Lzh Dg Bi Vb Pc 175Bowing to Monks

– FOUR-PART VINAYA

– PĀCITTIYA

RULE 175

A. ORIGIN STORY

At one time, the Bhagavān was dwelling in the garden of Anāthapiṇḍika, in the Jeta Grove, at the city of Śrāvastī. At that time, the Blessed One had established a rule requiring that a bhikṣuṇī, even one of one hundred years' standing, upon seeing a newly ordained bhikṣu, must rise to receive him, pay homage, show respect, greet him, spread out a sitting mat, and invite him to sit. Yet there were certain bhikṣuṇīs who did not rise to receive, pay homage, show respect, or greet him.

The bhikṣuṇīs heard of this, and among them were those of few desires and contentment, who practiced the dhūta qualities, were fond of training in the precepts, and who knew shame and remorse. They reproached those bhikṣuṇīs: "The Blessed One has established a rule that a bhikṣuṇī, even one of one hundred years' standing, upon seeing a newly ordained bhikṣu, must rise to receive him, show respect, pay homage, greet him, spread out a sitting mat, and invite him to sit. Why do you not rise to receive him?"

The bhikṣuṇīs reported this to the bhikṣus. The bhikṣus went and reported it to the Blessed One. The Blessed One, on account of this matter, assembled the Saṅgha of bhikṣus and rebuked those bhikṣuṇīs:

"What you have done is wrong—it is not proper conduct, not the conduct of a śramaṇa, not pure practice, not harmonious behavior; it is something that should not be done. Why, upon seeing a newly ordained bhikṣu, do you not rise to receive him, pay homage, show respect, greet him, spread out a sitting mat, and invite him to sit, even though you are of one hundred years' standing?"

Having rebuked them with numerous skillful means, the Buddha said to the bhikṣus:

"These bhikṣuṇīs are a ground in which many seeds of the āsravas are planted; they are the first to violate this rule. From this day forward, I shall establish a rule for the bhikṣuṇīs, comprising ten principles, up to and including the phrase 'so that the true Dharma may long endure.'"

The rule should be stated as follows:

Whatever bhikṣuṇī, even of one hundred years' standing, upon seeing a newly ordained bhikṣu does not rise to receive him, show respect, pay homage, and greet him—pācittiya.

The Blessed One having established this rule for the bhikṣuṇīs, there were those who practiced one-seat eating and did not eat food declared as remnant food, or who were ill, or who had not yet eaten their fill and therefore did not rise to greet him, and there arose doubt. The Buddha instructed:

"From this day forward, it is permitted to say: 'I confess, Venerable Sir. I had such and such a reason and therefore did not rise to receive the Venerable One.'"

From now on, the rule should be stated as follows:

Whatever bhikṣuṇī, upon seeing a newly ordained bhikṣu, must rise to receive him, show respect, pay homage, greet him, and invite him to sit. If she does not do so, except when there is a reason—pācittiya.

B. ANALYSIS OF THE RULE

Bhikṣuṇī: as explained above.

Whatever bhikṣuṇī, upon seeing a bhikṣu, does not rise—pācittiya. Except when there is a reason.

For a bhikṣu—duṣkṛta. For a śikṣamāṇā, a śrāmaṇera, or a śrāmaṇerikā—duṣkṛta. This is called an offense.

Non-offense: If she rises to receive him; or if she is practicing one-seat eating; or if she does not eat food declared as remnant food; or if she is ill; or if she has not yet eaten her fill and says: "I confess, Venerable Sir, I had such and such a reason and therefore did not rise to receive the Venerable One." Or if she is ill and has fallen to the ground; or if she is taken by force; or if there is danger to her life; or if there is danger to her brahmacarya. In all such cases, there is no offense.

Those who do not commit an offense: one who offends for the very first time before the rule has been established; one who is deranged; one whose mind is disturbed; one who is afflicted with pain and distress.

Vietnamese translation: Bhikṣu Thích Đỗng Minh and Thích Đức Thắng. FOUR-PART VINAYA, PART ONE

Chinese translation: Tripiṭaka masters Buddhayaśas and Zhu Fonian.

Revised and annotated by: Bhikṣu Thích Nguyên Chứng

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

Dharma Publications Committee, 2002