Overview
The Saṅgha functions under a rigorous constitutional framework. Every dispute, crime, or administrative issue that arises within a monastery must be processed formally as a legal case, known as an Adhikaraṇa. The Vinaya categorizes all possible community problems into four distinct types, each requiring specific legal remedies to resolve.
The List
- Vivādādhikaraṇa - Disputes over Doctrine: Legal questions that arise when monks argue, disagree, or debate regarding what is the true Dhamma, what is the Vinaya, what the Buddha taught, or what he did not teach.
- Anuvādādhikaraṇa - Accusations of Misconduct: Legal questions that arise when a monk formally accuses another monk of a moral lapse, a rule violation, or a failure in behavior or livelihood.
- Āpattādhikaraṇa - Rule Violations: Legal questions that focus purely on a specific monk who has actually committed an offense (minor or major), mapping the case to its proper confession or rehabilitation protocol.
- Kiccādhikaraṇa - Administrative Obligations: Legal questions regarding the execution of official Saṅgha business, such as conducting valid ordinations, establishing borders (sīmā), or holding the Uposatha.
Textual References
- Canonical: Sāmagāma Sutta (MN 104) – Ven. Ānanda consults the Buddha on how to prevent internal collapse after the leader of the Jains dies, prompting this legal matrix.