Lzh Dg Bu Vb Pc 81Royal Compounds

– FOUR-PART VINAYA

– PĀCITTIYA

81. ENTERING THE ROYAL PALACE.

A. ORIGIN OF THE RULE

At one time, the Buddha was dwelling in the garden of Anāthapiṇḍika, in the Jeta Grove, in the city of Śrāvastī. At that time, in the city of Śrāvastī there was a brahmin of a great clan, named Yajñadatta, who possessed abundant wealth and precious treasures; his livelihood was immeasurable, his fields and stores of grain beyond counting, his gold and silver, mother-of-pearl, agate, pearls, amber, crystal, lapis lazuli, elephants and horses, servants, and storehouses all full and overflowing; his dignified bearing was complete in every way. Yajñadatta had a maidservant named Yellowhead, who ordinarily tended the Mallika garden. That maidservant would often grieve and say: "When will I ever be free from this life of servitude?"

One morning, that maidservant received her portion of dried rice, and carried it into the garden. At that moment, the hour for alms-gathering had arrived, and the Blessed One, having dressed and taken up his bowl, entered the city to collect alms. The maidservant Yellowhead, seeing the Tathāgata from afar, thought to herself: "Now I should offer this portion of dried rice to that renunciant; perhaps thereby I may be freed from this life of servitude." Having thought thus, Yellowhead at once brought her portion of food and offered it to the Tathāgata.

The Blessed One, moved by compassion, accepted the offering and returned to the monastery. The maidservant Yellowhead continued on her way to the Mallika garden.

At that time, King Prasenajit was reviewing his four divisions of troops and going out on a hunting excursion. His retinue scattered to pursue a herd of deer. The weather being hot, the King grew weary. Seeing the Mallika garden nearby in the distance, he ordered his chariot turned in that direction. Leaving the chariot outside, the King walked into the garden on foot.

Just then, Yellowhead, seeing King Prasenajit approaching from afar, thought: "The person coming toward me with such a bearing and demeanor is no ordinary person." She went forward to receive him, greeting him respectfully:

"Welcome, great one who has newly arrived! Please come and sit upon this seat."

Yellowhead then removed her outer garment, spread it out, and invited the King to sit. Yellowhead asked:

"Does your lordship require water to wash your feet?"

The King said:

"Yes."

Yellowhead then took a lotus leaf, drew water with it, and brought it to the King. The King washed his own feet. Yellowhead rubbed and massaged his feet and asked:

"Does your lordship require water to wash your face?"

The King said:

"Yes."

Yellowhead again took a lotus leaf, filled it with water, and brought it for the King to wash his face.

Yellowhead then said:

"Does your lordship require water to drink?"

The King said:

"I wish to drink."

Yellowhead went to the pond, washed her hands thoroughly, then took a fine lotus leaf, filled it with water, and brought it for the King to drink. Yellowhead then addressed the King again:

"I wonder whether your lordship might wish to rest a while?"

The King said:

"I do wish to rest a while."

Yellowhead again removed a garment, spread it out, and invited the King to lie down and rest. When the King had lain down, Yellowhead came to one side, knelt upright, and massaged his body to relieve his fatigue. Yellowhead's body was soft and gentle, like the body of a celestial maiden. As the King enjoyed her gentle massage, a thought arose in him: "Never have I encountered a woman of such intelligence. Without being told, she has done everything according to my wishes." The King then asked:

"Whose daughter are you?"

Yellowhead replied:

"I am a servant of the household of Yajñadatta. My master has sent me to tend this Mallika garden."

While the King was thus conversing with Yellowhead, the minister of King Prasenajit followed the tracks of the chariot to the Mallika garden, prostrated at the King's feet, and stood to one side. The King ordered one of the men:

"Go and summon the brahmin Yajñadatta to the King's presence."

The one who received the order immediately went and summoned the brahmin. The brahmin came, prostrated at the King's feet, and stood to one side.

The King asked:

"Is this woman your servant?"

The brahmin replied:

"It is so."

The King said:

"I now wish to take this woman as my wife. What do you think?"

The brahmin submitted:

"This person is a maidservant — how could she become the wife of the King?"

The King affirmed:

"That matters not at all. You need only tell me what price must be paid."

The brahmin submitted:

"Even were the price a hundred thousand taels of gold, I would not dare accept it. I offer her as a gift to Your Majesty."

