SAMGHADISESA DHAMMA

SAMGHÂDISESÂ DHAMMÂ.
RULES WHICH REQUIRE, AS WELL IN THEIR EARLIER AS IN THEIR LATER STAGES, FORMAL
MEETINGS OF THE ORDER.

Here, venerable Sirs, the thirteen matters, which, as well in their earlier
as in their later stages, require formal meetings of the Order, come into
recitation.
1. The emission of semen by design, except by a person sleeping, is a
Samghâdisesa.
2. Whatsoever Bhikkhu, being degraded, shall, with perverted mind, come
into bodily contact with a woman, by taking hold of her hand, or by taking hold
ofher hair, or by touching any part of her body--that is a Samghâdisesa.
3. Whatsoever Bhikkhu, being degraded, shall, with perverted mind, address a
woman with wicked words, exciting to passion as those of a young man to a
maid--that is a Samghâdisesa.
4. Whatsoever Bhikkhu, being degraded, shall, with perverted mind, magnify,
in the hearing of a woman, ministration to himself1 (by saying), 'This, Sister
would be the noblest of ministrations, that to so righteous and exalted a
religious person as myself you should ministrate by that act,' (meaning) sexual
intercourse--that is a Samghâdisesa.
5. Whatsoever Bhikkhu shall act as a go-between for a woman to a man, or for
a man to a woman, or for a wife, or for a paramour, or even for a harlot--that
is a Samghâdisesa.
6. A Bhikkhu who, begging (the materials) together, is having a hut put up
for his own use, to belong to no one (else), must have it made of due
measurement. And herein this is the measurement--in length twelve spans
according to the accepted span2, in breadth seven spans (measured) inside.
The Bhikkhus must be brought to the place to approve the site; and those
Bhikkhus shall approve a site free from danger1, and with an open space around
it. If a Bhikku shall, at his own request, have a hut put up on a dangerous
site, without the open space around it, or shall not bring the Bhikkus to
approve the site, or shall exceed the (due) measure--that is a Samghâdisesa.
7. A Bhikkhu who is having a large residence made for his own use, and to
belong (also) to others, shall bring the Bhikkhus to the place to approve the
site; and those Bhikkhus shall approve a site free from danger, and with an open
space around it. If a Bhikkhu shall have a large residence made on a dangerous
site, without the open space around it, or shall not bring the Bhikkhus to the
place to approve the site--that is a Samghâdisesa.
8. Whatsoever Bhikkhu, in harshness, malice, or anger, shall harass
(another) Bhikkhu by a groundless (charge of having committed) a Pârâgika
offence, thinking to himself, 'Perchance I may (thus) get him to fall from this
religious life5:--and then at some later time, either when he is pressed, or
without his being pressed, the case turns out to be groundless, and the
Bhikkhu confesses his malice--that is a Samghâdisesa.
9. Whatsoever Bhikkhu, in harshness, malice, or anger, shall harass another
Bhikkhu by a groundless charge of having committed a Pârâjika offence,
supporting himself by some point or other of no importance in a case that really
rests on something of a different kind; thinking to himself, 'Perchance I may
thus get him to fall from this religious life'--and then at .some later time,
either when he is pressed, or without his being pressed, the case turns out to
rest on something of a different kind, and that Bhikkhu confesses his
malice-that is a Samghâdisesa.
10. Whatsoever Bhikkhu shall go about to cause division in a community that
is at union, or shall persist in calling attention to some matter calculated to
cause division, that Bhikkhu should thus be addressed by the Bhikkhus: 'Sir, go
not about to cause division in a community that is at union,' or, 'Persist not
in calling attention to a matter calculated to cause division;' 'Be, Sir, at one
with the community, for the community, being at unity, in harmony, without
dispute, dwells pleasantly under one authority1.'If that Bhikkhu, when he
has thus been spoken to by the Bhikkhus, should persist as before, then let that
Bhikkhu be (formally) admonished about it by the Bhikkhus as a body, even to
the third time, to the intent that he abandon that course. If, while being so
admonished up to the third time, he abandon that course, it is well: if he
abandon it not--that is a Samghâdisesa.
11. Now if other Bhikkhus, one, or two, or three, become adherents of that
Bhikkhu, and raise their voices on his side; if they should say thus: 'Say not,
Sirs, anything against. that Bhikkhu! That Bhikkhu both speaks according to the
Dhamma, and he speaks according to the Vinaya; it is our wish, too, and desire,
that he adopts, and gives expression to; and he speaks, knowing that what he
says appears to us also to be right:'--then let those Bhikkhus be addressed by
the Bhikkhus thus: 'Say not so, Sirs! That Bhikkhu speaks not according to the
