Book 4 - Culavagga Pali

Culavagga Pali which is Book IV of the Vmaya Pitaka continues to deal with more rules and procedures for institutional acts or functions known as Samghakamma The twelve sections in this book deal with rules for offences such as Samghadisesa that come before the Samgha, rules for observance of penances such as parivasa and manatta and rules for reinstatement of a bhikkhu There are also miscellaneous rules concerning bathing, dress, dwellings and furniture and those dealing with treatment of visiting bhikkhus, and duties of tutors and novices. Some of the important enactments are concerned with Tajjantya Kamma, formal act of censure by the Samgha taken against those bhikkhus who cause strife, quarrels, disputes, who associate familiarly with lay people and who speak in dispraise of the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Samgha; Ukkhepamya Kamma, formal act of suspension to be taken against those who having committed an offence do not want to admit it; and Pakdsamya Kamma taken against Devadatta announcing publicly that 'Whatever Devadatta does by deed or word, should be seen as Devadatta's own and has nothing to do with the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Samgha " The account of this action is followed by the story of Devadatta's three attempts on the life of the Buddha and the schism caused by Devadatta among the Samgha.

There is, in section ten, the story of how Mahapajapati, the Buddha's foster mother, requested admission into the Order, how the Buddha refused permission at first, and how he finally acceded to the request because of Ananda's entreaties on her behalf.

The last two sections describe two important events of historical interest, namely, the holding of the first Synod at Rajagaha and of the second Synod at Vesali.