Summary The Pali Canon Buddhism (Theme 1 A Level from WJEC Religious Studies)
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Course
Unit 5 - Eastern Religions
Institution
WJEC
Comprehensive A Level notes on the role of the Pali Canon in Buddhism as a whole. Information about the Tipitaka, the authority of the Vinaya for the Theravada Sangha,; Suttavibhanga Khandaja and Parivara. Also discusses the wider authority of the Sutta Pitaka (the collection of discourses attribut...
Theme 1-Religious Figures and Sacred Texts
The Pali Canon: its role in Buddhism as a whole
The Tipitaka.
- The Pali Canon, or Tipitaka, is a large collection of scriptures written in the ancient Indian language Pali.
- The Pali Canon contains teachings of the Buddha and is the largest collection of surviving Buddhist
Scriptures.
- The Pali Canon holds most authority in Theravada Buddhism, though it also has a place in other schools such
as Tibetan Buddhism.
- Initially, the teachings of the Buddha had been passed down orally through a variety of dialects and it is
thought that the first written version of the Pali Canon was compiled in Sri Lanka in 1 st Century BCE.
- Tipitaka translates to three-baskets, referring to the nature that the original texts were stored, in 3 baskets
according to the nature of the texts.
- The three sections are the Vinaya Pitaka, the Sutta Pitaka and the Abhidhamma Pitaka.
The authority of the Vinaya for the Theravada sangha
- In Sanskrit and Pali, the term Vinaya means discipline; the Patimokka is contained within the Vinaya. The
Patimokka is the code of conduct for the Monastic Sangha.
- The authority of the Vinaya carries most force within the unique setting of the monastic order, however
anyone who enters the boundaries (Sima) of the monastery are also subject to its authority.
- In the Patimokka there are 227 rules for Bhikkhus and 311 rules for Bhikkhunis, and the code is thought to
have been introduced by the Buddha.
- Upali, one of the ten chief disciples of the Buddha, is thought to have recited the rules at one of the Councils
while Arhats agreed to their accuracy.
- It is the association with the Buddha himself and his disciples which gives the Vinaya Pitaka so much
authority and significance within the Theravada Sangha and some Mahayana traditions.
- Dharmaguptaka, an early Buddhist school, left a written record of the Vinaya and this provides the version of
Monastic rules upheld by most Mahayana schools today.
- Tibetan Buddhists also have their own Vinaya.
- Over time, there grew a disagreement within the Sangha as people approached the Buddha with accounts of
misconduct, and rules were created to address specific situations- they were created very much with practical
use in mind.
- ‘The rules are all grounded on the realities of life’- Clarke and Thompson
- For instance, the rule of abstinence is thought to have arisen after it was found that Bhikkhus were having
contact with their ex-wives.
- Conflict and misdemeanours are detrimental to the ultimate goal of Nirvana.
- The Vinaya Pitaka contains guidance on how to settle disputes as well as sanctions for those who commit
offences.
- We can use the Vinaya to create an image of early Theravada monastic life and compare it with the elements
preserved today.
- The Vinaya Pitaka contains three books.
- Suttavibhanga
- Contains the Patimokka, of which the most important rules are the Dasa Sila which are to be followed by all
ordained Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis.
- It contains rules regarding food and drink as well as the objects the monastic sangha are allowed to own,
including a needle and an alms bowl.
- There are 8 categories of wrongdoing which include the Parajikas or ‘4 defeats’: Sexual Intercourse, Stealing,
Killing and Bragging or lying about spiritual achievements.
- Breaking the Dasa Sila or falling foul of a Parajika can lead to one being expelled from the Sangha, and if
other rules are broken one may face a meeting with the Sangha to assess other potential consequences e.g.
public confession.
- The Monastic Sangha cannot plead ignorance if they break a rule, they are expected to understand and keep
track of all rules and uphold them diligently.
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