The Buddha explains that he laid down training rules, monastic acts, and methods of settling disciplinary matters for the well-being of the Saṅgha and for the continuation of the true teaching and support of the training.

AN 2.280-309 The Chapter of Abbreviated Texts on Monastic Law

280

“Dveme, bhikkhave, atthavase paṭicca tathāgatena sāvakānaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ paññattaṁ.

Katame dve? Saṅghasuṭṭhutāya saṅghaphāsutāyadummaṅkūnaṁ puggalānaṁ niggahāya, pesalānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ phāsuvihārāyadiṭṭhadhammikānaṁ āsavānaṁ saṁvarāya, samparāyikānaṁ āsavānaṁ paṭighātāyadiṭṭhadhammikānaṁ verānaṁ saṁvarāya, samparāyikānaṁ verānaṁ paṭighātāyadiṭṭhadhammikānaṁ vajjānaṁ saṁvarāya, samparāyikānaṁ vajjānaṁ paṭighātāyadiṭṭhadhammikānaṁ bhayānaṁ saṁvarāya, samparāyikānaṁ bhayānaṁ paṭighātāyadiṭṭhadhammikānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ saṁvarāya, samparāyikānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ paṭighātāyagihīnaṁ anukampāya, pāpicchānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ pakkhupacchedāyaappasannānaṁ pasādāya, pasannānaṁ bhiyyobhāvāyasaddhammaṭṭhitiyā vinayānuggahāya. Ime kho, bhikkhave, dve atthavase paṭicca tathāgatena sāvakānaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ paññattan”ti.

281–309

“Dveme, bhikkhave, atthavase paṭicca tathāgatena sāvakānaṁ pātimokkhaṁ paññattaṁ …pe… pātimokkhuddeso paññattopātimokkhaṭṭhapanaṁ paññattaṁpavāraṇā paññattāpavāraṇaṭṭhapanaṁ paññattaṁtajjanīyakammaṁ paññattaṁniyassakammaṁ paññattaṁpabbājanīyakammaṁ paññattaṁpaṭisāraṇīyakammaṁ paññattaṁukkhepanīyakammaṁ paññattaṁparivāsadānaṁ paññattaṁmūlāyapaṭikassanaṁ paññattaṁmānattadānaṁ paññattaṁabbhānaṁ paññattaṁosāraṇīyaṁ paññattaṁnissāraṇīyaṁ paññattaṁupasampadā paññattāñattikammaṁ paññattaṁñattidutiyakammaṁ paññattaṁñatticatutthakammaṁ paññattaṁapaññatte paññattaṁpaññatte anupaññattaṁsammukhāvinayo paññattosativinayo paññattoamūḷhavinayo paññattopaṭiññātakaraṇaṁ paññattaṁyebhuyyasikā paññattātassapāpiyasikā paññattātiṇavatthārako paññatto.

Katame dve? Saṅghasuṭṭhutāya, saṅghaphāsutāyadummaṅkūnaṁ puggalānaṁ niggahāya, pesalānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ phāsuvihārāyadiṭṭhadhammikānaṁ āsavānaṁ saṁvarāya, samparāyikānaṁ āsavānaṁ paṭighātāyadiṭṭhadhammikānaṁ verānaṁ saṁvarāya, samparāyikānaṁ verānaṁ paṭighātāyadiṭṭhadhammikānaṁ vajjānaṁ saṁvarāya, samparāyikānaṁ vajjānaṁ paṭighātāyadiṭṭhadhammikānaṁ bhayānaṁ saṁvarāya, samparāyikānaṁ bhayānaṁ paṭighātāyadiṭṭhadhammikānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ saṁvarāya, samparāyikānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ paṭighātāyagihīnaṁ anukampāya, pāpicchānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ pakkhupacchedāyaappasannānaṁ pasādāya, pasannānaṁ bhiyyobhāvāyasaddhammaṭṭhitiyā, vinayānuggahāya.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, dve atthavase paṭicca tathāgatena sāvakānaṁ tiṇavatthārako paññatto”ti.

Vinayapeyyālaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

2.280

“Dveme, bhikkhave, atthavase paṭicca tathāgatena sāvakānaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ paññattaṁ.

“For two reasons the Realized One laid down training rules for his disciples.

Katame dve?

What two?

Saṅghasuṭṭhutāya saṅghaphāsutāyadummaṅkūnaṁ puggalānaṁ niggahāya, pesalānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ phāsuvihārāyadiṭṭhadhammikānaṁ āsavānaṁ saṁvarāya, samparāyikānaṁ āsavānaṁ paṭighātāyadiṭṭhadhammikānaṁ verānaṁ saṁvarāya, samparāyikānaṁ verānaṁ paṭighātāyadiṭṭhadhammikānaṁ vajjānaṁ saṁvarāya, samparāyikānaṁ vajjānaṁ paṭighātāyadiṭṭhadhammikānaṁ bhayānaṁ saṁvarāya, samparāyikānaṁ bhayānaṁ paṭighātāyadiṭṭhadhammikānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ saṁvarāya, samparāyikānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ paṭighātāyagihīnaṁ anukampāya, pāpicchānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ pakkhupacchedāyaappasannānaṁ pasādāya, pasannānaṁ bhiyyobhāvāyasaddhammaṭṭhitiyā vinayānuggahāya.

