Lzh Dg Bi Vb Pc 100Royal Houses

– DHARMAGUPTAKA VINAYA

– PĀCITTIYA

RULE 100

A. ORIGIN STORY

At one time, the Bhagavān was dwelling in the Anāthapiṇḍika's Park, Jeta's Grove, in the country of Śrāvastī. At that time, a group of six bhikkhunīs went to the royal palace to look at painted buildings, gardens, forests, and bathing pools. The laypeople saw this and reproached them: "These bhikkhunīs have no sense of shame; they violate the pure conduct. Outwardly they claim to know the true Dharma. What kind of true Dharma is this? Going to the royal palace to look at painted buildings, gardens, forests, and bathing pools — they are just like prostitutes and wicked women!"

The bhikkhunīs heard of this, and among them were those of few desires and contentment, who practiced the dhūta qualities, who delighted in training in the precepts, and who knew shame and remorse. They reproached the group of six bhikkhunīs: "Why did you go to the royal palace to look at painted buildings, gardens, forests, and bathing pools?"

The bhikkhunīs came and reported the matter to the bhikkhus. The bhikkhus came and reported it to the Buddha. The Buddha, on account of this matter, convened an assembly of the Saṅgha of bhikkhus and rebuked the group of six bhikkhunīs:

"What you have done is wrong, not in accordance with proper conduct, not in accordance with the Dharma of recluses, not in accordance with pure conduct, not in accordance with following conduct, and is something that should not be done. Group of six bhikkhunīs, why did you go to the royal palace to look at painted buildings, gardens, forests, and bathing pools?"

The Blessed One, having rebuked the group of six bhikkhunīs with countless expedient means, said to the bhikkhus:

"These bhikkhunīs are a field that cultivates many tainted seeds, and they are the first to commit this offense. From now on, I shall lay down a precept for the bhikkhunīs, comprising ten bases of meaning, up to the phrase 'for the long endurance of the true Dharma.'"

The precept should be stated as follows:

Whatever bhikkhunī goes to the royal palace and looks at painted buildings, gardens, forests, or bathing pools — pācittiya.

B. ANALYSIS OF THE PRECEPT

Bhikkhunī: as defined above.

Whatever bhikkhunī goes to the royal palace and looks at painted buildings, gardens, forests, or bathing pools — whether traveling from a main road to a main road, from a main road to a non-main road, from a non-main road to a main road; from a high place to a low place, or from a low place to a high place — if she goes there and sees, it is pācittiya; if she does not see, it is duṣkṛta.

If she intends to go but does not go; if she makes an appointment to go but does not go — all such cases are duṣkṛta.

For a bhikkhu, it is duṣkṛta. For a śikṣamāṇā, a śrāmaṇera, or a śrāmaṇerī, it is duṣkṛta. These are called offenses.

Non-offense: if she enters the royal palace to present some matter; or if she is summoned or invited; or if she passes through on the way; or if she stops there for the night; or if she is taken by force, or bound and led away; or if there is a threat to her life or to her pure conduct; or if she goes to look at the style of painting for the sake of the Saṅgha's affairs or a stūpa's affairs, in order to obtain a design — in all such cases there is no offense.

Or if she goes to a monastery for teaching or to hear the Dharma; or if she is invited while passing through; or if she stops there for the night; or if she is taken by force or bound and led away; or if she goes to look at gardens, forests, or bathing pools for the sake of the Saṅgha's affairs or a stūpa's affairs, in order to obtain a design — in all such cases there is no offense.

Those who do not commit an offense: one who commits the first offense before the precept has been laid down; one who is insane, mentally deranged, or afflicted with severe pain and distress.

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Vietnamese translation: Bhikkhu Thích Đỗng Minh and Thích Đức Thắng. DHARMAGUPTAKA VINAYA, PART ONE.

Chinese translation: Tripiṭaka masters Buddhayaśas and Zhu Fonian.

Edited and annotated: Bhikkhu Thích Nguyên Chứng

(Chinese translation, fascicles 1–21; Vietnamese translation, volumes 1–2)

Buddhist Studies Editorial Board, 2002