Lzh Mg Bu Vb Ay 1–2Undetermined

– MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

– TWO UNDETERMINED RULES

1–2. RULES: SITTING IN A SECLUDED PLACE WITH A WOMAN & SITTING IN AN OPEN PLACE WITH A WOMAN.

When the Buddha was dwelling in the city of Śrāvastī, as described in detail above. At that time, a brahmin from the same hometown, an old friend of Elder Udāyin, had a daughter who had recently gone to live with her husband's family. She was sorrowful and unhappy, so she sent word to her father to come and visit her, and if he could not come, to ask Elder Udāyin to visit her in his stead. Upon receiving the message, the father went and said to Udāyin: "My daughter has just gone to live with her husband's family and is sorrowful and unhappy. She sent word to me, and at the same time sent word to you as well. I am a layperson with many affairs and cannot go. I ask you to visit her from time to time."

Udāyin said: "It is possible! Even if you had not asked me, I would still have to visit her; how much more so now that you have asked." And so, early the following morning, Elder Udāyin donned his robe and went to that house. At that time, the woman was seated inside with the door closed.

Udāyin called from outside: "Is Miss Snow at home?" She asked: "Who is there?" He replied: "It is I, Udāyin!" She said: "Teacher! Please come in. Teacher, please come in." He then entered and sat inside the room, conversing with her.

Now at that time, her mother-in-law, Viśākhā Mṛgāramātā, had thirty-two sons and thirty-two daughters, and all her daughters-in-law were endowed with merit and had attained the marks of virtue. She would regularly instruct her sons, daughters, and daughters-in-law, admonishing them on how to conduct themselves toward parents and relatives. She then walked toward the room of that young woman.

Being a person who knew well what was timely and proper, she did not enter immediately but stood hesitating outside the door. Then, looking through a crack in the door, she saw inside the room a shaven-headed person wearing a robe, who was making gestures and whispering to her daughter-in-law. She knew this was a monastic but did not know whether it was a monk or a nun, so she called out to her daughter-in-law.

The daughter-in-law responded and asked: "Who is there?"

She replied: "It is I."

The young woman said: "Great Lady, please come in."

She asked: "Who is the person beside you?"

The young woman replied: "It is Master Udāyin."

Udāyin said: "Upāsikā, why do you not come in?"

Mṛgāramātā then entered and asked: "Master Udāyin! Are you sitting here?"

He replied: "Indeed."

She said: "Venerable sir, this place where you are sitting is not open to view. Should something improper occur, who would be able to know of it? I shall report this matter to the monks."

Udāyin retorted: "What are you saying?"

Viśākhā Mṛgāramātā said: "I see Master Udāyin sitting together with a woman."

Udāyin immediately countered: "I shall also go to the Buddha and report something about you!"

She then asked: "What do you intend to say?"

Udāyin said: "I see Viśākhā Mṛgāramātā sitting together with a man."

She then asked: "Which man?"

Udāyin said: "Am I not a man?"

She then said: "Venerable sir! The Buddha has not prohibited me from sitting with a man, but you are one who has gone forth and must uphold the rules of a samaṇa, must you not?"

Udāyin said angrily: "Alas! You have troubled my mind greatly!" and rose and departed.

He then went elsewhere and sat together with a woman in an open place. Meanwhile, Viśākhā Mṛgāramātā finished instructing her daughters and daughters-in-law and went out, and again saw Udāyin sitting and speaking with a woman in an open place. She went up to Udāyin and said: "This is unwholesome conduct; it is not the proper conduct of a samaṇa.

Why are you sitting with a woman in an open place? I shall report this matter to the monks." Udāyin asked: "What will you say?" Viśākhā Mṛgāramātā said: "I saw Master Udāyin sitting alone with a woman in an open place and speaking with her." Udāyin immediately countered: "I shall also go to the Buddha and report something about you." Viśākhā Mṛgāramātā asked: "What will you say?" Udāyin said: "I see Mṛgāramātā sitting and speaking with a man in an open place." Viśākhā Mṛgāramātā asked: "Which man?" He replied: "Am I not a man?" Viśākhā Mṛgāramātā said: "I am a layperson; the Buddha permits me to sit with men.

But you are a samaṇa and must uphold the rules of propriety — how can you act this way?" Udāyin said: "You trouble me at every turn." Having said this, he rose and left.

At that time, Viśākhā Mṛgāramātā went and reported the matter to the monks. The monks then reported it in full to the Blessed One. The Buddha said: "Summon Udāyin!" He was duly summoned.

The Buddha then questioned Udāyin: "Did you truly do this?" He replied: "It is true, Blessed One." The Buddha then rebuked Udāyin: "You are a fool. This is a grave matter. Laypeople still know what is proper and improper conduct for one who has gone forth — what should and should not be done.

Yet you, who have gone forth, do not know the rules of sitting, standing, and speaking — what is appropriate and what is not. Have you not repeatedly heard Me censure the indulgence of sensual desire and praise the abandonment of desire? Why then have you now done such an unwholesome thing?

