Lzh Dg Bi Vb Pj 8Eight Factors

– DHARMAGUPTAKA VINAYA

– PĀRĀJIKA

8. FOLLOWING ONE WHO HAS BEEN CENSURED

A. ORIGIN OF THE RULE

At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling in the Ghoshila Park at Kauśāmbī. At that time, the Venerable Bhikkhu Chanda had been censured by the Saṅgha in accordance with the Dharma, in accordance with the Vinaya, and in accordance with the Buddha's teaching, yet he did not comply, did not confess, and the Saṅgha had not yet performed the act permitting him to live together with the community.

At that time, there was a bhikkhunī named Uttrā who came and went, attending upon Bhikkhu Chanda. The bhikkhunīs said to her:

"Bhikkhu Chanda has been censured by the Saṅgha in accordance with the Dharma, in accordance with the Vinaya, and in accordance with the Buddha's teaching, yet he does not comply, does not confess, and the Saṅgha has not yet performed the act permitting him to live together with the community. You should not follow and support him."

Uttrā replied:

"Venerable Sisters, Chanda is my elder brother. If I do not attend upon him now, then when shall I do so?" And so, as before, Uttrā refused to desist from following him.

The bhikkhunīs heard of this, and among them were those of few desires, contentment, who practiced the dhūta qualities, were fond of learning the precepts, and who possessed a sense of shame and remorse. They reproached Bhikkhunī Uttrā, saying: "Bhikkhu Chanda has been censured by the Saṅgha in accordance with the Dharma, in accordance with the Vinaya, and in accordance with the Buddha's teaching, yet he does not comply, does not confess, and the Saṅgha has not yet performed the act permitting him to live together with the community. Why do you still deliberately follow and support him in this manner?"

The bhikkhunīs reported the matter to the bhikkhus, and the bhikkhus went and informed the Buddha.

The Buddha, on account of this cause and condition, assembled the Saṅgha of bhikkhus and reproached Bhikkhunī Uttrā, saying:

"What you have done is wrong. It is not proper conduct, not the practice of a śramaṇa, not pure conduct, not fitting behavior; it is something that should not be done. Bhikkhu Chanda has been censured by the Saṅgha in accordance with the Dharma, in accordance with the Vinaya, and in accordance with the Buddha's teaching, yet he does not comply, does not confess, and the Saṅgha has not yet performed the act permitting him to live together with the community. Why do you follow and support him?"

Having reproached her with numerous means, the Buddha said to the bhikkhus:

The Saṅgha is permitted to give Bhikkhunī Uttrā the formal act of censure by a motion-and-three-proclamations羯磨 (jñapticaturthakarman). The censure should be carried out as follows:

Within the assembly of bhikkhunīs, a capable person should be appointed—whether a senior bhikkhunī, a junior bhikkhunī, or one who recites the Vinaya or does not recite the Vinaya—who is able to perform the karmavācanā, and she should make the motion as follows:

"Venerable Bhikkhunī Saṅgha, please listen! This Bhikkhunī Uttrā, knowing that Bhikkhu Chanda has been censured by the Saṅgha in accordance with the Dharma, in accordance with the Vinaya, and in accordance with the Buddha's teaching, yet does not comply, does not confess, and the Saṅgha has not yet performed the act permitting him to live together with the community—she has nonetheless followed and supported Bhikkhu Chanda.

The bhikkhunīs should say to her: 'Bhikkhu Chanda has been censured by the Saṅgha in accordance with the Dharma, in accordance with the Vinaya, and in accordance with the Buddha's teaching, yet he does not comply, does not confess, and the Saṅgha has not yet performed the act permitting him to live together with the community; you must not follow and support him. Yet you have deliberately done so.' If it is the proper time for the Saṅgha and the Saṅgha approves, the Saṅgha now gives Bhikkhunī Uttrā the formal act of censure, so that she may abandon this matter.

