Dg Kd 13Probation

THE FOUR-PART VINAYA

CONCEALMENT

The Blessed One was residing at Śrāvastī. At that time, the group of six monks were themselves undergoing the penalty of concealment, yet they conferred upon one another the karmavācanā of concealment, the penalty of beginning anew, mānatva, and rehabilitation from offense. The monks reported this to the Buddha. The Blessed One instructed:

"One who is himself undergoing the concealment penalty must not confer upon others the karmavācanā of concealment, beginning anew, mānatva, or rehabilitation from offense."

Those monks undergoing the beginning-anew penalty then performed for one another the concealment penalty, beginning anew, mānatva, and rehabilitation from offense. The Blessed One instructed:

"One who is himself undergoing the beginning-anew penalty must not perform for one another the concealment penalty, beginning anew, mānatva, or rehabilitation from offense."

A monk undergoing mānatva himself then performed for another the concealment penalty. The Blessed One instructed:

"One who is himself undergoing mānatva must not confer upon others the karmavācanā of concealment, or any penalty up to and including rehabilitation from offense."

A monk who had himself completed rehabilitation from offense then performed for one another the karmavācanā of concealment, and all penalties up to and including rehabilitation from offense. The Blessed One instructed:

"One who has himself undergone rehabilitation from offense must not confer upon others the karmavācanā of concealment, or any penalty up to and including rehabilitation from offense."

There was a monk undergoing the concealment penalty who performed for others the karmavācanā of concealment, beginning anew, mānatva, and counted himself among the twenty requisite members for rehabilitation from offense. The Blessed One instructed:

"This must not be done. The same applies to one undergoing the beginning-anew penalty; the same applies to one undergoing mānatva; and the same applies to one undergoing rehabilitation from offense.

"There was a monk undergoing the concealment penalty who conferred full ordination upon others, received others into dependency, kept novices, accepted Sangha assignments, and having received such assignments, gave instruction to bhikkhunīs. The Blessed One instructed:

"One undergoing the concealment penalty must not do such things."

There was a monk undergoing the concealment penalty who, knowing that another monk was capable of reciting the Prātimokṣa, recited it for them. Within the Sangha, he either asked or answered questions on Vinaya. He was counted in the quorum when the Sangha performed karmavācanā. He accepted the Sangha's appointment as arbitrator of disputes, and accepted appointment as the Sangha's messenger. The Blessed One instructed:

"One undergoing the concealment penalty must not do such things."

There was a monk undergoing the concealment penalty who entered the village too early and returned too late; who did not associate with fellow renunciants but instead associated with those of other paths; who was not compliant toward monks and spoke evasively. The Blessed One instructed:

"Such things must not be done."

There was a monk undergoing the concealment penalty who, having committed this offense, or an offense similar to it, or an offense arising from it, or having repeated this offense, obstructed another's karmavācanā and acted as the one performing the karmavācanā. The Blessed One instructed:

"This must not be done."

There was a monk undergoing the concealment penalty who accepted a pure monk's services of spreading his seat, washing his feet, wiping his sandals, and rubbing and massaging his body. The Blessed One instructed:

"Such things must not be done."

There was a monk undergoing the concealment penalty who accepted from a pure monk the services of being received and welcomed, being bowed to, being greeted with joined hands, and having his robe and bowl carried. The Blessed One instructed:

"Such things must not be done."

There was a monk undergoing the concealment penalty who made an act of formal recollection, made a declaration against a pure monk, acted as a witness for others, obstructed the recitation of the Prātimokṣa, obstructed the Pavāraṇā, and engaged in disputes with pure monks. The Blessed One instructed:

"Such things must not be done."

There was a monk undergoing the concealment penalty who entered lay households together with pure monks, or went following another monk, or led another monk along, or accepted others' offerings, or accepted a pure monk's service of shaving, or used a pure monk as a messenger. The Blessed One instructed:

"Such things must not be done."

There was a monk undergoing the concealment penalty who went to the earlier meal and the later meal together with pure monks; who went ahead, spoke alongside them, or walked abreast of them; who wore his robe reversed, draped over both shoulders, covering his head, covering both shoulders, or wore sandals. The Blessed One instructed:

"Such things must not be done. Henceforth, it is permitted for one to bare the right shoulder, remove sandals, and walk behind."

There was a monk undergoing the concealment penalty who thought: "I will not go to the meal," fearing that other monks would know he was undergoing the concealment penalty. The Blessed One instructed:

"One must not think in this way."

That monk undergoing the concealment penalty then thought: "I will go to the meal but will not sit down," fearing that other monks would know he was undergoing the concealment penalty.

