The Chapter on the Restoration Rite
Glossary

Monastics are asked to speak up if they cannot “accept” a motion or official act of the saṅgha.

An official act of the saṅgha that requires an initial motion followed by the statement of the proposed act. I. B. Horner translates the Pāli correlate as “a vote following directly upon a motion.”

An official act of the saṅgha that requires an initial motion followed by the statement of the proposed act, repeated three times. Such an act is needed to fully ordain a person and to officially threaten an intransigent monk, for example. I. B. Horner translates the Pāli correlate as “a resolution at which the motion is put three times and then followed by the decision.”

An official act of the saṅgha in which the motion suffices, with no need to formally state the act. Such an act is employed, for instance, before a candidate for ordination is asked about confidential matters pertaining to his fitness for ordination.

Agreement is reached if all monastics present remain silent when asked to voice objections to a motion or act.

For at least five years after ordination, monks and nuns must live with or near a monastic mentor or “support” (Tib. gnas; Skt. niśraya). Generally, the preceptor (Tib. mkhan po; Skt. upādhyāya) serves as the new monk or nun’s “support,” in which case the new admit is called a “ward.” But if the mentee wishes to travel while their mentor does not (or vice versa), the ward must take a new support from among the saṅgha elders. The new support is known as the “support instructor” (Tib. gnas kyi slob dpon; Skt. niśrayācārya) while the new monk or nun is known as their “apprentice” (Tib. nye gnas; Skt. antevāsika). See The Chapter on Going Forth (Toh 1, ch. 1, 1.628–1.678).

A grove in Rājagṛha donated to the Buddha by King Bimbisāra. See the 84000 Knowledge Base article Veṇuvana and Kalandakanivāpa.

One of three fasteners, along with levers (Tib. ’khor gtan) and cross bolts (Tib. gnam gzer), that the Buddha allowed to secure doors.

A saṅgha at ease is a properly functioning monastic community, where official acts of the saṅgha, but especially the restoration rite, are observed. Kalyāṇamitra twice glosses the phrase “be at ease.” In the first example, he explains that monks are at ease in the knowledge that so long as they are on site, they will never be considered “separated from” their mantle, which would otherwise entail a fault. In a subsequent gloss, he writes that “to be at ease” means “to obtain purity” and hence “the joy felt due to the remission of one’s offenses.” This describes the state of a monastic who has made amends for their offenses. See Kalyāṇamitra (F.313.b–314.a): dge slong rnams bde ba la reg par gnas pa zhes bya ba ni las ’grub pa dang/ kha na ma tho ba med par ’gyur ba’i phyir ro, and F.318.a: bde ba la reg pa zhes bya ba ni rnam par dag pa thob pa ste/ ltung ba dang bral ba’i rgyus yid yongs su dga’ ba’o.

A boarding monk is a short-term occupant who is not familiar with the inner or outer workings of the community.

A monastic “site” (Tib. gnas; Skt. āvāsa) is demarcated by boundaries set by the saṅgha. Such boundaries are set when first establishing a permanent monastic residence or when demarcating an ad hoc site, where forest-dwelling monks may gather every two weeks to recite The Prātimokṣa Sūtra, for example. A gathering of all the monks within a site’s boundaries constitutes a “quorum,” which is necessary for enacting formal acts of the saṅgha.

In the first chapters of The Chapter on Monastic Discipline, Kalyāṇamitra explains “breach” to mean a “misdeed” (Tib. nyes byas; Skt. duṣkṛta) (Toh 4113, F.324.b–325.a). In his comments on The Chapters on Minor Matters of Discipline, however, Śīlapālita cites instances or opinions in which a “breach” refers variously to a saṅgha remnant, a grievous fault, a simple atonement, or a misdeed, before concluding that a breach’s class of offense must be determined according to context: (Toh 4115, F.183.b).

Kalyāṇamitra explains that a brigand is a person who seeks to steal another’s belongings (Toh 4113, F.318.a).

The Chapter on the Restoration Rite introduces five types of caretakers who manage and administer the saṅgha’s movable and immovable property at a monastic site. The five kinds of caretaker (Tib. bstabs pa; Skt. parihāra) are called: (1) “site caretaker” (Tib. gnas bstabs pa; Skt. vastuparihāra), (2) “residence caretaker” (Tib. gnas mal bstabs pa; Skt. śayanāsana­parihāra), (3) “work caretaker” (Tib. las bstabs pa; Skt. karmaparihāra), (4) “supplies caretaker” (Tib. rnyed pa bstabs pa; Skt. lābhaparihāra), and (5) “attendant caretaker” (Tib. bsnyen bkur ba bstabs pa; Skt. upasthāyaka­parihāra). (3.­3-3.­10).

Kalyāṇamitra explains that a “claimed” (zin pa) site means one that is suitable for use (Kalyāṇamitra, F.313.a.1–2).

