Back to the library

B030108Vinayālaṅkāra ṭīkā(vinaya pitaka adornment re commentary)

English

means one should sit focusing only on the penetration of the decision, considering, "This discourse is found, in this decision, I will say this." And one should not rise from the seat, meaning one should not rise from the seat and walk around in the assembly hall. For when a Vinaya expert rises, the whole assembly rises. Therefore, one should not rise. One should not let the decision lapse. One should not follow a wrong path, meaning one should not declare an offense. One should be fearless, meaning one should not be hasty in action, one should not speak harsh words hastily. One who is patient with words means one who is accustomed to enduring harsh speech. One who seeks what is beneficial means one who is a well-wisher, a seeker of benefit, and compassion, and the precursor of compassion. "Should be established" this is the meaning in both words. "By not speaking harshly" means not with harsh speech. Harsh speech is called contentious talk, unpleasant words. The meaning is, one should not speak such words. "Oneself should be assessed" means: "Shall I be able to decide and settle this, or not?" Thus, oneself should be assessed. The meaning is, one should know one's own measure. "The other should be assessed" means: "Is this assembly modest, can it be admonished, or not?" Thus, the other should be assessed. "The accuser should be assessed" means: "Is he a righteous accuser, or not?" Thus, he should be assessed. "The accused should be assessed" means: "Is he a righteously accused person, or not?" Thus, he should be assessed. "The unrighteous accuser should be assessed" means: His measure should be known. The same method applies to the rest. "By not letting go of what has been said" means: By not letting go of the words spoken by the accuser and the accused. "By revealing what has not been said" means: By revealing a matter that has not been brought forth. "The dull-witted should be encouraged" means: The dull, confused one should be supported. By encouraging him, "Are you not a son of good family?" And making him speak the course of inquiry, His inquiry should be taken. "The timid should be reassured" means: One for whom shyness arises, Because he has not previously entered the midst of the Sangha or a group, Such a one, even by saying, "Do not fear, speak confidently, we will be your supporters," Should be made to speak the course of inquiry. "The fierce one should be restrained" means: He should be removed, he should be threatened. "The impure one should be exposed" means: By revealing the shameless one, He should be made to confess his offense. "With gentleness towards the upright" means: That monk who is upright, virtuous, Free from bodily crookedness and so on, He should be treated with gentleness alone. "Regarding principles and persons" - here, One who respects the Dhamma, not persons, This one is to be understood as impartial regarding both principles and persons. The rest is easily understood. Thus, in the Vinayālaṅkāra, Which is a commentary on the Vinayasaṅgaha, Named "The Ornament of Discourses on Deciding Accusations and So On," The thirty-first chapter. 32. Discourse on Deciding the Arising from Grave Offenses. Concealed. Account of Probation 236. Having thus explained the determination of accusations and so on, now, in order to explain the determination of rising from a grave offense, he says, "rising from a grave offense," and so on. There, "grave" (garu) means that for this offense, the remedy is not light. "Offense" (āpatti) means that which is to be incurred. That which is grave and an offense is a grave offense (garukāpatti). "Rising" (vuṭṭhāna) means to rise. Rising from a grave offense is "garukāpatti vuṭṭhāna." What is that? It is the state of purity from a Saṅghādisesa offense. Therefore, he says, "rising from a grave offense by means of disciplinary acts such as probation and mānatta." Although probation is of four kinds, the unconcealed probation is not intended here, so he says, "probation is of three kinds." For it is said in the Samantapāsādikā (Cūḷava. Aṭṭha. 75): "There, probation is of four kinds – unconcealed probation, concealed probation, pure probation, and combined probation. Among these, 'Monks, whoever, being formerly of another sect, desires ordination and higher ordination in this Dhamma and Vinaya, to him probation for four months should be given' – this probation for sectarians, mentioned in the Mahākhandhaka (Mahāva. 86), is called unconcealed probation. What is to be said there, has already been said. But this is not intended here." What follows is easily understood by the method stated in the commentary, therefore we will explain only the difficult points. 