Grammatical Analysis
Khandhaka: [m.] The Chapters; The Sections; The Divisions. Derived from khandha (trunk, mass, aggregate, section) + ka (suffix).
Orthodox Definition
The Khandhaka constitutes the second major division of the Vinaya Piṭaka. While the Suttavibhaṅga deals with the legal rules for individual monastics (the Pātimokkha), the Khandhaka deals with the massive administrative and ceremonial procedures of the Saṅgha as a collective institution.
It provides the precise legal frameworks for how the Saṅgha governs itself. It details how to perform an ordination (upasampadā), how to hold the fortnightly recitation of the rules (uposatha), how to manage the rains retreat (vassa) and the Kathina ceremony, how to distribute lodgings, how to deal with schisms, and how to enact formal disciplinary acts against rogue monks.
The Khandhaka is famously divided into two massive volumes: the Mahāvagga (The Great Division) and the Cullavagga (The Minor Division).
Textual References
- Vinaya: Khandhaka – Contains 22 distinct chapters (10 in the Mahāvagga, 12 in the Cullavagga).
- Commentary: Samantapāsādikā – Essential for understanding the complex geometric and geographical requirements for establishing a valid monastic boundary (sīmā) mentioned in these chapters.