History of the Buddhist Sangha in India and Sri Lanka

The book is organized into seven chapters. Chapter I studies the origin of the Buddhist Saṅgha within the religious milieu of ancient India, especially the world of Brahmanas, parivrajakas, śramaṇas, wandering recluses, and early mendicant communities. Chapter II examines the organization of monastic life, including the transition from wandering life to residence in āvāsas, the growth of cenobitic life, Vinaya regulations, communal acts, and administrative structures. Chapter III presents the early history of the Saṅgha in India, tracing its growth, sectarian divisions, doctrinal interpretations, monastic practices, and geographical expansion. Chapter IV is divided into two parts: the first treats the establishment of Buddhism in Sri Lanka and the early history of the Saṅgha through Mahinda and the Mahāvihāra tradition; the second follows later monastic organization, indigenous influences, royal patronage, relations among Mahāvihāra, Abhayagiri, and Jetavana, and the shaping of Theravāda orthodoxy. Chapter V studies the Saṅgha in the Polonnaruwa period, especially monastic reform, reconciliation of sects, royal support, and the renewed prestige of the Mahāvihāra. Chapter VI discusses monastic life and organization in the Dambadeniya and subsequent periods, including the growth of hierarchy, control of monastic institutions, and links with Burma and Thailand. Chapter VII examines the Kandyan period, focusing on decline, reform, and the revival associated with Velivita Saranankara and King Kirti Sri Rajasinha.