It is said: 'Venerable Sister, Bhikkhu Chanda has been censured by the Saṅgha in accordance with the Dharma, in accordance with the Vinaya, and in accordance with the Buddha's teaching, yet he does not comply, does not confess, and the Saṅgha has not yet performed the act permitting him to live together with the community; you must not follow and support him.' This is the motion.

"Venerable Bhikkhunī Saṅgha, please listen! Bhikkhunī Uttrā, knowing that Bhikkhu Chanda has been censured by the Saṅgha in accordance with the Dharma, in accordance with the Vinaya, and in accordance with the Buddha's teaching, yet does not comply, does not confess, and the Saṅgha has not yet performed the act permitting him to live together with the community—she has nonetheless followed and supported Bhikkhu Chanda.

The bhikkhunīs should say: 'Bhikkhu Chanda has been censured by the Saṅgha in accordance with the Dharma, in accordance with the Vinaya, and in accordance with the Buddha's teaching, yet he does not comply; but you have still deliberately followed and supported him. Now the Saṅgha gives Bhikkhunī Uttrā the formal act of censure so that she may abandon this matter. Bhikkhu Chanda has been censured by the Saṅgha in accordance with the Dharma, in accordance with the Vinaya, and in accordance with the Buddha's teaching, yet he does not comply, does not confess, and the Saṅgha has not yet performed the act permitting him to live together with the community;

you must not follow and support him.' Venerable Sisters, those who approve of the Saṅgha giving Bhikkhunī Uttrā the formal act of censure so that she may abandon this matter, please remain silent.

Those who do not approve, please speak. This is the first karmavācanā." (The second and third are spoken in the same manner.)

"The Saṅgha has approved the giving of the formal act of censure to Bhikkhunī Uttrā so that she may abandon this matter. The Saṅgha approves and hence is silent. This matter is recorded as such."

The formal act of censure of Bhikkhunī Uttrā should be carried out in this way. After the Saṅgha has performed the motion-and-three-proclamations act, the matter should be reported to the bhikkhus. The bhikkhus went and informed the Buddha. The Buddha taught:

"If any bhikkhunī follows and supports a bhikkhu who has been censured by the Saṅgha in such a manner, the Saṅgha should likewise give her the formal act of censure by motion-and-three-proclamations. From now on, I shall establish this precept for bhikkhunīs, comprising ten principles of meaning, up to and including the phrase 'so that the true Dharma may long endure.'" The precept to be proclaimed is as follows:

Whatever bhikkhunī, knowing that a bhikkhu has been censured by the Saṅgha in accordance with the Dharma, in accordance with the Vinaya, and in accordance with the Buddha's teaching, yet does not comply, does not confess, and the Saṅgha has not yet performed the act permitting him to live together with the community—and she follows and supports him—the bhikkhunīs should say to her: 'Venerable Sister, this bhikkhu has been censured by the Saṅgha in accordance with the Dharma, in accordance with the Vinaya, and in accordance with the Buddha's teaching, yet he does not comply, does not confess, and the Saṅgha has not yet performed the act permitting him to live together with the community; you must not follow and support him.'

When the bhikkhunīs admonish that bhikkhunī in this way and she persistently refuses to abandon this matter, the bhikkhunīs should admonish her a second time and a third time so that she may abandon this matter. If by the third admonition she abandons it, that is good; if she does not abandon it, that bhikkhunī commits a pārājika offence and is no longer permitted to live together with the community. This is because of following one who has been censured.

B. ANALYSIS OF THE PRECEPT

Bhikkhunī: as explained above.

Saṅgha: as above.

Censured: censured by the Saṅgha by a motion-and-three-proclamations act.

Dharma: in accordance with the Dharma, in accordance with the Vinaya, and in accordance with the Buddha's teaching.

Does not comply: does not comply with the disciplinary proceeding.

Does not confess: has not yet consented to confess the offence committed so as to be purified.

The Saṅgha has not yet performed the act permitting him to live together with the community: the Saṅgha has not yet performed the karmavācanā act of dissolving the offence.

Following and supporting: there are two kinds; first, following in the Dharma; second, following with material requisites.