237. Thus, whoever has incurred an offense, for each of them, taking their name, the formal act (kammavācā) should be performed. By this, even though in the Pāḷi, generally, it is stated as "May the Saṅgha, venerable sirs, listen to me, this monk of such-and-such a name" and "If it is agreeable to the Saṅgha, the Saṅgha (gives probation) to this monk of such-and-such a name," at the time of reciting the formal act, one should not say it that way, but rather, by mentioning their own name, such as "this monk Buddharakkhita" and "to this monk Buddharakkhita," the formal act should be performed. This is what it shows. The observance should be undertaken only within the boundary (sīmā) of the chapter house (māḷaka). Not outside of it. Why? "Except..." then the formal act elsewhere to undertake, from the fault of being spoken. Because the announcement of an unundertaken practice is impossible, and because if even one monk among those assembled in the chapter house is not informed, there is a break in the night. "I undertake the probation," "I undertake the practice," with one of these two phrases, or with both phrases, it should be undertaken. How is this understood? If it is said, "Even with one phrase, the probation is well established, but with two, it is very well established; the same method applies to undertaking," as will be stated. Having undertaken it, it should be announced to the Sangha right there; one should not go elsewhere without announcing it there. Why? Because it is difficult to reassemble the dispersed assembly, and because if even one monk is not informed and the dawn breaks, it causes a break in the night. The connection is: "One announcing should announce thus." "Venerable Sir, I... (etc.)... May the Sangha uphold it." Having said only this much, as in a request, since "a second time, a third time" is not said, it should be understood that even if announced once, when there is an urgent matter, it is valid. In "Venerable Sir, I make known, may the Sangha uphold me as one who makes known," it is said in the Sāratthadīpanī, "The meaning is: 'I experience happiness by accepting with the mind, and I am not suffering because of that.'" Here, the word "pi" (vedemi) has the meaning of experiencing, as in "I experience happiness, feeling." However, in the Vajirabuddhiṭīkā, it is stated, "It is written: 'The meaning of "vediyāmi" is "I know"; I experience happiness by accepting with the mind, and I am not suffering because of that.'" Here, however, it has the meaning of knowledge and experience, as in "Dīpaṅkara, the knower of the world." In the Vimativinodanī, it is said, "The meaning of 'vediyāmaham' is 'I make known, I announce'; they also say its meaning is 'I experience.' But they praise the former, because it is a word of announcement." Here, however – "Perfected rice..." O brahmin, the field, Parrots eat it, brahmin. I inform you, brahmin, I cannot stop them. This is to be understood as for the purpose of informing, like in the beginning. Having informed… and so on… it should be laid aside, this is said for the purpose of removing a dukkaṭa offence. Some say, "It is also for the purpose of avoiding the cutting of the night for one who wishes to undertake the observance again at that very time and to make the dawn rise." For one whose residence has not been informed, it should be informed and laid aside. For one whose residence has been informed, there is no need to inform again, it should merely be laid aside. Since it is said, "monks who are of the same group reside," it should be understood that it is permissible to perform the observance outside, without undertaking it in a place where those of a different group reside. "Having gone beyond two stone-throws," this is said for the purpose of avoiding the vicinity where monks' sounds of chanting, etc., can be heard in the monastery. "Having turned off the main road," this is for the purpose of going beyond the vicinity where monks on the path can be heard. "By a bush," etc., is for the purpose of avoiding the vicinity where one can be seen. "If he goes early before dawn for some work," this shows that even if all monks go outside the monastery after the informing has been done, there is no fault of an incomplete group or of separation, because the co-residence is for the purpose of informing. Therefore, it is said, "And this," etc. For all who have entered the vicinity without having laid aside the observance, it must be informed. It is said, "This is the protection for one who has laid aside the observance," there, "for one who has laid aside the observance" means for one who resides having laid aside the observance. This is the elder's intention here – for one who resides having laid aside the observance, there is no need to inform everyone who has entered the vicinity; those who have been seen or whose voices have been heard should be informed; and those who have not been seen or heard but are within twelve cubits should also be informed. This is the characteristic of one who resides having laid aside the observance. "Of the elder" refers to the Elder Mahāpaduma. 238.