A Manual of the Dhamma

Dhamma Dpan
Venerable Ledi Saydaw
Aggamahpaita, D.Litt.
A Manual of the Dhamma
Dhamma Dpan
By
Venerable Ledi Saydaw
Translated by
U Han Htay
dited by
Bhi!!hu "esala
# Asso$iation for %nsi&ht Meditation
'rd dition( Au&ust )**+
All ,i&hts ,eser-ed
.ou may print $opies for your personal use
or for /ree Distribution as a 0ift of the Dhamma1
"lease do not host it on your own website(
but lin! to the sour$e pa&e so that any updates
or $orre$tions will be a-ailable to all1
Editors Foreword
As the translator says( the purifi$ation of the Sa2&ha is now an ur&ent
matter( as the ne&le$t of the Vinaya rules is $ommonpla$e1 Also( as the
Saydaw says( 3%f a mon!( who is well4trained in the Vinaya( a$$umulates
many followers and &reat material wealth( he $an do mu$h dama&e to the
Buddha dispensation( unli!e an i&norant mon!15 So boo!s li!e this are -ital1
%n the absen$e of the Buddha( maintainin& a$$eptable standards of
$ondu$t for mon!s is hard( e-en if there is wide a&reement on what a$$eptable
standards are1 The mon!s most in need of restraint are those least amenable to
ad-i$e1 At the first Buddhist 6oun$il( e-en fi-e hundred Arahants $ould not
a&ree on whi$h offen$es were lesser and minor 7Vin1 ii1 )8891 The
Milindapa:ha says that offen$es of wron& doin& (dukkaa) and wron& spee$h
(dubhsita) are lesser and minor offen$es1 This is reasonable sin$e offen$es
re;uirin& $onfession (pcittiya), or $onfession with forfeiture (nissaggiy
pcittiya) in$lude< !illin& animals( drin!in& into=i$ants( tellin& deliberate lies(
abusin& mon!s( hittin& mon!s( eatin& in the afternoon( and usin& money1 All
these thin&s are $ontrary to the pre$epts obser-ed by lay people or no-i$es1 So
we $annot re&ard them as minor( e=$ept in $omparison to the ma>or offen$es
su$h as se=ual mis$ondu$t( stealin&( or !illin& human bein&s1 ?e $ould re&ard
tellin& >o!es( ma!in& sar$asti$ remar!s( or tal!in& with the mouth full while
eatin& as minor offen$es( but s$rupulous mon!s will obser-e e-en these minor
rules out of respe$t for the Buddha1
Boo!s li!e this are -ital1 Due to la$! of !nowled&e( unwise lay people will
slander mon!s( shameless mon!s will abuse s$rupulous mon!s( s$rupulous
mon!s will ha-e ill4will towards shameless mon!s( and many may fall into hell1
As the Saydaw points out( there are s!ilful ways to $riti$ise the wron&
$ondu$t of shameless mon!s without ma!in& unwholesome !amma1 ?ise lay
people $an ma!e merit by donatin& allowable re;uisites and payin& respe$t to
shameless mon!s1 %f as!ed for unallowable thin&s( they $an politely as!( 3%s this
allowable@5 to remind a shameless mon! of his remissness without $riti$isin&
him dire$tly1 There are so many rules to obser-e( that e-en the most
s$rupulous mon! is li!ely to o-erloo! some offen$es1 A lay person $an &i-e
money to a lay attendant( in-itin& a mon! to as! for whate-er he needs1 %f a
i
ii A Manual of th Dhamma
lay person &i-es money or other unallowable thin&s to a mon!( he or she will
ma!e only demerit1
A
An attendant is li-in& in dependen$e on the mon!( so he
should obey the mon!Bs instru$tions( but a lay person does not ha-e to1
,e&ardin& oneBs own $ondu$t one should not tolerate the sli&htest fault(
but re&ardin& othersB $ondu$t one should $ulti-ate boundless $ompassion and
toleran$e( or pra$tise deta$hment1 ?hen asso$iatin& with fools( whi$h means
all those who do not obser-e basi$ morality( one should &uard oneBs mind and
spee$h -ery $arefully( otherwise one will be sure to ma!e unwholesome
!amma1 Diamonds( rubies( and emeralds are e=tremely -aluable due to their
&reat rarity1 %f one is unable to find su$h pre$ious >ewels( one must ma!e do
with ;uartC or marble for ornaments D and e-en sandstone $an be used for
&rindin& !ni-esE
These are -ery spe$ial rare times that we li-e in1 The BuddhaBs
dispensation is e=tremely pre$ious( but it is de$ayin& year by year1 All
Buddhists should stri-e to maintain the true Dhamma( but they need suffi$ient
!nowled&e and wisdom to dis$riminate between true Dhamma and $orrupt
Dhamma1 /rom $orrupt Vinaya $omes $orrupt DhammaF from $orrupt
Dhamma $omes $orrupt Vinaya1 Therefore( they should read boo!s su$h as
this $arefully( and refle$t deeply on their own moral and mental purity1 They
should pra$tise tran;uillity and insi&ht meditation to &ain $ontrol of the
passions1 %f lay Buddhists ha-e a mature !nowled&e of Dhamma and Vinaya( it
$an only help to prolon& the BuddhaBs dispensation1 ?ith &reat $ompassion
they should ur&e and en$oura&e the mon!s to promote the essential pra$ti$es
of s$riptural study or insi&ht meditation( instead of &i-in& them money or
as!in& them to pra$tise astrolo&y1
The translatorBs preferen$e was to lea-e te$hni$al terms untranslated( but
in my e=perien$e most readers find "Gi words a barrier to understandin&1 %f
one insists on one different n&lish word for ea$h "Gi term( bein& $onsistent is
-ery diffi$ult1 The !ey terms here are few( but their meanin& -aries a$$ordin&
A
!"ampi so #athgata$ % #athgatas%aka$ % akappiyna sdti, imin pa&camna
hnna bahu$ apu&&a$ pasa%ati D Also( whoe-er offers to the Tath&ata or to the
Tath&ataBs dis$iple what is not allowable( in this fifth $ase ma!es mu$h demerit15
7H-a!a Sutta( M1 i1 '+I91 The word !sdti' means 3in-ite to a$$ept5 or 3offer5( so a
lay person ma!es demerit e-en if a s$rupulous mon! refuses to a$$ept money1 Any
honest person will be insulted if offered a bribe1 To offer money to a mon! is also an
insult1
(dito)*s +o),o)d iii
to $onte=t1 Three -ery similar "Gi terms D sus-la, la..-, and s-la%anta D $ould
all be translated as 3moral5 or 3-irtuous15 To show that !la..-' has the opposite
meanin& to !ala..-' D shameless( % ha-e used the translation 3s$rupulous(5 but
in some $onte=ts 3moral5 or 3-irtuous5 is more appropriate1 %n the Vinaya(
!duss-lo D immoral5 has the spe$ifi$ meanin& of defeated( no lon&er a mon!
due to $ommission of the &ra-est offen$e( so one should not use it loosely1
As the Vinaya rules only relate to -erbal and physi$al misdeeds( a
s$rupulous mon! $ould la$! -irtue or &oodness1 %t depends on his intention for
obser-in& the Vinaya rule1 %f it is only for the sa!e of praise and &ain( it will not
amount to mu$h1 Howe-er( if he re-eres the Buddha and follows the rule out
of respe$t for the BuddhaBs $ommand( then he ri&htly deser-es to be $alled a
-irtuous mon!( not >ust 3s$rupulous15 He $ertainly should not be $alled 3fussy5
or 3diffi$ult5 >ust be$ause he is not wea!4willed and shameless1 A -irtuous
mon! may brea! rules sometimes due to unmindfulness or stron& defilements(
but when he realises his offen$e( or if his fellow mon!s remind him of it( he
readily admits his fault and duly ma!es amends a$$ordin& to the Vinaya
pro$edure pres$ribed1
A shameless mon!( on the other hand( may be wise in the sense of bein&
learned in Abhidhamma( Sutta( and Vinaya( but he la$!s any &enuine -irtue1
He fre;uently brea!s the rules !nowin&ly and deliberately( without any moral
s$ruples or sense of shame1 Thou&h he !nows his offen$es $learly( he does not
admit that there is any fault in brea!in& the BuddhaBs in>un$tions1 %f his fellow
mon!s point out his offen$es( he either retorts by a$$usin& them of other
offen$es( e-ades the issue( or follows the rule only while others are loo!in&1
Su$h $ompletely shameless mon!s la$! -irtue and moral inte&rity1 They are
not >ust wea! or heedless( but truly wi$!ed1
Many modern mon!s( due to la$! of proper trainin&( do not $learly !now
what is an offen$e( and what is not1 They >ust follow what their pre$eptors(
tea$hers( and fellow mon!s do1 Su$h mon!s are shameless as well as foolish(
thou&h they may sometimes be &ood4natured1 Ha-in& be$ome a bhi!!hu( one
should understand the trainin& that one has underta!en1 %f one reads >ust the
basi$ "Jimo!!ha rule( one will soon realise if oneBs tea$her or pre$eptor is
shameless1 A newly ordained mon! is not in a position to $orre$t a shameless
pre$eptor or tea$her1 He will either ha-e to disrobe and see! re4ordination
elsewhere( or as! to study with a famous tea$her or meditation master1 %f he is
ne&li&ent( he will ine-itably be$ome shameless li!e his tea$her1
i- A Manual of th Dhamma
?hat the Saydaw says here applies to lay people too1 Lay Buddhists $an
also be $lassified as moral or immoral( wise or foolish( &ood or bad1 The te=ts
$ontain plenty of &uidelines for lay Buddhists to be$ome moral( wise( and &ood
de-otees1 As mon!s ha-e a duty to study and train in the monasti$ dis$ipline(
lay Buddhists ha-e a duty to study and train in the lay personBs dis$ipline1
Detailed &uidan$e $an be found in the Si2&la( Ma2&ala( and Sleyya!a
Suttas1 They should also underta!e re&ular $ourses in insi&ht meditation( sin$e
insi&ht is indispensable to moral purity1 %f both lay Buddhists and mon!s stri-e
hard to study and pra$tise the Dhamma and Vinaya( the BuddhaBs
dispensation will be preser-ed in its pristine purity1 All that is ne$essary for e-il
to su$$eed is for &ood people to do nothin&1
Translators Preface
The Dhamma Dpan( written in Burmese by the late Venerable Ledi
Saydaw( a famous s$holar and meditation master( is( % thin!( the best of his
many e=positions 7Dpan91 This wor! $on$erns the Vinaya1 The sur-i-al of
the BuddhaBs Dispensation depends on the sur-i-al of the Vinaya1 The
Saydaw answered thirteen ;uestions as!ed by de-oted lay persons in AI*A1
All lay supporters want to see -irtuous mon!s &uidin& the people and ser-in&
the dispensation effe$ti-ely( for the Sa2&ha is the mainstay of the BuddhaBs
tea$hin&s1 To prolon& the BuddhaBs dispensation( all well4wishers want to
purify the Sa2&ha by suppressin& immoral mon!s1 Kowadays( the purifi$ation
of the Sa2&ha is an ur&ent matter( as ne&le$t of the Vinaya rules is
$ommonpla$e1
Moreo-er( the mon!s who s$rupulously obser-e the Vinaya are the best
ones to &uide the laity in the attainment of the hi&hest merit1 %t is hardly
surprisin& that lay dis$iples do not want sham mon!s to prosper and wield
influen$e amon& i&norant lay Buddhists1 Thus the re&ulations of the Sa2&ha(
espe$ially the &uidelines for lay4mon! relationships( are of uni-ersal interest1
All Buddhists should ponder the ;uestions and answers in this boo!1 Be$ause
they are subtle( they should $ontemplate them -ery deeply1
Sin$e these problems are of pra$ti$al and fundamental importan$e for both
the laity and Sa2&ha( an e=positor must possess &enuine insi&ht and a
$omprehensi-e !nowled&e of Vinaya1 /ortunately( the Saydaw fulfilled these
;ualifi$ations1 All his e=positions display not only his a$ademi$ mastery( but
also his pra$ti$al in$lination1 Thou&h !nowled&e is important( mere learnin&
leads us nowhere1 His well4reasoned answers( with rele-ant ;uotations from
the te=ts( re-eal his many4fa$eted ability1
%n the affairs of monasti$ dis$ipline( partial !nowled&e and fa$ile solutions
will only harm the BuddhaBs dispensation( in whi$h the Sa2&ha plays the
$entral role1 %t is due to mon!s who respe$t the Vinaya that the true Dhamma
and the $orre$t way to sal-ation still e=ist1 Some thin! that the Vinaya is
unimportant( maintainin& that many rules should now be amended1 Su$h
people la$! the $orre$t understandin& of the authority of the Buddha in
pres$ribin& the dis$ipline1 They fail to appre$iate the profound nature of the
-
-i A Manual of th Dhamma
BuddhaBs $ommand and its san$tity1 %f they study the fi-e boo!s of Vinaya and
their $ommentaries in detail( a stron& faith in the Vinaya will emer&e1
6onfiden$e is fundamental for mon!s( and wide4ran&in& !nowled&e is essential
for s$holars1
The readers will find profound thou&hts in ea$h answer e=pressed by the
Venerable Saydaw1 Thou&h profound( the e=planations are $lear1 The
Saydaw e=plains the $lassifi$ation of all types of mon!s( past and present1 The
reader will &ain mu$h useful information and wise &uidan$e from this boo! as
it deals with the laityBs diffi$ulties too1 %&noran$e of the Vinaya amon& the laity
hastens the de$line in the moral standards of the mon!s1 %ntelli&ent lay people
should promote &ood standards by s!ilful a$tions as e=plained herein1
Be$ause of the &reat si&nifi$an$e of the thirteen ;uestions( the "rimate of
the Shwe&yin se$t( the most Venerable Mah-isuddhrma Saydaw of
Mandalay( as!ed Venerable Ledi Saydaw to answer them1 After e=aminin&
the Vinaya te=ts( $ommentaries( and sub$ommentaries( the Venerable
Saydaw &a-e $omprehensi-e answers $orre$tly and wisely( for he had
analysed the problems in &reat depth1 Those who adopt uns!ilful attitudes
towards s$rupulous mon!s (la..-), shameless mon!s (ala..-), and immoral mon!s
(duss-lo) will ad>ust their -iews after $arefully readin& this e=position1
The &reat merit of this boo! $onsists in its sound ad-i$e( $aution( and
warnin&1 Moreo-er( s!ilful ways to deal with all types of mon!s are &i-en for
the benefit of the laity1 The most important point lies( % thin!( in the well4
defined $lassifi$ation of mon!s( alon& with the fa$tors and $hara$teristi$s
re;uired to e-aluate a mon! in ;uestion1 The profundity and sa$redness of the
Buddha( Dhamma( and Sa2&ha are also $learly e=plained for ordinary lay
people1 Mon!s( too( will &ain new insi&hts if they appre$iate the intrinsi$
power of Vinaya( whi$h displays the supreme authority of the Buddha himself1
Then their beha-iour and outloo! will impro-e1
As the boo! deals with Vinaya matters( some te$hni$al terms are diffi$ult
to translate1 To a-oid misunderstandin&( % ha-e purposely retained some
ori&inal "Gi terms and Vinaya $ate&ories1 After repeated study % hope these
basi$ terms will be$ome familiar and meanin&ful( li!e the "Gi words !usala(
a!usala( Dhamma( Sa2&ha( or !amma( whi$h are now in $ommon usa&e1 They
ha-e &ained wide $urren$y in many $ountries and retain their ori&inal
meanin&s without any need for e=planation1
#)anslato)*s /)fac -ii
% ha-e tried to follow the ori&inal Burmese te=t $losely so that the authorBs
profound answers( warnin&s( remar!s( and &uidelines will remain faithful in the
translation1 %n a te$hni$al boo! li!e this some ina$$ura$ies of translation $an
o$$ur for whi$h % $ra-e the indul&en$e of the reader1 "olishin& is an endless
>ob( but one has to stop somewhere1 % ha-e tried to ma!e the wor! both
readable and a$$urate1 The ordinary reader $an $onsult other translations of
the Vinaya te=ts( but s$holars may wish to study further1 /or them the Vinaya
$ommentaries will be helpful1
% ha-e to than! Hames ,oss for his ur&ent and repeated re;uest to translate
this most important wor! of the international s$holar4mon!1 The staff of the
library department of the ,eli&ious Affairs Dire$torate at Lab4Aye( ,an&oon(
&a-e me -ital assistan$e in $he$!in& referen$es and ;uotations1 % owe them a
deep debt of &ratitude1
% am sure that the dispensation will $ontinue to shine in many $ountries
with the spread of the ori&inal Vinaya te=ts and e=planatory boo!s li!e this1
Buddhism has attra$ted many students and s$holars e-erywhere1 S$ientists
espe$ially are resear$hin& Buddhism as it $onforms with s$ientifi$ prin$iples
and methods1 A deep sense of >oy arisin& from sublime( noble $ondu$t will
result if they de-elop morality( $on$entration( and wisdom1
A Manual of the Dhamma
Dhamma Dpan
Mn Huly AI*A se-en laymen from M!!an -illa&e put thirteen ;uestions( to
whi$h % will &i-e answers1 They are de-oted laymen( namely( Ta!a 6ir$le
Headman Maun& "o M( ,est House Donor Maun& Shwe La( "a&oda Builder
U Baw( Monastery Donor Saya Sain&( Monastery Donor Maun& Htut( "a&oda
Spire Donor Maun& Shwe .e( and Supporter Maun& K&e1 They( and some
-illa&ers( as!ed these thirteen ;uestions re&ardin& the problems of mon!hood
and its relationship with the laity1 % will now &i-e a $on$ise answer to ea$h
;uestion1
The Thirteen Questions
A1 Kowadays in the BuddhaBs dispensation there are three different types
of mon!s( namely< la..- 7one with a moral $ons$ien$e( a s$rupulous
mon!9( ala..- 7one with no moral $ons$ien$e( a shameless mon!9( and
duss-lo 7without ethi$al $ondu$t( a bad( fallen( immoral mon!91 So we
wish to !now the fa$tors or $hara$teristi$s embra$in& ea$h type as
mentioned in the "Gi te=ts( $ommentaries( and sub$ommentaries1
Lindly &i-e the fa$tors to $lassify ea$h type1
)1 Should those who !now the truth about shameless and immoral
mon!s refrain from asso$iatin& with and payin& respe$t to them@ Does
this a&ree with the -erse in the Ma2&ala Sutta that ad-ises one to
a-oid the foolish (as%an ca blna$)0 %s a lay person who shows
disre&ard by shunnin& bad mon!s followin& the in>un$tion of the
Ma2&ala Dhamma@ ?e would li!e to !now of s$riptural e-iden$e and
e=amples re&ardin& the &ood or bad results from this a$tion1
'1 Should those who !now the truth about shameless and immoral
mon!s $ontinue to pay respe$t and offer re;uisites@ Are they followin&
the Ma2&ala Dhamma that ad-ises us to asso$iate with the wise
(paitna&ca s%an)0 %s this beha-iour followin& the ad-i$e &i-en in
A
) A Manual of th Dhamma
the Ma2&ala Sutta or not@ Lindly &i-e e-iden$e and $ase histories
re&ardin& &ood or bad results from this a$t1
N1 %f a person offers the four re;uisites su$h as almsfood( !nowin& a mon!
