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

4. The training rule on memorizing the Teaching 4. Padasodhammasikkhāpada

Origin story

At one time when the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery, Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. the monks from the group of six were instructing lay followers to memorize the Teaching. Tena kho pana samayena chabbaggiyā bhikkhū upāsake padaso dhammaṁ vācenti. Those lay followers became disrespectful, undeferential, and rude toward the monks. Upāsakā bhikkhūsu agāravā appatissā asabhāgavuttikā viharanti.

The monks of few desires complained and criticized them, Ye te bhikkhū appicchā …pe… te ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—“How can the monks from the group of six instruct lay followers to memorize the Teaching?” “kathañhi nāma chabbaggiyā bhikkhū upāsake padaso dhammaṁ vācessanti. Upāsakā bhikkhūsu agāravā appatissā asabhāgavuttikā viharantī”ti.

After rebuking those monks in many ways, they told the Buddha. Soon afterwards he had the Sangha gathered and questioned the monks: Atha kho te bhikkhū chabbaggiye bhikkhū anekapariyāyena vigarahitvā bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ …pe… “Is it true, monks, that you do this?” “saccaṁ kira tumhe, bhikkhave, upāsake padaso dhammaṁ vācetha; upāsakā bhikkhūsu agāravā appatissā asabhāgavuttikā viharantī”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, upāsake padaso dhammaṁ vācessatha. Upāsakā bhikkhūsu agāravā appatissā asabhāgavuttikā viharanti. This will affect people’s confidence …” … Netaṁ, moghapurisā, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya pasannānaṁ vā bhiyyobhāvāya …pe… “And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this: evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—

Final ruling

‘If a monk instructs a person who is not fully ordained to memorize the Teaching, he commits an offense entailing confession.’” “Yo pana bhikkhu anupasampannaṁ padaso dhammaṁ vāceyya 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.
A person who is not fully ordained: Anupasampanno nāma: anyone except a fully ordained monk or a fully ordained nun. bhikkhuñca bhikkhuniñca ṭhapetvā avaseso anupasampanno nāma.
To memorize: Padaso nāma: a line, the next line, the next syllable, the next phrase. padaṁ, anupadaṁ, anvakkharaṁ, anubyañjanaṁ.
A line: Padaṁ nāma: they start together and finish together. ekato paṭṭhapetvā ekato osāpenti.
The next line: Anupadaṁ nāma: one of them starts, but they finish together. pāṭekkaṁ paṭṭhapetvā ekato osāpenti.
The next syllable: Anvakkharaṁ nāma: when ‘Rūpaṁ aniccaṁ’ is being said, he prompts him, saying, ‘rū’. “rūpaṁ aniccan”ti vuccamāno, “run”ti opāteti.
The next phrase: Anubyañjanaṁ nāma: when ‘Rūpaṁ aniccaṁ,’ is being said, the other says, ‘Vedanā aniccā.’ “rūpaṁ aniccan”ti vuccamāno, “vedanā aniccā”ti saddaṁ nicchāreti.

And whatever line there is, whatever next line, whatever next syllable, whatever next phrase—Yañca padaṁ, yañca anupadaṁ, yañca anvakkharaṁ, yañca anubyañjanaṁ—this is all called “to memorize”. sabbametaṁ padaso nāma.

The Teaching: Dhammo nāma: what has been spoken by the Buddha, what has been spoken by disciples, what has been spoken by sages, what has been spoken by gods, what is connected with what is beneficial, what is connected with the Teaching. buddhabhāsito, sāvakabhāsito, isibhāsito, devatābhāsito, atthūpasañhito, dhammūpasañhito.
Instructs: Vāceyyāti: if he instructs by the line, then for every line he commits an offense entailing confession. padena vāceti, pade pade āpatti pācittiyassa. If he instructs by the syllable, then for every syllable he commits an offense entailing confession. Akkharāya vāceti, akkharakkharāya āpatti pācittiyassa.

Permutations

If the person is not fully ordained, and the monk does not perceive them as such, and he instructs them to memorize the Teaching, he commits an offense entailing confession. Anupasampanne anupasampannasaññī padaso dhammaṁ vāceti, āpatti pācittiyassa. If the person is not fully ordained, but the monk is unsure of it, and he instructs them to memorize the Teaching, he commits an offense entailing confession. Anupasampanne vematiko padaso dhammaṁ vāceti, āpatti pācittiyassa. If the person is not fully ordained, but the monk perceives them as such, and he instructs them to memorize the Teaching, he commits an offense entailing confession. Anupasampanne upasampannasaññī padaso dhammaṁ vāceti, āpatti pācittiyassa.

