The Verañja-kaṇḍa, which introduces the Pali Vinaya, is as unusual as it is important. It will be argued here that its peculiar narrative, set in the obscure North-West and focusing on the six Buddhas of the past, is a veiled reference to Buddhist debates of the mid 4th century BC. Part of a major restructuring of the Vinaya around the time of the Second Council, the Verañja-kaṇḍa helped distinguish ‘Pātimokkha Buddhism’ from the looser, more ascetic movement of Gotama.
目次
An outline of the Verañja-kaṇḍa 181 The composition of the Verañja-kaṇḍa 182 Former Buddhas and ‘little Buddhas 185 The Pātimokkha in the Suttas 187 The Pātimokkha as a ritual recitation 192 The evolution of the Pātimokkha 194 Move to the monastery, or stay in the forest? 196 The Vajjiputtaka problem reconsidered 199 Appendix 1: Dating the Second Council 201 Appendix 2: AN 3.83 (Ee I.230-31) 203
