Major Rule Groups Of The Patimokkha

a) The Four Paaraajika — The Defeaters

The new bhikkhu is told about the Paaraajika Offences immediately after ordination, so he fully knows that they are the most serious of all the offences and that the consequences of transgressing them causes him to be no longer a bhikkhu. The nature of the act that breaks any of these four Paaraajika rules clearly reveals that the bhikkhu is no longer interested in developing the subtle and refined way of Dhamma. The alternative of voluntarily disrobing is always available if he feels he can no longer keep the Rule and this is considered a much better way to handle this sort of overwhelming desire.

A monk automatically falls from being a bhikkhu^[1] by committing any of these four offences of Defeat: sexual intercourse, murder, major theft, or falsely claiming supernormal abilities. A bhikkhu who falls into any of these four Defeater offences thereby severs himself irrevocably from the bhikkhu community and is no longer considered a bhikkhu. The text portrays it with some vivid similes showing their irreparable nature: as a man with his head cut off; as a withered leaf fallen from its stem; as a palm tree cut down; as a broken stone. For while all the other offences can be remedied, these four are terminal.

b) The Thirteen Sa"nghaadisesa — Requiring Formal Meetings of the Community

This is a very serious class of offence. However, any offending bhikkhu can be rehabilitated through confession and supervised probation. Finally, the bhikkhu needs to be reinstated by a specially convened Community (Sa"ngha) meeting of at least twenty monks.^[2]

c) The Two Aniyata — Indefinite or Undetermined

The Bhikkhu Community (together with the bhikkhu concerned) have to decide which rule, if any, has been infringed.

d) The 30 Nissaggiya Paacittiya — Confession with Forfeiture

These rules are often concerned with bhikkhus being greedy and excessive in their demand for offerings, or with bhikkhus obtaining requisites through improper means. This oppresses lay donors and, classically, led them to comment: "How can these recluses... not knowing moderation ask for... ?" The rules of this category also guide bhikkhus on how they should take care of requisites and restrain the bhikkhus from obtaining items that by their very nature are inappropriate.

This offence can be cleared by forfeiture of the improper item to another bhikkhu(s) and formal confession of the offence.

_ The other classes of offences can usually be resolved by a simple confession to another bhikkhu(s). They are:

e) The 92 Paacittiya — Expiation through Confession

All these offences can be cleared through confession to another bhikkhu.

f) The Four Paa.tidesaniiya — to be Acknowledged

g) The 75 Sekhiyavatta — Trainings

These are normally classified as offences of wrong doing (dukka.ta). There are two aspects to these rules of training which are mainly about etiquette and good manners. First, they are a gauge for the bhikkhus mindfulness so that he becomes aware of his behavior. Second, there is the external perspective of an observer watching the bhikkhus activity and noticing the care and refinement with which he moves, eats, etc. (For example, see Proper Behavior Outside the Monastery.)

h) The Seven Adhikara.nasamatha — Settlement of Issues

These are general procedures (rather than offences) for dealing with disputes, accusations, offences and duties. (See BMC p.511)

In the full Vinaya texts there is also the class of grave (thullaccaya) offence. This is a derived offence from the most serious rules of Paaraajika and Sa"nghaadisesa (groups (a) and (b) above) to cover those circumstances when the full offence is not quite carried out but the conduct is still grave enough to be at fault. There is also the dubbhaasita offence of wrong speech.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

The defeated monk "does not need to go through a formal ceremony of disrobing because the act of violating the rule is an act of disrobing in and of itself. Even if he continues to pretend to be a bhikkhu, he does not really count as one; as soon as the facts are known, he must be expelled from the Sangha. He can never again properly ordain as a bhikkhu in this life. If he tries to ordain in a Community that does not know of his offence, his ordination does not count, and he must be expelled as soon as the truth is found out.

"The Commentary, however, states that such an offender may go forth as a novice [if the Community accepts him]." (BMC p.87)

"A bhikkhu who has committed any of the Four Paaraajika offences can no longer have [communion] (sa.mvaasa) with the sangha. He is one who is condemned for his entire lifetime. There is no way to remedy it. He must get out of the group. This is the only way for him. If that person does not give up his status on his own but declares himself a bhikkhu, once the sangha knows this, it should expel him from the group." (EV,III, pp.242-243)

[2]:

"...he is put on probation for six days, during which time he is stripped of his seniority, is not trusted to go anywhere unaccompanied by four other monks of regular standing, and daily has to confess his offence to every monk who lives in or happens to visit the monastery. At the end of his probation, twenty monks have to be convened to reinstate him to his original status." (Introduction to the Patimokkha Rules; Penalties)