Lzh Mg Bu Vb Pc 72Travelling With Thieves

– MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

– PĀCITTIYA RULES

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

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72. RULE: MAKING AN APPOINTMENT TO TRAVEL TOGETHER WITH THIEVES AND ROBBERS.

When the Buddha was dwelling in the city of Śrāvastī, as described in detail above. At that time, the two countries of Śrāvastī and Vaiśālī were at enmity with one another, and each year they raided and plundered each other. The people of Vaiśālī would come to Śrāvastī, seize the property of the inhabitants, and then return to their own territory, thinking themselves safe; there they would remove their weapons and rest.

The king of Śrāvastī reflected: "I am the sovereign of this realm; I must destroy the enemy so that the people may live in peace. How can I allow these bandits to plunder the wealth of my subjects?" He then issued an order to his generals and soldiers: "You must pursue and capture these robbers; seize every one of them. If you fail to capture them, do not return empty-handed." The generals and soldiers thought: "The king's command is exceedingly strict; this matter must be carried out swiftly." They assembled their troops and, following the trail, gave chase.

At that time, the bhikkhus of Śrāvastī, having completed the rains retreat, wished to travel to Vaiśālī, but having lost their way they fell in among a band of robbers. The robbers were startled and questioned the bhikkhus:

—Who are you people?

—We are those who have gone forth from home.

—Into what path have you gone forth?

—We have gone forth under the Śākya clan.

—Venerable ones, where do you intend to go?

—We intend to go to Vaiśālī, but having lost our way, we have come here instead.

Thereupon the robbers showed the bhikkhus the road. The bhikkhus then asked:

—Good sirs, where do you intend to go?

—We are going to Vaiśālī.

—Please allow us to join your company.

—We are bandits who seize the property of others; we travel through forests by hidden paths and do not follow the main roads. You, however, are good and honest men — why would you travel with us? This is the direct road; you may go by that way.

The bhikkhus again entreated them: "Please take us along with you; do not let us lose our way once more." The robbers replied as before. After asking and answering in this manner three times without arriving at a definite resolution, the soldiers caught up with them and seized the robbers together with the bhikkhus, bringing them before the king and reporting:

—Your Majesty, these are the robbers.

—First bring the bhikkhus before me.

When the soldiers brought the bhikkhus forward, the king questioned them:

—You are people who have gone forth from home — why have you become robbers?

—We are not robbers.

—Then why were you travelling with them?

The bhikkhus then recounted in full the events described above for the king to hear. Upon hearing this, the king ordered the soldiers to take the bhikkhus to another place, and then had the robbers brought before him. When they appeared, the king asked:

—Are these renunciants your companions?

—They are not our companions.

—Then why were they travelling with you?

The robbers then recounted in full the events described above to the king. The king immediately ordered the soldiers to take the robbers away, and then had the bhikkhus brought before him. When they appeared, the king said:

—You are people who have gone forth from home — why did you act as robbers, and moreover speak falsely and deceive the authorities in hopes of escaping punishment? The robbers have already testified that you were their companions; why do you still deny it?

The bhikkhus replied as before. The king then ordered the soldiers to release the bhikkhus and had the robbers punished according to the law. That is to say, he had five hundred of these robbers garlanded with Kapittha flowers, paraded to the beating of drums around all the crossroads, and announced to the people. When the time of their execution drew near, the robbers burst into loud weeping. At that moment, the Buddha, knowing of this, nevertheless asked:

—Bhikkhus, what is the matter that so many people are crying and wailing in this way?

—Blessed One, that is the sound of weeping from five hundred robbers whom the king has ordered to be led away and executed.

The Buddha then instructed Ānanda:

—Go and say to the king the following: "Your Majesty, as king over all people, you must cherish your subjects as your own children — why then would you put five hundred people to death all at once?"

Ānanda received the instruction and conveyed the Buddha's words to the king. The king replied:

—Venerable Ānanda, I am well aware that even killing one person brings immeasurable karmic retribution, much less killing five hundred. However, these robbers have repeatedly come to devastate my villages and plunder the wealth of my people. If the Blessed One is able to transform them so that they no longer commit robbery, I will spare their lives.

