Lzh Dg Bi Vb Pc 163Leaving Monastery After Sunset

– DHARMAGUPTAKA VINAYA

– PĀCITTIYA

RULE 163

A. ORIGIN STORY

At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling in the garden of Anāthapiṇḍika, in the Jeta Grove, in the country of Śrāvastī. At that time, one of the group of six bhikkhunīs opened the door of the monastery and departed at sunset without informing anyone. At that moment, an escaped prisoner, seeing from a distance that the monastery door was open, ran inside to hide. The prison guards gave chase and came to ask the bhikkhunīs:

"Did you see a prisoner of such-and-such appearance come running here?"

Since they had not seen him, the bhikkhunīs replied:

"We did not see him."

The guards searched throughout the monastery and captured the escaped prisoner. The lay people, upon seeing this, reproached them: "These bhikkhunīs tell lies without any sense of shame. They outwardly claim, 'We know the true Dharma.' But what Dharma is there in this? They saw a fugitive and said they did not see him!"

The bhikkhunīs questioned one another to find out who had opened the door and departed at sunset. It was then discovered that one of the group of six bhikkhunīs had opened the door of the monastery and gone out at sunset.

When the bhikkhunīs heard of this, those among them who were of few desires and contentment, who practised the dhūta qualities, were fond of training in the precepts, had a sense of shame, and felt remorse, reproached that one of the group of six bhikkhunīs: "Why did you open the door and go out at sunset without informing anyone?"

The bhikkhunīs then reported the matter to the bhikkhus. The bhikkhus went and informed the Blessed One. The Blessed One, on account of this, convened a gathering of the Bhikkhu Saṅgha and reproached that one of the group of six bhikkhunīs:

"What you have done is wrong, not in accordance with proper conduct, not in accordance with the practice of a śramaṇa, not in accordance with pure conduct, not in accordance with harmonious behaviour — this is something that ought not to have been done. Why, bhikkhunī, did you open the door and depart at sunset without informing anyone?"

Having reproached her with numerous expedient means, the Buddha said to the bhikkhus:

"This bhikkhunī is a field for the planting of many seeds of defilement, and she is the first to transgress this precept. From now on, I shall lay down a rule for the bhikkhunīs, comprising ten principles of meaning, up to and including the phrase 'so that the true Dharma may long endure.'"

The precept should be stated thus:

Whatever bhikkhunī opens the door of the monastery and departs at sunset — pācittiya.

The Blessed One thus laid down this precept for the bhikkhunīs. Yet the bhikkhunīs, when there was business concerning the Buddha, the Dharma, or the Saṅgha, or when caring for the sick, were hesitant and did not dare to go. The Buddha instructed:

"From now on, permission is granted to go after having informed someone."

From now on the precept should be stated thus:

Whatever bhikkhunī opens the door of the monastery and departs at sunset without informing anyone — pācittiya.

B. ANALYSIS OF THE RULE

Bhikkhunī: as explained above.

Whatever bhikkhunī opens the door of the monastery and departs at sunset without informing anyone — pācittiya. If one foot is inside and one foot is outside, or if one intends to depart by expedient means but does not go, or if one has agreed to go but does not go — in all such cases it is a duṣkṛta.

For a bhikkhu, it is a duṣkṛta. For a śikṣamāṇā, a śrāmaṇera, or a śrāmaṇerī, it is a duṣkṛta. This is called an offence.

Non-offence: If one goes on account of business concerning the Buddha, the Dharma, or the Saṅgha, or for the care of the sick, having informed someone beforehand. Or if the monastery is being destroyed, or a fire has broken out, or there are thieves, or wild animals, or poisonous snakes inside; or if one is seized by force, or bound and led away; or if there is danger to life or danger to the holy life — in such cases, departing without informing anyone is not an offence. In all such cases there is no offence.

Those who commit no offence: one who transgresses for the first time before the rule has been promulgated; one who is insane, mentally deranged, or overcome by severe pain and distress.

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

Chinese translation: Tripiṭaka masters Buddhayaśas and Zhu Fonian.

Revised and annotated by: Bhikkhu Thích Nguyên Chứng

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

Buddhist Publication Committee 2002