Jiankai bashi 倹開八事 is a technical term of Chinese Buddhist Vinaya studies that encapsulates the content of eight specific matters documented in the Dharmaguptaka and Mahīśāsaka Vinayas and the Pinimu jing 毘尼母経 （T. 1463）. The term originated from a proposal put forth by Pūrṇamaitrāyaṇīputra, one of the senior monks, who expressed discontent with the assembly organized by Māhakāśyapa. His proposal aimed to relax the regulations concerning eight matters related to eating. The primary objective of this proposal was to broaden the scope of the monastic code, in line with Ānanda’s suggestion that “minor rules could be abandoned.” This suggestion was made with the intention of preserving harmony within the Saṅgha. Conversely, it also represents the viewpoint of senior monks who had received direct teachings from the Buddha. They sought to implement the monastic code based on their interpretation of the Buddha’s instructions after his Nirvāṇa. This divergence in perspectives created a significant dichotomy between the “Sūtra-centric” approach of the Māhakāśyapa school and the interpretation of the monastic code. Ultimately, this schism played a pivotal role in the fundamental split within Buddhism.
