Vajjiputtakā draft

Vajjiputtakā, Vajjiputtakas, Vajjiputtiyā, Vajjiputtiyas. The name of a large group of monks belonging to the Vajjī clan and dwelling in Vesālī, who, one century after Gotama Buddha’s death, brought forward Ten Points (dasa vatthūni) as being permissible for members of the Saṅgha. These points are as follows:

• (1) The storing of salt in a horn (siṅgiloṇakappa);
• (2) The eating of food when the shadow of the sun had passed two fingers’ breadth beyond noon (duvaṅgulakappa);
• (3) To eat once and then go again to the village for alms (gāmantarakappa);
• (4) The holding of the uposatha separately by monks dwelling in the same district (āvāsakappa);
• (5) The carrying out of an official act when the assembly is incomplete (anumatikappa);
• (6) The following of a practice because it is so done by one’s tutor or teacher (āciṇṇakappa);
• (7) The eating of sour milk by one who has already had his midday meal (amathitakappa);
• (8) The use of strong drink before it has fermented (jalogikappa);
• (9) The use of a rug which is not of the proper size (nisīdanakappa);
• (10) The use of gold and silver (jātarūparajatakappa).

The orthodox monks refused to agree to these points, and one of their leaders, Yasa Kākaṇḍakaputta, publicly condemned the action of the Vajjiputtakas. Yasa then left Kosambī, and, having summoned monks from Pāvā in the west and Avanti in the south, sought Sambhūta Sāṇavāsi in Ahogaṅga. On his advice they sought Soreyya Revata, and together they consulted Sabbakāmi at Vālikārāma. In the Council that followed the Ten Points were declared invalid, and this decision was conveyed to the monks. Soon after was held a recital of the Dhamma in which seven hundred monks took part under the leadership of Soreyya Revata. The recital lasted eight months.

The story of the Vajjiputtaka heresy is given in the twelfth chapter of the Cūḷa Vagga (Vin.ii.294ff.); the Mhv.iv.9ff. gives more details in certain respects; see also Dpv.iv.48ff.; v.17ff.; 32ff.

It is noteworthy that even during the Buddha’s life five hundred monks, described as Vajjiputtakā, seceded from the Saṅgha and joined Devadatta though they were later brought back by Sāriputta and Moggallāna (Vin.ii.199f.). Buddhaghosa actually (Vin-a.i.228) identifies the heretics as belonging to the same party. For the part played by Yasa Thera see Yasa (2).

The Vajjiputtakas refused to accept the finding of Revata’s Council and formed a separate sect, the Mahā Saṅghikas, numbering ten thousand monks, who held a recital of their own.