Lzh Dg Bi Vb Pd 1–8Acknowledgment

– FOUR-PART VINAYA

– PĀṬIDESANĪYA

Rules 1–8

A. ORIGIN

At one time, the Bhagavā was dwelling in the garden of Anāthapiṇḍika, in the Jeta Grove, in the land of Śrāvastī. At that time, a group of six bhikkhunīs solicited cream to eat. The laypeople saw this and were displeased, saying: "These bhikkhunīs have no sense of shame; they beg without restraint. Outwardly they claim to know the true Dharma. But how is this the true Dharma? Soliciting cream to eat—they are no different from thieves and prostitutes!"

The bhikkhunīs heard this, and among them those who were of few desires and contentment, who practiced the dhūta qualities, who were fond of training in the precepts, and who had a sense of shame, rebuked the group of six bhikkhunīs: "Why do you solicit cream to eat?"

Having rebuked them, the bhikkhunī of few desires then 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 Saṅgha of bhikkhus and rebuked the group of six bhikkhunīs:

"What you have done is wrong—it is not proper conduct, not the conduct of a śramaṇa, not pure conduct, not fitting behavior; it is something that should not be done. Why should bhikkhunīs solicit cream to eat?"

Having rebuked them with countless skillful means, the Buddha said to the bhikkhus:

"These bhikkhunīs are a field that cultivates many defiled seeds; they are the first to transgress this rule. From this day forward, I shall establish a rule for the bhikkhunīs, comprising ten principles 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 solicits cream to eat commits an offense deserving censure and must confess it. She should go to the other bhikkhunīs and say: "Venerable sister, I have committed an offense deserving censure; I have done what should not be done. I now come before you to confess it." This is called the Dharma of confessing transgressions.

After the Blessed One had thus established this rule for the bhikkhunīs, some were in doubt and dared not solicit on behalf of the sick, dared not solicit even when they themselves were sick, and did not dare to accept what others had solicited on their behalf. The Buddha instructed:

"From this day forward it is permitted: one who is sick may solicit, one may solicit on behalf of the sick, and what others have solicited on one's behalf may be accepted."

Henceforth the rule should be stated as follows:

Whatever bhikkhunī, not being sick, solicits cream to eat commits an offense deserving censure and must confess it. She should go to the other bhikkhunīs and say: "Venerable sister, I have committed an offense deserving censure; I have done what should not be done. I now come before you to confess it." This is called the Dharma of confessing transgressions.

B. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE RULE

Bhikkhunī: as defined above.

Whatever bhikkhunī, not being sick, solicits cream to eat—each swallow constitutes one pāṭidesanīya offense.

For a bhikkhu: a duṣkṛta. For a śikṣamāṇā, śrāmaṇera, or śrāmaṇerī: a duṣkṛta. This is called transgression.

Non-transgression: If one solicits because one is sick, or on behalf of one who is sick; or if another solicits on one's behalf; or if one solicits on behalf of another; or if one receives without soliciting—in all these cases there is no transgression.

Those who do not transgress: one who transgresses for the first time before the rule has been established; one who is mentally deranged, whose mind is disturbed, or who is tormented and oppressed by affliction.

2. Soliciting oil; 3. Soliciting honey; 4. Soliciting molasses; 5. Soliciting milk; 6. Soliciting curd; 7. Soliciting fish; 8. Soliciting meat—all are the same as soliciting cream, without difference.

For the first four rules: for a bhikkhu, śikṣamāṇā, śrāmaṇera, and śrāmaṇerī, a duṣkṛta. For the last four rules: for a bhikkhu, a pācittiya; for a śikṣamāṇā, śrāmaṇera, and śrāmaṇerī, a duṣkṛta.

The rules for the training section are the same as those of the great Saṅgha without difference, and therefore are not set out here.

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 by: Bhikkhu Thích Nguyên Chứng

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

Committee for Buddhist Studies Publications, 2002