The King said:

"That cannot be done. I am taking her as a wife — why should there be no payment?"

The King then gave orders for a hundred thousand taels of gold to be disbursed and handed to the brahmin. Having done so, the King immediately sent someone back to the palace to fetch various ornaments, garments, and adornments. After bathing and adorning her person, she rode in the same chariot with the King back to the palace, escorted and accompanied by the great ministers.

At that moment, Yellowhead thought: "This person is none other than King Prasenajit himself." Yellowhead was brought to reside within the palace and was instructed in various arts: poetry, mathematics, printing, painting various images, singing, dancing, and music — there was no discipline she did not come to know. Because she had been brought back from the Mallika garden, she was given the name Lady Mallika. As she grew older, the King's affection and respect for her only deepened. After some time, among five hundred women, Mallika was established by the King as First Lady.

While residing in the high palace, Lady Mallika thought to herself: "By what causes and karmic fruits have I been freed from the life of servitude and now live in such happiness?" Then she thought further: "Could it be that because I previously offered my own portion of food — dried rice mixed with honey — to that renunciant, it is by that cause and condition that I have now been freed from servitude and enjoy such happiness?" Lady Mallika then asked her attendants:

"Is there a renunciant of such appearance in the city of Śrāvastī?"

The attendant replied:

"There is. That is the Tathāgata, the Unattached One, the Truly Enlightened One, the Perfectly and Completely Awakened One."

Upon hearing this, the Lady was filled with joy and wished to go to the Buddha. She therefore went and addressed King Prasenajit:

"Your Majesty! I wish to go and pay my respects, bow in reverence, and visit the Buddha."

The King said:

"You should know that this is the right time."

Lady Mallika then prepared five hundred chariots and, attended by five hundred ladies-in-waiting, departed from the city of Śrāvastī and traveled to the Jetavana monastery. Upon arriving, Mallika descended from her chariot and entered on foot. From a distance she beheld the Tathāgata's dignified and upright bearing, his sense faculties serene and composed, his supreme self-mastery fully accomplished — like a great elephant-king fully tamed, like a deep pool, still and clear, pure and undefiled. Seeing this, the Lady at once gave rise to joy. She went to the Buddha, prostrated at his feet, and sat to one side, then addressed the Buddha:

"By what cause and condition does one take birth as a woman with an ugly appearance, so that those who see her are displeased, with insufficient wealth, and without great power? By what cause and condition does one have an ugly appearance, so that those who see her are displeased, yet with no lack of wealth, and without great power? By what cause and condition does one have an ugly appearance, so that those who see her are displeased, yet with no lack of wealth, and with great power? By what cause and condition does one have a beautiful appearance, so that those who see her are glad, with no lack of wealth, and with great power?"

At that time, the Blessed One then taught Lady Mallika:

"There is a woman whose mind is much given to anger, who delights in causing vexation and harm to others. She becomes enraged over few words, and becomes all the more angry over many words. She also does not give to śramaṇas, brahmins, the elderly, the solitary, or the poor and destitute when they come seeking clothing, food and drink, elephants, horses, and vehicles, incense, flowers, and ornaments, dwellings and bedding, or lamps and torches — she gives none of these.

Moreover, upon seeing others receive offerings and support, she gives rise to jealousy and envy. Therefore, O Mallika, a woman, on account of her great anger, comes to have an ugly appearance that displeases those who see her; on account of not giving, she comes to have insufficient wealth; and on account of giving rise to jealousy upon seeing others receive offerings, she comes to have no power.

"O Lady Mallika! A woman whose mind is much given to anger, who delights in causing vexation to others — she becomes enraged over few words, and becomes all the more angry over many words. Yet she does give generously to śramaṇas, brahmins, the elderly, the solitary, and the poor and destitute when they come seeking clothing and food, elephants, horses, and vehicles, incense, flowers, and ornaments, dwellings, bedding, and all such things, she provides for them. Yet upon seeing others receive offerings and support, she gives rise to jealousy and envy. Therefore, such a woman, on account of her great anger, comes to have an ugly appearance; on account of her generosity, she has no lack of wealth; and on account of her jealous mind, she has no great power.

