Lzh Dg Bu Vb Ss 6Building a Hut

– FOUR-PART VINAYA

– SAṄGHĀDISESA

6. BUILDING A SMALL HUT

A. ORIGIN OF THE RULE

The Buddha was dwelling on Gijjhakūṭa Mountain, at the city of Rājagaha. At that time, the Blessed One had permitted the bhikkhus to build their own individual dwellings. The bhikkhus of the country of Āḷavī, upon hearing that the Blessed One had permitted bhikkhus to build their own individual dwellings, proceeded to build large dwellings. Because they were building large dwellings, they required a great deal of labor. Those bhikkhus went about soliciting everywhere, saying: "Give me skilled craftsmen; provide me with carts and cart-drivers; provide me with timber, wood, bamboo, thatch, binding rope, and so forth."

Because the bhikkhus' begging and soliciting was so troublesome, whenever the laity saw bhikkhus from afar, they would turn their carts away and avoid them; or they would slip into alleyways, or into the marketplace, or go back inside their houses, or walk straight ahead with heads bowed so that the bhikkhus could not see their faces. Why was this? Because they feared the bhikkhus' demands and solicitations.

There was also a bhikkhu of Āḷavī who wished to construct a dwelling and proceeded to cut down trees himself for that purpose. The deity dwelling in that tree had many children and grandchildren, and she thought: "My offspring are many; this tree is my shelter and refuge, yet this bhikkhu is cutting it down. I must strike this bhikkhu." Then the tree-deity reconsidered: "If I strike the bhikkhu without first examining the matter carefully, I fear it would be contrary to right principle.

I should go before the Blessed One and lay this matter clearly before him. Whatever the Blessed One instructs, I will act accordingly." Having thought thus, she went before the Blessed One, prostrated at the Buddha's feet, stood to one side, and laid the matter clearly before the Blessed One. The Blessed One praised her:

"Well done. You did not strike the virtuous bhikkhu. Had you struck him, you would have incurred immeasurable offense. Now you should go to the Ganges River, where there is a great tree called the Sāla. The deity who dwelt in that tree has just passed away. You may take up residence there." Upon hearing this, the deity paid homage at the feet of the Blessed One, circumambulated three times, and then vanished.

At that time, the Venerable Mahākassapa, leading a great assembly of five hundred bhikkhus from the country of Magadha, arrived at the city of Āḷavī, lodged there for one night, and the following morning, having donned his robes and taken his bowl, entered the city for alms. His deportment was dignified, his gaze proper, and his manner and bearing were unlike those of the others in the assembly.

At that time, within the city, whenever the laity saw bhikkhus from afar, they slipped into alleyways, or into the marketplace, or went back inside their houses, or walked straight ahead with heads bowed so that the bhikkhus could not see their faces. The Venerable Kassapa, observing this, asked a certain person:

"Why is it that the laity here, upon seeing bhikkhus, avoid them and refuse to let the bhikkhus see their faces?"

That person said to the Venerable Kassapa:

"The Blessed One has permitted bhikkhus to build their own individual dwellings. The bhikkhus' soliciting of materials has been excessive and has caused great trouble. Because of this, everyone avoids them."

Having heard this, the Venerable Kassapa was grieved and displeased.

At that time, the Blessed One led one thousand two hundred and fifty bhikkhus from Rājagaha to the city of Āḷavī. Upon arriving, all had prepared their seats and were seated. The Venerable Kassapa came before the Blessed One, prostrated at the Buddha's feet, stood to one side, bared his right shoulder, joined his palms together, knelt, and said to the Buddha:

"Having just entered the city for alms, I saw the laity — upon seeing the bhikkhus from afar, they all avoided them…" (the full account as above).

Having finished his report, the Venerable Kassapa prostrated at the feet of the Buddha, circumambulated three times, and then departed from the city of Āḷavī. Why was this? Because he feared that the bhikkhus of Āḷavī might harbor feelings of resentment. The Blessed One, on account of this cause and condition, assembled the Saṅgha of bhikkhus and declared:

"I recall that formerly, on Gijjhakūṭa Mountain in this city of Rājagaha, a deity came before me, bowed at my feet, stood to one side, and said to me: 'The Blessed One has permitted the bhikkhus of Āḷavī to build their own individual dwellings. These bhikkhus have engaged in much soliciting…' (the full account as before). Now I ask: Is it true that you built individual dwellings and solicited so excessively?"

The bhikkhus answered:

"It is true."

The Blessed One rebuked those bhikkhus by means of countless skillful means:

"Why is it that, using my permission to build individual dwellings as a pretext, you proceeded to build large dwellings, and then made many unlawful demands, soliciting things difficult to obtain?"

