- Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law Theravāda Vinaya
- The Great Analysis Mahāvibhaṅga
- The chapter on offenses entailing confession Pācittiyakaṇḍa
- The subchapter on naked ascetics Acelakavagga
48. The training rule on armies 48. Uyyuttasenāsikkhāpada
Origin story
First sub-story
On one occasion when the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery, Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. King Pasenadi of Kosala was marching out with the army, Tena kho pana samayena rājā pasenadi kosalo senāya abbhuyyāto hoti. and the monks from the group of six went to see it. Chabbaggiyā bhikkhū uyyuttaṁ senaṁ dassanāya agamaṁsu. When King Pasenadi saw the monks coming, Addasā kho rājā pasenadi kosalo chabbaggiye bhikkhū dūratova āgacchante. he summoned them and said, Disvāna pakkosāpetvā etadavoca—“Venerables, why have you come here?” “kissa tumhe, bhante, āgatatthā”ti?
“We wish to see the great king.” “Mahārājānaṁ mayaṁ daṭṭhukāmā”ti.
“What’s the use of seeing me finding pleasure in battle? “Kiṁ, bhante, maṁ diṭṭhena yuddhābhinandinaṁ; Shouldn’t you see the Buddha?” nanu bhagavā passitabbo”ti?
And people complained and criticized them, Manussā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—“How can the Sakyan monastics go to see the army? “kathañhi nāma samaṇā sakyaputtiyā uyyuttaṁ senaṁ dassanāya āgacchissanti. It’s our misfortune that we must go out with the army for the sake of our livelihoods and because of our wives and children.” Amhākampi alābhā, amhākampi dulladdhaṁ, ye mayaṁ ājīvassa hetu puttadārassa kāraṇā senāya āgacchāmā”ti.
The monks heard the complaints of those people, Assosuṁ kho bhikkhū tesaṁ manussānaṁ ujjhāyantānaṁ khiyyantānaṁ vipācentānaṁ. and the monks of few desires complained and criticized those monks, Ye te bhikkhū appicchā …pe… te ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—“How could the monks from the group of six go to see the army?” … “kathañhi nāma chabbaggiyā bhikkhū uyyuttaṁ senaṁ dassanāya gacchissantī”ti …pe… “Is it true, monks, that you did this?” “saccaṁ kira tumhe, bhikkhave, uyyuttaṁ senaṁ dassanāya gacchathā”ti?
“It’s true, sir.” “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.
The Buddha rebuked them … Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… “Foolish men, how could you do this? kathañhi nāma tumhe, moghapurisā, uyyuttaṁ senaṁ dassanāya gacchissatha. 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 goes to see an army, he commits an offense entailing confession.’” “Yo pana bhikkhu uyyuttaṁ senaṁ dassanāya gaccheyya, pācittiyan”ti.
In this way the Buddha laid down this training rule for the monks. Evañcidaṁ bhagavatā bhikkhūnaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ paññattaṁ hoti.
Second sub-story
Soon afterwards a certain monk had a sick uncle in the army. Tena kho pana samayena aññatarassa bhikkhuno mātulo senāya gilāno hoti. The uncle sent a message to that monk: So tassa bhikkhuno santike dūtaṁ pāhesi—“I’m with the army and I’m sick. “ahañhi senāya gilāno. Please come, venerable. Āgacchatu bhadanto. I want you to come.” Icchāmi bhadantassa āgatan”ti.
Knowing that the Buddha had laid down a rule against going to see an army, that monk thought, Atha kho tassa bhikkhuno etadahosi—“bhagavatā sikkhāpadaṁ paññattaṁ—‘na uyyuttaṁ senaṁ dassanāya gantabban’ti. “I have a sick uncle in the army. Ayañca me mātulo senāya gilāno. What should I do now?” Kathaṁ nu kho mayā paṭipajjitabban”ti? And he told the Buddha. Bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesi. Soon afterwards the Buddha gave a teaching and addressed the monks: Atha kho bhagavā etasmiṁ nidāne etasmiṁ pakaraṇe dhammiṁ kathaṁ katvā bhikkhū āmantesi—
“Monks, I allow you to go to the army when there’s a suitable reason. “anujānāmi, bhikkhave, tathārūpappaccayā senāya gantuṁ.
