This thesis has 3 purposes : (1) to study Bhikkhupatimokkha  in Theravada  Buddhism  (2) to study statuses and problems of  Bhikkhupatimokkha faced by Buddhist monks at present  and  (3) to study ways to promote Bhikkhupatimokkha  for Buddhist monks at present.

               The results of the study are summarized as follows :

                        Bhikkhupatimokkha in Theravada Buddhism was found to have originated and evolved since the Reign of the Buddha named Vipassi who delivered the sermon of Bhikkhupatimokkha one time in every six months when Sikkhabod or written conventions or standards had not been established and at only one venue named Utayanakhemmrukhadayawan Reserved Park. Later on, during the Gautama Buddha’s time, Bhikkhupatimokkha was established and delivered only once by the Buddha and then it was delegated to his followers. The term “Bhikkhupatimokkha” refers to the written conventions or standards the Buddha set up for all Buddhist monks; its significance was to remind the monks of their Precepts and to be able to recite Vinaya or Disciplines which were their major Practice Guidelines as monks. There are two  types of Bhikkhupatimokkha : Ovadapatimokkha and Anapatimokkha, That main content of the Bhikkhupatimokkha deals with male and female monks’ Precepts, Punishments, Benefits of Listening to or Reciting of Bhikkhupatimokkha.

              On the statuses and problems related to Bhikkhupatimokkha faced by Buddhist  monks at present  and  it was found that there were some changes in Bhikkhupatimokkha which made it different from the Buddha’s time depending on social conditions, such  as  monasteries  or ordination  halls,  deliverers, monks, documents and texts, and disseminations, whether or not they are sufficiently available for monks to perform Sangha activities and rituals; however, shortages of facilities prevailed in many monasteries, especially in rural communities that could cause problems. The main problem involved decreasing number of Bhikkhupatimokkha deliverers, insufficient documents and texts which affected channels of disseminations and thus resulted in monks’ ignorance or poor knowledge of Bhikkhupatimokkha and deviations from the Buddha’s conventions and standards.

              Ways to promote the recitations of Bhikkhupatimokkha could be divided into 5 categories: (1) Monasteries: cleanliness and orderliness of the place should be maintained  on  the Bhikkhupatimok recitation day, (2) Recitation Deliverers:  Monks  should  be  trained to   prevent shortage problems, (3) Monks: They should be trained to realize  the  significance  and  benefits of  listening  to  and reciting  of  Bhikkhupatimokkha, (4) Texts: more publications, internet media  and  research  studies  should be encouraged  and  (5) Disseminations: Monks should play a more active role in publicizing Bhikkhupatimokkha among themselves and for the public to preserve the  Buddha’s  Vinaya  or  Disciplines  as  long  as  possible.