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73. Deception

Mohana

A monk who deceptively claims that he did not know a rule in the monastic code 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
  • 0.4SahadhammikavaggaThe subchapter on legitimate correction

0.573. MohanasikkhāpadaDeception

1.0Origin story

1.1Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.At one time when the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery,1.2Tena kho pana samayena chabbaggiyā bhikkhū anācāraṁ ācaritvā “aññāṇakena āpannāti jānantū”ti pātimokkhe uddissamāne evaṁ vadanti—the monks from the group of six were misbehaving. They said to each other, “Let’s make the other monks think that we committed these offenses because we didn’t know the rules.” Then, during the recitation of the Monastic Code, they said,1.3“idāneva kho mayaṁ jānāma, ayampi kira dhammo suttāgato suttapariyāpanno anvaddhamāsaṁ uddesaṁ āgacchatī”ti.“Just now did we find out that this rule too is included in the Monastic Code and comes up for recitation every half-month.”

1.4Ye te bhikkhū appicchā …pe… te ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—The monks of few desires complained and criticized them,1.5“kathañhi nāma chabbaggiyā bhikkhū pātimokkhe uddissamāne evaṁ vakkhanti—“How could the monks from the group of six say this during the recitation of the Monastic Code?” …1.6‘idāneva kho mayaṁ jānāma, ayampi kira dhammo suttāgato suttapariyāpanno anvaddhamāsaṁ uddesaṁ āgacchatī’”ti …pe…1.7“saccaṁ kira tumhe, bhikkhave, pātimokkhe uddissamāne evaṁ vadetha—“Is it true, monks, that you said this?”1.8‘idāneva kho mayaṁ jānāma, ayampi kira dhammo suttāgato suttapariyāpanno anvaddhamāsaṁ uddesaṁ āgacchatī’”ti?

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

1.10Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe…The Buddha rebuked them …1.11kathañhi nāma tumhe, moghapurisā, pātimokkhe uddissamāne evaṁ vakkhatha—“Foolish men, how could you say this during the recitation of the Monastic Code?1.12‘idāneva kho mayaṁ jānāma, ayampi kira dhammo suttāgato suttapariyāpanno anvaddhamāsaṁ uddesaṁ āgacchatī’ti.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“Yo pana bhikkhu anvaddhamāsaṁ pātimokkhe uddissamāne evaṁ vadeyya—‘During the half-monthly recitation of the Monastic Code, a monk might say,1.16‘idāneva kho ahaṁ jānāmi, ayampi kira dhammo suttāgato suttapariyāpanno anvaddhamāsaṁ uddesaṁ āgacchatī’ti.“Just now did I find out that this rule too has come down in the Monastic Code, is included in the Monastic Code, and comes up for recitation every half-month.”1.17Tañce bhikkhuṁ aññe bhikkhū jāneyyuṁ nisinnapubbaṁ iminā bhikkhunā dvattikkhattuṁ pātimokkhe uddissamāne, ko pana vādo bhiyyo, na ca tassa bhikkhuno aññāṇakena mutti atthi, yañca tattha āpattiṁ āpanno tañca yathādhammo kāretabbo, uttari cassa moho āropetabbo—If other monks know that that monk has previously sat through at least two or three recitations of the Monastic Code, then that monk is not let off because of ignorance, and he is to be dealt with according to the rule. Further, he should be charged with deception:1.18‘tassa te, āvuso, alābhā, tassa te dulladdhaṁ, yaṁ tvaṁ pātimokkhe uddissamāne na sādhukaṁ aṭṭhiṁ katvā manasi karosī’ti.“It’s a loss for you that you don’t pay proper attention during the recitation of the Monastic Code.”1.19Idaṁ tasmiṁ mohanake pācittiyan”ti.And for the act of deception, he commits an offense entailing confession.’”

2.1.0Definitions

2.1.1PTS 4.145Yo panātiA:
2.1.2yo yādiso …pe…whoever …
2.1.3bhikkhūtiMonk:
2.1.4…pe… ayaṁ imasmiṁ atthe adhippeto bhikkhūti.… 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.
2.1.5AnvaddhamāsantiHalf-monthly:
2.1.6anuposathikaṁ.on every observance day.
2.1.7Pātimokkhe uddissamānetiDuring the recitation of the Monastic Code:
2.1.8uddisante.during the reciting.
2.1.9Evaṁ vadeyyātiMight say:
2.1.10anācāraṁ ācaritvā—after misbehaving, he thinks,2.1.11“aññāṇakena āpannoti jānantū”ti pātimokkhe uddissamāne evaṁ vadeti—“Let them think that I committed these offenses because I didn’t know the rules.” If, during the recitation of the Monastic Code, he then says,2.1.12“idāneva kho ahaṁ jānāmi, ayampi kira dhammo suttāgato suttapariyāpanno anvaddhamāsaṁ uddesaṁ āgacchatī”ti, āpatti dukkaṭassa.“Just now did I find out that this rule too has come down in the Monastic Code, is included in the Monastic Code, and comes up for recitation every half-month,” then he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

