Lzh Dg Bi Vb Pc 79Dancing and Singing

– DHARMAGUPTAKA VINAYA

– PĀCITTIYA

RULE 79

A. ORIGIN

At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling on Vulture Peak Mountain, near Rājagaha. At that time, the people of the country were holding a festival, with music and entertainment. A group of six bhikkhunīs went to watch and listen. When the laypeople saw this, they criticized them: "These bhikkhunīs have no sense of shame. They outwardly claim to know the true Dharma, yet they go together to watch entertainments just like courtesans and wanton women—no different at all. What sort of true Dharma is that?"

The bhikkhunīs heard this, and among them those who were of few desires, contented, and practiced the austere dhūta qualities, who loved training in the precepts and knew a sense of shame and remorse, reproached the group of six bhikkhunīs: "Why did you all go together to watch and listen to entertainments?"

The bhikkhunīs then went and reported this to the bhikkhus. The bhikkhus went and reported it to the Blessed One. The Blessed One, on account of this matter, convened the assembly of bhikkhus and rebuked the group of six bhikkhunīs:

"What you have done is wrong, unbecoming, not in accord with the conduct of a samaṇa, not pure conduct, not appropriate behavior—you have done what should not be done. Why did you go to watch and listen to entertainments?"

The Blessed One rebuked the group of six bhikkhunīs in numerous ways, and then said to the bhikkhus:

"This group of six bhikkhunīs is a field for the growth of many defiled seeds; they are the first to commit this offense. From this day forward, I shall lay down a rule for the bhikkhunīs, comprising ten bases of meaning, up to and including the phrase 'for the long-lasting of the true Dharma.'"

The rule should be stated as follows:

Whatever bhikkhunī goes to watch and listen to music and entertainment — pācittiya.

B. ANALYSIS OF THE RULE

Bhikkhunī: as explained above.

Watching and listening: enjoying various forms of entertainment.

If a bhikkhunī goes from a main road to a main road, from a main road to a side road, from a side road to a main road; from a high place to a low place, from a low place to a high place, in order to watch and listen to music and entertainment; if she sees it, she commits a pācittiya; if she does not see it, she commits a dukkaṭa.

If she forms the intention to go but does not go, or makes an appointment to go but turns back halfway, all such cases constitute a dukkaṭa.

For a bhikkhu, a dukkaṭa. For a sikkhāmānā, a sāmaṇera, or a sāmaṇerī, a dukkaṭa. These are called offenses.

Non-offense: if there is a formal request; or if she is called; or if she is traveling on a journey and must pass by the side of such a place; or if it is a place of temporary lodging for the night; or if she is taken by force; or if she is bound and led away; or if there is danger to her life or danger to her chastity; in all such cases there is no offense.

Those who do not commit an offense: one who commits an offense for the first time before the rule has been laid down; one who is insane, of deranged mind, or afflicted with pain and overwhelmed by it.

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: Bhikkhu Thích Nguyên Chứng

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

Buddhist Publication Committee, 2002