to be shameless or immoral( does this amount to the Ma2&ala
Dhamma that says one should honour the worthy (p1. ca
p1.anyyna$), or is this $ontrary to that ad-i$e@ Lindly let us !now
the &ood or bad results with appropriate $ase histories and e-iden$e1
O1 %f a person pays respe$t and shows deferen$e by &reetin&( bowin&( et$1(
!nowin& a mon! to be shameless or immoral( does he fulfil the
Ma2&ala Dhamma that says that one should pay respe$t to the worthy
or honourable ones (g)a%o)0 Does his beha-iour a&ree with the te=t
that says one should pay respe$t only to those who possess &ood
$ondu$t@ The te=t referred to is in the Losala SaPyutta1 By
worshippin& bad mon!s does one a$$omplish a reliable refu&e@ Lindly
&i-e e-iden$e or e=amples to show the ri&ht way in this matter of
honourin& bad mon!s1
+1 %f one spea!s ill of a mon! or $ondemns him( either dire$tly or
indire$tly( !nowin& him to be shameless or immoral( does one attra$t
ten e-il punishments or not@ %s one free from e-il with this a$t@
Q1 %f a shameless mon! be$omes afraid of sufferin& in saPsra( or if he
a$;uires moral dread( how $an he be$ome a s$rupulous mon!@ %s it
possible for him to be$ome a s$rupulous mon!@
81 Should lay persons learn the Vinaya@ Does this !ind of learnin& a&ree
with the Ma2&ala Dhamma that ad-ises one to be well4trained in
dis$ipline (%inayo ca susikkhito)0 ?hat are the &ood or bad results of
this a$t@ Lindly &i-e e-iden$e or e=amples to pro-e a definite point1
I1 Should a mon! tea$h the monasti$ dis$ipline to a lay person@ ?hat
are the &ood or bad results of this@ "lease &i-e some e-iden$e1
A*1 Lindly &i-e the detailed fa$tors or $hara$teristi$s of ea$h of the four
purifyin& moralities (p)isuddhi s-la). .ou may &i-e ea$h its
$hara$teristi$( fun$tion( manifestation( and pro=imate $ause1
AA1 Amon& the four purifyin& moralities( what are the bad effe$ts if a
mon! trans&resses basi$ monasti$ restraint (/imokkha sa$%a)a s-la).
#h #hi)tn 2ustions '
?hat are the &ood effe$ts if a mon! obser-es it@ Lindly e=plain the
remainin& three types of purifyin& morality( whi$h may ha-e &ood or
bad effe$ts a$$ordin& to obser-an$e or non4obser-an$e1
A)1 ?hat are the fa$tors of offerin&s made to the whole Sa2&ha
(sa3ghikadna)0 How $an we perform this type of donation@
A'1 Mf the two types of donation( offerin&s to the Sa2&ha and offerin&s to
the nli&htened Mne( whi$h has &reater merit@
The Three Types of Monks Defined
The lay people as!ed this ;uestion in the followin& sense< different !inds of
Buddhist mon!s $an now be found< s$rupulous mon!s (la..-), who possess
moral $ons$ien$eF shameless mon!s (ala..-), who possess no moral $ons$ien$e(
and immoral mon!s (duss-lo), who are depra-ed and e-il1 They want to !now
the essential $hara$teristi$s of ea$h type for $lassifi$ation a$$ordin& to the "Gi
te=ts( $ommentaries( and sub$ommentaries1
The three types of mon!s ha-e been mentioned in the "ari-ra "Gi
7Vinaya "iJa!a9 as follows<
!4a&cicca patti$ nnpa..ati, patti$ napa)ig1hati.
Agatigamana&ca nagacchati, diso %uccati la..- puggalo.'
The meanin& is this< 3They are aware of the Vinaya rules and( with no
thou&ht of trans&ression( refrain from brea!in& them1 %f they trans&ress some
rules due to human wea!ness( they ne-er $on$eal their offen$es1 Moreo-er
they do not follow the four wron& $ourses (agati).
)
Su$h mon!s are $alled
s$rupulous indi-iduals (la..- puggala) D mon!s with moral $ons$ien$e15
'
These
are the three fa$tors or $hara$teristi$s of a s$rupulous mon!1 The $larifi$ation
is as follows<
A1 ?hen a s$rupulous mon! !nows that any a$tion is a trans&ression of
the Vinaya rules( he refrains from it1
)1 Howe-er( he mi&ht sometimes brea! some Vinaya rules !nowin&ly or
un!nowin&ly due to his untamed mind1 He ne-er hides the fa$ts and
always purifies his morality a$$ordin& to the rules within a day1
'1 ?hen he has to distribute property or de$ide $ases( he a-oids the four
wron& $ourses( i1e1 he always a$ts or de$ides >ustly and impartially1
)
/ollowin& a wron& $ourse throu&h desire (chandgati), a-ersion (dosgati), i&noran$e
(mohgati), or fear (bhaygati).
'
/rom now on they will be $alled s$rupulous mon!s( ed1
O
+ A Manual of th Dhamma
A mon! ha-in& these three fa$tors or $hara$teristi$s is $alled s$rupulous1
This is the meanin& of the te=t ;uoted abo-e1
The three fa$tors or $hara$teristi$s of a shameless mon! are stated in the
"ari-ra as follows<
!4a&cicca patti$ pa..ati, patti$ pa)ig1hati.
Agatigamana&ca gacchati, diso %uccati ala..- puggalo.'
This te=t says that a shameless mon! is one who( with the !nowled&e of
the Vinaya rules( trans&resses them and $ommits e-il1 Ha-in& $ommitted e-il(
he then $on$eals his a$tions1 Moreo-er( he follows the four wron& $ourses1
Su$h a mon! is $alled shameless1
The meanin& is as follows<
A1 A shameless mon!( !nowin& that any a$tion is $ontrary to the Vinaya
rule( brea!s the pre$epts wilfully1
)1 ?hether by his awareness of Vinaya or by his trans&ression throu&h
i&noran$e( he $on$eals his faults( thou&h he !nows he has bro!en the
Vinaya rule1 That is( he does not attempt to purify his faults in the way
pres$ribed1
'1 ?hen distributin& property amon& mon!s( or in de$idin& $ases( he
follows the four wron& $ourses1
%f e-en one of these fa$tors is present( su$h a mon! is shameless1
Here( a detailed e=planation is ne$essary1 The Vinaya 6ommentary says<
3Mne who is shameless from the start does not e=ist15 So shamelessness is
impermanent1 %n other words no su$h indi-idual as a permanently shameless
mon! e=ists1 The $ommentary says that at the time of ordination a mon!
$annot be $lassified as shameless( but he may be$ome shameless a$$ordin& to
his mental attitude at any &i-en moment1 Ko mon!s are permanently
s$rupulous or shameless based on so$ial $lass( reli&ion( nationality( et$1 A
mon! may be$ome shameless ten times( or s$rupulous ten times within a few
minutes1 %t is possible that within a sin&le sittin& a mon! may be$ome
shameless or s$rupulous ten times alternately1
How is this possible@ Se-eral Vinaya rules $an be bro!en repeatedly within
a short time( so a mon! may be $lassified as shameless more than ten times1
-en within a short period( thousands of pre$epts may ha-e to be obser-ed(
#h #h) #yps of Monks Dfind Q
whi$h some mon!s do no !now about1 Due to his wron& attitude or
$arelessness( a mon! may brea! them -ery often1 So for that duration he must
be $lassified as shameless1 Mn the other hand if he be$omes ashamed
whene-er he trans&resses the rules( realises his fault( $onfesses it( and
determines not to repeat it( he be$omes a s$rupulous mon! a&ain1
6learly( s$rupulous and shameless $ate&ories $annot be asso$iated with
ra$e( reli&ion( or $ulture( nor $an any mon! be permanently $lassified as
s$rupulous or shameless1 Ke-ertheless( if a mon! does not follow the prin$iples
of the monasti$ dis$ipline throu&hout his life he should definitely be $lassified
as a shameless mon!1
The Vinaya 6ommentary says that a shameless mon! remains shameless
only when shamelessness appears in him( and when he possesses one of three
fa$tors without $onfession and purifi$ation1 As soon as he does these thin&s(
he immediately re&ains the status of a s$rupulous mon!1 %n the Sratthadpan
sub$ommentary the followin& important e=planation is found<
!5dito pahya hi ala..- nma natth-ti imin
dihadihsuy%a sa3kh na ktabbti dassti.'
3Herein< RMne who is shameless from the start does not e=istB means that
one must not $ast doubt or suspi$ion on a mon! whene-er one sees him(
thin!in& that he is shameless1 This attitude should not be ta!en15 This is the
ad-i$e of the sub$ommentary1
Mnly when one sees a mon! doin& an immoral deed( $an one $lassify him
as shameless at that time and pla$e( and at no other1 Moreo-er( one $an doubt
this mon!Bs beha-iour then only( and so entertain suspi$ion1 %f one does not
really see a mon!Bs a$t of immorality( no suspi$ion should be entertained1 This
is the meanin& of the "Gi te=t( $ommentary( and sub$ommentary1
Four Kinds of Transression
The phrase !sa&cicca patti$ pa..ati' means intentional trans&ression of
the Vinaya rules 7that is( with !nowled&e of the dis$ipline91 %n detail( four
$lassifi$ations $o-er all types of offen$e<
A1 Trans&ression with !nowled&e of the rule1
)1 Trans&ression without !nowled&e of the rule1
8 A Manual of th Dhamma
'1 Trans&ression with !nowled&e of the ob>e$t 7thin&s or matter to be
trans&ressed91
N1 Trans&ression without !nowled&e of the ob>e$t 7thin&s or matter to be
trans&ressed91
The e=planation is as follows< %n the Vinaya "iJa!a( the Buddha prohibited
mon!s from eatin& ten types of meat1
N
%f a mon! brea!s this Vinaya rule( he
$ommits an offen$e1 He brea!s this prohibition pro$laimed by the Buddha for
all mon!s1 %f a mon! !nows this Vinaya rule( he a$hie-es the status of one who
!nows dis$ipline1 %f he does not !now this Vinaya rule( he is $lassified as one
who is i&norant of the BuddhaBs prohibition1 Both $on$ern the rule in the
sphere of 3!nowin&5 or 3not !nowin&15 ?hen a mon! fails to understand
whether any parti$ular meat is allowable( the $ase is $on$erned with the ob>e$t
(%atthu). Then he has !nowled&e or i&noran$e of the ob>e$t1
Li!ewise( re&ardin& the a$$eptan$e of &old( sil-er( and money( a mon! may
or may not !now the rule $on$erned1 Thus( he may be !nowled&eable or
i&norant re&ardin& the Vinaya1 Similarly( re&ardin& the ob>e$t that should be
shunned( $lassifi$ation $alls for two $ases< !nowled&e of ob>e$t and i&noran$e
of the ob>e$t1
%n Vinaya the te$hni$al term 6patti* means fault( offen$e( $ommittin&( and
trans&ressin&1 Herein( two $lasses of offen$e $an be found< an offen$e
a$$ordin& to the world( and an offen$e a&ainst the Vinaya rule1
The first type of fault in$ludes !illin& sentient bein&s( stealin&( and so on1
These misdeeds are re&arded as unwholesome e-erywhere so this trans&ression
is !nown as a fault a$$ordin& to worldly ethi$al prin$iples1
,e&ardin& the se$ond type of offen$e( it relates to the brea!in& of Vinaya
rules su$h as not di&&in& the &round( $uttin& trees and &rass( et$1 Su$h
offen$es( thou&h not e-il in the moral sphere of the e-eryday world( are
offen$es a&ainst the Vinaya1 The rules for mon!s tau&ht by the Buddha belon&
to the faults a$$ordin& to the Vinaya rules for ordained mon!s1
A detailed e=amination is ne$essary for ea$h of these two types1
N
Human (manussa), elephant (hatthi), horse (assa), do& (sunakha), sna!e (ahi), lion
(s-ha), ti&er (byaggha$), panther (d-pi$), bear (accha$), and hyena (ta)accha$).
+ou) 7inds of #)ansg)ssion I
A mon! who has trans&ressed the worldly prohibition with !nowled&e and
-olition be$omes a shameless mon!1 %f he brea!s a moral prin$iple without
!nowin& it( sometimes he falls into an offen$e a&ainst the Vinaya rule as he
!nows the ob>e$t of his trans&ression1 Then he be$omes shameless too1
=amples of these shameless offen$es are !illin&( ta!in& li;uor( dru&s( et$1 He
is &uilty on both $ounts( a worldly offen$e and a Vinaya offen$e1
Howe-er( brea!in& some trainin& rules o$$asionally does not amount to a
Vinaya offen$e1 Sin$e a mon! is free from any offen$e mentioned in the
Vinaya( he $annot be $lassified as shameless1
Most trainin& rules (skhiya) and prohibitions in the Mah-a&&a and
6SGa-a&&a Vinaya te=ts are not offen$es if one is unaware of them( e-en if one
trans&resses the rule1 %f one !nows the rule( but one is i&norant $on$ernin& the
ob>e$t( it is an offen$e a&ainst some rules( but not all1 %n brea!in& a rule while
i&norant of the ob>e$t( thou&h an offen$e is sometimes $ommitted( a mon! is
not thereby shameless1 An e=ample of this is a mon! drin!in& li;uor1 %f a mon!
does not !now that he has ta!en li;uor( thin!in& it to be medi$ine( it is an
offen$e1 Howe-er( he $annot be $alled shameless e-en thou&h he $ommits an
offen$e1 %f a mon! !ills a sentient bein& not !nowin& it has life( he destroys life
unintentionally1 %n this $ase he does not trans&ress the Vinaya rule( and he is
not shameless either1
A mon! be$omes shameless only when !nowled&e of the rule and
!nowled&e of the ob>e$t are both present1 %n brea!in& the rule with !nowled&e
of the rule( but i&norant of the ob>e$t( he is not shameless1 Li!ewise( a mon!
remains s$rupulous if !nowled&e of the ob>e$t is present( but he is unaware of
the rule1 He does not be$ome a shameless mon!1 %f he !nows neither the rule
nor the ob>e$t( and $ommits an offen$e( he $annot be $alled shameless1
The abo-e e=planation is &i-en to $larify the meanin& of 3intentional
trans&ression of the Vinaya rules(5 and to show the $hara$teristi$s of a
shameless mon!1
The se$ond fa$tor is !patti$ pa)ig1hati,' whi$h means that when
trans&ressin& the Vinaya rules a shameless mon! $on$eals his fault1 6on$ealin&
is $hara$terised by ten fa$tors as follows<
A1 Trans&ression of the Vinaya rule or prohibition1
)1 Lnowled&e of trans&ression or &uilt1
A* A Manual of th Dhamma
'1 "resen$e of a well4wisher 7a mon!9 nearby1
N1 "resen$e of a $ompanion mon! amon& them1
O1 Absen$e of any dan&er1
+1 Awareness that there is no dan&er1
Q1 "hysi$al possibility e=ists to $ure or purify the offen$es by $onfession
and followin& the pro$edures laid down for that offen$e1
81 Awareness that physi$al $ompeten$e in ma!in& $onfession e=ists1
I1 "resen$e of an attitude to $o-er up the fault until after dawn1
A*1 Hidin& the fault until after the ne=t dawn1
%f the abo-e ten fa$tors are present until the followin& mornin&( a new
offen$e of wron&4doin& (dukkaa) is $ommitted( addin& to the pre-ious offen$e1
Moreo-er( a mon! thereby be$omes shameless1 Howe-er( if one of the ten
fa$tors is la$!in&( a mon! should not be $alled shameless1
Kote that if a mon! has all the ne$essary fa$tors to $onfess his offen$e( but
fails to do so( he be$omes shameless until the $onfession is made1 So a mon!
may remain shameless for one day( one month( one year( ten years( et$1( unless
he $onfesses the offen$e and follows the pres$ribed pro$edure -oluntarily1 This
is a si&nifi$ant point1
The se$ond fa$tor( whi$h says 3he !nows he has trans&ressed the rules(5
applies to those who do not !now the Vinaya rules1 Amon& untrained(
i&norant mon!s( many will not be aware of their faults e-en if they brea! the
rules1 A few mon!s may not be aware of trans&ressions at all( while the
ma>ority may not !now the rules in detail1 The reason is a la$! of trainin& in
Vinaya1 Trans&ressions without awareness are not offen$es for su$h mon!s1 So
no $har&es of shamelessness should be made a&ainst them1
This is the e=planation of the term !patti$ pa)ig1hati.'
/or the third fa$tor the te=t mentions four features< he does not ta!e a
wron& $ourse throu&h desire( ill4will( delusion( or fear1
These four wron& $ourses must be $onsidered( espe$ially in the matter of
the distribution of $ommunal property and alms (sa3ghika). S$rupulous mon!s
should be free from these four faults as e=plained in the $ommentarial
literature1 Howe-er( one should note that partiality( pre>udi$e( bribery( and
+ou) 7inds of #)ansg)ssion AA
$orruption relate to offen$es only1 The Vinaya tea$hers say that these four
faults arise only when one first brea!s a rule( then follows a wron& $ourse due
to bias1
Howe-er( the arisin& of this &uilt is -ery subtle1 %n $ases re;uirin& a
de$ision of &uilty or not &uilty( both sides try hard to win the $ase( ;uotin&
Vinaya( Sutta( and Abhidhamma1 Howe-er( it often happens that one side(
thou&h !nowin& the $orre$tness of the other( does not admit it and $ontinues
to ar&ue to establish the fault of the opposite party1 This unfortunate
beha-iour arises due to pride( $on$eit( and atta$hment1 Mne side( la$!in&
humility( $laims its -iews to be a$$ordin& to Dhamma( thou&h this is
unwarranted1 Similarly( the other side( due to pride( ar&ues that an offen$e is
no offen$e1 Some pro$laim no offen$e to be an offen$e1 By doin& so( ea$h side
$ommits the e-il of false spee$h( or lyin&1 This is the offen$e of ta!in& a wron&
$ourse1 This fault often arises when one ;uotes Vinaya( Sutta( and
Abhidhamma for oneBs own ends in dispute( disre&ardin& the truth1 So false
spee$h is $lassified as a wron& $ourse1 This e=planation $on$erns the phrase
!agatigamana&ca gacchati' D ta!in& a wron& $ourse( the third fa$tor
mentioned abo-e1
?hen it $omes to $lassifyin& as s$rupulous or shameless( those who la$!
