Establishment of Rules in the Pāṭimokkha : หน้า 3/42

Abstract: When Were the Rules in the Pāṭimokkha Established? by THANAVUDDHO BHIKKHU Many modern scholars in both the East and West share the view that most of the content in the Vinayapitaka, the book of monastic discipline, was gradually established and developed after the time of the Lord Buddha. This claim is based on a comparative study of the different Vinayapitaka belonging to six Buddhist sects, and which have been handed down until today: it is pointed out that, if the Buddha was the one who established all monastic rules (sikkhāpadā), those rules of all Buddhist sects should have been consistent, whereas a number of those rules for monks in the main part, the so called Pāṭimokkha, are different. However, according to my close study, I found that the Lord Buddha was the one who established the monastic rules in the Pāṭimokkha (which is divided into eight groups according to the seriousness of the offence). Furthermore, he also gave permission to the saṃgha, the Buddhist order, to amend those rules in the seventh group, the so called Sekhiya, as they are considered to be minor with the lightest offences. As a result, a number of the rules in this group have become considerably different among Buddhist sects, despite the similar sub-categorization of this group. All rules among Buddhist sects would become consistent, if only the rules in the Sekhiya group and another two rules in the Pācittiya group were excluded.