Vinaya Pitaka - Monastic Rules
Bhikkhu Vibhanga - Pācittiya 4: The Training Rule on Dhamma by the Line.
- Translated from the Pali by Brahmali Bhikkhu.
Origin story
1
At one time the Buddha, the Master, was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery. At that time monks from the group of six were teaching lay disciple Dhamma line by line. Those lay disciples became disrespectful, undeferential, and rude towards the monks.
The monks of few desires … complained and criticised them: “How can those monks from the group of six teach lay disciples Dhamma line by line, those lay disciples becoming disrespectful, undeferential, and rude towards the monks?"
2 After criticising those monks in many ways, they informed the Master. … “Is it true, monks, that you are doing this?" “It’s true, Master." The Buddha, the Master, criticised them: “ … Foolish men, how can you teach lay disciples Dhamma line by line, those lay disciples becoming disrespectful, undeferential, and rude towards the monks? This will not give rise to confidence in those without it, nor increase the confidence of those who have it … And, monks, this training rule should be recited thus:
Final ruling
3 “If a monk teaches a person who is not fully ordained to memorise the Dhamma, he commits an offence entailing confession."
Definitions
4 A: whoever … Monk: … The monk who is ordained by a complete Sangha through a procedure of one motion and three announcements, which is unchallengeable and fit to stand; this sort of monk is meant in this case.
5 A person who is not fully ordained: anyone except a fully ordained monk and a fully ordained nun.
6 To memorise: a line, the next line, syllable by syllable, the next phrase.
7 A line: they start together and finish together. The next line: they start individually, but finish together. Syllable by syllable: when ‘rūpaṃ aniccaṃ’ is being said, he prompts him, saying, ‘rū’. The next phrase: when ‘rūpaṃ aniccaṃ,’ is being said, the other says, ‘vedanā aniccā’.
8 And whatever line there is, whatever next line, whatever syllable by syllable, whatever next phrase: this is all called to memorise.
9 The Dhamma: what has been spoken by the Buddha, what has been spoken by disciples, what has been spoken by sages, what has been spoken by gods, what is connected with what is beneficial, what is connected with the Dhamma.
10Teaches: if he teaches by the line, then for every line he commits an offence entailing confession. If he teaches by the syllable, then for every syllable he commits an offence entailing confession.
Permutations
11If it is a person who is not fully ordained, and the monk perceives them as not fully ordained, and he teaches them to memorise Dhamma, he commits an offence entailing confession. If it is a person who is not fully ordained, but the monk has doubts about it, and he teaches them to memorise Dhamma, he commits an offence entailing confession. If it is a person who is not fully ordained, but the monk perceives them as fully ordained, and he teaches them to memorise Dhamma, he commits an offence entailing confession.
12If it is a person who is fully ordained, but the monk perceives them as not fully ordained, he commits an offence of bad conduct. If it is a person who is fully ordained, but the monk has doubts about it, he commits an offence of bad conduct. If it is a person who is fully ordained, and the monk perceives them as fully ordained, there is no offence.
Non-offences
13There is no offence: if he causes a recitation together; if they practise together; if he prompts one who is speaking a mostly familiar text; if he prompts one who is reciting; if he is insane; if he is the first offender.
14The fourth rule, the training rule on Dhamma by the line, is finished.
1 tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṃ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. tena kho pana samayena chabbaggiyā bhikkhū upāsake padaso dhammaṃ vācenti. upāsakā bhikkhūsu agāravā appatissā asabhāgavuttikā viharanti. ye te bhikkhū appicchā … pe … te ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti— "kathañhi nāma chabbaggiyā bhikkhū upāsake padaso dhammaṃ vācessanti. upāsakā bhikkhūsu agāravā appatissā asabhāgavuttikā viharantī"ti.
2 atha kho te bhikkhū chabbaggiye bhikkhū anekapariyāyena vigarahitvā bhagavato etamatthaṃ ārocesuṃ … pe … "saccaṃ kira tumhe, bhikkhave, upāsake padaso dhammaṃ vācetha; upāsakā bhikkhūsu agāravā appatissā asabhāgavuttikā viharantī"ti? "saccaṃ, bhagavā"ti. vigarahi buddho bhagavā … pe … kathañhi nāma tumhe, moghapurisā, upāsake padaso dhammaṃ vācessatha. upāsakā bhikkhūsu agāravā appatissā asabhāgavuttikā viharanti. netaṃ, moghapurisā, appasannānaṃ vā pasādāya pasannānaṃ vā bhiyyobhāvāya … pe … evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṃ sikkhāpadaṃ uddiseyyātha—
3 "yo pana bhikkhu anupasampannaṃ padaso dhammaṃ vāceyya pācittiyan"ti. (4:53)
4 yo panāti yo yādiso … pe … bhikkhūti … pe … ayaṃ imasmiṃ atthe adhippeto bhikkhūti.
5 anupasampanno nāma bhikkhuñca bhikkhuniñca ṭhapetvā avaseso anupasampanno nāma.
6 padaso nāma padaṃ, anupadaṃ, anvakkharaṃ, anubyañjanaṃ.
7 padaṃ nāma ekato paṭṭhapetvā ekato osāpenti. anupadaṃ nāma pāṭekkaṃ paṭṭhapetvā ekato osāpenti. anvakkharaṃ nāma "rūpaṃ aniccan"ti vuccamāno, "run"ti opāteti. anubyañjanaṃ nāma "rūpaṃ aniccan"ti vuccamāno, "vedanā aniccā"ti saddaṃ nicchāreti.
8 yañca padaṃ, yañca anupadaṃ, yañca anvakkharaṃ, yañca anubyañjanaṃ— sabbametaṃ padaso nāma.
9 dhammo nāma buddhabhāsito, sāvakabhāsito, isibhāsito, devatābhāsito, atthūpasañhito, dhammūpasañhito.
10 vāceyyāti padena vāceti, pade pade āpatti pācittiyassa. akkharāya vāceti, akkharakkharāya āpatti pācittiyassa.
11 anupasampanne anupasampannasaññī padaso dhammaṃ vāceti, āpatti pācittiyassa. anupasampanne vematiko padaso dhammaṃ vāceti, āpatti pācittiyassa. anupasampanne upasampannasaññī padaso dhammaṃ vāceti, āpatti pācittiyassa.
12 upasampanne anupasampannasaññī, āpatti dukkaṭassa. upasampanne vematiko, āpatti dukkaṭassa. upasampanne upasampannasaññī, anāpatti.
13 anāpatti— ekato uddisāpento, ekato sajjhāyaṃ karonto, yebhuyyena paguṇaṃ ganthaṃ bhaṇantaṃ opāteti, osārentaṃ opāteti, ummattakassa, ādikammikassāti.