!nowled&e of the Vinaya !eep only a few pre$epts1 So these mon!s ha-e little
$han$e of be$omin& shameless1
Those who are well4-ersed in the Vinaya( attain eminen$e or
$ons$ientiousness in morality1 Howe-er( if non4obser-an$e pre-ails amon&
mon!s well4edu$ated in the Vinaya( the li!elihood of be$omin& shameless is
&reat1 %f a mon!( who is well4trained in the Vinaya( a$$umulates many
followers and &reat material wealth( he $an do mu$h dama&e to the Buddha
dispensation( unli!e an i&norant mon!1 This well4edu$ated mon! is li!e an
armed robber or thief who enters a treasure4house and steals its $ontents1
Here ends the se$tion on the $hara$teristi$s of s$rupulous and shameless
mon!s in brief1
!haracteristics of an "mmoral Monk
The te$hni$al term 3immoral (duss-lo)5 means a totally depra-ed mon!
who $ommits an offen$e of defeat (p).ika). The DuJJhadosa Si!!hpada
states 3%f a mon!( bein& an&ry( and wantin& to ma!e another mon! disrobe(
falsely a$$uses him of defeat( he $ommits an offen$e re;uirin& a formal meetin&
A) A Manual of th Dhamma
of the Sa2&ha15 He $ommits a serious e-il by his a$$usations a&ainst an
immoral mon! who has $ommitted an offen$e of defeat1 %f a mon!( without
the aim of e=pellin& an immoral mon!( merely a$$uses or belittles him so that
his honour and power will be e=tin&uished( he $ommits an offen$e re;uirin&
$onfession (pcittiya patti). -en if he abuses or spea!s ill of an immoral
mon!( he trans&resses the pcittiya rule1
Accusation with !hares of Defeat
?ords spo!en a&ainst an immoral mon! with the followin& $har&es mean
3spea!in& ill or a$$usation15
3.ou ha-e $ommitted an offen$e of defeat15
3.ou possess no moral $ondu$t15
3.ou are not a mon! at all15
3.ou are not a son of the Sa!yan $lan15
Su$h e=pressions used a&ainst a mon! are $har&es of defeat as mentioned
in the $ommentary1
The term 3shameless5 (ala..-) in$ludes an immoral mon! who has fallen
into an offen$e of defeat1 Howe-er( the te=t says that a shameless one
trans&resses minor offen$es (dukkaa). So the term 3shameless5 $o-ers both
&reat and small offen$es1 Therefore if a mon! spea!s ill of someone only as
3shameless5 he es$apes the serious offen$e of Sa2&hdisesa1 As the Vinaya
te=ts and $ommentaries &i-e pre$ise e=amples( only those mon!s who ha-e
$ommitted an offen$e of defeat should be $lassified as 3immoral15
Those mon!s who do not $ommit any offen$e of defeat( but who
o$$asionally brea! other pre$epts are not immoral mon!s( thou&h they are
shameless if the re;uisite fa$tors are present1 Apart from offen$es of defeat(
other offen$es do not $onfer immoral status( so 3shameless5 and 3immoral5
mon!s are $learly ;uite different1 The way to distin&uish them has been
e=plained already1
%n the Vinaya 6ommentary the term !dumma3k1 D wi$!ed5 is used in the
phrase !Dumma3k1na$ puggalna$ niggahya D for the restraint of wi$!ed
men15 So a shameless mon! $an also be $alled 3wi$!ed15 Amon& shameless
mon!s two distin$t types $an be defined< immoral and shameless (duss-la ala..-)
and ordinary shameless mon!s (samanya ala..-).
Accusation ,ith 8ha)gs of Dfat A'
%n the matter of offen$es of defeat one must $lassify a mon! as immoral
and shameless1 %n $ases dealin& with other offen$es only the ordinary
shameless (samanya ala..-) $lassifi$ation appears( whi$h is $alled 3wi$!ed15 /or
a defeated mon! is definitely an immoral mon!( not >ust a shameless one1
The term 3wi$!ed5 has been e=plained in two ways in the Vimati T!( a
Vinaya sub$ommentary1 %t says that after $ommittin& an offen$e of defeat a
mon! be$omes a totally bad one D that is $ompletely without moral $ondu$t1
%f a mon! brea!s only the other rules( partially he is &ood1 Total depra-ity
$annot be assi&ned to him1 He is immoral only to some e=tent1 So he is
partially moral and partially immoral1 -en those mon!s who $ommit li&ht
offen$es of wron&4doin& or wron& spee$h( fall into the $ate&ory of immoral
(duss-la).
%t is $lear( a$$ordin& to this sub$ommentary( that a mon! $an more easily
be$ome immoral than shameless1 So this e=planation is unreasonable1 This
e=planation is $ontrary to the tea$hin& of the &reat $ommentaries and famous
sub$ommentaries( whi$h unanimously de$lare that an immoral mon! la$!s
morality D !duss-lassti niss-lassa duss-lo*ti' 7$ommentary on 6niss-lo*91 All the
&reat Vinaya $ommentaries a&ree in $ommentin& on the words !asamao
asakyaputtiyo' from the DuJJhadosa Sa2&hdisesa pre$ept that an immoral
mon! la$!s all morality1 So the Vimati T!Bs words are a&ainst the spirit of
the &reat $ommentaries and sub$ommentaries1 %t is not surprisin& that
$ompetent Vinaya masters re>e$t this e=position of the Vimati T!1
The term !duss-la puggala D an immoral indi-idual(5 means one who has
trans&ressed a "r>i!a rule and so la$!s all dis$iplinary -irtues D a defeated
mon!1 As lon& as this defeated mon! does not admit his offen$e and still
asso$iates with &enuine mon!s( a$$eptin& food and other alms( he is
automati$ally $lassified as immoral1 %f he $onfesses his fault( he immediately
es$apes from the $ate&ory of immoral( and also from a mon!Bs status1
#eal $tatus of "mmoral Monks
An immoral mon!( at the time of his $onfession( be$omes free from the
sti&ma of 3immoral5 by renoun$in& his mon!hood1 Howe-er( an immoral
mon! may refuse to admit his &uilt( and $ontinue to li-e as a mon!1 %s he still a
mon!@ %s this immoral person still a mon! before the time of admission of
&uilt@ The answer is that he retains the appearan$e of mon!hood( but with the
sti&ma of immorality1 He is still a mon!( thou&h in appearan$e only1
AN A Manual of th Dhamma
The answer is $orre$t1 -iden$e $an be found in the Vinaya "iJa!a1 %n the
Sa2&hdisesa rules an immoral mon! may $laim that he is still a mon!(
althou&h he has $ommitted an offen$e of defeat1 %f he does not $onfess his
fault he is still in possession of !pai&&,' that is( he retains the idea 3% am a
mon!15 %f a mon! a$$uses him of defeat( without seein&( hearin&( or suspe$tin&
anythin&( he is >ust as &uilty as if a$$usin& a s$rupulous mon!( and falls into a
Sa2&hdisesa offen$e1 %f a mon! ma!es su$h a$$usations re&ardin& an immoral
no-i$e( he falls into an offen$e of wron& doin&1 This is the first proof of the
$orre$tness of the answer1
%f a mon! dwells under the same roof for more than three ni&hts with a
layman or a no-i$e( he is &uilty of an offen$e of p$ittiya1 Howe-er( if he li-es
in the same dwellin& with a fallen mon! there is no offen$e( so it as if he were
a &enuine mon!1 The reason is that the outward si&n of mon!hood is still
present in the immoral mon!1 This is the se$ond proof for the $orre$tness of
the answer1
%f a mon! abuses a layman or no-i$e( it is an offen$e of wron&4doin&1 %f a
mon! abuses a fallen mon!( who has not $onfessed his &uilt( the abuser falls
into an offen$e of pcittiya. %n this $ase abusin& a fallen mon! is e;ui-alent to
abusin& a &enuine mon!1 This is further proof of the effe$t of an immoral mon!
$laimin& a mon!Bs status1
Keither a layman nor a no-i$e fulfils the re;uirements for $on-eyin& oneBs
purity to the Sa2&ha (chanda9pa)isuddhi),
O
but a fallen mon! does be$ause the
outward appearan$e of mon!hood is present1 This is yet another proof1
So it is $lear that althou&h he not a true mon!( an outward si&n (li3ga), or
idea (pai&&) e=ists be$ause of the power of Vinaya1
Althou&h an immoral( fallen mon! has $ommitted one of the &ra-est
faults( if he still $laims that he is a mon!( his status is >ust li!e a true mon!1
How is this possible@ This mon! re$ei-es the power and $ommand of the
BuddhaBs Vinaya when( at the time of his ordination( he as!s for and re$ei-es
the robes from his pre$eptor1 This itself is a Vinaya power of the Buddha1
Se$ondly( he has &one throu&h the fi-e Vinaya pro$edures( su$h as de$laration
by the Sa2&ha (&atti) followin& rules laid down by the Buddha1 So( despite
O
%f a mon! is too si$! to attend the Uposatha $eremony he must send his de$laration
of purity and $onsent to the Sa2&ha throu&h another mon!1 7ed19
Lgal 4tatus of :mmo)al Monks AO
brea!in& the &ra-est rule( he retains the outward appearan$e of mon!hood due
to the two features he re$ei-ed from the Vinaya pro$edure( and they retain
their power until his -oluntary $onfession1
This is surprisin&( but $orre$t1 Mn$e a layman as!s for and re$ei-es robes
from his pre$eptors a$$ordin& to the Vinaya rules( he immediately trans$ends
the lower status of a layman1 Upon ta!in& the three refu&es and a$$eptin& the
robes in the way pres$ribed by the Vinaya( he immediately be$omes a no-i$e1
This is due to the power of the BuddhaBs $ommand1 Hust as!in& for and
re$ei-in& robes ele-ates him to a hi&her status than a layman( e-en if he fails to
re$ei-e the three refu&es for la$! of a suitable pre$eptor1 %f he remains in this
position( he is more honourable than a layman be$ause by this one pro$edure
he attains the features and status of one &one forth1
/or bhi!!hu ordination( four kamma%c re$itations
+
are mandatory to
a$hie-e the full status of a bhi!!hu1 .et e-en a sin&le kamma%c re$itation is
suffi$ient to raise the $andidate to the status of a no-i$e1 He now a$hie-es(
under the power of the Vinaya pro$edure and $eremony( the status of one
&one forth1 As the kamma%c re$itations are $ompleted up to the fourth
round( his &one4forth status is repeatedly established1 %f the pre$eptors( for
una-oidable reasons( stop their ordination pro$edure at the third re$itation(
this person is mu$h hi&her in status than a no-i$e althou&h he la$!s full
bhi!!hu ordination1 He now re$ei-es the features or honours of a homeless life
praised by the Buddha1 %f the fourth kamma%c re$itation is $ompleted( it
raises him up to the full status of one &one forth( as a full bhi!!hu in the
Sa2&ha1
%f a no-i$e brea!s one of the ten trainin& rules for no-i$es( he destroys
both the maintenan$e of three refu&es and his status of a no-i$e1 Howe-er(
while retainin& the robes( he $annot be $lassified as a layman1 He remains in
the position of a no-i$e1 Mn$e he dis$ards the robes( he is deemed to be a
layman1
An offen$e of defeat $ommitted by a mon! destroys him as a &enuine
mon!( but he does not fall into the $ate&ory of a no-i$e or a layman yet1 His
mon! status remains if he retains the appearan$e of this status1 Mn$e he
renoun$es the appearan$e then he must be $lassified as a layman1 All tra$es of
mon!hood now disappear( e-en the outward si&n of wearin& the robe1
+
Mne motion( followed by three announ$ements1
A+ A Manual of th Dhamma
An analo&y is &i-en here1 %f a s$rupulous mon! renoun$es his Vinaya
obli&ations before the Sa2&ha in the proper way( he be$omes a layman a&ain1
Similarly( a fallen mon! renoun$es his mon! status by dis$ardin& his robes(
thereby be$omin& a layman in the full sense1 Due to the power of the BuddhaBs
$ommand( this fallen mon! maintains his mon! status if he retains the
outward appearan$es of a mon!1 Howe-er( he is an immoral( fallen mon! due
to his serious fault1 ?hen he $onfesses his offen$es and renoun$es his outward
appearan$e( he be$omes a layman1 As a layman( he now es$apes from the
$har&e of bein& an immoral( depra-ed mon!1 The main point here is that if he
does not dis$ard his robes( e-en if he $onfesses his offen$e( we $annot $lassify
him as a layman yet1
A$$ordin& to the Vinaya( if a mon! abuses a fallen mon! without >ust
$ause( it is >ust li!e abusin& a s$rupulous mon!1 The resultin& offen$e is the
same as abusin& a s$rupulous mon!( and the a$$user $ommits a serious
(sa3ghdissa) offen$e1 By understandin& this subtle point( it is $lear that
slanderin& a fallen mon! is worse than slanderin& a s$rupulous layman1 This is
be$ause the a$$used still $laims to be a mon!1 ,etainin& the outward si&n of a
mon! !eeps him under the power of kamma%cF thus he is still under the
power of the Buddha( Dhamma( and Sa2&ha too1 %t is not be$ause of his
serious misdeeds( but be$ause of the power of his ordination kamma%c(
whi$h is under the sublime influen$e of the Triple 0em1 His a$$eptan$e of this
de$laration and his retention of the robe &i-e him these powerful refu&es1 He
retains a $ertain status1
Howe-er( these powerful refu&es $annot sa-e him from serious e-il
!amma( and the resultant sufferin&1 By his $ommission of an offen$e of defeat(
and his dis&ra$eful $laim to be a mon!( he &athers e-il !amma day by day1 %n
other words( his e-il !amma in$reases if he remains in these sa$red shelters1
Moreo-er( those who abuse an immoral mon! a$$umulate serious e-il effe$ts
themsel-es( due to this aw!ward situation1 Those who appre$iate the power of
Vinaya show respe$t to an immoral( fallen mon!( &ettin& &reat merit1 These
three effe$ts must be noted $arefully1
$hould %ne A&oid $hameless and "mmoral Monks'
Uuestions two and three will be answered to&ether as they are related1 Let
us re$apitulate the two ;uestions<
3Should those who !now the truth about shameless and immoral
mon!s refrain from asso$iatin& with and payin& respe$t to them@ Does
this a&ree with the -erse in the Ma2&ala Sutta that ad-ises one to
a-oid the foolish@ %s a lay person who shows disre&ard by shunnin&
immoral and shameless mon!s followin& the Ma2&ala Dhamma@ ?e
would li!e to hear e-iden$e and $ase histories from the s$riptures
re&ardin& &ood or bad results from this a$t15
3Should those who !now the truth about shameless and immoral
mon!s $ontinue to pay respe$t and offer re;uisites@ Are they followin&
the Ma2&ala Dhamma that ad-ises us to asso$iate with the wise@ %s
this beha-iour followin& the ad-i$e &i-en in the Ma2&ala Sutta or not@
Lindly &i-e e-iden$e and $ase histories re&ardin& &ood or bad results
from this a$t15
To answer these ;uestions one should understand the nature and
$hara$teristi$s of shameless and immoral mon!s1 The famous Ma2&ala Sutta
emphasises the nature of foolish or wise persons1 %n the in>un$tion $allin& for
asso$iatin& only with the wise( the nature of &ood and bad persons is stressed1
Here the Buddha tau&ht the nature of the pious and the impious1 %n this subtle
matter one must ma!e distin$tions to !now the respe$ti-e basis of ea$h type1
A1 Moral (sus-la) and immoral (duss-la).
Q
)1 /oolish (bla) and wise (paita).
'1 A &ood man 7sappu)isa) and a bad man (asappu)isa).
