Vibhaṅga of Vinaya Pitaka

Vinaya piṭaka is codified in five books, categorized into three major parts: Vibhaṅga, Khandhaka, and Parivāra.

Vibhaṅga

Vibhaṅga of the Vinaya Piṭaka consists of the formulation of Pātimokkha rules by the Buddha for both Bhikkhus (Monks) and Bhikkhunis (Nuns). Each of the rules is divided into few sections: the story of the origin, basic formulation, subsequent formulations, offences etc. and explained detailed. In certain rules, the offences also analyzed by deriving related other offences.

Pārājikapāli

Pārājikapāli is the first book of the Vinaya piṭaka, starts from the section of Verañja (Verañjakaṇḍaṃ). The purpose of this section is to explain the superiority of the Buddha for the formulation of Vinaya rules. When the Buddha dwelled nearby Verañja village, the Verañja Brahmin went to the Buddha and listened to Dhamma. In the end, he invited the Buddha and whole Saṅgha to dwell at Verañja for the rainy season. The Buddha and Saṅgha dwelled at Verañja for the rainy season, but unfortunately, the Brahmin forgot to offer dana. During this rainy season, Venerable Sariputta approached the Buddha and requested to formulate Vinaya training rules for the community. The Buddha rejected his invitation stating that the Buddha himself knows the high time to formulate Vinaya training rules.

After the Verañjakaṇḍa, the formulation of Bhikkhus’ training rules of Pārājika (defeat), Saṅghādisesa (involving the Saṅgha in the initial and subsequent acts), Aniyatha (indefinite) and Nissaggiya (forfeiture) are described. They are arranged in accordance with the order in the recitation of Bhikkhu Pātimokkha.

Pārājika (Defeat) is the most serious irrecoverable offence in the Buddhist Monastic Code and the one who transgressed is considered as no longer a member of the Saṅgha community. These four (4) Pārājika training rules for Bhikkhus (monks) and eight (8) training rules for Bhikkhunis (nuns). Pārājikapāli book consists of four Pārājika training rules relating to Bhikkhus only, i.e. Methunadhammapārājika (defeat on the act of sexual intercourse), Adinnādānapārājika (defeat on theft), Manussaviggahapārājika (defeat on killing a human being) and Uttarimanussadhammapārājika (defeat on false claiming of superior human status). Each of the rules starts with the story of the origin and the first and subsequent formulations accompanied by a detailed account of offences and derived related offences. At the end of each rule, there is an account of cases which were judged by the Buddha himself called vinītavatthu. These judged cases provide elucidation on adjudication in the Vinaya as far as the each Pārājika offence is concerned.

Saṅghādisesa is the training rule that requires the involvement of the Saṅgha in the initial and subsequent acts in order to be purified from the offence. Pārājikapāli consists of the formulation of thirteen (13) Saṅghādisesa training rules that belong to the Bhikkhus, starting from Sukkavissaṭṭhisikkhāpada (Training rule on the emission of semen). Some of the Saṅghādisesa rules also provide a detailed account of offences and derived related offences. Vinītavatthu also included for some of the Saṅghādisesa rules.

There are two Aniyatha training rules in the Bhikkhu Pātimokkha, which are considered as indefinite offences. The offence relating to the transgression of Aniyatha rule would be perhaps a Pārājika, a Saṅghādisesa or a Pācittiya, that should be concluded with the consent of the Bhikkhu.

Actions involving expiation with forfeiture are called Nissaggiya Pācittiya and thirty (30) training rules for Bhikkhus are explained in the Pārājikapāli book. They are categorized into three sections (vagga) with ten rules in each section: Cīvara vagga, Kosiya vagga and Patta vagga.

Pācittiyapāli

Pācittiyapāli is the second book of Vinaya piṭaka which has two major sections: Bhikkhu Vibhaṅga and Bhikkhuni Vibhaṅga. The Bhikkhu Vibhaṅga consists of four major sections called Khuddaka (Small actions), Pātidesanīya (Actions entailing acknowledgements), Sekhiyā (Actions relating to training) and Adhikaraṇasamatha (Settlement of issues). Khuddaka section consists of 92 Pācittiya (expiation) training rules. There are four actions entailing acknowledgements rules in the Pāṭidesanīya section, 75 rules in Sekhiyā section and seven settlements of legitimate issues. As a feature of the Vibhaṅga, all training rules are described with its story of the origin, firsts and subsequent formulations, dividing the offences, and exempted cases from the offence.

Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga consists of all additional rules for nuns divided into seven sections: Pārājika, Sattarasaka (Set of seventeen), Nissaggiya (Actions entailing expiation with forfeiture), Khuddaka (Small actions), Pātidesanīya (Actions entailing acknowledgements), Sekhiyā (Actions relating to training) and Adhikaranasamatha (Settlement of issues). There are four additional actions entailing defeat for nuns which are described in the Pārājika section. Ten additional Saṅghādisesa rules for nuns are in the Sattarasaka which are uncommon with monks. In the Nissaggiya section, there are twelve additional uncommon cases entailing expiation with forfeiture for nuns. Khuddaka section consists of 96 Pācittiya training rules and Pātidesanīya section consists of eight rules.