Lzh Mg Bu Vb Pc 8Announcing a Grave Offense

– MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

– PĀCITTIYA RULES

– EXPLAINING THE THIRD SECTION OF THE SINGLE EXPIATION RULES

8. RULE: ANNOUNCING THE GRAVE OFFENSE OF ANOTHER BHIKKHU.

When the Buddha was residing at Sāvatthī, as described in full above. At that time a householder invited bhikkhus of his acquaintance to his home. Among them was an Elder Bhikkhu who was undergoing the Mānatā penance, and so he sat in a lower position. The lay female donor, upon seeing this, asked: "Venerable Sir, previously you sat in a higher place—why do you now sit here?"

The Elder replied: "One sits wherever one finds a place; why need you ask?"

The lay woman said: "I know where the Venerable Sir's proper seat should be, and I also know where the other venerable ones should sit."

At that point Nanda said to the lay woman: "Why do you ask your teacher to sit in a higher place? Your teacher has still not abandoned the playful habits of his youth."

Upon hearing this, the lay woman was displeased, and she thought: "My teacher is sitting in a lower place because he has committed some minor offenses." She then threw the food basket down on the ground, turned to leave, and said: "Venerable Sir, take the food from there and eat it yourself." Having said this, she went inside, closed one door of the room, and recited this verse:

The bhikkhus then brought this matter to the Blessed One. The Buddha had Nanda summoned.

When he arrived, the Buddha asked: "Is it true that you did this?"

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

The Buddha then rebuked Nanda: "That was a wrong thing to do. One who cultivates the holy life may at times be heedless, but afterward will live in accordance with the Dhamma. Why did you speak of that person's offense to one who has not received the full ordination?

From now on I do not permit bhikkhus to speak to those who have not received the full ordination about the grave offense of another."

Furthermore, when the Buddha was residing at Sāvatthī, as described in full above. At that time a bhikkhu was going on alms round; when the time came, he put on his robe, took his bowl, and entered the city going from house to house on alms round. He arrived at a certain house, where he heard a man say to a woman: "Give food to this one who has gone forth."

The woman asked: "To what order does he belong?"

The man answered: "He has gone forth among the Sakyans."

The bhikkhu then said to that woman: "My sister, I am one who keeps the pure life."

The woman said: "The Venerable Kāḷa is of great renown and virtue, yet even he cannot maintain the pure life—so why do you now say of yourself that you are one who keeps the pure life?"

The bhikkhu, having heard those harsh words, felt grief and distress in his heart, and without completing his alms round he returned to the monastery and fasted for one day. Because of the fast his body became weak and weary, and he went to the Blessed One, bowed his head in homage at the Buddha's feet, and stood to one side. The Buddha, though already knowing, nevertheless asked: "Why is your body so weak and weary today?"

The bhikkhu then recounted the whole matter in full to the Blessed One. The Buddha said: "Bhikkhu, why did you not say to them: 'Even if the Bhikkhu Kāḷa were not one who keeps the pure life, what harm would that be to my own cultivation of the pure life?'"

The bhikkhu replied: "Blessed One, I could have said that to her, but because the Blessed One has laid down the rule not permitting one to speak to those who have not received the full ordination about the grave offense of another, I did not say it."

The Buddha said: "Good, good! Noble son! You did not violate the Buddha's teaching even for the sake of your life."

Then the Buddha said to the bhikkhus: "Both householders and those who have gone forth know that this Bhikkhu Kāḷa is one who has broken the pure life; therefore the Saṅgha should perform the kammavācā of non-pure-conduct for him. The one performing the kammavācā should speak as follows:

'I request the venerable Saṅgha to listen. Both householders and those who have gone forth know that this Bhikkhu Kāḷa is one who has broken the pure life. If it is agreeable to the Saṅgha, the Saṅgha grants permission to speak of Bhikkhu Kāḷa's breaking of the pure life.' This is the motion; then the kammavācā is to be proclaimed three times."

Afterward the Buddha asked the bhikkhus: "Has the kammavācā granting permission to speak of Bhikkhu Kāḷa's breaking of the pure life been performed?"

The bhikkhus replied: "It has been performed."

Then the Buddha instructed all the bhikkhus dwelling at Sāvatthī to assemble, and for the sake of ten benefits he laid down this rule for the bhikkhus—even those who have already heard it must hear it again:

"If a bhikkhu knows that another bhikkhu has committed a grave offense and speaks of it to one who has not received the full ordination—except where the Saṅgha has performed the kammavācā granting permission—he commits a Pācittiya."

Explanation

Grave offense: Such as the four offenses of Pārājika and the thirteen offenses of Saṅghādisesa.

One who has not received the full ordination: Excepting bhikkhus and bhikkhunīs. However, even though bhikkhunīs have received the full ordination, one may not speak of it to them either.

Speaks: Telling a person present before oneself; except in the case where the Saṅgha has performed the kammavācā granting permission.

Kammavācā: If the motion is not in proper form, the Saṅgha is not in proper form, or the procedure of the kammavācā is not in proper form, then it cannot be called a kammavācā. Conversely, if the motion is in proper form, the Saṅgha is in proper form, and the procedure of the kammavācā is in proper form, then it is called a kammavācā. The Blessed One declares that such a kammavācā involves no offense.

If a bhikkhu knows that another has committed a grave offense, and the Saṅgha has not yet performed the kammavācā granting permission, he may not speak of that person's grave offense. If someone asks: "Did Bhikkhu Such-and-such commit an offense against the precept of sexual conduct or the precept against drinking intoxicants?" one should reply: "He himself will know."

Even if the Saṅgha has already performed the kammavācā, one still may not go broadcasting it throughout villages and settlements. If someone asks: "Did that bhikkhu commit an offense against the precept of sexual conduct or the precept against drinking intoxicants?" the bhikkhu who is asked should ask in return: "Where did you hear this?"

If the person answers: "I heard it at such-and-such a place," then the bhikkhu should reply: "I also heard it at that place."

If a bhikkhu speaks to one who has not received the full ordination about another bhikkhu's commission of the four Pārājikas or the thirteen Saṅghādisesas, he commits a Pācittiya. If he speaks about the thirty Nissaggiya rules or the ninety-two Pācittiya rules, he commits an offense of Dukkaṭa. If he speaks about the four Pāṭidesanīya rules, the Sekhiya rules, or rules of deportment, he commits an offense of Dukkaṭa to be confessed by mental recollection.

If he speaks about the eight Pārājikas or the nineteen Saṅghādisesas of bhikkhunīs, he commits a Thullaccaya offense. If he speaks about the thirty Nissaggiya rules, the one hundred and forty-one Pācittiya rules, the eight Pāṭidesanīya rules, the Sekhiya rules, or the rules of deportment of bhikkhunīs, he commits an offense of Dukkaṭa to be confessed by mental recollection.

If one speaks about the ten precepts of sāmaṇeras and sāmaṇerīs, one commits a Dukkaṭa. Finally, if one speaks about the five precepts of lay people, one commits an offense of Dukkaṭa to be confessed by mental recollection. 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