Lzh Dg Bi Vb Pc 96Going Wandering

– DHARMAGUPTAKA VINAYA

– PĀCITTIYA

RULE 96

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, some laypeople of Śrāvastī invited the bhikkhunī Śāmmā and together established the condition: "We will make offerings to the Saṅgha until the rains retreat is concluded." But when the rains retreat was over, the bhikkhunī Śāmmā remained and did not depart. The laypeople expressed their displeasure: "Previously we made an agreement, inviting the bhikkhunī Śāmmā to come for the rains retreat, and we made offerings to the Saṅgha until the retreat was concluded. Now that the rains retreat is over, the bhikkhunī Śāmmā stays on and refuses to leave!"

The bhikkhunīs heard of this, and among them were those of few desires and contentment, who practiced the austere qualities, who delighted in training in the precepts, who knew shame and remorse. They reproached the bhikkhunī Śāmmā: "The laypeople together established the condition inviting Śāmmā to come, and made offerings to the Saṅgha until the rains retreat was concluded. Now that the rains retreat is over, why do you remain and refuse to leave?"

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, assembled the community of bhikkhus and rebuked the bhikkhunī Śāmmā:

"What you have done is wrong; it is not proper conduct, not the practice of a renunciant, not pure conduct, not befitting behavior—it is something that should not be done. The laypeople made offerings for the rains retreat. Now that the rains retreat is over, why do you deliberately remain and refuse to leave, causing the laypeople to be displeased?"

Having rebuked the bhikkhunī Śāmmā with numerous skillful means, the Blessed One said to the bhikkhus:

"This bhikkhunī is a fertile ground for the many seeds of the defiled outflows, and she is the first to commit this offense. From now on, I shall establish this precept for the bhikkhunīs, comprising ten principles, up to and including the phrase 'for the long abiding of the true Dharma.'"

The precept should be recited as follows:

Whatever bhikkhunī, when the rains retreat is concluded, does not depart—pācittiya.

B. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PRECEPT

Bhikkhunī: the meaning is as above.

When the rains retreat is concluded, a bhikkhunī should set out, even if only for one night. If any bhikkhunī, when the rains retreat is concluded, does not set out—pācittiya.

For a bhikkhu, duṣkṛta. For a śikṣamāṇā, śrāmaṇera, or śrāmaṇerī, duṣkṛta. These are called offenses.

Non-offense: having concluded the rains retreat, she departs; if the layperson there invites her to remain, saying, "I will make offerings again;" or if various households take turns inviting her to receive meals; or if male or female relatives invite her to receive a meal on that day or the next day; or on account of illness, with no companion to care for her; or if there is danger from floods, danger from wild animals, danger from bandits, danger from inundation; or if she is taken by force, or is bound, or there is danger to her life, danger to her pure conduct—if she encounters such dangers and, when the rains retreat is concluded, does not set out, there is no offense.

Those who do not commit an offense: one who commits the act for the first time before the precept has been established; one who is insane, of confused mind, or tormented and oppressed by pain.

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