the 92 pācittiyas (8)

pācittiya 71

"yo pana bhikkhu bhikkhūhi sahadhammikaṃ vuccamāno evaṃ vadeyya "na tāvāhaṃ āvuso etasmiṃ sikkhāpade sikkhissāmi, yāva na aññaṃ bhikkhu byattaṃ vinayadhara paripucchāmī" ti, pācittiyaṃ. sikkhamānena bhikkhave bhikkhunā aññātabbaṃ paripucchitabbaṃ pariñhatabbaṃ ayaṃ tattha sāmīci."

Not to look for pretexts to disregard the rules of the pātimokkha. If a bhikkhu who is heard by the bhikkhus who live with him making suggestions about shortcomings concerning a rule of conduct, replies that he will not apply that rule until being informed by a bhikkhu expert on the vinaya, he commits a pācittiya.

Every bhikkhu must see to it that he acquires proper knowledge of the pātimokkha rules in order to train himself correctly. It is only the effort of such a training that determines the quality of a bhikkhu.

In contrast to the pācittiya 54, discussed above, the pācittiya 71 is committed when a bhikkhu gives an excuse to avoid following a rule. When using these excuses, the bhikkhu commits a pācittiya with every sentence pronounced to justify his exemption from obeying a rule.

pācittiya 72

"yo pana bhikkhu pātimokkhe uddissamāne evaṃ vadeyya "kiṃ panimehi khuddānukhuddakehi sikkhāpadehi uddiṭṭhehi, yāvadeva kukkuccāya vihesāya vilekhāya saṃttantī" ti, sikkhāpadaviṇṇake pācittiyaṃ."

Not to denigrate the rules of the pātimokkha. When the bhikkhus review, analyse or discuss aspects of the vinaya, a bhikkhu must not say that the minor rules are of little interest, or that they are taken to extremes, or that he never worries about knowing whether such action is correct or not, nor that it is painful to have to memorise it all, or that he is plagued having to learn them. If a bhikkhu denigrates the vinaya by any statements whatsoever, showing a hostile state of mind, he commits a pācittiya.

By denigrating aspects of the vinaya, a bhikkhu commits a pācittiya. By denigrating aspects of the suttanta or of the abhidhamma, he commits a dukkaṭa.

pācittiya 73

"yo pana bhikkhu anvaddhamāsaṃ pātimokkhe uddissamāne evaṃ vadeyya "idāneva kho ahaṃ jānāmi, ayampi kira dhammo suttāgato suttapariyāpanno anvaddhamāsaṃ uddesaṃ āgacchatī" ti. tañce bhikkhuṃ aññe bhikkhū jāneyyuṃ nisinnapubbaṃ iminā bhikkhunā dvattikkhattuṃ pātimokkhe uddissamāne, ko pana vādo bhiyyo, na ca tassa bhikkhuno aññāṇakena mutti atti, yañca tattha āpattiṃ āpanno, tañca yathādhammo kāretabbo, uttari cassa moho āropetabbo "tassa te āvuso alābhā, tassa te dulladdhaṃ, yaṃtvaṃ pātimokkhe uddissamāne na sādhukaṃ aṭṭhiṃ katvā manasi karosī" ti, idaṃ tasmiṃ mohanake pācittiyaṃ."

Not to pretend not knowing a rule of conduct. During the uposatha, if a bhikkhu pretends to discover a pātimokkha rule, affirming that he had not known it until that moment, when he has already participated at least twice in the pātimokkha recitation, he must be reprimanded. After having expiated his fault, this bhikkhu must be reprimanded in front of the saṃgha, who will formally establish his grasping of this rule by means of the ñatti kammavācā. After this, if the bhikkhu again pretends not to know this rule, he commits the pācittiya 73.

Whether he knows a rule or not, a bhikkhu is never exonerated from the offences he commits. Whatever the offence, whether it is committed willingly or not, it must always be purified in accordance with the vinaya. By ignoring the rules of the pātimokkha, a bhikkhu could easily be lead to commit a very large number of offences.

When it is recited, the pātimokkha must be listened to in a proper manner and with full concentration, for it to be beneficial. Only a bad bhikkhu does not pay attention to this recitation.

Remarks: Nowadays, only rare bhikkhus can understand the recitation of the pātimokkha because it is given only in Pali. For this reason, each bhikkhu must study it in a language that he understands in order to know the rules he is obliged to obey.

pācittiya 74

"yo pana bhikkhu bhikkhussa kupito anattamano pahāraṃ dadeyya, pācittiyaṃ."

Not to hit another bhikkhu. If a bhikkhu, under the effects of anger, or being disturbed, makes an act of violence towards another bhikkhu, he commits a pācittiya.

If through an act of violence, a bhikkhu kills another bhikkhu unintentionally, he does not commit the pārājika 3 but only the pācittiya 74. If, under the effects of anger, a bhikkhu hits a sāmaṇera, a lay person or an animal, he commits a dukkaṭa. If a bhikkhu strikes to protect himself from a danger threatening him, he does not commit an offence.

pācittiya 75

"yo pana bhikkhu bhikkhussa kupito anattamano talasattikaṃ uggireyya, pācittiyaṃ."

Not to make a threatening gesture suggesting that he is about to strike. If, under the effects of anger, or being disturbed, a bhikkhu rises his hands towards another bhikkhu in a threatening way, he commits a pācittiya.

Without having the intention to strike, if a bhikkhu makes a threatening gesture towards another bhikkhu, whether with the hand, foot, knee, or any other part of his body, with a weapon or any other object, even if this is as much as a lotus leaf, he commits the pācittiya 75.

