- Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law Theravāda Vinaya
- The Great Analysis Mahāvibhaṅga
- The chapter on offenses entailing confession Pācittiyakaṇḍa
- The subchapter on containing living beings Sappāṇakavagga
62. The training rule on containing living beings 62. Sappāṇakasikkhāpada
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 using water that they knew contained living beings. Tena kho pana samayena chabbaggiyā bhikkhū jānaṁ sappāṇakaṁ udakaṁ paribhuñjanti.
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 use water that they know contains living beings?” … “kathañhi nāma chabbaggiyā bhikkhū jānaṁ sappāṇakaṁ udakaṁ paribhuñjissantī”ti …pe… “Is it true, monks, that you do this?” “saccaṁ kira tumhe, bhikkhave, jānaṁ sappāṇakaṁ udakaṁ paribhuñjathā”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, jānaṁ sappāṇakaṁ udakaṁ paribhuñjissatha. 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 uses water that he knows contains living beings, he commits an offense entailing confession.’” “Yo pana bhikkhu jānaṁ sappāṇakaṁ udakaṁ paribhuñjeyya, 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.
- He knows: Jānāti nāma
- he knows by himself or others have told him. sāmaṁ vā jānāti, aññe vā tassa ārocenti. If he uses it, knowing that it contains living beings and knowing that they will die if the water is used, he commits an offense entailing confession. “Sappāṇakan”ti jānanto, “paribhogena marissantī”ti jānanto paribhuñjati, āpatti pācittiyassa.
Permutations
If it contains living beings, and he perceives it as such, and he uses it, he commits an offense entailing confession. Sappāṇake sappāṇakasaññī paribhuñjati, āpatti pācittiyassa. If it contains living beings, but he is unsure of it, and he uses it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Sappāṇake vematiko paribhuñjati, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If it contains living beings, but he does not perceive it as such, and he uses it, there is no offense. Sappāṇake appāṇakasaññī paribhuñjati, anāpatti.
If it does not contain living beings, but he perceives it as such, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Appāṇake sappāṇakasaññī, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If it does not contain living beings, but he is unsure of it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Appāṇake vematiko, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If it does not contain living beings, and he does not perceive it as such, there is no offense. Appāṇake appāṇakasaññī, anāpatti.
Non-offenses
There is no offense: Anāpatti—if he does not know that it contains living beings; “sappāṇakan”ti ajānanto, if he knows that it does not contain living beings; “appāṇakan”ti jānanto, if he uses it knowing that they will not die; “paribhogena na marissantī”ti jānanto paribhuñjati, if he is insane; ummattakassa, if he is the first offender. ādikammikassāti.
The training rule on containing living beings, the second, is finished. Sappāṇakasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ dutiyaṁ.