0.1Theravāda VinayaTheravāda Collection on Monastic Law
0.2MahāvibhaṅgaThe Great Analysis
0.3PācittiyakaṇḍaThe chapter on offenses entailing confession
0.4SahadhammikavaggaThe subchapter on legitimate correction

0.578. UpassutisikkhāpadaEavesdropping

1.0Origin story

1.1PTS 4.150Tena 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 pesalehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ bhaṇḍanti.the monks from the group of six were arguing with the good monks.1.3Pesalā bhikkhū evaṁ vadanti—The good monks said,1.4“alajjino ime, āvuso, chabbaggiyā bhikkhū.“These monks from the group of six are shameless;1.5Na sakkā imehi saha bhaṇḍitun”ti.it’s not possible to argue with them.”

1.6Chabbaggiyā bhikkhū evaṁ vadanti—And the monks from the group of six said,1.7“kissa tumhe, āvuso, amhe alajjivādena pāpethā”ti?“Why are you slandering us by calling us shameless?”

1.8“Kahaṁ pana tumhe, āvuso, assutthā”ti?“How did you know?”

1.9“Mayaṁ āyasmantānaṁ upassutiṁ tiṭṭhamhā”ti.“We were eavesdropping on you.”

1.10Ye te bhikkhū appicchā …pe… te ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—The monks of few desires complained and criticized them,1.11“kathañhi nāma chabbaggiyā bhikkhū bhikkhūnaṁ bhaṇḍanajātānaṁ kalahajātānaṁ vivādāpannānaṁ upassutiṁ tiṭṭhissantī”ti …pe…“How could the monks from the group of six eavesdrop on monks they are arguing and disputing with?” …¹1.12“saccaṁ kira tumhe, bhikkhave, bhikkhūnaṁ bhaṇḍanajātānaṁ kalahajātānaṁ vivādāpannānaṁ upassutiṁ tiṭṭhathā”ti?“Is it true, monks, that you did this?”

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

1.14Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe…The Buddha rebuked them …1.15kathañhi nāma tumhe, moghapurisā, bhikkhūnaṁ bhaṇḍanajātānaṁ kalahajātānaṁ vivādāpannānaṁ upassutiṁ tiṭṭhissatha.“Foolish men, how could you do this?1.16Netaṁ, moghapurisā, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe…This will affect people’s confidence …” …1.17evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—“And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

1.18.0Final ruling

1.18.1“Yo pana bhikkhu bhikkhūnaṁ bhaṇḍanajātānaṁ kalahajātānaṁ vivādāpannānaṁ upassutiṁ tiṭṭheyya—‘yaṁ ime bhaṇissanti taṁ sossāmī’ti etadeva paccayaṁ karitvā anaññaṁ, pācittiyan”ti.‘If a monk eavesdrops on monks who are arguing and disputing, thinking, “I’ll hear what they say,” and he does so only for this reason and no other, he commits an offense entailing confession.’”

2.1.0Definitions

2.1.1Yo 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.
2.1.5BhikkhūnantiOn monks:: 2.1.6aññesaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ.on other monks.
2.1.7Bhaṇḍanajātānaṁ kalahajātānaṁ vivādāpannānantiWho are arguing and disputing:: 2.1.8adhikaraṇajātānaṁ.who are engaged in a legal issue.
2.1.9Upassutiṁ tiṭṭheyyātiEavesdrops:: 2.1.10“imesaṁ sutvā codessāmi sāressāmi paṭicodessāmi paṭisāressāmi maṅkū karissāmī”ti gacchati, āpatti dukkaṭassa.if he is on his way to eavesdrop, thinking, “After hearing what they say, I’ll accuse them,” “… I’ll remind them,” “… I’ll counter accuse them,” “… I’ll counter remind them,” “… I’ll humiliate them,” he commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.1.11Yattha ṭhito suṇāti, āpatti pācittiyassa.Wherever he stands to listen, he commits an offense entailing confession.2.1.12Pacchato gacchanto turito gacchati sossāmīti, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If he is walking behind someone, and he speeds up with the intention to eavesdrop, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.1.13Yattha ṭhito suṇāti, āpatti pācittiyassa.Wherever he stands to listen, he commits an offense entailing confession.2.1.14Purato gacchanto ohiyyati sossāmīti, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If he is walking in front of someone, and he slows down with the intention to eavesdrop, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.1.15Yattha ṭhito suṇāti, āpatti pācittiyassa.Wherever he stands to listen, he commits an offense entailing confession.2.1.16PTS 4.151Bhikkhussa ṭhitokāsaṁ vā nisinnokāsaṁ vā nipannokāsaṁ vā āgantvā mantentaṁ ukkāsitabbaṁ, vijānāpetabbaṁ, no ce ukkāseyya vā vijānāpeyya vā, āpatti pācittiyassa.If he goes to where a monk who is speaking privately is standing, sitting, or lying down, he should clear his throat or make his presence known. If he does not clear his throat or make his presence known, he commits an offense entailing confession.
2.1.17Etadeva paccayaṁ karitvā anaññantiHe does so only for this reason and no other:: 2.1.18na añño koci paccayo hoti upassutiṁ tiṭṭhituṁ.there is no other reason for eavesdropping.

2.2.0Permutations

2.2.1Upasampanne upasampannasaññī upassutiṁ tiṭṭhati, āpatti pācittiyassa.If it is one who is fully ordained, and he perceives him as such, and he eavesdrops on him, he commits an offense entailing confession.2.2.2Upasampanne vematiko upassutiṁ tiṭṭhati, āpatti pācittiyassa.If it is one who is fully ordained, but he is unsure of it, and he eavesdrops on him, he commits an offense entailing confession.2.2.3Upasampanne anupasampannasaññī upassutiṁ tiṭṭhati, āpatti pācittiyassa.If it is one who is fully ordained, but he does not perceive him as such, and he eavesdrops on him, he commits an offense entailing confession.

2.2.4Anupasampannassa upassutiṁ tiṭṭhati, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If he eavesdrops on one who is not fully ordained, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.2.5Anupasampanne upasampannasaññī, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If it is one who is not fully ordained, but he perceives them as such, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.2.6Anupasampanne vematiko, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If it is one who is not fully ordained, but he is unsure of it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.2.7Anupasampanne anupasampannasaññī, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If it is one who is not fully ordained, and he does not perceive them as such, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

2.3.0Non-offenses

2.3.1Anāpatti—There is no offense:2.3.2“imesaṁ sutvā oramissāmi viramissāmi vūpasamissāmi attānaṁ parimocessāmī”ti gacchati,if he goes, thinking, “After hearing what they say, I’ll hold back,” “… I’ll abstain,” “… I’ll resolve it,” “… I’ll free myself;” 2.3.3ummattakassa,if he is insane; 2.3.4ādikammikassāti.if he is the first offender.

2.3.5Upassutisikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ aṭṭhamaṁ.The training rule on eavesdropping, the eighth, is finished.

78. Eavesdropping