Lzh Mg Bi Pn 21Twenty One

– MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

– THE PRECEPTS OF THE BHIKKHUNĪS

– ON THE BEGINNING SECTION OF MISCELLANEOUS RULES

PERFORMING A KAMMAVĀCĀ OF ACCUSATION AGAINST A BHIKKHU IS NOT PERMITTED.

When the Buddha was residing in the city of Śrāvastī, at that time the bhikkhus had assembled but did not know how to perform the kammavācā of accusation, and so they instructed a bhikkhunī to perform it. When it was done, the bhikkhunī gave rise to doubt and remorse, and then spoke of it to Mahāprajāpatī. Mahāprajāpatī then brought the matter before the Blessed One.

The Buddha immediately rebuked her: "That is a community worthy of respect — how did you dare to perform a kammavācā of accusation? From this time forward, I do not permit performing a kammavācā of accusation against bhikkhus. If among the bhikkhus there is no one capable of reciting it, then a bhikkhunī may be instructed to recite it, and when performing the kammavācā, if she is unable to do so directly, she may transmit the kammavācā from a distance — there is no offense in this.

If a bhikkhunī performs a kammavācā of accusation against a bhikkhu, she commits an offense of transgressing the Vinaya. However, a bhikkhu may perform a kammavācā for a bhikkhunī without incurring any offense. This is called performing a kammavācā."

Vietnamese translation: Thích Phước Sơn. MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

Chinese translation: TRIPIṬAKA BUDDHABHĀDRA OF INDIA

TOGETHER WITH ŚRAMAṆA FAXIAN, TRANSLATED DURING THE EASTERN JIN DYNASTY

DOCTRINAL VERIFICATION: THÍCH ĐỖNG MINH