Having rebuked those bhikkhus, the Blessed One then said to the bhikkhus:

"In former times, beside this Ganges River, there was a matted-hair brahmin who dwelt permanently by the river's edge, his complexion wan and haggard, his body lean and emaciated. At that time I went there, greeted him, and asked: 'Why is your body so lean and emaciated, your complexion so wan and haggard?' That person replied to me: 'In this river there is a dragon king named Maṇikandali. Each time he emerges from his palace, he comes to my dwelling. His body coils around mine. His head looms over me. At such times I think: The nature of dragons is fierce; I fear it will take my life. It is on account of this fear that my body has become lean and emaciated, my complexion wan and haggard as you see.'

"At that time I asked the brahmin: 'Do you wish that the dragon would remain permanently in the water and not come to your dwelling?'

"The brahmin said: 'Truly, I wish that the dragon would not come to me.'

"I then asked the brahmin: 'Does that dragon have a jeweled necklace?'

"The brahmin replied: 'Around its neck there is an extremely fine necklace of precious gems.'

"The Buddha said to the brahmin: 'If that dragon, upon emerging from the water, comes to your dwelling, you should stand up to receive it and say: Dragon King, wait! Bring me the jeweled necklace from around your neck. Having said this, then recite these verses:

"The brahmin took my words to heart. Afterward, when the Dragon King emerged from the water and came to the brahmin's dwelling, the brahmin, seeing him from afar, stood up to receive him and said: 'Wait a moment, Dragon King! Please be so kind as to give me the jeweled necklace from your neck.'

"Having spoken thus, the brahmin recited the verse:

"The Dragon King then replied to the brahmin in verse:

"The Dragon King immediately returned to his palace and appeared there no more."

At that time, the Blessed One then spoke these verses:

"Bhikkhus, you should know: even animals dislike being asked of; how much more so with human beings — is it possible that excessive, insatiable begging should not give rise to aversion? The bhikkhus of Āḷavī are foolish men who individually built large dwellings and made demands far too numerous…" (the full account as before).

The Blessed One further said to the bhikkhus:

"Formerly, at one time, I was dwelling in the Anāthapiṇḍika Garden in the Jeta Grove, in the city of Sāvatthī. At that time, a bhikkhu came before me, prostrated at my feet, and then sat to one side. I inquired after his well-being with words of comfort, saying: 'Are you living in comfort? Is the alms-round not difficult for you?'

"That bhikkhu replied: 'We are living in comfort and encounter no difficulties on the alms-round. However, dwelling in the forest, we have one concern: at midnight flocks of birds cry out mournfully and disturbingly, which throws our meditative composure into disorder. We are troubled by this.'

"The Buddha asked the bhikkhus: 'Do you wish that these birds would no longer come to roost in this forest at night?'

"The bhikkhus said to the Buddha: 'Truly, we do not wish those birds to return to roost in this forest again.'

"The Buddha instructed the bhikkhus: 'Watch carefully; when the flocks of birds return to roost for the night, say to them: Give me two of your wings — I have need of them.'

"At that time, those bhikkhus, having taken my instruction to heart, watched for the flocks of birds to return to the forest to roost; and at midnight they went to the flocks of birds and said: 'We now have need of your two wings — bring them to us!'

"At that time, the flocks of birds thought: 'This bhikkhu asks this of us.' Having thought thus, they flew out of the forest and from that time did not return."

The Buddha said to the bhikkhus:

"You should know: even birds and beasts dislike being asked of by others; how much more so with human beings — is it possible that excessive demanding and soliciting should not give rise to aversion?

«The monk Kvaṇḍiya is a foolish person who built a large private dwelling and made many demands… (to be stated in full as above).»

Then the Buddha addressed the monks:

«In former times there was a son of good family named Raṭṭhapāla, who had gone forth and practiced the way, and who would not even go to beg at the house of his own parents. At that time, his father said to Raṭṭhapāla:

«Do you know, I have examined this matter myself: there are few people who do not come to their father's house to beg. You are my son — why do you not come to your father's house to beg?»

«At that time, Raṭṭhapāla spoke a verse for his father to hear:

One who asks much is not liked by others.

One who asks and is refused gives rise to resentment.

Therefore I do not beg,

Fearing that increase and decrease will arise.

«Monks should know: Raṭṭhapāla would not even go to beg at the house of his own father — how much less should monks go to the houses of laypeople and beg and demand much, causing them displeasure.»

