Lzh Mg Bi Vb Pc 91Abusing Monks

– MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

– PRECEPTS OF THE BHIKKHUNĪS

– EXPLANATION OF THE FIRST SECTION OF THE 141 PĀCITTIYAS

91. PRECEPT: ABUSING A BHIKKHU.

When the Buddha was residing in the city of Sāvatthī, at that time a certain married couple had gone forth into the monastic life, and the husband, now elderly, came to visit. The wife offered him food and then stood to one side. The husband then began to speak of his wife's past misdeeds. Hearing this, the wife was displeased and said: "You decrepit old man who will die young! You have no sense of gratitude, and you speak of things that ought not to be spoken of." The bhikkhunīs then rebuked her: "Noble One, this is a senior monk; you must not abuse him in such a way." She then said to the bhikkhunīs: "He is a decrepit old man who will die young, with no sense of gratitude, speaking of things that ought not to be spoken of."

The bhikkhunīs then reported the matter to Mahāpajāpatī. Mahāpajāpatī in turn brought the matter before the Blessed One. The Buddha then instructed that this bhikkhunī be summoned. When she had arrived, the Buddha asked:

—Is this matter true?

—It is true, Blessed One.

—That is a wrongful act. From this day forward, I do not permit bhikkhunīs to directly and face-to-face abuse bhikkhus.

Thereupon the Buddha instructed Mahāpajāpatī to issue an order that all bhikkhunīs residing in the city of Sāvatthī must assemble together, and even those who had already heard the rule must hear it again:

—If a bhikkhunī directly and face-to-face abuses a bhikkhu, she commits a pācittiya offense.

EXPLANATION:

Face-to-face: The four eyes meeting one another.

Abusing: Such as saying: "You decrepit old man who will die young, you evil one, you who have no sense of gratitude," — this constitutes a pācittiya offense.

Pācittiya: As explained above. A bhikkhunī must not directly and face-to-face abuse a bhikkhu. Even if he is a blood relative who has gone forth but does not maintain proper conduct, she must not abuse him; rather, she should admonish him with gentle words. If the person is young, one should say: "Sāroeta, do not act in such a way. If you do not train yourself now, when will you do so? In the future, your own disciples will likewise follow your example and do what is unwholesome." If the person is old, one should say: "Sāroeta, if you do not train yourself now, will you wait until you are old and dying before you do so?"

Likewise, a bhikkhu must not directly and face-to-face abuse a bhikkhunī by saying: "You shaven-headed woman! You licentious woman," or even: "Old woman, you are one of evil conduct, with no sense of gratitude." Rather, he should admonish her with gentle words, as stated above.

If a bhikkhu directly and face-to-face abuses a bhikkhunī, he commits a Vinaya transgression. Therefore the Blessed One has spoken thus (as above).

Vietnamese translation: Thích Phước Sơn. MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

Chinese translation: THE TRIPIṬAKA MASTER BUDDHABHADRA OF INDIA

TOGETHER WITH THE ŚRAMAṆA FAXIAN, TRANSLATED DURING THE EASTERN JIN DYNASTY

Certification of meaning: Thích Đỗng Minh