Lzh Mg Bu Vb Pc 69Lying Down With a Woman

– MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

– PĀCITTIYA RULES

– DETAILED EXPOSITION OF THE EIGHTH SECTION OF THE 92 SINGLE EXPIATION RULES.

69. RULE: SLEEPING UNDER THE SAME ROOF AS A WOMAN.

When the Buddha was dwelling in the city of Sāvatthī — as described in full above. At that time, the Venerable Anuruddha had just completed his rains retreat at Stūpa Mountain and was returning to Sāvatthī to pay respects and inquire after the Blessed One's health. Along the way, dusk overtook him, and he wished to enter a village to find lodging for the night.

At that moment, a mother and her daughter were leaving the village to fetch water and encountered him along the road. The girl, seeing the monk's dignified appearance and composed deportment, gave rise to thoughts of sensual desire. The monk entered the village and searched everywhere for a place to rest, but found none.

He then thought: "Let me go back outside the village and find a tree to rest under," and turned to leave — whereupon he again encountered that mother and daughter. The girl then asked her mother: "Where is this ascetic going in the darkness of night?"

The mother replied: "I do not know."

The girl said: "Then Mother, please ask him."

The mother asked: "Ascetic, where are you going, walking alone out of the village in the dead of night?"

He replied: "I entered the village seeking a place to rest but found none, and so I intend to go back and rest under a tree."

The girl then said to her mother: "We ought to bring him home and let him rest there for the night."

The mother said: "Ascetic, please follow me home — I will give you lodging for the night." The monk followed her home, and she showed him a room, saying: "Ascetic, you may rest in this room." The monk spread out a grass mat and sat in the full-lotus posture. After the mother and daughter had eaten, they retired to sleep. The monk, weary from the journey, lay down to rest.

The girl waited until her mother was sound asleep, then crept quietly to where the monk was and took hold of the grass mat, pulling at it. Sensing this, the monk rose and sat upright. Because women are by nature timid, she withdrew and left.

After she had gone, the monk lay down again. But before long, she returned. As the Blessed One has taught, there are five kinds of people who for the most part cannot sleep at night.

Those five are:

1. A woman who has given rise to thoughts of sensual desire and is thinking of a man — she for the most part cannot sleep at night;

2. A man who has given rise to thoughts of sensual desire and is thinking of a woman — he for the most part cannot sleep at night;

3. A bandit or thief whose mind is set on stealing — he for the most part cannot sleep at night;

4. A king who is occupied with affairs of state — he for the most part cannot sleep at night;

5. A monk who is diligently cultivating the practice of the path — he for the most part cannot sleep at night.

This girl likewise could not sleep. She quietly rose and went again to pull the monk's grass mat. Sensing this, the monk rose and sat upright until dawn. The following day he went to where the Buddha was. Seeing him from afar, the Buddha knew what had happened yet still asked: "Who has disturbed and troubled you that your face appears so displeased?"

The monk then reported the entire matter in full to the Blessed One. The Buddha thereupon ordered all the monks dwelling in Sāvatthī to assemble, and for the sake of ten benefits he established a rule for the monks — one that, even if already heard, must be heard again:

— If a monk sleeps under the same roof as a woman, he commits a Pācittiya offense.

Explanation

(Certain terms above have already been explained.)

House: sharing a single roof and within a single wall.

Resting: if they lie down and sleep together, a Pācittiya offense is incurred.

Pācittiya: as explained above.

If they share the same room but each has a separate door, there is no offense. However, if they are in different rooms but there is no partition between them, a Pācittiya offense is incurred. If they share the same room yet are separated by a partition, a Pācittiya offense is still incurred.

If they share the same room but have separate doors, there is no offense. If there is a roof above and walls surrounding, a Pācittiya offense is incurred. If there is a roof above and the surroundings are half-enclosed, a Dubbhāsita offense is incurred.

If there is a roof above but no enclosure around, there is no offense. If there is enclosure all around and a roof above, a Pācittiya offense is incurred. If there is enclosure all around and the roof covers only halfway, a Dubbhāsita offense is incurred.

If there is enclosure all around but no roof above, there is no offense.

If a monk is together with a woman inside a house, a Pācittiya offense is incurred. If a monk is inside the house while the woman lies with half her body inside the house, a Dubbhāsita offense is incurred. If the monk is inside the house and the woman is outside, there is no offense.

If a woman is together with a monk inside a house, a Pācittiya offense is incurred. If the woman is inside the house and the monk lies with half his body inside the house (and half outside), a Dubbhāsita offense is incurred. If the woman is inside the house and the monk is outside, there is no offense.

On occasions such as the anniversary of the Buddha's birth, the anniversary of the Buddha's enlightenment, the anniversary of the Turning of the Wheel of Dhamma, the anniversary of Rāhula, the anniversary of Ānanda, and the Pañcavārṣika festival of equal giving, when it is necessary to expound the Dhamma throughout the night, such gatherings should be held in the open air. If rain, wind, or snow and cold are encountered, one may enter indoors and sit upright. If due to old age or illness one is unable to sit, some object should be used as a partition. However, when using such a partition, one should not use something thin and sparse to screen from the shoulder and armpit downward.

If a monk is traveling and enters a village to rest for the night, he should rest in a separate room with a partition. If there is no such room and he must rest in the open and then, encountering rain, wind, snow, or cold, must enter a house, he should sit upright. If due to old age or illness he is too weak to sit, he should use some object as a partition. If no partition is available and there is a trustworthy laywoman present, he should say to her: "Upāsikā, you sleep first so that I may sit." When the monk wishes to sleep, he should rouse her and say: "I wish to sleep; you must not sleep. If you sleep, you will accumulate no merit."

If a monk is resting in the same place as a female elephant, female camel, female buffalo, female donkey, or even a hen — as long as these animals still hold their heads up, no offense is incurred; if they bow their heads in sleep, a Pācittiya offense is incurred. If a female dog lies with her head stretched out, there is no offense; but when she bows her head in sleep, a Pācittiya offense is incurred. And so too with ducks, peacocks, and hens — as long as they still stretch their heads out, there is no offense; but when they tuck their heads under their wings in sleep, a Pācittiya offense is incurred. An elephant, as long as it is still standing upright, incurs no offense; but when it falls into sleep, a Pācittiya offense is incurred.

If a monk is asleep in a room and a mother enters carrying a sleeping baby girl, then all the monks asleep therein commit a Pācittiya offense. If at that moment the Vinaya officer or monastery attendant sees this, he should say to her: "Please wake the child first, then carry her in." Thus it is said (as above).

Vietnamese translation: Thích Phước Sơn. MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

Chinese translation: THE TRIPIṬAKA MASTER BUDDHĀBHADRA OF INDIA

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

DOCTRINAL VERIFICATION: THÍCH ĐỖNG MINH