Origin story

1At one time when the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery, the monks from the group of six were instructing lay followers to memorize the Teaching. Those lay followers became disrespectful, undeferential, and rude toward the monks.

The monks of few desires complained and criticized them, “How can the monks from the group of six instruct lay followers to memorize the Teaching?”

2After rebuking those monks in many ways, they told the Buddha. Soon afterwards he had the Sangha gathered and questioned the monks: “Is it true, monks, that you do this?”

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“It’s true, Sir.”

The Buddha rebuked them … “Foolish men, how can you do this?” This will affect people’s confidence …” … “And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

Final ruling

3‘If a monk instructs a person who is not fully ordained to memorize the Teaching, he commits an offense entailing confession.’”

Definitions

4A: whoever … Monk: … The monk who has been given the full ordination by a unanimous Sangha through a legal procedure consisting of one motion and three announcements that is irreversible and fit to stand—this sort of monk is meant in this case.

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5A person who is not fully ordained: anyone except a fully ordained monk or a fully ordained nun.

6To memorize: a line, the next line, syllable by syllable, the next phrase.

7A line: they start together and finish together. The next line: one of them starts, but they finish together. Syllable by syllable: when ‘Rūpaṁ aniccaṁ’ is being said, he prompts him, saying, ‘rū’. The next phrase: when ‘Rūpaṁ aniccaṁ,’ is being said, the other says, ‘Vedanā aniccā.’

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8And whatever line there is, whatever next line, whatever syllable by syllable, whatever next phrase—this is all called “to memorize”.

9The Teaching: 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 Teaching.

10Instructs: if he instructs by the line, then for every line he commits an offense entailing confession. If he instructs by the syllable, then for every syllable he commits an offense entailing confession.

Permutations

11If the person is not fully ordained, and the monk does not perceive them as such, and he instructs them to memorize the Teaching, he commits an offense entailing confession. If the person is not fully ordained, but the monk is unsure of it, and he instructs them to memorize the Teaching, he commits an offense entailing confession. If the person is not fully ordained, but the monk perceives them as such, and he instructs them to memorize the Teaching, he commits an offense entailing confession.

12If the person is fully ordained, but the monk does not perceive them as such, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If the person is fully ordained, but the monk is unsure of it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If the person is fully ordained, and the monk perceives them such, there is no offense.

Non-offenses

13There is no offense: if they recite together; if they practice 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 training rule on memorizing the Teaching, the fourth, is finished.

 

1p_2V_150, msdiv44Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tena kho pana samayena chabbaggiyā bhikkhū upāsake padaso dhammaṁ vācenti. Upāsakā bhikkhūsu agāravā appatissā asabhāgavuttikā viharanti.

Ye te bhikkhū appicchā … pe … te ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti: "Kathañhi nāma chabbaggiyā bhikkhū upāsake padaso dhammaṁ vācessanti. Upāsakā bhikkhūsu agāravā appatissā asabhāgavuttikā viharantī"ti.

2p_2V_151Atha kho te bhikkhū chabbaggiye bhikkhū anekapariyāyena vigarahitvā bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ … pe … "Saccaṁ kira tumhe, bhikkhave, upāsake padaso dhammaṁ vācetha; upāsakā bhikkhūsu agāravā appatissā asabhāgavuttikā viharantī"ti?

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"Saccaṁ, bhagavā"ti.

Vigarahi buddho bhagavā … pe … kathañhi nāma tumhe, moghapurisā, upāsake padaso dhammaṁ vācessatha. Upāsakā bhikkhūsu agāravā appatissā asabhāgavuttikā viharanti. Netaṁ, moghapurisā, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya pasannānaṁ vā bhiyyobhāvāya … pe … evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—

 

3p_2V_152, msdiv45"Yo pana bhikkhu anupasampannaṁ padaso dhammaṁ vāceyya pācittiyan" ti. (4:53)

 

4p_2V_153, msdiv46Yo panā'ti yo yādiso … pe … bhikkhū'ti … pe … ayaṁ imasmiṁ atthe adhippeto bhikkhūti.

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5p_2V_154Anupasampanno nāma bhikkhuñca bhikkhuniñca ṭhapetvā avaseso anupasampanno nāma.

6p_2V_155Padaso nāma padaṁ, anupadaṁ, anvakkharaṁ, anubyañjanaṁ.

7p_2V_156Padaṁ nāma ekato paṭṭhapetvā ekato osāpenti. Anupadaṁ nāma pāṭekkaṁ paṭṭhapetvā ekato osāpenti. Anvakkharaṁ nāma "rūpaṁ aniccan"ti vuccamāno, "run"ti opāteti. Anubyañjanaṁ nāma "rūpaṁ aniccan"ti vuccamāno, "vedanā aniccā"ti saddaṁ nicchāreti.

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8p_2V_157Yañca padaṁ, yañca anupadaṁ, yañca anvakkharaṁ, yañca anubyañjanaṁ— sabbametaṁ padaso nāma.

9p_2V_158Dhammo nāma buddhabhāsito, sāvakabhāsito, isibhāsito, devatābhāsito, atthūpasañhito, dhammūpasañhito.

10p_2V_159Vāceyyā'ti padena vāceti, pade pade āpatti pācittiyassa. Akkharāya vāceti, akkharakkharāya āpatti pācittiyassa.

 

11p_2V_160, msdiv47Anupasampanne anupasampannasaññī padaso dhammaṁ vāceti, āpatti pācittiyassa. Anupasampanne vematiko padaso dhammaṁ vāceti, āpatti pācittiyassa. Anupasampanne upasampannasaññī padaso dhammaṁ vāceti, āpatti pācittiyassa.

12p_2V_161Upasampanne anupasampannasaññī, āpatti dukkaṭassa. Upasampanne vematiko, āpatti dukkaṭassa. Upasampanne upasampannasaññī, anāpatti.

 

13p_2V_162, msdiv48Anāpatti— ekato uddisāpento, ekato sajjhāyaṁ karonto, yebhuyyena paguṇaṁ ganthaṁ bhaṇantaṁ opāteti, osārentaṁ opāteti, ummattakassa, ādikammikassāti.

14p_2V_163Padasodhammasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ catutthaṁ.