Lzh Dg Bu Vb Ay 2Second Undetermined Offence

– FOUR-PART VINAYA

– UNDETERMINED OFFENCES

2. SECOND OFFENCE

A. ORIGIN

At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling in the Anāthapiṇḍika Garden, Jeta's Grove, in the country of Śrāvastī. At that time, Kālodāyin, while he had still been a layman, had had a friend whose wife was named Upāsikā Jai, a woman of upright and comely appearance. Kālodāyin was also of upright and comely appearance. Kālodāyin paid attention to Upāsikā Jai, and Upāsikā Jai also paid attention to Kālodāyin.

Kālodāyin, at the proper time, put on his robe, took his bowl, and went to the house of Upāsikā Jai. The two of them sat in an open, unenclosed place and conversed together.

While Kālodāyin and Upāsikā Jai were conversing, Mātā Viśākhā came to that place on some small matter. From a distance, Viśākhā heard the voice of Kālodāyin. This upāsikā, being a woman of devout faith, upon hearing the voice of a bhikkhu within, thought: "Perhaps the bhikkhu is expounding the Dharma." She therefore drew near and stood beside the wall to listen.

But she heard only words contrary to the Dharma. Viśākhā then thought: "I hear the voice of a bhikkhu, yet he speaks of matters contrary to the Dharma. A bhikkhu should not speak such words!" She then looked through a small opening and saw Kālodāyin and Upāsikā Jai sitting together in an open, unenclosed place, speaking of matters contrary to the Dharma.

Upon seeing this, Mātā Viśākhā thought: "This bhikkhu sits in an improper place and speaks improper words. If the husband of this woman were to see this, he would scold and rebuke his wife and give rise to a mind of lack of faith." At that time, Mātā Viśākhā, the upāsikā, left that house and went at once to where the Blessed One was. She prostrated at the feet of the Buddha, stood to one side, and reported this matter to the Blessed One in full detail.

Having made her report to the Blessed One, she prostrated at the feet of the Buddha, circumambulated three times, and withdrew.

At that time, the Blessed One convened an assembly of the Saṅgha of bhikkhus. Though he already knew, he nevertheless deliberately asked Kālodāyin:

"Is it true that you sat alone with Upāsikā Jai in an open, unenclosed place?"

Kālodāyin replied:

"It is true, Blessed One."

The Blessed One rebuked him with numerous skillful means:

"What you have done is wrong; it is not in accordance with proper deportment, not in accordance with the conduct of a śramaṇa, not in accordance with pure conduct, not in accordance with dutiful behaviour—you have done what should not be done. Why did you sit alone with Upāsikā Jai in an open, unenclosed place?"

Having rebuked Kālodāyin with numerous skillful means, the Blessed One then addressed the bhikkhus:

"Kālodāyin is a foolish person; he is a field for planting many seeds of outflows; he is the first to commit this offence. From now on, I shall lay down a precept for the bhikkhus, drawing upon the ten bases of meaning, so that the true Dharma may long endure."

To recite this precept, one should speak as follows:

Should any bhikkhu sit alone together with a woman in an open, unenclosed place—a place where sexual intercourse cannot take place—and speak coarse and improper words, and a trustworthy female lay follower testify to one of two offences—either saṅghāvaśeṣa or pāyattika—and the bhikkhu who was seated himself acknowledge, "I have committed this offence," he shall be dealt with according to one of two offences—either saṅghāvaśeṣa or pāyattika—or in accordance with the word of the trustworthy female lay follower. He shall be dealt with according to the Dharma. This is called an undetermined rule.

B. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE OFFENCE

Bhikkhu: as explained above.

Open, unenclosed place: a place without walls or enclosures, without trees, fences, or screens that conceal, and without any obstructing objects.

A place where sexual intercourse cannot take place: a place incapable of accommodating sexual conduct.

Coarse and improper words: speaking of sexual matters; praising the merits or demerits of the two organs.

Trustworthy female lay follower: one who has faith in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Saṅgha; who has taken refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Saṅgha; who does not kill, does not steal, does not engage in sexual misconduct, does not speak false words, does not consume intoxicants; who remembers matters well without confusion, and speaks truthful words without falsehood.

If a bhikkhu himself states the place he intended to go, himself states the place he went to, himself states that he sat there, himself states that he lay down there, then he shall be dealt with according to the bhikkhu's own words.

If a bhikkhu himself states the place he intended to go, himself states the place he went to, himself states that he sat there, himself states that he lay down there, and himself states that he did that act, then he shall be dealt with according to the bhikkhu's own words.

If a bhikkhu himself states the place he intended to go, himself states the place he went to, himself states that he sat there, himself states that he lay down there, but does not himself state that he did that act, then he shall be dealt with in accordance with the words of the trustworthy female lay follower.

If a bhikkhu himself states the place he intended to go, himself states the place he went to, himself states that he sat there, does not himself state that he lay down there, and does not himself state that he did that act, then he shall be dealt with in accordance with the words of the trustworthy female lay follower.

If a bhikkhu himself states the place he intended to go, himself states the place he went to, does not himself state that he sat there, does not himself state that he lay down there, and does not himself state that he did that act, then he shall be dealt with in accordance with the words of the trustworthy female lay follower.

If a bhikkhu himself states the place he intended to go, does not himself state where he went, does not himself state that he sat there, does not himself state that he lay down there, and does not himself state that he did that act, then he shall be dealt with in accordance with the words of the trustworthy female lay follower.

If a bhikkhu does not himself state the place he intended to go, does not himself state where he went, does not himself state that he sat there, does not himself state that he lay down there, and does not himself state that he did that act, then he shall be dealt with in accordance with the words of the trustworthy female lay follower.

In this case, the applicable offence is not determined; therefore it is called undetermined.

Vietnamese translation: Bhikkhu Thích Đỗng Minh and Thích Đức Thắng. FOUR-PART 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, fascicles 1 and 2)

Buddhist Publishing Committee, 2002