Glossary of Vinaya Terms

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A

acariya: teacher; mentor; senior bhikkhu on whom a young bhikkhu depends for instruction. He is to regard his pupil (antevasika) as a son. To qualify as one, a bhikkhu must have at least have 10 vassas and other prerequisites. Also see nissaya, upajjhaya.

acariya vatta: duties of bhikkhu(ni)s and novices towards their mentors (acariya).

acittaka: class of offences that are deemed committed even if unintentional or unperceived. Compare sacittaka.

Adhikarana-samatha: the settlement of issues; category of the last seven "rules" (which are actually "procedures") of the Patimokkha's 227 rules, which list the ways to settle disputes in the Sangha.

adhitthana: 'determination' on cloth and bowl requisites for use.

akkosa-vatthu: topic for abuse. [See Pacittiya 2/3 for details.]

alajji: 'shameless' or 'unconscientious' bhikkhu(ni) who knowingly commit Vinaya offences and conceals them.

alms bowl: See patta.

alms gathering or alms round: See pindapata.

Aniyata: undetermined or uncertain; category of two rules of undetermined classification of offense that require a formal inquiry by the sangha.

antaravasaka: inner robe or lower robe; one of the triple robe (ticivara).

antevasika: one who lives with his teacher (acariya); an attendant; a pupil. Compare saddhiviharika.

anupasampanna: one who is not fully ordained. With some rules, this means all non-bhikkhus (including bhikkhunis); with others, bhikkhunis are excluded. [See Pacittiya 4 and 5 for details.]

apalokana(-kamma): declaration; the simplest form for a formal act of the sangha, in which a decision is proposed to the sangha in the announcer's own words.

apatti: offense; fault; the act — either physical or verbal — of breaking any of the ordinances or rules set down by the Buddha.

avuso: (usually translated as) friend; general term of address for a bhikkhu by another who is more senior. Also see bhante.

arama: (1) pleasure park/garden, where monks are not allowed to purposely go to. (2) 'monastery', when it used as a monk's residence.

B

bhante: Venerable Sir; general term of address for a bhikkhu by another who is more junior or by a lay person. Also see avuso.

bhattuddesaka: the sangha official in charge of meal distribution.

bhikkhu (bhikkhuni): Buddhist monk (nun); man (woman) ordained into the Sangha, subject to live a life of heightened virtue in accordance with the Vinaya, particularly the Patimokkha rules. A bhikkhuni is to be ordained by the Bhikkhuni Sangha, and then the Bhikkhu Sangha.

bhesajja: medicine; one of the four main supports (nissaya) of a bhikkhu(ni).

bhojana: food; eating.

bhojaniya: eatable, soft food. Compare khadaniya.

bhutagama: vegetation, living plant in its place. [See Pacittiya 11 for details.]

bijagama: plant or part of a plant removed from its place but capable of growing again if replanted. [See Pacittiya 11 for details.]

brahmacariya: the 'holy life' of celibacy.

brahmadanda: 'holy-punishment'; higher penalty by the order of the Sangha to not speak to, instruct, or admonish the person being punished.

Buddhaghosa: See Samanta-pasadika

C

cattaro parisa: See parisa.

catuddisa (bhikkhu)sangha: 'sangha of four quarters/directions', referring to the Sangha as a whole, without individual references.

chanda: 'consent' by proxy, given by a bhikkhu to the sangha within a sima to carry out a sanghakamma without him.

civara: robe. See ticivara.

civara-kamma: making-up or mending of robes.

community: See Sangha.

Cullavagga: The section of the Vinaya Pitaka that includes an elaboration of the bhikkhus' etiquette and duties, as well as the rules and procedures for addressing offences that may be committed within the Sangha. Also included is the story of the establishment of the bhikkhuni Sangha, plus detailed accounts of the First and Second Councils. Also see Mahavagga.

D

dayaka (dayika for female): 'supporter' of a certain bhikkhu.

desana: See patidesana.

dhammakarana: water strainer; part of a monk's eight basic requisites (parikkhara).

Dhammavinaya: doctrine (dhamma) and discipline (vinaya); the Buddha's own name for the religion he founded.

dhutanga: 'austere (ascetic) practices' which are 'means of shaking off or removing defilement'.

