Bu Pc 6868. Not giving up a bad view
Pāli / Sanskrit:Antarāyika
A monk who says that things declared as obstructive by the Buddha are not actually obstructive must confess the offense.
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Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law The Great Analysis
The chapter on offenses entailing confession The subchapter on containing living beings 68. Not giving up a bad view
Origin story
At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery. At that time the monk Ariṭṭha, the ex-vulture-hunter, had the following bad and erroneous view: “As I understand the Teaching of the Buddha, the things he calls obstacles are unable to obstruct one who indulges in them.”
A number of monks heard that Ariṭṭha had that view. They went to him and asked, “Is it true, Ariṭṭha, that you have such a view?”
“Yes, indeed. As I understand the Buddha’s Teaching, the things he calls obstacles are unable to obstruct one who indulges in them.”
“No, Ariṭṭha, don’t misrepresent the Buddha, for it’s not good to misrepresent him. The Buddha would never say such a thing. The Buddha has given many discourses about the obstacles being obstructive and how they obstruct one who indulges in them.
The Buddha has said that the enjoyment provided by worldly pleasures is small, whereas the suffering and trouble with them are huge, and so their drawbacks are greater. The Buddha has said that worldly pleasures are similar to a skeleton … similar to a piece of meat … similar to a grass torch … similar to a pit of coals … similar to a dream … similar to borrowed goods … similar to fruits on a tree … similar to a knife and chopping block … similar to swords and stakes … similar to a snake’s head; the suffering and trouble with them are huge, and so their drawbacks are greater.”
But even though the monks corrected Ariṭṭha like this, he stubbornly held on to that bad and erroneous view, and continued to insist on it. Since they were unable to make him give up that view, they went to the Buddha and told him what had happened. Soon afterwards the Buddha had the Sangha gathered and questioned Ariṭṭha: “Is it true, Ariṭṭha, that you have such a view?”
“Yes indeed, sir.”
“Foolish man, who do you think I have taught like this? Haven’t I given many discourses about the obstacles being obstructive and how they obstruct one who indulges in them? I have said that the enjoyment provided by worldly pleasures is small, whereas the suffering and trouble with them are huge, and so their drawbacks are greater.
I have said that worldly pleasures are similar to a skeleton … similar to a piece of meat … similar to a grass torch … similar to a pit of coals … similar to a dream … similar to borrowed goods … similar to fruits on a tree … similar to a knife and chopping block … similar to swords and stakes … similar to a snake’s head; the suffering and trouble with them are huge, and so their drawbacks are greater. And yet, foolish man, by misunderstanding you have misrepresented me, hurt yourself, and made much demerit.
This will be for your long-lasting harm and suffering.
This will affect people’s confidence …” … “And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:
Final ruling
‘If a monk says, “As I understand the Buddha’s Teaching, the things he calls obstacles are unable to obstruct one who indulges in them,” then the monks should correct him like this: “No, venerable, don’t misrepresent the Buddha, for it’s not good to misrepresent the Buddha. The Buddha would never say such a thing. In many discourses the Buddha has declared the obstacles to be obstructive and how they obstruct one who indulges in them.” If that monk continues as before, the monks should press him up to three times to make him give up that view. If he then gives it up, all is well. If he does not, he commits an offense entailing confession.’”
Definitions
A: whoever … Monk: … The monk who has been given the full ordination by a unanimous Sangha through a legal procedure consisting of one motion and three announcements that is irreversible and fit to stand—this sort of monk is meant in this case. Says: “As I understand the Buddha’s Teaching, the things he calls obstacles are unable to obstruct one who indulges in them.” Him: the monk who speaks in that way. The monks:
other monks, those who see it or hear about it. They should correct him, “No, venerable, don’t misrepresent the Buddha, for it’s not good to misrepresent the Buddha. The Buddha would never say such a thing. In many discourses the Buddha has declared the obstacles to be obstructive and how they obstruct one who indulges in them.” And they should correct him a second and a third time. If he gives up that view, all is well. If he does not, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If those who hear about it do not say anything, they commit an offense of wrong conduct.
That monk, even if he has to be pulled into the Sangha, should be corrected like this: “No, venerable, don’t misrepresent the Buddha, for it’s not good to misrepresent the Buddha. The Buddha would never say such a thing. In many discourses the Buddha has declared the obstacles to be obstructive and how they obstruct one who indulges in them.” And they should correct him a second and a third time. If he gives up that view, all is well. If he does not, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. He should then be pressed. “And, monks, he should be pressed like this. A competent and capable monk should inform the Sangha:
‘Please, venerables, I ask the Sangha to listen. Monk so-and-so has the following bad and erroneous view: “As I understand the Buddha’s Teaching, the things he calls obstacles are unable to obstruct one who indulges in them.” He is not giving up that view. If the Sangha is ready, it should press monk so-and-so to make him give it up. This is the motion.
Please, venerables, I ask the Sangha to listen. Monk so-and-so has the following bad and erroneous view: “As I understand the Buddha’s Teaching, the things he calls obstacles are unable to obstruct one who indulges in them.” He is not giving up that view. The Sangha presses monk so-and-so to make him give up that view. Any monk who approves of pressing monk so-and-so to make him give up that view should remain silent. Any monk who doesn’t approve should speak up.
For the second time … For the third time I speak on this matter: Please, venerables, I ask the Sangha to listen. Monk so-and-so has the following bad and erroneous view: “As I understand the Buddha’s Teaching, the things he calls obstacles are unable to obstruct one who indulges in them.” He is not giving up that view. The Sangha presses monk so-and-so to make him give up that view. Any monk who approves of pressing monk so-and-so to make him give up that view should remain silent. Any monk who doesn’t approve should speak up.
The Sangha has pressed monk so-and-so to make him give up that view. The Sangha approves and is therefore silent. I will remember it thus.’”
After the motion, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. After each of the first two announcements, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. When the last announcement is finished, he commits an offense entailing confession.
Permutations
If it is a legitimate legal procedure, and he perceives it as such, and he does not give up his view, he commits an offense entailing confession. If it is a legitimate legal procedure, but he is unsure of it, and he does not give up his view, he commits an offense entailing confession. If it is a legitimate legal procedure, but he perceives it as illegitimate, and he does not give up his view, he commits an offense entailing confession.
If it is an illegitimate legal procedure, but he perceives it as legitimate, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If it is an illegitimate legal procedure, but he is unsure of it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If it is an illegitimate legal procedure, and he perceives it as such, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.
Non-offenses
There is no offense: if he has not been pressed; if he gives it up; if he is insane; if he is the first offender.
The training rule on not giving up a bad view, the eighth, is finished.
The “…” is an abbreviation carried over from the Pāli original itself, called peyyāla. The early canon was memorized and recited, so passages repeated verbatim from a preceding discourse were commonly contracted to an elision mark rather than written out in full. Venerable Thích Minh Châu's translation preserves this convention. Some texts therefore look short — but that is the canonical form, not missing content or a truncated translation. The elided passages can be read in full in the preceding discourses of the same chapter.
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