If the person is fully ordained, but the monk does not perceive them as such, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Upasampanne anupasampannasaññī, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If the person is fully ordained, but the monk is unsure of it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Upasampanne vematiko, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If the person is fully ordained, and the monk perceives them such, there is no offense. Upasampanne upasampannasaññī, anāpatti.

Non-offenses

There is no offense: Anāpatti—if the recitation is done together; ekato uddisāpento, if they practice together; ekato sajjhāyaṁ karonto, if he prompts one who is speaking a mostly familiar text; yebhuyyena paguṇaṁ ganthaṁ bhaṇantaṁ opāteti, if he prompts one who is reciting; osārentaṁ opāteti, if he is insane; ummattakassa, if he is the first offender. ādikammikassāti.

The training rule on memorizing the Teaching, the fourth, is finished. Padasodhammasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ catutthaṁ.

English Translation

Pāli Text

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

4. The training rule on memorizing the Teaching

Origin story

At one time when the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery, the monks from the group of six were instructing lay followers to memorize the Teaching. Those lay followers became disrespectful, undeferential, and rude toward the monks.

The monks of few desires complained and criticized them, “How can the monks from the group of six instruct lay followers to memorize the Teaching?”

After rebuking those monks in many ways, they told the Buddha. Soon afterwards he had the Sangha gathered and questioned the 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:

Final ruling

‘If a monk instructs a person who is not fully ordained to memorize the Teaching, 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.
A person who is not fully ordained:: anyone except a fully ordained monk or a fully ordained nun.
To memorize:: a line, the next line, the next syllable, the next phrase.
A line:: they start together and finish together.
The next line:: one of them starts, but they finish together.
The next syllable:: when ‘Rūpaṁ aniccaṁ’ is being said, he prompts him, saying, ‘rū’.
The next phrase:: when ‘Rūpaṁ aniccaṁ,’ is being said, the other says, ‘Vedanā aniccā.’

And whatever line there is, whatever next line, whatever next syllable, whatever next phrase—this is all called “to memorize”.

The Teaching:: what has been spoken by the Buddha, what has been spoken by disciples, what has been spoken by sages, what has been spoken by gods, what is connected with what is beneficial, what is connected with the Teaching.
Instructs:: if he instructs by the line, then for every line he commits an offense entailing confession. If he instructs by the syllable, then for every syllable he commits an offense entailing confession.

Permutations

If the person is not fully ordained, and the monk does not perceive them as such, and he instructs them to memorize the Teaching, he commits an offense entailing confession. If the person is not fully ordained, but the monk is unsure of it, and he instructs them to memorize the Teaching, he commits an offense entailing confession. If the person is not fully ordained, but the monk perceives them as such, and he instructs them to memorize the Teaching, he commits an offense entailing confession.

If the person is fully ordained, but the monk does not perceive them as such, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If the person is fully ordained, but the monk is unsure of it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If the person is fully ordained, and the monk perceives them such, there is no offense.

Non-offenses

There is no offense: if the recitation is done together; if they practice together; if he prompts one who is speaking a mostly familiar text; if he prompts one who is reciting; if he is insane; if he is the first offender.

The training rule on memorizing the Teaching, the fourth, is finished.

Theravāda Vinaya
Mahāvibhaṅga
Pācittiyakaṇḍa
Musāvādavagga

4. Padasodhammasikkhāpada

Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tena kho pana samayena chabbaggiyā bhikkhū upāsake padaso dhammaṁ vācenti. Upāsakā bhikkhūsu agāravā appatissā asabhāgavuttikā viharanti.

Ye te bhikkhū appicchā …pe… te ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—“kathañhi nāma chabbaggiyā bhikkhū upāsake padaso dhammaṁ vācessanti. Upāsakā bhikkhūsu agāravā appatissā asabhāgavuttikā viharantī”ti.

Atha kho te bhikkhū chabbaggiye bhikkhū anekapariyāyena vigarahitvā bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ …pe… “saccaṁ kira tumhe, bhikkhave, upāsake padaso dhammaṁ vācetha; upāsakā bhikkhūsu agāravā appatissā asabhāgavuttikā viharantī”ti?

“Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.

Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… kathañhi nāma tumhe, moghapurisā, upāsake padaso dhammaṁ vācessatha. Upāsakā bhikkhūsu agāravā appatissā asabhāgavuttikā viharanti. Netaṁ, moghapurisā, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya pasannānaṁ vā bhiyyobhāvāya …pe… evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—

“Yo pana bhikkhu anupasampannaṁ padaso dhammaṁ vāceyya pācittiyan”ti.

Yo panāti: yo yādiso …pe…
bhikkhūti: …pe… ayaṁ imasmiṁ atthe adhippeto bhikkhūti.
Anupasampanno nāma: bhikkhuñca bhikkhuniñca ṭhapetvā avaseso anupasampanno nāma.
Padaso nāma: padaṁ, anupadaṁ, anvakkharaṁ, anubyañjanaṁ.
Padaṁ nāma: ekato paṭṭhapetvā ekato osāpenti.
Anupadaṁ nāma: pāṭekkaṁ paṭṭhapetvā ekato osāpenti.
Anvakkharaṁ nāma: “rūpaṁ aniccan”ti vuccamāno, “run”ti opāteti.
Anubyañjanaṁ nāma: “rūpaṁ aniccan”ti vuccamāno, “vedanā aniccā”ti saddaṁ nicchāreti.

Yañca padaṁ, yañca anupadaṁ, yañca anvakkharaṁ, yañca anubyañjanaṁ—sabbametaṁ padaso nāma.

Dhammo nāma: buddhabhāsito, sāvakabhāsito, isibhāsito, devatābhāsito, atthūpasañhito, dhammūpasañhito.
Vāceyyāti: padena vāceti, pade pade āpatti pācittiyassa. Akkharāya vāceti, akkharakkharāya āpatti pācittiyassa.

Anupasampanne anupasampannasaññī padaso dhammaṁ vāceti, āpatti pācittiyassa. Anupasampanne vematiko padaso dhammaṁ vāceti, āpatti pācittiyassa. Anupasampanne upasampannasaññī padaso dhammaṁ vāceti, āpatti pācittiyassa.

Upasampanne anupasampannasaññī, āpatti dukkaṭassa. Upasampanne vematiko, āpatti dukkaṭassa. Upasampanne upasampannasaññī, anāpatti.

Anāpatti—ekato uddisāpento, ekato sajjhāyaṁ karonto, yebhuyyena paguṇaṁ ganthaṁ bhaṇantaṁ opāteti, osārentaṁ opāteti, ummattakassa, ādikammikassāti.

Padasodhammasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ catutthaṁ.

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

4. The training rule on memorizing the Teaching 4. Padasodhammasikkhāpada

Origin story

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

Final ruling

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.
A person who is not fully ordained: Anupasampanno nāma: anyone except a fully ordained monk or a fully ordained nun. bhikkhuñca bhikkhuniñca ṭhapetvā avaseso anupasampanno nāma.
To memorize: Padaso nāma: a line, the next line, the next syllable, the next phrase. padaṁ, anupadaṁ, anvakkharaṁ, anubyañjanaṁ.
A line: Padaṁ nāma: they start together and finish together. ekato paṭṭhapetvā ekato osāpenti.
The next line: Anupadaṁ nāma: one of them starts, but they finish together. pāṭekkaṁ paṭṭhapetvā ekato osāpenti.
The next syllable: Anvakkharaṁ nāma: when ‘Rūpaṁ aniccaṁ’ is being said, he prompts him, saying, ‘rū’. “rūpaṁ aniccan”ti vuccamāno, “run”ti opāteti.
The next phrase: Anubyañjanaṁ nāma: when ‘Rūpaṁ aniccaṁ,’ is being said, the other says, ‘Vedanā aniccā.’ “rūpaṁ aniccan”ti vuccamāno, “vedanā aniccā”ti saddaṁ nicchāreti.

The Teaching: Dhammo nāma: what has been spoken by the Buddha, what has been spoken by disciples, what has been spoken by sages, what has been spoken by gods, what is connected with what is beneficial, what is connected with the Teaching. buddhabhāsito, sāvakabhāsito, isibhāsito, devatābhāsito, atthūpasañhito, dhammūpasañhito.
Instructs: Vāceyyāti: if he instructs by the line, then for every line he commits an offense entailing confession. padena vāceti, pade pade āpatti pācittiyassa. If he instructs by the syllable, then for every syllable he commits an offense entailing confession. Akkharāya vāceti, akkharakkharāya āpatti pācittiyassa.

Permutations

Non-offenses

The training rule on memorizing the Teaching, the fourth, is finished. Padasodhammasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ catutthaṁ.