A comparative Study of the Pratimoksa

On the basis of its Chinese, Tibetan, Sanskrit and Pali Versions

W.Pachow

Motilal Banarsidass

240

1995

9788120815728

Vinaya

1 total

Dr. W. Pachow is one of those extremely rare scholars who can conduct research in all the mother tongues of the Buddhist tradition, Pali, Sanskrit, Classical Chinese, and Tibetan. Dr. Pachow is currently Professor Emeritus of Asian Religions and Buddhist Studies at Iowa State University in Iowa City. He has an extensive resume of publications in both English and Chinese which include translations from Chinese sutras, the poetry of the India poet Tagore, as well as several comparative studies of Buddhist texts. While his "A Comparative Study of the Pratimoksa" is essentially a revised edition of his doctoral dissertation, first published in 1955 and then released again in 2000, his book provides a succinct overview to the creation and evolution of the Pratimoksa or Buddhist Monastic Rules as well as on the fortnightly ceremonies where the entire text is recited in monasteries and monks and nuns confess their transgressions. His work consists of three parts, an "Introduction," a "Comparison of the Pratimoksa Texts of Various Versions Belonging to Various Schools," and a section of five appendices that map out discrepancies and gaps in the number and content of the regulations maintained among the various versions of the text. Such works on the formation of the Buddhist Canon are extremely hard to find, especially those that can span the compass of so many different Asian traditions. While my own training is insufficient to comment on the merits of his argument that the text of the Mahasanghika School is the most ancient version of the Pratimoksa, I will say that through his use of tables, he clearly establishes how much these different traditions have in common. Pachow demonstrates that of the eight different categories of rules, it is only for the regulations concerning decorum (Saiksa) that the traditions diverge. Pachow also offers useful commentary on the points of concern for the first Buddhist Councils as well as the contributions of Jainism and Hinduism to the formation of the Buddhist world view. This book is not intended for the casual reader but the scholar. There are times when I have wished Pachow would have brought his generalizations and insights to the front of his text rather than mentioning them only at the conclusion of a subtle point in his very precise analysis. His phrasing also harks back to an era of humble exposition. His intense reserve despite his magnificent scholarship can make the display of his ideas hard to anticipate and grasp. Surely a second generation of Western Buddhist scholars can use his work to bridge that gap between the subtle and the practical. Unlike many other academic works, Pachow provides a concise overview of the problems of the studies of early texts, including variation in language, translator's errors, and commentary based on faulty understanding. His commentary on the problems of translating social context as well as written text is especially helpful when the social actions and expectations that served as the ground of a new rule would not convey in the reading by latter schools because the latter cultures did not have such institutions. In short, Pachow's work, especially with its rich footnotes and citations, as well as thorough textual analysis, should be considered essential reading for anyone interested in the early history of Buddhism and the formation of the world's oldest monastic code.