Lzh Mg Bu Vb Pc 13Evasive Speech

– MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

– PĀCITTIYA RULES

– CLEARLY EXPLAINING THE THIRD SECTION OF THE SINGLE EXPIATION RULES

13. RULE: CRITICIZING THE MONASTERY ATTENDANT'S DUTIES.

When the Buddha was residing at Śrāvastī, as described in detail above. At that time, laypeople of deep faith and reverence brought abundant food and drink to offer to the Blessed One, and then to the Sangha, to the Venerable Śāriputra, and to Maudgalyāyana. The offerings to the Buddha were cleared away by his attendant, but the offerings to the Sangha and to Śāriputra and Maudgalyāyana were sometimes fully consumed, and sometimes left over with no one to clear them away, until they spoiled.

At that time, the Venerable Dabba was still a learner, and he thought: "If I attain the stage of one beyond training, I will oversee the affairs of the Sangha so that the monks may dwell in peace." Having thought thus, at the beginning of the night and at the end of the night, he practiced diligently and attained the fruit of arhatship, the three kinds of knowledge, and the six supernormal powers. Then he thought: "Why should I engage in conditioned activities?

I should practice and dwell happily in contentment with little, free from concerns."

The Buddha said to Dabba: "When you were still in the stage of one under training, you said this: 'If I attain the stage of one beyond training, I will oversee the affairs of the Sangha.' Did you say that?"

He replied: "I did say that, Blessed One."

—Dabba, in accordance with your former aspiration, you should now do as you said.

—I will do as the Blessed One instructs.

Thereupon the Sangha appointed him to the nine duties as described previously. At that time, he assigned members of the Sangha to go to meals as he saw fit. If they were senior elder monks, he assigned them fine food. If they were of middle rank, he assigned them average food. If they were junior monks, he assigned them coarse food.

The group of six monks, out of resentment and animosity, brought this matter before the Blessed One. The Buddha then said to Dabba: "One who has gone forth should, as a matter of principle, distribute food equally. You should know: if little is received, it is insufficient; if much is received, one should not be displeased; whether what is received is fine or coarse, all must be handled impartially."

On account of this, the elder Dabba divided the food into three grades—fine, medium, and coarse—and distributed them in rotation, cycling back to the beginning each time. At that time, Nanda and Upananda arose early in the morning, put on their robes, took their bowls, and went to the donor household for food offerings, saying to the laywoman: "Give us food."

The laywoman said: "Venerable sir, it is not yet the time to eat. I have not yet had time to wash my face and rinse the bowls, nor have I prepared food for those who have gone forth."

At that moment, the young girls and women of the donor's household had just arisen and were bathing, their bodies exposed. The monk Nanda, not guarding his sense faculties, stared at the girls, and the laywoman thought: "This monk does not seem to be one who upholds the Vinaya. If he stays here long, many faults may arise. I should give him the servants' food so that he will leave at once."

Having thought thus, she brought out the servants' food and gave it to him.

Having received the food, that monk returned to the monastery. At that time, an elder monk arrived at the proper time for almsround, put on his robes, took his bowl, and went to the donor household. The donor offered him a full bowl of fine food, and then he returned. When Nanda and Upananda saw this, they said the following: "Elder Dabba, the Blessed One taught that food must be distributed equally. Look at these two portions of food—are they the same?"

Dabba said: "You came too early; it was not yet the time to eat—that is why."

The next day, Nanda put on his robes, took his bowl, and entered the city, but along the way he stopped to watch elephant fights and horse fights and listened to worldly people conversing. At that time the laywoman thought: "Yesterday that monk came and received nothing; today I must prepare early." So she prepared the food and had been waiting for a long time but still he did not come, and she thought: "Yesterday the venerable one came early; why does he not come today? Perhaps there is an offering being made to the Sangha at Jetavana monastery, and he has not come because of that." So she and her husband and children ate everything.

