Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law Theravāda Vinaya
The Great Analysis Mahāvibhaṅga
The chapter on offenses entailing confession Pācittiyakaṇḍa
The subchapter on drinking alcohol Surāpānavagga

53. The training rule on playing 53. Hasadhammasikkhāpada

Origin story

On one occasion 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 seventeen were playing in the water of the river Aciravatī. Tena kho pana samayena sattarasavaggiyā bhikkhū aciravatiyā nadiyā udake kīḷanti. Just then, while King Pasenadi of Kosala was up in his finest stilt house with Queen Mallikā, Tena kho pana samayena rājā pasenadi kosalo mallikāya deviyā saddhiṁ uparipāsādavaragato hoti. he saw the monks from the group of seventeen playing in the river. Addasā kho rājā pasenadi kosalo sattarasavaggiye bhikkhū aciravatiyā nadiyā udake kīḷante. He said to Queen Mallikā, Disvāna mallikaṁ deviṁ etadavoca—“Mallikā, these perfected ones are playing in the water.” “ete te, mallike, arahanto udake kīḷantī”ti.

“Great king, no doubt the Buddha hasn’t laid down a rule. “Nissaṁsayaṁ kho, mahārāja, bhagavatā sikkhāpadaṁ apaññattaṁ. Either that, or these monks are ignorant.” Te vā bhikkhū appakataññuno”ti.

King Pasenadi thought, Atha kho rañño pasenadissa kosalassa etadahosi—“How can the Buddha find out about these monks playing in the water without me telling him?” “kena nu kho ahaṁ upāyena bhagavato ca na āroceyyaṁ, bhagavā ca jāneyya ime bhikkhū udake kīḷitā”ti?

Having sent for those monks, King Pasenadi gave them a large lump of sugar, saying, Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo sattarasavaggiye bhikkhū pakkosāpetvā mahantaṁ guḷapiṇḍaṁ adāsi—“Sirs, please give this lump of sugar to the Buddha.” “imaṁ, bhante, guḷapiṇḍaṁ bhagavato dethā”ti.

The monks took the lump of sugar, went to the Buddha, Sattarasavaggiyā bhikkhū taṁ guḷapiṇḍaṁ ādāya yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; and said, upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ—“Sir, this lump of sugar is a gift from King Pasenadi.” “imaṁ, bhante, guḷapiṇḍaṁ rājā pasenadi kosalo bhagavato detī”ti.

“But, monks, where did you see the king?” “Kahaṁ pana tumhe, bhikkhave, rājā addasā”ti.

“From the river Aciravatī, while playing in the water.” “Aciravatiyā nadiyā, bhagavā, udake kīḷante”ti.

The Buddha rebuked them … Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… “Foolish men, how can you play in water? kathañhi nāma tumhe, moghapurisā, udake kīḷissatha. 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—

Final ruling

‘If a monk plays in water, he commits an offense entailing confession.’” “Udake hasadhamme pācittiyan”ti.

Definitions

Plays in water: Udake hasadhammo nāma: if, aiming to have fun, he immerses himself or emerges on the surface or swims in water that is more than ankle deep, he commits an offense entailing confession. uparigopphake udake hasādhippāyo nimujjati vā ummujjati vā palavati vā, āpatti pācittiyassa.

Permutations

If he is playing in water, and he perceives that he is, he commits an offense entailing confession. Udake hasadhamme hasadhammasaññī, āpatti pācittiyassa. If he is playing in water, but he is unsure of it, he commits an offense entailing confession. Udake hasadhamme vematiko, āpatti pācittiyassa. If he is playing in water, but he does not perceive that he is, he commits an offense entailing confession. Udake hasadhamme ahasadhammasaññī, āpatti pācittiyassa.

If he is playing in water less than ankle deep, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Heṭṭhāgopphake udake kīḷati, āpatti dukkaṭassa.

If he is playing in a boat in water, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Udake nāvāya kīḷati, āpatti dukkaṭassa.

If he strikes the water with his hand, with his foot, with a stick, or with a stone, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Hatthena vā pādena vā kaṭṭhena vā kaṭhalāya vā udakaṁ paharati, āpatti dukkaṭassa.

