Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law Theravāda Vinaya
The Great Analysis Mahāvibhaṅga
The chapter on offenses entailing confession Pācittiyakaṇḍa
The subchapter on plants Bhūtagāmavagga

13. The training rule on complaining 13. Ujjhāpanakasikkhāpada

Origin story

First sub-story

At one time the Buddha was staying at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrel sanctuary. Tena samayena buddho bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe. At that time Venerable Dabba the Mallian was assigning the dwellings and designating the meals, Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā dabbo mallaputto saṅghassa senāsanañca paññapeti bhattāni ca uddisati. and the monks Mettiya and Bhūmajaka were newly ordained. Tena kho pana samayena mettiyabhūmajakā bhikkhū navakā ceva honti appapuññā ca. They had little merit, getting inferior dwellings and meals. Yāni saṅghassa lāmakāni senāsanāni tāni tesaṁ pāpuṇanti lāmakāni ca bhattāni. They then complained about Dabba to other monks, Te āyasmantaṁ dabbaṁ mallaputtaṁ bhikkhū ujjhāpenti—“Dabba the Mallian assigns dwellings and designates meals based on favoritism.” “chandāya dabbo mallaputto senāsanaṁ paññapeti, chandāya ca bhattāni uddisatī”ti.

The monks of few desires complained and criticized them, Ye te bhikkhū appicchā …pe… te ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—“How can the monks Mettiya and Bhūmajaka complain about Venerable Dabba to other monks?”… “kathañhi nāma mettiyabhūmajakā bhikkhū āyasmantaṁ dabbaṁ mallaputtaṁ bhikkhū ujjhāpessantī”ti …pe… “Is it true, monks, that you do this?” “saccaṁ kira tumhe, bhikkhave, dabbaṁ mallaputtaṁ bhikkhū ujjhāpethā”ti?

“It’s true, sir.” “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.

The Buddha rebuked them … Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… “Foolish men, how can you do this? kathañhi nāma tumhe, moghapurisā, dabbaṁ mallaputtaṁ bhikkhū ujjhāpessatha. This will affect people’s confidence …” … Netaṁ, moghapurisā, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe… “And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this: evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—

Preliminary ruling

‘If a monk complains, he commits an offense entailing confession.’” “Ujjhāpanake pācittiyan”ti.

In this way the Buddha laid down this training rule for the monks. Evañcidaṁ bhagavatā bhikkhūnaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ paññattaṁ hoti.

Second sub-story

Knowing that the Buddha had prohibited complaining, the monks Mettiya and Bhūmajaka thought of other ways of getting the monks to hear about their grievances. Tena kho pana samayena mettiyabhūmajakā bhikkhū—They then criticized Dabba the Mallian in the vicinity of other monks, “‘bhagavatā ujjhāpanakaṁ paṭikkhittan’ti ‘ettāvatā bhikkhū sossantī’”ti bhikkhūnaṁ sāmantā āyasmantaṁ dabbaṁ mallaputtaṁ khiyyanti—“Dabba assigns dwellings and designates meals based on favoritism.” “chandāya dabbo mallaputto senāsanaṁ paññapeti, chandāya ca bhattāni uddisatī”ti.

The monks of few desires complained and criticized them, Ye te bhikkhū appicchā …pe… te ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—“How can the monks Mettiya and Bhūmajaka criticize Venerable Dabba?”… “kathañhi nāma mettiyabhūmajakā bhikkhū āyasmantaṁ dabbaṁ mallaputtaṁ khiyyissantī”ti …pe… “Is it true, monks, that you do this?” “saccaṁ kira tumhe, bhikkhave, dabbaṁ mallaputtaṁ khiyyathā”ti?

“It’s true, sir.” “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.

The Buddha rebuked them … Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… “Foolish men, how can you do this? kathañhi nāma tumhe, moghapurisā, dabbaṁ mallaputtaṁ khiyyissatha. This will affect people’s confidence …” … Netaṁ, moghapurisā, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe… “And so, monks, this training rule should be recited like this: evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—

Final ruling

‘If a monk complains or criticizes, he commits an offense entailing confession.’” “Ujjhāpanake khiyyanake pācittiyan”ti.