Thus there are three pairs of persons with respe$t to their nature and
$hara$teristi$s1
Q
%n this $onte=t( RimmoralB also means RshamelessB as it is opposed to Rmoral1B 6f1 the
bodhisattaBs definition of moral (s-la%anta$) abo-e 7ed19
AQ
A8 A Manual of th Dhamma
%n the Saraba2&a Hta!a 76attalisa Kipta9 the Buddha distin&uishes three
types1 Sa!!a( the !in& of the &ods( as!s in detail re&ardin& the nature of ea$h
personal $hara$teristi$ as follows<
A1 ?ho is $alled moral (s-la%anta$) by the wise@
)1 ?ho is $alled wise (pa&&a%anta$) by the wise@
'1 ?ho is $alled &ood (sappu)isa$) by the wise@
N1 ?ho will ne-er lose honour and respe$t@
These were the bodhisattaBs answers to Sa!!aBs ;uestions<
A1 Those who $ontrol their senses( a-oidin& any !ind of physi$al( -erbal(
or mental e-il( who refrain from lyin& e-en at the ris! of their life( are
$alled moral persons by the wise1
)1 Those who( possessin& profound wisdom( $an answer philosophi$al
;uestions with their innate wisdom( ha-in& no selfish re&ard for
themsel-es or others( who refrain from abusi-e words and $oarse
a$tions that harm oneself and others( but wor! for the welfare of
humanity( are $alled wise by the wise1
'1 Those who are &rateful( ha-e a steady mind( possess the attributes of a
&ood friend( respe$t the worthy( and dili&ently fulfil the duties of a
friend( are $alled &ood by the wise1
N1 Those who possess morality( wisdom( and piety( &ain $onfiden$e( show
humility( share their possessions unselfishly with others( understand
the words of the alms see!er( help others a$$ordin& to >ust prin$iples(
pra$ti$e truthfulness and show $i-ility( will ne-er lose honour and
respe$t1
?e $an summarise the abo-e $lassifi$ations on the basis of a-oidan$e of
immoral deeds or offen$es1 These persons are moral persons as they possess the
$hara$teristi$s of a moral person1
,e&ardin& the nature and $hara$teristi$s of a wise person( we must
$onsider three fa$tors<
A1 The ability to answer deep ;uestions effe$ti-ely and dire$tly1
4hould ;n A%oid 4hamlss and :mmo)al Monks0 AI
)1 A-oidan$e of physi$al and -o$al mis$ondu$t( espe$ially harsh words
that harm the welfare of oneself and others1
'1 ?hene-er the opportunity arises one $an wor! for the welfare of
oneself and others1
,e&ardin& the nature and $hara$teristi$s of a &ood person( we must
$onsider four fa$tors<
A1 The ability to !now and a$!nowled&e the &ratitude due to others1
)1 "ossession of the ;ualifi$ations of a &ood friend1
'1 Ability to asso$iate with the wise1
N1 ?illin&ness to help the poor and the needy( with the ne$essary s!ill to
perform appropriate duties ener&eti$ally1
,e&ardin& the nature and $hara$teristi$s of a pious and honourable person
we must note the abo-e fa$tors( with the addition of $onfiden$e and humility1
Then Sa!!a as!ed a&ain( 3?hi$h is the best amon& morality( honour(
&oodness( and wisdom@5
The bodhisatta answered< 3The sa&es de$lare that >ust as the moon is the
bri&htest amon& the stars( amon& morality( honour( &oodness( and wisdom(
wisdom is the $hief and best of all( be$ause all &ood $ondu$t( honour( and
&ood $hara$ter must follow its lead15 %n other words all must follow the lead of
a wise man1
%n the te=t are other ;uestions and answers re&ardin& how to &ain wisdom(
et$1( but we omit them here as they are not rele-ant1
Amon& the four &ood fa$tors mentioned abo-e( the first three are the main
points to remember in our dis$ussion of types of mon!s1 Amon& the first three(
we may further distin&uish those who la$! morality as shameless or immoral( as
e=plained earlier1 Mne la$!in& &oodness $an easily a$$umulate the $hara$ter4
isti$s of a shameless and immoral person too1 Due to la$! of wisdom one will
ta!e on the nature and $hara$teristi$s of a fool1 La$! of piety and respe$t will
ma!e one a bad person( ta!in& on the nature and re;uisite fa$tors of a bad
man1 Thus there are three pairs<
A1 Moral (sus-la) and immoral (duss-la).
Q
)1 ?ise (paita) and foolish (bla).
)* A Manual of th Dhamma
'1 0ood (sappu)isa) and bad (asappu)isa).
a$h has its own distin$ti-e nature and $hara$teristi$s in a different
$ate&ory1
Amon& the si= types in three opposite pairs( one may asso$iate with a
moral person( a -irtuous type( shown in the first $ate&ory in the first position1
Those ha-in& friendship in payin& respe$t to a moral person $an usually
be$ome moral too1 ,espe$tin& or honourin& an immoral or bad person $an
ma!e one immoral or bad1 Those who show respe$t and honour to the wise
$an usually be$ome wise too1 /riendship with a bad person ma!es one bad1
Howe-er( if one ma!es friends with a pious( &ood person one usually be$omes
&ood1 Mb-iously( the best person to asso$iate with and respe$t is one who
possesses all three -irtues< morality( wisdom( and &oodness1
%f a person honours and respe$ts a moral( foolish( bad person he &radually
be$omes li!ewise1 Howe-er( the presen$e of morality is &ood( so we must
praise him for this aspe$t while we should $ondemn foolishness and badness1
?ho is a moral( but foolish and bad mon!@ Some mon!s try their best to
!eep their pre$epts and follow the mon!sB trainin&1 As they are ordinary
persons( they sometimes brea! some dis$iplinary rules( fallin& into offen$es( but
they purify these offen$es as soon as possible1 They are therefore $lassified as
moral mon!s1 Howe-er( sin$e they fail to study Dhamma and Abhidhamma(
they are i&norant( so they are $lassified as foolish1 Also( if they do not
a$!nowled&e the benefit re$ei-ed from others( they are bad mon!s in the
te$hni$al sense1 So they are $oarse and un$ultured persons1
% will now e=plain in detail the nature of a bad person1 This feature
manifests as in&ratitude1 He is blind to the benefits re$ei-ed from others( and
refuses to pay honour and respe$t to the worthy1 He brea!s the rules of &ood
friendship by $han&in& his attitude if someone $riti$ises him1 Moreo-er( a bad
person fails to see! !nowled&e and wisdom( or to ma!e friendship with the
wise1 %f he sees friends in need( he a$ts as if not seein& them( thus he does not
a$!nowled&e their former friendship1 So if one of the asappurisa fa$tors e=ists(
he is $lassified as 3bad5 be$ause of this $hara$teristi$1 He is not a &ood mon!1
This e=plains the nature of the moral( but foolish( and bad mon!1
?ith the shameless and bad( but wise mon!( those who pay respe$t and
help him( obtain similar $hara$teristi$s themsel-es1 So we must praise a
de-otee who be$omes wise as his tea$her is also wise1 Howe-er( as the
4hould ;n A%oid 4hamlss and :mmo)al Monks0 )A
shameless and bad aspe$ts are present( we must blame both the de-otee and
the mon!1 Herein( the term 3wise5 only means well4edu$ated in Sutta(
Vinaya( and Abhidhamma1 So we $all a mon! 3wise5 thou&h he la$!s the
other two &ood ;ualities1 Howe-er( sin$e he brea!s the Vinaya rules -ery often
and does not $are to restrain his senses( we also $lassify him as shameless1 As
he fails to a$!nowled&e the benefit he re$ei-es from others and has other
$hara$teristi$s of a bad person( we $all him 3bad15 %ndeed( he is not a &ood
mon! in these aspe$ts1 The abo-e fa$tors show the $hara$teristi$s of a
shameless and bad( but wise mon!1
/ollowin& this method of $lassifyin& mon!s( many mon!s of mi=ed triple
types $an be found for further e=amination1 Mne $an see that most mon!s( li!e
most lay persons( are of mi=ed triple types D a $ompound of &ood and bad
features1 This type is $ommon e-erywhere1 To befriend( honour( and support
the moral( wise( and &ood mon! is best( if possible1 These are the best persons
in the world( brin&in& the &reatest benefits and welfare for all1 They are worthy
of respe$t and honour in all essential aspe$ts1
%f howe-er( a de-otee fails to find this ideal type( he needs to $ulti-ate
foresi&ht and $ulture in $hoosin& and helpin& a parti$ular mon! for worship(
honour( and alms&i-in&1 He needs intuiti-e s!ill in dealin& with mon!s with
mi=ed &ood and bad ;ualities1
The $imile of the (ood )ouse
A man needs to build a house in the forest( and enters the forest in sear$h
of timber1 %f he $an &et all beams( posts( floorboards( plan!s( and shin&les from
a sin&le tree( this is the best( and ideal1 %f he is unable to find su$h a tree( he
should not fail to build his house1 He must use whate-er timber he $an &et
from -arious trees that he finds1 He must build his house anyhow by all means
be$ause not ha-in& a dwellin& pla$e leads to all !inds of trouble and hardship1
-ery man needs a home for rest( sleep( and $omfort1 So a wise see!er of
buildin& materials must $arefully e=amine ea$h tree he happens to find in the
forest1 %f he finds lon& lo&s he must ta!e them for posts1 %f he finds strai&ht
timber that is too short for posts he must ta!e it for plan!s or shin&les1 He
must i&nore unsuitable materials or siCes in ea$h tree that he finds1 By sele$tin&
only useful lo&s of appropriate siCes( lea-in& behind the useless ones( he $an
build a &ood( stron& house for his benefit with the wood from -arious trees1 By
wise dis$rimination a well4built house results1
)) A Manual of th Dhamma
By $hoosin& suitable materials for ea$h purpose from -arious trees( one
obtains a beautiful( stron& house1 He is no different to a person who finds all
the suitable material from a sin&le e=$ellent tree1 His house is not inferior in
any way( be$ause he obtains and dwells in a well4built house made from &ood
materials1 His house lasts lon& enou&h for his des$endants too1
The abo-e simile is a pra$ti$al illustration for a $omfortable life1 /ollowin&
this wise method( a de-otee should pay attention to the &ood features of a
moral( but foolish( and bad mon!1 He should pay respe$t to the &ood points in
a person( i&norin& the la$! of the fa$tors re;uired for &ood and wise status1 He
should honour the moral features in su$h a person( thus &ainin& a $lear
$ons$ien$e and mu$h benefit1 He should not utter harsh or slanderous words
a&ainst this mon! for his other faults( wea!nesses( and failures1 They must be
totally i&nored1 Mne should not lump to&ether all &ood and bad features of a
mon! in oneBs mind1
%f he blames and abuses this mon! by lumpin& to&ether all features( he
be$omes a foolish and bad person himself1 He suffers for his disrespe$t and for
his harsh words1 Moreo-er( he fails to &et the benefit of honourin& and
respe$tin& the aspe$t of morality in this mon!( due to his own foolishness1 The
wise $ourse for an intelli&ent( de-oted person is to rely on a wise mon! for
wisdom and to asso$iate with a &ood mon! for his humility and &entleness1
Mne should therefore ta!e heed of these different $auses and different effe$ts(
bein& e-er -i&ilant when approa$hin& a mon! for alms&i-in&( and showin&
respe$t1
Mne who helps a moral( but foolish and bad mon!( may $ontradi$t the
Ma2&ala Dhamma $allin& for a-oidan$e of fools be$ause of the foolish aspe$t1
By asso$iation with a foolish mon!( this may appear to be so1 The Ma2&ala
Sutta en>oins all to a-oid foolish persons1 Be$ause of the words 3to asso$iate
with the wise5( one mi&ht thin! this $ontradi$ts the ad-i$e to follow the wise1
Howe-er( su$h a de-otee( be$ause of his wise attitude and appropriate $hoi$e(
does not brea! these two &ood rules mentioned in the Ma2&ala Sutta and
Hta!a1 %n fa$t he obtains the blessin& of asso$iation with the wise for his $lear
thin!in& and suitable deeds1
?hat benefits does one &ain by respe$tin& a mon! of the type shown
abo-e@ The reason for &ettin& benefits is that in the ultimate sense the essen$e
of a wise person is moral $ondu$t1 This is e=plained in the Abhidhamma
7Mti!9 in relation to a pair of terms !bl dhamma' and !paita dhamma.'
#h 4imil of th <ood =ous )'
So morality alone( in the ultimate sense( is wisdom1 %f a person pays attention
to the $hara$teristi$ of morality alone( he &ets at least part of the blessin&
$alled 3asso$iatin& with the wise15 %f( howe-er( he pays attention to a mon!Bs
foolishness and badness( he $annot attain this blessin& as his mind mi=es all
sorts of fa$tors( &ood and bad1 Be$ause of this( he be$omes foolish and bad too1
,e&ardin& the remainin& mon!s of three mi=ed ;ualities( one $an probably
understand the appropriate results( be$ause all are similar to the abo-e
e=ample1
Some mon!s may la$! all three &ood fa$tors( bein& !nown as shameless(
foolish( and bad1 Ko one should pay respe$t to su$h a mon! or honour him( as
he does not possess a sin&le redeemin& -irtue1 Therefore one should >ust i&nore
this type of mon! and refrain from spea!in& abusi-e words1 %f one relies on or
honours this type of mon! one is brea!in& the in>un$tion of the Ma2&ala
Sutta( whi$h en>oins one not to asso$iate with fools1
%n ea$h $ase one should ma!e a detailed analysis and appropriate $lassifi4
$ation( sin$e many $ombinations of -i$e and -irtue $an be found1 The
;uestioners as!ed about the $lassifi$ation of shameless and immoral( with the
resultant types of foolish( wise( and bad persons1 So in this answer % ha-e &i-en
a detailed analysis and ne$essary $omments for $larityBs sa!e1
%f one understands the method of $lassifi$ation of mon!s in the first
answer( one will ha-e $lear answers for the se$ond and third ;uestions1 The
essential points are the same1
A note of warnin&1 All de-otees and lay persons should maintain an
intelli&ent attitude1 A narrow4minded( e&oisti$ de-otee will( at first( pay
respe$t to a moral mon!( but as familiarity &rows( all !inds of atta$hment and
$lin&in& arise( thus diminishin& the mon!Bs status1 %ntima$y( atta$hment( and
familiarity lead to i&noble deeds that are improper a$$ordin& to the Vinaya1 So
$orruption and de$line set in due to intima$y1 An unwise lay person $an
destroy a mon! due to intima$y( wron& attitudes( and ulterior moti-es1
?hat is the meanin& of Ma2&ala Dhamma@ How does one &et it@ %n the
ultimate sense( attitudes and a$ts that promote wholesome fa$tors or merits
are Ma2&ala Dhammas1 Mne &ets blessin&s based on oneBs meritorious deeds1
6on-ersely( demeritorious attitudes and deeds are misfortunes sin$e they
in$rease unwholesome states1 Mne should understand that both are impersonal
states in their ultimate sense and $hara$teristi$s1 ,e&ardin& the problem
)N A Manual of th Dhamma
whether one should asso$iate with this or that mon!( in the ultimate sense
personal fa$tors are absent1 The essen$e of $orre$t beha-iour is to asso$iate
with wholesome states and not to asso$iate with unwholesome states1 This is
the $ru= of the problem and the infallible &uide to appropriate a$tion1
$e&ita**+se&ita**a $utta
%n the Se-itabbse-itabba Sutta 7the dis$ourse on asso$iatin& or a-oidin&9
the Buddha de$lares in the $learest terms<
3Sriputta( if by asso$iatin& with a person you de-elop unwholesome
states( lessenin& or destroyin& wholesome states( you should a-oid that
person1 Sriputta( if by asso$iatin& with a person you de-elop
wholesome states( lessenin& or destroyin& unwholesome states( you
should asso$iate with that person15
The essential point is to $hoose between wholesome states and
unwholesome states ob>e$ti-ely1
The ,+lapa-.ita $utta
A fool is so $alled be$ause he habitually thin!s bad thou&hts( spea!s bad
spee$h( and does bad deeds1 A wise person is so $alled be$ause he habitually
thin!s &ood thou&hts( spea!s &ood spee$h( and does &ood deeds1 So those who
are e-il in thou&ht( spee$h( and deeds are depra-ed or wi$!ed1 Those who are
-irtuous in thou&ht( spee$h( and deeds are wise and $ultured1
Kowadays many lay persons and mon!s fail to attain $omplete purity in all
three spheres of morality1 Some are moral in their bodily a$tions( but immoral
in spee$h and thou&ht1 Mthers( thou&h moral in spea!in& the truth( are
immoral in their a$tions and thou&hts1 Many ha-e &ood intentions( but $annot
spea! or beha-e s!ilfully1 Some are s!ilful in two spheres( but la$! purity in the
third1 Thus( all !inds of people $an be found with mi=ed physi$al( -erbal( and
mental s!ills1
Most people possess a mi= of &ood and e-il in ea$h of the three spheres1 %n
$hoosin& a tea$her or a mon! for oneBs mentor( one should $he$! to see if
wholesome states are de-elopin& or deterioratin&1 %n other words( all
intelli&ent persons should e=amine their own moral pro&ress in honourin& or
asso$iatin& with others1
#h >lapaita 4utta )O
The ;uestioners ha-e as!ed about the &ood or bad results of asso$iatin&
with or supportin& shameless and immoral mon!s1 They want e-iden$e or $ase
histories for the respe$ti-e effe$ts( &ood or bad1
%t is said( 3Mne shameless mon! $reates a hundred shameless ones by
asso$iation and e=ample15 So the bad results of asso$iatin& with shameless
mon!s are too &reat to measure1
The Buddha warns us that those who asso$iate intimately with the
shameless will ta!e on their $hara$teristi$s1 This is the first bad result1
Subse;uent bad results are as follows1 %f one be$omes shameless in this life(
one is liable to retain this $hara$teristi$ in thousands of future e=isten$es( as
one is far remo-ed from moral $ondu$t1 Mn$e one be$omes bad( one will tend
to be bad in a series of future e=isten$es too1 %f one be$omes foolish( bein&
without !nowled&e and insi&ht in this life( one be$omes a fool in $ountless
future li-es1 These are the bad results1
Seein& only bad results and the &ra-ity of ea$h $ase( one should a-oid
asso$iatin& with shameless( bad( and foolish mon!s1 Moreo-er( these persons(
la$!in& morality( &oodness( and wisdom( $annot brin& blessin&s to those who
meet them1 Asso$iation with them usually brin&s only misfortune1 Those who
want to obtain blessin&s in asso$iatin& with them should first reform their own
minds and attitudes1 De-otees and donors should $on$entrate only on some
-irtue or &ood aspe$t of su$h mon!s1 0reat $are is needed here1
As for the e-iden$e of &ood or bad effe$ts( one should study the
$ommentary on the Suttanipta that e=plains the phrase !5s%an ca
blna$' in detail1 More e=amples to pro-e this point $an be &leaned from
tea$hers and learned pre$eptors1 Dhamma tea$hers will &i-e sermons on this
matter( relatin& stories from the TipiJa!a and its $ommentaries1
$hould %ne )onour $hameless and "mmoral Monks'
3%f a person( !nowin& a mon! to be shameless or immoral( offers the
four re;uisites( does this amount to the blessin& that says that one
should honour worthy persons@ Mr does it $ontradi$t this ad-i$e@
Lindly let us !now the &ood or bad results with suitable e-iden$e and
$ase histories15
/irst one should !now the persons worthy of honour as mentioned in the
Suttanipta 6ommentary1 They are A9 the Mmnis$ient Buddha( )9 a "a$$e!a
Buddha( '9 a Koble Dis$iple( N9 oneBs mother( O9 oneBs father( +9 oneBs elder
brother( Q9 oneBs elder sister( 89 the mother of oneBs husband( I9 the father of
oneBs husband( A*9 the elder brother of oneBs husband( AA9 the elder sister of
oneBs husband1
This $ommentary mentions only ele-en types who are worthy of honour
and respe$t1 The $ommentary on the Da!!hiVa-ibha2&a Sutta further
mentions that( for householders who ta!e refu&e in the Three 0ems( no-i$es(
mon!s( and Koble Mnes are worthy of honour and respe$t1 %n $lassifyin&
persons who are worthy of honour we should therefore in$lude the followin&<
A)9 an ordinary householder who a$$epts the three refu&es( A'9 an ordinary
householder who maintains the fi-e pre$epts( AN9 an ordinary no-i$e( AO9 an
ordinary mon!1 Thus( fifteen types of worthy persons $an be found1
/or ordinary no-i$es and mon!s we $an define three further $lasses<
s$rupulous (la..-), shameless (ala..-), and immoral (duss-lo).
