Lzh Mg Bi Vb Pj 7Conceal Offenses

– MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

– PRECEPTS OF THE BHIKKHUNĪS

– EXPLAINING THE FIRST SECTION OF THE EIGHT PĀRĀJIKAS.

7. PRECEPT: CONCEALING ANOTHER'S OFFENSE.

When the Buddha was dwelling at Vesālī, as described in full above. At that time, there was a Licchavi family who had first given birth to two boys, and afterward gave birth to a girl. They considered this a bad omen and said among themselves: "Today, who knows whether anyone will marry this unfortunate girl?" Then someone said:

—Do you wish to send this girl to a place of safety?

—We do.

—In that case, you should bring her to Bhikkhunī Kālī and ask her to raise the child.

Upon hearing this, the family invited Kālī to come and said: "Venerable one, I have given birth to this unfortunate girl whom no one will marry. Please raise her, let her go forth into the homeless life, and I will provide robes and food."

The bhikkhunī accepted, took the child home, raised her, and gave her the going-forth. The family brought food every day and sent robes every year. When the child grew up, the teacher taught her the precepts and then gave her the Upasampadā. However, the nature of women is prone to sensual desire, and so as she grew older, her craving became stronger and could not be restrained. Therefore, she said to her teacher:

—The fetters have arisen in me; I have no wish for the going-forth. I now wish to return to lay life.

—How strange! The lay life is like a pit of fire — how can one find happiness there?

From that point on, she gradually became sexually involved with laypeople and non-Buddhist wanderers, and she became pregnant. The bhikkhunīs expelled her and then said to her teacher:

—Did the teacher not know that her own disciple was engaging in sexual intercourse with laypeople and non-Buddhist wanderers?

—I knew it early on, but that family brings food every day and provides robes every year; if I were to report it to the Saṃgha, the Saṃgha would expel her. Out of attachment to those two forms of benefit, I did not report it.

The bhikkhunīs then told Mahāpajāpatī. Mahāpajāpatī brought the matter and reported it to the Blessed One. The Buddha then instructed that Kālī be summoned. When she arrived, the Buddha asked:

—Did this matter truly happen?

—It is exactly so, Blessed One!

—That is a bad thing. Kālī, why did you know that a bhikkhunī had committed a serious offense and yet conceal it? This is contrary to the Dhamma, contrary to the Vinaya, and cannot be used to nurture wholesome states.

The Buddha then instructed Mahāpajāpatī to give the order that all bhikkhunīs living at Vesālī must assemble together — and even those who had already heard it must hear it again:

—If a bhikkhunī knows that another bhikkhunī has committed a serious offense and does not disclose it to others, and afterward, when that bhikkhunī has either left her residence, or died, or returned to lay life, she then says to others: "Earlier I knew that bhikkhunī had committed a serious offense, but I did not tell others because I did not want others to know" — then this bhikkhunī commits a Pārājika offense and may not live together with the community.

EXPLANATION:

Bhikkhunī: As explained above.

Knows: Either knowing through one's own direct perception, or knowing through having heard it from another.

Serious offense: If one has committed any one of the eight Pārājika offenses, that constitutes a serious offense.

Does not disclose it to others: Not disclosing it to one person, to many persons, or to the Saṃgha.

Left her residence: Meaning she has been expelled.

Died: Impermanence has come to pass (she has passed away).

Returned to lay life: Having left the Dhamma and Vinaya she was practicing, she has become a layperson or a non-Buddhist wanderer. If only at that point one says: "Earlier I knew that person had committed an offense, but I did not want others to know" — then this bhikkhunī commits a Pārājika offense and may not live together with the community.

Pārājika: As explained above. If at dawn a bhikkhunī sees another bhikkhunī committing an offense and has no intention of concealing it, but when the sun has risen she gives rise to the intention to conceal it and continues to do so until the following dawn — then this bhikkhunī commits a Pārājika offense. This is called two periods. Similarly, the same applies up to eight periods, as has been explained clearly in the matter of concealment by the bhikkhus above.

If a bhikkhunī sees a bhikkhunī committing a serious offense, she must disclose it to others. If she sees a co-resident disciple or a dependent disciple committing a serious offense, and out of affection deliberately conceals the disciple's offense, thinking: "If I tell the bhikkhunīs, they will expel her" — she commits a Pārājika offense.

In the case where a bhikkhunī hears those words and then tells an acquaintance bhikkhunī: "So-and-so has committed a serious offense; if I tell others, the bhikkhunī Saṃgha will expel her — that is why I am concealing it," and that bhikkhunī upon hearing this thinks: "If I speak of it, both will be expelled," and thereupon conceals it — then all of them commit a Pārājika offense. Likewise, if all of them conceal it, all of them commit a Pārājika offense.

If a bhikkhunī sees another person committing a serious offense and then tells another bhikkhunī: "I saw so-and-so commit a serious offense," and this bhikkhunī reproves her, saying: "What you are doing now is wrong — why are you telling me? Do not speak of it again" — she commits a Sthūlātyaya offense.

If a bhikkhunī sees a person commit a serious offense, she must disclose it to others. However, if the offender is fierce and frightening, with power and influence, and she fears that they might kill her or harm her holy life, she should reflect: "Whoever creates karma will experience its fruit; they will know it themselves. Just as when a fire breaks out and burns a house, one need only save oneself — why trouble oneself over another's affairs?" If the mind is in accord with such thinking, there is no offense. Therefore it is said as above.

Vietnamese translation: Thích Phước Sơn. MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

Chinese translation: TRIPIṬAKA BUDDHĀBHADRA OF INDIA,

TOGETHER WITH ŚRAMAṆA FAXIAN, TRANSLATED DURING THE EASTERN JIN DYNASTY

DOCTRINAL VERIFICATION: THÍCH ĐỖNG MINH