瞻婆比丘經

Thus have I heard. At one time the Bhagavān was dwelling at Campā, on the bank of the Gaggarā Lake. At that time, on the fifteenth day of the month, the day of the recitation of the Prātimokṣa, the World-Honored One sat before the assembly of bhikṣus. After he had taken his seat, he observed the thoughts in the minds of the bhikṣus. Having observed the thoughts in the minds of the bhikṣus, he remained sitting in silence until the first part of the night had ended.

At that time a certain bhikṣu rose from his seat, bared his shoulder, joined his palms toward the Buddha, and said: "World-Honored One, the first part of the night has ended. The World-Honored One and the assembly of bhikṣus have been sitting here for a long while. We earnestly hope that the World-Honored One will recite the Prātimokṣa." At that the World-Honored One still remained sitting in silence.

Thus it continued until midnight, and the World-Honored One still remained sitting in silence. Seeing this, that bhikṣu again joined his palms toward the Buddha and said: "World-Honored One, the first part of the night has passed, and the middle part of the night is about to end. The World-Honored One and the assembly of bhikṣus have been sitting here for a long while.

We earnestly hope that the World-Honored One will recite the Prātimokṣa." At that the World-Honored One also remained sitting in silence. Now it was the close of the middle part of the night, and the World-Honored One still remained sitting in silence. For the third time that bhikṣu addressed the World-Honored One, joining his palms toward the Buddha and saying: "World-Honored One, the first part of the night has passed, the middle part of the night has ended, and the last part of the night is about to come to a close.

The sun is about to rise; before long the sun will rise. The World-Honored One and the assembly of bhikṣus have been sitting here for a long while. We humbly hope that the World-Honored One will recite the Prātimokṣa."

At that the World-Honored One said to that bhikṣu: "Within my assembly of bhikṣus there is one who is impure." At that time the venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana was also present in this assembly. The venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana then reflected: "Which bhikṣu does the World-Honored One mean when he says that within this assembly there is one who is impure? Let me enter the right concentration of samādhi, the concentration of suchness, and by the mind of samādhi observe the thoughts in the minds of the bhikṣus." Then the venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana entered the right concentration of samādhi, the concentration of suchness, and by the mind of samādhi observed the thoughts in the minds of the bhikṣus.

The venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana then knew the bhikṣu of whom the World-Honored One had just spoken. Then the venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana rose from samādhi, went to where that bhikṣu was, and upon arriving, took him by the hand and drew that bhikṣu outside the door, saying: "You foolish man, get out. You may not remain in here.

There is no bhikṣu who will dwell together with you. From now on you are no longer a bhikṣu."

Then the venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana, having taken that bhikṣu by the hand and drawn him outside the door, shut the door, and having shut the door, went to where the World-Honored One was. After bowing his head at the feet of the World-Honored One, he sat to one side. Having seated himself to one side, the venerable Mahāmaudgalyāyana said to the World-Honored One: "World-Honored One, you said that within the assembly there was one impure bhikṣu.

I have taken him by the hand and drawn him outside the door. I said: 'You foolish man, get out. You should not remain in here.

There is no bhikṣu who will dwell together with you.' Now that bhikṣu has gone outside. World-Honored One, the first part of the night has passed, the middle part of the night has also ended, and the last part of the night is about to fade. Now the sky is about to grow bright, and the sun is about to rise; before long the sun will rise.

The World-Honored One and the assembly of bhikṣus have been sitting here for a long while. We earnestly hope that the World-Honored One will recite the Prātimokṣa."

The Buddha said: "Maudgalyāyana, that foolish man will incur a grave offense, for he has disturbed the World-Honored One and the assembly of bhikṣus. Maudgalyāyana, if there were an impure bhikṣu within the assembly and the Tathāgata were to recite the Prātimokṣa, then the head of that foolish one would be split into seven pieces. Therefore, Maudgalyāyana, from this day forward you shall recite the Prātimokṣa among yourselves.

The Tathāgata will no longer recite the Prātimokṣa. Why is this so? Maudgalyāyana, there may be a certain foolish man who passes through life thus: discerning when he stretches, when he bends, when he grasps, when he releases, who wears the saṃghāṭī robe and carries the bowl, and yet before others of pure conduct calls himself one of pure conduct.