There was a monk undergoing the concealment penalty who thought: "I will only eat food that is offered to me," fearing that the other monks would know he was undergoing the concealment penalty. The Blessed One instructed:

"Such things must not be done."

That monk undergoing the concealment penalty sat in sequence alongside pure monks. The Blessed One instructed:

"One must not sit in this way. It is permitted to go and sit behind."

The Blessed One had taught:

"One who has committed an offense should go and sit behind."

There was a monk who then sat behind lay people. The Blessed One instructed:

"One must not sit in this way."

There was a monk who sat below novices. The Blessed One instructed:

"One must not sit in this way. One should go and sit behind the fully ordained monks."

That monk undergoing the concealment penalty walked in kinhin on the same walking path as pure monks. He walked on the lower ground while the other walked on higher ground. Or he went ahead, spoke alongside them, or walked abreast; he wore his robe reversed, draped over both shoulders, covering his head, covering both shoulders, or wore sandals. The Blessed One instructed:

"It is permitted to bare the right shoulder, remove sandals, and walk behind."

That monk undergoing the concealment penalty, while on the road, had the thought: "I will not travel on the main road," fearing that other monks would know he was undergoing the concealment penalty. The Blessed One instructed:

"One must not think in this way."

That monk undergoing the concealment penalty, while on the road, had the thought: "I shall walk behind," fearing that other monks would know he was undergoing the concealment penalty. The Blessed One instructed:

"One must not think in this way."

That monk undergoing the concealment penalty sat on the same bed or the same plank as a pure monk. The Blessed One instructed:

"One must not sit in this way.

"If the bed is long or the plank is long, the Buddha permits placing a partition between them before sitting. If it is some other kind of bed, one should sit behind."

That monk undergoing the concealment penalty, at the time of the minor meal and the major meal, should sweep and clean, spread the seats, fetch the water vessel for washing, and prepare the vessels for leftover food. He should spread the sitting cloth for pure monks, including the foot-washing basin, the foot-wiping cloth, and the water vessel. When a pure monk arrives, he should go out to meet and receive him from a distance and take his robe and bowl.

If there is another bed or a place to set down the bowl, he should place it there. He should examine the saṃghāṭī at the head and on the shoulders to see whether there is dirt or dust. If there is dirt or dust, he should shake it out.

If it should be washed, he should wash it. After washing, he should dry it and hang it on a rope bed or a wooden bed. He should spread the seat for the pure monk, fetch the foot-washing basin, the foot-wiping cloth, and the water vessel, wipe the sandals and place them to the left, and take care that muddy water does not soil them.

If they have been soiled by muddy water, he should move them to another place. After the pure monk has washed his feet, he should clear away the foot-washing stone and the water vessel and return them to their original place. He should then wash his own hands clean and present the evening meal to the pure monk.

While the pure monk is eating, he should provide the various requisites such as milk, condiments, mannau, vinegar, salt, and vegetables. If the weather is hot, he should fan him; if water is needed, he should offer water. If there is concern about going past midday, he should eat together with him.

When the pure monk has finished eating, he should receive the alms bowl and offer water for washing hands. If he himself has finished eating and food remains, it should be given to people, or to non-human beings, or disposed of in water free of living creatures, or on ground free of grass. After washing the food vessels, he should return them to their original place.

He should sweep and clean the refectory and put everything in good order. That monk used the alms bowl he ordinarily ate from to carry away the refuse, and other monks who saw this were disgusted. The Blessed One instructed:

"One must not use the alms bowl to carry refuse. It is permitted to use a basin or a tray. Or one may sweep. The alms bowl should be used only for clean things."

That monk undergoing the concealment penalty, when the Sangha requires bathing, should approach a pure monk and ask: "Venerable sir, will you be bathing?" If that monk replies that he will bathe, this monk should go and inspect the bathhouse to see whether it is dirty. If it is dirty, he should sweep and clean it. If it needs water poured, he should pour water; if firewood is needed, he should fetch firewood; if the firewood needs splitting, he should split it; if fire is needed, he should kindle fire; if water needs heating, he should heat it.

He should present to the pure monk the bathing water vessel, the bathing stool, the sweat scraper, the water container, the mud container, tree bark, fine powder, or clay. He should ask the senior elder before kindling the fire. If the pure monk is ill or elderly and weak, he should support him to the bathhouse.

If he is unable to walk, he should carry him to the bathhouse on a rope bed, a wooden bed, or a robe. He should take the pure monk's robe and hang it on a pole, on a peg, or on a post. If there is oil, he should rub it on the body of that monk.

If the oil container is placed somewhere unsafe, the Buddha instructs that it be hung on a peg or a post, or hung on a wall.

