The Vinaya texts of some schools say that for the twelve years after the Awakening the disciples committed no offences, and the Buddha taught his monastic disciples only a short : “Do no evil at all, cultivate all that is good, thoroughly tame your own mind: this is the teaching of the Buddhas”, meaning: do no evil whatever, strive to do all good, subdue your own mind; this is what the Buddhas teach. Only after twelve years, when people began to commit offences, did the Buddha lay down the rules one by one in detail. Taishō Canon
More sources (3)
Different Accounts
The number of years: the Pātimokkha text of the Chinese Dharmaguptaka Vinaya and the Vinaya and treatises of the Sarvāstivāda (one of the schools of ancient Buddhism) have twelve years; the later commentaries of the Southern tradition and the Chinese Shanjian lü have twenty years; the Chinese Mahāsāṃghika Vinaya says the Sangha was pure for five years after the Awakening, and only afterwards did people gradually begin to commit offences. Taishō Canon
More differences between accounts (1)
The Chinese Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya says that in the thirteenth year the affair of Sudinna took place (see the entries on Sudinna under this year and under Year 20 after the Awakening).
Dating
Between Year 1 and Year 12 after the Awakening, the Buddha aged thirty-five to forty-six; the “twelve years” are stated in the canonical texts, and the conversion to years after the Awakening is by the Buddha's age; approximately within these years.
Related Entries
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Research Notes: Reliability, Dating and Sources
- How Reliability Is Assessed
Not recorded in the early sutras and Vinayas of any school; found only in the commentaries or later Buddha biographies. Later addition.
- Dating Evidence and Precision
Stated in the canonical text (the text itself gives the time); converted from the Buddha's age (converted according to the Buddha's age). Time precision: approximate range.
Sources
- 大正藏大正藏 T22 no.1429 p.1022c
- 大正藏大正藏 T22 no.1430 p.1030b
- 大正藏大正藏 T22 no.1431 p.1040c
- 大正藏大正藏 T23 no.1440 p.516a
- 大正藏大正藏 T23 no.1442 p.628a
- 巴利註解書巴利註釋 Vin-a〈Samantapāsādikā〉，§19
- 大正藏大正藏 T24 no.1462 p.708a
- 大正藏大正藏 T22 no.1425 p.412b