Mfferin& almsfood and other re;uisites to s$rupulous no-i$es and mon!s
amounts to the &ood pra$ti$e en>oined in the Ma2&ala Sutta as 3honourin&
those worthy of honour15 Mne may doubt whether offerin&s to shameless or
immoral no-i$es and mon!s fulfil the Ma2&ala Dhamma or not1 The answer is
that offerin&s to shameless no-i$es and mon!s do amount to honourin& those
worthy of honour1 The only problem to $onsider is whether we $an $lassify
offerin&s to immoral no-i$es and mon!s as an auspi$ious deed1 Many lay
supporters find themsel-es in perple=ity here1 So % should &i-e the answer in
detail for $larifi$ation and &uidan$e1
)Q
)8 A Manual of th Dhamma
%n the Visuddhima&&a it says that e-ery mon!( on$e ordained( bears the
burden of more than nine billion
8
Vinaya rules1 %n the fi-e Vinaya boo!s
e=plainin& the "Jimo!!ha saP-ara sla( the Mmnis$ient Buddha pro$laimed
innumerable rules for all mon!s1 So e-ery mon! in this dispensation
underta!es innumerable pre$epts and trainin& rules( whi$h he must learn and
follow1 Mn$e the three refu&es and kamma%c re$itations ha-e been
$ompleted( e-ery mon! has a$$epted the innumerable rules of basi$ monasti$
restraint (/imokkha sa$%)a s-la).
The Mmnis$ient BuddhaBs power of ma!in& Vinaya rules and re&ulations
for all mon!s is based on !5ndsan' D his authority or $ommand1 So on$e a
layman re$ei-es the robes from his pre$eptor( he automati$ally trans$ends a
laymanBs status and instantly be$omes a homeless one1 -en at the initial sta&e
of ordination( a $andidate is worthy to re$ei-e homa&e and alms from lay
donors1 This is due to the status re$ei-ed from the mandatory law of the
Vinaya1 Lay people should show their respe$t by bowin&( thou&h the $andidate
has not yet underta!en the no-i$e rules and re&ulations1 At the third round of
re$itin& the Three ,efu&es he automati$ally underta!es the no-i$e rules and
re&ulations1 Then he is a real no-i$e and needs no further ta!in& of pre$epts as
he has underta!en them automati$ally after the $ompletion of the ordination
pro$edure1
%f this fully ordained no-i$e brea!s one of ten main rules(
I
he destroys the
status of the Three ,efu&es( thereby forsa!in& all rules of one &one forth1 ?hat
remains are the as!in& and ta!in& of the robe( so he has not yet re-erted to the
status of a layman1 He is still a no-i$e a$$ordin& to the Vinaya1 Howe-er( he is
not a true no-i$e of the type mentioned abo-e as he la$!s the trainin& rules1 %f(
howe-er( he ta!es the Three ,efu&es from the Sa2&ha a&ain( he underta!es
the trainin& rules a&ain1 Mnly if he fails to ta!e the Three ,efu&es from the
Sa2&ha $an he be $lassified as immoral( sin$e he falsely $laims to be a no-i$e1
%f he does not ta!e the Three ,efu&es a&ain( he is an immoral( fallen no-i$e1 %f
he admits his faults( he is not $lassified as immoral( and he be$omes a layman
by this a$t1
8
?a%akoisahassni as-tasatakoiyo, pa&&sasatasahassni chatti$s ca punpa).
I(A8*(AO*(*'+ if one koi is ta!en to be A*+ 7Vism1N+91 This hu&e number is arri-ed at
by permutation D 6pyylamukhna niddih.*
I
Kot to be $onfused with the no-i$eBs ten pre$epts1 7ed19
4hould ;n =onou) 4hamlss and :mmo)al Monks0 )I
Many lay people thin! that if a no-i$e brea!s one of the ten main rules he
automati$ally be$omes a layman1 This is wron&1 %f the a$t of ta!in& up the
robes is retained( he $annot be $lassified as a layman1 The matter of disrobin&
for the trans&ression is not the responsibility of the pre$eptors or tea$hers1 The
de$ision rests with the no-i$e $on$erned1 ?hat pre$eptors and tea$hers $an
do is to e=pel an immoral no-i$e from the BuddhaBs dispensation1 These
e=planations are in a$$ordan$e with the Vinaya te=t
A*
and de$isions in the
$ommentaries1 This e=plains the nature of an immoral no-i$e1
Besides the ten main dis$iplines( a no-i$e has to obser-e ten punishments
and se-enty4fi-e trainin& rules( whi$h are $lassified as 3offen$es5 or
3punishments15 So if a no-i$e trans&resses one in this $lass( no failure of the
Three ,efu&es arises( there is no destru$tion of the pre$epts either1 ?hat fault
he &ets here is the brea!in& of restraint only1 This type of offen$e $an be $ured
by under&oin& punishment( after whi$h he re&ains his purity of restraint as
before1
"nnocent /ntil Pro&en (uilty
The prin$iples of Vinaya are subtle1 Mne must thin! deeply on them before
one $an pass >ud&ement on a no-i$e or mon!1
Let us &i-e an e=ample1 Durin& the time of British rule in Burma( the
&o-ernment $onferred administrati-e powers on Township Mffi$ers1 These
offi$ers( after appointment( $ould try parti$ular $ases( pass >ud&ement
a$$ordin& to spe$ifi$ rules( and pres$ribe suitable punishments1 %f they
$ommitted some offen$es themsel-es( these offi$ers must( a$$ordin& to
&o-ernment ser-ant $ondu$t rules( lose their offi$es( while other offen$es
resulted in suspension of duties only1 These latter offen$es $ould be $ured by
the payment of fines1 The nature of ea$h offi$e( its powers( types of offen$es
and appropriate punishments were published in the 6i-il Ser-i$e A$t1
A$$ordin& to this A$t( a Township Mffi$er automati$ally assumed powers
$onferred by the 0o-ernment at his appointment1 ,e&ulations that would lead
to his dismissal from offi$e only applied when he $ommitted spe$ifi$ offen$es1
?hen he was dismissed( all his powers disappeared1 Some misdeeds( howe-er(
$aused him to pay fines( but did not lead to his dismissalF so he retained his
A*
3% allow you( mon!s( to e=pel a no-i$e with Wany ofX ten faults1 He !ills li-in&
bein&s( steals( is un$haste( tells lies( drin!s into=i$ants( $riti$ises the Buddha(
Dhamma( or Sa2&ha( holds a wron& -iew( or sedu$es a nun15 7Vin1 i1 8O91
'* A Manual of th Dhamma
offi$e and still tried the $ases of others1 The powers $onferred when assumin&
offi$e( remained inta$t( thou&h he himself suffered fine4payin& punishment for
some wron&ful a$ts1 This e=ample is to $larify the different types of offen$es
$ommitted by a no-i$e or mon!1
%n the Vinaya rules two main $ate&ories $an be seen1
A1 4amdna s-la D Mne ta!es -ows and ma!es a determination to obser-e
the numerous pre$epts1 This is $alled 3underta!in& morality15 %t in$ludes the
rules underta!en impli$itly by performin& the ordination $eremony1
)1 4a$%a)a s-la D The life of a no-i$e or mon! $arries a moral duty of
restraint1 This is $alled 3morality of restraint15 The restraint of the senses from
sensuality is a duty of -oluntary moral endea-our1
Mn$e a no-i$e ta!es the three refu&es in the proper way( he automati$ally
fulfils 3underta!in& morality5 with this formal a$t1 Howe-er( 3morality of
restraint5 needs the effort to obser-e a pre$ept when a $han$e to brea! it
o$$urs1 /or this type of morality( a no-i$e must $ulti-ate the $onfiden$e and
will to pra$tise the tea$hin&1 Then he must refrain from brea!in& a parti$ular
rule if a $han$e to brea! it o$$urs1
As mentioned already( there are two types of purifi$ation or punishment
for a no-i$e1 %f he brea!s a rule deser-in& e=pulsion( he automati$ally forsa!es
the Three ,efu&es( and all pre$epts that he had underta!en are thereby &i-en
up1 Kot a sin&le trainin& rule remains inta$t1 %f he trans&resses a rule that $alls
for punishment or purifi$ation( he retains the -irtue of ta!in& the Three
,efu&es( and he still obser-es the pre$epts1 -en brea!in& of a pre$ept in this
$ase does not destroy his underta!in&1 He retains the no-i$eBs pre$epts and
status1 He has only bro!en and defiled his restraint( not his underta!in&1 So if
he obser-es the pres$ribed punishment for purifi$ation( his purity of restraint is
re4established1
%n the $ase of a mon!Bs pre$epts( he re$ei-es them all as soon as the fourth
kamma%c re$itation is $ompleted in the ordination hall1 He automati$ally
underta!es the mon!sB pre$epts by followin& the ordination pro$edure1 As for
the purity of restraint( it is the same as for a no-i$e1 He must train himself in
the morality of restraint1
%f a mon! brea!s one of the four rules of defeat( all the pre$epts he has
underta!en are automati$ally lost1 Kot a sin&le pre$ept or dis$ipline remains
with him1 Howe-er( if he brea!s any rules other than those of defeat( he has
:nnocnt @ntil /)o%n <uilty 'A
only bro!en and defiled his restraint of those parti$ular rules D his
underta!in& of the bhi!!husB trainin& remains inta$t1 This is the power of the
Vinaya1
Thus a $lear distin$tion must be made between brea!in& his underta!in&
of the bhi!!husB trainin&( and the brea!in& of his restraint1 Mnly then $an one
$learly !now whether a no-i$e or a mon! is shameless or immoral1 This is a
fundamental distin$tion a$$ordin& to the Vinaya1
Due to the establishment of the Vinaya by the $ommand of the
Mmnis$ient Buddha( a mon! underta!es more than nine billion pre$epts on
$ompletion of the ordination $eremony1 -en if he be$omes shameless
immediately( sin$e he is still a mon! be$ause of the remainin& trainin& rules(
he is worthy of respe$t and offerin&s from the laity1 He is $learly an honourable
mon! who $an re$ei-e the worship and respe$t of the laity1
To determine whether a mon! be$omes immoral( depra-ed( and fallen(
numerous points should be analysed1 The rules in this re&ard are -ery subtle1
The Mmnis$ient BuddhaBs Vinaya prohibitions and re&ulations are based on
his in$omparable power and boundless $ompassion( so they are profound and
subtle1 They are full of surprises too1 0reat is the nature and s$ope of the
Vinaya dis$ipline( whi$h is -ery profound1
The Profundity of the 0inaya
How deep and subtle the Vinaya is $an be understood from the followin&
e=amples1 A lay person( e-en after eradi$atin& all mental defilements and
be$omin& an Arahant( has to pay respe$t to and worship an ordinary mon!
who still has all the mental defilements1 This is be$ause a mon! en>oys that
status by ha-in& followed the Vinaya pro$edure1 An ordinary mon! must not
bow to an Arahant lay person as his own status is hi&her1 The Arahant is still a
lay person( while the other is a mon!1 %f the two are $ompared on the basis of
mental purity( this in>un$tion seems unreasonable1
There is a -ast differen$e between a lay Arahant and an ordinary mon!1
The former has personally a$hie-ed nibbna so his heart is always pure( while
the latterBs heart $ontains many defilements( so he is not free from the
sufferin& of the lower realms1 .et a lay Arahant has to pay respe$t to a mon!
who is >ust an ordinary person1 %n the matter of status in the BuddhaBs
dispensation( an ordinary mon!( bein& a member of the Sa2&ha( is nobler than
an Arahant who is >ust a lay person1 ?hy does a lay Arahant ha-e to worship
') A Manual of th Dhamma
an ordinary mon!@ %t is due to the Vinaya pro$laimed with the supreme
authority of the Mmnis$ient Buddha1 Mne $an therefore realise that the power
of Vinaya is imponderable and boundless in s$ope and e=tent1 The BuddhaBs
supreme power( immeasurable wholesome !amma( and omnis$ien$e manifest
themsel-es in layin& down these uni;ue Vinaya rules1 They ha-e effe$ts for
e-ery mon! in the BuddhaBs dispensation1
Another $ase should be mentioned in this $onne$tion1 A >unior mon! by
one hour Wor one minuteX must show respe$t to a senior1 A >unior mon! who is
an Arahant must pay respe$t to and worship a senior mon!( who is still >ust an
ordinary person1 Howe-er senior she may be( an Arahant nun must worship a
mon! who is an ordinary person1 Thus a Koble Mne of si=ty rains must re-ere
an ordinary mon!1 ?hy@ These dis$iplines and modes of $ondu$t are
pro$laimed by the Mmnis$ient Buddha with his full authority( whi$h is
in$omparable1 They are !nown as !npa&&atti' D rules made by the supreme
authority and boundless $ompassion of the Buddha1
This power that pre-ails in the Vinaya( and all other Dhamma powers of
the Buddha are uni;ue1 The Vinaya and Dhamma ta!e the pla$e of the
Buddha after his demise( as he de$lared in the Mahparinibbna Sutta<
3Ynanda( after % pass away the Dhamma and Vinaya % ha-e pro$laimed
and pres$ribed will be your tea$hers15
These propheti$ words of the Buddha are profound( and their s$ope is
boundless1 So ea$h of the millions of pre$epts underta!en by a mon! durin&
his ordination represents the Buddha himself1 The propheti$ words of the
Buddha dwell in an ordained mon!( whoe-er he may be1
A bhi!!hu in this dispensation means a fully ordained mon! who has
fulfilled fi-e fa$tors< purity of the ordination pro$edure( purity of the &roup of
mon!s( purity of the four formal re$itations of kamma%c( purity of robes and
bowl( and bein& a ;ualified $andidate for full ordination1 Mn$e the $eremonies
of ta!in& the three refu&es and formal re$itations ha-e been done( he instantly
re$ei-es and underta!es the pre$epts1 So we $an say that nine billion Buddhas
dwell in his person by the power of the Buddha and effi$a$y of the Vinaya1 He
is li!e a pa&oda where the BuddhaBs reli$s are enshrined1
-eryone should !now that a pa&oda( e-en if it is made of mud or sand( is
a sa$red ob>e$t of worship be$ause the BuddhaBs reli$s are enshrined there1
#h /)ofundity of th Ainaya ''
Due respe$t must be paid to the reli$s enshrined therein( whi$h represent the
Buddha( e-en if the pa&oda is made of unworthy materials1 %f disrespe$t is
shown e-en to this type of pa&oda( one a$$umulates unwholesome !amma1
-en if the pre$in$ts of a pa&oda are littered with dust( &arba&e(
e=$rement( et$1( the pa&oda itself remains worthy of deep respe$t1 So e-eryone
should bow their heads in showin& due respe$t to the reli$s( whi$h are
$ertainly worthy of honour1 %f one shows disrespe$t on seein& a pa&oda with all
sorts of rubbish nearby( one a$$umulates unwholesome !amma1
Similarly( an ordinary mon! possesses millions of Buddhas in his person(
thou&h his mind is littered with thousands of mental defilements( li!e &arba&e
near a pa&oda1 As lon& as a sin&le Vinaya pre$ept still e=ists in his person( he is
entitled to be worshipped by a lay Arahant1 The innumerable Vinaya pre$epts
that e=ist in his person represent $ountless Buddhas1 Thou&h he is not free
from Vinaya faults( he is li!e a pa&oda1 So a lay Arahant must re-ere him for
this reason1
%f de-otees $onsider this matter $arefully( they will realise the $ountless
Vinaya rules obser-ed by an ordinary mon!1 Moreo-er( they will appre$iate
and re-ere the power of the Buddha( who is fully entitled to pro$laim Vinaya
rules and re&ulations( and appropriate pro$edures for their purifi$ation1 The
$ommandin& power of the Mmnis$ient Buddha shows its &reatest effe$ts in the
Sa2&ha established by him1 The power of the Vinaya is -ery profound( and is
hard to understand by an ordinary de-otee or unedu$ated layman1 Ko one $an
fully fathom the si&nifi$an$e of the VinayaBs power1
Those laymen who ha-e not yet realised nibbna( should e=amine
themsel-es to appre$iate their own $hara$teristi$s and status1 %f they refle$t
wisely they will willin&ly pay due respe$ts to mon!s( e-en if they are shameless1
All mon!s ordained properly in the Sa2&ha under the authority of the
Mmnis$ient Buddha are entitled to re$ei-e worship and respe$t from the laity1
So an intelli&ent layman will pay respe$t( &i-e almsfood( and show deferen$e(