Dhamma, neither does he speak according to the Vinaya. Let not, Sirs, the
causing of division in the community be pleasing to you! Be, Sirs, at one with
the community! for the community, being at unity, in harmony, without dispute,
dwells pleasantly under one discipline.' If those Bhikkhus, when they have thus
been spoken to by the Bhikkhus, should persist as before, those Bhikkhus should
be (formally) adjured by the Bhikkhus, as a body, even to the third time,
to the end that they abandon that course. If, while being so adjured, up to the
third time, they abandon that course, it is well: if they abandon it not--that
is a Samghâdisesa.
12. Should a Bhikkhu refuse to listen to what is said to him1; and when
spoken to by the Bhikkhus, in accordance with the Dhamma2, touching the precepts
handed clown in the body of recited law3, will allow nothing to be said to him
(objecting), 'Say nothing to me, Sirs, either good or bad: and I will say
nothing, either good or bad, to you. Be good enough, Sirs, to refrain from
speaking to me!'--then let that Bhikkhu be addressed by the Bhikkhus thus: 'Do
not, Sir, make yourself a person who cannot be spoken to: make yourself rather,
Sir, a person to whom we can speak. Speak to the Bhikkhus, Sir, in accordance
with the Dhamma; and the Bhlkkhus, Sir, will speak in accordance with the Dhamma
to you. For thus has the church4 of the Blessed One grown large; that is to say,
by mutual converse, and by mutual help5.' If that Bhikkhu, when he has thus been
spoken to by the Bhikkhus, should persist as before, then let that Bhikkhu be (formally) adjured by the Bhikkhus as a body, even to the third time, to the
end that he abandon that course. If, while being so adjured, up to the third
time, he abandon that course, it is well: if he abandon it not--that is a
Samghâdisesa.
13. Should a Bhikkhu dwell near a certain village or town, leading a life
hurtful to the laity, and devoted to evil, (so that) his evil deeds are seen and
heard, and the families led astray by him are seen and heard, let that Bhikkhu
be spoken to by the Bhikkhus thus: 'Your life, Sir, is hurtful to the laity, and
evil; your evil deeds, Sir, are seen and heard; and families are seen and heard
to be led astray by you. Be so good, Sir, as to depart from this residence; you
have dwelt here, Sir, long enough.' If, when that Bhikkhu is thus addressed by
the Bhikkhus he should answer the Bhikkhus thus: 'The Bhikkhus are walking in
longing, the Bhikkhus are walking in malice, the Bhikkhus are walking in
delusion, the Bhikkhus are walking in fear; and, for a fault of a like nature,
they send some away, and some they send not away1:'--then that Bhikkhu should be
spoken to by the Bhikkhus thus: 'Say not so, Sir! The Bhikkhus walk not in
longing, the Bhikkhus walk not in malice, the Bhikkhus walk not in delusion, the
Bhikkhus walk not in fear; and they send not some away, for a fault of a like
nature, while they send others not away. Your life, Sir, is hurtful to the
laity, and evil; your evil deeds, Sir, are seen and heard, and families are seen
and heard, Sir, to be led astray by you. Be so good, Sir, as to depart from this
residence; you have dwelt here, Sir, long enough.' If that Bhikkhu, when
thus spoken to by the Bhikkhus should persist as before, that Bhikkhu should be
(formally) adjured by the Bhikkhus as a body, even to the third time, to the end
that he abandon that course. If, while beîng so adjured, up to the third time,
he abandon that course, it is well: if he abandon it not--that is a
Samghâdisesa.



Venerable Sirs, the thirteen matters which require, as well in their earlier
as in their later stages, formal meetings of the Order, have been recited; nine
which become offences at once, and four which are not completed until the third
admonition.
If a Bhikkhu have committed either one or other of these1, for as many days
as he knowingly conceals his sin, for so many days must that Bhikkhu, even
against his will, remain in probation2. When the probation is over, that Bhikkhu
must, for six further days, undergo the Mânatta discipline (Penance). When the
Penance has been removed, that Bhikkhu must be reinstated in some place where
the community of the Bhikkhus forms a body of twenty. If a community of Bhikkhus
forming a body of less than twenty, even by one, should reinstate that Bhikkhu,
he is not reinstated, and that community is blameworthy. This is the proper
course in that case.

In respect of them I ask the venerable ones, 'Are you pure in this matter?'
A second time I ask the venerable ones, 'Are you pure in this matter?'
A third time I ask the venerable ones, 'Are you pure in this matter?'
The venerable ones are pure herein. Therefore do they keep silence. Thus I
understand.



Here endeth the recitation of the Samghâdisesas.