A History of Indian Literature v2.c19.s2.21

v2.c19.s2.21

The Pāṭimokkha already indicates a fairly complicated organisation of the community.¹ The Khandhakās presuppose a still more advanced organisation. We are struck by the far-reaching liberality, if not laxity, in the rules for monastic life. According to the strict regulation the monk is to live only on what he obtains by begging, but he is also allowed to accept invitations to meals. He is to clothe himself in cast-off rags, but he may also wear garments of linen, cotton and even silk. He is to live at the foot of a tree, but he may also seek a more comfortable lodging in houses, huts or caves. Urine is to be his sole medicament, but he may also take butter, oil and honey. He may even eat fish, as long as the fish have not been killed for him.² All this indicates that there must have been a fairly long development of the discipline of the community prior to the final compilation of the Vinayapiṭaka, and that the bulk of the rules originated, not all at once, but gradually. On the other hand it has been shown that many of the regulations of the order of the community are identical with those which were in vogue among other sects of ascetics before Buddha.³ Nevertheless, all the rules and regulations of the Vinaya are attributed to Buddha himself; for just as in the Suttavibhaṅga, the rules and regulations in the Khandhakās too, are introduced by narratives recording when and on what occasion they were declared by Buddha. As regards style, too, the stories in the Khandhakās agree with those in the Suttavibhaṅga to so great an extent that we are bound to assume that they belong approximately to the same time.¹ In a few cases these stories may possibly have reference to actual events. In the majority of cases, however, they were probably invented *ad hoc*. On the whole, they are stereotyped, and of little value as literature.