The expression “communicated through the headings”‍—more literally “announced/proclaimed by the hearing”‍—refers to simply reciting the names of the five types of offense without reciting the specific offenses that comprise those categories. Dharmamitra explains that once the reciter has begun to recite the specific offenses that comprise that type of offense, that section must be recited in full in order to qualify as a proper and complete Prātimokṣa recitation (Toh 4120, vol. yu, F.109.b).

The fourth and second least severe class of monastic offense. The Buddha prohibited four such acts for monks.

The one who receives a monastic’s confession or disclosure of an offense.

Monastics absent from any official act of the saṅgha (except the demarcating of a boundary, which is done to establish a monastic site) must first send word that they consent to any formal actions taken in their absence. Such consent is sent by proxy. If monastics cannot attend the restoration rite or the rite of lifting restrictions, they must convey a profession of their purity as well as their consent to the act. A monastic gives consent so that the saṅgha can have a quorum when performing official acts. A profession of purity is required from all monastics within a boundary before The Prātimokṣa Sūtra can be recited during the restoration rite. See Kalyāṇamitra (F.318.a–b).

Kalyāṇamitra explains that a “created” (byas pa) site is akin to an abode created by a resident animal (Kalyāṇamitra, F.313.a.1–2).

One of the fasteners, along with levers (Tib. ’khor gtan) and bars (Tib. phred gtan), that the Buddha allowed to bar doors and windows.

Kalyāṇamitra explains that “daily practice” refers to engaging in virtuous endeavors (Toh 4113, F.222.b).: nyin mo spyod pa zhes bya ba ni nyin par dge ba’i phyogs byed pa’o. Dharmamitra mentions the “place for daily practice” as the place where monks should gather to listen to Dharma teachings in the night leading up to the restoration rite; Dharmamitra (Toh 4120, vol. yu, F.145.a): tshes bcu bzhi’i nyin mo spyod yul du de skad sbran nas tshes bcu bzhi’i nub mo thams cad tshogs pa na dge slong mdo sde dang ’dul ba dang ma mo ’dzin pa gsol ba btab pa dag gis mtshan thog thag tu kha ton gdon pas chos mnyan pa sbyin par bya’o. Note that Edgerton defines the Skt. divāvihāra as “daily rest” (p. 264, col. 2), as in a siesta. In the Mūalsarvāstivādin sources, however, wards and apprentices are allowed time in the morning and afternoon to cultivate their own practice of recitation and meditation. Wards and apprentices also are depicted spending this time in walking meditation and paying homage to reliquaries.

Kalyāṇamitra explains this to mean being ever mindful of good qualities (Toh 4113, F.133.a).

One of five types of offense a monk can incur. A defeat involves a “complete lapse” (Tib. nyams; Skt. vipatti) of the Prātimokṣa Vow, which might be incurred in one of four ways. Hence, a monk must refrain from each of the four defeats. A monk who incurs a defeat may request and be “given a training” (Tib. bslab pa byin pa; Skt. śikṣādatta), which allows him to continue living among the saṅgha in a position subordinate to monks and nuns. If a defeated monk does not request and receive a training, he forfeits his “common living” (Tib. gnas pa; Skt. saṃvāsa) in the saṅgha, that is, his right to a share of the saṅgha’s resources, beginning with dwellings, food, robes, and medicine.

A monk is denied the “common living” (Tib. gnas pa; Skt. saṃvāsa) after incurring a “defeat” (Tib. phas pham pa; Skt. pārājikā). Here, “common living” denotes a monk’s right to a share of the saṅgha’s resources, beginning with dwellings, food, robes, and medicine. A monk who incurs a defeat may request and be “given a training” (Tib. bslab pa byin pa; Skt. śikṣādatta), which allows him to share in the saṅgha’s common living but in a position subordinate to monks and nuns. If a defeated monk does not request and receive a training, he forfeits his right to the “common living” and hence his livelihood in the saṅgha.

The common name for a monastic’s living quarters.

A common ancient Indian measure which is said to be one-quarter or one-eighth of the distance of a furlong (Tib. dpag tshad; Skt. yojana).

The monastic recipient of an act of generosity should dedicate the fruits of that generosity on behalf of the patron. Kalyāṇamitra explains that to “explain patronage” (yon bshad pa) means to explain the benefits of generosity after reciting the Three Implements (Kalyāṇamitra, F.312.a.5).

See n.­214.

See n.­214.

Someone engaged in the same spiritual path as the protagonist.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

A measure of distance sometimes translated as “league,” but with varying definitions. The Sanskrit term denotes the distance yoked oxen can travel in a day or before needing to be unyoked. From different canonical sources the distance represented varies between four and ten miles.

A wooden beam, sounded like a gong as a summons or marker of time and occasion. In The Chapter on the Restoration Rite, the Buddha states that the gaṇḍī beam may be used in five ways: to summon the saṅgha, for formal acts, for the dead, for meditation, and for danger. See also The Gaṇḍī Sūtra (Toh 298), where the Buddha describes the gaṇḍī beam’s use and characteristics.

