Lzh Dg Bi Vb Pc 88Cursing Another

– FOUR-PART VINAYA

– PĀCITTIYA

RULE 88

A. ORIGIN STORY

At one time, the Bhagavān was staying in the garden of Anāthapiṇḍika, in the Jeta Grove, in the land of Śrāvastī. At that time, the group of six bhikkhunīs, over a trivial matter, became angry with one another and made oaths that they would fall into the three evil paths and not be reborn within the Buddha's teaching, saying: "If I do this, then I shall fall into the three evil paths and not be reborn within the Buddha's teaching. If you do this, you too shall fall into the three evil paths and not be reborn within the Buddha's teaching!"

The bhikkhunīs heard of this, and among them those who were of few desires, content, who practiced the ascetic practices, who delighted in training in the precepts, who had a sense of shame and remorse, reproached the group of six bhikkhunīs: "How could you, over a trivial matter, make angry oaths that you would fall into the three evil paths and not be reborn within the Buddha's teaching, saying: 'If I say this, I shall fall into the three evil paths and not be reborn within the Buddha's teaching. If you do this, you too shall fall into the three evil paths and not be reborn within the Buddha's teaching!'?"

The bhikkhunīs went and reported the matter 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 accordance with the conduct of a monastic, not in accordance with pure practice, not in accordance with proper behavior — this is something that should not be done. Group of six bhikkhunīs, how could you, over a trivial matter, become angry with one another and make oaths that you would fall into the three evil paths and not be reborn within the Buddha's teaching, saying: 'If I have done this, I shall fall into the three evil paths and not be reborn within the Buddha's teaching; if you have done this, you too shall fall into the three evil paths and not be reborn within the Buddha's teaching!'?"

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

"This group of six bhikkhunīs is a field for planting many seeds of defilement, and they are the first to commit this offense. From now on, I shall lay down a rule for the bhikkhunīs for the sake of ten purposes, and up to the purpose of the true Dharma long enduring."

The rule should be stated thus:

Whatever bhikkhunī, over a trivial matter, makes an oath that she will fall into the three evil paths and not be reborn within the Buddha's teaching, saying: 'If I have done this, I shall fall into the three evil paths and not be reborn within the Buddha's teaching. If you have done this, you too shall fall into the three evil paths and not be reborn within the Buddha's teaching' — pācittiya.

B. ANALYSIS OF THE RULE

Bhikkhunī: as explained above.

The Buddha teaches that from now on one is permitted to say "Namo Buddhāya," saying: "If I have done this, then 'Namo Buddhāya.' If you have done this, then also 'Namo Buddhāya.'"

A bhikkhunī who, over a trivial matter, makes an oath that she will fall into the three evil paths and not be reborn within the Buddha's teaching, saying: "If I have done this, I shall fall into the three evil paths and not be reborn within the Buddha's teaching. If you have done the same, you too shall fall into the three evil paths and not be reborn within the Buddha's teaching" — if spoken clearly, it is a pācittiya offense; if spoken indistinctly, it is a dukkaṭa offense.

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

Non-offense: if one says "Namo Buddhāya," or speaks in jest, speaks hastily, speaks to oneself, speaks in a dream, or intends to say one thing but mistakenly says another — there is no offense.

Those who do not commit an offense: the first offender prior to the laying down of the rule; one who is insane, mentally deranged, or in extreme pain and distress.

Vietnamese translation: Bhikkhu Thích Đỗng Minh and Thích Đức Thắng. FOUR-PART 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 Committee, 2002