If the pure bhikkhu is elderly and infirm due to illness, he should be supported and led into the bathhouse; a rope-bed and a wooden bed, a water vessel for bathing, a scraper for sweat, a water container, a vessel for clay, tree bark, fine powder medicine, and clay should be provided to him. If smoke rises up into his eyes, something should be used to shield them. If his head is hot or his back is hot, something should be used to cover them.

If one wishes to enter the bathhouse to bathe, one should inform the pure bhikkhu of that intention. If one fears troubling the pure bhikkhu by informing him, or fears causing him difficulty, then one should attend him into the bathhouse and stand behind the pure bhikkhu to rub and scrub his body. That one then enters the bathhouse, goes to stand behind the pure bhikkhu, and should rub and scrub the body for the bhikkhus; one should not receive rubbing and scrubbing from others.

One should wait until the pure bhikkhu has finished bathing before bathing oneself. If the pure bhikkhu is elderly, he should be supported and led out. If he is ill, he should be carried out of the bathhouse on a rope-bed or wooden bed.

One should provide the pure bhikkhu with a seat, a vessel for washing the feet, a foot-wiping cloth, and footwear. One should take the pure bhikkhu's robes, spread them out for inspection, and shake them out so that no snakes, scorpions, or venomous insects remain within them, and only then hand them to him. If there are eye-drops and incense in tablet form, these should be given to him.

If there is grape juice, honey, or rock candy, one should wash one's hands clean before receiving them and then hand them to him. If the pure bhikkhu is elderly and ill and of diminished strength, he should be supported and led, or carried back to his room on a rope-bed, wooden bed, or robe.

One should enter the pure bhikkhu's room beforehand, spread out the bedding or a woolen mat, and then lift, carry, or support the pure bhikkhu to lie down; an inner garment should be placed underneath him and a blanket spread over him. When leaving the room, the door should be closed. One should then return to the bathhouse to inspect it.

If there are rope-beds, wooden beds, a water vessel for bathing, a sweat scraper, a water container, a clay vessel, tree bark, fine powder medicine, or clay, these should be left in their places; if the bathhouse needs to be rinsed with water, it should be rinsed; if there is unclean water that needs to be discarded, it should be discarded; if there is a fire that needs to be extinguished, it should be extinguished; if things need to be covered, they should be covered; if the bathhouse door needs to be closed, it should be closed; if it needs to be opened, it should be opened.

Three times each day one should go to the pure bhikkhu; whatever he needs should be done for him in accordance with the Dharma. If the pure bhikkhu has anything that needs to be done, one must not oppose it. If one opposes it, one shall be dealt with in accordance with the Dharma.

On the day of the Uposatha, the bhikkhu undergoing probation must sweep and clean the Uposatha place, spread out the seats, fetch the water vessel, the vessel for washing feet, the oil lamp, and arrange the voting sticks. When the Uposatha is concluded, the bhikkhu undergoing probation must put away the seats, the water vessel, the vessel for washing feet, and return the voting sticks to their places.

The bhikkhu undergoing probation was residing in a good room while visiting bhikkhus had no place to stay. The bhikkhus reported this to the Buddha. The Blessed One instructed:

"A bhikkhu undergoing probation should not occupy a good room. He is permitted to stay in a small room."

When visiting bhikkhus arrived and told the bhikkhu undergoing probation to go outside, the Blessed One instructed:

"One should not say such a thing, nor should one go outside. One is permitted to say: 'We are not permitted to sleep together, two or three persons.'"

The bhikkhu undergoing probation wondered whether Sangha requisites should be received according to seniority or according to one's seat. The Blessed One instructed:

"They should be received according to seniority. After receiving them, one must go and sit in the rear."

The bhikkhu undergoing probation wondered whether those undergoing probation may direct one another. The Blessed One instructed: "They may."

May we pay respects to one another, bow, receive one another, and greet one another with joined palms? The Blessed One instructed: "You may."

One wondered: may we direct monastery servants and novices? The Blessed One instructed: "You are permitted."

May we receive the bowing, the welcome, and the greeting with joined palms of monastery servants and novices? The Blessed One instructed: "You are permitted to receive them."

The bhikkhu undergoing probation did not make the declaration to the pure bhikkhu. The Blessed One instructed: "One is permitted to make the declaration."

The declaration should be made as follows: On the day of the Uposatha, that bhikkhu must come before the Sangha, bare the right shoulder, remove footwear, touch the right knee to the ground, and declare:

"Venerable Sangha, please hear me. I, the bhikkhu named …, having committed a saṅghādisesa offence, have concealed it for a number of days. I came before the Sangha to request the probation kamma for the number of days of concealment, and the Sangha granted me the probation kamma for the number of days of concealment. I, the bhikkhu named …, have already observed … days; … days remain. I request the Venerable Sangha to bear witness that I am one who is undergoing probation."