Discipline: See Vinaya.

dubbhasita: wrong speech; a derived offense incurred by uttering an insulting remark meant as a joke. It may be cleared through confession. [See Pacittiya 2 for details.]

dukkata: wrong-doing; the lightest class of offense. It may be cleared through confession.

E

F

G

gahapati-civara: robe cloth given by householders.

gana: 'group' of bhikkhus, numbering two or three.

garu-bhanda: 'heavy article', including monasteries and monastery land; dwellings, land on which dwellings are built; furnishings such as couches, chairs, and mattresses; metal vessels and tools; building materials (except for such things as rushes, reeds, grass, and clay; and articles made of pottery or wood). If such an article belongs to a sangha, it can never be converted to individual property.

garukapatti: heavy offences, refers to offences under Parajika and Sanghadisesa.

garu-dhamma: eight 'vows of respect' mandatory for all bhikkhunis.

gilana: sick.

Great Standards: See Mahapadesa.

going forth: See pabbajja.

H

hattha: cubit; distance from elbow to the tip of middle finger.

hatthapasa: 'arms reach'. Reckoned to be 2.5 cubits/hattha.

I

invitation: See pavarana.

J

jatarupa-rajata: gold and silver; money. [See Nissaggiya Pacittiya 19 for details.]

K

kahapana: unit of money used during the Buddha's time, equaling the value of four padas or twenty masakas.

kammavaca: text prescribed to be read in monastic procedures (sanghakamma).

kappiya: making something allowable for a bhikkhu.

kappiya-karaka: 'one who makes allowable'; lay attendant who makes things (usually in relation to money or gifts from donors) allowable for a bhikkhu(s). Also see Mendaka Allowance.

kappiya-vohara: 'allowable expression', i.e., a way of expressing a hint or desire allowable in the context of a rule where an outright command would be a breach of the rule.

Kathina: literally, frame used in sewing a robe; figuratively, ceremony held in the fourth month of the rainy season (vassa), normally in October to November, in which a sangha receives a gift of cloth from lay people, award it to one of their members, and then in joint effort makes it into a robe before dawn of the following day.

kaya-bandhana: waist-band; part of a monk's eight basic requisites (parikkhara).

khadaniya: hard food, food that be chewed or crunched. Compare bhojaniya.

Khandaka: See Vinaya Pitaka.

kuti: hut or shelter.

L

lahu-bhanda: 'light article' of the Sangha, including such things as cloth, food, and medicine; small personal accessories such as scissors, sandals, and water strainers; and light building materials, such as rushes, reeds, grass, and clay.

leddupata: lit. "stone fall"; distance an average man can throw a stone; stone's throw.

loka-vajja: acts criticised by people in general as they are against universal morality. Compare paññati-vajja.

M

Mahapadesa: 'Great Standards' used as guidelines in deciding if novel or uncertain circumstances accord with the Dhamma and Vinaya.

Mahavagga: The section of the Vinaya Pitaka that includes several sutta-like texts in its first chapter, including the Buddha's account of the period immediately following his Awakening, his first sermons to the group of five monks, and stories about how some of the Buddha's great disciples joined the Sangha and themselves attained Awakening. Also included are the rules on ordination, rules on observing Uposatha (such as by reciting the Patimokkha), Vassa, Pavarana, rules about footwear, medicine (bhesajja), robe-cloth (civara), rules in regards to Kathina, principles for sanghakamma and issues regarding unanimity in the Sangha.

Majjhimadesa: 'Middle Land'; middle Ganges Valley, outside which five exemptions concerning the Vinaya — proposed by Ven. Maha Kaccana and approved by the Buddha — applies.

manatta: penance; six-day period whereby the Sanghadisesa offender is partially stripped of seniority and must observe 94 restrictions.

masaka: See kahapana.

Mendaka Allowance: allowance made by the Buddha, named after the donor who inspired it:

• a bhikkhu going on a journey through a wilderness area where alms food is difficult to obtain may search for certain provisions for the journey; and
• a bhikkhu is allowed to accept whatever is allowable coming from a situation whereby people of conviction and confidence place gold and silver (money) in the hand of a steward (veyyavaccakara), saying 'Give the master whatever is allowable.'

monk: See bhikkhu.