By making a threatening gesture towards a sāmaṇera, a lay person or an animal, a bhikkhu commits a dukkaṭa. If a bhikkhu makes a threatening gesture to protect himself from an impending danger, he does not commit a fault.

If by making a threatening gesture without having any intention to hit, a bhikkhu accidentally kills somebody, he does not commit the pārājika 3 but only the pācittiya 75. If, under the effects of anger, a bhikkhu makes a threatening gesture towards a sāmaṇera, a lay person, or an animal, he commits a dukkaṭa.

pācittiya 76

"yo pana bhikkhu bhikkhuṃ amūlakena saṃghādisesena anuddhaṃseyya, pācittiyaṃ."

Not to accuse a bhikkhu of saṃghādisesa without foundation. If, without any foundation – when he has not seen or heard anything –, a bhikkhu makes an defamatory act towards another bhikkhu, accusing him of having committed a saṃghādisesa, he commits a pācittiya.

Under the same conditions, by accusing a bhikkhu of having committed an offence of lesser gravity, a bhikkhu commits a dukkaṭa. By accusing a bhikkhu of pārājika without foundation, a bhikkhu commits the saṃghādisesa 8.

By accusing without foundation a sāmaṇera or a lay person of having committed any offence, a bhikkhu commits a dukkaṭa.

pācittiya 77

"yo pana bhikkhu bhikkhussa sañcicca kukkuccaṃ uppādeyya "itissa muhuttampi aphāsu bhavissatī" ti etadeva accayaṃ karitvā anaññaṃ, pācittiyaṃ."

Not to arouse remorse, doubts or anguish in another bhikkhu's mind. If, with spitefulness or out of mischief, a bhikkhu unjustifiably tries to arouse doubts, remorse, fear or anguish in another bhikkhu's, in such a way as to effectively provoke torment in the latter, even for a single instant, he commits a pācittiya.

Naturally, if a bhikkhu arouses remorse, doubt or anguish in another bhikkhu's mind by notifying him of a real fact, without any mischievousness in his intention, he does not commit a fault.

A bhikkhu commits a pācittiya with every phrase pronounced with the aim of unjustifiably inducing doubts, remorse or anguish in another bhikkhu. By doing the same thing to a sāmaṇera or a lay person, a bhikkhu commits a dukkaṭa.

pācittiya 78

"yo pana bhikkhu bhikkhunūnaṃ bhaṇḍanajātānaṃ kalahajātānaṃ vivādāpannānaṃ upassutiṃ tiṭṭheyya "yaṃime bhaṇissanti, taṃ sossāmī" ti etadeva paccayaṃ karitvā anaññaṃ, pācittiyaṃ."

Not to eavesdrop on a conflict between bhikkhus. If, by approaching or remaining in a certain place, a bhikkhu hides to eavesdrop on the words of bhikkhus, with whom he is in disagreement, speaking with each other – in a lowered voice or in private –, so as to listen for no other reason than to spy on what they say, he commits a pācittiya.

If, with a beneficial intention, a bhikkhu hides to spy on the words of other bhikkhus, telling himself: "I will try to resolve this dispute", he does not commit a fault.

pācittiya 79

"yo pana bhikkhu dhammikānaṃ kammānaṃ chandaṃ datvā pacchā khīyanadhammaṃ āpajjeyya, pācittiyaṃ."

Not to contest a decision taken after having given one's agreement (chanda). After a decision has been taken in conformity with the rules of the vinaya and on which a bhikkhu has delivered his agreement (chanda), if he later contests this decision, he commits a pācittiya.

pācittiya 80

"yo pana bhikkhu saṃghe vinicchayakathāya vattamānāya chandaṃ adatvā uṭāyāsanā pakkameyya, pācittiyaṃ."

Not to absent oneself without having given agreement (chanda), during a meeting of the saṃgha. When the saṃgha meets to discuss an issue, where he proceeds to reading the ñatti kammavācā to take a decision, if a bhikkhu leaves this meeting during the discussion – before any decision is taken –, without having given his chanda, he commits a pācittiya.

If, in the case of an irregular issue (treated in contravention with the vinaya), in the case of a health problem or any other reason of this type, a bhikkhu leaves a meeting of the saṃgha before a decision is taken, whether he has given his chanda or not, he does not commit an offence.

pācittiya 81

"yo pana bhikkhu samaggena saṃghena cīvaraṃ datvā pacchā khīyanadhammaṃ āpajjeyya "yathāsantutaṃ bhikkhū saṃghikaṃ lābhaṃ pariṇāmentī" ti, pācittiyaṃ."

Not to accuse a bhikkhu of assigning a robe belonging to the saṃgha according to favouritism. Once the saṃgha has reached agreement to assign a robe – that has been offered to the saṃgha – to a bhikkhu, if a bhikkhu criticises those who distribute the things of the saṃgha by saying that this is done by favouritism, he commits a pācittiya.

If a bhikkhu criticises a bhikkhu who has given a robe to another bhikkhu saying that he was designated by the others to obtain this robe, or if it is something other than a robe, he commits a dukkaṭa.

pācittiya 82

"yo pana bhikkhu jānaṃ saṃghikaṃ lābhaṃ pariṇataṃ puggalassa pariṇāmeyya, pācittiyaṃ."

Not to make a gift originally destined to the saṃgha to be offered to another person. Knowing that a dāyaka intends to make a gift to the saṃgha, if a bhikkhu incites or suggests him to destine this offering to another person of his designation, he commits a pācittiya.

By transferring a gift to someone other than himself, a bhikkhu commits the pācittiya 82. If he has had it offered to himself, he commits la nissaggiya 30. When a bhikkhu designates a person to whom address a gift in order to misappropriate it, he commits the pācittiya 82, even if the donor refuses to listen.