Lzh Mg Bu Vb Pc 5Teaching Someone of the Opposite Gender Alone

– MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

– PĀCITTIYA RULES

– CLEARLY EXPLAINING THE SECOND SECTION OF THE NINETY-TWO SINGLE EXPIATION RULES

5. RULE: TEACHING THE DHARMA TO WOMEN BEYOND THE PERMITTED LIMIT.

When the Buddha was dwelling in the city of Śrāvastī, as fully described above. At that time, the Venerable Udāyin, at the hour of almsround, put on his robe, took his bowl, and entered the city to go on almsround in due order. Arriving at a certain house, he proceeded to teach the Dharma to a number of women. At that moment, the Venerable Ānanda was also going on almsround in due order and arrived at that same house. Seeing this, he asked: "Elder, what are you doing?"

Udāyin replied: "I am teaching the Dharma to these women."

The Venerable Ānanda then said to Udāyin: "Why do you, as one who bears the name of a bhikkhu, teach the Dharma to women alone, without any knowledgeable man present?"

After Ānanda returned from his almsround and had eaten, he went to where the Blessed One was, bowed his head and paid homage at the feet of the Buddha, and then reported the matter fully to the Blessed One. The Buddha immediately had Udāyin summoned. When he arrived, the Buddha asked: "Did you truly do this?"

He replied: "It is true, O Blessed One."

The Buddha rebuked him: "This is a wrongful act. Why did you teach the Dharma to women without a knowledgeable man present? From this day forward, I do not permit a bhikkhu to teach the Dharma to women when there is no knowledgeable man present."

Furthermore, when the Buddha was dwelling in the city of Śrāvastī, as fully described above. At that time, the Venerable Udāyin, at the hour of almsround, put on his robe, took his bowl, and entered the city to go on almsround in due order. Arriving at a certain house, he proceeded to teach the Dharma to a number of women. At that moment, the Venerable Ānanda was also going on almsround in due order and arrived at that very same house. Seeing this, he asked:

—Elder, what are you doing?

—I am teaching the Dharma to these women.

—Elder, did you not hear the Blessed One say that one must not teach the Dharma to women without a man present?

—Ānanda, do you not see this man of stone, this man of wood, this man of straw, this man of painted cloth? Even one such man is enough, let alone many.

The Venerable Ānanda, after returning from his almsround and having eaten, reported that matter fully to the Blessed One. The Buddha immediately had Udāyin summoned. When he arrived, the Buddha asked: "Did you truly do this?"

He replied: "It is true."

The Buddha said: "Udāyin, why do you regard yourself as being like a man devoid of mind and passion, as one who is pure, and on that basis teach the Dharma to women? From this day forward, I do not permit a bhikkhu to regard himself as being like a man devoid of mind and passion, as one who is pure, and on that basis teach the Dharma to women."

Furthermore, when the Buddha was dwelling in the city of Śrāvastī, as fully described above. At that time Udāyin, at the hour of almsround, put on his robe, took his bowl, and entered the city of Śrāvastī… up to where he replied to the Venerable Ānanda: "Do you not see that child being carried in someone's arms, that child who is nursing, that child who is lying down? Even one such is enough, let alone many."

The Venerable Ānanda, after returning from his almsround and having eaten, reported that matter fully to the Blessed One. The Buddha immediately had Udāyin summoned. When he arrived, the Buddha asked: "Did you truly do this?"

He replied: "It is true."

The Buddha said: "Udāyin, why do you compare yourself to a small infant, regarding yourself as pure, and on that basis teach the Dharma to women? From this day forward, bhikkhus must not regard themselves as being like a nursing infant and on that basis teach the Dharma to women."

Furthermore, when the Buddha was dwelling in the city of Śrāvastī, as fully described above. At that time, Viśākhā Mṛgāramātā fell ill. Therefore, the Venerable Ānanda, early in the morning, put on his robe and went there to inquire after her health, asking: "Upāsikā, how is your illness? Are you suffering greatly?"

She replied: "The illness has not lessened; I cannot bear it. I beseech the Venerable One to please teach me the Dharma."

Ānanda replied: "The Blessed One does not permit a bhikkhu to teach the Dharma to women without an attendant present."

—If speaking at length is not permitted, could you perhaps speak five or six words to me?

—I do not know whether that would be permitted or not, and so I do not dare to speak at my own discretion.

—I thank you, Venerable One.

—May your illness soon be cured.

Having spoken, the Venerable Ānanda took his leave and returned to where the Buddha was, bowed his head and paid homage at the feet of the Buddha, then stood to one side to attend. The Buddha, though he knew, still asked: "Ānanda, where have you come from?"

Ānanda then reported the matter fully to the Buddha. The Buddha thereupon said to Ānanda: "Viśākhā Mṛgāramātā is a woman of wisdom. Had you spoken five or six words to her, her illness would have immediately lessened and she would have lived in peace and happiness. From this day forward, I permit a bhikkhu, even when no man is present, to teach the Dharma to women in five or six words."

