Lzh Dg Bu Vb Pc 55Scaring

– FOUR-PART VINAYA

– PĀCITTIYA

55. FRIGHTENING A BHIKKHU

A. ORIGIN STORY

At one time, the Buddha was staying in the land of Pāṭaliputta. At that time, the Venerable Nāgasamāla was serving as the attendant of the Blessed One, providing for his various needs. The Buddha said to Nāgasamāla:

"Bring my rain-robe here. I wish to go to the walking-meditation path to walk in meditation."

The Venerable one obeyed and brought the rain-robe to the Blessed One. The Blessed One put on the rain-robe and went to the walking-meditation path to walk in meditation.

At that time, Śakra, Lord of the Devas, transformed himself by conjuring a golden walking-meditation hall, then stood before the Blessed One with palms joined together and said:

"Our Blessed One walks in meditation! Our Sugata walks in meditation!"

It is the customary practice of all Buddhas that, when they walk in meditation, the one making offerings stands at the head of the walking-meditation path.

At that time, the bhikkhu Nāgasamāla was standing at the head of the walking-meditation path. Knowing that the first watch of the night had passed, he informed the Blessed One:

"The first part of the night has passed. I respectfully invite the Blessed One to return to his room."

The Blessed One remained silent. The middle watch and the last watch of the night passed; dawn appeared, and the birds began to stir. When the light had grown bright, he again informed the Blessed One:

"The first watch, the middle watch, and the last watch of the night have passed; dawn has appeared, the birds have begun to stir, and the light is bright. I respectfully invite the Blessed One to return to his room."

At that time, the Blessed One still remained silent.

Then Nāgasamāla thought: "Should I now frighten the Buddha, so as to cause the Buddha to go inside and rest?" Immediately, Nāgasamāla flipped his robe over his head, went to where the Buddha was, and feigned the voice of a non-human being to terrify him, saying: "Recluse! I am a demon!"

The Blessed One said:

"I know—this is the mind of a foolish person, and also a wicked person."

At that time, Śakra addressed the Buddha:

"Are there also such people within the Saṅgha?"

The Buddha said to Śakra, Lord of the Devas:

"This person, in the present life, will attain the pure Dharma."

At that time, Śakra, Lord of the Devas, spoke a verse in praise of the Buddha:

The Holy One walks alone, free from negligence,

Neither praise nor blame causes him to waver;

Hearing the lion's roar, he has no fear,

Like the wind passing through grass without hindrance.

He guides and leads all beings,

Resolute for all gods and humans.

At that time, the Blessed One also replied in verse:

Does Śakra think that I am afraid,

And therefore speak these words?

At that time, Śakra, Lord of the Devas, reverently bowed at the feet of the Buddha, then disappeared and withdrew. That night passed, and as dawn had just appeared, the Blessed One assembled the Saṅgha of bhikkhus, recounted this incident to them, and said:

"This Nāgasamāla is a foolish person who even wished to frighten me!"

The Blessed One rebuked the bhikkhu Nāgasamāla with countless skillful means, then said to the bhikkhus:

"This foolish person is a field in which many seeds of the āsavas are planted; he is the first to commit this offense. From this day forward, I shall lay down a rule for the bhikkhus, encompassing ten principles of meaning, up to and including the phrase: that the true Dharma may long endure."

The rule should be stated as follows:

Whatever bhikkhu frightens another bhikkhu, pācittiya.

B. ANALYSIS OF THE RULE

Bhikkhu: as defined above.

Frighten: that is, to use form, sound, smell, taste, touch, or mental objects to cause another person to be afraid.

—What is called frightening through form? Either making the shape of an elephant, the shape of a horse, or making the shape of a ghost, or the shape of a beast. Using such forms and shapes to terrify a person—if the person sees it, whether they are frightened or not, it is a pācittiya. If such forms and shapes are used to terrify a person but that person does not see them, it is a dukkaṭa.

—What is called frightening through sound? Either using the sound of a conch, the sound of a drum, the sound of a wooden clapper, the sound of an elephant, the sound of a horse, or the roaring sound of a camel. Using such sounds to terrify a person—if that person hears it, whether they are frightened or not, it is a pācittiya. If such sounds are used to terrify a person but that person does not hear them, it is a dukkaṭa.

—What is called frightening through smell? Either using the scent of a root, the scent of a sāla tree, the scent of tree resin, the scent of bark, the scent of skin, the scent of leaves, the scent of flowers, the scent of fruit—whether fragrant or foul. If such scents are used to terrify a person, and that person smells them, whether they are frightened or not, it is a pācittiya. If such scents are used to terrify a person and that person does not smell them, it is a dukkaṭa.

—What is called frightening through taste? That is, giving a taste to someone—such as a sour taste, a sweet taste, a bitter taste, an astringent taste, a salty taste, or a pungent taste. Using such tastes to terrify a person—if they taste it, whether they are frightened or not, it is a pācittiya. If such tastes are used to terrify a person but they do not experience them, it is a dukkaṭa.

—What is called frightening through touch? Such as using heat, cold, lightness, heaviness, smoothness, roughness, slipperiness, stickiness, softness, or hardness. Using such things to make contact and terrify a person—if that person experiences the contact, whether they are frightened or not, it is a pācittiya. If such things are used to terrify through contact but the person does not experience the contact, it is a dukkaṭa.

—What is called frightening through mental objects? Saying to a person beforehand: "I have seen such-and-such signs about you; or I have had such-and-such a dream—you will die, or you will lose your robe and bowl, or you will abandon the training. Your preceptor and your teacher will also die, or lose their robe and bowl, or abandon the training; or your parents are gravely ill, or have passed away." Using such mental objects to terrify a person—if they come to know it, whether they are frightened or not, it is a pācittiya. If such mental objects are used to terrify a person but that person does not come to know it, it is a dukkaṭa.

If a bhikkhu uses form, sound, smell, taste, touch, or mental objects to terrify a person, and does so explicitly, it is a pācittiya. If done inexplicitly, it is a dukkaṭa.

For a bhikkhunī, pācittiya. For a sikkhāmānā, a sāmaṇera, or a sāmaṇerī, dukkaṭa. These are called offenses.

Non-offense: If one is sitting in a dark place with no lamp and no fire; or in a place used for defecation or urination; if from a distance one calls out that there is an elephant or a thief, or that a wild animal has appeared causing fright; or in a dark house with no lamp and no fire, in a place for defecation or urination, hearing the sound of someone walking; or the sound of plants and trees rustling, or a cough causing fright; or if one points out a form to someone without intending to cause fright; or if one gives sound, smell, taste, or touch to someone without the intention of causing them fear; or if such a thing has actually occurred, or if such a sign has truly been seen, or if it was seen in a dream—such as that one will die, lose one's robe and bowl, or abandon the training;

or that one's parents are gravely ill or will die—and one says: "I have seen such-and-such changes appearing in you;" or if one speaks in jest; or speaks hurriedly; or speaks to oneself; or speaks while dreaming; or intending to say one thing but saying another—in all such cases, there is no offense.

Those who do not commit an offense: one who commits it for the first time before the rule was laid down; one who is insane, of deranged mind, or afflicted with pain and overwhelmed by it.

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, volumes 1–21; Vietnamese translation, volumes 1–2)

Buddhist Studies Editorial Board, 2002