Lzh Dg Bu Vb Pc 2Abusive Speech

– FOUR-PART VINAYA

– PĀCITTIYA

2. ABUSIVE SPEECH

A. ORIGIN

At one time, the Buddha was dwelling in the Anāthapiṇḍika garden, Jeta's Grove, in the country of Śrāvastī. At that time, the group of six bhikkhus, when settling disputes, insulted bhikkhus by referring to their birth and lineage. The bhikkhus were so ashamed and flustered that they could not speak.

Among the bhikkhus who heard of this, there were those of few desires and contentment, who practiced the ascetic disciplines, delighted in training in the precepts, and knew a sense of shame; they reproached the group of six bhikkhus:

"Why do the group of six bhikkhus, when settling disputes, insult bhikkhus by referring to their birth and lineage, causing those bhikkhus to be so ashamed and flustered that they cannot speak?"

At that time, the bhikkhus went to where the Blessed One was, paid homage at his feet, and sat to one side; they then reported this matter to the Blessed One in full. The Blessed One, on account of this matter, assembled the community of bhikkhus and reproached the group of six bhikkhus:

"What you have done is wrong—it is not proper conduct, not the way of a śramaṇa, not pure behavior, not fitting conduct; it is something that ought not to be done. Why did the group of six bhikkhus, when settling disputes, insult bhikkhus by referring to their birth and lineage, causing them to be so ashamed and flustered that they cannot speak?"

After the Blessed One had reproached the group of six bhikkhus with countless skillful means, he addressed the bhikkhus:

"Long ago, in the country of Takṣaśilā, there was a brahmin who kept an ox and fed it, stroked it, and groomed it day and night. At that time, also in the country of Takṣaśilā, there was a householder who went through every alley and lane, loudly proclaiming:

"'Whoever has an ox strong enough to match mine in a contest of pulling 100 carts, I will wager 1,000 taels of gold.'

"The brahmin's ox heard this proclamation and thought to himself: 'This brahmin feeds me, strokes me, and grooms me day and night with wholehearted devotion. Now I should put forth all my strength to pull and win those 1,000 taels of gold, so as to repay this person's kindness.'

"Having thought thus, the ox spoke to the brahmin:

"'Master, do you know? In the country of Takṣaśilā there is a householder who has proclaimed that whoever has an ox to compete with his in a contest of pulling 100 carts, he will forfeit 1,000 taels of gold. Master, you may go to that householder's home and say: "I have an ox that can compete with yours in a contest of pulling 100 carts, with a wager of 1,000 taels of gold."'

"When the brahmin heard this, he went at once to the householder's home and said: 'I have an ox whose strength is sufficient to compete with yours in a contest of pulling 100 carts, with a wager of 1,000 taels of gold.' The householder replied: 'Now is the very time.' The brahmin then led his ox there to compete in strength against the householder's ox by pulling 100 carts, for the prize of 1,000 taels of gold. At that time, many people stood watching. Before the crowd, the brahmin insulted his ox by calling out:

"'One-Horn, pull!'

"The brahmin's ox, upon hearing this insult, was so ashamed that he would not exert his strength to compete with his opponent. As a result, the householder's ox won the contest and the brahmin's ox was defeated. The brahmin had to forfeit 1,000 taels of gold.

"At that time, the brahmin said to his ox:

"'Day and night I have fed you, stroked you, and groomed you, in the hope that you would put forth all your strength for my sake and defeat the householder's ox. But why did matters today turn out in reverse, causing me to lose 1,000 taels of gold?'

"The ox then said to the brahmin:

"'Before the crowd, you insulted me, calling out: "One-Horn, pull!" I was utterly ashamed before everyone. Because of that, I could not put forth all my strength to compete with that other ox. If you are willing to change how you address me—and refrain from insulting me by referring to my physical appearance—then go to the householder and say: "My ox can compete with yours in a contest of pulling 100 carts, with the wager doubled to 2,000 taels of gold."'

"When the brahmin heard this, he said to his ox:

"'Take care that I do not lose another 2,000 taels of gold.'

