MAPL 04 History of Pali Literature

Mahāvagga

The Khandhakas' or Treatises in set fragments comprise two divisions: The Mahavagga and The
Cullavagga.

The Mahavagga is the greater division. It gives in the first chapter in a dignified archaic language
an account of Buddha's attainment of enlightenment, determination of preaching the law and his
winning the first disciples. 'The first sermon of the Buddha at Benares, the well-known First
Sermon and the ordination of Rahula are also related herein. This book lays down rules for
admission into the order (mahakkhandhaka), the observance of the Uposatha ceremony and the
Patimokkha (uposathakkhandhaka), the place of residence during the rainy season
(vassūpanāyikakkhandhaka), the observance of the Pavarana ceremony (pavāraṇakkhandhaka),
foot-clothing, seats, conveyances, dress, (cammakkhandhaka) etc. It prescribes rules for the
determination of the validity and invalidity of the formal acts of the Saṃgha, and for the
restoration of order in the Saṃgha. Certain medicines for certain specified diseases are also
prescribed herein for the bhikkhus (bhesajjakkhandhaka). ''We obtain quite incidentally", says
Rhys Davids, "a very fair insight into a good deal of the medical lore current at that early period,
that is about 400 B. C., in the valley of the Ganges. It is a pity that the current authorities on the
history of law and medicine have entirely ignored the details obtainable from these ancient books
of Buddhist Canon Law. "

It is worth mentioning here that in the Mahavagga we find evidence of the existence of an
"ancient commentary" on which has been based the Suttavibhanga. The "ancient commentary"
was a word for word commentary on the Patimokkha rules without relating why, when, where
and concerning whom the said rules were formulated by the Buddha. These have been later on
included in the Suttavibhaṅga. Hence the Suttavibhanga is an improvement on the ancient
commentary which is found verbatim in the above work.

The Mahavagga refers to Buddha's stay at Uruvela on the banks of the river Nerañjara just after
he had become Sambuddha and it relates the account of the events which happened under the
Bodhi tree. Then it describes what passed under the Ajapāla tree, the Mucalinda tree and the
Rajayatana tree. It gives us the account of the conversion of Tapassu and Bhallika into Buddhism
by the Buddha. This account has to say nothing about the three weeks immediately following the
period spent under the great Bo-tree. The omission may however be due to incompleteness of the
text itself. From the conversion of Tapassu and Bhallika, the thread of narrative runs to give an
account of the meeting of the Buddha with Upaka, the Ajivaka, on his way to Benares via the
city of Gayā, and of the preaching of the first sermon in the well-renowned Deer Park
(migadāya) near Benares and the conversion of the first five disciples Aññākondañña, Bhaddiya,
Vappa, Assaji, and Mahānāma. It records the history of the conversion of Yasa. Māra
approached the Buddha and had a conversation with him. Hearing the utterances of the Buddha,
he vanished. Buddha converted three Jaṭila brothers, Uruvela Kassapa, Nadī Kassapa, and Gayā
Kassapa. An account of the ordination of Sāriputta and Moggallāna is given in it. Duties towards
an upajjhāya (preceptor) and a saddhivihārika (fellow priest) are detailed in it.

In the account of Jīvaka Komara-bhacca given in the Mahāvagga, we read that five diseases
prevailed among the Magadhans, leprosy (kuṭṭhaṃ), boils (gaṇḍo), dry leprosy (kilāso),
consumption (soso), and fits (apamāro). The people affected with these five diseases went to
Jīvaka who used to treat King Bimbisāra of Magadha and the members of the royal family. The
Mahāvagga furnishes us with an interesting account of Upāli. Besides, there are various other
topics discussed in it, e.g. ten precepts for novices, regulations for the Upasampadā or ordination,
Uposatha ceremonies, and the recital of the Pātimokkha by the bhikkhūs (Uposathakkhandhaka),
the residence during the rainy season (vassūpanāyikakkhandhaka).

Soṇa Koḷivisa was ordained by the Buddha who instructed him to use shoes having one lining.
He had eighty cart-loads of gold and a retinue of seven elephants. The bhikkhus were instructed
by the Buddha not to wear shoes having edges of a blue (sabbanīlikā upāhanā), yellow
(sabbapītikā upāhanā), red (sabbalohitikā upāhanā), brown (sabbamañjeṭṭhikā), black
(sabbakaṇhā), orange (sabbamahāraṅgarattā) or yellowish colour (sabbamahānāmarattā). Shoes
with heel-coverings (khallikabaddhā) are not to be worn by the bhikkhus. The bhikkhus are not
to wear shoes in the open ārāma. Wooden shoes (kaṭṭapāduka) are not to be worn by them. Foot
coverings made of talipat leaves (tālapattapādukāyo) are not to be worn. Shoes made of tina-
grass (tiṇapāduka); muñja-grass (muñjapāduka), etc. are not to be used. The bhikkhus are
allowed to use three kinds of clogs fixed to the ground, e.g. privy-clogs, urinalclogs, and rinsing
clogs. (anujānāmi bhikkhave tisso pādukāyo, dhuvaṭṭhānīyā asaṃkamanīyāyo; vaccapādukaṃ
passāvapādukaṃ ācamanapādukaṃ)

Calves should not be killed by them. The bhikkhus are allowed to use a sedan chair. Lofty and
large things to recline upon are not to be used by them. Some skins, e.g. lion, tiger, panther, for
skins are not to be used. The bhikkhus are allowed to sit down on seats arranged by laymen but
not to lie down on them (anujānāmi bhikkhave, gihivikaṭaṃ abhinisīdituṃ, natveva
abhinipajjituṃ). They are allowed to have bath constantly in all the border countries which are
situated beyond Mahāsālā, beyond the river Salalavatī, beyond Thuna (a Brahmin village in the
majjhimadesa) and beyond Usīradhaja (a pabbata in the majjhimadesa). Shoes with thick linings
are allowed for the bhikkhus to use in all these border countries (anujānāmi bhikkhave,
sabbapaccantimesu janapadesu gaṇaṅgaṇūpāhanaṃ).

