Lzh Dg Bu Vb Pc 64Concealing a Grave Offense

– FOUR-PART VINAYA

– PĀCITTIYA

64. CONCEALING A GRAVE OFFENSE

A. ORIGIN

At one time, the Buddha was staying in the Anāthapiṇḍika garden, Jeta's Grove, in the country of Śrāvastī. At that time, Upananda the Śākyan was on close terms with a certain bhikkhu. However, Upananda the Śākyan frequently committed offenses, and so he went to that bhikkhu and said, "Elder! I have truly committed such and such an offense. Please do not tell anyone." That bhikkhu agreed.

After some time had passed, Upananda the Śākyan and that bhikkhu fell into conflict with each other. At that point, the bhikkhu went and told the other bhikkhus:

"Upananda the Śākyan has committed such and such an offense."

The bhikkhus asked that bhikkhu:

"How do you know?"

That bhikkhu said:

"Upananda the Śākyan himself told me."

The bhikkhus said:

"Why did you not let the other bhikkhus know?"

That bhikkhu said:

"Before, I was on good terms with Upananda, so I did not speak. Now that I am no longer on good terms with him, I speak."

When the bhikkhus heard this, among them were those of few desires and contentment, who practiced the dhūta qualities, were fond of training in the precepts, and knew shame and remorse. They reproached that bhikkhu: "Why did you conceal the offense of Upananda the Śākyan?"

The bhikkhus went to the Blessed One, 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, assembled the Sangha of bhikkhus and reproached that bhikkhu:

"What you have done is wrong, contrary to proper conduct, contrary to the Dharma of a śramaṇa, contrary to pure practice, contrary to harmonious conduct—it is something that should not be done. Bhikkhu, why did you conceal the offense of Upananda the Śākyan?"

After reproaching that bhikkhu with numerous means, the Blessed One said to the bhikkhus:

"This foolish person is a ground for planting many seeds of the tainted; he is the first to commit this offense. From now on, I shall lay down a rule for the bhikkhus, comprising ten points of meaning, up to and including the preservation of the true Dharma for a long time."

The rule should be stated thus:

Whatever bhikkhu conceals a grave offense of another bhikkhu, it is a pācittiya.

The Blessed One laid down this rule for the bhikkhus in this way. At that time, there was a bhikkhu who did not know whether a grave offense had been committed or not; later he came to know that a grave offense had indeed been committed, and so some performed the pācittiya confession rite. Some had doubts and inquired. The Buddha instructed:

"Not knowing, there is no offense."

From now on, the rule should be stated thus:

Whatever bhikkhu, knowing that another bhikkhu has committed a grave offense, conceals it, it is a pācittiya.

B. ANALYSIS OF THE RULE

Bhikkhu: as explained above.

Grave offense: the four pārājika offenses and the saṃghāvaśeṣa offenses.

If a bhikkhu knows that another bhikkhu has committed a grave offense: if he knows at the time of the minor meal and does not speak until after eating, it is a duṣkṛta. If he knows after the midday meal and does not speak until the first watch of the night, it is a duṣkṛta. If he knows during the first watch of the night and speaks during the middle watch, it is a duṣkṛta. If he knows during the middle watch of the night, and intends to speak after the night but has not yet spoken, and dawn breaks, it is a pācittiya.

Concealing offenses other than grave offenses is a duṣkṛta. Concealing one's own grave offense is a duṣkṛta.

Concealing the grave offense of someone other than a bhikkhu or bhikkhunī is a duṣkṛta.

A grave offense perceived as a grave offense: pācittiya. A grave offense with doubt: duṣkṛta. Not a grave offense perceived as a grave offense: duṣkṛta; not a grave offense with doubt: duṣkṛta.

For a bhikkhunī: pācittiya. For a śikṣamāṇā, a śrāmaṇera, or a śrāmaṇerī: duṣkṛta. These are called offenses.

Non-offense: If one did not previously know it was a grave offense and perceived it as no offense; or if one informed another person; or if there was no one to tell; or if one thought, "I will speak," and while one had not yet spoken, dawn broke; or if speaking would lead to danger to life or danger to the holy life, and so one did not speak—in all such cases, there is no offense.

Those who do not commit an offense: one who commits the first offense before the rule has been promulgated; 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: Bhikkhu Thích Nguyên Chứng

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

Buddhist Studies Editorial Board, 2002