"The ox replied to the brahmin:

"'Before the crowd, do not insult me by calling out "One-Horn, pull!" Instead, before the crowd, praise me—tell me to pull well; say that my horns are very beautiful.'

"At that time, the brahmin went to the householder's home and said:

"'Now your ox and my ox shall compete in a contest of pulling 100 carts, with a wager of 2,000 taels of gold, witnessed by many people.'

"The householder said:

"'This is indeed the right time.'

"Then, before the crowd, the brahmin praised his ox, saying: 'Pull very well! What a beautiful pair of horns!'

"When the ox heard these words of praise, he put forth all his strength to compete with the other ox; thus the brahmin's ox won the contest and the householder's ox was defeated. The brahmin collected 2,000 taels of gold."

At that time, the Buddha addressed the bhikkhus:

"In general, when one wishes to speak, one should speak skillfully and not speak evil words. To speak skillfully is wholesome. To speak evil words is to bring affliction upon oneself. Therefore, O bhikkhus, even a beast, when insulted by a person, feels ashamed and cannot put forth all its strength to pull a cart—how much more so would a human being, when reviled by another, fail to feel shame! These six bhikkhus are foolish persons. When settling disputes, they insulted bhikkhus by referring to their birth and lineage, causing them to be so ashamed and flustered that they cannot speak."

After the Blessed One had reproached the group of six bhikkhus with countless skillful means, he addressed the bhikkhus:

"These are foolish persons; they are a field for planting many seeds of the āsravas; they were the first to commit this offense. From this day forward, I shall lay down the precept for bhikkhus, comprising ten beneficial purposes, up to and including the purpose that the true Dharma may long endure."

The precept should be stated thus:

Whatever bhikkhu insults by referring to birth and lineage: pācittiya.

B. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE OFFENSE

Bhikkhu: as explained above.

To insult a person by referring to birth and lineage: such as saying, "You were born into a low and base family; your livelihood is also low and base; your craft and skill are also low and base." Or saying, "You are a person who has committed offenses; you are a person with many fetters; you are a blind person; you are a bald blind person…" — insulting in such ways.

—Low and base: refers to the lineage of caṇḍālas, the lineage of refuse collectors, the lineage of basket-weavers, the lineage of cart-makers.

—Base clans: refers to those of the clans Kauśika, Kauśī, Vāsudeva, Kāśyapa, Ātreya, Bhāradvāja. Or, if one is not actually of a base clan but has taken up a base craft, one thereby becomes of a base clan.

—Base livelihood: refers to trading in pigs, goats, and cattle-slaughter; releasing hawks and falcons; hunting; fishing with nets; robbery; apprehending robbers; guarding city walls; and keeping prisons.

—Base crafts: such as the trades of blacksmith, carpenter, potter, leather-worker, barber, and basket-maker.

—Committing offenses: committing pārājika, saṅghāvaśeṣa, pācittiya, pratideśanīya, sthūlātyaya, duṣkṛta, and durvādita.

—Fetters: from the fetter of anger up to 500 fetters.

—Blindness and disability: blindness, hunchback, lameness, deafness and muteness, and other diseases and disabilities.

If a bhikkhu reviles other bhikkhus saying: "You were born in a lowly household; your livelihood is base, your craft is base. You have committed offenses, you are bound by fetters, you are a bald-headed blind person…" — insulting in such ways.

One may insult directly to the person's face, or insult by means of a parable, or insult by making comparisons with oneself.

—Insulting directly to the face: such as saying, "You were born in a caṇḍāla household, born in the household of refuse collectors, born in the lineage of basket-weavers, the lineage of cart-makers; of the clan Kauśika, Kauśī, Vāsudeva, Kāśyapa, Ātreyī, Bhāradvāja." Or, even if not actually of a base clan but having taken up a base craft, one thereby becomes of a base clan—as in saying: "You are a trader, a slaughterer of cattle, pigs, and goats.

