Lzh Mg Bi Vb Ss 19Renouncing the Training

– MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

– RULES OF TRAINING FOR BHIKKHUNĪS

– EXPLAINING THE FIRST PART OF THE 19 SAṂGHĀVAŚEṢA RULES

19. RULE: RENOUNCING THE TRAINING IN ANGER.

When the Buddha was dwelling at the Nigrodha Grove monastery of the Śākya clan, in Kapilavastu, at that time a mother and daughter of the Śākya clan had both gone forth. The mother had gone forth among the non-Buddhist ascetics and said to her daughter:

—Why should we, mother and daughter, live apart from each other? You should come and live with me.

—I cannot come there without reason; I must wait until there is some occasion to do so.

Then the daughter returned and, in a fit of anger, quarreled with another bhikkhunī, saying: "Now I renounce the Buddha, I renounce the Dharma, I renounce the Saṅgha, I renounce the recitation of the Pātimokkha, I renounce communal living and communal eating, I renounce the scriptures and treatises. I am not a bhikkhunī, nor am I of the Śākya lineage. Among the non-Buddhist ascetics there are also excellent teachings and a place to practice the holy life. What is the use of my being a śramaṇerī of the Śākya lineage? I shall go to the non-Buddhist ascetics to practice the holy life."

The bhikkhunīs then admonished that bhikkhunī, saying: "Noble one, do not renounce the Buddha, the Dharma, or the Saṅgha; do not renounce the Śākya lineage. Renouncing the Buddha is not good; even renouncing the Śākya lineage is not good." They admonished her a first time, but she did not desist; they admonished her a second time and even a third time, yet she still did not desist.

The bhikkhunīs then reported the matter to Mahāprajāpatī. Mahāprajāpatī thereupon went and reported the matter fully to the Blessed One. The Buddha then instructed: "First you should go to a private place and admonish her three times, then admonish her three times in a more public place, and then admonish her three times in the midst of the Saṅgha, so that she may desist from this conduct.

When admonishing her in a private place, you should ask: 'Is it true that you became angry and said that you would renounce the training, renounce the Buddha, and so forth… saying, "What is the use of my being a śramaṇerī of the Śākya lineage? I shall go elsewhere to a superior place to practice the holy life"—is this true?' If she replies, 'It is true,' then you should admonish her: 'Do not renounce the training, do not renounce the Buddha, the Dharma, or the Saṅgha, and do not renounce being a śramaṇerī of the Śākya lineage.

For to renounce the Buddha is not good, and to renounce being a śramaṇerī of the Śākya lineage is also not good. Now, out of compassion, wishing for your benefit, I admonish you. One admonition has been given; there are two more admonitions remaining—will you now desist from this?' If she replies, 'I will not desist,' then admonish her a second and third time in the same manner; then admonish her likewise in a more public place.

If she still does not desist, proceed to the midst of the Saṅgha, perform the karmavācanā requesting permission to speak, and ask as in the case of the private admonition. Yet she steadfastly refuses to desist."

The bhikkhunīs then reported the matter to the Blessed One. The Buddha ordered that bhikkhunī to be summoned. When she arrived, the Buddha questioned her fully about the matter:

—Is this matter true?

—It is true, Blessed One!

—This is a wrongful act; it is contrary to the Dharma, contrary to the Vinaya, and contrary to my teaching. This cannot be used to nurture wholesome states.

The Buddha then instructed Mahāprajāpatī to send word to all bhikkhunīs living in Kapilavastu to assemble together, and that even those who had already heard were to hear again:

—If a bhikkhunī, in anger, wishes to renounce the training, and says the following: "I renounce the Buddha, I renounce the Dharma, I renounce the Saṅgha, I renounce the recitation of the Pātimokkha, I renounce communal living and communal eating, I renounce the scriptures and treatises, I renounce being a śramaṇerī of the Śākya lineage. What is the use of being a śramaṇerī of the Śākya lineage? Elsewhere there are also supreme teachings.

I shall go there to practice the holy life"—then the bhikkhunīs should admonish that bhikkhunī: "Noble one, do not in anger renounce the training, saying that you renounce the Buddha, and so forth up to renouncing being a śramaṇerī of the Śākya lineage; for to renounce the Buddha is not good." If, when the bhikkhunīs admonish her in this way, she still steadfastly refuses to desist, they should admonish her a second and a third time.

If she desists from this, that is good; if she does not desist and has been admonished in all three settings, she commits a Saṃghāvaśeṣa offence.

EXPLANATION:

Bhikkhunī: As when a woman of the Śākya lineage wishes to renounce the training, renounce the Buddha, and so forth up to renouncing being a śramaṇerī.

The bhikkhunīs: One person, several persons, the Saṅgha.

Three admonitions: The case of a private place, the case of a public place, and the case before the Saṅgha. If she desists, that is good; if she does not desist after three admonitions, she commits a Saṃghāvaśeṣa offence.

(Some of the terms above have already been explained.)

When she is admonished in a private place and desists, that is good; if she does not desist, for each admonition given she incurs a Duṣkṛta offence. When admonished in a public place, it is likewise the same. When admonished in the midst of the Saṅgha: at the beginning of the first admonition, she incurs a Duṣkṛta offence; upon completion of the first admonition, she incurs a Sthūlātyaya offence; at the beginning of the second admonition, she again incurs a Duṣkṛta offence; upon completion of the second admonition, she incurs a Sthūlātyaya offence; at the beginning of the third admonition, she incurs a Sthūlātyaya offence; upon completion of the third admonition, she incurs a Saṃghāvaśeṣa offence.

The Saṃghāvaśeṣa offence originates from the time of admonition in the private place, continues through the public place, and culminates in the midst of the Saṅgha, constituting one grave offence, and she must be dealt with according to the penalty for a Saṃghāvaśeṣa offence. If she desists midway, then depending on the point at which she desists, she is penalized according to that category. Therefore the Blessed One spoke as above.

Vietnamese translation: Thích Phước Sơn. MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

Chinese translation: TRIPIṬAKA BUDDHABHADRA OF INDIA

TOGETHER WITH ŚRAMAṆA FAXIAN, TRANSLATED DURING THE EASTERN JIN DYNASTY

Doctrinal verification: Thích Đỗng Minh