- Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law Theravāda Vinaya
- The Great Analysis Mahāvibhaṅga
- The chapter on offenses entailing confession Pācittiyakaṇḍa
- The subchapter on legitimately Sahadhammikavagga
72. The training rule on annoyance 72. Vilekhanasikkhāpada
Origin story
At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery. Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. At that time the Buddha gave many talks about the Monastic Law, spoke in praise of the Monastic Law and of learning the Monastic Law, and repeatedly praised Venerable Upāli. Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā bhikkhūnaṁ anekapariyāyena vinayakathaṁ katheti, vinayassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, vinayapariyattiyā vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, ādissa ādissa āyasmato upālissa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati. When the monks heard this, they thought, Bhikkhūnaṁ etadahosi—“bhagavā kho anekapariyāyena vinayakathaṁ katheti, vinayassa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, vinayapariyattiyā vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati, ādissa ādissa āyasmato upālissa vaṇṇaṁ bhāsati. “Well then, let’s learn the Monastic Law from Venerable Upāli.” And many monks, both senior and junior, as well as those of middle standing, learned the Monastic Law from Upāli. Handa mayaṁ, āvuso, āyasmato upālissa santike vinayaṁ pariyāpuṇāmā”ti, te ca bahū bhikkhū therā ca navā ca majjhimā ca āyasmato upālissa santike vinayaṁ pariyāpuṇanti.
The monks from the group of six Atha kho chabbaggiyānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ etadahosi—considered this and thought, “etarahi kho, āvuso, bahū bhikkhū therā ca navā ca majjhimā ca āyasmato upālissa santike vinayaṁ pariyāpuṇanti. “If these monks become well-versed in the Monastic Law, they’ll boss us around as they like. Sace ime vinaye pakataññuno bhavissanti amhe yenicchakaṁ yadicchakaṁ yāvadicchakaṁ ākaḍḍhissanti parikaḍḍhissanti. So let’s disparage the Monastic Law.” Handa mayaṁ, āvuso, vinayaṁ vivaṇṇemā”ti.
They went to the other monks and said, Atha kho chabbaggiyā bhikkhū bhikkhū upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ vadanti—“What’s the point of reciting these minor training rules, when they just lead to anxiety, oppression, and annoyance?” “kiṁ panimehi khuddānukhuddakehi sikkhāpadehi uddiṭṭhehi, yāvadeva kukkuccāya vihesāya vilekhāya saṁvattantī”ti.
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 disparage the Monastic Law?” … “kathañhi nāma chabbaggiyā bhikkhū vinayaṁ vivaṇṇessantī”ti …pe… “Is it true, monks, that you do this?” “saccaṁ kira tumhe, bhikkhave, vinayaṁ vivaṇṇethā”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, vinayaṁ vivaṇṇessatha. 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
‘When the Monastic Code is being recited, if a monk says, “What’s the point of reciting these minor training rules, when they just lead to anxiety, oppression, and annoyance?” then in disparaging the training rules, he commits an offense entailing confession.’” “Yo pana bhikkhu pātimokkhe uddissamāne evaṁ vadeyya—‘kiṁ panimehi khuddānukhuddakehi sikkhāpadehi uddiṭṭhehi, yāvadeva kukkuccāya vihesāya vilekhāya saṁvattantī’ti, sikkhāpadavivaṇṇake 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.
- When the Monastic Code is being recited: Pātimokkhe uddissamāneti
- when reciting it, when having it recited, or when practicing it. uddisante vā uddisāpente vā sajjhāyaṁ vā karonte.
- Says: Evaṁ vadeyyāti—
- “What’s the point of reciting these minor training rules, when they just lead to anxiety, oppression, and annoyance?” “kiṁ panimehi khuddānukhuddakehi sikkhāpadehi uddiṭṭhehi, yāvadeva kukkuccāya vihesāya vilekhāya saṁvattantī”ti. If he disparages the Monastic Law to one who is fully ordained, saying, “Those who learn this will be anxious,” “They will feel oppressed,” “They will be annoyed;” “Those who don’t learn this won’t be anxious,” “They won’t feel oppressed,” “They won’t be annoyed;” “It’s better left unrecited,” “It’s better left unlearned,” “It’s better left unstudied,” “It’s better left unmastered;” “May the Monastic Law disappear, or may these monks remain ignorant,” then he commits an offense entailing confession. “Ye imaṁ pariyāpuṇanti tesaṁ kukkuccaṁ hoti, vihesā hoti, vilekhā hoti, ye imaṁ na pariyāpuṇanti tesaṁ kukkuccaṁ na hoti vihesā na hoti vilekhā na hoti. Anuddiṭṭhaṁ idaṁ varaṁ, anuggahitaṁ idaṁ varaṁ, apariyāpuṭaṁ idaṁ varaṁ, adhāritaṁ idaṁ varaṁ, vinayo vā antaradhāyatu, ime vā bhikkhū appakataññuno hontū”ti upasampannassa vinayaṁ vivaṇṇeti, āpatti pācittiyassa.
Permutations
If he disparages the Monastic Law to one who is fully ordained, and he perceives them as fully ordained, he commits an offense entailing confession. Upasampanne upasampannasaññī vinayaṁ vivaṇṇeti, āpatti pācittiyassa. If he disparages the Monastic Law to one who is fully ordained, but he is unsure of it, he commits an offense entailing confession. Upasampanne vematiko vinayaṁ vivaṇṇeti, āpatti pācittiyassa. If he disparages the Monastic Law to one who is fully ordained, but he does not perceive them as fully ordained, he commits an offense entailing confession. Upasampanne anupasampannasaññī vinayaṁ vivaṇṇeti, āpatti pācittiyassa.
If he disparages some other rule, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Aññaṁ dhammaṁ vivaṇṇeti, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If he disparages the Monastic Law or some other rule to one who is not fully ordained, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Anupasampannassa vinayaṁ vā aññaṁ vā dhammaṁ vivaṇṇeti, āpatti dukkaṭassa.
If it is to one who is not fully ordained, but he perceives them as such, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Anupasampanne upasampannasaññī, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If it is to one who is not fully ordained, but he is unsure of it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Anupasampanne vematiko, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If it is to one who is not fully ordained, and he does not perceive them as such, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Anupasampanne anupasampannasaññī, āpatti dukkaṭassa.
Non-offenses
There is no offense: Anāpatti—if, not desiring to disparage, he says, “Listen, learn discourses or verses or philosophy, and later you can learn the Monastic Law;” na vivaṇṇetukāmo, “iṅgha tvaṁ suttante vā gāthāyo vā abhidhammaṁ vā pariyāpuṇassu, pacchā vinayaṁ pariyāpuṇissasī”ti bhaṇati, if he is insane; ummattakassa, if he is the first offender. ādikammikassāti.
The training rule on annoyance, the second, is finished. Vilekhanasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ dutiyaṁ.