Vows in Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana

[DarwidHalim]

Hi All,

For a monk in a particular school, do you how many vows you 'officially' should take as a monk?

For example:
Theravada monk, what are the vows, and it consists of how many points.
Mahayana monk, .....
Vajrayana monk, .....

[Astus]

I'm no monk, but actually anyone can check on the numbers, and those who have some interest in these matters, know them.

So, Theravada Patimokkha contains 227 rules for bhikkhus (and 311 for bhikkhunis). Dharmaguptaka Pratimoksha (China, Korea, Vietnam) has 250 rules for bhikshus and 348 for bhikshunis. Mulasarvastivadin Pratimoksha (Tibet, Bhutan, Mongolia) has 253 rules for bhikshus (and 346 for bhikshunis).

Beyond those above in East Asia there are the bodhisattva vows of the Brahma Net Sutra (10+48 precepts), and Vajrayana followers in Tibet, etc., take a different set of bodhisattva precepts (18+46) and there are further Tantric commitments (usually 14 common root vows and further more depending on one's practice).

[DarwidHalim]

For patimokkha, the mahayana version outnumber the Theravada version.

Is the Mahayana version more complete than Theravada in the sense that

Mahayana patimokkha = Theravada Patimokkha + The differences.

[retrofuturist]

Greetings,

So, Theravada Patimokkha contains 227 rules for bhikkhus (and 311 for bhikkhunis).

Yep, I'll just add to that by clarifying that in Theravada these are regarded purely as "training rules" rather than "vows". The consequence of failure to adhere to the rules ranges from no punishment (i.e. these are standards you should try to apply) to "defeat" (i.e. invalidation of monastic status). There is no equivalent of Vajra Hell or anything like that in connection to reneging on the path.

There are no official or mandated vows in Theravada, although there are different paths recognised in the commentarial literature (e.g. bodhisattva path) which could be said to comprise certain commitments over and above the 227/311 precepts.

Maitri,
Retro.