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B010102A5pācittiyakaṇḍaṃ (confession sutra part)

English

previously, by pulling out, by striking, the door, and with living beings. 3. The Chapter on Admonition 1. The Training Rule on Admonition 144. At that time the Buddha, the Blessed One, was dwelling in Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika's monastery. Now at that time the elder bhikkhus, when admonishing the bhikkhunīs, were obtaining gains of robes, almsfood, lodgings, requisites for the sick, and medicines. Then it occurred to the group of six monks: “Now, friends, the elder monks who instruct the bhikkhunis are recipients of robes, almsfood, lodging, medicines for the sick. Come, friends, let us too instruct the bhikkhunis.” Then the group of six monks approached the bhikkhunis and said: “You too, sisters, approach us; we too will instruct you.” Then those bhikkhunis approached the group of six monks; having approached, and having paid homage to the group of six monks, they sat down to one side. Then the group of six monks, having given the bhikkhunis only a little talk on the Dhamma, spent the day in worldly talk, and then dismissed them: “Go, sisters.” Then those bhikkhunis approached the Blessed One; having approached, and having paid homage to the Blessed One, they stood to one side. To those bhikkhunis standing to one side, the Blessed One said: “Was the instruction fruitful, bhikkhunis?” “How could the instruction be fruitful, Bhante! The venerable group of six gave only a little talk on the Dhamma, spent the day in worldly talk, and then dismissed us.” Then the Blessed One instructed, encouraged, inspired, and gladdened those bhikkhunis with a talk on the Dhamma. Then those bhikkhunis, having been instructed, encouraged, inspired, and gladdened by the Blessed One with a talk on the Dhamma, paid homage to the Blessed One, circumambulated him, and departed. Then the Blessed One, on account of this incident, on account of this matter, had the Sangha of bhikkhus convened, and questioned the group of six monks: “Is it true, monks, that you, having given the bhikkhunis only a little talk on the Dhamma, spent the day in worldly talk, and then dismissed them?” “It is true, Blessed One.” The Buddha, the Blessed One, rebuked them… “How can you, foolish men, give the bhikkhunis only a little…” but having given a Dhamma talk, you will spend the day in animal talk and then dismiss them! This is not, foolish men, for the conversion of the unconverted… having censured… having given a Dhamma talk, he addressed the bhikkhus: “I allow, bhikkhus, to appoint a bhikkhu to admonish bhikkhunis. And thus, bhikkhus, should he be appointed. First, the bhikkhu should be asked. Having asked, a competent and capable bhikkhu should inform the Sangha: 145. “May the Sangha, venerable sirs, listen to me. If it is agreeable to the Sangha, the Sangha should appoint the bhikkhu of such-and-such a name as the admonisher of bhikkhunis. This is the motion. “May the Sangha, venerable sirs, listen to me. The Sangha appoints the bhikkhu of such-and-such a name as the admonisher of bhikkhunis. To whichever venerable one the appointment of the bhikkhu of such-and-such a name as the admonisher of bhikkhunis is agreeable, he should be silent; to whom it is not agreeable, he should speak. “For a second time I speak on this matter… for a third time I speak on this matter – May the Sangha, venerable sirs, listen to me. The Sangha appoints the bhikkhu of such-and-such a name as the admonisher of bhikkhunis. To whichever venerable one the appointment of the bhikkhu of such-and-such a name as the admonisher of bhikkhunis is agreeable, he should be silent; to whom it is not agreeable, he should speak. “The bhikkhu of such-and-such a name has been appointed by the Sangha as the admonisher of bhikkhunis. It is agreeable to the Sangha, therefore it is silent, thus do I hold this.” Then the Blessed One, having censured the group of six bhikkhus in many ways for being difficult to support… And thus, bhikkhus, you should recite this training rule: 146. “Whatever bhikkhu, not appointed, admonishes bhikkhunis, it is a pacittiya.” Thus this training rule was laid down by the Blessed One for the bhikkhus. 147. Now at that time, the elder bhikkhus, being appointed, admonishing bhikkhunis, were likewise recipients of robes, almsfood, lodgings, and requisites for the sick, medicines. Then it occurred to the group of six bhikkhus: “Now, friends, the elder bhikkhus, being appointed, admonish bhikkhunis. And those who instruct likewise obtain robes, almsfood, lodgings, medicines for the sick, and requisites. "Come, friends, let us also go beyond the boundary, appoint each other as instructors of bhikkhunis, and instruct the bhikkhunis." Then the group-of-six bhikkhus went beyond the boundary, appointed each other as instructors of bhikkhunis, approached the bhikkhunis, and said this: "Sisters, we too are appointed. Approach us too. We too will instruct." Then those bhikkhunis