Lzh Dg Bu Vb Pc 11Damaging Plants

– DHARMAGUPTAKA VINAYA

– PĀCITTIYA

11. DAMAGING PLANTS

A. ORIGIN

At one time, the Buddha was staying in the city of Āṭavī. The Blessed One, on account of the above circumstance, assembled the community of bhikkhus and said:

"There is a bhikkhu in Āṭavī who, while repairing a dwelling, intentionally cut down a tree with his own hands — is that so?"

They replied:

"Blessed One, it is indeed so; he did cut it down."

The Blessed One rebuked him in many ways:

"What you have done is wrong, unbecoming, not in accord with the deportment of a samaṇa, not the pure practice, not conduct befitting one who follows the path — you have done what should not be done. Why did you cut down a tree with your own hands while repairing a dwelling?"

Having rebuked him in many ways, the Blessed One then said to the bhikkhus:

"These foolish men are a fertile ground for planting many seeds of defilement; this one is the first to commit this offense. From this day forward, I shall lay down a rule for the bhikkhus, for ten reasons, up to and including the reason that the true Dharma may long endure."

The rule should be stated thus:

Whatever bhikkhu damages a plant or seed: pācittiya.

B. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE OFFENSE

Bhikkhu: as explained above.

Plant (ghost): not a human being.

Seed (village): refers collectively to all grasses and trees. Cutting them down so that they fall is called "damaging."

Seeds (village) are of five types: root, cutting, joint, phula, and seed.

—Root: such as haridrā, ginger, uśīra, mūthajṭhā, lukandalu, and other roots capable of producing shoots.

—Cutting: such as willow, śamala, vāhitha, and other cuttings capable of producing new plants.

—Joint: such as sumanā flowers, sūlava, bohena, lalaccilāo, and other plants capable of propagating from joints.

—Phula: such as sugarcane, bamboo, reed, lotus rhizome, and other phulas capable of producing new plants.

—Seed: such as seeds of any kind that can give rise to a plant.

If something is alive or is perceived to be alive, and one cuts off that life oneself, or instructs another to cut it off; or parches it oneself, or instructs another to parch it; or cooks it oneself, or instructs another to cook it: pācittiya.

If one is uncertain whether something is alive, and one cuts off that life oneself, or instructs another to cut it off; parches it oneself, or instructs another to parch it; cooks it oneself, or instructs another to cook it: dukkhaṭa.

If something is alive but one perceives it as not alive, and one cuts off that life oneself, or instructs another to cut it off, up to and including cooking it: dukkhaṭa.

If something is not alive but one perceives it as alive, and one cuts off that life oneself, or instructs another to cut it off, up to and including cooking it: dukkhaṭa.

If something is not alive but one is uncertain about it, and one cuts off that life oneself, or instructs another to cut it off, up to and including cooking it: dukkhaṭa.

Grasses and plants come in seven colors: blue, yellow, red, white, black, light green, and purple. If a plant or grass is living and fresh and one perceives it as living and fresh, and one cuts it oneself, or instructs another to cut it, up to and including cooking it: pācittiya.

If one is uncertain whether a plant or grass is living and fresh, and one cuts it oneself, or instructs another to cut it, up to and including cooking it: pācittiya.

If a plant or grass is living and fresh but one perceives it as not living and fresh, and one cuts it oneself, or instructs another to cut it, up to and including cooking it: dukkhaṭa.

If a plant or grass is not living and fresh but one perceives it as living and fresh, and one cuts it oneself, or instructs another to cut it, up to and including cooking it: dukkhaṭa.

If one is uncertain whether a plant or grass is living and fresh, and one cuts it oneself, or instructs another to cut it, up to and including cooking it: dukkhaṭa.

Driving a stake into a tree: pācittiya. Burning living and fresh grass or plants with fire: pācittiya. Cutting mostly living and fresh grass or plants: pācittiya. Cutting grass or plants that are half dry and half living: dukkhaṭa. If one does not say, "Look at this, take note of this!" — dukkhaṭa.

Bhikkhunī: pācittiya. Sikkhāmānā, sāmaṇera, sāmaṇerī: dukkhaṭa. These are called offenses.

Non-offense: If one says, "Look at this, take note of this!" — if one cuts dry and withered grass or plants while clearing a fence; if one removes rocks and bricks and therefore drags bamboo branches; if one plows over living grass or plants; or if one does so in order to collect manure; or if grass has covered a path and one uses a staff to push it aside to clear the way; or if one uses stones or bricks as posts and thereby causes damage to plants; or if one clears ground for walking meditation; or if one sweeps a place that is frequently used for walking; or if one inadvertently cuts living grass or plants; or if one presses a staff into the ground and plants are thereby severed — in all such cases there is no offense.

Those who do not commit an offense: one who commits the act for the first time before the rule has been laid down; one who is mentally deranged; one whose mind is disturbed; one who is tormented by pain and distress.

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 Studies Editorial Board, 2002.