When and how the disciplinary rules were laid down

For twenty years after the establishment of the Order there was neither injunction nor rule concerning Pārājika and Saṁghadisesa offences. The members of the Order of the early days were all Ariyas, the least advanced of whom was a Stream-winner, one who had attained the first Magga and Fruition, and there was no need for pre-scribing rules relating to grave offences.

But as the years went by, the Sarhgha grew in strength. Undesir-able elements not having the purest of motives but attracted only by the fame and gain of the bhikkhus began to get into the Buddha's Order. Some twenty years after the founding of the Order, it became necessary to begin establishing rules relating to grave offences.

It was through Bhikkhu Sudinna, a native of Kalanda Village near Vesalī, who committed the offence of having sexual intercourse with his ex-wife, that the first Pārājika rule came to be promulgated. It was laid down to deter bhikkhus from indulging in sexual intercourse.

When such a grave cause had arisen for which the laying down of a prohibitory rule became necessary, the Buddha convened an as¬sembly of the bhikkhus. It was only after questioning the bhikkhu con¬cerned and after the undesirability of committing such an offence had been made clear that a certain rule was laid down in order to prevent future lapses of similar nature.

The Buddha also followed the precedence set by earlier Buddhas. Using his supernormal powers, he reflected on what rules the earlier.


Buddhas would lay down under certain given conditions. Then he adopted similar regulations to meet the situation that had arisen in his time.

Source: Guide to Tipitaka by Sayagyi U Ko Lay

Seven Kinds of Transgression or Offence, Āpatti

The rules of discipline first laid down by the Buddha are called Mfilapanizatti (the root regulation) ; those supplemented later are known as Anupaňňatti. Together they are known as Sikkhāpadas, rules of discipline. The act of transgressing these rules of discipline, thereby incurring a penalty by the guilty bhikkhu, is called Āpatti, which means 'reaching, committing'.

The offences for which penalties are laid down may be classified  under seven categories depending on their nature:

(i)      Pārājika

(ii)    Saṁghādisesa

(iii)  Thullaccaya

(iv)   Pācittiya

(v)    Pātīdesaniya

(vi)   Dukkata

(vii)  Dubbhāsita

An offence in the first category of offences, Pārājika, is classified as a grave offence, garukāpatti, which is irremediable, atekicchā and entails the falling off of the offender from bhikkhuhood.

An offence in the second category, Saṁghādisesa, is also classi­fied as a grave offence but it is remediable, satekicchā. The offender is put on a probationary period of penance, during which he has to undertake certain difficult practices and after which he is rehabilitated by the Samghā assembly.

The remaining five categories consist of light offences, lahukāpatti, which are remediable and incur the penalty of having to confess the transgression to another bhikkhu. After carrying out the prescribed penalty, the bhikkhu transgressor becomes cleansed of the offence.

Source: Guide to Tipiaka By Sayagyi U Ko lay

Vinaya Pitaka Disciplinary and Procedural Rules for the Saṁgha

The Vinaya Pitaka is made up of rules of discipline laid down for regulating the conduct of the Buddha's disciples who have been ad­mitted as bhikkhus and bhikkhus into the Order. These rules em­body authoritative injunctions of the Buddha on modes of conduct and restraints on both physical and verbal actions. They deal with trans­gressions of discipline, and with various categories of restraints and admonitions in accordance with the nature of the offence.

Source: Guide To Tipika by Sayagyi U Ko Lay

A Torgya at the midnight of 29th day of ninth lunar month during Mahakala saddhana at Khampagar Monastery, Tashi Jong.

Prof. Deane Curtin, speaker at the Annual Spiritual Ecology Lecture, along with Mrs. Antonila Mathur chairing the talk...

 FILM FEST "Quotes from the Earth" An Environmental Film
 Festival.

Toxics Link and India International Centre invites everyone to the next in the series of ‘Quotes from the Earth’ – an Environmental Film Festival. The Festival will be a discursive platform to highlight environmental challenges at the national and international level through films, which are a powerful medium of communication and discussion. The two-day long environmental film festival will bring under one umbrella the persistent and persuasive films from India and around the world. A total of 17 films will be screened on themes of biodiversity, waste management, toxic chemicals and climate change. The films are directed by renowned and award winning film-makers from India and abroad. 

Organised in collaboration with Toxics Link and with the support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC, the seventh edition of the festival presents a screening of 17 films. The festival includes national award winning films covering the themes of bio-diversity, waste, climate change, chemicals and sustainability. Directors of some of the films will be present to introduce their films and lead a discussion

Source : 

1st Geshe ma.. wonderful..

A Historic moments of nuns achieving 1st Geshe-ma in the field of Buddhist studies. A goal that achieved only after several years of hard studies and passing all the major exams of all five major textbooks.

Kopan family is a proud and congrats to both Ani Namdrol Phuntsog and Ani Jangchub Gyalmo from Kopan Nunnery to accomplished their 1st Geshe in the presence of Gaden Tri-sur Rinpoche, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Chado Rinpoche, and Khen Rinpoche.

 Source :Kopan Monastery School

Nava NalandaMahavihara, Nalanda celebrated 65th Foundation Anniversary

Nava NalandaMahavihara, Nalanda Deemed University, Nalanda celebrated its glorious 65th foundation Anniversary on November 20, 2016, in which Shri Ramnath Kovind, the Governor of Bihar was the Chief Guest. Prof. Lokesh Chandra, a renowned scholar of Indology and Buddhism and the President of Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR), New Delhi was the Guest of Honour, who delivered the Special lecture on “Genesis of NalandaMahavihara (University)”. The Vice Chancellor Shri M. L. Srivastava distributed certificates of excellence to the students for achieving ranks in the various events of the university like sports, speech completions and regular examinations. On this occasion two books one, written by Dr. Shriknat Singh, titled “Interface Between Buddhism & English Literature” and two, Dr. H.K. Tiwari, titled “NaiKavita : VividhParidrishya ” were released by the Governor of Bihar. Inaugural programmewas followed by a cultural programme, performed by the students of the Mahavihara.

It is relevant to mention here that Nava NalandaMahavihara has been founded way back in 1951 with the inspiration of Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the First President of India under the initiation of Ven. BhikkhuJagadishKashyapa, one of the three revivalist of Buddhism in Modern India, in order to revive the lost glory of the ancient University of Nalanda. The publication of 42 volumes of PaliTripitak in Devanagari script has been one of achievements of this university, which has caught attention of scholars worldwide. The same has been ordered for reprint by its present Vice-Chancellor Shri M. L. Srivastava. The Mahavihara is functioning presently as a Deemed University under Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India since the year 2006. At present the University has eight Post Graduate and Research Departments in the subjects of Pali, Philosophy, Ancient History, Hindi, English, Sanskrit, Tibetan Studies, Buddhist Studies and Chinese Studies. Students of various South and Southeast Asian studies like Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Laos and Nepal are studying living in various campus hostels apart from Indians.

The University is split into three campuses- Academic, Residential and Cultural. The cultural campus known as Xuanzang Memorial premise includes a Museum Memorial in the name of this Chinese pilgrim built with Sino-Indian collaborative efforts, a Theme Park, Vipassana Meditation complex, Amphi- theatre and Sanskritik Gram Museum apart from many others. The campus attracts visitors from various parts of the globe. The Mahavihara also has a rich library with seventy thousand entries including rare manuscripts preserved in air conditioned separate location.

Source: Press Information Bureau (PIB)