"Lady Mallika! A woman who is much given to anger, who delights in causing distress and harm to others, who manifests much anger whether she speaks little or much, yet who is accustomed to giving to ascetics, brahmins, the elderly, the solitary, the poor and destitute when they come to beg — providing them with clothing, food and drink, flowers, garlands and ornaments, as well as lodgings, bedding, lamps and torches — and who, when she sees others receive benefit and support, does not give rise to envy in her heart: such a woman, on account of her anger, will have an ugly appearance; yet on account of her generosity, she will not lack for wealth; and because she does not give rise to envy when she sees others receive material gain, she will possess great majesty.

"Mallika! A woman who has no anger, who causes no distress or harm to others, who manifests no anger whether she speaks little or much, who is accustomed to giving to ascetics, brahmins, the solitary, the elderly, the poor and destitute when they come to beg — providing them with elephants, horses, carriages, clothing, food and drink, as well as lamps and torches — and who, when she sees others receive benefit and support, does not give rise to envy: such a woman, Lady Mallika, on account of her absence of anger, will have a refined and dignified appearance; on account of her generosity, she will not lack for wealth; and on account of her absence of envy, she will possess great majesty.

"Mallika! It is on account of these causes and conditions that a woman may have an ugly appearance, lack wealth, and possess no majesty. It is on account of these causes and conditions that a woman may have an ugly appearance, yet not lack for wealth, but possess no majesty. It is on account of these causes and conditions that a woman may have an ugly appearance, yet not lack for wealth, and may possess great majesty. And it is on account of these causes and conditions that a woman may have a refined and dignified appearance, not lack for wealth, and possess great majesty."

At that time, Lady Mallika again addressed the Buddha:

"Venerable Sir, in a past life I was much given to anger, delighting in causing distress and harm to others, manifesting much anger whether I spoke little or much. How do I know this? Because in this life I bear an ugly form that others find unpleasant to behold.

"Venerable Sir, in a past life I was accustomed to giving to ascetics, brahmins, the elderly, the solitary, the poor and destitute. When they came to beg for clothing, food and drink, as well as lamps and torches, I provided all these for them. Therefore, today I do not lack for wealth.

"Venerable Sir, in a past life, when I saw others receive benefit and support, I did not give rise to a mind of envy. Therefore, today I possess great majesty. Among the five hundred women of King Pasenadi's palace, all of noble Kṣatriya lineage, I am the one who is held in the highest esteem and who moves in freedom among them.

"Venerable Sir, from this day forward I shall not be given to anger, shall cause no distress or harm to others, and shall not manifest anger whether speaking little or much. I shall constantly give to ascetics, brahmins, the elderly, the solitary, the poor and destitute; when they come to beg for clothing, elephants, horses, carriages, as well as lamps and torches, I shall provide all of these for them. If I see others receive benefit and support, I shall not give rise to envy in my heart.

"Venerable Lord, from this day forward, throughout my entire life, I take refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha, and become an upāsikā. From this day forward, I vow to uphold the precept of not taking life, and so on through to not drinking intoxicants."

At that time, the Blessed One, through countless skillful means, taught the Dharma to Lady Mallika, illuminating and transforming her, so that she became joyful. Those teachings were on generosity, on the observance of precepts, and on rebirth in the heavens. He spoke of sensual desire as fault, as impurity, as defiled with outflows, as bondage. He praised the benefit of renunciation and liberation. Mallika, right there in her seat, was entirely cleansed of all dust and defilement, attained purity of vision, saw the Dharma, realized the Dharma, and attained the fruit of realization. The Lady then again addressed the Buddha:

"Now, for the second time, and for the third time, I take refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha, and become an upāsikā. From this day forward, throughout my entire life, I shall not take life, and so on through to not drinking intoxicants." Mallika then rose from her seat, bowed reverently at the feet of the Buddha, circumambulated him three times, and took her leave.

Upon returning to the palace, Mallika encouraged and advised King Pasenadi, and caused the king to develop faith and delight in the Buddha-Dharma. Once the king had generated this faith, he permitted the bhikkhus to enter and leave the inner palace without obstruction.

At that time, Kāḷudāyi, at the proper time, robed himself, took up his bowl, and entered the royal palace of King Pasenadi. At that moment, the king and his consort were still taking their midday rest. The consort, seeing Kāḷudāyi approaching from a distance, rose and dressed herself. She then took a most precious garment to wipe the seat in order to invite Kāḷudāyi to sit. As she did so, her robe slipped and fell to the ground, leaving her form exposed, and she sat down in embarrassment. Kāḷudāyi, upon seeing this, turned and departed from the royal palace. The king then asked his consort:

"Did the bhikkhu just now see your form?"