This is non-Dharma, non-Vinaya, contrary to My teaching, and cannot be used to cultivate and grow wholesome qualities." The Buddha then commanded all the monks dwelling in the city of Śrāvastī to assemble together. When they had assembled, the Blessed One, on account of that cause and condition, addressed the monks at length, expounding the various causes and origins of faults, rebuking the faults that had arisen, and thereupon teaching the Dharma in accordance with the situation for the monks.

For the sake of ten benefits, the Tathāgata, Worthy One, Perfectly Enlightened One, established the precepts for His disciples and set forth the Prātimokṣa.

Those ten are:

1. For the sake of restraining the Saṃgha.

2. For the sake of thoroughly restraining the Saṃgha.

3. For the sake of bringing peace and ease to the Saṃgha.

4. For the sake of subduing those who are without shame.

5. For the sake of enabling those who have a sense of shame and remorse to dwell in peace and ease.

6. For the sake of causing those without faith to develop faith.

7. For the sake of causing those who already have faith to increase their faith further.

8. For the sake of bringing the āsavas to an end in the present life.

9. For the sake of preventing āsavas that have not yet arisen from arising.

10. For the sake of causing the true Dharma to endure long, and opening the gates of ambrosia for gods and humans.

These are called the ten benefits for the sake of which the Tathāgata, Worthy One, Perfectly Enlightened One, established the precepts for His disciples. Those who have not yet heard should hear; those who have already heard should hear again:

"If a monk sits alone with a woman in a secluded, concealed place where sexual intercourse could take place, and a trustworthy upāsikā accuses that monk of having committed one of three offenses — either Pārājika, or Saṃghāvaśeṣa, or Pāyattika — and that monk himself says, 'I was indeed sitting in that place,' then whichever of those three offenses he has committed, he is to be dealt with accordingly: either Pārājika, or Saṃghāvaśeṣa, or Pāyattika, and he must be judged and dealt with in accordance with the Dharma according to the accusation of the trustworthy upāsikā. Such a monk has committed the first Undetermined offense.

If a monk sits alone with a woman in an open place where sexual intercourse cannot take place, and a trustworthy upāsikā accuses that monk of having committed one of two offenses — either Saṃghāvaśeṣa or Pāyattika — and that monk himself says, 'I was indeed sitting in that place,' then he must be judged and dealt with in accordance with the Dharma on the basis of the trustworthy upāsikā's accusation: either Saṃghāvaśeṣa or Pāyattika."

Explanation

(See also certain terms that have been annotated earlier)

—A secluded, concealed place: Either a dark place, or a place that is screened off.

—A place where sexual intercourse could take place: A place where a man and a woman could engage in intimacy without fear of being seen or shamed.

—Alone: Only one male and one female with no other person present; even if another person is present but is asleep, or is insane, or is a child, a non-human being, or an animal, it is still considered to be alone.

—Sitting together: Sitting in close proximity to one another.

—A trustworthy upāsikā: One who has fulfilled the following sixteen qualities is called a trustworthy upāsikā:

1. Has taken refuge in the Buddha.

2. Has taken refuge in the Dharma.

3. Has taken refuge in the Saṃgha.

4. Does not impair pure faith in the Buddha.

5. Does not impair pure faith in the Dharma.

6. Does not impair pure faith in the Saṃgha.

7. Is able to bring benefit to the Saṃgha when it has not yet been benefited.

8. Is able to increase the benefit already gained by the Saṃgha.

9. Is able to spread the honor of the Saṃgha when it has not yet been honored.

10. Is able to swiftly dispel any ill repute that has attached to the Saṃgha.

11. Does not act out of partiality.

12. Does not act out of anger.

13. Does not act out of fear.

14. Does not act out of delusion.

15. Is inclined toward the abandonment of desire.

16. Has fulfilled the noble precepts.

Those who accomplish these sixteen qualities are called a trustworthy person (one worthy of belief).

If that bhikkhu himself says he knows the matter, but does not know whether he was sitting or not, then he should be penalized regarding the matter. If he says he knows that he was sitting, but does not know the matter, then he should be penalized for the offense of having sat. If he says he knows the matter and also knows that he was sitting, then he should be penalized for both. If he says he does not know the matter, nor does he know whether he was sitting or not, then one should rely on the accusation of the trustworthy female lay follower and perform the kammavācā for seeking the mark of the offense (investigating the signs of the offense).

(Some terms have been explained previously.)

— An open place: A bright, open place with nothing to obstruct it — that is called an open place.

— A place where sexual intercourse cannot take place: A place where, if a man and woman were to engage in intercourse, they could be heard or disturbed by the monastic.

Therefore it is said:

"If a bhikkhu sits alone with a woman in a concealed, secluded place where sexual intercourse could take place… up to being accused by a trustworthy female lay follower, then the Sangha must penalize that bhikkhu in accordance with the Dharma. This is called the first Undetermined Rule.

"If a bhikkhu sits alone with a woman in an open place where sexual intercourse cannot take place… up to being accused by a trustworthy female lay follower, then the Sangha must penalize that bhikkhu in accordance with the Dharma. This is called the second Undetermined Rule.

End of the two Undetermined Rules.

MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

End of the seventh fascicle.

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

DOCTRINAL VERIFICATION: THÍCH ĐỖNG MINH