Pratimoksha

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The Pratimoksha (skt.) deals with the buddhist vows of personal liberation given by the Buddha to his followers. "Prati" means 'towards' or 'every', "moksha" liberation from cyclic existence. The Pratimoksha comprehends the vows for nuns and monks (Buddhist monastics) as well as vows for the lay followers of Buddhism. The Pratimoksha belongs to the Vinaya of the Buddhist doctrine and is seen as the very basis of Buddhism. The Pratimoksha of the Mulasarvastavadin lineage, followed in Tibetan Buddhism, is taken for the whole life and the vows end when the person who received it died or has broken one or more of the four root vows. On the basis of the Pratimoksha there exist in Mahayana Buddhism two additional set of vows: The Bodhisattva vows and the Vajrayana vows. If these two set of vows are not broken, they will last to future lives. There is also a Dharmaguptaka Pratimoksha, followed in Chinese Buddhism.

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[edit] Patimokkha in Theravada

Main article: Patimokkha

The Patimokkha is the Pali equivalent of Pratimoksha (Sanskrit). It is being followed by the monks of the Theravada lineage (Thailand, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos).

[edit] Division in the Mulasarvastavadin Lineage

There are eight types of Pratimoksha vows:

[edit] The three set of Householders' vows (for Lay-Followers)

  • Fasting Vows (skt. Upavasa; tib. Nyung ne) - 8 vows
  • Laymans' Vows (skt. Upasaka; tib. Genyen) - 5 vows
  • Laywomans' Vows (skt. Upasika) - 5 vows

Upaasak means 'worshipper' and Upasikaa 'female worshipper.'

[edit] The Laymans' and Laywomans' Vows

The laywoman and layman Pratimoksha consists of 5 vows. They are also named as The Five Shilas (skt. moral discipline):

  • (1) to refrain from killing
  • (2) to refrain from stealing
  • (3) to refrain from false speech
  • (4) to refrain from sexual misconduct
  • (5) to refrain from using intoxicants

One is not obliged to take all five vows. The commentaries describe seven types of lay followers:

  1. Promising to keep just one vow
  2. Promising to keep certain vows
  3. Promising to keep most of them
  4. Promising to keep all five
  5. Keeping all five and also promising to keep the pure conduct of avoiding sexual contact
  6. Keeping all five, pure conduct, and wearing robes with the promise to behave like a monk or a nun
  7. Lay follower of mere refuge. This person is unable to keep the vows but he promises to go for refuge to the triple gem until death.

[edit] The five set of vows of those gone forth (for Monks and Nuns)

  • Male Novices' Vows (skt. Sramanera, tib. Getsul) - 36 vows
  • Female Novices' Vow (skt. Sramanerika, tib. Getsulma) - 36 vows
  • Probationer Nun's Vows (skt. Siksamana)
  • Full Nun's Vows (skt. Bhikshuni, tib. Gelongma) - 364 vows
  • Full Monk's Vows (skt. Bhikshu, tib. Gelong) - 253 vows

Only full monks and full nuns are seen as full members of the buddhist monastic order. A group of minimum 4 full ordained is seen as a Sangha. The Pratimoksha tells also how to purify faults, how to solve conflicts and deal with all kinds of situations which can happen in the Sangha Community.

[edit] See also

[edit] Resources and Literature

[edit] Mulasarvasatavadin Lineage

  • Novice Vows: Lama Mipham's commentary to Nagarjunas "Stanzas for a Novice Monk" together with "Essence of the ocean of Vinaya" by Tsongkhapa ISBN 81-86470-15-8 (LTWA India)
  • Full Monk Vows: "Advice from Buddha Sahkyamuni" by HH the 14th Dalai Lama, ISBN 81-86470-07-7 (LTWA India)
  • Complete Explanation of the Pratimoksha, Bodhisattva and Vajrayana Vows: "Buddhist Ethics" (Treasury of Knowledge: Book Five), Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Taye, ISBN 1-55939-191-X, Snow Lion Publications
  • Monastic Rites by Geshe Jampa Thegchok, Wisdom Books, ISBN 0-86171-237-4

Nyingma lineage:

  • Ngari Panchen: Perfect Conduct: Ascertaining the Three Vows, Wisdom Publication, ISBN 0-86171-083-5 (Commentary on the free sets of vows by Dudjom Rinpoche)

[edit] The two Sanskrit-Lineages

  • „Buddhist Monastic Discipline: The Sanskrit Pratimokksha Sutras of the Mahasamghikas and Mulasarvastavadins” by Charles S. Prebish, India, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 81-208-1339-1

[edit] External links

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