Lzh Dg Bu Vb Sk 60Not Sleep in Stupa

– DHARMAGUPTAKA VINAYA

– ŚIKṢĀKARAṆĪYA

RULE 60

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 were sleeping and resting within the Buddha's stupa.

The bhikkhus saw this, and among them were those of few wishes and contentment, who practiced the austere qualities, were fond of training in the precepts, and were possessed of a sense of shame; they reproached the group of six bhikkhus: "Why do you sleep and rest within the Buddha's stupa?"

The bhikkhus went to where the Blessed One was, paid homage at his feet, then sat to one side, and reported this matter in full to the Blessed One.

The Blessed One, on account of this matter, assembled the community of bhikkhus and rebuked the group of six bhikkhus… as before, up to the words: "From now on I shall lay down a precept for the bhikkhus, comprising ten principles of meaning, up to the lasting endurance of the true Dharma."

Wishing to recite the rule, it should be recited thus:

One must not sleep or rest within the Buddha's stupa — śikṣākaraṇīya.

The Blessed One having laid down the rule for the bhikkhus in this way, a bhikkhu was uncertain and, for the purpose of guarding the stupa, still did not dare to sleep within the Buddha's stupa. The Buddha instructed:

For the purpose of protecting the stupa, there is no offense. From now on the rule should be recited thus:

One must not sleep or rest within the Buddha's stupa, except for the purpose of keeping watch — śikṣākaraṇīya.

If a bhikkhu intentionally sleeps or rests within the Buddha's stupa, he commits a duṣkṛta requiring confession. Because it is done intentionally, he commits a duṣkṛta of improper conduct. If it is done unintentionally, he commits a duṣkṛta.

Bhikkhunīs, and likewise sāmaṇeras and sāmaṇerīs, commit a duṣkṛta. These are called offenses.

Non-offense: if one is afflicted with some kind of illness, or sleeps and rests for the purpose of protection, or is seized by force, or must sleep and rest due to danger to life or danger to the holy life — there is no offense.

Those who do not offend: one who offends for the first time before the rule was established, one who is mentally deranged, one whose mind is disturbed, one afflicted with pain and distress.

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, volumes 1–2)

Buddhist Publication Committee, 2002