Early Monastic Buddhism v2.c29.3

v2.c29.3

Buddha thought that the prescription of heavy punishments for schisms in the church would check them effectively and that his Dhamma and Vinaya were comprehensive enough to keep intact the religion established by him, obviating thereby the appointment of the supreme religious head. He magnified the unaided strength of *dhamma* and *vinaya*, and directed that his teachings would be the Teacher after his death.² Vassakāra asked Ānanda whether any bhikkhu had been specified by Buddha as would after his death become the leader of men under whom everybody would seek shelter. Ānanda answered in the negative. He asked again whether any bhikkhu had been selected by the Saṅgha as would become their leader etc. To this also Ānanda answered in the negative. Vassakāra was curious to learn the cause of the concord prevailng in the church inspite of there being no leader (lit. refuge). Ānanda replied “We are not without a refuge (appaṭisaraṇa), dhamma is our refuge. There is a treatise called Pātimokkha which has been formulated by the omniscient Teacher and which all the monks living in the same parish (gāmakkhetta) have to recite in a monastery where they assemble on the uposatha days. Should there occur any difference or doubt in the recitation, the bhikkhus present explain them in accordance with the dhamma (hence they have their refuge as dhamma).”¹ In answer to another question put by Vassakāra, Ānanda explained that though there was no supreme head of the fraternity but there was in each parish a qualified head who was respected by the people under his charge and whose guidance was strong enough to keep the great many parishes connected together in religious concord. This conversation makes it clear that each parish was under the control of the seniormost and the best qualified monk that the parish could furnish.²