Ānanda returned and reported the king's words in full to the Buddha. The Buddha then sent Ānanda once more to the king with the following words:

—If the king will simply pardon them, I, the Buddha, will teach and transform them so that from this day forward they will no longer be robbers.

After receiving this instruction, Ānanda first went to the prison authority and said to the warden: "The Blessed One has already delivered these condemned men — you must not put them to death."

He then asked the robbers: "Are you willing to go forth into homelessness?"

The robbers said:

—Venerable one, had we gone forth previously, we would not have fallen into this suffering. We now desire it greatly, but do not know how it may be accomplished.

Ānanda then went to the king and conveyed the Blessed One's words to him: "I am able to transform these people so that from this day forward they will no longer be robbers." The king then ordered the warden to spare their lives; however, without yet removing their bonds, he had them led to the Blessed One's presence so that the Blessed One might unbind them.

At that time, the Blessed One, wishing to deliver those people, was seated in an open space. When the robbers saw the Buddha from afar, their bonds fell away of themselves. They immediately bowed their heads in homage at the Buddha's feet and stood to one side. The Buddha contemplated their past karmic conditions and then, in accord with those conditions, expounded the Dharma: generosity, the keeping of precepts, the karmic results of various deeds, and the four noble truths of suffering, arising, cessation, and the path. Immediately they attained the fruit of Stream-entry. The Buddha then asked:

—Do you wish to go forth from home?

—Blessed One, had we gone forth previously, we would not have encountered this suffering. We earnestly beseech the Blessed One to receive us into homelessness today.

—Come, bhikkhus, come well (Svāgataṃ bhikkhave).

When the Buddha spoke these words, the garments on the bodies of the five hundred former robbers transformed into the three robes; bowls appeared naturally in their hands; their bearing was perfectly composed and dignified, as though they were bhikkhus of a hundred years' standing, and they all attained the fruit of Arhatship.

The former bhikkhus then said to the Buddha:

—Blessed One, how is it that these five hundred robbers, through the Blessed One's grace, attained liberation spontaneously?

—Not only today but in past lives as well they were liberated through my grace, as has been set forth in the Jātaka concerning the monkey.

Thereupon the Buddha commanded all the bhikkhus dwelling in the city of Śrāvastī to assemble together, and for the sake of ten benefits he established the following rule for the bhikkhus — whether or not one has already heard it, one must hear it again:

"If a bhikkhu travels together on the same road with a band of robbers, even if only passing through a single village, he commits a Pācittiya offence."

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Explanation

Robbers and thieves: A band of thieves and robbers.

Making an appointment: Whether arranging to meet today, tomorrow, for one month, half a month, and so forth.

Road: Whether three yojanas, two yojanas, one yojana, one krośa, half a krośa, or even within the distance of a single village.

Pācittiya: As explained above.

One must not make an appointment to travel together on the same road with a band of robbers. When a bhikkhu wishes to travel somewhere, he should form company with those travelling by carriage or those travelling on foot. Robbers may be recognized by three signs: scent, complexion, and appearance.

Scent: In desolate places, they may eat cooked or raw meat.

Complexion: They habitually bear a look of fear and anxiety.

Appearance: Because they are constrained throughout the day, their faces are dark, their hair is tawny, and their aspect is fierce and malevolent, resembling beings from the realm of the dead.

These are the three signs of robbers; a bhikkhu must not travel together on the same road with them. However, if robbers disguise themselves as respectable people, put on fine clothing, and then in a desolate place conspire among themselves saying: "Today let us enter such-and-such a village, break down the walls, seize the valuables — whether śramaṇa or brahmin, take everything from them all" — then one knows that these are indeed robbers. Yet in such a situation one should not immediately abandon them and depart, but must continue to go along with them, waiting until one draws near to a village, and only then seek an opportunity to leave them. If they discover this, one should say: "Good sirs, we are only going as far as this."

If a monk makes an arrangement to travel together on the same road with a band of robbers, he commits a Pācittiya offense. If he travels together with a band of female thieves, it is likewise. If he travels together with a band of gold thieves, he commits a Pācittiya offense. If he travels together with rebels or with those who are indebted, he commits a Vinaya offense. Therefore it is said (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

DOCTRINAL VERIFICATION: THÍCH ĐỖNG MINH