e-en to a shameless mon!1 As always( -i&ilan$e is essential for the profundity
of the BuddhaBs rules and their wide4ran&in& effe$ts to be realised1
-en in an immoral mon!( part of the VinayaBs power and its effe$ts still
e=ist( thou&h he has destroyed his underta!in& of the pre$epts by $ommittin&
an offen$e of defeat1 %f a s$rupulous mon! a$$uses him of defeat without proof(
or at least $ir$umstantial e-iden$e( it is >ust li!e a$$usin& an inno$ent mon!1
'N A Manual of th Dhamma
So one who a$$uses an immoral mon! falls into a serious offen$e re;uirin& a
formal meetin& of the Sa2&ha1 The Vinaya te=t and its $ommentary e=plain
this in detail1
6onsiderin& these fa$ts in the Vinaya "iJa!a( one should appre$iate the
VinayaBs power that still pre-ails in an immoral mon!1 Therefore( in dealin&
with an immoral mon!( one must $onsider only the power of the Vinaya(
fo$usin& on the ordination pro$edure he has under&one1 %f these fa$ts and
powers of the Vinaya are !nown and understood( a lay person will be able to
obtain the auspi$ious blessin& of honourin& the worthy as tau&ht in the
Ma2&ala Sutta1 Mne should fo$us oneBs mind only on the mar-ellous power
and si&nifi$an$e of the Vinaya that pre-ails amon& the mon!s( e-en in the
person of an immoral mon!1
This is $orre$t1 An immoral mon! retains the powerful influen$es of the
Buddha( Dhamma( and Sa2&ha e-en after his downfall1 So these three sa$red
authorities be$ome ob>e$ts of worship in an immoral mon!1 De-otees should
$on$entrate on these worthy thin&s only1 This proper relationship between the
laity and mon!s a$$ords with other tea$hin&s of the Buddha1 Therein he
e=horts the laity to honour the Dhamma by re-erin& the wise( intelli&ent( and
learned mon!s as they represent the !nowled&e of Dhamma( thou&h they may
la$! some purity in their $ondu$t1 So a wise de-otee ob>e$ti-ely fo$uses his
mind only on the mon!Bs learnin& and nothin& else1
The $ase of lay people who do not !now that a mon! is immoral is
interestin&1 Thin!in& him to be a s$rupulous mon!( they offer almsfood and
pay him sin$ere respe$t1 The ob>e$t of their worship and respe$t is morality(
yet this mon! has no morality whatsoe-er1 %n this $ase they obtain suitable
merits for their respe$tful attitude and re-erential a$ts( thou&h the mon!(
bein& without morality( $annot symbolise a s$rupulous mon! at all1 So there is
no 3re$ei-er5( as it were1 -en in this $ase one should not hastily >ud&e su$h
offerin&s and respe$t as totally useless1
The reasons for this $aution $an be !nown from an$ient pre$edents( li!e
the $ase of Lin& Saddhtissa in an$ient Sri Lan!a1 6ases li!e this pro-ide
&uidan$e for &ood deeds by the laity1
The 1isdom of Kin $addh+tissa
Mn$e( Lin& Saddhtissa( !nowin& a mon! to be shameless( $ontrolled his
mind and reformed his attitude to perform an a$t of re-eren$e to this
#h Bisdom of 7ing 4addhtissa 'O
shameless mon!1 Mne day he went round the royal $ity sittin& on his elephant1
%t happened that a shameless mon! was fishin& in the royal pond when the
!in& and his retinue arri-ed at that pla$e1 As soon as he saw the royal
pro$ession( he dropped his hoo! and line( $ame up to the ban! and sat ;uietly
under a tree1 Seein& this beha-iour( the !in& wanted to offer almsfood to the
mon!1 Mn returnin& to his pala$e( before ta!in& his meal( he ordered fine food
to be sent to the shameless mon!( be$ause he remembered the $han&ed
beha-iour at the time of his en$ounter1
?hen the ministers arri-ed near the pond to offer the royal food( the
shameless mon! was fishin& a&ain1 As soon as the !in& and his retinue had left(
he resumed his fishin&1 Seein& this( the ministersB de-otion and $onfiden$e
disappeared1 As they saw this e-il beha-iour in the first pla$e they did not
want to offer the almsfood1 Lnowin& that the ministers had seen him( the
mon! instantly dropped his hoo! and line and sat ;uietly under a tree1 The
ministers had seen that he was shameless and so did not offer the royal
almsfood to him1 They returned to the pala$e and reported the matter to the
!in&1 The !in& as!ed whether they had offered the royal almsfood( they replied
that they did not do so as the mon! was shameless1
Then the !in& ;uestioned them about the beha-iour of the shameless
mon! when he saw them approa$hin&1 The ministers replied that he instantly
dropped his fishin& ta$!le and sat ;uietly under a tree1 The !in& remar!ed that
the mon! had forsa!en his shameless beha-iour and shown moral shame and
dread at that time1 These &reat -irtues( moral shame and dread( are two of the
se-en states possessed by all &ood persons( and are treasured by the wise1 The
!in& as!ed the ministers the $ost of a royal brea!fast1 After the ministers
reported the $ost of the food( he said that moral shame( dread( and remorse
were more -aluable( and were worthy of respe$t as they were true ri$hes
within the heart1 He a&ain ordered them to offer the royal food to the
shameless mon! in -iew of these essential &ood fa$tors found in him at one
time or another1 The ministers then offered the royal food with due respe$t
and honour1 They had $han&ed their attitude1
Lin& Saddhtissa( bein& intelli&ent and wise( possessed the powers of
$onfiden$e and wisdom( so he $ould show respe$t e-en to a shameless mon!1
Somehow he sou&ht and found a few -irtues in a shameless mon! and his
mind was fo$used on these sele$t noble states( whi$h he re-ered1 By instantly
showin& shame and dread this shameless mon! showed the $hara$teristi$s of a
'+ A Manual of th Dhamma
&ood mon!( thus be$omin& worthy to re$ei-e the royal almsfood1 Althou&h the
re$ipient was shameless( the noble attitude and $on$entration on a few noble
-irtues raised the !in&Bs offerin& in status to the blessin& of honourin& the
worthy1 The !in&Bs wholesome attitude was a &reat blessin&1 See!in& -irtues
e-en in a shameless mon! he follows this in>un$tion from the Ma2&ala Sutta1
$hould %ne 1orship $hameless and "mmoral Monks'
3Should a person( !nowin& a mon! to be shameless or immoral( pay
respe$t and show deferen$e by &reetin&( bowin&( et$@ Does he or she
&et the blessin& of re-eren$e (g)a%a ma3gala), whi$h says that one
should pay respe$t to the worthy@ Does this beha-iour a&ree with the
tea$hin& that one should pay respe$t only to those who possess &ood
$ondu$t@ The te=t referred to is in the Losala SaPyutta1 By
worshippin& shameless and immoral mon!s does one a$$omplish a
reliable refu&e@ Lindly &i-e e-iden$e or $ase histories to pro-e one way
or the other the a$t of honourin& bad mon!s15
The methods for distin&uishin& shameless and immoral mon!s ha-e
already been &i-en1 %n the matter of showin& re-eren$e( the $ase is the same as
the a$t of honourin& the worthy ones1 So the fifth ;uestion is the same as the
fourth1
Howe-er( some $larifi$ation will be &i-en here in $onne$tion with the te=t
in the Losala SaPyutta 7Dahara Sutta( S1i1AQ*91
!>hu.a3gama$ p%aka&ca, khattiya&ca yassasina$C
>hikkhu&ca s-lasampanna$ sammad%a samca).'
The abo-e te=t means that to a-oid disad-anta&es now and in the future(
one must show due respe$t towards four types of persons1 Mne must a-oid
disrespe$t to li-e safely1 This !ind of s!illed beha-iour is $alled !sammad%a
samca) D $i-ilised manners15
Four ,eins 1orthy of 2espect
Mne must show respe$t to a poisonous sna!e( a monar$h with his retinue(
a mon! of &ood moral $ondu$t( and a fire1 By respe$tin& these four( one a$ts in
a $i-ilised manner( that is( by showin& due respe$t1
The essential points for treatin& ea$h of them properly are as follows<
A1 A poisonous sna!e must be treated with respe$t to a-oid &ettin&
bitten1
'Q
'8 A Manual of th Dhamma
)1 A monar$h( bein& a so-erei&n power( must be treated with re-eren$e
and respe$t( so that no dan&er may arise from him1
'1 A s$rupulous mon!( be$ause of his power( must be treated with
re-eren$e and respe$t1 %f not( dan&er may arise due to unwise
asso$iation with him1 %n the past Lin& Lalabu( Lin& Danda!i( Lin&
Kli!era( Lin& A>>una( et$1 treated su$h mon!s with disrespe$t1 So
they suffered dan&er and harm leadin& to ruin1
N1 -erybody must ta!e $are with fire be$ause heedlessness may lead to
serious a$$idents1 /ire must be &i-en due re&ard so that one $an li-e
safely1
All su$h wise( respe$tful attitudes amount to $i-ilised manners1 Amon&
the abo-e four( a sna!e( fire( and a monar$h $an $ause harm at on$e1 A
s$rupulous mon! will not harm others1 Howe-er( maltreatment and disre&ard
by the laity brin& &reat harm to them in the lon& term( so a s$rupulous mon!
must be treated with respe$t1
The abo-e $anoni$al te=t &i-es $lear &uidan$e for all to be respe$tful and
ta!e heed with those who $an $ause harm and dan&er1 Mne must try to a-oid
dan&er( and treat these four with $ir$umspe$tion1
The words 3harm and dan&er5 and 3fear5 in this $ase also $on-ey the
meanin& of ma!in& unwholesome !amma( the arisin& of e-il thou&hts in oneBs
own mind( and a wron& attitude that one may maintain1 So in dealin& with
others( espe$ially immoral mon!s( if one does not show respe$t( one will
entertain unwholesome thou&hts and do unwholesome deeds( and so
unwholesome states in$rease in oneBs $hara$ter1 This is a &ra-e dan&er to be
a-oided1 ?ith this in -iew one must pay respe$t to an immoral mon!(
followin& the in>un$tion to ha-e $i-ilised manners1 So by rememberin& this
te=t and doin& respe$tful deeds e-en to an immoral mon!( it $an be $lassified
as the blessin& of worshippin& the Dhamma1 "ayin& respe$t in a proper way(
su$h as treatin& with $i-ility( &reetin& with hands held in a:>ali( thus
e=hibitin& $ultured beha-iour( are also the &ood deed of $i-ilised manners1
Howe-er( by treatin& an immoral mon! with a s!ilful attitude and $i-ilised
manners( one will not attain the three refu&es1 This is be$ause an immoral
mon! is not a &enuine member of the Sa2&ha( not a true mon!1 This
disad-anta&e means that a layman fails to &et a reliable refu&e by worshippin&
him as an indi-idual1 Howe-er if the Sa2&ha sele$ts an immoral mon! to
+ou) >ings Bo)thy of Dspct 'I
re$ei-e alms( and if the lay personBs mind is dire$ted to the Sa2&ha( the lay
person will obtain the three refu&es1 %n this $ase the re$ipient be$omes the
Sa2&ha and the donor is offerin& his food to the $ommunity of mon!s1 So one
&ets a reliable refu&e due to the ri&ht moti-e1
%n ma!in& offerin&s to s$rupulous or shameless mon!s( the benefits differ1
%n payin& respe$ts too( the ad-anta&es differ1 The differen$e bein& that one
mon! is s$rupulous while the other is shameless1 Howe-er( in both $ases a
layman $an obtain the blessin&s of re-eren$e and honourin& the worthy if his
moti-e is noble1 This is a &ood a$tion for him1
!i&ilised Manners
The beha-iour of Lin& Losala shows that one should follow the ad-i$e to
show $i-ilised manners to all types of persons1 All persons should be treated
with due respe$t1
Mne day( while Lin& Losala was attendin& on the Buddha in the Heta-ana
monastery( some hereti$s happened to pass throu&h the pre$in$ts1 ?hen the
!in& saw them he mentioned his name and made obeisan$e to them in a
proper manner1 ?hy did he( a true dis$iple of the Buddha( do obeisan$e and
e=press re-eren$e to the hereti$s@ The $ommentary on the Losala SaPyutta
e=plains that if the !in& did not show these $i-ilities( the hereti$s would ha-e
borne a &rud&e a&ainst him1 They would ha-e thou&ht that the !in& paid
respe$ts only to the Buddha1 Bein& ne&le$ted( they $ould $ause trouble for the
!in&1 So the !in& paid homa&e to them out of $ourtesy and to a-oid possible
harmful effe$ts in his $ountry1 This homa&e paid by the !in& is in a$$ordan$e
with the Ma2&ala Dhamma and the in>un$tion to show $i-ilised manners(
whi$h means to treat all with due respe$t1
The other reason for the !in&Bs $ondu$t was due to State "oli$y1 %n his
!in&dom there were numerous followers of these hereti$al tea$hers1 %f these
people !new that the !in& had ne&le$ted and sli&hted their tea$hers( they
mi&ht $reate disunity or insti&ate rebellion1 To unify his $ountry( the !in&
worshipped these se$tarians and hereti$s for the sa!e of national unity1 This
was done to &i-e pea$e and happiness to a lar&e number of belie-ers of other
se$ts1 This is also an auspi$ious deed1
$hould %ne !riticise $hameless and "mmoral Monks'
3?hen a person( !nowin& a mon! to be shameless or immoral( spea!s
ill of him or $ondemns him( either dire$tly or indire$tly( does he
attra$t the ten e-il results@
AA
By doin& so( is he free from e-il or not@5
Those who slander or $ondemn others with harsh words $ommit serious
e-il only if a Buddha( "a$$e!a Buddha or Koble Mne are ob>e$ts of their
$ondemnation1 %n the Dhammapada it says<
3?hoe-er offends a blameless man( pure and &uiltless( upon that -ery
fool( the e-il re$oils li!e fine dust thrown a&ainst the wind15
7Dhp1 - A)O9
The blameless( pure persons are of three types< Mmnis$ient Buddhas(
"a$$e!a Buddhas( and Koble Mnes1 So abusin& or slanderin& them attra$ts
serious e-il $onse;uen$es for the spea!er1 Abusin& or slanderin& ordinary
persons does not brin& any of the ten serious results sin$e their ;ualities are
different1
Ke-ertheless( one does &et a fault by a$$usin& others as immoral sin$e this
is one form of abuse1 %f one abuses others or $ondemns them with harsh
$riti$ism( one is not free from fault1 Mne be$omes asso$iated with e-il and
error1 -en if one blames or slanders an immoral mon!( !nowin& him to be
su$h a one( one is not free from fault1 -ery word spo!en in $ondemnation
amounts to unwholesome spee$h (pha)usa%c).
%n their ;uestion the laymen ha-e mentioned that there will be $ases when
others !now for $ertain that others are immoral( and they may utter
dispara&in& words to suppress this type of mon!1 Howe-er( it is -ery diffi$ult to
!now for sure whether a mon! is immoral or not1 There are profound and
subtle points of Vinaya that should be $onsidered1 %n $ases dealin& with
AA
This must refer to -erses A'Q4AN* of the Dhammapada( not -erse A)O ;uoted here1
The ten e-il results are< se-ere pain( loss of wealth( bodily in>ury( serious illness(
madness( oppression by the !in&( a serious a$$usation( loss of relati-es( destru$tion of
property( or fire will burn his house1 7ed19
NA
N) A Manual of th Dhamma
offen$es of defeat before the Sa2&haBs $ourts( the monasti$ >ud&es find &reat
diffi$ulties( and must $onsider numerous aspe$ts to deli-er a $orre$t >ud&e4
ment1 -en mon!s learned in Vinaya find it diffi$ult to pronoun$e a mon! as
immoral in su$h le&al $ases1
The fi-e Vinaya boo!s and their $ommentaries &i-e numerous &uidelines
to ensure that an inno$ent mon! will es$ape wron& >ud&ements1 ?hen a $ase
of defeat appears before the $ourts( Vinaya >ud&es must hear and e=amine the
words of both parties -ery $arefully1 %f the $har&es are false( they must de$lare
a mon! to be inno$ent1 They must not say they are &uilty if there is any
reasonable doubt1 Suspi$ion is no substitute for proof1 %n the $ourts( suspe$ts
are ad>ud&ed inno$ent in the absen$e of $on-in$in& proof1
%n pronoun$in& >ud&ement( the monasti$ >ud&es are en>oined to see!
