Vinaya Pitaka
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The Vinaya Pitaka is the first of three parts that make up the Tripitaka. The Vinaya Pitaka contains the Patimokkha, the code of conduct that applies to Buddhist monastics. The Pali Patimokkha contains 227 major rules for bhikkhus and 311 major rules for bhikkhunis along with the origin stories for each rule. The Buddha called his teaching the "Dhamma-Vinaya", emphasizing both the philosophical teachings of Buddhism as well as the training in virtue that embodies that philosophy.
In the first years of the Buddha's teaching the sangha lived together in harmony with no vinaya as there was no need because all of the Buddha's early disciples were highly realized if not fully enlightened. As the sangha expanded situations arose which the Buddha and the lay community felt were inappropriate for samanas. The first rule to be established was the prohibition against sexual acts. The origin story tells of an earnest monk whose family was distraught that there was no male heir and so tricked the monk into impregnating his wife. All three, the monk, his wife and son who both later ordained, eventually became fully enlightened arahants.
The vinaya is very important to Buddhists -
"Whatever Dhamma and Vinaya I have pointed out and formulated for you, that will be your Teacher when I am gone." (Mahaaparinibbaana Sutta, [D.16]).When asked why the Dhamma of some Buddhas lasted for a long period and for others only lasted a short while, the Buddha replied that it was because only some Buddhas include a Vinaya with their teaching. For those Buddhas who do not need to formulate a Vinaya, the monastic sangha cannot sustain itself without the leadership and authority of the Buddha.
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