A comparative study of the theravāda bhikkhu and bhikkhunī pārājikā vinaya rules
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Date
2018-04-03
Authors
Ven. Wimalajothi, Madipola
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
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Publisher
University of Peradeniya
Abstract
The rules and regulations imposed by an institution or society decide its longevity. Thus, Buddhist Vinaya helps the well-being of Bhikkhus and Bhikkhuṇīs. The Vinaya Piṭaka includes the Vinaya rules for both Bhikkhus and Bhikkhuṇīs. Some differences can be observed among the Bhikkhu and Bhikkhuṇī Vinaya rules. Therefore, the present study mainly focuses on the Pārājikā Vinaya rules of Bhikkhu and Bhikkhuṇī according to Theravāda Buddhism. The Pārājikā is the most serious offences which brings expulsion of the guilty from the Buddhist Saṅgha. If a monk or nun falls into a Pārājikā offence, he or she is no longer in communion with others. The Bhikkhūs have only four Pārājikā but Bhikkhuṇīs have eight of them. When studying those offences comparatively, it is evident that there are some facts in offences related to Bhikkhuṇīs which have been repeated. The first four Pārājikā rules are the same for both Bhikkhūs and Bhikkhuṇīs. In addition to these four, other four Pārājikā rules are made only for Bhikkhuṇīs. The first four rules are prohibitions regarding sexual behavior, stealing, killing a human being and boasting of a superior human state, which occur among both monks and nuns. Among the last four, the fifth and eighth rules are directly related to sexual desires. The sixth is related with hiding faults and the seventh refers to following a Bhikkhu who has been suspended by the Saṅgha Community. When analyzing the first four Pārājikā rules for both Bhikkhus and Bhikkhuṇīs, it is evident that, they show some systematic nature in them. However, the additional four Pārājikā imposed only for Bhikkhuṇīs do not show such nature. The fifth rule related to Bhikkhuṇīs has been equaled to the ‘Kāyasansagga Saṅghādhisesa’ rule of Bhikkhūs. The sixth Pārājikā has been refused in early Buddhist teachings. The seventh Pārājikā which refers to following a suspended Bhikku in Sāsana is a Pārājikā for Bhikkhuṇīs but it is a Saṅghādhisesa offence for Bhikkhūs. The eight Pārājikā for Bhikkhuṇīs emerge due to lust. However, although there are some Vinaya rules for Bhikkhūs related to this rule, it is a Pārājikā offence for Bhikkhuṇīs. As the contemporary Indian society was based on Brahmin teachings, women lost their rights. However, the rise of Buddhism provided some liberation for women. In such a condition, after the establishment of Bhikkhuṇi Sāsana, there was a progress in women but the traditional attitudes of society towards women affected the Bhikkhuṇi Sāsana.
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Keywords
Theravāda , Pārājikā , Vinaya