Vinaya Essentials from the Four-Part Vinaya (四分律拾毗尼義鈔)

A Brief Introduction to the Vinaya Pitaka in Six Sections

First, during the Tathāgata's lifetime, the precepts were established under five names, yet they were not divided. The Tathāgata, from the Deer Park to the Crane Forest, tailored the precepts according to the capacities of beings, resulting in countless variations. Why? Because the dispositions of sentient beings differ, and their inclinations vary, leading the sage's teachings to differ in strictness and urgency. The various schools have innumerable distinctions in their interpretations of the precepts. Though they differ, each corresponds to the nature of the practitioners, and all bring benefit to those who uphold them. For this reason, the sage's teachings originally had five names. If this were not the case, the *Dharma Transmission Record* states, "During the Buddha's lifetime, they were divided into five schools," which would be meaningless. Moreover, the *Vaipulya Sūtra* says, "Study which Vinaya among the five schools?" and the *Mahāvaipulya Sūtra* states, "The belongings of the five schools of monks may be shared." Such scriptures can also be cited. However, according to the *Mahāsaṃnipāta Sūtra* and the *Mañjuśrī Paripṛcchā*, during the Buddha's lifetime, there was no distinction in meaning among the five schools. Why? The Tathāgata, for the benefit of others, attained enlightenment and realized the supreme joy of the One Vehicle. When he intended to teach, the practices of sentient beings varied, and they could not follow a single path. Thus, he skillfully taught the distinctions of the three vehicles. This is an analogy. Now, regarding the Vinaya Piṭaka, since the Buddha himself did not clearly distinguish it, during his lifetime, there was no intention to establish five schools. If there were such an intention, it should have been like the three vehicles, with distinct names given, and not remain as a single body. Question: If there was no intention to establish five schools, and no shared practice with distinctions in strictness, why does the scripture say, "After my parinirvāṇa, my Vinaya will be divided into five schools"? Answer: As stated in the *King Ajātaśatru's Ten Dreams Sūtra*, "If, after my passing, it is divided into five collections, it does not mean that during my lifetime there was already an intention for five schools." The word "divided" here should be understood in this context. Another explanation for why it was not divided is twofold: First, the teacher was one—who would contend and cause division? Although the Buddha's disciples are said to be five, they inherited and transmitted the teachings across different generations to guide beings, so it is said to be one. Second, the beings receiving the teachings did not dispute among themselves. Why? Beings with sharp faculties each reflect, "It is due to our different capacities that the sage's teachings vary in strictness. What is there to dispute? We each understand the intention of the teaching and practice according to our division." For these reasons, during the sage's lifetime, there was no intention to establish five schools, only prophecies that after the Buddha's passing, the various schools would begin to diverge.

Second, to distinguish between extensive and abridged teachings: According to the Ekottara Āgama, all six Buddhas abided for a long time and taught both extensive and abridged methods. The first Buddha, with a lifespan of 84,000 years, established extensive precepts 100 years after his parinirvāṇa. The second Buddha, with a lifespan of 70,000 years, established extensive prohibitions 80 years after his parinirvāṇa. The third Buddha, with a lifespan of 70,000 years, established extensive teachings 70 years after his parinirvāṇa. The fourth Buddha, with a lifespan of 60,000 years, established extensive teachings 60 years after his parinirvāṇa. The fifth Buddha, with a lifespan of 40,000 years, established extensive precepts 40 years after his parinirvāṇa. The sixth Buddha, with a lifespan of 20,000 years, established extensive precepts 20 years after his parinirvāṇa.

Question: If that is the case, then all Buddhas taught both extensive and abridged methods, and their abiding and decline should be equal. Why does the Four-Part Vinaya say that the Buddha told Shariputra: "The Dharma of Vipaśyin Buddha, Śikhin Buddha, Krakucchanda Buddha, and Kāśyapa Buddha, practiced with pure conduct, abided for a long time," extensively explained, and so on, while "the Dharma of Viśvabhū Buddha and Kanakamuni Buddha did not abide long"? Thus, four abided long and two were short—how is this contradiction resolved?

