Lzh Dg Bu Vb Sk 49On Plants

– FOUR-PART VINAYA

– SEKHIYA RULES

RULE 49

At one time, the Buddha was dwelling in the Anāthapiṇḍika Garden, the Jeta Grove, in the country of Śrāvastī. At that time, the group of six monks defecated, urinated, and spat upon vegetables and fresh grass. Laypeople saw this and reproached them, saying: "The Śākyan ascetics have no sense of shame. They claim to know the true Dharma, yet what kind of Dharma is this? Defecating, urinating, and spitting on vegetables and fresh grass — just like pigs, dogs, camels, cattle, and donkeys."

The monks heard this, and among them were those of few desires and contentment who practiced the austere dhūta qualities, were fond of training in the precepts, and had a sense of shame. They reproached the group of six and then 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 to assemble the community of monks and reprimanded the group of six monks... as before, up to the words: "From now on, I shall establish a rule for the monks consisting of ten principles," and so on up to the words, "so that the true Dharma may long endure."

The precept should be stated as follows:

One must not defecate, urinate, or spit on vegetables and fresh grass — this is a sekhiya rule.

The Blessed One established this rule for the monks in this way. However, there were monks who were ill and weary and unable to avoid places with vegetables and fresh grass. The Buddha then instructed:

"A monk who is ill does not commit an offense."

From now on the precept should be stated thus:

One must not defecate, urinate, or spit on vegetables and fresh grass, except in case of illness — this is a sekhiya rule.

If a monk who is not ill intentionally defecates, urinates, or spits on vegetables and fresh grass, he commits a duṣkṛta offense requiring confession. Because it is done with intentional mind, it constitutes a duṣkṛta offense of improper conduct. If it is done without intentional mind, he commits a duṣkṛta offense.

Bhikṣuṇīs and all the way to novice monks and novice nuns also commit a duṣkṛta offense. This is called an offense.

Non-offense: if one has some form of illness, or if one defecates or urinates in a place where there are no vegetables or fresh grass but water flows to such a place, or wind blows it there, or a bird carries and drops it onto a place with vegetables or fresh grass — there is no offense.

Those who do not commit an offense: one who commits a transgression for the first time before the rule has been established; one who is delirious, mentally disturbed, in severe pain, or under extreme duress.

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

Chinese translation: Tripiṭaka masters Buddhayaśas and Zhu Fonian.

Revised and annotated by: Bhikṣu Thích Nguyên Chứng

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

Buddhist Publications Committee, 2002