Studies in Buddhist and Jaina Monachism

Author(s): Nand Kishor Prasad
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

Page 249

SECTION III THE BUDDHIST PRĀTIMOKŞA & THE JAINA
PRĀYAŚCITTA : A COMPARATIVE STUDY
Having noted down the main points of convergence and divergence of the Buddhist and the Jaina monastic administration, we now pass on to a prominent feature of monastic life, viz., transgressions and expiations, designated as rules of the Pratimok şa by the Buddhists and laws of Prayaścitta by the the Jainas. It may be borne in mind that their significant characteristics lie in the fact that they deal with the daily affairs of the Fraternity and as such we would be failing in our duty to put forward a coherent picture of the Buddhist and the Jaina monastic life, if we overlook this aspect of the Church affairs.
First we must thank the framer or rather the framers of the Buddhist laws as they not only put forward two separate lists of transgressions and expiations, one for the monks (Bhikkhupātimokkha) and the other for the nuns (Bhikkhunipātimokkha) classified in descending order of their gravity, but also state the circumstances which led to their formulation. The Parājika being the gravest and the Sekhiya the lightest, these groups ut infra contain altogether 227 rules for monks and 311 for nuns.
No. of offences No. of offences Groups of offences
Bhikkhu PM Bhikkhuni PM 1. Parājika Expulsion 2. Saŭghādisesal Suspension 3. Aniyatā? Indeterminates 4. Nissaggiya
Pacittiya Forfeiture 5. Pacittiya Expiation 6. Pațidesaniya Confession 7. Sekhiyā Rules of training 8. Adhikarapa- Ways of settling
samatha disputes
ya
227
311
1. The offences comprising the Pārājika and the Sanghādisesa groups collecti.
vely are called Dutthalla. 2. The Bhikkhunt pātimokkha, like the Bhikkhu pātimokkha, contains all the
sections but Aniyatā.