Lzh Mg Bu Vb Pc 65Scaring

– MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

– PĀCITTIYA RULES

– EXPLAINING THE EIGHTH SECTION OF THE 92 SINGLE EXPIATION RULES.

65. RULE: FRIGHTENING ANOTHER BHIKKHU.

When the Buddha was dwelling in the city of Sāvatthī, as described in detail above. At that time, the group of six bhikkhus rose from their meditation cells, went to a hidden place and stood in concealment, then stuck out their ears, contorted their faces, bulged their eyes, thrust out their tongues, and made howling sounds to frighten the group of sixteen young bhikkhus. The group of sixteen young bhikkhus, upon hearing this, became terrified and cried out in screaming tears. The Buddha, though he knew, still asked the bhikkhus: "Whose children are those crying out?" The bhikkhus then reported the entire matter to the Blessed One. The Buddha immediately ordered someone to summon the group of six bhikkhus. When they arrived, the Buddha asked:

—Did you truly do such a thing?

—It is truly so, Blessed One.

—Why did you do this?

—Because we wanted to joke and have fun.

—You foolish ones, this is an evil act; to trouble those of pure conduct and call it joking and having fun. You must not look down on them. If they were to enter meditative concentration, they could use their spiritual power to seize you and hurl you into another world. This is contrary to the Dharma, contrary to the Vinaya, contrary to my teaching, and cannot be used to nurture wholesome qualities.

Thereupon, the Buddha ordered all the bhikkhus dwelling in the city of Sāvatthī to assemble, and for ten benefits he established this rule for the bhikkhus—which even those who have already heard it must hear again:

—If a bhikkhu terrifies another bhikkhu, he commits a Pācittiya offence.

Explanation

Bhikkhu: As stated above.

Terrifying: If one uses form, sound, scent, or touch to terrify, one commits a Pācittiya offence.

Pācittiya: As stated above.

1. Form: If one stands concealed in a dark place, sticks out one's ears, contorts one's face, bulges one's eyes, thrusts out one's tongue, or even bends a single finger, and makes howling sounds to frighten another—whether that person becomes frightened or not—one commits a Pācittiya offence. This is called form (using the appearance of the body).

2. Sound: If one uses various sounds such as the sound of an elephant, the sound of a horse, the sound of a donkey, or cries out in a long wail, or suddenly cries out and then suddenly falls silent, or even makes a buzzing sound to frighten another—whether that person becomes frightened or not—one commits a Pācittiya offence. This is called sound (using vocal sounds).

3. Scent: If one says, "Venerable, there is the smell of a snake in there, the smell of a Pūtana, the smell of a scorpion," and uses such speech to frighten another—whether that person becomes frightened or not—one commits a Pācittiya offence. This is called scent (using smell).

4. Touch: This includes the following: hot, cold, light, heavy, smooth, and rough.

—Hot: If one uses fire or sunlight to heat a robe, bowl, ladle, or lock and then presses it against another's body, saying, "Venerable, fire is burning, fire is burning!"—doing this so as to make the other person afraid—whether they become frightened or not, one commits a Pācittiya offence. This is called hot.

—Cold: If one uses a fan or a robe to fan another, or sprinkles water, then says, "Venerable, snow is falling, snow is falling!"—doing this to frighten the other person—whether they become frightened or not, one commits a Pācittiya offence. This is called cold.

—Heavy: If one presses a heavy piece of wood or a flagpole down upon another and says, "Venerable, the wall is falling, the wall is falling!"—doing this to terrify the other person—whether they become frightened or not, one commits a Pācittiya offence. This is called heavy.

—Light: If one drapes thin, light robes over another and says, "Venerable, clouds are falling, clouds are falling!"—doing this to terrify the other person—whether they become frightened or not, one commits a Pācittiya offence. This is called light.

—Smooth: If one touches another's body with the stem of a blue lotus, the stem of a Kumuda flower, the stem of a Sugandhika flower, or a door bolt, and then says, "Venerable, a snake, a snake!"—doing this to terrify the other person—whether they become frightened or not, one commits a Pācittiya offence. This is called smooth.

—Rough: If one touches another's body with the stem of an Utpalama flower or a Puṇḍarīka flower and says, "Venerable, this is a centipede!"—intending to terrify the other person—whether they become frightened or not, one commits a Pācittiya offence. This is called rough.

If one terrifies a bhikkhu, one commits a Pācittiya offence; if one terrifies a bhikkhunī, one commits a Thullaccaya offence; if one terrifies a Sikkhāmānā, a sāmaṇera, or a sāmaṇerī, one commits a Vinaya offence. Finally, if one terrifies a layperson, one commits a Vinaya offence to be confessed through mental recollection. Therefore it is said thus.

Vietnamese translation: Thích Phước Sơn. MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

Chinese translation: TRIPIṬAKA BUDDHĀBHADRA OF INDIA

TOGETHER WITH ŚRAMAṆA FAXIAN, TRANSLATED DURING THE EASTERN JIN DYNASTY

DOCTRINAL VERIFICATION: THÍCH ĐỖNG MINH