Lzh Dg Bu Vb Pc 23Teaching Nuns for Profit

– FOUR-PART VINAYA

– PĀCITTIYA

23. INSTRUCTING NUNS FOR THE SAKE OF MATERIAL GAIN

A. ORIGIN

At one time, the Buddha was dwelling in the Anāthapiṇḍika Garden, Jeta's Grove, in the city of Śrāvastī. At that time, some bhikkhunīs, upon hearing that their instructor was coming, went out to meet him half a yojana away, arranged lodgings, prepared rice, porridge, food and drink, beds, sitting mats, and bathing facilities.

At that time, the group of six bhikkhus thought, "The other bhikkhus did not appoint us to go and instruct the bhikkhunīs." Then, giving rise to a mind of jealousy, they said, "Those bhikkhus instruct the bhikkhunīs not with a sincere mind, but only on account of food and drink do they instruct the bhikkhunīs in reciting and receiving the sūtras and in seeking guidance."

At that time, among the bhikkhus who heard this, there were those who were of few desires and contentment, who practiced the dhūta qualities, who delighted in learning the precepts, and who knew shame and remorse. They reproached the group of six bhikkhus: "How can you say such a thing — 'The other bhikkhus did not appoint us to go and instruct the bhikkhunīs' — and then give rise to a mind of jealousy and say, 'Those bhikkhus instruct the bhikkhunīs not with a sincere mind, but only on account of food and drink do they instruct the bhikkhunīs in reciting and receiving the sūtras and in seeking guidance'?"

The bhikkhus went to where the Blessed One was, bowed their heads at his feet, then sat to one side, and reported this matter to the Blessed One in full. The Blessed One thereupon used this matter to assemble the Saṅgha of bhikkhus and reproved the group of six bhikkhus:

"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. Group of six bhikkhus, how could you say, 'The other bhikkhus did not appoint us to go and instruct the bhikkhunīs,' and then give rise to a mind of jealousy and say, 'Those bhikkhus instruct the bhikkhunīs not with a sincere mind, but only on account of food and drink do they instruct the bhikkhunīs in reciting and receiving the sūtras and in seeking guidance'?"

At that time, after the Blessed One had reproved them with countless skillful means, he said to the bhikkhus:

"These foolish ones are a field that plants many seeds of the āsavas; they are the first to commit this offense. From this time forward, I shall establish the precept for the bhikkhus, encompassing ten points of meaning, up to and including the phrase: so that the true Dharma may long endure."

The precept should be proclaimed as follows:

Whatever bhikkhu says to other bhikkhus: "That bhikkhu instructs bhikkhunīs for the sake of food and drink" — pācittiya.

B. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE OFFENSE

Bhikkhunī: as explained above.

If a bhikkhu says: "Those bhikkhus instruct the bhikkhunīs for the sake of food and drink; for the sake of food and drink they teach them to recite the sūtras and to seek guidance" — if stated clearly, it is a pācittiya; if stated unclearly, it is a duṣkṛta.

For a bhikkhunī, it is a duṣkṛta. For a śikṣamāṇā, a śrāmaṇera, or a śrāmaṇerī, it is a duṣkṛta. This is called an offense.

Non-offense: if the matter is in fact as stated — that the bhikkhu truly does instruct bhikkhunīs for the sake of food and drink, and truly does teach them to recite and receive the sūtras and to seek guidance for the sake of offerings of food and drink. Or if it is said in jest, said to oneself, said in a dream, or if one intended to say one thing but mistakenly said another — in all such cases there is no offense.

Those who do not commit an offense: the first offender before the precept was established; one who is insane, of deranged mind, or tormented and overwhelmed 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, fascicles 1–2)

Buddhist Studies Editorial Board, 2002