N

naga: celestial serpent; also the temporary name used for the bhikkhu candidate during an Upasampada procedure, in remembrance of a naga who was ordained but was asked to leave by the Buddha as he did not meet the qualification of being a human being.

ñatti: motion.

ñatti-catuttha-kamma: form for a formal act of the sangha in which a decision is proposed to the sangha in a motion and three announcements.

ñatti-dutiya-kamma: form for a formal act of the sangha in which a decision is proposed to the sangha in a motion and one announcement.

ñatti-kamma: form for a formal act of the sangha in which a decision is proposed to the sangha in a motion following a set wording.

navaka: 'new one', which refers to a bhikkhu of less than five vassas. Also nava bhikkhu.

navakamma: 'new action, project, or building'. [It is a term now popularly but erroneously referred to in the Burmese tradition as the Mendaka fund. See Mendaka Allowance.]

nisidana: sitting cloth.

Nissaggiya Pacittiya: 'entailing confession and forfeiture'; category 30 offences whereby the offender has to confess the offense to another bhikkhu(s) and forfeit the article which is prohibited or improperly obtained.

nissaya: dependence, support (1) ~ that is taken under one's preceptor (upajjhaya) or teacher (acariya); (2) the four monastic ~s : alms food (pindapata), robes (civara), lodging (senasana), and medicine (bhesajja).

niyasa-kamma: 'stripping of status' (also called nissaya-kamma, 'act of dependence') — formal act whereby a bhikkhu released from dependence is required to return to dependence under a mentor until he mends his ways.

nun: See bhikkhuni.

O

ordination: For samanera (or samaneri) see Pabbajja; for bhikkhu (or bhikkhuni) see Upasampada.

P

pabbajaniya-kamma: 'act of banishment' whereby a bhikkhu is denied membership in a particular sangha until he mends his ways.

Pabbajja: 'going forth' from the home life to the life of a bhikkhu; ordination as a novice monk (samanera). Compare Upasampada.

paccuddharana: relinquishing; rescinding from use of a determined requisite.

Pacittiya: category of 92 offences that can be cleared by formal 'confession' to another bhikkhu(ni).

pada: See kahapana.

pakasaniya-kamma: 'act of proclamation' carried out by the sangha regarding a member, declaring that as his conduct was of 'one kind before and is of another kind now', henceforth all his physical and verbal actions are only his and have nothing to do with the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha.

pana: juice drink. Also see yamakalika.

pandaka: man sexually deviant or deformed. He does not qualify for monkhood.

paññatti-vajja: acts criticised by the training rules, but not necessarily against universal morality. Compare loka-vajja.

Parajika: defeat; category of four heaviest, irremediable offences that automatically and irrevocably end the bhikkhu-life.

parikkhara: requisites. The eight compulsory requisites of a bhikkhu(ni): three robes (ticivara), an alms bowl (patta), a waist-band (kaya-bandhana), a razor (vasika), a sewing needle (suci), and a water strainer (dhammakarana).

parisa: assembly, gathering. Usually cattaro parisa, referring to the fourfold assembly of the Buddha's following that includes monks (bhikkhus), nuns (bhikkhunis), laymen (upasakas), and laywomen (upasikas).

Parivara: 'Addenda'; the final section of the Vinaya Pitaka which contains a summary and study guide of the earlier sections of the Pitaka.

parivasa: probation; (1) ~ imposed upon a Sanghadisesa offender for the same number of days he conceals the offense from his fellow bhikkhus, completion of which he may then ask for the penance (manatta); (2) ~ for four months on an individual who, having been previously member of other heretic group, seeks admission into the Sangha.

patidesana: act of acknowledgment or confession.

Patidesaniya: category of four offences 'to be acknowledged'.

Patimokkha: The basic code of monastic discipline, consisting of 227 rules for bhikkhus and 311 for bhikkhunis. Also see Vinaya, Parajika, Sanghadisesa, Aniyata, Nissaggiya Pacittiya, Pacittiya, Patidesaniya, Sekhiya, Adhikarana-samatha, thullaccaya, dukkata, dubbhasita.

patisaraniya-kamma: 'act of reconciliation' which requires the offender to ask for forgiveness for a fault.

patta: 'alms bowl', used by a Sangha member; part of the eight basic requisites (parikkhara).

