Lzh Dg Bu Vb Pc 77Eavesdropping

– FOUR-PART VINAYA

– PĀCITTIYA

77. EAVESDROPPING ON DISPUTES

A. ORIGIN

At one time, the Buddha was dwelling in the Anāthapiṇḍika Park, Jeta's Grove, in the city of Sāvatthī. At that time, the group of six bhikkhus listened to the quarrelsome words of other bhikkhus and then carried those words to others, causing disputes to arise in the Saṅgha where none had existed before, and preventing existing disputes from being resolved.

The bhikkhus thought: "For what reason have disputes arisen in the Saṅgha where none existed before, and existing disputes cannot be resolved?" The bhikkhus investigated and came to know that this was because the group of six bhikkhus had listened to the quarrelsome words of the bhikkhus and then carried those words to others.

The bhikkhus heard of this matter. Among them, those who were of few desires, who were content, who practiced the ascetic practices, who were fond of training in the precepts, and who had a sense of shame and moral dread, reproached the group of six bhikkhus:

"Why do you listen to the quarrelsome words of the bhikkhus and then carry them to others, causing disputes to arise in the Saṅgha where none existed before, and preventing existing disputes from being resolved?"

The bhikkhus went to the Blessed One, paid homage at his feet, sat to one side, and reported this matter fully to the Blessed One. The Blessed One, on account of this matter, convened the assembly of bhikkhus and rebuked the group of six bhikkhus:

"What you have done is wrong, improper, not in accordance with the deportment of a monk, not in accordance with the Dharma of a śramaṇa, not in accordance with pure conduct, not in accordance with proper behavior — it is something that should not be done. Why do you listen to the quarrelsome words of the bhikkhus and then carry those words to others, causing disputes to arise in the Saṅgha where none existed before, and preventing existing disputes from being resolved?"

After the Blessed One had rebuked them with countless skillful means, he said to the bhikkhus:

"These are foolish men; they are a field in which many seeds of the āsavas are planted; they are the first to transgress this precept. From this day forward, I shall establish a precept for the bhikkhus, for ten reasons, up to and including the reason that the true Dharma may long endure."

The precept should be stated as follows:

Whatever bhikkhu, after bhikkhus have been quarreling with one another, listens to the words of one party and carries them to the other — a pācittiya.

B. THE NATURE OF THE OFFENSE

Bhikkhu: as defined above.

Dispute: there are four kinds — disputes over words (vacī-vivāda), disputes over censure (anuvāda-vivāda), disputes over offenses (āpatti-vivāda), and disputes over procedure (kicca-vivāda).

Listening: secretly listening to what the other party says.

If any bhikkhu goes to listen to the quarrelsome words of other bhikkhus — going from one road to another road; from a road to off the road; from off the road to a road; from a higher place to a lower place, or from a lower place to a higher place — if he goes there and hears, he commits a pācittiya; if he goes but does not hear, he commits a dukkaṭa.

If he intends to go but does not go, or makes an appointment to go but does not go, in all such cases he commits a dukkaṭa. If two persons are speaking in a dark place, one should snap one's fingers or clear one's throat to alert them; if one does not do so, one commits a dukkaṭa. If two persons are speaking in a private place, one should also snap one's fingers or clear one's throat; if one does not do so, one commits a dukkaṭa.

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

Non-offense: If two persons are speaking in a dark place and one clears one's throat or snaps one's fingers; or if two persons are speaking in a private place and one snaps one's fingers or clears one's throat; or if on a road, two persons walking ahead are conversing and one approaches from behind, clearing one's throat and snapping one's fingers — there is no offense. Or if one wishes to know about an unlawful act, an act contrary to the Vinaya, acts performed in an improper location, acts involving reduction, or acts detrimental to the Saṅgha, to the stūpa, to the preceptor, to those sharing the same preceptor, to the ācārya, to those sharing the same ācārya, or to close spiritual friends — wishing to know about such acts, if one goes to listen, there is no offense.

Those who do not offend: one who commits the first offense before the precept was established; one who is insane; one whose mind is disturbed; one who is overwhelmed by pain and distress.

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 Studies Editorial Board, 2002