Lzh Mg Bi Vb Ss 18Siding With One Socializing

– MAHĀSĀṄGHIKA VINAYA

– PRECEPTS FOR BHIKKHUNĪS

– EXPOSITION OF THE FIRST PART OF THE 19 SAṄGHĀDISESA RULES

17–18. RULE: ENCOURAGING OTHERS TO LIVE IN CLOSE ASSOCIATION.

When the Buddha was residing in the city of Sāvatthī, after the Blessed One had established the rule prohibiting living in close association, the two bhikkhunīs Candanā of the Sakya clan and Uttarā each dwelt in a separate place. At that time, the bhikkhunī Sthūlanandā encouraged them, saying: "Venerable ones, you may go ahead and live in close association, concealing one another's faults, and do not live apart; for living thus is in no way detrimental to the arising of wholesome qualities. Others also live in close association in this way and the Saṅgha is unable to restrain them, but because the Saṅgha looks down upon you it has imposed this restriction."

The bhikkhunīs then admonished the bhikkhunī Sthūlanandā: "Venerable one, you should not say the following: 'Go ahead and live in close association, concealing one another's faults, and do not live apart; for doing so is in no way detrimental to the growth of wholesome qualities. Because the Saṅgha looks down upon you, it has imposed this restriction.'"

The bhikkhunīs admonished Sthūlanandā in this way once, twice, three times, yet she still did not desist. Therefore they reported the matter to Mahāpajāpatī. Mahāpajāpatī then brought the matter and reported it to the Blessed One.

The Buddha immediately instructed: "The two bhikkhunīs Candanā of the Sakya clan and Uttarā dwell apart from one another, yet the bhikkhunī Sthūlanandā encourages them to live together, saying that living thus is in no way detrimental to the growth of wholesome qualities. She should therefore be admonished three times in a private place, three times in the presence of many persons, and three times in the midst of the Saṅgha, so that she may desist from this conduct.

When admonishing her in a private place, one should speak as follows: 'Sthūlanandā, you encouraged the bhikkhunīs Candanā and Uttarā, saying: "Go ahead and live in close association, concealing one another's faults, and do not live apart; for doing so is in no way detrimental to the growth of wholesome qualities. Others also live in close association in this way and the Saṅgha is unable to restrain them, but because the Saṅgha looks down upon the two of you, it has imposed this restriction." Is this so?'"

If she answers: "It is so," then one should admonish her: "You should not say: 'Live in close association, conceal one another's faults, do not live apart; for doing so is in no way detrimental to the growth of wholesome qualities. Others also live in close association in this way and the Saṅgha is unable to restrain them. But because the Saṅgha looks down upon you, it has imposed this restriction.' Now out of compassion and for the sake of your benefit I admonish you.

One admonition has been given; there remain two more admonitions. Will you desist from this?" If she answers: "I will not desist," then one should admonish her a second time and a third time, and then admonish her likewise in the presence of many persons. If she still does not desist, then one should come before the Saṅgha and perform the kammavācā requesting attention, speaking as follows:

— May the venerable Saṅgha listen. The bhikkhunī Sthūlanandā encouraged the bhikkhunī Candanā of the Sakya clan and the bhikkhunī Uttarā, saying: "Go ahead and live in close association, conceal one another's faults, for doing so is in no way detrimental to the growth of wholesome qualities," and having been admonished three times in a private place and three times in the presence of many persons, she still has not desisted. If the time is right for the Saṅgha, the Saṅgha shall now admonish her three times so that she may desist from this conduct.

Thereupon, Sthūlanandā should be questioned in the midst of the Saṅgha: "Is it true that you encouraged those two to live in close association, and that the Saṅgha admonished you, saying: 'Now the Saṅgha admonishes you out of compassion and for your benefit. One admonition has been given; there remain two more admonitions. Will you desist from this?' yet you answered: 'I will not desist,' and when admonished a second and third time you still did not desist?"

The bhikkhunīs then brought the matter and reported it to the Blessed One. The Buddha immediately ordered that Sthūlanandā be summoned. When she had arrived, the Buddha asked:

— Is this matter true?

