Lzh Dg Bi Vb Pc 94Throwing Out a Monastic

– FOUR-PART VINAYA

– PĀCITTIYA

RULE 94

A. ORIGIN STORY

At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling in the Anāthapiṇḍika Garden, Jeta's Grove, in the country of Śrāvastī. At that time, the bhikkhunī Sthūlanandā, at the beginning of the rains retreat, permitted another bhikkhunī to spread a bed in her room. But partway through the rains retreat, out of anger, she dragged the bed out and expelled the other bhikkhunī. The bhikkhunī who was expelled felt ashamed and, fearing she had lost the night of the retreat, gave up the monastic life.

The bhikkhunīs heard of this, and among them were those of few desires, contentment, and the practice of the dhūta qualities, who delighted in training in the precepts and knew conscience and shame. They reproached the bhikkhunī Sthūlanandā: "Why did you, at the beginning of the rains retreat, permit another bhikkhunī to spread her bed in your room, yet partway through the retreat, out of anger, drag her bed out and expel her, causing her shame and making her give up the monastic life?"

Then the bhikkhunīs came and reported the matter to the bhikkhus. The bhikkhus came and reported it to the Blessed One. The Blessed One, on account of this matter, convened the Sangha of bhikkhus and rebuked the bhikkhunī Sthūlanandā:

"You have acted wrongly, in a manner unbefitting proper conduct, unbefitting the practice of a śramaṇa, unbefitting pure conduct, unbefitting harmonious behavior — you have done what ought not to be done. Bhikkhunī Sthūlanandā, why did you, at the beginning of the rains retreat, permit another bhikkhunī to spread her bed in your room, yet partway through the retreat, out of anger, drag her bed out and expel her, causing her shame and making her give up the monastic life?"

After the Blessed One had rebuked the bhikkhunī Sthūlanandā in countless ways, he said to the bhikkhus:

"The bhikkhunī Sthūlanandā is a source from which many defiled seeds grow; she is the first to commit this offense. From this day forward, I shall lay down a rule for the bhikkhunīs comprising ten points of meaning, up to and including the phrase 'so that the true Dharma may long endure.'"

The rule should be stated as follows:

Whatever bhikkhunī, at the beginning of the rains retreat, permits another bhikkhunī to spread a bed in her room for the rains retreat, and afterward, out of anger, expels her — pācittiya.

B. ANALYSIS OF THE RULE

Bhikkhunī: as explained above.

During the rains retreat: that is, having already undertaken the rains retreat.

Bed: there are five types, as explained above.

If a bhikkhunī, having at the beginning of the rains retreat permitted another bhikkhunī to place a bed in her room, afterward expels her out of anger — for each means of expulsion, for each time the expelled person steps out through a doorway, the one who expels her incurs one pācittiya. If by means of expulsion she drives multiple people out through multiple doors, she incurs multiple pācittiyas. If by means of expulsion she drives multiple people out through one door, she incurs multiple pācittiyas.

If by means of expulsion she drives one person out through multiple doors, she incurs multiple pācittiyas. If by means of expulsion she drives one person out through one door, she incurs one pācittiya. If she throws out other robes or belongings, she incurs a duṣkṛta.

If she closes the door and does not allow the person to enter, she incurs a duṣkṛta.

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

Non-offense: if it is not out of anger but in accordance with rank, a senior monastic expels a junior monastic; if a person who has not undertaken the precepts has slept more than two nights and is expelled on the third night; if a sick person is sent outside to a lavatory for the sake of convenience; or if the person is one who has broken the precepts, broken the view, broken proper conduct, has had an offense raised against her, has been expelled from the Sangha, or ought to be expelled; or if remaining would bring danger to life or danger to the celibate life — for all such reasons, to expel someone is not an offense.

Those free from offense: the first offender before the rule was laid down; one who is mad, whose mind is disturbed, or who is tormented by severe pain.

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

Chinese translation: Tripiṭaka master Buddhayaśas and Zhú Fóniàn.

Edited and annotated by: Bhikkhu Thích Nguyên Chứng.

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

Buddhist Studies Editorial Committee, 2002.