Pavarana: invitation; (1) whereby a donor invites a bhikkhu(ni) or a sangha of bhikkhu(ni)s to ask for requisites; (2) ceremony, held at the end of the Vassa, in which each bhikkhu invites the rest of the sangha to inform him of any transgressions they may have seen, heard, or suspected that he has committed.

pindapata: alms food. It is also commonly used nowadays to mean "alms-gathering" or "going for alms", although the more accurate word for that is pindacara.

preceptor: See upajjhaya.

pubbayoga: preliminary effort leading up to the commission of an offense.

Q

R

rains residence: See Vassa.

requisites: See parikkhara, nissaya.

robe: See ticivara.

S

sacittaka: class of offences that carry a penalty only when committed intentionally and with correct perception. Compare acittaka.

saddhiviharika: pupil; 'one who lives with' his preceptor (upajjhaya) whom he should regard as a father. Compare antevasika.

samana: contemplative, renunciant, who tries to find the true nature of reality through direct contemplation and to live in tune with that reality. Buddhism is one of several samana movements found in India.

samanera (samaneri): Literally, a small samana; a novice monk (nun) who observes ten precepts and who is a candidate for admission to the order of bhikkhus (bhikkhunis). Also see pabbajja.

Samanta-pasadika: 'Thoroughly Inspiring'; a commentary on the Vinaya Pitaka compiled in the 5th century C.E. by Bhadantacariya Buddhaghosa, who based his work on ancient commentaries brought to Sri Lanka from India.

sammuti-vajja: See paññatti-vajja.

sangati: outer robe (which is double-layered), part of the ticivara.

Sangha: Community, Order. This may refer to the entire community of bhikkhus or bhikkhunis, or to the community present in a particular boundary. For the latter, there must be at least four bhikkhus to be reckoned as a sangha.

sanghabheda: schism in the Sangha.

sanghadisesa: class of thirteen very serious offences, entailing initial and subsequent formal acts of the sangha. The offending bhikkhu has to undergo a period of probation before being reinstated to his normal status.

sanghakamma: formal act by a sangha; monastic transaction, such as upasampada, uposatha, pavarana, etc. When the act is disciplinary, is can also be reckoned as a vinayakamma.

sangha-raji: crack in the Sangha.

sanghika: of, for, or belonging to the sangha.

sattahakalika: medicinal-tonics — 'limited to seven days'.

Sekhiya: category of 75 'training rules' concerned with various aspects of etiquette in dressing, public behavior, accepting and eating alms food, teaching Dhamma, etc.

sikkhamana: female novice undergoing a two-year training to qualify for upasampada to become a bhikkhuni. She has to observe the same rules as a samaneri, but must keep the first six of the ten sikkhapadas unbroken within the period.

sikkhapada: training rule; precept.

sila: morality; ethical conduct.

sima: 'boundary' or 'territory' for performance of formal acts of the sangha (sanghakamma). [It is sometimes mistaken as a building. In fact, no building is necessary for a sima to function as one, although a building is often constructed there.]

steward: See veyyavaccakara and kappiya-karaka.

suci: needle; part of the eight basic requisites (parikkhara).

Sugata-span: an ancient measure (from the Pali) based on the length of the Buddha's cubit or forearm.

Suttavibhanga: See Vinaya Pitaka.

T

tajjaniya-kamma: 'act of censure' whereby a sangha may strip a bhikkhu of some of his communal rights if he is a maker of strife, if he refuses to see or confess an offense he admits to having committed, or if he criticizes the Buddha, Dhamma, or Sangha. If he mends his ways, the act can be repealed.

thera (theri): elder; a bhikkhu (bhikkhuni) of at least ten (twelve) vassas.

thullaccaya: grave offense; the most serious derived offense. It derives from the Parajika and Sanghadisesa rules and may be cleared through confession.

ticivara: three robes, triple robe (ti: three; civara: robe), i.e., outer robe (sangati), upper robe: (uttarasanga), lower robe (antaravasaka), worn by a bhikkhu; part of the eight basic requisites (parikkhara).

tiracchana-katha: animal/lowly talk; topics of conversation inappropriate for bhikkhu(ni)s. The Buddha did not approve of such speech, though he for some reasons did not lay down any rules against it.

tiracchana-vijja: animal knowledge or low arts; occult abilities inappropriate for bhikkhu(ni)s to practice. The Buddha did not approve of such practices, though he for some reasons did not lay down any rules against them.

