Lzh Mg Bu Pn 13Settlementa

– MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

– EXPLICATING THE ELEVENTH MISCELLANEOUS RECITATION SECTION.

THE PRINCIPLES FOR SETTLING DISPUTES.

These principles number seven, namely: 1. Face-to-face Vinaya (sammukhāvinaya); 2. Recollection Vinaya (sativinaya); 3. Non-madness Vinaya (amūḷhavinaya); 4. Acknowledgment Vinaya (paṭiññātakaraṇa); 5. Investigation-of-wrongdoing Vinaya (tassapāpiyasikā); 6. Majority-decision Vinaya (yebhuyyasikā); 7. Spreading-grass Vinaya (tiṇavatthāraka). These are called the principles for settling disputes (the principles employed to extinguish quarrels).

DISPUTES.

There are four categories, namely: 1. Disputes arising from argument; 2. Disputes arising from censure; 3. Disputes arising from offense; 4. Disputes arising from matters of regular procedure. These are the four categories giving rise to disputes.

DISCIPLINARY MEASURES.

These comprise: 1. The karma of rebuke; 2. The karma of silencing; 3. The karma of expulsion; 4. The karma of reconciliation; 5. The karma of censure (for offense); 6. The karma of separate residence. These are called disciplinary measures.

Matters subject to disciplinary measures.

They belong to five groups of offenses: 1. Pārājika; 2. Saṃghāvaśeṣa; 3. Pāyattika; 4. Pratideśanīya; 5. Transgression of the Vinaya. These are called the matters subject to disciplinary measures.

HEARING THE DHARMA.

When the Buddha was dwelling at the city of Śrāvastī, the monks addressed the Buddha:

—Blessed One, do you permit us to build thatched huts?

—It is permitted.

—Blessed One, do you permit us to build walls, make doors, make thresholds, plaster with earth, and paint five kinds of images?

—It is permitted. Monks, in the distant past there was a king named Kṛti who built a monastery for Buddha Kāśyapa of one story, two stories, and up to seven stories. He then had carvings and paintings made of various kinds, excepting only images of men and women in sexual union. The kinds of images were: images of elder monks; clusters of grapes; the form of the makara fish; the form of a goose; images of a corpse; images of mountains and forests. Such types as these are called the five kinds of paintings.

When the Buddha was at the city of Śrāvastī, he permitted the building of rooms; when at the city of Vaiśālī, he permitted the use of milk, sour milk, and cream; when at the Wilderness Monastery, he permitted the use of fish and meat. All such permissions he granted, and all such regulations he established, at the following eight great cities:

1. The city of Śrāvastī;

2. Sāketa;

3. Campā;

4. Vārāṇasī;

5. Kauśāmbī;

6. Vaiśālī;

7. Rājagṛha;

8. Kapilavastu.

With regard to the nine divisions of scripture, if the place of teaching has been forgotten, one may name any one of the eight great cities above as the place where the Blessed One proclaimed them.

This is called hearing the Dharma.

ANOINTING THE FACE WITH OIL.

When the Buddha was dwelling at the city of Śrāvastī, a donor came to the monastery to offer a meal to the Saṃgha. When they heard the sound of the bell being struck, Nanda and Upananda were still anointing their faces with oil and did not arrive in time, so the donor rebuked them. The monks then brought the matter before the Blessed One. The Buddha ordered those two monks to be summoned. When they had come, the Buddha asked:

—Did this actually happen?

—It did indeed happen thus, Blessed One!

—From this day forward, I do not permit the smearing of oil on the face. Oils include: sesame oil; hemp oil; oil of the atimuktaka flower; oil of the campaka flower… If anyone smears such fragrant oils on their face for the sake of adornment, they commit a transgression of the Vinaya. However, oil may be used when bathing, or powder may be used when washing the hair; oil poured into the palm of the hand and rubbed onto the face entails no offense.

This is called the rule on anointing the face with oil.

THE RULE ON USING POWDER.

When the Buddha was dwelling at the city of Śrāvastī, a donor came to the Jetavana Monastery to offer a meal to the Saṃgha. When they heard the sound of the board being struck, the group of six monks were still applying powder to their faces and did not arrive in time, so the donor rebuked them. The monks then brought the matter before the Blessed One, and the Buddha declared: "From this day forward, I do not permit monks to apply powder to their faces.

Powders include such things as maṇaśilā powder, lead powder, and similar substances. If a monk applies even red earth to his face out of fondness for adornment, he commits a transgression of the Vinaya. However, if pimples or rashes have arisen on the face, applying powder entails no offense; when applying it, one should not do so in the midst of people, but should go to a secluded place.

This is called the rule on using powder."

THE RULE ON USING A BRUSH.

When the Buddha was dwelling at the city of Śrāvastī, the group of six monks were occupied with brushing their hair and did not arrive in time, so the donor rebuked them. The monks then brought the matter before the Blessed One. Thereupon the Buddha said: "I do not permit monks to use a brush to comb their hair. Brushes include such things as brushes made of hair and brushes made of grass roots, and all similar things. Even if one strokes the head with one's hand out of fondness for adornment, one commits a transgression of the Vinaya. However, after shaving the head, rubbing the head with one's hand entails no offense. This is called the rule on using a brush."

THE RULE ON USING A COMB.

When the Buddha was dwelling at the city of Śrāvastī, after he had established the rule not permitting the use of a brush, on a certain day a donor offered food to the Saṃgha. When they heard the board being struck, Nanda and Upananda were still combing their hair with a comb and did not arrive in time, so the donor rebuked them. Thereupon the Buddha declared: "I do not permit the use of a comb. Combs include such types as combs made of teeth, combs made of bone, combs made of horn, and combs made of wood. All such types of comb and similar things are not permitted; even if one strokes one's head with one's hand out of fondness for adornment, one commits a transgression of the Vinaya. This is called the rule on using a comb."

THE RULE ON USING A HAIRPIN.

When the Buddha was dwelling at the city of Śrāvastī, after the Blessed One had established the rule not permitting the use of a comb, the group of six monks wore hairpins in their hair and did not arrive in time, so the donor rebuked them; and finally the Buddha declared: "I do not permit the use of hairpins. Hairpins include such types as those made of gold, silver, copper, iron, crystal, stone, teeth, bone, horn, bamboo, and wood. In general, all such types and similar things are not permitted. Even if one grooms one's hair with a boar's tusk out of fondness for adornment, one commits a transgression of the Vinaya. However, if the head is itchy, one may take a clean object in one's hand and scratch the head. This is called the rule on using a hairpin."

Verse summary:

Vietnamese translation: Thích Phước Sơn. MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

Chinese translation: THE TRIPIṬAKA MASTER BUDDHABHADRA OF INDIA

TOGETHER WITH THE ŚRAMAṆA FAXIAN, TRANSLATED DURING THE EASTERN JIN DYNASTY

Editorial verification: Thích Đỗng Minh