You are one who practices theft, who apprehends thieves. You are one who guards city walls, who keeps prisons; you are a blacksmith, a carpenter, a potter, a shoemaker, a barber. You are one who has committed pārājika, saṅghāvaśeṣa, pācittiya, pratideśanīya, sthūlātyaya, duṣkṛta, and durvādita.

You are one who has the fetter of anger, up to 500 fetters. You are a bald-headed blind person, lame, deaf and mute, and one afflicted with various other diseases…"

—Insulting by way of simile: as in saying, "You are like a Caṇḍāla, like one of the waste-collectors' caste, like one of the basket-weavers' caste, like one of the cart-makers' caste. You are like one of the Kokkusa clan, like one of the Kusi clan, the Vāsudeva, the Kassapa, the Tiriya, the Bhāradvāja. You are like one who buys and sells pigs and goats; like one who slaughters cattle; like one who flies hawks and falcons; like a fisherman, a hunter; like a thief, like one who catches thieves; like a city guard, a prison guard; like a potter; like a cobbler; like a barber;

like one who has committed a pārājika, like one who has committed a saṅghādisesa, like one who has committed a pācittiya, like one who has committed a pāṭidesanīya, like one who has committed a thullaccaya, like one who has committed a dukkaṭa, like one who has committed an evil utterance, like one bound by the fetters, like a blind person, like one without hair, like a cripple, like a deaf-mute…"

—Insulting by self-comparison: as in saying, "I am not of the Caṇḍāla caste, I am not of the waste-collectors' caste, I am not of the basket-weavers' caste, I am not of the cart-makers' caste. I am not of the Kokkusa clan, the Kusi clan, the Vāsudeva, the Kassapa, the Tiriya, the Bhāradvāja; nor am I one who buys and sells pigs and goats, who slaughters cattle, who flies hawks and falcons, who fishes, who hunts, who is a thief, who catches thieves, who guards a city, who guards a prison, a blacksmith, a carpenter, a basket-weaver, a cart-maker, a potter, a cobbler, a barber…

I have not committed a pārājika, a saṅghādisesa, a pācittiya, a pāṭidesanīya, a thullaccaya, a dukkaṭa, or an evil utterance. I am not one bound by the fetters, I am not bald-headed, blind, crippled, or deaf-mute…"

If a bhikkhu insults another by way of caste or class and speaks as above, he commits a pācittiya. If he insults by way of caste and speaks clearly, he commits a pācittiya; if not clearly, he commits a dukkaṭa.

Or one may insult by means of a virtuous quality directly to one's face, or insult by way of simile, or insult by self-comparison.

—Insulting by means of a virtuous quality: as in saying, "You are a forest-dweller, an alms-goer, one who wears patched robes, and so on up to one who practices meditation."

—Insulting by means of a virtuous quality directly to one's face: as in saying, "You are a forest-dweller, an alms-goer, one who wears patched robes, and so on up to one who practices meditation."

—Insulting by way of simile: as in saying, "You are like a forest-dweller, an alms-goer, one who wears patched robes, and so on up to one who practices meditation."

—Insulting by self-comparison: as in saying, "I am not one who dwells in the forest,… and so on up to one who practices meditation."

If a bhikkhu insults by means of a virtuous quality directly to one's face, insults by way of simile, or insults by self-comparison; whether the utterance is clear or not clear, he commits a dukkaṭa in either case.

For a bhikkhunī, it is a pācittiya. For a sikkhāmānā, a sāmaṇera, or a sāmaṇerī, it is a dukkaṭa. This is called an offense.

Non-offense: speaking for mutual benefit, speaking for the sake of the Dharma, speaking for the sake of the Vinaya, speaking for the sake of instruction, speaking out of affection, or speaking in jest, or speaking inadvertently, or speaking to oneself, or speaking in a dream, or intending to say one thing but saying another; none of these constitutes an offense.

Those who do not offend: the first offender before the rule was established; one who is insane, mentally deranged, or afflicted and overcome by pain.

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 by: Bhikkhu Thích Nguyên Chứng

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

Buddhist Publication Committee, 2002