U

ukkhepaniya-kamma: 'act of suspension' whereby a sangha may deprive a bhikkhu of his right to associate with the Sangha as a whole until he mends his ways.

upajjhaya: preceptor; the senior bhikkhu who 'sponsors' a monk-candidate's ordination, and on whom the new monk will depend for instruction. He is to regard his pupil (saddhiviharika) as a son. To qualify as one, a bhikkhu must have at least have 10 vassas and other prerequisites. Also see nissaya, acariya.

Upasampada: initiation into the Sangha, full/higher ordination as a bhikkhu or bhikkhuni. Compare Pabbajja.

Uposatha: (1) Observance day which occurs on a dark or full moon day, (2) Observance — either the recitation of the Patimokkha, the declaration of purity, or determination of the day — that the bhikkhus and bhikkhunis perform on this day.

uttarasanga: upper robe, part of the ticivara.

V

vasika: razor, part of the eight basic requisites (parikkhara).

Vassa: Rains; Rainy Season; (1) three-month period, from the full moon of (usually) July to the full moon of (usually) October (corresponding roughly to the rainy season of the monsoon climate) during which each member of the Sangha is required to stay in a single place and certain restrictions are placed on his wanderings outside that place; (2) years' standing; measure of years ordained for a bhikkhu or bhikkhuni.

vatta: duty, service, monastic daily routine or service. For example, see acariya vatta.

veyyavaccakara: person who attends to a particular bhikkhu(s); monastic attendant/steward.

Vibhanga: See Vinaya Pitaka.

vihara: dwelling (place). It word is now widely used to mean monastery, although it originally does not carry that meaning. A better word for monastery is arama.

vikappana: arrangement whereby an item not in use is placed under shared ownership.

Vinaya: the monastic discipline which defines every aspect of the bhikkhus' and bhikkhunis' way of life for the right living and harmony of the Sangha.

vinayadhara: bearer of the Vinaya, Vinaya expert.

vinayakamma: See sanghakamma.

Vinaya Mukha: 'Entrance to Vinaya'; a guide to the Vinaya written in Thai in the early 20th century by Prince Vajirañanavarorasa, who ordained as a bhikkhu and eventually held the position of Supreme Patriarch of the Thai Sangha (Sangharaja) for many years. It is used as the official textbook on Vinaya for the examinations run by the Thai Ecclesiastical Board.

Vinaya Pitaka: the first division of the Tipitaka; the textual framework upon which the monastic community (Sangha) is built. It contains the code of rules by which bhikkhus and bhikkhunis are to conduct themselves individually , as well as the rules and procedures that support the harmonious functioning of the Sangha as a whole. The text is organized into the following parts:

• Suttavibhanga: 'Exposition of the Text'; contains almost all the material, including the "origin story", dealing with the Patimokkha rules.
• Bhikkhunivibhanga: 'Exposition of Bhikkhunis'; similar to the Suttavibhanga except that the rules mentioned here are for bhikkhunis only.
• Khandhakas, or 'Groupings', containing the remaining material organized loosely according to subject matter. It is divided into two parts:

1. Mahavagga, or 'Greater Chapter'
2. Cullavagga, or 'Lesser Chapter'

• Parivara, or 'Addenda'.

Vissasa: trust between friends.

W

X

Y

Z

yamakalika: juices drinks 'limited to one day'.

yavajivika: medicine 'for life'.

yavakalika: food 'limited from dawn to noon'.

yojana: league — a distance variously reckoned between 6 and 12 miles (9.7 -19.3 kilometers). A more generally accepted range would be 6-7 miles (9.7 - 11.3 kilometers).