The consort replied to the king:

"Though he saw, it was as between brother and sister, and nothing more. That matter need not trouble the mind."

At that time, Kāḷudāyi returned to the monastery and then spoke to the bhikkhus: "The foremost treasure of King Pasenadi — today I have seen it clearly."

The bhikkhus asked:

"What treasure did you see, venerable sir?"

Kāḷudāyi said:

"I saw Lady Mallika with her form exposed. I saw everything!"

The bhikkhus who heard this — among them those of few desires and contentment, who practised the ascetic practices, who delighted in the training of the precepts, who knew shame and remorse — reproved Kāḷudāyi: "Why did you enter the palace and go to the quarters of the palace women?"

The bhikkhus went to where the Blessed One was, paid homage at his feet, sat to one side, and reported the full account of this matter to the Blessed One. The Blessed One, on account of this matter, assembled the Sangha of bhikkhus, and knowing full well, deliberately asked Kāḷudāyi:

"Is it true that you entered the royal palace and went to the quarters of the palace women?"

Kāḷudāyi replied:

"Venerable Lord, it is indeed so."

The Blessed One, through countless skillful means, rebuked Kāḷudāyi:

"What you have done is wrong. It is not proper conduct, not the practice of an ascetic, not pure conduct, not befitting behavior — it is the doing of what ought not to be done. Why did you enter the inner palace, the quarters of the palace women?"

Having rebuked Kāḷudāyi through countless skillful means, the Blessed One said to the bhikkhus:

"This foolish man is a source of many seeds of outflows; he is the first to commit this offense. From now on, I shall lay down a rule of training for the bhikkhus, comprising ten purposes, including the purpose that the true Dharma may long endure."

The precept should be stated as follows:

Whichever bhikkhu, when a consecrated king of the Kṣatriya lineage has not yet departed, and the valuables have not yet been put away, enters — if he steps past the threshold of the royal palace, he commits a pācittiya offense.

B. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PRECEPT

Bhikkhu: as explained above.

Consecrated king of the Kṣatriya lineage: Water is drawn from the four great oceans, the right horn of a white ox is taken, all manner of seeds are gathered and filled within it, placed upon the king's royal chariot, carried by the lesser kings. The king and his chief consort sit upon the chariot. A great brahmin pours water over the crown of the king's head. If one is of the Kṣatriya lineage, when the rite of pouring water upon the head is performed, the royal position is established. For this reason, he is called a consecrated king of the Kṣatriya lineage. If one is of the brahmin, vaiśya, or śūdra lineage and has had water poured upon his head in the rite of establishing the royal position, that king is also called a consecrated king of the Kṣatriya lineage.

Not yet departed: that is, the king has not yet departed, and the palace women have not yet returned to their proper quarters.

Valuables not yet put away: gold, silver, pearls, tortoiseshell, cornelian, crystal, lapis lazuli, shell-jade. All precious ornaments and valuables have not yet been stored away.

Whichever bhikkhu, when a consecrated king of the Kṣatriya lineage has not yet departed, valuables have not yet been put away, and he enters past the threshold of the royal palace — pācittiya. If one foot is outside and one foot inside, with the intention to proceed, or if there is a prior arrangement but he does not enter, all such cases incur a dukkaṭa offense. Excepting the palace of a consecrated Kṣatriya king, if one enters the residences of lesser tributary kings, wealthy elders, or nobles, and steps across the threshold, a dukkaṭa offense is incurred.

For a bhikkhunī, a sikkhāmānā, a sāmaṇera, or a sāmaṇerī — dukkaṭa. This is called an offense.

Non-offense: If the king has already departed, the palace women have returned to their proper quarters, and the valuables and ornaments have been put away; or if there is a matter requiring an audience with the king; or if one has been summoned; or if one is taken by force; or in a case of danger to one's life; or in a case of danger to the holy life — none of these constitute an offense.

Those who do not commit an offense: one who commits the act for the first time before the rule has been promulgated; one who is insane, mentally disturbed, or tormented and overwhelmed by pain.

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Vietnamese translation: Bhikkhu Thích Đỗng Minh and Thích Đức Thắng. FOUR-PART VINAYA, PART ONE.

Chinese translation: Tripiṭaka masters Buddhayaśas and Zhu Fonian.

Edited and annotated by: Bhikkhu Thích Nguyên Chứng

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

Buddhist Publication Committee, 2002