— It is truly so, Blessed One!

— That is a wrong thing.

Thereupon, the Buddha instructed Mahāpajāpatī to convey the command to all the bhikkhunīs dwelling in the city of Sāvatthī to assemble together — even those who had already heard were to hear it again:

— If a bhikkhunī sees other bhikkhunīs dwelling apart from one another and encourages them, saying: "Live together in close association, conceal one another's faults, do not live apart; for doing so is in no way detrimental to the growth of wholesome qualities. Others also live together in close association in this way and the Saṅgha is unable to restrain them; it is because the Saṅgha looks down upon you that it has imposed this restriction," then the bhikkhunīs should admonish that bhikkhunī as follows: "Venerable one, so-and-so and so-and-so dwell apart from one another; you should not encourage them to live together in close association or to conceal one another's faults.

Living together in close association is not without detriment to the growth of wholesome qualities. Others may live together in this way and the Saṅgha is unable to restrain them, but it is because the Saṅgha looks down upon you that it has imposed this restriction upon you."

When the bhikkhunīs admonish that bhikkhunī and she still persistently refuses to desist, they should admonish her a second time and a third time. If she desists, that is good; if she does not desist, and having been admonished through all three stages she still does not desist, she incurs a saṅghādisesa offense.

EXPLANATION:

Dwelling apart from one another: As in the case of Candanā of the Sakya clan and the bhikkhunī Uttarā.

Encouraging: As in the case of the bhikkhunī Sthūlanandā (encouraging those two).

Living in close association: Living in close association in body, in speech, or in both body and speech.

Concealing: When one person's body or speech has a fault, the other conceals it; when the other person's body or speech has a fault, the first conceals it.

That bhikkhunī: Such as the bhikkhunī Sthūlanandā.

The bhikkhunīs: The Saṅgha, many persons, or a single person.

Three times of admonishment: Three admonishments in a private place, three admonishments in the presence of many persons, and three admonishments in the midst of the Saṅgha. When admonishing in a private place, one should ask: "Is it true that you encouraged the bhikkhunī so-and-so and so-and-so not to dwell apart from one another?" If she answers: "It is truly so," then one should admonish her: "Venerable one, you should not do this.

So-and-so and so-and-so dwell apart from one another; you should not tell them to live together." If after one admonishment she does not desist, and after a second and third admonishment she also does not desist, then she must be admonished in the presence of many persons in the same manner. Finally, she is admonished three times in the midst of the Saṅgha. If after three admonishments she does not desist, she incurs a saṅghādisesa offense.

Saṅghādisesa: As stated above.

If the bhikkhunī is admonished three times in a private place, each admonishment incurs one dukkaṭa offense. When admonished in the presence of many persons, each admonishment likewise incurs one dukkaṭa offense. When admonished in the midst of the Saṅgha: at the beginning of the first admonishment she incurs a dukkaṭa offense; upon completion of the first admonishment, she incurs a thullaccaya offense; at the beginning of the second admonishment she incurs a dukkaṭa offense; upon completion of the second admonishment, she incurs a thullaccaya offense; at the beginning of the third admonishment she incurs a thullaccaya offense; upon completion of the third admonishment she incurs a saṅghādisesa offense.

The saṅghādisesa offense is constituted after admonishments in the private place, in the presence of many persons, and in the midst of the Saṅgha, with all the dukkaṭa and thullaccaya offenses combining to form a single saṅghādisesa offense. If the proceedings are halted midway, the penalty is applied according to the stage at which they were halted. Therefore it is said (as above).

Vietnamese translation: Thích Phước Sơn. MAHĀSĀṄGHIKA VINAYA

Chinese translation: TRIPIṬAKA BUDDHĀBHADRA OF INDIA

TOGETHER WITH ŚRAMAṆA FAXIAN, TRANSLATED DURING THE EASTERN JIN DYNASTY

DOCTRINAL VERIFICATION: THÍCH ĐỖNG MINH