Lzh Mg Bu Vb Ss 7Building a Dwelling

– MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

– SAṂGHĀVAŚEṢA PRECEPTS

– Explaining the remaining Saṃghāvaśeṣa precepts.

7. PRECEPT: NOT INVITING THE SAṂGHA TO DESIGNATE THE SITE FOR BUILDING A CELL

When the Buddha was dwelling in the land of Kauśāmbī, as described in detail above. At that time, in the land of Kauśāmbī, five hundred bhikkhus each built their own private room. At that time, the bhikkhu Chanda had no supporter to build a room for him, but he had a faithful lay patron named Abhiṭṭha. So he put on his everyday robe and entered the village, going to that household. When the master of the house saw him arriving, he respectfully prostrated at his feet, and they exchanged greetings. Then the master asked: "Venerable sir, I have heard that five hundred bhikkhus in Kauśāmbī have built five hundred private rooms. Has anyone built a room for you?"

He replied: "Just as you have heard, friend — those who have patrons have all received rooms. As for myself, my virtue is meager and my merit thin, like a bare and solitary bird with no kin. Who would build a room for me?"

The master then said: "Venerable sir, do not be disheartened. I will build one for you." He then offered five hundred coins and said: "Venerable sir, please take these and use them to build a room."

At that point, Chanda took the money and returned, found a convenient and peaceful location, and set about building a large room. He used the five hundred coins to lay the foundation and put up a small amount of wall, and the money was entirely exhausted. He went to that household again. The master prostrated at his feet, they exchanged comforting words, and then the master said: "Venerable sir, is the room finished?"

He replied: "The foundation has just been laid and only a little wall has been built, and the money is completely spent."

At that time, the master offered another five hundred coins.

Chanda took that money back and finished the walls and installed the main doors and windows, whereupon the money was again entirely exhausted, and so he went to his patron yet another time.

The master prostrated at his feet and asked: "Venerable sir, is the room finished?"

He replied: "The walls, the main doors, and the windows are done, but the money is spent."

At that point the master lost confidence and said to Chanda: "You are a person who has gone forth — why build such a large room? One thousand coins is enough to build a mansion, yet it is not enough for a single room. Why is that? Venerable one, please return home. I cannot give any more."

At that time Chanda was filled with distress and thought to himself: "I do not know what means to use to complete this room." He then recalled the sal tree grove and decided that very night to cut down trees and bring them back to complete the room.

At that time, a spirit who was dwelling in those trees spoke to Chanda: "Do not cut down these trees. If you cut them, my young sons and daughters will be exposed to sun, rain, frost, and wind, with no place to take refuge."

Chanda then said: "Wretched ghost, be gone at once, stay here no longer — who would want to see your face!" and he felled the trees. The spirit then wept loudly and, gathering her children, came before the Blessed One.

The Buddha, though he already knew, still asked: "Why are you weeping?" She replied: "Blessed One, the Venerable Chanda cut down the trees in the grove where I was dwelling in order to build his room. Blessed One, my young and tender sons and daughters must now expose themselves to sun, rain, frost, and wind — where shall they take shelter?"

At that time, the Blessed One then accordingly taught the Dharma to that spirit, instructing her in what is beneficial and joyful, causing all her grief and suffering to be cut off. Then the Blessed One directed her to take up dwelling in a nearby grove.

Then the Buddha told the bhikkhus to summon Chanda. They went and called him. After Chanda arrived, the Buddha questioned him thoroughly about the matter above: "Did you truly do such a thing?" He replied: "It is truly so, Blessed One."

The Buddha said: "O foolish one! That was an evil deed. Do you not know that wherever the Tathāgata, Arahant, Perfectly Enlightened One dwells for even a single night, people regard the trees in the vicinity of that place as shrines and stūpas? Therefore spirits and devas delight in coming to dwell there. Why did the bhikkhu speak abusively to them? Chanda, that conduct is contrary to the Dharma, contrary to the Vinaya, and contrary to my teaching. It cannot be used to nurture wholesome qualities."

The bhikkhus then said to the Buddha: "Blessed One, why did this Chanda so skillfully employ means to cause that patron to donate a thousand old coins?"

The Buddha said to the bhikkhus: "That was not skillful means. If it had been skillful means, the room would have been completed with just five hundred coins — why would a full thousand have been needed?"

The bhikkhus then said to the Buddha:

"Just as the Blessed One says! Upon careful reflection, the bhikkhu Chanda indeed lacks skillful means."

The Buddha then said to the bhikkhus: "It is not only now that this bhikkhu is known to lack skillful means — even in the past it was already known that the bhikkhu Chanda lacked skillful means."