If he plays with water in a vessel, or with congee, milk, buttermilk, dye, urine, or mud in a vessel, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Bhājanagataṁ udakaṁ vā kañjikaṁ vā khīraṁ vā takkaṁ vā rajanaṁ vā passāvaṁ vā cikkhallaṁ vā kīḷati, āpatti dukkaṭassa.

If he is not playing in water, but he perceives that he is, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Udake ahasadhamme hasadhammasaññī, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If he is not playing in water, but he is unsure of it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Udake ahasadhamme vematiko, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If he is not playing in water, and he does not perceive that he is, there is no offense. Udake ahasadhamme ahasadhammasaññī, anāpatti.

Non-offenses

There is no offense: Anāpatti—if he is not aiming to have fun; na hasādhippāyo, if, when there is something to be done, he enters the water and then immerses himself or emerges on the surface or swims; sati karaṇīye udakaṁ otaritvā nimujjati vā ummujjati vā palavati vā, if, while crossing a body of water, he immerses himself or emerges on the surface or swims; pāraṁ gacchanto nimujjati vā ummujjati vā palavati vā, if there is an emergency; āpadāsu, if he is insane; ummattakassa, if he is the first offender. ādikammikassāti.

The training rule on playing, the third, is finished. Hasadhammasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ tatiyaṁ.

English Translation

Pāli Text

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

53. The training rule on playing

Origin story

On one occasion when the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery, the monks from the group of seventeen were playing in the water of the river Aciravatī. Just then, while King Pasenadi of Kosala was up in his finest stilt house with Queen Mallikā, he saw the monks from the group of seventeen playing in the river. He said to Queen Mallikā, “Mallikā, these perfected ones are playing in the water.”

“Great king, no doubt the Buddha hasn’t laid down a rule. Either that, or these monks are ignorant.”

King Pasenadi thought, “How can the Buddha find out about these monks playing in the water without me telling him?”

Having sent for those monks, King Pasenadi gave them a large lump of sugar, saying, “Sirs, please give this lump of sugar to the Buddha.”

The monks took the lump of sugar, went to the Buddha, and said, “Sir, this lump of sugar is a gift from King Pasenadi.”

“But, monks, where did you see the king?”

“From the river Aciravatī, while playing in the water.”

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

Final ruling

‘If a monk plays in water, he commits an offense entailing confession.’”

Definitions

Plays in water:: if, aiming to have fun, he immerses himself or emerges on the surface or swims in water that is more than ankle deep, he commits an offense entailing confession.

Permutations

If he is playing in water, and he perceives that he is, he commits an offense entailing confession. If he is playing in water, but he is unsure of it, he commits an offense entailing confession. If he is playing in water, but he does not perceive that he is, he commits an offense entailing confession.

If he is playing in water less than ankle deep, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If he is playing in a boat in water, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If he strikes the water with his hand, with his foot, with a stick, or with a stone, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If he plays with water in a vessel, or with congee, milk, buttermilk, dye, urine, or mud in a vessel, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If he is not playing in water, but he perceives that he is, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If he is not playing in water, but he is unsure of it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If he is not playing in water, and he does not perceive that he is, there is no offense.

Non-offenses

There is no offense: if he is not aiming to have fun; if, when there is something to be done, he enters the water and then immerses himself or emerges on the surface or swims; if, while crossing a body of water, he immerses himself or emerges on the surface or swims; if there is an emergency; if he is insane; if he is the first offender.

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

Theravāda Vinaya
Mahāvibhaṅga
Pācittiyakaṇḍa
Surāpānavagga

53. Hasadhammasikkhāpada

Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tena kho pana samayena sattarasavaggiyā bhikkhū aciravatiyā nadiyā udake kīḷanti. Tena kho pana samayena rājā pasenadi kosalo mallikāya deviyā saddhiṁ uparipāsādavaragato hoti. Addasā kho rājā pasenadi kosalo sattarasavaggiye bhikkhū aciravatiyā nadiyā udake kīḷante. Disvāna mallikaṁ deviṁ etadavoca—“ete te, mallike, arahanto udake kīḷantī”ti.