To “gather at the site” in order to do the restoration rite and so on together. If one of the monks on site does not come to the site where an official act of the saṅgha is to be done (or send his consent for the act through a proxy), the saṅgha will not have a quorum, and the act will not be established. See (Toh 4113, F.313.b).

The content of The Chapters on Monastic Discipline is condensed into metered lists called “summaries” (Tib. sdom; Skt. uddāna) or “verse summaries” (Tib. sdom gyi tshigs su bcad pa; Skt. uddānagāthā). Each chapter has a “global summary,” composed of several topics, which form the basis of subsequent “summaries.” Very occasionally, specific elements of a chapter will be recapitulated in “intervening summaries” (Tib. bar sdom; Skt. antaroddāna).

According to Kalyāṇamitra, these are to be confessed, though opinion differs on whether this should be done within the boundary in front of the whole assembly, outside of it, in front of it, behind it, or to a single individual (Toh 4113, F.277.a).

The Tib. khyams (Skt. prāsāda) is one of many related terms for an assembly hall that appears in the Kangyur and Tengyur, such as (1) “meditation residence” (Tib. spong khang; Skt. prahāṇaśālā), (2) “multistoried structure” (Tib. khang pa rtseg ma’i khyams; Skt. kūṭāgāraśālā), (3) “temple” (Tib. khang bzangs; Skt. prāsāda), (4) “steps” (Tib. bang rim; Skt. pariṣaṇḍā), and (5) “courtyard” (Tib. ’khor gyi khyams; Skt. maṇḍalavāṭa).

Kalyāṇamitra describes the “hall steps” as the vihara entrance’s middle level (F.316.a).

Śīlapālita explains that here “holy” (Tib. tshangs pa; Skt. brahman) refers to nirvāṇa, and so, for Buddhists, a life or practice (Tib. spyod pa; Skt. carya) oriented to that end amounts to a “holy life.” See Śīlapālita (Toh 4115, F.43.b): tshangs pa ni mya ngan las ’das pa yin la/ de’i rgyu mtshan du spyod pa ni tshangs par spyod pa ste/ de dang ’gal ba ni mi tshangs par spyod pa’o.

A demarcated area within a larger boundary. An official act of the saṅgha requires (1) a quorum of all monks present within the monastery’s larger boundary, or (2) a quorum of monks within an “inner circle.”

The Sanskrit term ghaṭikā, has two meanings, “water-jar, bucket” and “small stick.” For full details see n.­111.

Although Tib. bya ka lan da ka gnas pa is, strictly speaking, a translation of the alternative name Kalandakanivāsa, this name is spelled Kalandakanivāpa in this and other chapters of the Vinayavastu where Skt. is extant.

The Buddha encourages Kapphiṇa to attend the restoration rite even though he has incurred no offenses. Thereafter, the Buddha then describes how the boundaries of a monastic site are to be demarcated.

Forms part of a pair with “lock” (Tib. lde mig).

Used for opening windows.

A Buddhist lay vow holder holds at least one of the five vows for lay people (upāsaka/upāsikā): refraining from (1) taking life, (2) stealing, (3) making pretense to superhuman qualities, (4) sexual misdeeds or, in some cases, sexual conduct altogether, and (5) intoxicants like alcohol.

Śīlapālita, in his commentary on The Minor Matters of Monastic Discipline (Toh 4115, F.21.b), explains, “The lever is a way to prevent the door panels from opening. A small wooden peg, one cubit long, is affixed in the center between two door panels. Because this piece of wood turns like a wheel in order to hold the doors in place, it is called a ‘lever.’ ” This is one of three fasteners, along with cross bolts (Tib. gnam gzer) and bars (Tib. phred gtan), that the Buddha allowed to bar doors.

Forms part of a pair with “key” (Tib. lde mig kyog po).

Lit. “should make amends.” Monks and nuns must confess offenses and “make amends” for them. The proper procedure for making amends for offenses is described in The Chapter on the Restoration Rite (Toh 1-2, 4.­47), where the monastic acknowledges the fault and then resolves to refrain from such behavior in the future. In the Tengyur, the Tibetan verb is usually given as phyir bcos pa. In The Chapter on Lifting Restrictions, the Skt. pratikartavyā is rendered in Tibetan as slar bgyi’o, as in the oft-repeated statement, “If I know of or see an offense, I will properly make amends for that offense in accord with the Vinaya” (Toh 1-3, 1.­32: ltung ba shes zhing mthong na chos bzhin ’dul ba bzhin slar bgyi’o; Skt. jānaṃ paśyann āpattiṃ yathādharmaṃ yathāvinayaṃ pratikariṣye).

In the Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya, the basket of abhidharma is called mātṛkā (Tib. ma mo; Eng. “mother”).

