The name of a large group of monks belonging to the Vajjian clan and dwelling in Vesāli, who, one century after the Buddha's death, brought forward Ten Points (dasa vatthūni) as being permissible for members of the Order. These points are as follows:
The orthodox monks refused to agree to these points, and one of their leaders, Yasa Kākandakaputta, publicly condemned the action of the Vajjiputtakas. Yasa then left Kosambī, and, having summoned monks from Pāvā in the west and Avanti in the south, sought Sambhūta Sānavāsi in Ahoganga. On his advice they sought Soreyya-Revata, and together they consulted Sabbakāmi at Vālikārāma. In the Council that followed the Ten Points were declared invalid, and this decision was conveyed to the monks. Soon after was held a recital of the Doctrine in which seven hundred monks took part under the leadership of Soreyya-Revata. The recital lasted eight months.
The story of the Vajjiputtaka heresy is given in the twelfth chapter of the Cullavagga (Vin.ii.294ff.); the Mhv.iv.9ff. gives more details in certain respects; see also Dpv.iv.48ff.; v.17ff.; 32ff.
It is noteworthy that even during the Buddha's life five hundred monks, described as Vajjiputtakā, seceded from the Order and joined Devadatta though they were later brought back by Sāriputta and Moggallāna (Vin.ii.199f.). Buddhaghosa actually (Sp.i.228) identifies the heretics as belonging to the same party. For the part played by Yasa Thera see Yasa (2).
The Vajjiputtakas refused to accept the finding of Revata’s Council and formed a separate sect, the Mahāsanghikas, numbering ten thousand monks, who held a recital of their own.