Dictionary of Early Buddhist Monastic Terms (Based on Pali Literature)

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The Vinaya Pitaka is the earliest available text dealing with the monastic life of the Buddhist Sangha. It is a critical component of Pali literature and holds immense importance within the Buddhist tradition. It outlines the code of conduct for monks and nuns, providing a comprehensive set of rules that governs monastic discipline smoothly. By regulating the behaviour of monastics, the Vinaya Pitaka helps preserve the purity and integrity of the Buddha's teachings Further, it reflects the cultural and social contexts of ancient India, preserving the linguistic and cultural heritage of that era. It provides a framework for adapting monastic rules in varied circumstances while maintaining the core principles, thus enabling Buddhism to remain relevant across different cultures and historical periods. Besides, the Vinaya Pitaka includes procedures for addressing disputes and misconduct within monastic community, promoting harmony and stability. By establishing a common code of conduct, it fosters a sense of unity and purpose of life of a recluse, which is essential for the effective functioning of the Buddhist Sangha.

Prof. C.S. Upasak, former Director, Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, was a great scholar of Pali, Ancient History and Culture. In the Preface of the Dictionary of Early Buddhist Monastic Terms, he himself has mentioned that in course of teaching the Vinaya Pitaka to Post Graduate students, he confronted with the problems regarding interpretations of monastic rules and ecclesiastical terms, which were difficult to understand because of cutting off from the main stream of Buddhist monastic tradition and as a result he compiled a dictionary titled 'Dictionary of Early Buddhist Monastic Terms'. It was a maiden attempt by any scholar to compile a dictionary of Buddhist monastic terms in seventies.

The second edition of the 'Dictionary of Early Buddhist Monastic Terms' was published by Nava Nalanda Mahavihara, which is out of print now. Keeping in view the great demand from the scholars, Nava Nalanda Mahavihara has decided to reprint it. I hope this dictionary will continue to serve the purpose of a reference book for research scholars as before and it will be welcomed again by the scholars.

While teaching the Vinaya Pitaka in the Post-graduate classes at Nava Nalanda Mahavihara I was confronted with a number of problems connected with the monastic rules and ecclesiastical terms. The former were difficult to understand as we were cut off from the main stream of Buddhist monastic tradition, and the problems presented by the latter were mostly semantic. I had to grapple with these problems and the present Dictionary is the outcome of my sustained effort to explain them.

It is now fully established that the Pali Vinaya Pitaka is the earliest available text dealing with the monastic life of the Buddhist Sangha in ancient India. The Vinaya Pitaka is a collection of rules regulating the outward conduct of the Bhikkhus and the Bhikkhunts'. This Pitaka comprises five books, viz., the Mahavagga, Cullavagga, Parajika Pacittiya and Parivara. While the Mahavagga and the Cullavagga are comprehended under the title 'Khandhaka', the Parajika and the Pacittiya together are called the 'Sutta-vibhanga'. The Mahavagga and the Cullavagga are supposed to be the collections of the 'words of the Buddha', and contain the historical accounts of the 'dos' and 'donts' prescribed by Him for the Order. The Sutta-vibhanga (Parajika and Pacittiya) bears closest relations to the Patimokkha, the earliest text of the 'Code of Discipline' of the Buddhist Sangha. The Patimokkha is a collection of various monastic rules (contained in the Vinaya Pitaka) meant far being recited on every fortnightly congregation on the Uposatha day collectively by the Sangha. There are two parts of the Patimokkha, viz., the Bhikkhu Patimokkha and the Bhikkhuni Patimokkha. The former consists of 227 ecclesiastical rules and the latter 311 rules. The Sutta-vibhanga in its two books (Parajika and Pacittiya) presents the explanation along with the historical background of the Patimokkha rules. The Parivara, as the name suggests, is the compendium or digest of the Vinaya Pitaka. Undoubtedly this is a later work, as rightly suggested by some scholars, a work of a Sinhalese monk.

If we make a survey of the Vinaya Pitaka it is abundantly clear that the commandments of the Buddha were essentially needed for the smooth running and development of the Sangha established by the Great Teacher. the Buddha. The violation of any rule of the Patimokkha makes a member of the Order 'impure' and needs 'expiation'. The other texts of the Vinaya Pitaka not only prescribe rules for initiation like Pabbajjā and Upasampada but also prescribe the duties of a 'preceptor' or 'teacher' towards his *disciple' or 'pupil' and vice-versa. They also contain the rules for the fortnightly congregation of Upostha and recitation of the Patimokkha rules on this occasion; rules for the 'rainy season-resort' (vassavasa) and Pavarana, rules for the construction of a Vihara or Kuți; rules for the robe and robe-cloth (cīvara); rules for accepting meals, eatables, drinks, medicines, etc.; rules for levelling a charge and framing a 'case' (adhikarana) against a monk and its disposal (samatha) by the Sangha, rules for the legal procedure to be followed in the case of a schism' in the Sangha and such other rules necessary for the effective and peaceful running of the Sangha. In short, the Vinaya Pitaka is an account of the Code of Conduct for the Buddist Order.

The Patimokkha is somtimes called "Adhisila (Special moral rules) and the other texts of the Vinaya Pitaka are comprehended by the term Aphacara (General moral rules). The whole Vinaya Pitaka, in fact, is a law-book meant exclusively for the members of the Order. Throughout these texts the legal style is apparent. Many terms used therein are highly technical and bear particular ecclesiastical connotations. In order to bring out the exact meaning of these terms a need was naturally felt in the past. As a result the 'commentaries' known as Atthakathas were written to fulfil this need and to obviate the difficulties in reading the texts. The Samantapasadika is a most comprehensive commentary on the Vinaya Pitaka. The Kankhävitarani is another commentatorial text on the Patimokkha. The authorship of both these texts is ascribed to Buddhaghosa who flourished in about 4th Century A.D. With the passage of time necessity for further exposition of these terms was felt and consequently the Tikas or the sub-commentaries were written. The Saratthadipani, the Vimativinodani and Vajirabuddhi Tikā are important subcommentaries on the Samantapasadika. The Khuddasikkha and its two commentaries, viz.. Khuddasikkhātikā and Kiruddasikkha-abhinava were also written in order to make the Vinaya texts more clear. Similarly to memorise the Vinaya texts the Vinaya-vinicchaya and Uttaravinicchaya were composed in verse for the use of the Buddhist monks and nuns. The Abhidhanappadipika, a lexicon in Pali also presents the interpretation of certain monastic terms.

Buddhism and Buddhist Sangha are the cultural heritage of many countries of South-East Asia. Buddhism is a living religion in these countries. The Buddhist fraternity has been zealously scrupulous in the observance of the rules laid down in the texts. The Theravada countries cannot even dream of deviating from the 'Code of Conduct. The monasticism as practised today in these countries is in conformity with the rules laid down in the Patimokkha and the Vinaya Pitaka. There may be a few variations from one country to another but basically the rules are the same. For a modern scholar these traditional practices of the Pali Buddhist Countries are in no way less helpful in understanding the technical terms than the Atthakathas and the Tikas.

I was fortunate enough to have a few Buddhist monk-scholars who work as teachers at Nava Nalanda Mahavihara (Nalanda Institute of Buddhist Studies and Pali). They enabled me to get over many difficulties which confronted me in the preparation of this work. Among them I am particularly indebted to Venerable Dr. U. Zaggarabhivamsa, M.A., Ph. D. who unreservedly helped me by his encyclopaedic knowledge of Pali. I must confess that this work would never have been complete if I would not have got his constant and sustained help and encouragement.