Before a formal gathering of the saṅgha, the matter at hand requiring the monks’ presence is announced. After this the gaṇḍī beam is struck to summon the monks to the meeting.

This monk manages the meditation residence. Their duties include sprinkling the floor of the meditation hall with water, sweeping it, spreading a fresh paste of dung over it, laying out the seats, cleaning the toilets, sprinkling water over their floor, sweeping them out, spreading a fresh paste of dung over them, and setting out piles of leaves, clods of dirt, earth, and water.

This term refers both to the dwellings and communal structures like a meditation hall at a monastic site. More literally “shelter for exertion”, Kalyāṇamitra describes this as a “place for the cultivation of samādhi” (F.309.a: spong khang zhes bya ba ni bsam gtan sgom pa’i gnas so). Asaṅga’s Abhidharma­samuccaya uses the Skt. prahāṇa (Tib. spong ba) as “meditation” in the phrase samyakprahāṇa; Tib. yang dag par spong ba. On the Pāli correlate, padhāna, see Paravahera Vajirañāṇa Mahāthera 2022, p. 22.

A monastic engaged in the practice of “renunciation” or “abandonment” (Tib. spong ba, Skt. prahāṇa), which is taken to be a synecdoche for “meditation.” In this Chapter on the Restoration Rite, the meditation in question takes the form of a meditation on the impurity of the human body. See also n.­121.

The fifth and least severe of the five kinds of offense monks might incur. The Buddha spoke of 112 such acts for monks.

This may refer to (1) the whole monastic residence, i.e. “monastery,” with one or more “meditation residences” (Tib. spong khang; Skt. prahāṇaśālā) or (2) the main hall or temple, (e.g. Tib. khyams; Skt. prāsāda), As an example of the first, Kalyāṇamitra explains that Senikā Cave is the name of a monastery, named after its founder (Kalyāṇamitra, F.313.a): sde can ma’i bug ces bya ba ni gtsug lag gi ming ste/ sde can mas byed du bcug pa’i phyir ro. As for the second, in The Chapter on the Restoration Rite, the Buddha explains that a solitary monk should sweep and repair the temple floor on the upavasatha (The Chapter on the Restoration Rite, 3.­38).

The monk officiant serves as “master of ceremonies” during the performing of formal acts of the saṅgha.

A formal motion to the saṅgha.

Literally the “original Sarvāstivāda,” a term thought to have been used as a self-identification by a group within the wider Sarvāstivādin tradition initially clustered around Mathurā and regions to its northwest. If this really was a sub-school, little else is known of it apart from its distinct corpus of vinaya literature‍—the largest of the several vinaya corpora still extant and the only one that has been preserved in Tibetan. See also n.­16.

In the Vinaya, a “narrative introduction” explains the who, why, when, and where behind each new monastic rule decreed by the Buddha. In the sūtras, the “narrative introduction” begins, “Thus did I hear at one time. The Blessed One was staying at…”

Kalyāṇamitra explains that a “natural” (grub pa) site is one whose features formed naturally during the world’s formation (Kalyāṇamitra, F.313.a.1–2).

The different offenses monks and nuns may incur are divided into five types: defeats, saṅgha remnants, transgressions, confessable offenses, and misdeeds. Other offenses recorded in the Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya are classed under one of the above five.

Monastics are “outside the common living” of the saṅgha either (1) by dint of the deviant attitudes that they hold, or (2) because they are serving out a suspension imposed by the saṅgha. A monk on suspension must endure a loss of privileges, listed in The Book of Supplements (Toh 7a, F.277.b–278.a). The saṅgha can rescind this suspension and reinstate the monk to full status, unless the monk is intransigent and unrepentant, in which case he remains “outside the common living.”

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

Generally found within the limits of a town or city, an ārāma was a private citizen’s park, a pleasure grove, a pleasant garden‍—ārāma, in its etymology, is somewhat akin to what in English is expressed by the term “pleasance.” The Buddha and his disciples were offered several such ārāmas in which to dwell, which evolved into monasteries or vihāras. The term is still found in contemporary usage in names of Thai monasteries.

A person attains five paths on the way to awakening. Monastic offenses (Tib. ltung ba; Skt. āpatti) not only prevent the monastic from participating in saṅgha business, they are also said to impede the attainment of these paths.

A penance is a remedial act imposed on a monk for having concealed a saṅgha remnant. The monk must ask the saṅgha to give him a penance, during which the monk loses five privileges and must perform five menial chores. After completing the penance, the saṅgha may “rescind” (Tib. dbyungs ba; Skt. āvarhaṇa) the punishment, thus restoring the monk’s privileges.

The five types of persons labeled a paṇḍaka are intersex persons, rhythm-consecutive persons, sexually submissive persons, persons with a cuckold fetish, and persons with a sexual disability. See the glossary definitions for this term and its subcategories in The Chapter on Going Forth (Toh 1, ch. 1).

