Vinaya Pitaka - Monastic Rules

Bhikkhu Vibhanga - Pācittiya 62: Not to use water containing living beings.

  • Translated from the Pali by I.B. Horner.

… at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove in Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time the group of six monks knowingly made use of water that contained living things. Those who were modest monks … spread it about, saying:

"How can this group of six monks knowingly make use of water that contains living things?" …

"Is it true, as is said, that you, monks, knowingly made use of water that contained living things?"

"It is true, lord."

The enlightened one, the lord, rebuked them, saying:

"How can you, foolish men, knowingly make use of water that contains living things? It is not, foolish men, for pleasing those who are not (yet) pleased … And thus, monks, this rule of training should be set forth:


"Whatever monk should knowingly make use of water that contains living things, there is an offence of expiation."

Whatever means: … monk is to be understood in this case.

He knows means: he knows by himself or others tell him.

That contains living things means: if, knowing (this), he makes use of it knowing that "they will die from (this) use," there is an offence of expiation.

If he thinks that it contains living things when it contains living things (and) makes use of it, there is an offence of expiation. If he is in doubt as to whether it contains living things (and) makes use of it, there is an offence of wrong-doing. If he thinks that it does not contain living things when it contains living things (and) makes use of it, there is no offence. If he thinks that it contains living things when it does not contain living things, there is an offence of wrong-doing. If he is in doubt as to whether it does not contain living things, there is an offence of wrong-doing. If he thinks that it does not contain living things when it does not contain living things, there is no offence.


There is no offence if he makes use of it not knowing that it contains living things, knowing that it does not contain living things, knowing that they will not die from this use; if he is mad, if he is the first wrongdoer.

The Second

1 tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṃ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. tena kho pana samayena chabbaggiyā bhikkhū jānaṃ sappāṇakaṃ udakaṃ paribhuñjanti.

2 ye te bhikkhū appicchā … pe …   te ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—  "kathañhi nāma chabbaggiyā bhikkhū jānaṃ sappāṇakaṃ udakaṃ paribhuñjissantī"ti … pe …   "saccaṃ kira tumhe, bhikkhave, jānaṃ sappāṇakaṃ udakaṃ paribhuñjathā"ti? "saccaṃ, bhagavā"ti. vigarahi buddho bhagavā … pe …   kathañhi nāma tumhe, moghapurisā, jānaṃ sappāṇakaṃ udakaṃ paribhuñjissatha. netaṃ, moghapurisā, appasannānaṃ vā pasādāya … pe …   evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṃ sikkhāpadaṃ uddiseyyātha— 


3 "yo pana bhikkhu jānaṃ sappāṇakaṃ udakaṃ paribhuñjeyya, pācittiyan"ti. (62:111)

4 yo panāti yo yādiso … pe … bhikkhūti … pe …   ayaṃ imasmiṃ atthe adhippeto bhikkhūti.

5 jānāti nāma sāmaṃ vā jānāti, aññe vā tassa ārocenti. "sappāṇakan"ti jānanto, "paribhogena marissantī"ti jānanto paribhuñjati, āpatti pācittiyassa.

6 sappāṇake sappāṇakasaññī paribhuñjati, āpatti pācittiyassa. sappāṇake vematiko paribhuñjati, āpatti dukkaṭassa. sappāṇake appāṇakasaññī paribhuñjati, anāpatti. appāṇake sappāṇakasaññī, āpatti dukkaṭassa. appāṇake vematiko, āpatti dukkaṭassa. appāṇake appāṇakasaññī, anāpatti.


7 anāpatti—  "sappāṇakan"ti ajānanto, "appāṇakan"ti jānanto, "paribhogena na marissantī"ti jānanto paribhuñjati, ummattakassa, ādikammikassāti.

8 sappāṇakasikkhāpadaṃ niṭṭhitaṃ dutiyaṃ.