Lzh Sarv Bu Kam 2Monks’ Legal Proceedings (2nd)
Pāli / Sanskrit:Bhikkhu Kammavācā (2nd)
The Bhikkhu-kammavācā (“the monks’ legal proceedings”) are compilations of the formulas that are recited by monks to carry out the legal proceedings of the Sangha. They were excerpted from the Vibhaṅga.
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Explanation of Bhikkhu Kammavācā (Second)
The Sutta on the Legal Procedures of the Sangha
Background
Bhikkhu Kammavācā, provisionally translated as “Legal Procedures of the Bhikkhu Sangha,” consists of official formulas recited by bhikkhus to carry out important legal decisions of the Sangha. This material is extracted from the Vibhaṅga, the Vinaya section in the Pāli Canon, compiled and organized for easy application in collective meetings of the Sangha.
In the Theravāda tradition, the Vinaya Piṭaka is not only a set of ethical rules but also a complete legal system for governing the community of monastic disciples. Kammavācā consists of the legal formulas that must be recited word for word, because precision of wording is a condition for a decision to have legal validity in the Sangha community. This “second” version refers to a second recension or classification among different versions of this document.
Main Content
Bhikkhu Kammavācā consists of formal formulas used to carry out legal acts (kamma) of the Sangha, including admitting a new bhikkhu into the Sangha, handling violations of the regulations, or deciding internal disputes. Each formula follows a definite structure: first the announcement of the matter (ñatti), then three formal requests (anusavana) to ensure that the whole Sangha is united in opinion.
These formulas are not prayers or sermons, but administrative statements with decisive force, recited in standard Pāli. The presence and silence of the bhikkhus are regarded as tacit consent to the decision announced. This reflects the principle of “acquiescence by silence” in ancient Sangha law.
The use of Pāli, the textual language, ensures the unity and solemnity of these procedures.
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