Early Monastic Buddhism v1.c22.s2: Headship not by succession or nomination
Early Monastic Buddhism v1.c22.s2
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Headship not by succession or nomination
v1.c22.s2.1
Probably as a member of the clans which favoured democratic constitutions, Buddha became imbued with democratic ideas. He wanted to see his *saṅgha* grow on democratic lines and framed the rules accordingly. He himself, however, acted more as a dictator than as a constitutional head, prescribing rules and giving orders as he thought fit. He consulted the wishes of the people and kings more than those of his followers, and this was probably due to his eagerness to popularize the religion. In spite of the supreme authority wielded by him within the *saṅgha*, he did not like to admit that he was its leader or that the *saṅgha* relied on him as the leader.² From the words of Devadatta and Buddha’s reply to the same,³ it is apparent that the question of the headship of the *saṅgha* after Buddha’s demise was raised, but Buddha would not nominate any, not even his best disciples like Sāriputta and Moggallāna. In the history of Indian religious orders, the absence of the system of nominating a successor to the headship of an order was probably unknown before Buddha and so it was a riddle to men like Gopaka-Moggallāna who enquired of Ānanda how the *saṅgha* could maintain its concord when neither Buddha had named his successor nor had the *saṅgha* elected one to the supreme headship of the whole congregation.¹ Ānanda’s answer was that the *sangha* was not without a guide and that guide was the book of *Pātimokkha* containing the rules prescribed by Buddha himself for the monks. The *Pātimokkha* retained the concord of the *sangha*, for it required all the monks residing in or about a parish (*gāmakhetta*) to assemble on the *uposatha* days (i.e., 8th, 14th or 15th day of a fortnight), listen to the rules recited by one of them selected for the purpose, confess their derelictions, if any, and undergo the penance deemed necessary.² Ānanda added that the monk who was asked to recite the rules was regarded for the time being as the chief of the *sangha* and was called *sanghatthera*, *sanghapitara* or *sanghaparināyaka*. The qualities that an ideal *sanghapitara* or *sanghaparināyaka* was expected to possess were as follows:³ (a) he must be a true *brahmacārin*, observing all the restrictions prescribed in the *Pātimokkha*; (b) he should be vastly learned in the details of the *dhamma*; (c) he must be always satisfied with the food, bed and clothing that he might obtain; and (d) he must be proficient in the four forms of meditations and be in possession of the supernatural powers and *abhiññās*.
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² Dīgha, II, p. 100; cf. Milindapañha, p. 159.
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³ Vinaya, II, p. 188.
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¹ *Majjhima*, III, p. 9.
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² *Ibid.*, III, p. 10.
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³ *Ibid.*, p. 11-12.
v1.c22.s2.7
The *sanghatthera* was generally selected from among the older monks. In the account of the Second Council⁴ Sabbakāmi is described as a *sanghatthera* as he was the oldest ordained monk at the time. Generally the *sanghatthera* presided over the functions of *Pātimokkha*-assemblies, but in the deliberations of the Second Council, Revata thera took the lead, perhaps because he was more learned⁵ than Sabbakāmi, though spiritually he did not rise as high as the latter.⁶ The *sanghatthera* was given the highest position in an assembly of monks and it is enjoined in the *Mahāparinibbāna-sutta*¹ that he must be respected by all the monks.
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⁴ *Vinaya*, II, p. 303.
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⁵ *Ibid.*, p. 299.
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⁶ *Ibid.*, p. 304.
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¹ *Dīgha*, II, p. 77.
Linked texts (5)
- Cullavagga — Pāli
- Mahāparinibbānasutta — Pāli
- Gopakamoggallānasutta — Pāli
- Milindapañha — Pāli
- Majjhimanikāya — Pāli