Lzh Dg Bu Vb Sk 24Laughing Loudly

– DHARMAGUPTAKA VINAYA

– ŚAIKṢA-DHARMA

RULE 24

At one time, the Buddha was staying in the garden of Anāthapiṇḍika, in the Jeta Grove, in the country of Śrāvastī. At that time, a group of six bhikkhus laughed and joked while entering the dwellings of white-robed laypeople. The householders saw this and reproached them, saying: "These Śākyaputra ascetics have no sense of shame. They receive without knowing satisfaction. They outwardly claim, 'We know the true Dharma.' What sort of true Dharma is this? Walking along, laughing and joking while entering the dwellings of laypeople — just like great apes!"

The bhikkhus heard this, and among them were those of few desires and contentment who practiced the ascetic observances, were fond of training in the precepts, and had a sense of shame. They reproached the group of six bhikkhus: "Why do you walk along laughing and joking while entering the dwellings of laypeople?"

The bhikkhus went to where the Blessed One was, paid homage at his feet, and sat to one side. They reported this matter in full to the Blessed One. The Blessed One used this matter as the occasion to assemble the community of bhikkhus and rebuked the group of six bhikkhus:

"What you have done is wrong — it is not proper conduct, not the way of the ascetic, not pure practice, not befitting behavior. You have done what should not be done. Why do you walk along laughing and joking while entering the dwellings of laypeople?"

The Blessed One then rebuked them with countless skillful means, and addressed the bhikkhus:

"These foolish men are a field where many seeds of the āsavas are planted; they are the first to commit this offense. From this day forward, I shall establish a rule for the bhikkhus, comprising ten bases of meaning, up to and including the phrase 'so that the true Dharma may long endure.'"

The rule should be recited as follows:

One must not laugh and joke while entering the dwellings of laypeople — this is a śaikṣa-dharma.

Bhikkhu: as explained above.

Laughing and joking: laughing so as to expose the teeth.

If a bhikkhu intentionally laughs and jokes while entering the dwellings of laypeople, he commits an offense requiring confession — a duṣkṛta. Because it is done intentionally, he commits a duṣkṛta of improper conduct. If it is done unintentionally, he commits a duṣkṛta.

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

Non-offense: if one is afflicted with such an illness; or if one's lips are injured and cannot cover the teeth; or if, reflecting on the Dharma, one laughs out of joyful delight — 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 established; one who is mad; one whose mind is deranged; one who is overcome by 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