Theravāda Vinaya
Translators: brahmali
Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law
Mahāvibhaṅga
The Great Analysis
Pācittiyakaṇḍa
The chapter on offenses entailing confession
Sahadhammikavagga
The subchapter on legitimately
78. Upassutisikkhāpada
The training rule on eavesdropping
Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.
At one time when the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery,
Tena kho pana samayena chabbaggiyā bhikkhū pesalehi bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ bhaṇḍanti.
the monks from the group of six were arguing with the good monks.
Pesalā bhikkhū evaṁ vadanti—
The good monks said,
“alajjino ime, āvuso, chabbaggiyā bhikkhū.
“These monks from the group of six are shameless;
Na sakkā imehi saha bhaṇḍitun”ti.
it’s not possible to argue with them.”
Chabbaggiyā bhikkhū evaṁ vadanti—
And the monks from the group of six said,
“kissa tumhe, āvuso, amhe alajjivādena pāpethā”ti?
“Why are you slandering us by calling us shameless?”
“Kahaṁ pana tumhe, āvuso, assutthā”ti?
“How did you know?”
“Mayaṁ āyasmantānaṁ upassutiṁ tiṭṭhamhā”ti.
“We were eavesdropping on you.”
Ye te bhikkhū appicchā …pe… te ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—
The monks of few desires complained and criticized them,
“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?” …
“saccaṁ kira tumhe, bhikkhave, bhikkhūnaṁ bhaṇḍanajātānaṁ kalahajātānaṁ vivādāpannānaṁ upassutiṁ tiṭṭhathā”ti?
“Is it true, monks, that you did this?”
“Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.
“It’s true, Sir.”
Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe…
The Buddha rebuked them …
kathañhi nāma tumhe, moghapurisā, bhikkhūnaṁ bhaṇḍanajātānaṁ kalahajātānaṁ vivādāpannānaṁ upassutiṁ tiṭṭhissatha.
“Foolish men, how could you do this?
Netaṁ, moghapurisā, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe…
This will affect people’s confidence …” …
evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—
“And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:
“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.’”
Yo panāti
A:
yo yādiso …pe…
whoever …
bhikkhūti
Monk:
…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.
Bhikkhūnanti
On monks:
aññesaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ.
on other monks.
Bhaṇḍanajātānaṁ kalahajātānaṁ vivādāpannānanti
Who are arguing and disputing:
adhikaraṇajātānaṁ.
who are engaged in a legal issue.
Upassutiṁ tiṭṭheyyāti
Eavesdrops:
“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.
Yattha ṭhito suṇāti, āpatti pācittiyassa.
Wherever he stands to listen, he commits an offense entailing confession.
Pacchato 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.
Yattha ṭhito suṇāti, āpatti pācittiyassa.
Wherever he stands to listen, he commits an offense entailing confession.
Purato 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.
Yattha ṭhito suṇāti, āpatti pācittiyassa.
Wherever he stands to eavesdrop, he commits an offense entailing confession.
Bhikkhussa 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.
Etadeva paccayaṁ karitvā anaññanti
He does so only for this reason and no other:
na añño koci paccayo hoti upassutiṁ tiṭṭhituṁ.
there is no other reason for eavesdropping.
Upasampanne 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.
Upasampanne 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.
Upasampanne 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.
Anupasampannassa upassutiṁ tiṭṭhati, āpatti dukkaṭassa.
If he eavesdrops on one who is not fully ordained, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.
Anupasampanne 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.
Anupasampanne 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.
Anupasampanne 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.
Anāpatti—
There is no offense:
“imesaṁ sutvā oramissāmi viramissāmi vūpasamissāmi attānaṁ parimocessāmī”ti gacchati,
if he goes, thinking, “After hearing what they say, I’ll refrain,” “… I’ll abstain,” “… I’ll resolve it,” “… I’ll free myself;”
ummattakassa,
if he is insane;
ādikammikassāti.
if he is the first offender.
Upassutisikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ aṭṭhamaṁ.
The training rule on eavesdropping, the eighth, is finished.