Lzh Dg Bu Vb Pc 79Raising a Hand

– DHARMAGUPTAKA VINAYA

– PĀCITTIYA

79. STRIKING A BHIKKHU WITH THE HAND

A. ORIGIN

At one time, the Buddha was dwelling in the park of Anāthapiṇḍika, in the Jeta Grove, in the country of Śrāvastī. At that time, the group of six bhikkhus struck the group of seventeen bhikkhus with their hands. Those who were struck cried out loudly:

"Stop, stop! Do not do this!"

The bhikkhus in the nearby rooms heard this and immediately asked:

"Why are you crying out so loudly?"

The group of seventeen said:

"These bhikkhus raised their hands and struck us, and so we had to cry out loudly."

The bhikkhus heard of this, and among them were those of few desires and contentment, who lived the austere practices, delighted in training in the precepts, and knew shame; they reproached the group of six bhikkhus, saying: "Why did you raise your hands and strike the group of seventeen bhikkhus?"

The bhikkhus went to the place of the Blessed One, paid homage at his feet, then sat to one side, and reported this matter in full to the Blessed One. The Blessed One, on account of this matter, assembled the community of bhikkhus and rebuked the group of six bhikkhus:

"What you have done is wrong, unbefitting, not in accordance with the deportment of a monastic, not in accordance with the Dharma of a śramaṇa, not in accordance with pure conduct, not in accordance with proper behavior — you have done what should not be done. Why did you strike the group of seventeen bhikkhus with your hands?"

The Blessed One, having rebuked the group of six bhikkhus by means of countless skillful methods, said to the bhikkhus:

"These foolish ones are a field where many seeds of the defiled are sown; they are the first to commit this offense. From this day forward, I will lay down a rule for the bhikkhus, comprising ten points of meaning, up to and including the phrase: so that the true Dharma may long endure."

The rule should be stated thus:

Whatever bhikkhu, out of anger and displeasure, strikes a bhikkhu with the hand — pācittiya.

B. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE OFFENSE

Bhikkhu: as defined above.

Hand: refers to both hands.

If a bhikkhu, out of anger, strikes another bhikkhu with his hand — pācittiya. Apart from the hand, if he uses a door bolt, a fly-whisk, a hand-censer, or anything of the sort — all such cases incur a duṣkṛta.

A bhikkhunī — pācittiya. A śikṣamāṇā, a śrāmaṇera, or a śrāmaṇerī — duṣkṛta. This is called an offense.

Non-offense: If another person intends to strike and one raises one's hand to block the blow. Or if an elephant approaches, or bandits approach, or a wild animal approaches, or someone carrying sharp thorns approaches, and one raises one's hand to ward them off — there is no offense. Or if one wishes to cross a river, or to cross a muddy, waterlogged place, and in close proximity one beckons another bhikkhu with one's hand and happens to touch that person — there is no offense. Or if the other person does not hear and one uses one's hand to signal so that they will hear; or while sleeping; or while coming and going, or while sweeping the ground; or if one swings a staff and accidentally strikes someone, without any deliberate intention — in all such cases there is no offense.

Those who are not at fault: one who commits an offense for the first time before the rule has been laid down; one who is insane, one whose mind is disturbed, one who is afflicted with pain and distress.

Vietnamese translation: Bhikkhu Thích Đỗng Minh and Thích Đức Thắng. DHARMAGUPTAKA 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 and 2)

Buddhist Publication Committee, 2002.