One of the five types of persons labeled a paṇḍaka (q.v., see also the definition in The Chapter on Going Forth, Toh 1, ch. 1), all of whom are barred from joining the renunciate order. “Persons who have undergone castration” form a subset of the last of the five groups, “persons with a sexual disability” (Tib. nyams pa’i ma ning). Kalyāṇamitra explains that a “person with a sexual disability” is “one whose [reproductive potency] has been impaired through having his male sex organ cut off, etc.” (Kalyaṇamitra F.349.b: nyams pa’i ma ning zhes bya ba ni pho’i dbang po bcad pa la sogs pas nyams par ’gyur ba gang yin pa’o) while “a person who has undergone castration is one whose potency has diminished or lacks seminal fluid due to having undergone castration” (F.249.b: za ma zhes bya ba ni rlig pa phyung ba’i nyes pas mthu nyams pa’am sa bon med pa’o).

See n.­214.

If a monk is unable to attend an official act of the saṅgha, he must send his consent for the act and convey his purity (Tib. yongs su dag pa; Skt. pariśuddhi) through a proxy or intermediary. Such consents and professions may be conveyed either verbally or physically.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

One of the first Buddhist monasteries, located in a park outside Śrāvastī, the capital of the ancient kingdom of Kośala in northern India. This park was originally owned by Prince Jeta, hence the name Jetavana, meaning Jeta’s grove. The wealthy merchant Anāthapiṇḍada, wishing to offer it to the Buddha, sought to buy it from him, but the prince, not wishing to sell, said he would only do so if Anāthapiṇḍada covered the entire property with gold coins. Anāthapiṇḍada agreed, and managed to cover all of the park except the entrance, hence the name Anāthapiṇḍadasyārāmaḥ, meaning Anāthapiṇḍada’s park. The place is usually referred to in the sūtras as “Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍada’s park,” and according to the Saṃghabhedavastu the Buddha used Prince Jeta’s name in first place because that was Prince Jeta’s own unspoken wish while Anāthapiṇḍada was offering the park. Inspired by the occasion and the Buddha’s use of his name, Prince Jeta then offered the rest of the property and had an entrance gate built. The Buddha specifically instructed those who recite the sūtras to use Prince Jeta’s name in first place to commemorate the mutual effort of both benefactors.

Anāthapiṇḍada built residences for the monks, to house them during the monsoon season, thus creating the first Buddhist monastery. It was one of the Buddha’s main residences, where he spent around nineteen rainy season retreats, and it was therefore the setting for many of the Buddha’s discourses and events. According to the travel accounts of Chinese monks, it was still in use as a Buddhist monastery in the early fifth century ᴄᴇ, but by the sixth century it had been reduced to ruins.

A probation is a remedial act imposed on a monk for having committed a saṅgha remnant. A “penance” (Tib. spo ba; Skt. parivāsa) is imposed, in addition to the probation, if the offense is concealed. The offending monk must ask the saṅgha to give him a penance and/or probation, during which the monk loses five privileges and must perform five menial chores. After completing the penance and/or probation, the saṅgha may “rescind” (Tib. dbyungs ba; Skt. āvarhaṇa) the punishments, thus restoring the monk’s privileges.

Those who have pledged to live as monastics.

The Sanskrit term dharma, from which dhārmika is derived, here denotes the “proper” or “customary” way of doing things. For example, Kalyāṇamitra explains that a “proper” recitation of The Prātimokṣa Sūtra involves reciting the correct text in the prescribed way on the appropriate days. See Kalyāṇamitra (F.315.b).

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

Morally virtuous or disciplined conduct and the abandonment of morally undisciplined conduct of body, speech, and mind. In a general sense, moral discipline is the cause for rebirth in higher, more favorable states, but it is also foundational to Buddhist practice as one of the three trainings (triśikṣā) and one of the six perfections of a bodhisattva. Often rendered as “ethics,” “discipline,” and “morality.”

A monk’s “purity” is lost when he incurs an offense, but he can restore his purity by confessing and making amends appropriate to that class of offense. All monks on site must profess their purity before The Prātimokṣa Sūtra is recited during the restoration rite. If a monk cannot attend, he must profess his purity through a proxy, who conveys it to the saṅgha. See Kalyāṇamitra (F.318.a–b).

A gathering of all of the monks present within a boundary for an official act of the saṅgha, such as an ordination ceremony. As in, “having secured a quorum” (Tib. mthun par gyur pa; Skt. sāmagrīm prāpya). The Tibetan translation of Kalyāṇamitra’s The Ṭīkā on the Chapters on Monastic Discipline glosses sāmagrī or mthun pa with tshang ba, meaning “complete” (Toh 4113, F.264.b): mthun pa zhes bya ba ni tshang ba’o. Here, the Tibetan term tshang ba presumably renders the Sanskrit samagra, for which Apte gives “all, whole, entire, complete” (Apte 1957, vol. 3, p. 1629). However, according to Edgerton, in Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit usage, samagra is closer in meaning to the Pāli samagga, or “united, harmonious.” (See samagra in Edgerton p. 560, col. 2). The word translated here as “quorum” has also been translated by Edgerton as “concord,” “communion,” and “meeting (of monks).” Pāli dictionaries give meanings such as “completeness,” “quorum,” and “unanimity.”