The Mahāvagga prescribes the five medicaments, e.g. ghee (sappi), butter (navanītaṃ), oil
(telaṃ), honey (madhu), and molasses (phāṇitaṃ). The bhikkhus are permitted to use them at the
right time and at other times (anujānāmi bhikkhave, tāni pañca bhesajjāni paṭiggahetvā kālepi
vikālepi paribhuñjituṃ). The bhikkhus are allowed to use the fat of bears (acchavasaṃ), fish
(macchavasaṃ), alligators (susukālavasaṃ), swine (sūkaravasaṃ), and asses (gadrabhavasaṃ) if
received at the right time, cooked at the right time, mixed at the right time, to be partaken of with
oil. The use of certain roots as medicines are allowed for the bhikkhus-turmeric (haliddiṃ),
ginger (siṅgiveraṃ), orris root (vacaṃ), white orris root (vacatthaṃ), ativisa, black hellebore
(kaṭukarohiṇiṃ), usira root (usīraṃ), bhaddamuttaka. The use of astringent decoctions as
medicine is allowed-nimba, pakkava (a kind of creeper), nattamāla, kutaja (an antidote to
dysentery), etc. The use of leaves and fruits as medicines is allowed, e.g. leaves of nimba, tulasi,
kappasika, etc., pippala, haritaka, āmalaka, etc. The use of gums and salts is allowed as
medicines, hingu, sipāṭika, etc., sea-salt (sāmuddaṃ), black salt (kāḷaloṇaṃ), rock salt
(sindhavaṃ), red-salt (ubbhidaṃ), etc. The use of raw flesh and blood is permissible in case of
disease. The use of eye ointments is permissible.

The bhikkhus are allowed the use of a little oil on the head, use of a double bag, a decoction of
oil. The practice of taking medicine through the nose is permissible (natthukaraṇī). The bhikkhus
are allowed the use of three kinds of pots, e.g. bronze pots (lohatumbaṃ), wooden pots
(kaṭṭhatumbaṃ), and pots made of the shells of fruits (phalatumbaṃ). They are allowed the use
of hot baths in water in which the medicinal herbs have been steeped. The use of artificial and
natural juice is allowed. The bhikkhus can cook in-doors. No surgical operation is to be
performed within a distance of two inches round the anus and a clyster is not to be used (na
bhikkhave sambādhe satthakammaṃ kārāpetabbaṃ). The bhikkhus are not to eat elephants' flesh
(hatthimaṃsaṃ), dogs' flesh (sunakhamaṃsaṃ), serpents' flesh (ahimaṃsaṃ), lions' flesh
(sīhamaṃsaṃ), and hyenas' flesh (dīpimaṃsaṃ).

They are to take rice-milk and honey-lumps (yāguṃ ca madhugoḷakañca). The Mahavagga gives
us an idea of the dress of the bhikkhus and it describes the Kaṭhina ceremonies
(kaṭhinakkhandhaka).

The Cīvarakkhandhaka, “the Chapter on robe-cloth”, gives a number of rules on robes, robe-
cloth, and dyeing equipment, as well as rules on inheritance. Here we find the long story of the
doctor Jīvaka, the Buddha’s personal physician, and the story of Visākhā, the Buddha’s main
female lay supporter, who shows her understanding of the connection between generosity and
success in meditation. This chapter also contains the inspiring story of the Buddha and Ānanda
washing a monk who has dysentery.

The Campeyyakkhandhaka, “the Chapter on those from Campā”, contains a technical discussion
on the validity of formal monastic procedures, saṅghakamma. The chapter starts with the story of
the monk Kassapagotta who is maliciously accused of having committed an offense.

The Kosambakkhandhaka, “the Chapter on those from Kosambī”, discusses how to deal with a
split in the Sangha. The chapter begins with the story of “the Kosambī incident”, which led to a
serious dispute and spilt in the Sangha. The Buddha tells the story of Dīghāvu, a longer version
of the Kosambiya Jātaka of the Jātaka collection, in an attempt at getting the monks to come to
their senses. Failing at this, he goes to visit the three friends Anuruddha, Nandiya, and Kimbila,
who exemplify the art of living in harmony.
It will be interesting to note that the Mahāvagga in presenting a systematic history of the
developments of the Buddhist Order only records a few episodes in the life of the Buddha. It
leaves the life of Siddhartha out of account and starts the history just from the Buddhahood of
Gautama. The justification for the inclusion of such a life history of the Buddha seems to be this
that with the Buddhists, the whole set of laws regulating their life and conduct derived their
authority from the Buddhahood and personality of the Master.