And so, monks, this training rule should be recited like this: Evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—
Final ruling
‘If a monk goes to see an army, except if there is a suitable reason, he commits an offense entailing confession.’” “Yo pana bhikkhu uyyuttaṁ senaṁ dassanāya gaccheyya, aññatra tathārūpappaccayā, pācittiyan”ti.
Definitions
- A: Yo panāti
- whoever … yo yādiso …pe…
- Monk: bhikkhūti
- … 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. …pe… ayaṁ imasmiṁ atthe adhippeto bhikkhūti.
- An army: Uyyuttā nāma senā
- it has left the inhabited area and is either encamped or marching. gāmato nikkhamitvā niviṭṭhā vā hoti payātā vā.
- An army: Senā nāma
- elephants, horses, chariots, infantry. hatthī assā rathā pattī. An elephant has twelve men; a horse has three men; a chariot has four men; an infantry unit has four men with arrows in hand. Dvādasapuriso hatthī, tipuriso asso, catupuriso ratho, cattāro purisā sarahatthā patti.
If he is on his way to see it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Dassanāya gacchati, āpatti dukkaṭassa. Wherever he stands to see it, he commits an offense entailing confession. Yattha ṭhito passati, āpatti pācittiyassa. Every time he goes beyond the range of sight and then sees it again, he commits an offense entailing confession. Dassanūpacāraṁ vijahitvā punappunaṁ passati, āpatti pācittiyassa.
- Except if there is a suitable reason: Aññatra tathārūpappaccayāti
- unless there is a suitable reason. ṭhapetvā tathārūpappaccayaṁ.
Permutations
If it is an army, and he perceives it as such, and he goes to see it, except if there is a suitable reason, he commits an offense entailing confession. Uyyutte uyyuttasaññī dassanāya gacchati, aññatra tathārūpappaccayā, āpatti pācittiyassa. If it is an army, but he is unsure of it, and he goes to see it, except if there is a suitable reason, he commits an offense entailing confession. Uyyutte vematiko dassanāya gacchati, aññatra tathārūpappaccayā, āpatti pācittiyassa. If it is an army, but he does not perceive it as such, and he goes to see it, except if there is a suitable reason, he commits an offense entailing confession. Uyyutte anuyyuttasaññī dassanāya gacchati, aññatra tathārūpappaccayā, āpatti pācittiyassa.
If he is on his way to see one division of a fourfold army, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Ekamekaṁ dassanāya gacchati, āpatti dukkaṭassa. Wherever he stands to see it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Yattha ṭhito passati, āpatti dukkaṭassa. Every time he goes beyond the range of sight and then sees it again, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Dassanūpacāraṁ vijahitvā punappunaṁ passati, āpatti dukkaṭassa.
If it is not an army, but he perceives it as such, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Anuyyutte uyyuttasaññī, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If it is not an army, but he is unsure of it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Anuyyutte vematiko, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If it is not an army, and he does not perceive it as such, there is no offense. Anuyyutte anuyyuttasaññī, anāpatti.
Non-offenses
There is no offense: Anāpatti—if he sees it while standing in a monastery; ārāme ṭhito passati, if the army comes to where the monk is standing, sitting, or lying down; bhikkhussa ṭhitokāsaṁ vā nisinnokāsaṁ vā nipannokāsaṁ vā āgacchati, if he sees it while walking in the opposite direction; paṭipathaṁ gacchanto passati, if he has a suitable reason; tathārūpappaccayā, if there is an emergency; āpadāsu, if he is insane; ummattakassa, if he is the first offender. ādikammikassāti.
The training rule on armies, the eighth, is finished. Uyyuttasenāsikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ aṭṭhamaṁ.