Lzh Dg Bu Vb Sk 52Not Teach One With Robes Hitched Up

– FOUR-PART VINAYA

– ŚIKṢĀKARAṆĪYA

RULE 52

At one time, the Buddha was dwelling in the Anāthapiṇḍika Garden, Jeta's Grove, in the country of Śrāvastī. At that time, a group of six bhikkhus taught the Dharma to persons who had their robes turned up in a disrespectful manner.

The bhikkhus heard of this, and among them those who were of few desires, who knew contentment, who practiced the austere dhūta qualities, who delighted in training in the precepts, and who had a sense of shame, reproached the group of six bhikkhus, then went to the place where the Blessed One was, paid homage at his feet, and sat to one side. They then reported this matter fully to the Blessed One.

The Blessed One, on account of this matter, assembled the Sangha of bhikkhus and rebuked the group of six bhikkhus… as before, up to the passage: "From now on I shall lay down a rule for the bhikkhus comprising ten beneficial principles, up to the passage: so that the true Dharma may long endure."

The rule should be stated as follows:

One must not teach the Dharma to a person who has their robe turned up in a disrespectful manner — śikṣākaraṇīya.

At that time the bhikkhus were uncertain and did not dare to teach the Dharma to sick persons who had their robes turned up. The Buddha instructed:

"For a sick person, there is no offense."

From now on the rule should be stated as follows:

One must not teach the Dharma to a person who has their robe turned up in a disrespectful manner — except for a sick person — śikṣākaraṇīya.

A bhikkhu who intentionally teaches the Dharma to a person who has their robe turned up in a disrespectful manner, who is not sick, commits a duṣkṛta requiring confession. Because it is done intentionally, it constitutes an offense of improper deportment, duṣkṛta. If it is not done intentionally, it is a duṣkṛta offense.

For bhikkhunīs down to śrāmaṇeras and śrāmaṇerīs, it is duṣkṛta — this is called an offense.

Non-offense: if one is afflicted with some kind of illness, or if one teaches on account of a King or a high minister of the King, there is no offense.

Those who do not offend: one who offends for the first time before the rule has been laid down; one who is insane, of disturbed mind, or tormented and overwhelmed by pain.

Vietnamese translation: Bhikkhu Thích Đỗng Minh and Thích Đức Thắng. FOUR-PART 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, fascicles 1 and 2)

Buddhist Publications Committee, 2002