The Buddha then continued: "In the distant past there was a city called Vārāṇasī, in a land called Kāśī. At that time, the king governed his people according to the law, causing the people to live in peace and free from calamity. The king had no son, but then the queen unexpectedly became pregnant, and after ten full months gave birth to a boy — yet the child was born without eyes or nose. Seven days after the birth, the king convened a great assembly, summoning his ministers, physiognomists, and brahmins to give the child a name. According to the custom of that kingdom at that time, names were given based on auspicious marks, astral signs, or the names of the parents. So the brahmin asked everyone: 'What unusual marks does the prince's body have?'

Someone seated nearby replied: 'Today, this prince has a fine and upright countenance, but he has no eyes and no nose.'

The brahmin then said: 'Then the prince should be named Luminous-face, and four wet nurses should be appointed to care for and raise him: one to attend to massaging and bathing; one to attend to sanitation; one to attend to carrying him; and one to attend to nursing and feeding him.'

Thereupon these four wet nurses served and attended to the prince day and night, so that like a lotus flower he grew greater with each passing day.

When the prince had grown up, the royal father passed away, and the court elevated Luminous-face to succeed to the throne. This crown prince had planted merit in former lives, and so, although born without eyes, he possessed the divine eye. By this means he was able to rule as a king of great merit and power.

When the people of the kingdom heard that Crown Prince Luminous-face had become king, there was not one who did not find it extraordinary. At that time, a great minister who had long wished to test the king, but had not yet found the opportunity, encountered the occasion when the king went on a royal tour abroad; the minister then ordered all the court to renovate the palace anew, with carving, ornamentation, and painted scenery in abundance.

The minister thought: "For a long time I have wished to test the king — today I have finally found the opportunity." He then dressed a monkey in robes, placed finely crafted implements — such as a carpenter's tools — into a leather bag, bound it to the monkey's shoulder, and brought it before the king, saying:

— Your Majesty, Your Majesty has issued orders to establish a palace. Now a skilled craftsman has arrived. Please, Your Majesty, give instructions regarding the method of constructing the palace.

The king thought inwardly: "He wishes to test me," and then recited a verse:

"Behold this creature,

With a wrinkled, darting face.

By nature rash and leaping about,

When something is built, it will destroy it.

Its nature being such as this,

How could it build a palace?

It ravages flowering and fruiting trees

And cannot be kept near people.

How much less could it construct a palace —

Release it back to the wilderness."

Then the Buddha said to the bhikkhus: "The king Luminous-face of that time is none other than myself today; and the monkey of that time is now the bhikkhu Chanda. At that time I was born without two eyes and yet I could discern that he was incapable of accomplishing the work — how much more so today."

Then the Buddha commanded all the bhikkhus dwelling in the city of Kauśāmbī to assemble together, so that even those who had already heard it would hear it again, and he laid down the following precept:

— If a bhikkhu is building a large room, and has a patron assisting him in building it for himself, he must lead the bhikkhus to designate the site for the construction, and must build on a site that is free from danger and free from harm. On the contrary, if a bhikkhu has a patron building a room for him, yet builds on a dangerous site, a site that causes harm, and also does not lead the bhikkhus to designate the site for the construction, he commits a Saṃghāvaśeṣa offense.

Explanation

Large: Exceeding the stipulated measure.

Room: A dwelling room that the Buddha has permitted.

Building: Either building it oneself or having another build it.

Having a patron: (Already explained above.)

For himself: For his own person, not for the Saṃgha.

Leading the bhikkhus to designate the site for construction: This means leading the entire Saṃgha, or leading a delegate of the Saṃgha, as was stated in the case of the small room above.

A place without danger, a place without harm: as has already been stated above.

If a bhikkhu builds a room in a dangerous place, a place of harm, and does not lead the bhikkhus to inspect the site for building the room, he commits a Saṅghāvaśeṣa offense.

If a bhikkhu builds a large room in a dangerous place, a place of harm, whether doing so himself or directing others to do it, from the time the room is completed, he commits a Saṅghāvaśeṣa offense.

When making use of it, he commits a Vinaya transgression offense. The same applies from two persons up to many persons. Except in the case of exceeding the prescribed measure, the matters concerning offenses and non-offenses are the same as those stated above in the case of the small room.

Therefore it is said:

—If a bhikkhu builds a large room, with relatives helping to build it for him, and he does not lead the bhikkhus to inspect the site for building, he commits a Saṅghāvaśeṣa offense.

(End of the Seventh Saṅghādisesa Rule.)

Vietnamese translation: Thích Phước Sơn. MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

Chinese translation: TRIPIṬAKA BUDDHĀBHADRA OF INDIA

TOGETHER WITH ŚRAMAṆA FAXIAN, TRANSLATED DURING THE EASTERN JIN DYNASTY

MEANING VERIFIED BY: THÍCH ĐỖNG MINH