The Blessed One ordered railings be built on the second story of meditation halls to prevent monks from falling to the ground. This word can also mean “balcony.”

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The ancient capital of Magadha prior to its relocation to Pāṭaliputra during the Mauryan dynasty, Rājagṛha is one of the most important locations in Buddhist history. The literature tells us that the Buddha and his saṅgha spent a considerable amount of time in residence in and around Rājagṛha‍—in nearby places, such as the Vulture Peak Mountain (Gṛdhrakūṭaparvata), a major site of the Mahāyāna sūtras, and the Bamboo Grove (Veṇuvana)‍—enjoying the patronage of King Bimbisāra and then of his son King Ajātaśatru. Rājagṛha is also remembered as the location where the first Buddhist monastic council was held after the Buddha Śākyamuni passed into parinirvāṇa. Now known as Rajgir and located in the modern Indian state of Bihar.

A probation is a remedial act imposed on a monk for having committed a saṅgha remnant. A “penance” (Tib. spo ba; Skt. parivāsa) is imposed, in addition to the probation, if the offense is concealed. The offending monk must ask the saṅgha to give him a penance and/or probation, during which the monk loses five privileges and must perform five menial chores. After completing the penance and/or probation, the saṅgha may rescind the punishment, lit. give a “recission” (Tib. dbyungs ba; Skt. āvarhaṇa), thus restoring the monk’s privileges.

Formulaic repetitions, often elided in Sanskrit and Pāli texts, reflecting the oral tradition.

The compound term Tib. gnas mal; Skt. śayanāsana comprises the words “dwelling” or “bed” (see Tib. gnas and mal cha; Skt. śayana) and “seating” (Tib. stan; Skt. āsana). In Vinaya usage, it refers to a monastic residence and its furnishings. The “residence caretaker” (Tib. gnas mal bstabs pa; Skt. śayanāsana­parihāra) is in charge of distributing keys for the individual “dwellings” (Tib. gnas khang; Skt. layana) on site. The term “dwelling/residence” (Tib. gnas mal; Skt. śayana) also appears in terms like bas mtha’ gnas mal, Skt. prāntaśayana (“remote residence”) and Tib. dben pa’i gnas mal (“isolated residence”).

A resident monk is a long-term occupant who is familiar with the inner or outer workings of the community.

A bi-weekly ritual performed on the upavasatha holiday, from which the term poṣadha derives. Monastics are expected to confess most types of offenses without delay and so confessions are generally done prior to the start of the restoration rite. During the rite, monastics affirm that they have confessed and amended for offenses, thereby affirming their “purity,” and thus that of the saṅgha as a whole.

The Sanskrit compound poṣadha-āmukham (lit. “restoration commencement”) was translated into Tibetan as gso sbyong gi gnas (lit. “restoration rite site”). Kalyāṇamitra’s gloss of poṣadhāmukhaṃ clarifies the Tibetan translation gso sbyong gi gnas: “ ‘should agree on a restoration rite site’; that site where the restoration rite will commence is called the ‘restoration rite site.’ The saṅgha should, through a twofold act and motion, agree to hold the restoration rite at that site.” Toh 4113, (F.312.b): gso sbyong gi gnas la blo mthun par bya’o zhes bya ba ni gnas gang du gso sbyong mngon du byed pa’i gnas de ni gso sbyong gi gnas zhes bya ste/ gnas der gso sbyong bya bar dge ’dun gyis gsol ba dang gnyis kyi las kyis blo mthun par bya ba’o.

A rather ornate staff carried by Buddhist monks. The metal rings that hang from the top ornament jingle when the monk plants the staff on the ground as he walks. See The Sūtra on the Ringing Staff (Toh 335), where the Buddha allows the carrying of the ringing staff and describes its characteristics, and The Rite for the Protocols Associated with Carrying the Ringing Staff (Toh 336), where the Buddha prescribes the rite of taking up a ringing staff and explains its use.

This term is frequently used in the Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya to define the rights and responsibilities of positions within the administration of monasteries. It is also used, as here, to stipulate monastics’ regular obligations, from hygiene to training. This word appears in several variants throughout the Kangyur and Tengyur, including rig pa spyod pa can.

This monk is the central protagonist in the narrative that introduces the exemption on the grounds of being of unsound mind.

