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Brethren ! This assembly is pure ! Silently, therefore, ye stand ! So let it be ! Brethren ! I now proceed to recite the 13 Sang-ka- hi-shi-sha Rules. THE THIETEEN SANGHADISESA KULES. {Suspension and Penance) . 1. If a Bikshu by pampering lustful thoughts be con- quered by them, except in his dreams, let him be suspended (Sang-ka-hi-shi-sha) . 2. If a Bikshu, encouraging lustful desires, bring his body into contact with that of a woman, whatever part of her body it be, let him be suspended (Sang-ka-hi-shi sha). 3. If a Bikshu, encouraging lustful thoughts, talk lewdly with a woman, let him be suspended (Sang-ka-hi-shi-sha). 4. If a Bikshu, encouraging lustful thoughts, pampering his body, say, in the presence of a woman, " Honourable sister, I am preparing myself by the purest Rule, hold- ing the precepts in their fullest perfection, preparing my- self in the law of perfect virtue, which admits of holding these laws of lustful desires, (come) minister to me \" and being thus ministered to by the woman, let him be suspended and undergo the highest penance. 5. If a Bikshu, in his journey ings, busy himself as a matchmaker between this one and another, and being the messenger of a man, talk with the woman on these points, or being the messenger of a woman, talk with the man on this subject ; and if he thus complete arrangements so that there SCRIPTURES FROM THE CHINESE. 211 be intercourse between the two, whether for marriage or the occasion only, let him be suspended. 6. If a Bikshu seek to get a house for himself, without a householder, on his own account alone, he must take care to observe the proper measurements ; the mean measure- ments are these, 12 of Buddha's spans in length, and within, 7 of these spans broad. He ought also to take the body of the Bikshus, to mark out the position of the place given (i. e., to consecrate the site), in doing which they must observe the character of the place, that it be not either dangerous of appi'oach or difficult of access ; if the Bikshu, notwithstanding the illegal position, still build his house, or if he take not the Bikshus to inspect it, or if it exceed the lawful measurement, let him be suspended. 7. If a Bikshu desire to construct a large house^ with a proprietor, but for himself, he ought to take certain of the Bikshus to inspect the character of the site, to see that it is a place without any difficulty of approach, and not in a dangerous neighbourhood; if he do not observe these regulations, let him be suspended. 8. If a Bikshu, from the blind effects of angry resentment, vilify a Bikshu (as worthy of being) Po-lo-i {i. e., guilt}^ of a crime meriting expulsion), whereas his assertion is mere slander, wishing to remove that man from his purity, and at another time, solicited or not, he confess that his charge resulted from anger, let him be suspended. 9. If a Bikshu, because he is angry, take an idea from a different subject, and slander a Bikshu as fit to be excom- municated, without cause, and if at another time, solicited or not, he confess that he did so through anger, let him be suspended.^ ^ That is, a Vihara. Tlie small house is for the residence of a single priest, built partly by his own labour, and partly by subscription, and not vested in any proprietor ; it is therefore said to be " without a house- hold" (assamikan, in the PaU). The Vihara, or large house, is built by proprietors, and is therefore called " sassaniikan" in the Pali. ^ The history of this enactment and the previous one is as follows : — p2 212 A CATENA OF BUDDHIST 10. If a Bikshu, wishing to break the harmony among the community, plot and consider how to accomphsh this, firmly holding to his intention and not relinquishing it, another Bikshu (acquainted with his purpose), ought to expostulate with him and say, " Brother ! do not inter- rupt the harmony of the assembly ! do not devise ex- pedients for this purpose ! do not consider the best means of doing this mischief ! holding to it and persevering in it. Brother ! There ought to be harmony in the community, peace and not wrangling, as the learner of one master; agreeing, as milk combines with water; so combining in the law of Buddha ! There is profit and rest in so doing !" If the (wicked) Bikshu, at the time of being thus exhorted, still keep to his purpose, and relinquish it not, the other must expostulate three times, in order to induce the first to lay aside his purpose ; if, after the third warning, he give up his intention, it is well ! but if not, let him be suspended. 11. If a Bikshu have formed a cabal, say of one, two, or three, or more (brothers), and if he shall thus address the other (who has been expostulating with some offender), " Brother, do not chide this Bikshu, he is a good man, and speaks according to the law and precepts. What he says I and others approve of and rejoice at." Then the first shall reply, expostulating, thus, " Brother ! say not so ! say not that this Bikshu is in agreement with the law and precepts ; say not you approve and rejoice at what he says, for in truth this Bikshu is an opposer of the Law in saying what he does ; he is a transgressor of the precepts ! Brother ! do not desire thus to break the harmony of the community ! you A certain priest wishing to ruin the character of another, had brought a charge of incontinence against liiin, but had failed to effect his object. One day, as he was walking with some of his fellow priests, they passed a flock of goats, on which he said, " We will give to that he-goat the name of the priest, and to that she-goat the name of the woman, and then we can say that we really saw an act of sin taking place between them." He did so; but when the case was investigated the e(|uivocation was discovered, and the enactment made of wMch we are speaking. (Gogcrly.) SCRIPTURES FROM THE CHINESE. 213 ought, indeed, to rejoice at, and desire to see harmony amongst the brethren. Brother ! amongst priests there should be peace and not wrangling ! learners of one master, as milk mingles with water, so should it be in the law of Buddha, having peace there is great prosperity !" If, at the time of this warning, the other still hold his resolve, let the expostulation be repeated three times, &c. ; if he hear, well ! if not, let him be suspended ! 12. If a Bikshu, depending on (or attached to) a certain village (or, it may be, " an assembly of priests"), live (in a fixed habitation) in a city or town, and pollute the house in which he lives, walking disorderly, so that all see it and hear it, all the Bikshus ought to converse with this Bikshu, and say, " Brother ! you have polluted the family in which you reside ; your conduct is disorderly ; all men see it, and talk of it. Now, you are able to leave this monastery (assembly) and go elsewhere ; you may not live in this community." These Bikshus so speaking, and that one replying, " Brothers ! this community is one-sided (through love), is full of anger, wishes to terrify, is foolish ; there are other priests guilty of this same fault, some ai-e ex- pelled, and some not." Then all the Bikshus, chiding him, shall say, "Brother! say not so, that in this community there are priests of such character, whereas it is not the case. Brother, it is your disorderly conduct which all men see and talk about (that is the cause of our speaking as we do)." Thus if he, at the time of this warning, still hold his opinion, let it be repeated three times ; if he retract and repent, well ! if not, let him be suspended. 13. If a Bikshu, of a bad disposition, will not bear being spoken to, according to the direction of the law of pi-ecepts, and if, when all the Bikshus have expostulated with him on this account, he reply, " Brother, do not talk thus at me ! whether I am right or wrong ! I also will say nothing to you, whether right or wrong. Brother, be agreed (or satisfied), do not find fault !" Those Biskshus, addressing him, shall say, " Brother ! refuse not to receive our appeal ! 214 A CATENA OP BUDDHIST a brother ought to receive the word of (kind) expostulation. Brother ! as the law corrects all the Bikshus, so would all the Bikshus, according to the law, expostulate with our brother. So the disciples of Buddha shall all receive profit, correcting each other in turn for their faults, and mutually inviting each other to further repentance.