First explanation: The decline of the two Buddhas refers to the abridged teachings in contrast to the extensive teachings, hence it is said they did not abide long. Thus, for these two Buddhas, the extensive teachings are concealed, and only the abridged are highlighted, so it is said they did not abide long. For the four Buddhas, the abridged is concealed, and the extensive is revealed to guide their long abiding. Therefore, this serves as an introduction for Shariputra to make his request.

If following the Five-Part Vinaya, it says the first three did not abide long, and the latter three abided long. Further question: If so, then why did the extensive teachings decline so quickly? Explanation: The five categories of precepts constitute the extensive teachings, including their practice and transmission. The extensive and abridged teachings are not limited to one aspect. The same applies to the retreat and confession ceremonies. Thus, although the Dharma may decline, the practice and transmission of precepts differ from the other four, which are transmitted only to inner disciples and not to later generations.

Question: The Nirvāṇa Sūtra says that Kāśyapa Buddha's Dharma abided in the world for seven days. Why then is it said here to have abided long? Answer: For those of sharp faculties, seven days of provisional teachings were sufficient for practice. Hence the sūtra says, "Seven days, seven days." If they surpassed this, they attained maturity without relying on further teachings, so it is said to have declined. For those of dull faculties, they always relied on teachings for practice. Hence it is said here to have abided long. This refers only to the extensive and abridged aspects of the preceptual teachings. The transformative teachings also have extensive and abridged meanings, but the sequence of first abridged then extensive is fixed and easy to contemplate.

The third point discusses the timing of precept recitation. During the Buddha's lifetime, he only taught the concise precepts. The concise precepts, being brief, encompass both major and minor offenses, and practicing them brings benefit. The disciples taught the detailed precepts to clarify the conduct of the assembly. Another explanation is that the Buddha was not part of the monastic community, so he could not preside over the recitation. Yet another explanation is that the detailed precepts are specific teachings; if taught only for the sake of five offenses, the benefit would not be universal, as offenses differ in severity. Therefore, the *Shanjian Lü* states: "All Buddhas only teach the instructional Prātimokṣa, not the majestic Prātimokṣa." This means the concise precepts simply point out the three karmas and offer direct admonishment, hence they are called instructional. The detailed precepts recount events to inspire awe, hence they are called majestic. The *Four-Part Vinaya* also says: "You yourselves declare this as the Tathāgata's final teaching of the precepts." This serves as evidence.

Question: Why then could the disciples teach the precepts to offenders? Explanation: According to the *Five-Part Vinaya* and others, the Buddha said: "One should not use the divine eye to expose offenses, but should use the physical eye." Moreover, the Buddha could not cause offenders' heads to split into seven pieces, whereas disciples could. Since the Buddha differed in this regard, he did not teach the detailed precepts.

Regarding the timing of the Buddha's teaching of the precepts, the scriptures and commentaries vary. The *Shanjian Lü* states: "For the first twenty years after attaining enlightenment, the Tathāgata consistently taught the concise precepts, later entrusting them to the disciples." The *Sarvāstivāda Vinaya* says: "For the first twelve years after attaining enlightenment, the Buddha taught the concise precepts to the faultless monastic community." The *Four-Part Vinaya* agrees. Differences arise due to varying perspectives. The *Shanjian Lü* also states: "Past Buddhas did not establish precepts for śrāvaka disciples because there were no offenses, so they did not establish the majestic Prātimokṣa, nor did they recite the precepts every half-month. They even recited precepts only once every six years, with all bhikkhus gathering before the Buddha for the uposatha. After six years, monastics with spiritual powers would come, while those without would be informed by devas, who would then carry their robes and bowls through divine power to the uposatha site. There, teachings such as 'forbearance is the foremost path' were given." Further details are found in the *Great Commentary*.