— Following in the Dharma: teaching the higher precepts, the higher mind, the higher wisdom; teaching scholarship and the recitation of sūtras.

— Material requisites: providing food and drink, robes, beds, sitting mats, and medicines.

A bhikkhunī who knows that a bhikkhu has been censured by the Saṅgha in accordance with the Dharma, in accordance with the Vinaya, and in accordance with the Buddha's teaching, yet does not comply, does not confess, and the Saṅgha has not yet performed the act permitting him to live together with the community—and she follows and supports him—the bhikkhunīs should say: "This bhikkhu has been censured by the Saṅgha in accordance with the Dharma, in accordance with the Vinaya, and in accordance with the Buddha's teaching, yet he does not comply, does not confess, and the Saṅgha has not yet performed the act permitting him to live together with the community; you must not follow and support him.

You should abandon this matter, do not let the Saṅgha have to censure you, for it will immediately become a grave offence."

If she heeds the words, that is good; if not, the motion should be made; having made the motion, one should say: "You should know that I have completed the motion and the karmavācanā is yet to be performed. You should abandon this matter, do not let the Saṅgha have to censure you, for it will immediately become a grave offence."

If she heeds the words, that is good. If not, the first karmavācanā should be performed. Having performed the first karmavācanā, one should say: "You, I have made the motion and performed the first karmavācanā; there are still two more karmavācanās to be performed. You should abandon this matter, do not let the Saṅgha have to censure you, for it will immediately become a grave offence."

If she heeds the words, that is good; if not, the second karmavācanā should be performed. Having completed the second karmavācanā, one should also say: "You should know that I have made the motion and performed the second karmavācanā; there is still one more karmavācanā to be performed. You should abandon this matter, do not let the Saṅgha have to censure you, for it will immediately become a grave offence."

If she heeds the words, that is good. If not, upon completing the third karmavācanā, she commits a pārājika.

If she abandons it after the motion and two karmavācanās have been completed, she commits three sthūlātyaya offences. If she abandons it after the motion and one karmavācanā, she commits two sthūlātyaya offences. If she abandons it after the motion has been completed, she commits one sthūlātyaya offence. If she abandons it before the motion has been completed, she commits a duṣkṛta offence. Before the motion has been made, following and supporting a censured bhikkhu—in all such cases she commits a duṣkṛta offence.

If, while the Saṅgha is performing the formal act of censure against a bhikkhunī, a bhikkhu says to her: "Do not abandon it!"—if the Saṅgha has already performed the formal act of censure, that bhikkhu commits a sthūlātyaya offence. If the Saṅgha has not yet performed the formal act of censure, he commits a duṣkṛta offence.

If a bhikkhunī says: "Do not abandon it!"—if the Saṅgha has already performed the formal act of censure, that bhikkhunī commits a sthūlātyaya offence. If the Saṅgha has not yet performed the formal act of censure, she likewise commits a duṣkṛta offence.

Except for bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs, if any other person says: "Do not abandon it!"—whether the Saṅgha has or has not yet given censure, they commit a duṣkṛta offence.

A bhikkhu, śikṣamāṇā, śrāmaṇera, or śrāmaṇerī who follows one who has been censured commits a duṣkṛta offence. These are called offences.

Non-offence: if at the very beginning of the admonition she immediately abandons it; if it is an invalid act performed by a partial assembly; an invalid act performed by a harmonious assembly; a valid act performed by a partial assembly; an act resembling a valid act performed by a partial assembly; an act resembling a valid act performed by a harmonious assembly; if it differs from the Dharma, differs from the Vinaya, differs from the Buddha's teaching; all cases before the formal act of censure has been performed—none of these constitute an offence.

Non-offenders: one who commits it for the first time before the rule has been established; one who is mentally deranged, one whose mind is disturbed, one afflicted by painful feelings.

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

Chinese translation: Tripiṭaka Buddhayaśas and Zhu Fonian.

Revised and annotated by: Bhikkhu Thích Nguyên Chứng

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

Buddhist Studies Editorial Board, 2002