2.1.13Tañce mohetukāmaṁ bhikkhuṁ aññe bhikkhū jāneyyuṁ nisinnapubbaṁ iminā bhikkhunā dvattikkhattuṁ pātimokkhe uddissamāne, ko pana vādo bhiyyo, na ca tassa bhikkhuno aññāṇakena mutti atthi, yañca tattha āpattiṁ āpanno, tañca yathādhammo kāretabbo, uttari cassa moho āropetabbo.If other monks know that the monk who wants to deceive has previously sat through at least two or three recitations of the Monastic Code, then that monk is not let off because of ignorance, and he is to be dealt with according to the rule. Further, he should be charged with deception.

2.1.14“Evañca pana, bhikkhave, āropetabbo.“And, monks, he is to be charged like this.2.1.15Byattena bhikkhunā paṭibalena saṅgho ñāpetabbo—A competent and capable monk should inform the Sangha:

2.1.16‘Suṇātu me, bhante, saṅgho.‘Please, venerables, I ask the Sangha to listen.2.1.17Ayaṁ itthannāmo bhikkhu pātimokkhe uddissamāne na sādhukaṁ aṭṭhiṁ katvā manasi karoti.Monk so-and-so did not pay proper attention during the recitation of the Monastic Code.2.1.18Yadi saṅghassa pattakallaṁ, saṅgho itthannāmassa bhikkhuno mohaṁ āropeyya.If the Sangha is ready, it should charge monk so-and-so with deception.2.1.19Esā ñatti.This is the motion.

2.1.20Suṇātu me, bhante, saṅgho.Please, venerables, I ask the Sangha to listen.2.1.21Ayaṁ itthannāmo bhikkhu pātimokkhe uddissamāne na sādhukaṁ aṭṭhiṁ katvā manasi karoti.Monk so-and-so did not pay proper attention during the recitation of the Monastic Code.2.1.22Saṅgho itthannāmassa bhikkhuno mohaṁ āropeti.The Sangha charges monk so-and-so with deception.2.1.23Yassāyasmato khamati itthannāmassa bhikkhuno mohassa āropanā, so tuṇhassa;Any monk who approves of charging monk so-and-so with deception should remain silent.2.1.24yassa nakkhamati, so bhāseyya.Any monk who doesn’t approve should speak up.

2.1.25Āropito saṅghena itthannāmassa bhikkhuno moho.The Sangha has charged monk so-and-so with deception.2.1.26Khamati saṅghassa, tasmā tuṇhī, evametaṁ dhārayāmī’”ti.The Sangha approves and is therefore silent. I will remember it thus.’”

2.1.27Anāropite mohe moheti, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If he deceives, but he has not been charged with deception, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.1.28Āropite mohe moheti, āpatti pācittiyassa.If he deceives, and he has been charged with deception, he commits an offense entailing confession.

2.2.0Permutations

2.2.1Dhammakamme dhammakammasaññī moheti, āpatti pācittiyassa.If it is a legitimate legal procedure, and he perceives it as legitimate, and he deceives, he commits an offense entailing confession.2.2.2Dhammakamme vematiko moheti, āpatti pācittiyassa.If it is a legitimate legal procedure, but he is unsure of it, and he deceives, he commits an offense entailing confession.2.2.3Dhammakamme adhammakammasaññī moheti, āpatti pācittiyassa.If it is a legitimate legal procedure, but he perceives it as illegitimate, and he deceives, he commits an offense entailing confession.

2.2.4Adhammakamme dhammakammasaññī, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If it is an illegitimate legal procedure, but he perceives it as legitimate, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.2.5Adhammakamme vematiko, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If it is an illegitimate legal procedure, but he is unsure of it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.2.6Adhammakamme adhammakammasaññī, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If it is an illegitimate legal procedure, and he perceives it as such, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

2.3.0Non-offenses

2.3.1Anāpatti—There is no offense:2.3.2na vitthārena sutaṁ hoti,if he has not heard it in full; 2.3.3ūnakadvattikkhattuṁ vitthārena sutaṁ hoti,if he has heard it fewer than two or three times in full; 2.3.4na mohetukāmassa,if he does not want to deceive; 2.3.5ummattakassa,if he is insane; 2.3.6ādikammikassāti.if he is the first offender.

2.3.7Mohanasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ tatiyaṁ.The training rule on deception, the third, is finished.