The fourth and fifth masters maintained the teachings without division. According to the first commentary, they harmonized and preserved them for twenty years each, passing down the Dharma treasury for a hundred years through an unbroken succession of five masters, though the exact years are not detailed. The *Mañjuśrī Paripṛcchā Sūtra* states: "A hundred years after the Buddha's passing, the division began. The first master was the monk Kāśyapa. After the Buddha's parinirvāṇa, he upheld both the teachings of principle and practice, perfectly comprehensive and adaptable to all capacities. When his transformative work was complete, the *Mahākaruṇā Sūtra* says he entrusted the Dharma treasury to Ānanda, then manifested great compassion at Mount Kukkuṭapāda, vowing to sustain the teachings through his power. Without entering final nirvāṇa, he transformed the disciples of Maitreya Buddha through eighteen miraculous displays, fulfilled his vows, and then entered nirvāṇa."

The second master, the monk Ānanda, received this entrustment and fully propagated the teachings. As the scriptures record, Ānanda was on a boat in the Ganges River when two kings both invited him. Not knowing whom to favor, he entered nirvāṇa midstream to avoid conflict. It is also said that he entrusted two disciples: one named Śāṇavāsa, the "placenta-robed monk," so called because he was born clothed in a placenta that grew with him; and the other named Madhyāntika. Śāṇavāsa taught in Mathurā, while Madhyāntika taught in Kashmir. Both taught side by side. Thus, the third master was Madhyāntika, and the fourth was Śāṇavāsa. They upheld the Dharma completely, without omission, preserving the Eighty Recitations Vinaya in Mathurā, where he was known as the Mathurā Vinaya Master. When nearing nirvāṇa, he entrusted the teachings to the fifth master, Upagupta.

Upagupta was skilled in teaching the Dharma but lacked the thirty-two marks; thus, people called him "the Buddha without marks." In upholding the teachings, he surpassed his master, though he selectively emphasized essential Vinaya rules. These five masters all inwardly possessed clear wisdom, deeply understood profound subtleties, realized the Dharma through diverse means, and skillfully adapted to transform beings, transmitting the sacred teachings to benefit the world. For the first hundred years, the teachings remained undivided, still forming a single great Vinaya collection.

**Section 55: Five Teachers and the Division of the Scripture**

The Fifth Teacher, Zhangzhe Ran, had five disciples, each with a different understanding of the truth. Though they all fully comprehended the profound principles, each clung to their own interpretation as the only standard, unable to harmonize. Consequently, they split the entire canon into separate schools, which gained prominence in the world.

Later, in the final era after the Buddha, King Ashoka gathered many scholars to debate the Dharma. Each held different views, and their biases led them to support partial truths. Unable to make a clear judgment, the scholar Jodha divided the canon into five traditions, each with their own teachings—passed down through the ages. This happened because the teachings came from multiple masters, and these five teachers, living simultaneously, held differing views that contradicted each other, as described in the *Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra*.

Because of these differences, factions formed, each supporting their own side. They debated fiercely with each other, yet those who followed their paths all attained enlightenment. The *Mahāsaṃnipāta Sūtra* also says: "After my passing, my disciples will misinterpret the meaning, proclaiming it upside-down. Thus, the concealed Dharma called *Dharmagupta* means 'the teaching of inverted interpretations.' Because the Dharma is divided into four parts, the order of instruction is set: first result, then cause—hence, 'inverted speech.' They hide the true meaning that cause comes before result."

Some say: "They accept existence in three times—past, present, future—and both inner and outer phenomena. Skilled in debate, they refute non-Buddhist views, claiming all beings can receive precepts. They answer any challenge well. This is called *Sarvāstivāda*." This means "the doctrine of existence in three times" and "the refuter of heretical doctrines." Their texts are the *Daśabhaṇavāra Vinaya*.

