Lzh Dg Bu Vb Pc 62Using Water With Living Creatures

– DHARMAGUPTAKA VINAYA

– PĀCITTIYA

62. DRINKING WATER CONTAINING LIVING CREATURES

A. ORIGIN

At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling at the Anāthapiṇḍika Garden, Jeta's Grove, in the country of Śrāvastī. At that time, the group of six monks took water containing mixed living creatures and used it for drinking. Householders saw this and all criticized them, saying: "These Śākyan monastics have no compassion; they destroy the lives of living creatures. Outwardly they claim to be practicing the true Dharma. What kind of true Dharma is this? Using water that contains living creatures."

The monks heard of this, and among them those who were of few desires and contentment, who lived the ascetic practices, who delighted in training in the precepts, who possessed a sense of shame and remorse, criticized the group of six monks: "Why do you have no compassion, drinking water containing living creatures and thus destroying life?"

The monks went to where the Blessed One was, paid homage at his feet, then sat to one side and fully reported this matter to the Blessed One. The Blessed One then, on account of this matter, assembled the community of monks and rebuked the group of six monks:

"What you have done is wrong, not in accord with proper conduct, not in accord with the practice of monastics, not in accord with pure conduct, not in accord with dutiful behavior—this is something that should not be done. Why did you drink and use water containing living creatures, destroying their lives?"

After rebuking the group of six monks with numerous skillful means, the Blessed One said to the monks:

"These foolish men are a field for planting many seeds of the outflows; they are the first offenders of this precept. From this day forward, I shall establish a precept for the monks, encompassing ten purposes, up to and including the purpose that the true Dharma may long endure."

The precept should be stated as follows:

Whatever monk drinks or uses water containing living creatures—pācittiya.

The Blessed One thus established this precept for the monks. At that time, some monks did not know whether the water contained living creatures or not; they learned afterward that it did, and so performed the pācittiya confession, while some monks were apprehensive and reported this to the Buddha. The Buddha instructed:

"If one did not know, there is no offense."

From this day forward, the precept should be stated as follows:

Whatever monk, knowing that water contains living creatures, drinks or uses that water—pācittiya.

B. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PRECEPT

Monk: as defined above.

If a monk, knowing that water contains living creatures, drinks or uses it, he commits a pācittiya offense. Apart from water, if living creatures are present in rice water, in bitter liquids, in fermented liquids, in clear milk, or in barley water, and one drinks or uses any of these—in all cases a pācittiya offense is committed.

Water containing living creatures, perceiving it as containing living creatures and using it—pācittiya. Water containing living creatures, being uncertain about it—duṣkṛta. Water not containing living creatures, perceiving it as containing living creatures—duṣkṛta. Water not containing living creatures, being uncertain about it—duṣkṛta.

A bhikṣuṇī—pācittiya. A śikṣamāṇā, a śrāmaṇera, a śrāmaṇerī—duṣkṛta. These are called offenses.

Non-offenses: if one did not previously know that there were living creatures; if one perceived it as water without living creatures; or if there are larger creatures that, when the water is stirred, move away; or if one filters the water first and then drinks—there is no offense.

Those who do not commit an offense: one who commits the act for the first time before the precept has been established; one who is mentally deranged; one whose mind is disturbed; one who is afflicted and overwhelmed by pain.

Vietnamese translation: Bhikṣu Thích Đỗng Minh and Thích Đức Thắng. DHARMAGUPTAKA VINAYA, PART ONE

Chinese translation: Tripiṭaka Master Buddhayaśas and Zhu Fonian.

Edited and annotated by: Bhikṣu Thích Nguyên Chứng

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

Buddhist Publication Committee, 2002