HISTORICAL EVOLUTION OF THE SUTTA‑VIBHAṄGA COMMENTARIES AND THEIR ROLE IN INTERPRETING THE PĀTIMOKKHA TRAINING RULES

Phunthasane Phra Paron

This article examines the centuries-long development of the commentaries — atthakathā and ṭīkā — on the “Sutta-vibhaṅga” section of the Vinaya Piṭaka. The author demonstrates how concise Buddhist monastic rules (pātimokkha-sikkhapada) evolve into a system of religious “law” enriched by detailed clarifications, historical precedents, and carefully structured legal casuistry. Special emphasis is placed on the work of Buddhaghosa (5th century), who established a unified Pāli standard for these commentaries, as well as on subsequent phases (Buddhadatta, Dhammapāla). The role of subcommentaries (ṭīkā), intended to elaborate on and supplement the main atthakathā, is analyzed. Institutional applications, mechanisms of adaptation to modern circumstances, and the interdisciplinary significance of this research are also discussed. The article concludes with the tradition’s practical relevance, which has ensured monastic Saṅgha unity and interpretative flexibility in Buddhist discipline for over two millennia. The contribution of Russian Buddhist studies in examining these texts is highlighted, pointing to opportunities for comparative analysis with other religious legal systems and the future prospects for deeper translations of these commentaries.

Keywords:Buddhism, Theravada, Vinaya Pitaka, Pali Canon, Tipitaka, Buddhaghosa, commentaries, Atthakatha, Tika, Patimokkha, sikkhāpada, monastic discipline.