When a monk cannot participate in a proper restoration rite, he must sanction it. This is only a temporary “excusal” though, since the monk pledges to attend the next restoration rite he can. See Kalyāṇamitra F.318.a.2: byin gyis brlab po zhes bya ba ni dus gzhan du bya ba’i phyir dang/ gzhan par bya ba’o. Certain items (such as the three robes and the begging bowl) must also be “sanctioned” by the preceptor at ordination or later by the monastic if they have left them elsewhere overnight. And, citing a passage from The Chapter on the Restoration Rite (Toh 1-2, 1.­99), Kalyāṇamitra (Toh 4113, F.244.a) explains that every fortnight before performing the restoration rite, if they have not already done so, monastics should scrutinize themselves for things that should be curbed (Tib. bsdam par bya ba; Skt. saṃvara­karaṇīya), that is, subtle mental faults; things that should be confessed (Tib. bshags par bya ba; Skt. deśanīya), that is, simple atonements, confessable offenses, and misdeeds; and things that should be sanctioned (Tib. byin gyis brlab pa; Skt. adhiṣṭheya), that is, saṅgha remnants and transgressions requiring forfeiture.

One of five types of offense a monk can incur. Second only to a defeat in severity, there are thirteen such offenses. After a monastic incurs a saṅgha remnant, they must complete a “probation” (Skt. mānāpya; Tib. mgu ba) or, if the offense was initially concealed, a “penance” (Skt. parivāsa; Tib. spo ba) followed by probation. During this time, the offending monk loses certain privileges and must perform menial tasks. Upon completion of this period of probation and penance, the saṅgha may then rescind the punishment with an “act of recission” (Tib. dbyung ba’i las; Skt. āvarhaṇa / āvarhaṇakarman).

Such screens were probably made from grass or pliable wood, as with wicker.

According to Kalyāṇamitra, this refers to the practice of yoga while seated, i.e. the cultivation of samādhi (Toh 4113, F.308.b).

A monastery near Rājagṛha.

This can mean “window shutters” or “door panels.”

The second of two types of transgression, the third most severe class of monastic offense. The Buddha prohibited ninety such acts for monks.

A “site” is an area for monastic residence demarcated from surrounding land by a boundary (Tib. mtshams; Skt. sīmā), which is adopted in an official act of the saṅgha who are to reside there. The act along with the different natural and adopted boundaries used to mark the perimeter of a monastic residential site are described in The Chapter on the Restoration Rite. Once a site has been demarcated, other formal acts of saṅgha (such as the rites of restoration, lifting restrictions, and pledging to settle for the rains) may be performed there. Thus, an officially sanctioned monastic “site” is also described as an “allowable place” (Tib. rung ba’i gnas; Skt. kalpikaśālā) in The Chapter on Medicines (Toh 1-6, 10.14 ff). In secondary scholarship, the Sanskrit āvāsa or “site” has also been translated as “monastic district” and “colony.”

Someone who pretends to have been ordained though they have not.

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

The Sanskrit term śrāvaka, and the Tibetan nyan thos, both derived from the verb “to hear,” are usually defined as “those who hear the teaching from the Buddha and make it heard to others.” Primarily this refers to those disciples of the Buddha who aspire to attain the state of an arhat seeking their own liberation and nirvāṇa. They are the practitioners of the first turning of the wheel of the Dharma on the four noble truths, who realize the suffering inherent in saṃsāra and focus on understanding that there is no independent self. By conquering afflicted mental states (kleśa), they liberate themselves, attaining first the stage of stream enterers at the path of seeing, followed by the stage of once-returners who will be reborn only one more time, and then the stage of non-returners who will no longer be reborn into the desire realm. The final goal is to become an arhat. These four stages are also known as the “four results of spiritual practice.”

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

During the life of the Buddha, Śrāvastī was the capital city of the powerful kingdom of Kośala, ruled by King Prasenajit, who became a follower and patron of the Buddha. It was also the hometown of Anāthapiṇḍada, the wealthy patron who first invited the Buddha there, and then offered him a park known as Jetavana, Prince Jeta’s Grove, which became one of the first Buddhist monasteries. The Buddha is said to have spent about twenty-five rainy seasons with his disciples in Śrāvastī, thus it is named as the setting of numerous events and teachings. It is located in present-day Uttar Pradesh in northern India.

The monk and “first offender” (Tib. las dang po pa) whose act of sexual intercourse with his former wife led to the Buddha’s declaring sexual intercourse to be a defeat (Tib. phas pham pa; Skt. pārājika).

The content of The Chapters on Monastic Discipline is condensed into metered lists called “summaries” (Tib. sdom; Skt. uddāna) or “verse summaries” (Tib. sdom gyi tshigs su bcad pa; Skt. uddānagāthā). Each chapter has a “global summary,” composed of several topics, which form the basis of subsequent “summaries.” Very occasionally, specific elements of a chapter will be recapitulated in “intervening summaries” (Tib. bar sdom; Skt. antaroddāna).

