Lzh Mg Bi Vb Pj 8Siding With One Ejected

– MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

– THE PRECEPTS OF THE BHIKKHUNĪS

– EXPLAINING THE FIRST PART OF THE EIGHT PĀRĀJIKAS.

8. PRECEPT: FOLLOWING A BHIKKHU WHO HAS BEEN EJECTED.

When the Buddha was dwelling at the Ghositārāma in Kosambi, at that time Chanda committed one or two grave offenses among the five classes of offenses. The bhikkhus asked:

—Elder Chanda, do you see that offense?

—You wish to ask whether I see it or do not see it, but I do not see it.

The bhikkhus then brought the matter and reported it to the Blessed One. The Buddha thereupon said to the bhikkhus: "This Chanda habitually commits one or two offenses among the five classes of offenses, yet says he does not see them. The Saṅgha should perform a kamma of ejection for not seeing the offense."

After the Saṅgha had performed the kamma of ejection for not seeing the offense, he then went to the bhikkhunī monastery and said to his mother:

—Pāroetī, the Saṅgha has performed the ejection kamma against me and does not allow me to share in the Dhamma-food and taste-food.

—How strange! Then let us now share the Dhamma-food and taste-food together.

Thereupon, the mother followed along with Chanda. The bhikkhunīs then admonished her, saying:

—Mother of Chanda, the bhikkhu Chanda has been given a lawful ejection kamma by the harmonious Saṅgha, yet he has not acted in accordance with the Dhamma. You should not follow along with him.

—I am his mother; he was born from me. If I do not follow him, who will?

The bhikkhunīs then reported the matter to Mahāpajāpatī. Mahāpajāpatī brought the matter and reported it to the Blessed One. The Buddha then instructed: "If Chanda has received a lawful ejection kamma from the Saṅgha, and the bhikkhunī who is Chanda's mother still follows along with him, then you should admonish her three times in a private place, three times in a public place, and three times in the midst of the Saṅgha, so that she abandons this matter.

When admonishing her in a private place, ask as follows: 'Is it true that you, knowing the Saṅgha has lawfully performed the ejection kamma against Chanda, still follow along with him?' If she replies: 'It is true,' then admonish her: 'Mother of Chanda, the Saṅgha has lawfully performed the ejection kamma, and he has not yet acted in accordance with it—do not follow along with him. Now, out of compassion, I admonish you, wishing for your benefit.

One admonition has been given; two more remain. Will you abandon this matter?' The second and third admonitions are to be given in the same way. Then, admonishing three times in a public place is also done in the same way.

If she still does not abandon it, then a kamma of seeking assent should be performed in the midst of the Saṅgha. The one performing the kamma should speak as follows:

—I request the venerable Saṅgha to listen. The Saṅgha has lawfully performed the ejection kamma against Chanda, but Chanda has not yet acted in accordance with it, and the mother of Chanda follows along with him. She has already been admonished three times in a private place and three times in a public place so that she would abandon this matter, yet she has not abandoned it. If the time has come for the Saṅgha, the Saṅgha should now also admonish her three times so that she abandons this matter.

Thereupon, the mother of Chanda should be questioned in the midst of the Saṅgha: "Is it true that, knowing the harmonious Saṅgha has performed the ejection kamma against Chanda, and that Chanda has not yet acted in accordance with it, you follow along with him; and that the Saṅgha has admonished you three times in a private place and three times in a public place to abandon this matter, yet you have not abandoned it?" If she replies: "It is true," then admonish her: "The harmonious Saṅgha has lawfully performed the ejection kamma against Chanda—you should not follow along with him.

Now the Saṅgha, wishing for your benefit, admonishes you; you should comply with the Saṅgha's admonition. One admonition has been given; two more remain. Will you abandon this matter?" But she replies: "I will not abandon it." Then the Saṅgha continues to admonish her in the same way for the second and third times, and she still says: "I will not abandon it."

The bhikkhunīs then brought the matter and reported it to the Blessed One. The Buddha ordered her to be summoned. When she had come, the Buddha asked:

—Did you truly do this?

—It is true, Blessed One!

—That is a bad thing. Have you not heard that I have, by countless skillful means, censured stubbornness and being difficult to admonish, and praised being easy to admonish? This is contrary to the Dhamma, contrary to the Vinaya, and contrary to my teaching. It cannot be used to nurture wholesome states. Why do you follow along with a bhikkhu who has been ejected? From now on, I do not permit following along with a bhikkhu who has been ejected.

Thereupon, the Buddha instructed Gautamī to convey the order that all the bhikkhunīs living in Kosambi must assemble together—even those who had already heard it must hear it again:

—If any bhikkhunī, knowing that the Saṅgha has, in harmony, in accordance with the Dhamma and the Vinaya, performed the ejection kamma against a bhikkhu, yet that bhikkhu has not yet acted in accordance with it, follows along with him, then the bhikkhunīs should admonish that bhikkhunī thus: "Venerable one, that bhikkhu has been given the ejection kamma by the harmonious Saṅgha in accordance with the Dhamma and the Vinaya, yet he has not acted in accordance with it—you should not follow along with him." If, when the bhikkhunīs admonish her, she says: "If I do not follow him, who will?"—then the bhikkhunīs should admonish her a second and a third time so that she abandons this matter.

If she abandons it, that is good; if she does not abandon it, that bhikkhunī commits a pārājika offense and is not permitted to live in community.

EXPLANATION:

(Some terms above have already been explained.)

Harmony: Without splitting the community.

In accordance with the Dhamma and the Vinaya: When the offense is not seen, no charge is raised regarding it; this refers to not abandoning the three evil views, namely: disparaging the scriptures, wrong view, and extreme view.

Ejected: Not permitted to live in community.

Has not yet acted in accordance with the Dhamma: Has not yet complied with the Saṅgha; the Saṅgha has not yet absolved the offense.

Following along with: Sharing in the Dhamma-food and taste-food together.

When the bhikkhunīs admonish that bhikkhunī thus: "Venerable one, that bhikkhu has received the ejection kamma from the Saṅgha in accordance with the Dhamma and the Vinaya, yet he has not acted in accordance with it—you should not follow along with him by sharing the Dhamma-food and taste-food together," and that bhikkhunī says: "If I do not follow him, who will?"—then she should be admonished up to three times. After three times, if she abandons it, that is good; if she does not abandon it, that bhikkhunī commits a pārājika offense.

Pārājika: As explained above.

When admonished three times in a private place and she abandons it, that is good; if she does not abandon it, she commits a dukkaṭa offense. When admonished in a public place, it is likewise.

When admonished in the midst of the Saṅgha, at the beginning of the admonition she commits a dukkaṭa offense; upon completion of the admonition she commits a thullaccaya offense. At the beginning of the second admonition she commits a dukkaṭa offense; upon completion she commits a thullaccaya offense. At the beginning of the third admonition she commits a thullaccaya offense; upon completion she commits a pārājika offense.

After having been admonished in a private place, in a public place, and in the midst of the Saṅgha, all the dukkaṭa offenses and all the thullaccaya offenses are subsumed into one grave offense, namely pārājika. If during the course of admonition she abandons it, then according to wherever she abandons it, the penalty is applied at that point.

Summary verse:

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