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Questions about Vinaya

Short answers, pulled from the story.

When was the Vinaya Piñaka recited at the First Buddhist Council?

The complete Vinaya Piñaka was recited by Upāli at the First Buddhist Council shortly after the parinirvana or death of the Buddha. Traditional accounts fix the origins during the lifetime of the Buddha, yet all existing manuscript traditions date from significantly later periods.

What are the four main components of the Vinaya text structure?

The core of the Vinaya is a set of rules known as the Pātimokkha in Pali and the Prātimokśa in Sanskrit followed by the Suttavibhañga commentary section. The third division is known as the Khandhaka meaning divisions or chapters and the final segment called the Kśudrakavastu contains miscellanea that do not belong to other sections.

Which three Vinaya traditions remain in use by modern ordained sanghas today?

Three Vinaya traditions remain in use by modern ordained sanghas: the Theravada in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia, Mulasarvastivada in Tibetan Buddhism and the Himalayan region, and Dharmaguptaka in East Asian Buddhism. Five other Vinaya schools of Indian Buddhism are preserved in Asian canonical manuscripts including those of the Kasyapīya Mahasamghika Mahisakasa Sammatiya and Sarvastivada.

When was the Four-Part Vinaya translated into Chinese by Buddhayaśas?

The Four-Part Vinaya of the Dharmaguptaka school gained predominant authority after being translated into Chinese in 405 CE by the Kashmīri monk Buddhayaśas. This text outlined a disciplinary code of 250 rules for monks and 348 for nuns within the Southern Mountain School named after the Zhongnanshan region where its founder Daoxuan resided.

On what date did Tibetan Buddhists officially recommence full ordination of bhikshuni nuns in Bhutan?

Tibetan Buddhists officially recommenced full ordination of bhikshuni nuns in Bhutan on the 23rd of June 2022 when 144 women were ordained. According to Nyingma school and Kagyu school scholars the full ordination lineage was transmitted in Tibet by Shantarakshita but did not survive later persecution undertaken by Udum Tsenpo.