Lzh Dg Bu Vb Sk 83Not Spit Around Stupa

– DHARMAGUPTAKA VINAYA

– ŚAIKṢA-KARAṆĪYA

RULE 83

Once, the Buddha was staying in the Anāthapiṇḍika Garden, Jeta's Grove, in the country of Śrāvastī. At that time, the group of six bhikkhus spat around the four sides of the Buddha's stupa.

The bhikkhus saw this and criticized them: "Why do you spit around the four sides of the stupa?"

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

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

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

One must not spit around the four sides of a stupa — this is a śaikṣa-karaṇīya.

If a bhikkhu intentionally spits around the four sides of a stupa, he commits a duṣkṛta requiring confession. Because it is done intentionally, he commits a duṣkṛta of improper deportment. If it is done unintentionally, he commits a duṣkṛta.

For bhikkhunīs down to śrāmaṇeras and śrāmaṇerīs — duṣkṛta. This is called an offense.

Non-offense: if one is afflicted with some illness, or if a crow carries something to the vicinity of the stupa, or if the wind blows it there — there is no offense.

Those who do not offend: one who offends for the first time before the precept has been laid down, one who is insane, one whose mind is disturbed, one who is overcome by affliction 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