Light/Dark

Vinaya Piṭaka - Monastic Rules

Bhikkhu Vibhaṅga - Sekhiya 69: Not to teach the dhamma to someone sitting at a higher level unless they are ill.

Origin story

1At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery. At that time the monks from the group of six were sitting on low seats while giving teachings to people sitting on high seats.

2The monks of few desires complained and criticized them, “How can the monks from the group of six sit on low seats while giving teachings to people sitting on high seats?” …

“Is it true, monks, that you do this?”


“It’s true, Sir.”

The Buddha rebuked them … “Foolish men, how can you do this? This will affect people’s confidence …” After rebuking them … he gave a teaching and addressed the monks:

3“Once upon a time in Bārāṇasī, monks, there was a low-caste man whose wife became pregnant. She said to him, ‘I’m pregnant. I crave mangoes.’

‘But there are no mangoes. It’s the wrong season.’

‘If I don’t get any, I’ll die.’


At that time the king had a mango tree that was always bearing fruit. Then that low-caste man went to that mango tree, climbed it, and hid himself. Just then the king and his brahmin counselor went to that same mango tree. There the king sat on a high seat while learning the Vedas. The low-caste man thought:


‘How wrong-headed this king is, in that he sits on a high seat while learning the Vedas. And the brahmin is wrong-headed too, in that he sits on a low seat while teaching the Vedas to one sitting on a high seat. And I’m wrong-headed too, in that I steal mangoes from the king because of a woman. This is all so low!’ And he fell out of the tree right there.


4The low-caste man says:

‘Neither understands what is good,
Neither sees the Truth:
Not he who teaches the Vedas,
Nor he who learns improperly.’

5The brahmin replies:

‘I’ve eaten the finest rice,
With a curry of pure meat:
Therefore I’m not practicing the Teaching,
The Teaching praised by the Noble Ones.’

The low-caste man replies in turn:

6‘A curse it is the obtaining of wealth,
And so is becoming popular, brahmin;
These things come with a low rebirth,
Or with wrong-headed behavior.

7‘Go forth, great brahmin,
Other beings will do the cooking;
Don’t go against the Teaching,
Because you’ll break like a jar.’

8Even at that time, monks, I was displeased by someone teaching the Vedas while sitting on a low seat to someone sitting on a high seat. How, then, could it not be displeasing now? This will affect people’s confidence …” … “And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

Final ruling

9‘“I will not give a teaching while sitting on a low seat to anyone sitting on a high seat who is not sick,” this is how you should train.’”

10One should not give a teaching while sitting on a low seat to anyone sitting on a high seat who is not sick. If a monk, out of disrespect, gives a teaching while sitting on a low seat to someone sitting on a high seat who is not sick, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

Non-offenses

11There is no offense: if it is unintentional; if he is not mindful; if he does not know; if he is sick; if there are dangers; if he is insane; if he is the first offender.


12The ninth training rule is finished.

 

1p_2V_2045, msdiv646Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tena kho pana samayena chabbaggiyā bhikkhū nīce āsane nisīditvā ucce āsane nisinnassa dhammaṁ desenti.

2p_2V_2046Ye te bhikkhū appicchā … pe … te ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti: "Kathañhi nāma chabbaggiyā bhikkhū nīce āsane nisīditvā ucce āsane nisinnassa dhammaṁ desessantī"ti … pe …

"Saccaṁ kira tumhe, bhikkhave, nīce āsane nisīditvā ucce āsane nisinnassa dhammaṁ desethā"ti?


"Saccaṁ, bhagavā"ti.

Vigarahi buddho bhagavā … pe … kathañhi nāma tumhe, moghapurisā, nīce āsane nisīditvā ucce āsane nisinnassa dhammaṁ desessatha. Netaṁ, moghapurisā, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya … pe … vigarahitvā … pe … dhammiṁ kathaṁ katvā bhikkhū āmantesi:

3p_2V_2047, msdiv647"Bhūtapubbaṁ, bhikkhave, bārāṇasiyaṁ aññatarassa chapakassa pajāpati gabbhinī ahosi. Atha kho, bhikkhave, sā chapakī taṁ chapakaṁ etadavoca: ‘gabbhinīmhi, ayyaputta. Icchāmi ambaṁ khāditun’ti.

‘Natthi ambaṁ, akālo ambassā’ti. ‘Sace na labhissāmi marissāmī’ti.


Tena kho pana samayena rañño ambo dhuvaphalo hoti. Atha kho, bhikkhave, so chapako yena so ambo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ ambaṁ abhiruhitvā nilīno acchi. Atha kho, bhikkhave, rājā purohitena brāhmaṇena saddhiṁ yena so ambo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā ucce āsane nisīditvā mantaṁ pariyāpuṇāti. Atha kho, bhikkhave, tassa chapakassa etadahosi—


‘Yāva adhammiko ayaṁ rājā, yatra hi nāma ucce āsane nisīditvā mantaṁ pariyāpuṇissati. Ayañca brāhmaṇo adhammiko, yatra hi nāma nīce āsane nisīditvā ucce āsane nisinnassa mantaṁ vācessati. Ahañcamhi adhammiko, yohaṁ itthiyā kāraṇā rañño ambaṁ avaharāmi. Sabbamidaṁ carimaṁ katan’ti tattheva paripati.


  

4p_2V_2048‘Ubho atthaṁ na jānanti,
ubho dhammaṁ na passare;
Yo cāyaṁ mantaṁ vāceti,
yo cādhammenadhīyati’.

  

5p_2V_2049‘Sālīnaṁ odano bhutto,
sucimaṁsūpasecano;
Tasmā dhamme na vattāmi,
dhammo ariyebhi vaṇṇito’.

  

6p_2V_2050‘Dhiratthu taṁ dhanalābhaṁ,
yasalābhañca brāhmaṇa;
Yā vutti vinipātena,
adhammacaraṇena vā.

7p_2V_2051Paribbaja mahābrahme,
pacantaññepi pāṇino;
Mā tvaṁ adhammo ācarito,
asmā kumbhamivābhidā’ti.

8p_2V_2052Tadāpi me, bhikkhave, amanāpā nīce āsane nisīditvā ucce āsane nisinnassa mantaṁ vācetuṁ, kimaṅgaṁ pana etarahi na amanāpā bhavissati nīce āsane nisīditvā ucce āsane nisinnassa dhammaṁ desetuṁ. Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya … pe … evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—

 

9p_2V_2053"Na nīce āsane nisīditvā ucce āsane nisinnassa agilānassa dhammaṁ desessāmīti sikkhā karaṇīyā" ti.

10p_2V_2054Na nīce āsane nisīditvā ucce āsane nisinnassa agilānassa dhammo desetabbo. Yo anādariyaṁ paṭicca nīce āsane nisīditvā ucce āsane nisinnassa agilānassa dhammaṁ deseti, āpatti dukkaṭassa.

 

11p_2V_2055Anāpatti— asañcicca … pe … ādikammikassāti.


12p_2V_2056Navamasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.