A reconsideration of the issue of authorship in the Vinaya

When discussing the transmission of the Monastic Codes (Vinaya) that have come down to us, we often opt to speak of their “authors”, implying a sense of agency and intention in the formation of these complex and narrative-laden compositions. This article, focusing in particular on the Mūlasarvāstivāda-vinaya, offers a reconsideration of these historic agents and possibly their own self-representation. The various Buddhist Monastic Codes were said to be transmitted by proficient “Bearers of the Discipline”—the vinayadharas. Who were the vinayadharas? Did they merely transmit existing utterances, or perhaps fashion and reshape the tradition as authors? In a section of their law code (the Śayanāsanavastu), the vinayadharas of the Mūlasarvāstivādin fraternity describe their role in their own words. By closely reading this description, this article will address the questions above in hopes of contributing to the discussion on issues such as authorship, creativity, and agency in the Buddhist textual tradition.