Definitions

Complaining: Ujjhāpanakaṁ nāma: when someone who is fully ordained is the assigner of dwellings or the designator of meals or the distributor of congee or the distributor of fruit or the distributor of fresh foods or the distributor of small requisites, and he has been appointed by the Sangha as such, then if a monk complains about him or criticizes him to one who is fully ordained—desiring to disparage him, desiring to give him a bad reputation, desiring to humiliate him—he commits an offense entailing confession. upasampannaṁ saṅghena sammataṁ senāsanapaññāpakaṁ vā bhattuddesakaṁ vā yāgubhājakaṁ vā phalabhājakaṁ vā khajjabhājakaṁ vā appamattakavissajjakaṁ vā avaṇṇaṁ kattukāmo, ayasaṁ kattukāmo, maṅkukattukāmo, upasampannaṁ ujjhāpeti vā khiyyati vā, āpatti pācittiyassa.

Permutations

If it is a legitimate legal procedure, and he perceives it as such, and he complains or criticizes, he commits an offense entailing confession. Dhammakamme dhammakammasaññī ujjhāpanake khiyyanake āpatti pācittiyassa. If it is a legitimate legal procedure, but he is unsure of it, and he complains or criticizes, he commits an offense entailing confession. Dhammakamme vematiko ujjhāpanake khiyyanake āpatti pācittiyassa. If it is a legitimate legal procedure, but he perceives it as illegitimate, and he complains or criticizes, he commits an offense entailing confession. Dhammakamme adhammakammasaññī ujjhāpanake khiyyanake āpatti pācittiyassa.

If he complains or criticizes him to one who is not fully ordained, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Anupasampannaṁ ujjhāpeti vā khiyyati vā, āpatti dukkaṭassa.

When someone who is fully ordained is the assigner of dwellings or the designator of meals or the distributor of congee or the distributor of fruit or the distributor of fresh foods or the distributor of small requisites, but he has not been appointed by the Sangha as such, then if a monk complains about him or criticizes him to one who is fully ordained or to one who is not fully ordained—desiring to disparage him, desiring to give him a bad reputation, desiring to humiliate him—he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Upasampannaṁ saṅghena asammataṁ senāsanapaññāpakaṁ vā bhattuddesakaṁ vā yāgubhājakaṁ vā phalabhājakaṁ vā khajjabhājakaṁ vā appamattakavissajjakaṁ vā avaṇṇaṁ kattukāmo, ayasaṁ kattukāmo, maṅkukattukāmo, upasampannaṁ vā anupasampannaṁ vā ujjhāpeti vā khiyyati vā, āpatti dukkaṭassa.

When someone who is not fully ordained is the assigner of dwellings or the designator of meals or the distributor of congee or the distributor of fruit or the distributor of fresh foods or the distributor of small requisites, whether he has been appointed by the Sangha as such or not, then if a monk complains about him or criticizes him to one who is fully ordained or to one who is not fully ordained—desiring to disparage him, desiring to give him a bad reputation, desiring to humiliate him—he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Anupasampannaṁ saṅghena sammataṁ vā asammataṁ vā senāsanapaññāpakaṁ vā bhattuddesakaṁ vā yāgubhājakaṁ vā phalabhājakaṁ vā khajjabhājakaṁ vā appamattakavissajjakaṁ vā avaṇṇaṁ kattukāmo, ayasaṁ kattukāmo, maṅkukattukāmo, upasampannaṁ vā anupasampannaṁ vā ujjhāpeti vā khiyyati vā, āpatti dukkaṭassa.

If it is an illegitimate legal procedure, but he perceives it as legitimate, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Adhammakamme dhammakammasaññī, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If it is an illegitimate legal procedure, but he is unsure of it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Adhammakamme vematiko, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If it is an illegitimate legal procedure, and he perceives it as such, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Adhammakamme adhammakammasaññī āpatti dukkaṭassa.

Non-offenses

There is no offense: Anāpatti—if he complains about or criticizes one who regularly acts out of favoritism, ill will, confusion, or fear; pakatiyā chandā dosā mohā bhayā karontaṁ ujjhāpeti vā khiyyati vā, if he is insane; ummattakassa, if he is the first offender. ādikammikassāti.

The training rule on complaining, the third, is finished. Ujjhāpanakasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ tatiyaṁ.

English Translation

Pāli Text

Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law
The Great Analysis
The chapter on offenses entailing confession
The subchapter on plants

13. The training rule on complaining

Origin story

First sub-story

At one time the Buddha was staying at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrel sanctuary. At that time Venerable Dabba the Mallian was assigning the dwellings and designating the meals, and the monks Mettiya and Bhūmajaka were newly ordained. They had little merit, getting inferior dwellings and meals. They then complained about Dabba to other monks, “Dabba the Mallian assigns dwellings and designates meals based on favoritism.”