Thereupon, the Buddha commanded all the bhikkhus dwelling in the city of Śrāvastī to assemble, and for the sake of ten benefits, he laid down the following rule for the bhikkhus—which must be heard again even by those who have already heard it:

"If a bhikkhu, without an attendant present, teaches the Dharma to women in more than five or six words, he commits a Pācittiya offense, except in the case where a knowledgeable man is present."

Explanation:

—Without a knowledgeable man: If the person is blind or deaf, he is also considered as not being an attendant. If there are two persons, one blind and one deaf, they are considered as one attendant. However, if an attendant is lying asleep, he is also considered as no man being present.

—Women: Those persons may be mothers, sisters, older or younger, lay or monastics.

—Dharma: That which the Buddha has spoken, or that which the Buddha has confirmed. That which the Buddha has spoken means what has come directly from the Buddha's own mouth. That which the Buddha has confirmed means what was spoken by a disciple of the Buddha or by another person, and then approved by the Buddha.

—Speaking: Teaching, reciting, or explaining.

—Five or six words: There are two types—long sentences and short sentences. A long sentence is such as "Commit no evil whatsoever." A short sentence is such as "The eye is impermanent."

—Except when a knowledgeable man is present: If a child under seven years of age cannot understand the meaning of words that are good or bad, he cannot be called a knowledgeable man. But if a person is over seven years of age and yet cannot understand the meaning of words that are good or bad, he is also called a man without understanding. On the other hand, if a person is seven years of age or older and can understand the meaning of words that are good or bad, he is called a knowledgeable man.

Furthermore, if a woman comes early in the morning to venerate a stūpa, and then approaches to pay homage to a bhikkhu, saying: "Venerable One, I wish to hear the Dharma; please teach me the Dharma," then at that time the bhikkhu may speak one and a half verses. If the bhikkhu then goes into a village and again speaks five or six words to that same woman, he commits a Pācittiya offense. The reason the Blessed One established the rule of five or six words is that this refers to the total number of words spoken in a single day.

If a bhikkhu dwelling in a forest hermitage has a woman come to venerate a stūpa and then approach to pay homage to him, saying: "Venerable One, please teach me the Dharma," the bhikkhu should say to that woman: "The Blessed One has established the rule that without an attendant present, one may not teach the Dharma to women." The woman then says to the bhikkhu: "I understand the Buddhadharma; please then speak to me within the limit that the Blessed One permits," whereupon the bhikkhu may speak one and a half verses to that woman. If there are two women, he may speak three verses, without offense.

If a bhikkhu enters a village for the purpose of teaching, and many women come wishing to hear the Dharma, he may speak six sentences to each one individually. He should first say to the first woman: "I will speak six sentences to you," and then say to the second woman: "I will speak six sentences to you." Speaking in this way to many people still incurs no offense. Thereafter, when the bhikkhu takes his leave and the women bow at his feet to bid him farewell, if at that moment the bhikkhu pronounces a blessing: "May you swiftly put an end to suffering," he commits a Pācittiya offense. But if he says: "May you be free from illness and live in peace and happiness," there is no offense.

If the bhikkhu leaves that house and goes to another house to teach the Dharma, and the woman from before follows along and stands outside listening, and seeing this the bhikkhu asks: "Are you following along to listen as well?" and she replies: "Yes"—if the bhikkhu then says: "Since you have such deep faith and delight in the Dharma, you may listen," he commits a Pācittiya offense. On the other hand, if he sees the woman but does not ask and simply continues teaching the Dharma to the other women, then even though she hears the Dharma, the bhikkhu incurs no offense.

If a bhikkhu teaches the Dharma to women when there is no attendant sitting inside the Dharma hall, but there are servants moving about coming and going, or there are people outside, on an upper floor or a lower floor, who can hear each other, there is no offense.

If a layperson's house faces the road, and a bhikkhu is within it teaching the Dhamma to a woman—even though there is no attendant present—but people passing along the road are continuous and are able to hear, then there is no offense. Conversely, if the passersby on the road are intermittent and cannot hear, then he should not teach.

If a woman comes to venerate a stupa and then approaches a bhikkhu saying: "Venerable Sir, what stupa is this? Please tell me the name of this place"—the bhikkhu is permitted to say: "This is the stupa of the place of the (Buddha's) birth; this is the stupa of the place where the Buddha attained enlightenment; this is the stupa of the place where the Buddha turned the Wheel of the Dhamma; this is the stupa of the place where the Buddha entered Nirvana." Whatever matter she asks about, he is permitted to answer, and there is no offense.

There are four kinds of attendants: one who sees but does not hear; one who hears but does not see; one who both sees and hears; and one who neither sees nor hears.

Sees but does not hear: the eyes observe the bhikkhu together with the woman but do not hear the sound of speech. (The same applies correspondingly to the other three cases.) In this case, the bhikkhu commits a Dukkața offense. Hearing but not seeing is likewise a Dukkața. Neither seeing nor hearing constitutes a Pācittiya offense. Both seeing and hearing—there is no offense. Therefore 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

MEANING VERIFIED BY: THÍCH ĐỖNG MINH