If the full assembly is difficult to convene, or if one does not wish to perform the declaration, or if that bhikkhu is greatly timid and ashamed, one may go to a pure bhikkhu and say:

"Venerable Elder, I now temporarily relinquish the instructed duty and will not perform it."

When one wishes again to perform it, one should go to a pure bhikkhu and say:

"Venerable Sir, I now resume performance in accordance with the instructed duty."

The bhikkhu undergoing probation went to another place and encountered other bhikkhus without making the declaration. The Blessed One instructed:

"One must make the declaration. If one does not make it, one loses a night; one also incurs a duṣkṛta offence."

The Blessed One permitted the declaration to be made. A bhikkhu then went from one place to another to make the declaration. Going repeatedly from place to place to make declarations caused fatigue. The Blessed One instructed:

"One should not go from place to place to make declarations. One is permitted to make the declaration only if there is a reason for going there. If one does not make the declaration, one loses a night; one also incurs a duṣkṛta offence."

The bhikkhu undergoing probation, when a visiting bhikkhu arrived, did not make the declaration. The Blessed One instructed:

"One must make the declaration. If one does not make it, one loses a night; one also commits a duṣkṛta."

The Blessed One permitted the declaration to be made. That bhikkhu made the declaration to visiting bhikkhus while they were on the road. When those bhikkhus were in a hurry and needed to proceed quickly, they were troubled. The Blessed One instructed:

"One should not make the declaration to bhikkhus who are hurrying along the road. One should do so within the monastery. To those who are walking at leisure, one should make the declaration. If one does not make the declaration, one loses a night and incurs a duṣkṛta offence."

The bhikkhu undergoing probation was ill and did not have a trusted person convey the declaration. The Blessed One instructed:

"One must convey it. If one does not convey it, one loses a night and commits a duṣkṛta offence."

The bhikkhu undergoing probation slept in one room together with two or three persons. The Blessed One instructed:

"One may not sleep thus. If two or three persons sleep together in one room, one loses a night and also commits a duṣkṛta."

The bhikkhu undergoing probation resided in a place where there were no bhikkhus. The Blessed One instructed:

"One should not reside thus. If one does so, one loses a night and incurs a duṣkṛta."

The bhikkhu undergoing probation, at the time of the recitation of the Pātimokkha every fortnight, did not make the declaration. The Blessed One instructed:

"One is permitted to make the declaration. If one does not make it, one loses a night and incurs a duṣkṛta."

There are eight matters that cause the loss of a night: 1. Going to another monastery without making the declaration. 2. When a visiting bhikkhu arrives, not making the declaration. 3. When there is reason to go outside, going out without making the declaration. 4. Within the monastery, not making the declaration to those walking at leisure. 5. When ill, not having a trusted person convey the declaration. 6. Two or three persons sleeping together in one room. 7. Residing in a place where there are no bhikkhus. 8. At the time of the fortnightly Pātimokkha recitation, not making the declaration. These are the eight matters that cause the loss of a night.

The Blessed One permitted the declaration to be made at the fortnightly Pātimokkha recitation. The declaration is to be made as follows: The bhikkhu undergoing probation should come before the Sangha, bare the right shoulder, remove footwear, touch the right knee to the ground, join the palms, and declare:

"Venerable Sangha, please hear me. I, the bhikkhu named …, having committed a saṅghādisesa offence and concealed it, I, the bhikkhu …, according to the number of days of concealment, came before the Sangha to request the probation kamma for the days of concealment. The Sangha granted me the probation kamma for the days of concealment. I, the bhikkhu …, have already observed … days; … days have not yet been observed. I request the Venerable Elders of the Sangha to bear witness. I am one who is undergoing probation."

The Blessed One permitted bhikkhus undergoing mānatta to perform the same duties as above. A bhikkhu undergoing mānatta should regularly sleep within the Sangha and each day make the following declaration: that bhikkhu bares the right shoulder, removes footwear, touches the right knee to the ground, joins the palms, and declares:

"Venerable Sangha, please hear me. I, the bhikkhu …, having committed a saṅghādisesa offence without concealment, came before the Sangha to request the six-night mānatta. The Sangha granted me the six-night mānatta. I, the bhikkhu …, have already observed … days; … days remain unobserved. I request the Venerable Elders of the Sangha to bear witness. I am one who is undergoing mānatta."

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

Chinese translation: Tripiṭaka master Buddhayaśas and Zhu Fonian.

Revision and annotation: Bhikkhu Thích Nguyên Chứng

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

Buddhist Editorial Committee 2002