True DhammaLibrary · Community
Bu Pc 492 min read

49. Staying more than three days with an army

Senāvāsa

A monk who stays with an army for more than three nights must confess the offense.

Translated by Bhikkhu Brahmali · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

  • 0.1Theravāda VinayaTheravāda Collection on Monastic Law
  • 0.2MahāvibhaṅgaThe Great Analysis
  • 0.3PācittiyakaṇḍaThe chapter on offenses entailing confession
  • 0.4AcelakavaggaThe subchapter on naked ascetics

0.549. SenāvāsasikkhāpadaStaying more than three days with an army

1.0Origin story

1.1PTS 4.106Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.On one occasion when the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery,1.2Tena kho pana samayena chabbaggiyā bhikkhū sati karaṇīye senaṁ gantvā atirekatirattaṁ senāya vasanti.the monks from the group of six went to the army on some business, and they stayed there for more than three nights.1.3Manussā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—People complained and criticized them,1.4“kathañhi nāma samaṇā sakyaputtiyā senāya vasissanti.“How can the Sakyan monastics stay with the army?1.5Amhākampi alābhā, amhākampi dulladdhaṁ, ye mayaṁ ājīvassa hetu puttadārassa kāraṇā senāya paṭivasāmā”ti.It’s our misfortune that we must stay with the army for the sake of our livelihoods and because of our wives and children.”

1.6Assosuṁ kho bhikkhū tesaṁ manussānaṁ ujjhāyantānaṁ khiyyantānaṁ vipācentānaṁ.The monks heard the complaints of those people,1.7Ye te bhikkhū appicchā …pe… te ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—and the monks of few desires complained and criticized those monks,1.8“kathañhi nāma chabbaggiyā bhikkhū atirekatirattaṁ senāya vasissantī”ti …pe…“How could the monks from the group of six stay with the army for more than three nights?” …1.9“saccaṁ kira tumhe, bhikkhave, atirekatirattaṁ senāya vasathā”ti?“Is it true, monks, that you did this?”

1.10“Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.“It’s true, sir.”

1.11Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe…The Buddha rebuked them …1.12kathañhi nāma tumhe, moghapurisā, atirekatirattaṁ senāya vasissatha.“Foolish men, how could you do this?1.13Netaṁ, moghapurisā, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe…This will affect people’s confidence …” …1.14evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—“And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

1.15.0Final ruling

1.15.1“Siyā ca tassa bhikkhuno kocideva paccayo senaṁ gamanāya, dirattatirattaṁ tena bhikkhunā senāya vasitabbaṁ. Tato ce uttari vaseyya, pācittiyan”ti.‘If that monk has a reason for going to the army, he may stay with the army for two or three nights. If he stays longer than that, he commits an offense entailing confession.’”

2.1.0Definitions

2.1.1Siyā ca tassa bhikkhuno kocideva paccayo senaṁ gamanāyātiIf that monk has a reason for going to the army:
2.1.2siyā paccayo siyā karaṇīyaṁ.if he has a reason, if he has something to do.
2.1.3Dirattatirattaṁ tena bhikkhunā senāya vasitabbantiHe may stay with the army for two or three nights:
2.1.4dvetisso rattiyo vasitabbaṁ.he may stay for two or for three nights.
2.1.5Tato ce uttari vaseyyātiIf he stays longer than that:
2.1.6catutthe divase atthaṅgate sūriye senāya vasati, āpatti pācittiyassa.if he is staying with the army at sunset on the fourth day, he commits an offense entailing confession.

2.2.0Permutations

2.2.1Atirekatiratte atirekasaññī senāya vasati, āpatti pācittiyassa.If it is more than three nights, and he perceives it as more, and he is staying with the army, he commits an offense entailing confession.2.2.2Atirekatiratte vematiko senāya vasati, āpatti pācittiyassa.If it is more than three nights, but he is unsure of it, and he is staying with the army, he commits an offense entailing confession.2.2.3Atirekatiratte ūnakasaññī senāya vasati, āpatti pācittiyassa.If it is more than three nights, but he perceives it as less, and he is staying with the army, he commits an offense entailing confession.

2.2.4Ūnakatiratte atirekasaññī, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If it is less than three nights, but he perceives it as more, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.2.5Ūnakatiratte vematiko, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If it is less than three nights, but he is unsure of it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.2.6Ūnakatiratte ūnakasaññī, anāpatti.If it is less than three nights, and he perceives it as less, there is no offense.

2.3.0Non-offenses

2.3.1PTS 4.107Anāpatti—There is no offense:2.3.2dvetisso rattiyo vasati,if he stays for two or three nights;2.3.3ūnakadvetisso rattiyo vasati,if he stays for less than two or three nights;2.3.4dve rattiyo vasitvā tatiyāya rattiyā purāruṇā nikkhamitvā puna vasati,if he stays for two nights, then leaves before dawn on the third night, and then stays again;2.3.5gilāno vasati,if he stays because he is sick;2.3.6gilānassa karaṇīyena vasati,if he stays because he has to take care of someone who is sick;2.3.7senā vā paṭisenāya ruddhā hoti,if the army is obstructed by an enemy army;2.3.8kenaci palibuddho hoti,if he is obstructed from leaving;2.3.9āpadāsu,if there is an emergency;2.3.10ummattakassa,if he is insane;2.3.11ādikammikassāti.if he is the first offender.

2.3.12Senāvāsasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ navamaṁ.The training rule on staying more than three days with an army, the ninth, is finished.