approached the group-of-six bhikkhus; having approached, they paid homage to the group-of-six bhikkhus, and sat down to one side. Then the group-of-six bhikkhus, having given only a little talk on the Dhamma to the bhikkhunis, spent the day in worldly talk, and then dismissed them, saying: "Go, sisters." Then those bhikkhunis approached the Blessed One; having approached, they paid homage to the Blessed One, and stood to one side. As those bhikkhunis stood to one side, the Blessed One said to them: "Bhikkhunis, was the instruction fruitful?" "How, Venerable Sir, could the instruction be fruitful! The venerable group-of-six gave only a little talk on the Dhamma, spent the day in worldly talk, and then dismissed us." Then the Blessed One instructed those bhikkhunis with a Dhamma talk... (etc.) Then those bhikkhunis, instructed, encouraged, inspired, and gladdened by the Blessed One's Dhamma talk, paid homage to the Blessed One, circumambulated him, and departed. Then the Blessed One, on this occasion, on this matter, had the Bhikkhu Saṅgha assembled, and questioned the group-of-six bhikkhus: "Is it true, bhikkhus, that you, having given only a little talk on the Dhamma to the bhikkhunis, spent the day in worldly talk, and then dismissed them?" "It is true, Blessed One." The Buddha, the Blessed One, rebuked them... (etc.) "How can you, foolish men, to the bhikkhunis..." having made a righteous talk, you will spend the day with animal talk and then dismiss them! This is not, foolish men, for the conviction of the unconvinced… having censured… having made a righteous talk, he addressed the bhikkhus: “I allow, monks, a bhikkhu endowed with eight qualities to be appointed as an instructor of bhikkhunis. He is virtuous, he dwells restrained by the Patimokkha restraint, endowed with good conduct and resort, seeing danger in the slightest faults, he undertakes and trains in the training rules; he is learned, a holder of what he has heard, a collector of what he has heard, those teachings that are good in the beginning, good in the middle, good in the end, with meaning and with letter, declaring the utterly complete and purified holy life— such teachings are much heard by him, held, familiarized by speech, examined by mind, well-penetrated by view; and both Patimokkhas are well-received by him in detail, well-analyzed, well-practiced, well-determined, by sutta and by elaboration; he has good speech, he has good articulation; he is mostly dear to the bhikkhunis, and pleasing; he is capable of instructing bhikkhunis; and he has not previously transgressed a serious rule for one who has gone forth wearing the saffron robe with reference to the Buddha; he is twenty years old or more than twenty years old— I allow, monks, a bhikkhu endowed with these eight qualities to be appointed as an instructor of bhikkhunis.” 148. Whoever means whoever, of whatever kind… Bhikkhu means… This bhikkhu is intended in this context. Unappointed means not appointed by a ñatti-catuttha kamma. Bhikkhunis means those who have received upasampada in both Sanghas. Should instruct means if he instructs with the eight serious rules, there is an offense of pacittiya. If he instructs with another teaching, there is an offense of dukkata. If he instructs one who has received upasampada in one Sangha, there is an offense of dukkata. 149. That appointed bhikkhu, having swept the precinct, having prepared drinking water and food… Having arranged it, taking a second one, one should sit down. The bhikkhunīs having gone there, having saluted that bhikkhu, should sit to one side. By that bhikkhu they should be asked: "Are you in concord, sisters?" If they say, "We are in concord, venerable sir," [he should ask:] "Are the eight weighty rules being observed, sisters?" If they say, "They are being observed, venerable sir," "This, sisters, is the instruction," it should be handed over. If they say, "They are not being observed, venerable sir," they should be dismissed. "By a bhikkhunī ordained for a hundred years, salutation, rising up, the gesture of clasped hands, and proper conduct should be performed towards a bhikkhu ordained on that very day; this rule too, having been respected, regarded as weighty, honored, and revered, is not to be transgressed throughout life. A bhikkhunī should not reside during the rainy season in a dwelling where there is no bhikkhu; this rule too, having been respected, regarded as weighty, honored, and revered, is not to be transgressed throughout life. Every half-month, by a bhikkhunī, two things should be expected from the Bhikkhu Saṅgha: the asking about the Uposatha and the approach for instruction; this rule too, having been respected, regarded as weighty, honored, and revered, is not to be transgressed throughout life. Having completed the rainy season, by a bhikkhunī, the Pavāraṇā should be made before both Saṅghas in three ways: by what was seen, or by what was heard, or by what was suspected; this rule too, having been respected, regarded as weighty, honored,