miti&atin& or e=tenuatin& $ir$umstan$es for an a$$used mon!1 Mnly when
these fa$tors are la$!in&( must they pronoun$e the de$ision of Rdefeated1B Then
a mon! definitely be$omes immoral a$$ordin& to the Vinaya rules1 Three
>ud&es must separately study the $ase( e=aminin& the witnesses and the
e-iden$e1 %f one >ud&e $annot find e=tenuatin& or miti&atin& $ir$umstan$es to
$lear an offen$e of defeat( he must send the a$$used to another >ud&e for
further e=amination1 The se$ond >ud&e( if he finds only &uilty fa$tors( must not
pronoun$e him &uilty( but must send him to a third >ud&e1 The aim is to find
fa$tors of inno$en$e and e=tenuatin& $ir$umstan$es be$ause the >ud&ement of
defeat $alls for &ra-e responsibility on their part1 The a$$used( if &uilty of
defeat( has bro!en the hi&hest law of the $ourts1 So su$h $ases entail &ra-e
responsibilities for all in-ol-ed1 %f the >ud&es find no e=tenuatin&
$ir$umstan$es( they should as!ed the a$$used to stay in a ;uiet pla$e to
pra$tise $alm and insi&ht meditation1 They should then as! about the state of
mind of the a$$used1 motional disturban$es( if any( should be $almed by
meditation1 After this pra$ti$e( the >ud&e must praise this moral deed of the
mon! with !ind words and release him for further moral $ondu$t1 All should
re>oi$e in this wor! of moral $alm or the effort of $on$entration1
The de$ision of defeat is both subtle and diffi$ult1 -en after $lose
e=amination( Vinaya e=perts find many borderline $ases that they are unable
to de$ide $learly1 To burden a mon! with an offen$e of defeat and thereby
assi&n to him the status of an immoral mon! is a &ra-e a$t1 So >ud&es are
relu$tant to ma!e une;ui-o$al de$larations1 ?hy@ %f they pass >ud&ement on a
defeated mon! $orre$tly they es$ape blame and &ra-e e-il( but if they de$lare
4hould ;n 8)iticis 4hamlss and :mmo)al Monks0 N'
an undefeated mon! to be defeated( they destroy the millions of pre$epts
maintained by the a$$used1 -en a shameless one still retains these remainin&
trainin& rules1 So the >ud&es $ommit a &ra-e offen$e themsel-es1
Howe-er( the >ud&es es$ape a &ra-e e-il in de$larin& a mon! to be
inno$ent of defeat( in &ood faith( thou&h the mon! has indeed $ommitted this
offen$e1 %f the >ud&es thin! that a mon! is not &uilty of the $har&es( they must
pass >ud&ement a$$ordin&ly1
A)
%n &ood faith and honesty( they must de$lare
what they belie-e after $areful e=amination1 This pro$edure is des$ribed
$learly in the Vinaya $ommentary1
So a mon! or lay person who a$$uses a mon! of defeat( burdens himself
with the &ra-est responsibility and serious $onse;uen$es1 %f a mon! $ommits
an offen$e of defeat( he be$omes immoral1 So to spea! ill of him in terms su$h
as 3immoral5 or 3defeated5 is li!e bearin& the whole earth upon oneBs head1 By
$ondemnin& a mon! as immoral( one is ma!in& a serious $har&e a&ainst him
and ta!in& a &ra-e responsibility for oneself too1 Therefore su$h a$$usations
and slander should be $ontrolled by mindfulness1
The seriousness of su$h an a$$usation or $ondemnation will be apparent
from the followin& $ase1 ?hether one abuses or slanders a truly defeated
mon!( a shameless mon!( or a s$rupulous mon!( one &ets the unwholesome
deed $alled !pha)usa%c kammapath.' This e-il deed leads to rebirth in one
of the four lower realms1 Spea!in& harsh words with an&er a&ainst the abo-e
three $lasses of mon!s will lead one to the lower realms in the ne=t life1
%f a person spea!s harshly and an&rily not only to $ondemn the mon!s >ust
mentioned( but intendin& to dri-e them out of the Sa2&ha( his e-il is of the
&ra-est !ind1 Te$hni$ally he is $har&in&( abusin&( a$$usin& with the aim of
assi&nin& immoral status to them1 %t is &ra-er than a mere a$t of abusin&1 The
important point is this< to a$$use someone as immoral amounts to ta!in& a
&ra-e responsibility for oneself1
/or further $larifi$ation the $ases of LoVZadhna Thera
A'
and
6ittahattha!a Thera should be $onsidered1
A)
?hen mon!s de$ide on $ases of defeat they must use the hi&hest standards of proof(
li!e >ud&es of serious $rimes who must be $ertain before pronoun$in& a death senten$e
7ed19
A'
Dhammapada 6ommentary to -erses A''4A'N1
NN A Manual of th Dhamma
The $tory of Ko-.adh+na Thera
Durin& the dispensation of Lassapa Buddha( LoVZadhna Thera was born
as a tree spirit1 To test the friendship of two friendly mon!s he transformed
himself into a beautiful woman and $reated suspi$ion between them1 ?hen
one of the mon!s went into a &ro-e to answer the $all of nature( the woman
a$$ompanied him and $ame out to&ether1 ?hen the other mon! saw this( he
&ot an&ry and suspi$ious1 So he left his friend be$ause he >ud&ed him to be
immoral1 ?hen the Uposatha $eremony had to be performed( the friend
refused to $ondu$t it to&ether with the alle&ed immoral mon!1 -en when the
a$$used mon! protested his inno$en$e( his friend did not belie-e him1 He said
that he saw the beautiful woman $omin& out of the &ro-e with him1
Thereupon the tree spirit( seein& the seriousness of his misdeed( appeared
before the two friends and e=plained his $ondu$t1 The spiritBs aim was merely
to test the stren&th of their friendship( but the effe$ts were dire1 Disunity arose
between the two friends and one a$$used the other of an offen$e of defeat1
?hen the tree spirit died he was reborn in hell and suffered for his e-il
!amma1 So to a$$use a s$rupulous mon! as immoral( &i-es a result as bad as
the fi-e heinous $rimes( the worst e-ils one $an $ommit1
The Buddha said< 3Mon!s( these two indi-iduals( if they do not $orre$t
themsel-es( will $ertainly suffer in hell as surely as one who $arries a burden to
his house( puts it down1 ?hi$h two@ Mne who $laims to be a mon!( thou&h he
is not( and one who a$$uses an inno$ent mon! of an offen$e of defeat15
7%ti-utta!a N8( Ypyi!a Sutta91
Su$h a false a$$usation( bein& -ery serious( brin&s $ertain sufferin& in hell
for the a$$user( >ust as a burden $arried on the head( will $ertainly be put
down on rea$hin& oneBs house1 Mne who maintains a wron& -iew( and one
who un>ustly a$$uses an inno$ent mon! of defeat will( after death( fall into
hell1 Unless the wron& -iew is renoun$ed( a person will suffer in hell1 Li!ewise(
if one does not as! for for&i-eness from a mon! one has un>ustly a$$used of
defeat( one will fall into hell1
Kote that in this $onte=t the term !s-la%anta' refers to both a s$rupulous
mon! and a shameless mon!1 %f a mon! is not immoral( here he is $lassified as
a moral mon!( that is( the same as a s$rupulous mon! at the time of 0otama
Buddha1 The tree spirit be$ame a mon! in the time of the Buddha( but due to
his past misdeed( where-er he tra-elled( a woman always a$$ompanied him1
#h 4to)y of 7oadhna #h)a NO
Althou&h he did not see this shadowin& woman followin& after him( others
saw her1 So people be$ame suspi$ious( abusin& him as immoral repeatedly1 He
finally rea$hed Arahantship( but the resultant bad !amma had to be paid off
until he attained parinibbna1 This $ase $an be studied in detail in the
Dhammapada and A2&uttarani!ya 6ommentaries1
The !ey point to note is that the tree spirit had no intention to sti&matise
or to atta$h fault1 His aim was merely to test the bond of friendship1 He had no
an&er a&ainst the mon!1 .et the results for his e-il deed were serious( brin&in&
e-il results in his su$$eedin& li-es1 His e-il deed in this $ase was that of
presentin& a s$rupulous mon! as immoral1
The $tory of !ittahattha Thera
Another $ase $on$erns 6ittahattha Thera1
AN
Durin& the time of Lassapa
Buddha there were two mon!s1 Mne wished to return to lay life( but the other
restrained his $ompanion sayin& that bein& a mon! was a rare opportunity1
Later( howe-er( he thou&ht that if his friend disrobed he would &et his
re;uisites1 So he persuaded his friend to return to lay life in e-ery $on$ei-able
way until his friend renoun$ed mon!hood1 ?hen he be$ame a mon! in the
dispensation of the Buddha 0otama( due to his e-il deeds( he suffered shame
by returnin& to lay life se-en times( and the people blamed him1 Hen$e his
!ammi$ results were &ra-e indeed 7see the Dhammapada 6ommentary for
details91
The point to note here is that mere persuasion to forsa!e mon!hood
$aused a mon!( in the time of the 0otama Buddha( to suffer humiliation due
to his $apri$ious beha-iour1 His e-il a$t was praisin& the status of a lay life to
en$oura&e a mon! to lea-e the Sa2&ha1 Thus one $an understand the wei&ht
atta$hed to bein& a member of the Sa2&ha1 Ko one should spea! to a no-i$e or
mon! in praise of returnin& to lay life1 Mne should not e-en ur&e oneBs sons
and &randsons to lea-e the Sa2&ha if they be$ome no-i$es or mon!s1 Mne
should not spea! in fa-our of lay life1
Many lessons $an be learnt1 Blamin& or a$$usin& a s$rupulous mon! with
e-il intent( $har&in& him with immorality( et$1( are deeds that brin& serious
bad results in the present and future1 The BuddhaBs dispensation and Vinaya
are uni;ue and powerful1 So one suffers &reatly by li-in& outside the
AN
Dhammapada 6ommentary to -erses '84'I1
N+ A Manual of th Dhamma
dispensation for many thousands of li-es1 Moreo-er( e-en if one attains
mon!hood( one has to bear the burden of shame and diffi$ulties1 Mne should
note the basi$ and $onse;uential effe$ts too1
Abusin& or a$$usin& a mon! with $har&es of defeat means the e-il deed of
abusi-e spee$h1 This e-il deed is similar to holdin& firm hereti$al -iews( and
has serious effe$ts1 Mne will suffer in -arious ways throu&hout a series of li-es1
There is a supplementary ;uestion to this one( 3%f one blames( $riti$ises( or
$ondemns a mon! either dire$tly or indire$tly( what results will one &et@5
There are two ways in whi$h the blameworthy a$tions of a person $an be
stated< dire$tly to the indi-idual $on$erned( or re&ardin& fa$ts of a &eneral
natural in impersonal terms1
,lamin "ndi&iduals Directly
%n the matter of blamin& an indi-idual dire$tly( there are two ways<
spea!in& dire$tly to the person $on$erned( or spea!in& indire$tly1 Su$h blame
or a$$usation( whether dire$t or indire$t( brin&s fault to oneself if one has the
intention to harm or atta$! others1 Mne therefore obtains demerit in either
$ase1 So in $riti$isin& or blamin&( one must a-oid slander and other harmful
spee$h( su$h as dispara&in& others and praisin& oneself1 %f the mind is free from
an&er( mali$e( >ealousy( and di-isi-eness( and if the $riti$ism is based on
mutual benefits( one $an blame others1 %n ma!in& remar!s( oneself and others
should be treated impartially1 Honest $riti$ism must be made within these
&uidelines1
%f these fa$tors are present in oneBs $riti$ism of others( one is free from
fault and e-il1 Moreo-er( one is followin& the instru$tion of the Buddha whi$h
says< 3He praises the praiseworthy1 He blames the blameworthy15 So it is
$ommendable if the &ood fa$tors are present in the mind and if the fa$ts are
$orre$t1
!riticisin in (eneral Terms
To $riti$ise in &eneral terms( without referen$e to anyone in parti$ular( is
e=posin& of faults1 Mne must atta$! or $riti$ise unwholesome states only( su$h
as &reed( hatred( or delusion1 %n this $orre$t way of $riti$ism the four ri&ht
efforts should be $ulti-ated1
A1 The effort to pre-ent unarisen unwholesome states1
8)iticising in <n)al #)ms NQ
)1 The effort to eradi$ate arisen unwholesome states1
'1 The effort to arouse unarisen wholesome states1
N1 The effort to de-elop arisen wholesome states1
Unwholesome states that may arise in oneself in the future are $alled
3unarisen unwholesome states15 /uture e-il that may be $ommitted by oneself
must be pre-ented with oneBs own moral effort1 -il deeds one has already
done are 3arisen unwholesome states15 Amon& the ten unwholesome deeds(
!illin& is mentioned( but this relates to !illin& of sentient bein&s &enerally1 The
dis$ourses of the Buddha spe$ifi$ally mention fi-e heinous a$ts (pa&cnan9
ta)iya kamma), su$h as !illin& oneBs own father or mother( whi$h are the
&ra-est e-ils with immediate $onse;uen$es1
%n this infinite round of rebirth( e=isten$es in whi$h an ordinary person
!nows the true Dhamma are -ery few1 Mne must under&o many li-es in whi$h
i&noran$e and delusion predominate1 The li-es in whi$h an ordinary person
holds wron& -iews are innumerable1 So the e-il a$t of !illin& $an be done
many times e-en within a sin&le lifetime( let alone the number of su$h a$ts in
$ountless pre-ious li-es1 %f a person $ommits one heinous unwholesome deed
in the present life( it will &i-e definite results in hell1 The misdeeds done in
$ountless past li-es will then &i-e their results too1
%n this present life( too( many persons ha-e $ommitted a$ts of !illin&
se-eral times while youn&( whi$h will be $lear to ea$h indi-idual1 Mthers ha-e
done past misdeeds of !illin& thou&h they refrain from !illin& in this present
life1 Most people ha-e done e-il deeds su$h as !illin& in both the past and
present li-es1
"ersonality -iew opens the way to $ommit e-ils of the &ra-est !ind( su$h as
!illin& oneBs father or mother( or harmin& the Buddha1 %f one still belie-es in a
soul( and entertains doubts about the Three 0ems( in future e=isten$es one
mi&ht !ill oneBs mother or father( &ettin& the &ra-est e-il and the worst result1
So besides !illin& li-in& bein&s( there may be heinous misdeeds too1 %f a
detailed analysis is made of oneBs own -arious misdeeds( one $annot safely
de$lare that there is a $essation of the a$t of !illin&( in the matter of ordinary
or e=traordinary types1 %f a person does not !ill any sentient bein& today( he
may $ommit this e-il tomorrow( ne=t month( ne=t year( or ne=t life1 So please
ponder li!e this< 3Due to wron& -iew and doubt % $ould $ertainly !ill my
N8 A Manual of th Dhamma
mother or father( $ause s$hism in the Sa2&ha( harm the Buddha( or !ill
Arahants15
This is( of $ourse( the 3unarisen e-il5 mentioned abo-e1 /uture e-il deeds
and past or present e-il deeds are $lassified as 3unarisen e-il5 and 3arisen e-il5
respe$ti-ely1
?hy does a person perpetrate these -arious types of e-il( pertainin& to the
past( present( and future@ %t is due to the e=isten$e of personality -iew1 ?ith
this wron& -iew one will $ertainly do small and &reat e-il1 ?hat is personality
-iew@ %t is the belief that oneBs own fi-e a&&re&ates are a soul( a person( a self(
or an entity1 This sense of 3%5 &i-es rise to the worst !ammas1 Both arisen and
unarisen unwholesome !ammas will not lose their power if personality -iew
still e=ists1 They are bound to in$rease due to wron& understandin& of the
nature of the fi-e a&&re&ates1 So if $ir$umstan$es are fa-ourable( one will
$ommit -arious $rimes( &reat or small( propelled by wron& -iew1 ?hen
personality -iew is eradi$ated( all past e-il deeds and their potential results are
destroyed totally1 6ountless e-il a$tions $ease1 The ten e-il deeds and the fi-e
heinous $rimes are based on personality -iew1 "ersonality -iew is their leader1
-il deeds are its followers( and its $onse;uen$es1
6an one entertain any hope of $essation of e-ils or deli-eran$e@ %f one
en$ounters the BuddhaBs dispensation in this life and pra$tises insi&ht
meditation( one is deli-ered from personality -iew( root and bran$h1 All past
e-ils are wiped away( and $ountless effe$ts of past e-il that were due to mature
also $ease1 Total eradi$ation of e-il is possible in this dispensation only be$ause
$orre$t methods ha-e been &i-en1 Human bein&s possess the rarest $han$e to
o-er$ome this appallin& predi$ament1 Durin& this dispensation( &ood and rare
$han$es are a-ailable for the destru$tion of $ountless new e-ils that are bound
to arise in the future1 All latent e-ils are uprooted by mindfulness as tau&ht by
the Buddha1 %f these methods and rare opportunities e=ist( it is $alled the
BuddhaBs dispensation1 The dispensation is said to disappear when su$h
opportunities no lon&er e=ist1 -eryone should note that if death o$$urs today
and life $ontinues in an e=isten$e where these opportunities donBt e=ist( the
dispensation disappears today1 %n this $ase the opportunities of this
dispensation are lost as soon as one dies1
This rare opportunity and &ra-e dan&er should be appre$iated by e-eryone1
Moral dread( to&ether with farsi&hted trepidation (sa$%ga), must be
$ulti-ated while one is ali-e and the dispensation still pre-ails1 Mne must
8)iticising in <n)al #)ms NI
pra$tise $on$entration and insi&ht daily with &reat ur&en$y1 To &et rid of
personality -iew and doubt is the noblest aim in life a$$ordin& to the tea$hin&
of the Buddha1 Morality and insi&ht pra$ti$e are essential to eradi$ate mental
defilements and e-il deeds1 ?hen one pra$tises morality and insi&ht
meditation( mental purity and s!ilful deeds arise1 By these means one obtains
the four &reat moral efforts1 ?holesome deeds( both arisen and unarisen( must
be done in this present life1
The Essence of the Tipi3aka
There are only three essential points in the three "iJa!as<
A1 The hi&her trainin& in morality (adhis-lasikkh).
)1 The hi&her trainin& in $on$entration (adhicittasikkh).
'1 The hi&her trainin& in wisdom (adhipa&&sikkh).
The essen$e of the tea$hin& means morality( $on$entration( and wisdom1
Leepin& the fi-e( ei&ht( or ten pre$epts is $alled morality1 6on$entration
means nei&hbourhood $on$entration (upac)a samdhi) and absorption
$on$entration (appan samdhi). ?isdom means insi&ht !nowled&e (%ipassan9
&a), path !nowled&e (magga9&a), and fruition !nowled&e (phala9&a).
