරා�මොපාත්‌ව�‌‘‘ඉදං� පා�රා�ජිකාකාණ්‌ඩ’’න්‌ති‌ඨමොපාසුං�. මොතංරාසා‌සාඞ්‌ඝා�දිමොසාසා�නි‌‘‘මොතංරාසාකා’’න්‌ති‌ඨමොපාසුං�. ද්‌මොව‌සික්‌ඛං�පාදං�නි‌‘‘අනියංතං�නී’’ති‌ඨමොපාසුං�. ති�සා‌සික්‌ඛං�පාදං�නි‌‘‘නිස්‌සාග්‌ගියං�නි පා�චිත්‌තියං�නී’’ති‌ඨමොපාසුං�. ද්‌මොවනවුති‌සික්‌ඛං�පාදං�නි ‘‘පා�චිත්‌තියං�නී’’ති‌ඨමොපාසුං�. චත්‌තං�රි‌සික්‌ඛං�පාදං�නි‌‘‘පා�ටිමොදංසානීයං�නී’’ති ඨමොපාසුං�. පාඤ්‌චසාත්‌තංති‌සික්‌ඛං�පාදං�නි‌‘‘මොසාඛියං�නී’’ති‌ඨමොපාසුං�. සාත්‌තං ධම්‌මො�‌‘‘අධිකාරාණසා�ථ�’’ති‌ඨමොපාසුං�. එව�‌සාත්‌තංවීසා�ධිකා�නි‌ද්‌මොව‌සික්‌ඛං�පාදංසාතං�නි ‘‘���විභඞ්‌මොග�’’ති‌කිත්‌මොතංත්‌ව�‌ඨමොපාසුං�. ���විභඞ්‌ග�වසා�මොනපි‌පුරි�නමොයංමොනව‌���පාථවී අකාම්‌පිත්‌ථ.

තංමොතං�‌භික්‌ඛුනීවිභඞ්‌මොග‌අට්‌ඨ‌සික්‌ඛං�පාදං�නි‌‘‘පා�රා�ජිකාකාණ්‌ඩ�‌න�� ඉදං’’න්‌ති‌ඨමොපාසුං�. සාත්‌තංරාසා‌සික්‌ඛං�පාදං�නි‌‘‘සාත්‌තංරාසාකා’’න්‌ති‌ඨමොපාසුං�. ති�සා සික්‌ඛං�පාදං�නි‌‘‘නිස්‌සාග්‌ගියං�නි‌පා�චිත්‌තියං�නී’’ති‌ඨමොපාසුං�. ඡසාට්‌ඨිසාතංසික්‌ඛං�පාදං�නි ‘‘පා�චිත්‌තියං�නී’’ති‌ඨමොපාසුං�. අට්‌ඨ‌සික්‌ඛං�පාදං�නි‌‘‘පා�ටිමොදංසානීයං�නී’’ති‌ඨමොපාසුං�. පාඤ්‌චසාත්‌තංති‌සික්‌ඛං�පාදං�නි‌‘‘මොසාඛියං�නී’’ති‌ඨමොපාසුං�. සාත්‌තං‌ධම්‌මො�‌‘‘අධිකාරාණසා�ථ�’’ති ඨමොපාසුං�. එව�‌තීණි‌සික්‌ඛං�පාදංසාතං�නි‌චත්‌තං�රි‌ච‌සික්‌ඛං�පාදං�නි‌‘‘භික්‌ඛුනීවිභඞ්‌මොග�’’ති කිත්‌මොතංත්‌ව�‌– ‘‘අයං�‌උභමොතං�‌විභඞ්‌මොග�‌න��‌චතුසාට්‌ඨිභ�ණව�මොරා�’’ති‌ඨමොපාසුං�. උභමොතං�විභඞ්‌ග�වසා�මොනපි‌වුත්‌තංනමොයංමොනව‌���පාථවිකාම්‌මොපා�‌අමො��සි.

එමොතංමොනවුපා�මොයංන‌අසීතිභ�ණව�රාපාරි��ණ�‌ඛංන්‌ධකා�, පාඤ්‌චවීසාතිභ�ණව�රාපාරි��ණ�‌පාරිව�රාඤ්‌ච‌සාඞ්‌ග��‌ආමොරා�මොපාත්‌ව�‌‘‘ඉදං� විනයපිටකං� න���’’ති‌ඨමොපාසුං�. විනයංපිටකා�වසා�මොනපි වුත්‌තංනමොයංමොනව‌���පාථවිකාම්‌මොපා�‌අමො��සි. තං�‌ආයංස්‌�න්‌තං�‌උපා�ලිං�‌පාටිච්‌ඡ�මොපාසුං�

Aggregation of Parivārapāli.

Pubbācaraiya maggaṃ ca pucchitvāva tahiṃ tahiṃ

Dīpanāma mahāpañño sutadharo vicakkhano

imaṃ vitthāra saṃkhepaṃ majjhāmaggena majjhime

cintatyitvā likhāpesi sissakānaṃ sukhāvahaṃ

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