Another says: "They teach no self and no receiver, and they transform afflictions like a dead corpse. This is called *Kāśyapīya*." It means "the understanding of emptiness of beings" and "the emphasis on the emptiness of seeing." Their texts are the *Vimukti Vinaya*.

Another says: "They do not create concepts of earth or consciousness, so they are called *Mahīśāsaka*." This means "the broad interpretation" and "the school of non-attachment to being or non-being." Their texts are the *Pañcabhāṇavāra Vinaya*.

Another says: "They all assert existence of self and do not preach emptiness, like children—hence *Vātsīputrīya*." This means "the school that clings to existence." Its origins are unknown, and the nature of its doctrines is unclear.

Another says: "They broadly and thoroughly study the five classes of scriptures, hence *Mahāsāṃghika*." This means "the great and harmonious community" and "the great assembly." The exact division of their doctrines is unknown.

The Buddha said: "These five schools, though different, do not obstruct nirvana." According to the *Śrāmaṇera Vinaya and Robes and Colors Text*, they praise the Sarvāstivāda School: its follower, a man of broad knowledge and keen intelligence, guides with wisdom and teaches the Dharma, wearing a crimson robe. The Dharmagupta School: its follower strictly observes pure precepts and judges the Dharma, wearing a black robe. The Mahīśāsaka School: its follower deeply contemplates and fully realizes profound truths, wearing a blue robe. The Kāśyapīya School: its follower diligently advances, courageously decides, and rescues sentient beings, wearing a magnolia-colored robe. The Mahāsāṃghika School: its follower diligently studies all sutras and expounds on their principles, wearing a yellow robe.

According to oral tradition passed down through three scriptures, two hundred years later, these schools further split into twelve sub-schools. From Sarvāstivāda came the Bāṣpa School. From Bāṣpa came three others: (1) Dharmottara, (2) Bhadrayānīya, and (3) Ṣaṇṇagarika. Thus, with the root and branches, there are now five schools.

From Kāśyapīya came two: (1) Saṃbhoga (Saṅgha) and (2) Kṣānti (Kṣamā?). Adding the root makes three, which with the previous five completes eight. From Mahīśāsaka came one: (1) Intermediate View. Adding these two makes ten. Only Dharmagupta and Mahāsāṃghika remained undivided. In total, with the earlier ten, there are now twelve sub-schools.

After four hundred years, they split into eighteen. From Mahāsāṃghika alone came six: (1) Vestige, (2) Minor Sand, (3) Arrangement, (4) Veda, (5) House, and (6) Upper House. Adding these six to the previous twelve gives eighteen schools.

Thus, after the Buddha’s passing, there were twenty schools. As the *Mañjuśrīparipṛcchā Sūtra* says: "In the future, my disciples will have twenty schools, all stabilizing their views." These twenty schools all attain the four fruits of enlightenment. The three scriptures are equal, with no hierarchy of lesser or greater. This is extensively explained in the great commentary.

**Sixth: The Distinction Between General and Specific**

The first five points are about specifics—they focus on personal views that lean toward bias. As the sutra says, "Although each is distinct and different, we know them to be specific." The Sangha (the general whole) is about unity. Here, the monastic community's practice and understanding are open and unobstructed. They do not cling to biased views. They recognize that individual perspectives, while different, each align in their own way with what is appropriate and free from error. This is why it is also said that "reviewing the five divisions of the teachings comprehensively" is the general way.

Question: If so, why did the Buddha, in his encouragement, only mention "these five divisions" and not a sixth?

Answer: The Buddha saw that specific views might cause some to reject them. Therefore, he specifically listed the five views to encourage people—without implying that the general Sangha way was unimportant. The Sangha way involves practicing these five perspectives, so there was no need to separately encourage it. Even though it is a practice of five, it is still valid. As for the detailed discussion of the distinctions between the specific and the general in the Four Part Vinaya, a fuller explanation can be found in separate commentaries. The essential outline of the Vinaya Pitaka is thus explained.