Lzh Mg Bi Vb Pj 5Above the Knees

– MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

– RULES OF DISCIPLINE FOR BHIKKHUNĪS

– EXPLICATING THE FIRST SECTION OF THE EIGHT PĀRĀJIKAS.

5. RULE: TOUCHING A MAN WITH A DEFILED MIND.

When the Buddha was residing at the Nigrodha grove monastery of the Śākya clan, in the city of Kapilavastu, the Blessed One had laid down a rule prohibiting bhikkhunīs from dwelling in forest hermitages. At this time, however, there was no monastery in the surrounding village, and so Bhikkhunī Laiṭā came to stay temporarily in the house of a Śākya family and taught scripture to their son. Bhikkhunī Laiṭā was comely in appearance but had not yet abandoned desire; that young man was likewise comely and had not yet abandoned desire, and each day he came to study scripture three times.

As time went on, the bhikkhunī would frequently see him and gave rise to a defiled, passionate mind, to the point that she fell ill and her complexion turned sallow. The other bhikkhunīs came to inquire after her:

—Venerable, what illness do you suffer from? Is there any medicine you require? If you need milk, oil, honey, or rock sugar, we will provide it.

—There is no need; it will heal on its own.

The upāsakas and upāsikās also came to inquire in the same way. The young Śākya man likewise asked her:

—Venerable, what illness do you suffer from? Whatever medicine you need, I will provide it. If it is available in the household I will bring it, and if not I will seek it elsewhere and bring it to you.

—Good friend, it is not that kind of medicine that can cure this.

—Venerable, then is this illness not a physical illness but an illness of the mind?

—It is as you say.

—Then how can this illness be cured?

—Do you wish to cure me?

—I do wish to cure you, but what do you need? I will go and fetch it for you.

—Come here and do that act with me.

—I dare not. Even toward others who have gone forth and wear the robe, I dare not give rise to such a thought—how much less toward you, the Ni-sư whom I respect?

—If you cannot do that, then simply embrace me and speak affectionate words, hold me close and stroke me from top to bottom.

—If that is all that is needed, then I can do that.

Thereupon he came and embraced her, expressing his affection, took hold of both breasts, and caressed and stroked her from top to bottom, causing her to feel pleasure; and after that he continued to do so regularly. As the Blessed One has taught: "When one repeatedly thinks of beauty, a defiled mind arises—just as a woman who constantly thinks of a man, or a man who constantly thinks of a woman."

From that time on, the two of them continued to do so without ceasing. The other bhikkhunīs came to admonish her:

—Venerable, do not do such things. This must not be done.

—But when I do it I feel pleasure.

The bhikkhunīs then went and reported the matter to Mahāpajāpatī. Upon hearing this, Mahāpajāpatī went and informed the Blessed One. The Buddha then had Bhikkhunī Laiṭā summoned. When she arrived, the Buddha asked:

—Did you, with a defiled mind, together with a man who also had a defiled mind, touch and caress from the shoulder downward and from the knee upward in order to seek pleasure?

—It is so, Blessed One.

—Laiṭā! That is a wrong thing. Have you not heard me, by means of countless skillful methods, censure sensual desire—that desire is an intoxicating liquor, that desire is like a fierce fire that burns away a person's wholesome roots, that desire is a great calamity? At the same time, I have also, by various means, praised the abandonment of desire, the cutting off of desire, and the transcendence of desire. Why have you now done such a wrong thing? This is not in accordance with the Dharma, not in accordance with the Vinaya, and it cannot be used to nourish wholesome states.

The Buddha then instructed Mahāpajāpatī Gautamī to issue an order for all the bhikkhunīs residing at Kapilavastu to assemble. After they had assembled, the Blessed One spoke to the bhikkhunīs of what had just occurred, emphasizing the dangers arising from the incident. He then expounded the Dharma in accordance with the occasion and proclaimed the ten benefits for the sake of which the Tathāgata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, establishes the recitation of the Prātimokṣa for his disciples. Those ten benefits are:

1. For the sake of restraining the Saṅgha.

2. For the sake of completely restraining the Saṅgha.

3. For the sake of the Saṅgha's ease and happiness.

4. For the sake of subduing those who are without shame.

5. For the sake of enabling those who have shame to dwell in peace.

6. For the sake of causing those without faith to give rise to faith.

7. For the sake of causing those who already have faith to become still more confident.

8. For the sake of enabling those who live within the Dharma and Vinaya to bring the defilements to cessation.

9. For the sake of preventing defilements not yet arisen from arising.

10. For the sake of causing the true Dharma to endure long, and thereby opening the door of ambrosia for the devas and human beings of the world.

These are the ten benefits. For the sake of these ten things, the Tathāgata, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Enlightened One, establishes for his disciples the recitation of the Prātimokṣa. Therefore, those who have not yet heard it, let them hear it; those who have already heard it, let them hear it again:

—If a bhikkhunī, with a defiled mind, strokes and caresses a man who also has a defiled mind, from the shoulder downward and from the knee upward, in order to receive pleasure, that bhikkhunī commits a pārājika offence and is no longer permitted to live together with the community.

EXPLANATION:

Bhikkhunī: As explained above.

A man with a defiled mind: That is, a mind of sensual desire.

From the shoulder downward: From the breasts downward.

From the knee upward: From the thigh upward to the navel.

Strokes and caresses: Moving the hand in a caressing manner.

Receives pleasure: Enjoys sensual pleasure.

Defiled attachment: This bhikkhunī commits a pārājika offence.

Pārājika: As explained above.

Not permitted to live together: She is not permitted to live among bhikkhunīs sharing in the Dharma-food and the physical food; whatever it was before remains so after, and whatever it is after was so before. Because she has committed a pārājika offence, she is not permitted to live together with the community.

If a bhikkhunī with a defiled mind strokes and caresses a man who also has a defiled mind, from the shoulder downward and from the knee upward, in order to seek pleasure, she commits a pārājika offence and is not permitted to live together with the community. If she does such a thing with a pandaka or a woman, she commits a thullaccaya offence.

If a bhikkhunī with a defiled mind strokes and caresses a man who does not have a defiled mind, she likewise commits a pārājika offence. If she does such a thing with a pandaka or a woman, she commits a thullaccaya offence.

If a bhikkhunī without a defiled mind strokes and caresses a man who has a defiled mind, she commits a thullaccaya offence. With respect to a pandaka or a woman, she commits a dukkaṭa offence.

If a bhikkhunī without a defiled mind touches a man who also does not have a defiled mind, she commits a dukkaṭa offence. With respect to a pandaka or a woman, she commits a dukkaṭa offence with remorse of mind.

If a bhikkhunī instructs a man to shave her head, she should have two women hold her head so that the sensation of pain is experienced as coming from the women and not from the man. Likewise, when instructing a man to lance the head causing it to bleed, or to lance the hand or the foot, she should have a woman hold that part, so that the sensation of pain is experienced as coming from the woman and not from the man. If from the shoulder upward or from the knee downward there is a boil, a woman should hold that part and then a man may be asked to drain the pus—there is no offence in this.

However, if the boil is in a private area, this must not be done in such a way. The private area means from the shoulder downward and from the knee upward. If there is illness in that area, a woman should be asked to treat it.

Therefore it is said (as above).

Vietnamese translation: Thích Phước Sơn. MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

Chinese translation: TRIPIṬAKA BUDDHA-BHADRA OF INDIA

TOGETHER WITH ŚRAMAṆA FǍXIǍN, TRANSLATED DURING THE EASTERN JIN DYNASTY

DOCTRINAL VERIFICATION: THÍCH ĐỖNG MINH