The monks of few desires complained and criticized them, “How can the monks Mettiya and Bhūmajaka complain about Venerable Dabba to other monks?”… “Is it true, monks, that you do this?”

“It’s true, sir.”

The Buddha rebuked them … “Foolish men, how can you do this? This will affect people’s confidence …” … “And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

Preliminary ruling

‘If a monk complains, he commits an offense entailing confession.’”

In this way the Buddha laid down this training rule for the monks.

Second sub-story

Knowing that the Buddha had prohibited complaining, the monks Mettiya and Bhūmajaka thought of other ways of getting the monks to hear about their grievances. They then criticized Dabba the Mallian in the vicinity of other monks, “Dabba assigns dwellings and designates meals based on favoritism.”

The monks of few desires complained and criticized them, “How can the monks Mettiya and Bhūmajaka criticize Venerable Dabba?”… “Is it true, monks, that you do this?”

“It’s true, sir.”

The Buddha rebuked them … “Foolish men, how can you do this? This will affect people’s confidence …” … “And so, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

Final ruling

‘If a monk complains or criticizes, he commits an offense entailing confession.’”

Definitions

Complaining:: when someone who is fully ordained is the assigner of dwellings or the designator of meals or the distributor of congee or the distributor of fruit or the distributor of fresh foods or the distributor of small requisites, and he has been appointed by the Sangha as such, then if a monk complains about him or criticizes him to one who is fully ordained—desiring to disparage him, desiring to give him a bad reputation, desiring to humiliate him—he commits an offense entailing confession.

Permutations

If it is a legitimate legal procedure, and he perceives it as such, and he complains or criticizes, he commits an offense entailing confession. If it is a legitimate legal procedure, but he is unsure of it, and he complains or criticizes, he commits an offense entailing confession. If it is a legitimate legal procedure, but he perceives it as illegitimate, and he complains or criticizes, he commits an offense entailing confession.

If he complains or criticizes him to one who is not fully ordained, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

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 complains about or criticizes one who regularly acts out of favoritism, ill will, confusion, or fear; if he is insane; if he is the first offender.

The training rule on complaining, the third, is finished.

Theravāda Vinaya
Mahāvibhaṅga
Pācittiyakaṇḍa
Bhūtagāmavagga

13. Ujjhāpanakasikkhāpada

Tena samayena buddho bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe. Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā dabbo mallaputto saṅghassa senāsanañca paññapeti bhattāni ca uddisati. Tena kho pana samayena mettiyabhūmajakā bhikkhū navakā ceva honti appapuññā ca. Yāni saṅghassa lāmakāni senāsanāni tāni tesaṁ pāpuṇanti lāmakāni ca bhattāni. Te āyasmantaṁ dabbaṁ mallaputtaṁ bhikkhū ujjhāpenti—“chandāya dabbo mallaputto senāsanaṁ paññapeti, chandāya ca bhattāni uddisatī”ti.

Ye te bhikkhū appicchā …pe… te ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—“kathañhi nāma mettiyabhūmajakā bhikkhū āyasmantaṁ dabbaṁ mallaputtaṁ bhikkhū ujjhāpessantī”ti …pe… “saccaṁ kira tumhe, bhikkhave, dabbaṁ mallaputtaṁ bhikkhū ujjhāpethā”ti?

“Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.

Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… kathañhi nāma tumhe, moghapurisā, dabbaṁ mallaputtaṁ bhikkhū ujjhāpessatha. Netaṁ, moghapurisā, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe… evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—

“Ujjhāpanake pācittiyan”ti.

Evañcidaṁ bhagavatā bhikkhūnaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ paññattaṁ hoti.

Tena kho pana samayena mettiyabhūmajakā bhikkhū—“‘bhagavatā ujjhāpanakaṁ paṭikkhittan’ti ‘ettāvatā bhikkhū sossantī’”ti bhikkhūnaṁ sāmantā āyasmantaṁ dabbaṁ mallaputtaṁ khiyyanti—“chandāya dabbo mallaputto senāsanaṁ paññapeti, chandāya ca bhattāni uddisatī”ti.

Ye te bhikkhū appicchā …pe… te ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—“kathañhi nāma mettiyabhūmajakā bhikkhū āyasmantaṁ dabbaṁ mallaputtaṁ khiyyissantī”ti …pe… “saccaṁ kira tumhe, bhikkhave, dabbaṁ mallaputtaṁ khiyyathā”ti?

“Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.

Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… kathañhi nāma tumhe, moghapurisā, dabbaṁ mallaputtaṁ khiyyissatha. Netaṁ, moghapurisā, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe… evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—

“Ujjhāpanake khiyyanake pācittiyan”ti.

Ujjhāpanakaṁ nāma: upasampannaṁ saṅghena sammataṁ senāsanapaññāpakaṁ vā bhattuddesakaṁ vā yāgubhājakaṁ vā phalabhājakaṁ vā khajjabhājakaṁ vā appamattakavissajjakaṁ vā avaṇṇaṁ kattukāmo, ayasaṁ kattukāmo, maṅkukattukāmo, upasampannaṁ ujjhāpeti vā khiyyati vā, āpatti pācittiyassa.

Dhammakamme dhammakammasaññī ujjhāpanake khiyyanake āpatti pācittiyassa. Dhammakamme vematiko ujjhāpanake khiyyanake āpatti pācittiyassa. Dhammakamme adhammakammasaññī ujjhāpanake khiyyanake āpatti pācittiyassa.

Anupasampannaṁ ujjhāpeti vā khiyyati vā, āpatti dukkaṭassa.

Upasampannaṁ saṅghena asammataṁ senāsanapaññāpakaṁ vā bhattuddesakaṁ vā yāgubhājakaṁ vā phalabhājakaṁ vā khajjabhājakaṁ vā appamattakavissajjakaṁ vā avaṇṇaṁ kattukāmo, ayasaṁ kattukāmo, maṅkukattukāmo, upasampannaṁ vā anupasampannaṁ vā ujjhāpeti vā khiyyati vā, āpatti dukkaṭassa.

Anupasampannaṁ saṅghena sammataṁ vā asammataṁ vā senāsanapaññāpakaṁ vā bhattuddesakaṁ vā yāgubhājakaṁ vā phalabhājakaṁ vā khajjabhājakaṁ vā appamattakavissajjakaṁ vā avaṇṇaṁ kattukāmo, ayasaṁ kattukāmo, maṅkukattukāmo, upasampannaṁ vā anupasampannaṁ vā ujjhāpeti vā khiyyati vā, āpatti dukkaṭassa.

Adhammakamme dhammakammasaññī, āpatti dukkaṭassa. Adhammakamme vematiko, āpatti dukkaṭassa. Adhammakamme adhammakammasaññī āpatti dukkaṭassa.

Anāpatti—pakatiyā chandā dosā mohā bhayā karontaṁ ujjhāpeti vā khiyyati vā, ummattakassa, ādikammikassāti.

Ujjhāpanakasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ tatiyaṁ.

Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law Theravāda Vinaya
The Great Analysis Mahāvibhaṅga
The chapter on offenses entailing confession Pācittiyakaṇḍa
The subchapter on plants Bhūtagāmavagga

13. The training rule on complaining 13. Ujjhāpanakasikkhāpada

Origin story

First sub-story

“It’s true, sir.” “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.

Preliminary ruling

‘If a monk complains, he commits an offense entailing confession.’” “Ujjhāpanake pācittiyan”ti.

In this way the Buddha laid down this training rule for the monks. Evañcidaṁ bhagavatā bhikkhūnaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ paññattaṁ hoti.

Second sub-story

“It’s true, sir.” “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.

Final ruling

‘If a monk complains or criticizes, he commits an offense entailing confession.’” “Ujjhāpanake khiyyanake pācittiyan”ti.

Definitions

Complaining: Ujjhāpanakaṁ nāma: when someone who is fully ordained is the assigner of dwellings or the designator of meals or the distributor of congee or the distributor of fruit or the distributor of fresh foods or the distributor of small requisites, and he has been appointed by the Sangha as such, then if a monk complains about him or criticizes him to one who is fully ordained—desiring to disparage him, desiring to give him a bad reputation, desiring to humiliate him—he commits an offense entailing confession. upasampannaṁ saṅghena sammataṁ senāsanapaññāpakaṁ vā bhattuddesakaṁ vā yāgubhājakaṁ vā phalabhājakaṁ vā khajjabhājakaṁ vā appamattakavissajjakaṁ vā avaṇṇaṁ kattukāmo, ayasaṁ kattukāmo, maṅkukattukāmo, upasampannaṁ ujjhāpeti vā khiyyati vā, āpatti pācittiyassa.

Permutations

If he complains or criticizes him to one who is not fully ordained, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Anupasampannaṁ ujjhāpeti vā khiyyati vā, āpatti dukkaṭassa.

Non-offenses

The training rule on complaining, the third, is finished. Ujjhāpanakasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ tatiyaṁ.