“Nissaṁsayaṁ kho, mahārāja, bhagavatā sikkhāpadaṁ apaññattaṁ. Te vā bhikkhū appakataññuno”ti.

Atha kho rañño pasenadissa kosalassa etadahosi—“kena nu kho ahaṁ upāyena bhagavato ca na āroceyyaṁ, bhagavā ca jāneyya ime bhikkhū udake kīḷitā”ti?

Atha kho rājā pasenadi kosalo sattarasavaggiye bhikkhū pakkosāpetvā mahantaṁ guḷapiṇḍaṁ adāsi—“imaṁ, bhante, guḷapiṇḍaṁ bhagavato dethā”ti.

Sattarasavaggiyā bhikkhū taṁ guḷapiṇḍaṁ ādāya yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ—“imaṁ, bhante, guḷapiṇḍaṁ rājā pasenadi kosalo bhagavato detī”ti.

“Kahaṁ pana tumhe, bhikkhave, rājā addasā”ti.

“Aciravatiyā nadiyā, bhagavā, udake kīḷante”ti.

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

“Udake hasadhamme pācittiyan”ti.

Udake hasadhammo nāma: uparigopphake udake hasādhippāyo nimujjati vā ummujjati vā palavati vā, āpatti pācittiyassa.

Udake hasadhamme hasadhammasaññī, āpatti pācittiyassa. Udake hasadhamme vematiko, āpatti pācittiyassa. Udake hasadhamme ahasadhammasaññī, āpatti pācittiyassa.

Heṭṭhāgopphake udake kīḷati, āpatti dukkaṭassa.

Udake nāvāya kīḷati, āpatti dukkaṭassa.

Hatthena vā pādena vā kaṭṭhena vā kaṭhalāya vā udakaṁ paharati, āpatti dukkaṭassa.

Bhājanagataṁ udakaṁ vā kañjikaṁ vā khīraṁ vā takkaṁ vā rajanaṁ vā passāvaṁ vā cikkhallaṁ vā kīḷati, āpatti dukkaṭassa.

Udake ahasadhamme hasadhammasaññī, āpatti dukkaṭassa. Udake ahasadhamme vematiko, āpatti dukkaṭassa. Udake ahasadhamme ahasadhammasaññī, anāpatti.

Anāpatti—na hasādhippāyo, sati karaṇīye udakaṁ otaritvā nimujjati vā ummujjati vā palavati vā, pāraṁ gacchanto nimujjati vā ummujjati vā palavati vā, āpadāsu, ummattakassa, ādikammikassāti.

Hasadhammasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ tatiyaṁ.

Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law Theravāda Vinaya
The Great Analysis Mahāvibhaṅga
The chapter on offenses entailing confession Pācittiyakaṇḍa
The subchapter on drinking alcohol Surāpānavagga

53. The training rule on playing 53. Hasadhammasikkhāpada

Origin story

“But, monks, where did you see the king?” “Kahaṁ pana tumhe, bhikkhave, rājā addasā”ti.

“From the river Aciravatī, while playing in the water.” “Aciravatiyā nadiyā, bhagavā, udake kīḷante”ti.

Final ruling

‘If a monk plays in water, he commits an offense entailing confession.’” “Udake hasadhamme pācittiyan”ti.

Definitions

Plays in water: Udake hasadhammo nāma: if, aiming to have fun, he immerses himself or emerges on the surface or swims in water that is more than ankle deep, he commits an offense entailing confession. uparigopphake udake hasādhippāyo nimujjati vā ummujjati vā palavati vā, āpatti pācittiyassa.

Permutations

If he is playing in water less than ankle deep, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Heṭṭhāgopphake udake kīḷati, āpatti dukkaṭassa.

If he is playing in a boat in water, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Udake nāvāya kīḷati, āpatti dukkaṭassa.

Non-offenses

The training rule on playing, the third, is finished. Hasadhammasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ tatiyaṁ.