When the proper time came, Nanda hurried to the house and said to the laywoman: "Give me food."

The laywoman said: "I prepared food early and waited for the venerable one but did not see him come. I thought today there was someone making offerings to the Sangha at Jetavana, and that you had been invited there. So the food that had been set aside for you has already been eaten."

Nanda then said: "Are you trying to starve me?"

Thereupon the laywoman brought out the leftover food from the servants and gave it to him. Having received the food, he returned to the monastery and reported the matter as before.

Dabba said: "Today you came too late." Having said this, the Venerable Dabba went and reported the matter to the Blessed One. The Buddha thereupon had Nanda called. When he arrived, the Buddha asked: "Is this truly as reported?"

—It is true, Blessed One.

—That is wrong. Have you not heard me, by various means, censure many desires and praise having few desires? This is contrary to the Dharma, contrary to the Vinaya, contrary to the Buddha's teaching; it cannot be used to nurture wholesome qualities.

Thereupon the Buddha commanded all the monks dwelling at Śrāvastī to assemble, and for the sake of ten benefits, he established the rule for the monks, so that even those who had already heard it should hear it again:

"If a monk criticizes the monastery attendant, he commits a pācittiya."

Explanation

Criticizes: either the appointed person, the person to whom the duty was delegated, or the person to whom a delegated duty was further delegated.

The appointed person (bāi rén): such as the Venerable Dabba. This is called the appointed person.

The person to whom duty was delegated (bāi zhǔ rén): such as the case where Dabba Nalāputra entrusts another person to manage the affairs of the Sangha on his behalf. This is called the person to whom duty was delegated.

The person to whom a delegated duty was further delegated (bāi zhǔ zhǔ rén): the person to whom duty has been delegated then further entrusts yet another person to manage the Sangha's affairs. This is called the person to whom a delegated duty was further delegated.

Criticizes: one who criticizes commits a pācittiya.

When the Sangha distributes various cakes in turn and it is one's turn, one should receive them. If one does not wish to take them, one should tell them to continue on. If a lay attendant asks: "Why are you not taking any?"

And one replies: "I abstain from this kind; I wish to take something else"—there is no offense.

When the Sangha goes about distributing various kinds of porridge, such as milk porridge, butter porridge, sesame porridge, fish porridge, and so forth, if they ladle out a full measure and offer it to the senior elder, the senior elder should not accept it immediately but should say: "It should be distributed equally." If the monk on duty that day is distributing meat and, out of deference to the senior elder, offers him more, the senior elder should ask: "Is it thus for everyone?"

The monk on duty then replies: "Only the senior elder receives more."

The senior elder should say: "It should be divided equally." Thereupon, if one does not need a large portion, one should take a small amount. After taking it, tell him to distribute equally to everyone.

When there is fine food of this kind, it should be distributed equally.

When a novice goes about distributing food and gives a partial and preferential portion to his own teacher, the monastery attendant should say: "Distribute equally."

If the novice says: "Why don't you do it yourself?" At that time the monastery attendant should dismiss the novice and appoint someone else to do it.

If the person distributing food, upon seeing a great elder among the Sangha, gives him more, causing others to receive less, the monastery attendant should say to that person: "Within the Sangha there is no high or low; you should distribute equally."

In general, there are various cases: either there is resentment without complaint; or there is complaint without resentment; or there is both resentment and complaint; or there is neither resentment nor complaint.

There is resentment without complaint: holding one's own bowl of food, comparing it with the bowl of the person beside one, and saying: "Is this equal?" This is called having resentment without complaint. The other four cases are likewise elaborated in full.

Having resentment without complaint incurs an offense of wrongdoing (duṣkṛta). Having complaint without resentment also incurs an offense of wrongdoing. Having both resentment and complaint incurs a pācittiya offense. Having neither resentment nor complaint incurs no offense. Thus it is stated (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

CERTIFICATION OF MEANING: THÍCH ĐỖNG MINH