For the well-being and comfort of the Saṅgha … For keeping difficult individuals in check and for the comfort of good-hearted mendicants … For restraining defilements that affect this life and protecting against defilements that affect lives to come … For restraining threats to this life and protecting against threats to lives to come … For restraining faults that affect this life and protecting against faults that affect lives to come … For restraining hazards that affect this life and protecting against hazards that affect lives to come … For restraining unskillful qualities that affect this life and protecting against unskillful qualities that affect lives to come … Out of sympathy for laypeople and for breaking up factions of mendicants with corrupt wishes … For inspiring confidence in those without it, and increasing confidence in those who have it … For the continuation of the true teaching and the support of the training.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, dve atthavase paṭicca tathāgatena sāvakānaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ paññattan”ti.

These are the two reasons why the Realized One laid down training rules for his disciples.”

2.281–309

“Dveme, bhikkhave, atthavase paṭicca tathāgatena sāvakānaṁ pātimokkhaṁ paññattaṁ …pe… pātimokkhuddeso paññattopātimokkhaṭṭhapanaṁ paññattaṁpavāraṇā paññattāpavāraṇaṭṭhapanaṁ paññattaṁtajjanīyakammaṁ paññattaṁniyassakammaṁ paññattaṁpabbājanīyakammaṁ paññattaṁpaṭisāraṇīyakammaṁ paññattaṁukkhepanīyakammaṁ paññattaṁparivāsadānaṁ paññattaṁmūlāyapaṭikassanaṁ paññattaṁmānattadānaṁ paññattaṁabbhānaṁ paññattaṁosāraṇīyaṁ paññattaṁnissāraṇīyaṁ paññattaṁupasampadā paññattāñattikammaṁ paññattaṁñattidutiyakammaṁ paññattaṁñatticatutthakammaṁ paññattaṁapaññatte paññattaṁpaññatte anupaññattaṁsammukhāvinayo paññattosativinayo paññattoamūḷhavinayo paññattopaṭiññātakaraṇaṁ paññattaṁyebhuyyasikā paññattātassapāpiyasikā paññattātiṇavatthārako paññatto.

“For two reasons the Realized One laid down for his disciples the monastic code … the recitation of the monastic code … the suspension of the recitation of the monastic code … the invitation to admonish … the setting aside of the invitation to admonish … the disciplinary act of condemnation … placing under dependence … banishment … reconciliation … debarment … probation … being sent back to the beginning … penance … reinstatement … restoration … removal … ordination … an act with a motion … an act with a motion and one announcement … an act with a motion and three announcements … laying down what was not previously laid down … amending what was laid down … the settling of a disciplinary matter by the following methods: face-to-face … through recollection … because of past insanity … acting according to what has been admitted … majority decision … further penalty… covering over as if with grass.

Katame dve?

What two?

Saṅghasuṭṭhutāya, saṅghaphāsutāyadummaṅkūnaṁ puggalānaṁ niggahāya, pesalānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ phāsuvihārāyadiṭṭhadhammikānaṁ āsavānaṁ saṁvarāya, samparāyikānaṁ āsavānaṁ paṭighātāyadiṭṭhadhammikānaṁ verānaṁ saṁvarāya, samparāyikānaṁ verānaṁ paṭighātāyadiṭṭhadhammikānaṁ vajjānaṁ saṁvarāya, samparāyikānaṁ vajjānaṁ paṭighātāyadiṭṭhadhammikānaṁ bhayānaṁ saṁvarāya, samparāyikānaṁ bhayānaṁ paṭighātāyadiṭṭhadhammikānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ saṁvarāya, samparāyikānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ paṭighātāyagihīnaṁ anukampāya, pāpicchānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ pakkhupacchedāyaappasannānaṁ pasādāya, pasannānaṁ bhiyyobhāvāyasaddhammaṭṭhitiyā, vinayānuggahāya.

For the well-being and comfort of the Saṅgha … For keeping difficult individuals in check and for the comfort of good-hearted mendicants … For restraining defilements that affect this life and protecting against defilements that affect lives to come … For restraining threats to this life and protecting against threats to lives to come … For restraining faults that affect this life and protecting against faults that affect lives to come … For restraining hazards that affect this life and protecting against hazards that affect lives to come … For restraining unskillful qualities that affect this life and protecting against unskillful qualities that affect lives to come … Out of sympathy for laypeople and for breaking up factions of mendicants with corrupt wishes … For inspiring confidence in those without it, and increasing confidence in those who have it … For the continuation of the true teaching and the support of the training.

Ime kho, bhikkhave, dve atthavase paṭicca tathāgatena sāvakānaṁ tiṇavatthārako paññatto”ti.

These are the two reasons why the Realized One laid down the settlement of a disciplinary matter by covering over with grass for his disciples.”

Vinayapeyyālaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.

Qualities:

Compassion

Compassion

A mental quality of wise empathy in response to suffering, which counters qualities of harm or cruelty.

Also known as: benevolence, concern, sympathy, kindness towards those who are suffering
Pāli: karuṇā, anukampa
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Ethical conduct

Ethical conduct

A disciplined way of living grounded in harmlessness and integrity. Ethical conduct restrains the body and speech from harm, purifies behavior, and forms the foundation for collectedness and wisdom.

Also known as: moral integrity, right action, virtue
Pāli: sīla, sammākammanta
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Faith

Faith

Confidence in the Buddha's awakening and the efficacy of the path. It brightens and steadies the mind, removing doubt and inspiring energy toward wholesome practice. True faith rests on clarity and direct experience rather than mere belief.

Also known as: confidence, trust, belief, conviction, self-assurance
Pāli: saddha, pasanna
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Wholesome

Wholesome

Conducive to or suggestive of good health and mental well-being.

Also known as: blameless, skillful, beneficial, good, useful, healthy, nourishing, sustaining
Pāli: kusala
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Last updated on July 27, 2026