[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [Buddhist Sanskrit literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit) › [Monastic discipline of the Indian schools](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.vinaya) › [The Vinaya of the Mūlasarvāstivādins](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.vinaya.mulasarvastivada) › [Vinayavastu](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.vinaya.mulasarvastivada.vinayavastu) › [འདུལ་བ་གཞི](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.vinaya.mulasarvastivada.vinayavastu*bo) › [The Chapter on Going Forth; The Chapter on the Restoration Rite; The Chapter on Lifting Restrictions; The Chapter on the Rains; The Chapter on Medicines](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.vinaya.mulasarvastivada.vinayavastu*bo~en-84000) › intro.119 # འདལ་བ་གཞ intro.119 The Chapter on Going Forth; The Chapter on the Restoration Rite; The Chapter on Lifting Restrictions; The Chapter on the Rains; The Chapter on Medicines intro.119 - **Language:** English ### [intro.119](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.vinaya.mulasarvastivada.vinayavastu*bo~en-84000.intro.119) The exact meaning of the word prāti- in the title Prātimokṣa Sūtra and the related term prātimokṣa­saṃvara (“Prātimokṣa Vow”) has been the subject of debate for centuries.³⁴ Ācārya Śūra relates the three (Mūla-)sarvāstivādin interpretations in his Guide to The Prātimokṣa Sūtra.³⁵ The first interpretation reads prati (with a short a) to mean “first.” Mokṣa here, as in the next two interpretations, means “liberated,” so pratimokṣa means “first liberated.” Ācārya Śūra explains that Buddhist vow holders first obtain a vow or saṃvara after repeating a pledge three times.³⁶ Thus, a prātimokṣa­saṃvara is the “vow” by which one is “first liberated” from not having that vow. Here, the Sanskrit prefix prati is apparently used in its sense of “in opposition to, against, counter,”³⁷ as suggested by Ācārya Śūra’s opposition of vow-holding and not vow-holding. - [Previous: intro.118](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.vinaya.mulasarvastivada.vinayavastu*bo~en-84000.intro.118) - [Next: intro.120](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.vinaya.mulasarvastivada.vinayavastu*bo~en-84000.intro.120) - [Up: intro](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.vinaya.mulasarvastivada.vinayavastu*bo~en-84000.intro) --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.vinaya.mulasarvastivada.vinayavastu*bo~en-84000.intro.119](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.sanskrit.vinaya.mulasarvastivada.vinayavastu*bo~en-84000.intro.119) · Pramāṇa