The Blessed One, by means of countless expedient methods, censured monks who begged at improper times, who begged without knowing satisfaction, and who begged wrongfully. The Blessed One, by means of countless expedient methods, praised begging at proper times, begging in a moderate way, and begging rightly. Then he addressed the monks:

«The monk Kvaṇḍiya is a foolish person, a source of many seeds of the defiled, and the first to commit this offense. From this day forward, I shall establish the training rule for monks, gathering ten purposes, so that the true Dharma may long endure.»

The precept should be spoken thus:

B. THE PRECEPT TEXT

Should any monk, soliciting by begging on his own behalf, build a hut without a donor, constructing it for himself, he must build it to the proper measure. The proper measure here is: twelve spans of the Buddha's hand in length, and seven spans of the Buddha's hand in width inside. He must invite monks to come and designate the site. Those monks must designate a site that is free from danger and free from obstruction. If a monk, at a site that has danger and is obstructed, soliciting by begging on his own behalf, builds a hut without a donor, constructing it for himself, without inviting monks to come and designate the site, or builds it exceeding the prescribed measure: saṅghādisesa.

C. EXPLANATION OF TERMS

Monk: as explained above.

Soliciting by begging on his own behalf: he begs and demands materials from various places.

Hut: that is, a room or dwelling.

Without a donor: without one person, two persons, or many persons undertaking to build it.

Constructing it for himself: seeking out materials himself and building it himself.

Proper measure: twelve spans of the Buddha's hand in length, seven spans of the Buddha's hand in width inside.

Dangerous site: a place where there are tigers, wolves, lions, fierce animals, or even ants. If monks are not harassed and harmed by ants or other creatures or animals, the ground should be leveled; if there are tree stumps, rocks, thorns, or roots, one should have them dug out and removed. If there are pits, hollows, ditches, channels, ponds, or gullies, one should have them filled in. If there is fear of flooding, an embankment should be built to hold back the water. If someone claims the land is theirs, the matter should be adjudicated, so that no dispute with others arises. This is called a dangerous site.

An obstructed site: a place that does not have sufficient space for a hay-cart to turn around and pass back and forth — this is called an obstructed site.

When the monk has inspected and confirmed that the site is free from danger and free from obstruction, he should come before the Saṅgha, remove his sandals, bare his right shoulder, kneel with his right knee touching the ground, join his palms, and make the following announcement:

May the venerable Saṅgha please listen! I, the monk named …, am soliciting by begging on my own behalf to build a hut, without a donor, constructing it for myself. Now I come before the Saṅgha to request that it be acknowledged that this site is free from danger and free from obstruction.

This is announced three times.

At that time, the Saṅgha should consider whether this monk is trustworthy. If he is trustworthy, permission to build should be granted. If he is not trustworthy, all the Saṅgha should go to that place to inspect it.

If the Saṅgha cannot go, they should send a trustworthy monk to go and examine it. If the site has danger and is obstructed, permission should not be granted. If it is free from danger but is obstructed, permission should likewise not be granted.

If it has danger but is not obstructed, permission is also not granted. Only if it is free from danger and free from obstruction should permission be granted. When the site has been thus confirmed, the assembly should appoint one capable person to perform the karmavācanā.

That person may be an elder, a junior elder, one who recites the Vinaya or one who does not, and should make the following announcement:

May the venerable Saṅgha please listen! This monk named … is soliciting by begging on his own behalf to build a hut, constructing it for himself without a donor. He has now come before the Saṅgha to request designation of a site free from danger and free from obstruction. If it is agreeable to the Saṅgha, the Saṅgha consents to designate for this monk a site free from danger and free from obstruction. This is the motion.

May the venerable Saṅgha please listen! This monk named … is soliciting by begging on his own behalf to build a hut, constructing it for himself without a donor. This monk has now come before the Saṅgha to request designation of a site free from danger and free from obstruction. Now the Saṅgha designates a site for the monk named …, a site free from danger and free from obstruction. Those elders who approve of the Saṅgha now designating for the monk named … a site free from danger and free from obstruction should remain silent. Whoever does not approve, please speak.

The Saṅgha has designated for the monk named … a site free from danger and free from obstruction, by means of silence. I record the matter thus.

D. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE OFFENSE

A monk who builds a room should know: from the time construction begins — laying stones, piling earth, or applying mud — up to the final plastering of mud, completing the whole — if the Saṅgha has not designated the site, the building exceeds the measure, the site is dangerous, and it is obstructed: he commits two saṅghādisesas and two duṣkṛtas.

If the Saṅgha has not designated the site, the building exceeds the measure, the site is dangerous, but it is not obstructed: two saṅghādisesas and one duṣkṛta.