A “support” is the preceptor (Tib. mkhan po; Skt. upādhyāya) of a new renunciant or ordained person, who is called the preceptor’s “ward” (Tib. lhan gcig gnas pa; Skt. sārdhaṃvihārin). For at least five years after ordination, new admits to the saṅgha must live with or near a monastic mentor or “support.” If a new monk or nun wishes to travel while their mentor does not (or vice versa), the monk or nun must take a new support from among the saṅgha elders at their final destination. The new support is known as the “support instructor” (Tib. gnas kyi slob dpon; Skt. niśrayācārya) while the new monk or nun is known as their “apprentice” (Tib. nye gnas pa; Skt. antevāsika). See The Chapter on Going Forth (Toh 1, ch. 1, 1.628–1.678).

The practice of paying homage to the Three Jewels, reciting a sūtra, and dedicating merit. According to Kalyāṇamitra, the Three Implements (tridaṇḍaka) are referred to as “implements” because reciting the sublime Dharma is as fundamental or essential to Buddhists as the three implements (a ladle and two funnels) used in fire pūjas are to wandering mendicants (Kalyāṇamitra, F.312.a.3–4).

Definition from the 84000 Glossary of Terms:

Those of other religious or philosophical orders, contemporary with the early Buddhist order, including Jains, Jaṭilas, Ājīvikas, and Cārvākas. Tīrthika (“forder”) literally translates as “one belonging to or associated with (possessive suffix –ika) stairs for landing or for descent into a river,” or “a bathing place,” or “a place of pilgrimage on the banks of sacred streams” (Monier-Williams). The term may have originally referred to temple priests at river crossings or fords where travelers propitiated a deity before crossing. The Sanskrit term seems to have undergone metonymic transfer in referring to those able to ford the turbulent river of saṃsāra (as in the Jain tīrthaṅkaras, “ford makers”), and it came to be used in Buddhist sources to refer to teachers of rival religious traditions. The Sanskrit term is closely rendered by the Tibetan mu stegs pa: “those on the steps (stegs pa) at the edge (mu).”

One of two types of transgression, the third most severe class of monastic offense. A transgression requiring forfeiture must be sanctioned (Tib. byin gyis brlab pa; Skt. adhiṣṭhāna) while the offending monk forfeits whatever object he possesses in excess of allowances. The Buddha prohibited thirty such acts for monks.

The “countryside” refers to the hamlets and villages where the nonurban populace lived. This phrase reflects the saṅgha’s original practice of wandering the countryside for most of the year before settling in parks for duration of the monsoon.

Originally a court barber in Kapilavastu, he went forth as a monk along with other young men of the Śākya royal household and became a great upholder of monastic discipline. He recited the vinaya at the First Council following the Buddha’s passing.

A fast or related observance undertaken during the full or new phase of the moon. The Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit term poṣadha was derived from the classical Sanskrit term upavasatha and translated into Tibetan both as gso sbyong and as bsnyen gnas, i.e. the monastic restoration rite and the eightfold observance both lay and monastic Buddhists may do on the upavasatha.

If monastics are unable to attend an official act of the saṅgha, they must send their consent for the act and convey their purity (Tib. yongs su dag pa; Skt. pariśuddhi) through a proxy or intermediary. Such consents and professions may be conveyed either verbally or physically.

A distinction is made between monks who are visiting a monastery and those who are long-term residents (i.e., Tib. gnyug mar gnas pa, Skt. naivāsika) and familiar with the inner and outer workings of the community. See Kalyāṇamitra (F.313.b.4–5).

To walk (present tense: ’chag pa) back and forth in meditation, as in the Zen practice of kinhin.

According to the Āpastamba Dharmasūtra (ca. fourth–fifth c. ʙᴄᴇ), someone who has completed the Brahmanical studentship (Skt. brahmacarya) may go on to live as a wandering mendicant. According to The Chapter on Going Forth, Śāriputra’s brother, Koṣṭhila, became a wandering mendicant among the Lokāyata ascetics of the south where he was known as Dīrghanakha. Later, on returning to Magadha, he went to see his brother and the Buddha, who gave a discourse on nonself that served as the catalyst for the awakening of both Śāriputra and Koṣṭhila. See The Chapter on Going Forth (Toh 1, ch. 1), 1.­332-1.­363.

For at least five years after ordination, monks and nuns must live with or near a monastic mentor or “support” (Tib. gnas; Skt. niśraya). Generally, the preceptor (Tib. mkhan po; Skt. upādhyāya) serves as the new monk or nun’s “support,” in which case the new admit is called a “ward.” But if the mentee wishes to travel while their mentor does not (or vice versa), the ward must take a new support from among the saṅgha elders. The new support is known as the “support instructor” (Tib. gnas kyi slob dpon; Skt. niśrayācārya) while the new monk or nun is known as their “apprentice” (Tib. nye gnas; Skt. antevāsika). See The Chapter on Going Forth (Toh 1, ch. 1), 1.628–1.678.

A water vessel used for washing.