Lzh Dg Bu Vb Sk 1Evenly All Around

– DHARMAGUPTAKA VINAYA

– ŚAIKṢA-KARAṆĪYA

RULE 1

At one time, the Buddha was staying in the Anāthapiṇḍika Garden, Jeta's Grove, in the country of Śrāvastī. At that time, the group of six bhikkhus wore the nirvāṇa-saṅgha in various ways: sometimes too low, sometimes too high, or made it hang like an elephant's trunk, or like the leaf of a tāla tree, or sometimes folded it into a small bundle. The lay people saw this and criticized them: "These Śākyan renunciants have no sense of shame.

They outwardly claim, 'I know the true Dharma.' But what kind of Dharma is this? Why do they wear the nirvāṇa-saṅgha sometimes low, sometimes high, sometimes like an elephant's trunk, sometimes like a tāla leaf, sometimes folded into a small bundle—just like kings, elders, high ministers, and householders; just like festival days, when performers in a troupe put on robes to act in plays?"

The bhikkhus heard this, and among them were those of few desires, contentment, and who practiced the austere practices, were fond of training in the precepts, and who were conscientious. They reproached the group of six bhikkhus: "Why do you wear the nirvāṇa-saṅgha sometimes low, sometimes high, sometimes like an elephant's trunk, sometimes like a tāla leaf, sometimes folded into a small bundle?"

The bhikkhus went to the Blessed One, prostrated themselves at his feet, and sat to one side. They reported this matter fully to the Blessed One. The Blessed One, on account of this cause and condition, assembled the community of bhikkhus and reproached the group of six bhikkhus:

"What you have done is wrong. It is not proper conduct, not the practice of a renunciant, not pure conduct, not befitting behavior—you have done what should not be done. Why do you wear the nirvāṇa-saṅgha sometimes low, sometimes high, sometimes like an elephant's trunk, sometimes like a tāla leaf, sometimes folded into a small bundle?"

Having reproached the group of six bhikkhus with countless expedient means, the Buddha addressed the bhikkhus:

"These foolish men are a field for sowing many seeds of the āsavas, and they are the first to transgress this precept. From this day forward, I shall lay down a rule for the bhikkhus, comprising ten principles of meaning, up to and including the principle of the long endurance of the true Dharma."

The rule to be recited should be stated thus:

One must wear the nirvāṇa-saṅgha evenly and properly—śaikṣa-karaṇīya.

Bhikkhu: as defined above.

Herein, wearing it unevenly means: sometimes wearing it too low, sometimes too high, or making it like an elephant's trunk, or like a tāla leaf, or folding it into a small bundle.

—Too low: tying the waist-cord below the navel; too high: above the knee.

—Elephant's trunk: one corner hanging down in front.

—Tāla leaf: two corners hanging down in front.

—Folded into a small bundle: folding it small, wrapping it around the waist in a bunched and wrinkled manner.

A bhikkhu who wears the nirvāṇa-saṅgha too high or too low, or makes it like an elephant's trunk, or like a tāla leaf, or folds it into a small bundle—if done intentionally, he incurs a duṣkṛta requiring confession. Because it is done intentionally, it constitutes an offense of improper conduct, a duṣkṛta. If it is not done intentionally, he incurs only a duṣkṛta.

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

Non-transgression: when there is illness such as a boil or sore arising in the navel area, so that one must wear it low; or when there is a sore on the lower leg, so that one must wear it high; or when one is inside a monastery; or outside a village; or when doing work; or when traveling along a road—in these cases there is no transgression.

Those who do not transgress: one who transgresses for the first time before the rule has been established; one who is mentally deranged, of disturbed mind, or afflicted with pain and oppressed by suffering.

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

Chinese translation: Tripiṭaka Buddhayaśas and Zhu Fonian.

Revised and annotated by: Bhikkhu Thích Nguyên Chứng

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

Buddhist Studies Publication Committee, 2002