If the Saṅgha has not designated the site, the building exceeds the measure, the site is not dangerous, but it is obstructed: one saṅghādisesa and two duṣkṛtas.

If the Saṅgha has not designated the site, the building does not exceed the measure, but the site is dangerous and obstructed: one saṅghādisesa and two duṣkṛtas.

If the Saṅgha has not designated the site, the building does not exceed the measure, the site is dangerous but not obstructed: one saṅghādisesa and one duṣkṛta.

If the Saṅgha has not designated the site, the building does not exceed the measure, the site is not dangerous but is obstructed: one saṅghādisesa and one duṣkṛta.

If the Saṅgha has designated the site, but the building exceeds the measure, the site is dangerous, and it is obstructed: one saṅghādisesa and two duṣkṛtas.

If the Saṅgha has designated the site, but the building exceeds the measure, the site is dangerous but not obstructed: one saṅghādisesa and one duṣkṛta.

If the Saṅgha has designated the site, but the building exceeds the measure; the site is not dangerous but is obstructed: one saṅghādisesa and one duṣkṛta.

If the Saṅgha has designated the site, the building does not exceed the measure, the site is dangerous but not obstructed: one duṣkṛta.

If the Saṅgha has designated the site, the building does not exceed the measure, the site is not dangerous but is obstructed: one duṣkṛta.

If the Saṅgha has designated the site, but the building exceeds the measure, the site is not dangerous and not obstructed: one saṅghādisesa.

If the Saṅgha of monks has not designated the site, the building exceeds the measure, the site is dangerous and obstructed, and the monk builds the hut himself and it is completed: he commits a saṅghādisesa and two duṣkṛtas; if built but not completed: two sthūlātyayas and two duṣkṛtas.

If he directs another to build it, and it is completed: two saṅghādisesas and two duṣkṛtas; if not completed: two sthūlātyayas and two duṣkṛtas. If he builds a hut on behalf of another and it is completed: two sthūlātyayas and two duṣkṛtas; if not completed: four duṣkṛtas.

If, when building a hut, a measuring cord is used to measure the ground to the proper dimensions, but the builder builds beyond the measure, then the builder commits the offense. If a monk directs someone to lay out a marking cord for construction and the one directed says, «Build it according to the Dharma,» but builds beyond the measure, then the one who received the direction commits the offense. If that person in turn directs another to follow the marking cord and build according to the Dharma, but without reporting back proceeds to build beyond the measure, then that person commits the offense.

If a monk directs someone to lay out a marking cord and to build accordingly — meaning to build according to the Dharma — and the one directing does not ask, «Should it be built according to the Dharma?» then the one who gave the direction commits the offense.

If the Sangha has not designated a site, and one perceives it as not designated, one commits a saṅghādisesa. If the Sangha has not designated a site, and one is uncertain, one commits a thullaccaya. If the Sangha has not designated a site, and one perceives it as having been designated, one commits a thullaccaya. If the Sangha has designated a site, and one perceives it as not designated, one commits a thullaccaya. If the Sangha has designated a site, and one is uncertain, one commits a thullaccaya. Building beyond the allowable measure is likewise.

If there is danger, and one perceives there to be danger, one commits a dukkaṭa. If there is danger, and one is uncertain, one commits a dukkaṭa. If there is danger, and one perceives there to be no danger, one commits a dukkaṭa. If there is no danger, and one perceives there to be danger, one commits a dukkaṭa. If there is no danger, and one is uncertain, one commits a dukkaṭa. A place with a blocked passage is likewise.

A bhikkhunī commits a thullaccaya. A sikkhāmānā, a sāmaṇera, and a sāmaṇerī each commit a dukkaṭa. These are called offenses.

Non-offenses: building within the allowable measure, building below the allowable measure, the Sangha having designated a site, the site having no danger, the site having no blocked passage, measuring in accordance with the Dhamma. Or building for the Sangha, building for the Buddha, building a lecture hall, a grass hut, a leaf hut, or building a small hut sufficient to shelter one person, or building for many persons to dwell in — these are called non-offenses.

Those who do not offend: the first offender when the rule had not yet been established; one who is insane or mentally deranged; one who is afflicted and tormented by pain.

Vietnamese translation: Bhikkhu Thích Đỗng Minh and Thích Đức Thắng. FOUR-PART VINAYA, FIRST PART

Chinese translation: Tripiṭaka Buddhayaśas and Zhu Fonian.

Revised and annotated: Bhikkhu Thích Nguyên Chứng

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

Buddhist Studies Editorial Board, 2002