Maudgalyāyana, there may be one of pure conduct who, knowing such a man, thinks thus: 'This is deceit toward the śramaṇas; this is a coarse evil toward the śramaṇas; this is a sharp thorn to the śramaṇas.' Declaring that he is not a śramaṇa. Having known it thus, those ones then cast him outside. Why is this so?

Because they fear he would corrupt the pure bhikṣus.

Maudgalyāyana, it is like this: among panicled rice or ordinary rice that is fresh and flourishing, if in that field a noxious weed should grow—this weed having root, stalk, leaf, and grain all exactly resembling the ordinary rice—then while it has not yet formed grain, one should pull it up and cast it away. It is a weed that ruins the panicled rice, a sharp thorn to the panicled rice, a coarse evil to the panicled rice.

The farmer by every means pulls it up and casts it outside. Why is this so? Because he fears it would ruin the panicled rice that is fresh and flourishing.

In the same way, Maudgalyāyana, if there is a certain foolish man who thinks thus, who discerns clearly when he bends, when he stretches, when he grasps, when he releases, who wears the saṃghāṭī robe and carries the bowl, and yet before others of pure conduct calls himself one of pure conduct—there may be one of pure conduct who, knowing that man, may think that this is the corruption of the śramaṇas, this is the thorn-prick of the śramaṇas, this is the coarse evil toward the śramaṇas.

This śramaṇa does not speak in this way. Having known it, he then drives that man outside. Why is this so?

Because he fears he would ruin the other pure bhikṣus.

Maudgalyāyana, it is like this: that farmer householder, in the months of winter, brings out his rice to winnow. If the grain is solid, it stays and remains; the rest—whether grass or leaf—is carried off by the wind. That man winnows the rice entirely by the force of the wind that blows it away.

That field-owning householder then takes a broom and sweeps it clean. Why is this so? Because that man does not wish them to ruin the other solid, real grains of rice.

In the same way, Maudgalyāyana, if there is a foolish man who knows how to discern when he bends, when he stretches, when he grasps, when he opens his hand, who wears the saṃghāṭī robe and carries the bowl just like the others of pure conduct, and then says of himself, "I am one of pure conduct"—Maudgalyāyana, there may be another of pure conduct who, knowing this, then thinks: this is the corruption of the śramaṇas, this is a sharp thorn of the śramaṇas, this is the coarse evil of the śramaṇas.

That one, having known it, then drives that man outside the assembly. Why is this so? Because he fears he would ruin the other pure bhikṣus.

Maudgalyāyana, it is like this: that field-owning householder, wishing to have water, wishing to make the water flow to him, takes a sharp axe into the forest. That man takes the axe and strikes the trees: if a tree has solid heartwood, its sound is dense; but a tree whose sound is loud is hollow within. After knowing this clearly, that man then cuts down that tree at its very root and makes the inside of the tree hollow all the way through, in order to make a channel to conduct the water.

In the same way, Maudgalyāyana, there may be a foolish man who knows how to discern thoroughly when he bends, when he stretches, when he grasps, when he releases, when he wears the saṃghāṭī robe and carries the bowl, and yet before others of pure conduct calls himself one of pure conduct. Maudgalyāyana, if there is one of true pure conduct who, knowing that man, then thinks: this is the corruption of the śramaṇas, the coarse evil of the śramaṇas, a sharp thorn of the śramaṇas—he is not a śramaṇa.

That one, having known it, then drives that man outside. Why is this so? Because he fears harm would come to the pure bhikṣus.

Therefore he speaks this verse:

Dwelling together, one ought to know.

Evil craving and anger.

Anger, not relinquishing greed.

Not casting off illusion and flattery.

With one who falsely speaks of cultivation.

Calling himself a śramaṇa.

Himself doing every evil deed.

With evil views, without peace and joy.

To none of these grant a place in the assembly.

Cast them out; do not dwell with them.

Knowing the time, those of common pure conduct,

Discerning who it is that has spoken,

Calling the impure one a śramaṇa—

Cast the one of evil conduct away.

Do not dwell together with the evil one.

Day after day, do likewise.

Living in harmony with one another,

You shall reach the utter end of suffering.

Thus spoke the Buddha. The bhikṣus, having heard what the World-Honored One taught, rejoiced and were glad.

THE BUDDHA SPEAKS THE SŪTRA OF THE BHIKṢUS OF CAMPĀ