Amon& these three essential pra$ti$es( morality is of the arisen type
be$ause it is already done or presently !ept1 Howe-er( $on$entration and
wisdom belon& to the unarisen type of wholesome states1 Althou&h many
people pra$tise $on$entration su$h as re$olle$tion of the -irtues of the Buddha
(>uddhnussati), or mindfulness of the body (kyagat sati), they usually rea$h
only the initial sta&e with the aim of &ettin& merit1 Their efforts are not
sin$ere( not mature( so not e-en nei&hbourhood $on$entration is attained1
The firm type of $on$entration ne$essary for liberation is still an unarisen
wholesome deed1 Many Buddhists $ount their rosaries $hantin& suttas( or
re$itin& !anicca, dukkha, anatta,' but they fail to win insi&ht !nowled&e1
Althou&h they a$$umulate merit( their insi&ht !nowled&e is a sham as it
$annot eradi$ate the per$eption of( and belief in( a person( a bein&( a self( or a
soul1 They fail to &ain insi&ht into psy$hophysi$al phenomena( or ultimate
truths1 0enuine insi&ht( whi$h means the $omplete( well4de-eloped sta&e( is
not attained by sla$! effort and wea! wisdom1 Therefore their wisdom is also
of the unarisen wholesome type1
O* A Manual of th Dhamma
-en in the matter of morality( whi$h has been $lassified as already arisen(
many $an retain it only for short periods( so they a$hie-e only temporary
morality1 They fail to rea$h the full( stable sta&e $alled !samucchda s-la D
morality by $uttin& off defilements15 Mnly when one obtains stable moral
$ondu$t $an one safely be said to be a truly moral person1
,e&ardin& the pre$ept of refrainin& from !illin&( most attain only
momentary morality1 The ma>ority of people( if they obser-e the fi-e pre$epts
or this sin&le one( a$hie-e &ood $ondu$t for a short period li!e a flash of
li&htnin& in the dar!ness1 They &et this moral a$hie-ement se-eral times( but
they lose it se-eral times too1 So their morality shows the $hara$teristi$ of
instability1
This is true1 %n $ountless past li-es the attainment of momentary morality
by restraint from !illin& has o$$urred fre;uently1 Mne a$hie-ed the status of a
moral person in many past li-es1 .et these a$hie-ements in morality( bein&
temporary( do not &i-e real se$urity and $omplete safety1 This type of
temporary moral $ondu$t is superfi$ial and unreliable1 /or e=ample( today one
may possess moral $ondu$t( but tomorrow one may be$ome shameless and
immoral due to brea!in& a pre$ept1 Morality is a$hie-ed for one month only to
be lost in the ne=t1 This un$ertainty applies after death to1 %n this life one may
be s$rupulous( but in the ne=t life one may be shameless1 So a s$rupulous
mon!( a &ood man( a moral person in this life may be$ome a robber( a
murderer( a thief( a hunter( or a wi$!ed person in the ne=t1
-en famous saints who ha-e attained >hna( and $an fly in the air with
their psy$hi$ powers( may be$ome robbers( murderers( thie-es( hunters( or
wi$!ed persons in their ne=t li-es1 Thou&h they en$ounter this rare
dispensation( they fail to appre$iate the si&nifi$an$e of the uni;ue
opportunities now a-ailable1 %f they remain satisfied with temporary morality(
they will be reborn as &hosts( animals( robbers( murderers( et$1 They will suffer
in hell due to the fallibility of their moral $ondu$t( whi$h is the $hara$teristi$
of temporary morality1
This fallible( temporary morality is a-ailable e-en outside the BuddhaBs
dispensation1 %t e=ists naturally >ust li!e the world and its en-ironment1 %t is
$ommon e-erywhere( and at all times1 %t e-en e=ists in other uni-erses where
no Buddhas e-er arise( where the BuddhaBs tea$hin& $an ne-er be heard1 %n
$ountless uni-erses( many human bein&s( deities( and brahms li-e without the
benefit of the BuddhaBs tea$hin&1 .et they a$hie-e the status of human bein&s(
#h (ssnc of th #ipiaka OA
deities and brahms as a result of this temporary morality1 Howe-er( their
moral $ondu$t is impermanent( so they $an fall down in moral status1 The
important point is that this $ommon( temporary morality $annot be $lassed as
true morality( whi$h is a-ailable only durin& the BuddhaBs dispensation1
Temporary morality is not the true dispensation1 Mnly the uni;ue morality
$alled !samucchda s-la D morality by $uttin& off defilements5 is the true(
stable morality belon&in& to the BuddhaBs dispensation1 %t means infallible
morality( &enuine morality1
The Folly of "norant Persons
6ommon( superfi$ial( and temporary morality must not be o-er-alued(
sin$e it is unstable( and not &enuine1 To illustrate( the folly of i&norant persons
may be $ited1 Those with mysti$ powers are -ery rare( it is hard to meet su$h a
person e-en on$e in a lifetime1 Mn$e( an i&norant( foolish person met su$h an
adept( and was &ranted a boon1 He as!ed for the pur&ati-e medi$ine that is
$ommonly a-ailable in e-ery household1 Thus he lost his pre$ious opportunity
to &et rare( pre$ious thin&s1
Mne day a foolish -illa&er met Sa!!a( the !in& of the &ods1 ?hen Sa!!a
&ranted him a boon( the foolish man as!ed for a mat$h and a mat$hbo= that
would li&ht fire immediately1 Sa!!a &a-e him these thin&s( but mat$hes are
$ommon thin&s in the world1 The man re$ei-ed nothin& of any -alue1
%n A-a( durin& the si=teenth $entury( a !in&( while huntin&( met a
powerful adept who &ranted him a re;uest1 So the !in& as!ed for a nymph so
that he $ould en>oy the &reatest sensual pleasures1 He a$hie-ed his desire( but
the en>oyment of sensual pleasure is $ommonpla$e1 Moreo-er( the !in& &ot lost
and the nymph disappeared1 He &ot his satisfa$tion only on$e and then died in
the forest with a deran&ed mind( lon&in& for the nymph1
The abo-e stories $learly show that this rare $han$e must be &rasped with
!nowled&e and wisdom so that it is ad-anta&eous1 ?hen the Buddha has
appeared and his -ery rare dispensation still e=ists( a dis$iple must not rest
$ontent with $ommon and inferior temporary morality( whi$h is unreliable1 A
wise person must stri-e for the rare and pre$ious stable morality( whi$h is
pri$eless and uni;ue1 Those who thin! too hi&hly of momentary and unstable
morality are li!e those foolish persons who as!ed for $ommon thin&s when
&ranted a boon1 The defe$t of temporary morality must be appre$iated1
O) A Manual of th Dhamma
1hat is $ta*le Morality'
The moral $ondu$t that $ulminates in the attainment of path
$ons$iousness is $alled stable morality1 Morality is a supportin& $ondition for
the path1 ?ith the attainment of the path( morality be$omes stable and
irre-ersible1 /rom this time onwards( a person will not !ill any sentient bein&(
&reat or small( under any $ir$umstan$es1 He or she always maintains morality
with steadfast $onfiden$e and wisdom1 The pre$ept to abstain from !illin&
li-in& bein&s be$omes stable( so he or she is totally free from sufferin& in lower
realms1 %n future li-es too he or she will ne-er be shameless or immoral1 The
Koble Mne is firmly established in natural morality and natural &oodness( so
$an ne-er be$ome a robber( a murderer( a hunter( or a thief1 A Koble Mne
$annot be reborn in hell( as an animal( hun&ry &host( or demon1 Due to stable
morality( a Koble Mne a-oids these inferior e=isten$es1 These are the powers
and benefits of stable morality( whi$h is only a$hie-able in this dispensation1
This stable morality be$omes !nown only when a Buddha appears in the
world for the uni;ue benefit and welfare of all( and remains only durin& the
BuddhaBs dispensation1 %t is the essen$e of the Mmnis$ient BuddhaBs tea$hin&(
so those who $laim to follow the BuddhaBs tea$hin&( whether they are lay
persons or mon!s( must emulate this rare type of morality1 Mnly stable morality
is worthy of respe$t1 Mne should not rest $ontent with temporary morality nor
should one emulate it1 ?hy not@ -en those who !eep the millions of
bhi!!husB pre$epts( still li-e under the sway of temporary morality if they fail
to attain the path1 -en -ery pious and -enerable mon!s also suffer from the
effe$ts of temporary morality1 Sooner or later( they will be$ome robbers(
murderers thie-es( liars( et$1 Moreo-er( possessors of temporary morality will
ha-e to suffer in hell1 These so4$alled holy men are not so mu$h different to
others re&ardin& their destinies1 All of them -alue and maintain temporary
morality1 All of them are fallible( and all are sub>e$t to lifeBs -i$issitudes due to
loss of their morality1
Therefore a dis$iple of the Buddha( while this uni;ue dispensation still
e=ists( should appre$iate the defe$t of the $ommonpla$e arisen wholesome
deed of refrainin& from !illin&( whi$h means temporary morality1 Mne should
not be satisfied with this state of affairs as it la$!s any &enuine or lastin& -alue1
6ommon morality is li!e a pie$e of sodium in water( it flares bri&htly for a
moment( then dies instantly1 ?hat ea$h person ur&ently needs is the uni;ue(
stable morality so that true( se$ure moral purity will be established1 The real
Bhat is 4tabl Mo)ality0 O'
ta!in& of refu&e is in stable morality1 -eryone has a duty to trans$end the
unreliable temporary restraint( and to eradi$ate the possibility of be$omin&
shameless or immoral due to the bad roots in the heart1 To attain stable
morality one must ma!e &reat efforts so that $omplete liberation from
shamelessness and immorality is &ained in this life1
Kowadays &ood moral $ondu$t is only momentary1 -erywhere( &ood
people obser-e the fi-e pre$epts and some &ood mon!s train themsel-es in the
millions of "Jimo!!ha rules1 Both these householdersB and mon!sB moral
$ondu$t are >ust temporary morality1 Howe-er if they de-elop wisdom to
a$hie-e stable morality( they &et a wholesome deed that has ne-er arisen
before1 a$h pre$ept $an be $lassed as 3temporary5 or 3stable15 So one should
refle$t deeply on the true nature of the &ood deeds that ha-e already arisen in
oneself1
The Most /rent Task
Today( e-ery ordinary person possesses the fi-e mental hindran$es to a
&reat e=tent1 Due to their power( many people brea! rules of dis$ipline and
uni-ersal moral prin$iples( as they did in the past1 These are symptoms of
modern times1 The ma>ority of Buddhists( thou&h belie-ers who a$!nowled&e
the importan$e of insi&ht( still maintain the hindran$es in their hearts1 -en
most Dhamma tea$hers( thou&h they tea$h the true Dhamma re&ardin& lifeBs
three $hara$teristi$s( $annot eradi$ate these fi-e hindran$es $ompletely1
Defilements still arise in their hearts( so they la$! insi&ht into impermanen$e(
unsatisfa$toriness( and not4self1 The only way to o-er$ome these moral failures
and inherent wea!nesses( is to pra$tise $on$entration (samatha) a$$ordin& to
the tea$hin& of the Buddha1 ?ith this mental dis$ipline( the wa-erin& mind
and distra$tin& thou&hts are inhibited1 Then the mind $an be turned towards
insi&ht pra$ti$e( whi$h re-eals the uni-ersal $hara$teristi$s of impermanen$e(
unsatisfa$toriness( and not4self1
The troublesome mental hindran$es should be suppressed by means of
!asina meditation( $ontemplation on the foulness of the body( or some other
meditation1 This moral effort to suppress e-il thou&hts is $alled $on$entration
or tran;uillity (samatha). Tran;uillity of mind fi=ed on a sin&le ob>e$t is the
&oal at this sta&e of mental de-elopment1 The ne=t sta&e aims to penetrate the
true nature of the fi-e &roups of e=isten$e( or the mind and body1 This wisdom
ON A Manual of th Dhamma
$an see the impermanent( unsatisfa$tory( and insubstantial nature of e=isten$e
with insi&ht1
These two features( $on$entration and wisdom( e=ist while the BuddhaBs
dispensation lasts1 This pra$ti$e and its &oal help all de-otees to &et rid of
personality -iew D the persistent belief in a soul( the do&ma of self4-iew( self4
$entredness( base e&oism1 All ordinary persons( sin$e they still belie-e in a soul
or self( are under the influen$e of i&noran$e and $ra-in&1 By destroyin& this
wron&4-iew of a permanent self( one also destroys( in due $ourse( all i&noran$e
and $ra-in&1 As lon& as self4-iew remains in the heart( one $annot $ompletely
es$ape from the sti&ma of bein& shameless and immoral1 Thou&h one attains
morality( one $an maintain it only for a short duration due to self4-iew1 Mne
fails to attain stable( natural morality due to this wron&4-iew1 This failure to
attain natural and stable morality is to be feared1 Those who( without ri&ht
-iew( attain morality and &oodness( will $ertainly !ill an Arahant in future
li-es( or $ommit the &ra-est e-ils su$h as !illin& their mother or father1
Moreo-er( due to self4-iew they will $han&e their faith in -arious ways(
a$$eptin& eternalisti$ or nihilisti$ -iews1 The uni-ersal ways of most ordinary
persons are li!e this1 They $annot safely say that they will always refrain from
!illin&1 Their mental pro$esses remain wide open to -arious types of &ood and
e-il !amma1 Both tenden$ies e=ist in e-ery ordinary person who is not a Koble
Mne( and has not realised the /our Koble Truths1
Therefore the most ur&ent tas! for e-eryone is to stri-e for the final
liberation from shamelessness and immorality( to attain stable and natural
morality1 Startin& from this present life durin& the BuddhaBs dispensation one
must arouse the unarisen wholesome deeds of $on$entration and insi&ht with
fresh( -i&orous moral effort1
This se$tion e=plains the nature and $ase of unarisen wholesome deeds1
Here ends the ways to pra$ti$e the four &reat moral efforts (sammappadhna).
%f one wishes to blame or to $riti$ise shameless or immoral mon!s in
impersonal terms( one must spea! within the meanin& of the four &reat moral
efforts1
The $orre$t way to blame a bad mon! is as follows<
?hen one sees or hears about a shameless or immoral mon!( one must see
beyond the personal features to unwholesome states in the ultimate sense su$h
as &reed( an&er( or delusion1 Due to the appearan$e of shamelessness and
#h Most @)gnt #ask OO
immorality su$h unwholesome states are seen or heard about1 %f one $onsiders
$arefully( blame should be put only on these unwholesome states( as shown in
the $ommentary1 The $orre$t method of blamin& is to blame shamelessness
and immorality only in &eneral terms1 Atta$!s must be made on the e=isten$e
of the root $ause of e-il( not on the persons who $ommit e-il1
Attack %nly /nwholesome $tates
Mne should blame and $riti$ise unwholesome states as follows< &reed is
shameful( filthy( wi$!ed( de&radin&( $oarse( and uns!ilful1 0reed $auses only
trouble and so is shameful1 %n the ne=t e=isten$e it will $ause one to suffer in
hell1 Su$h $riti$isms must fo$us on unwholesome states only1 Shamelessness
and immorality $ertainly deser-e to be $riti$ised( by all means1
The ne=t method must be applied to oneself in relation to othersB
mista!es1 ,efle$tion on oneBs own mind must be made as follows< 3% ha-e
thousands of su$h unwholesome !ammi$ seeds from $ountless past li-es and
also in this life1 % am not alto&ether free from shamelessness and immorality1
-en if % a$$umulate wholesome deeds sometimes( if % be$ome self4satisfied( %
will ha-e to endure the results of $ountless past e-il deeds( whi$h will $ertainly
produ$e their effe$ts in the four lower realms1 %n past li-es % ha-e surely done
-arious e-ils that will bear fruit now or hereafter15 Su$h refle$tion on arisen
e-il is a duty for all1
The ne=t pro$edure is as follows< 3This person has done e-il due to the
power and influen$e of &reed( hatred( and delusion( and has be$ome shameless
or immoral1 He is -ery wea! due to these e-il for$es1 ?hy does anyone $ommit
e-il@ Be$ause one retains the root of all e-il D self4-iew( whi$h always
a$$ompanies e-il deeds( shameless deeds( and immoral deeds1 %t is self4-iew
that &i-es rise to all these e-il thin&s for ordinary persons1 So the real $ulprits
are &reed( hatred( and delusion( headed by self4-iew1 Su$h latent e-ils still
e=ist in me( and will bear fruit sooner or later( so % am in the same boat as
shameless( wi$!ed( and immoral persons1 %f % am satisfied with temporary
morality( the tenden$y towards e-il will ma!e me shameless or immoral
tomorrow( ne=t wee!( ne=t month( or in the ne=t life1 These e-ils will affe$t
me a&ain( and % may !ill my mother or my father in the future due to self4-iew1
This is the way to refle$t on unarisen e-il in oneself1
The third $orre$t pro$edure for $onsideration is as follows< 3?hy has this
mon!( who pre-iously maintained morality( now fallen into immorality@ He
O+ A Manual of th Dhamma
was self4satisfied as a &ood mon! with temporary morality( and failed to
de-elop it to the stable sta&e1 This was the $ause of his moral downfall1
Temporary moral a$hie-ement is not reliable1 This type of morality soon
disappears li!e a firewor! display1 % must stri-e to a$hie-e stable morality1 This
is my &reatest duty15 Su$h $onsiderations must be made daily by e-eryone1
The fourth pro$edure for $onsideration is this< 3This mon!( while moral(
rested $ontent with it and failed to pra$tise $on$entration and insi&ht as
tau&ht by the Buddha1 So this &ood( s$rupulous mon! still a$$epted self4-iew(
whi$h made him $ommit e-il( &reat and small1 Althou&h he was &ood before(
later he did bad thin&s( be$omin& immoral1 Li!ewise( if % am satisfied with
temporary morality and fail to pra$tise $on$entration and insi&ht( this
perni$ious self4-iew will ma!e me do all sorts of e-il in the $omin& days(
months( years( and li-es1 % will surely be$ome >ust li!e this immoral mon!1 Self4
-iew must be eradi$ated by wisdom1 %n these ways one must $onsider the
wholesome states not yet arisen1 %f these $onsiderations are made( one is
partially followin& the pra$ti$e of four ri&ht efforts1
The e-ils of bein& an ordinary person are too numerous to $ount( so
innumerable dan&ers e=ist too1 Seein& the e-ils and dan&ers of an ordinary
person( a far4si&hted person &ets moral dread and a sense of ur&en$y1 His mind
always in$lines towards $on$entration and insi&ht meditation to o-er$ome
moral wea!nesses( whene-er he sees the faults of others1 He uses these fa$ts
for self4e=amination and self4reform( and stri-es earnestly to eradi$ate these
defe$ts in himself1 So e-erythin& helps him to obtain earnestness and spurs him
to a$tion1 This superior way of self4reform throu&h far4si&hted trepidation is
the way of noble persons li!e bodhisattas( sa&es( and all $i-iliCed persons1 This
is the an$ient( noble way of self4analysis1
This path to deli-eran$e is e=$ellent1 All bodhisattas( in their final li-es(
ha-e to see an old man( a si$! man( and a dead man as uni-ersal si&ns for all1
This &i-es them a sense of ur&en$y and spurs them to renoun$e the world1
This noble renun$iation is possible be$ause they apply these hard realities to
themsel-es and refle$t on them wisely1 So they obtain &reat dread of worldly
e=isten$e( for the world is full of terror( whi$h $an be re-ealed by insi&ht1
The $ase of Venerable ,e-ata thera illustrates this point -ery well1 ,e-ata(
the youn&est brother of Venerable Sriputta( was persuaded by his parents and
relati-es to marry youn& to a-oid be$omin& a mon!1 ?hen the marria&e
$eremony was about to be&in( ,e-ata was told to pay homa&e to the elders1
Attack ;nly @n,holsom 4tats OQ
The old people blessed him with the $ustomary words of 3lon& life15 ?hen
youn& ,e-ata saw an old( de$repit lady( he e=perien$ed moral fear as he !new
he must meet this fate too1 He applied the hard fa$ts of life to himself based
upon the sufferin& of others1 0ainin& far4si&hted trepidation( he renoun$ed the
world and be$ame a mon!1
Li!ewise( whene-er one sees othersB faults( one should apply them to
oneself to $reate moral dread and a sense of ur&en$y1 By followin& these
impersonal methods of $riti$ism and blame( when one hears about or meets
shameless or immoral mon!s( one pra$tises the four &reat moral efforts with
attendant benefits1
The Dhamma $a4&ea Method of ,lamin
?e ha-e &i-en &uidelines for $orre$t $riti$ism of shameless or immoral
persons without personal referen$es1 Here we will also mention the way of
blamin& e-en with personal atta$!s1 %n this method one $an e-en mention
names when ma!in& $ondemnation( but two fa$tors must a$$ompany this type
of blamin& with personal referen$e1 Mne is that a person spea!in& ill of others
by name must possess the attitude $alled !Dhamma sa$%ga.' The other
mental attitude is $alled 3Moral fear15 These attitudes( fear of unwholesome4
ness and moral fear( will free a person from faults when he $ondemns others by
name1
An e=ample will $larify this point1 %f a mother sees her son playin& with
foul thin&s su$h as e=$rement( she will instantly run after him to remo-e these
dirty thin&s from his body1 ?hile she hates e=$rement on the body of her son(
she still lo-es him and !isses his $hee!s se-eral times1 She only washes away
the foul thin&s from his body by tou$hin& them and throwin& them out1
Althou&h tou$hin& e=$rement is not praiseworthy( out of lo-e and
$ompassion( she does it1 Althou&h she throws away the e=$rement( she does
not throw away her son1 She washes his body( be$ause she hates foul thin&s
only( not her son1
Li!ewise( if one sees or hears about anyone doin& e-il deeds one must
thin! thus( 3My relati-es ha-e foul( impure thin&s on their bodies( they are
defiled by filth1 How pitiable they are1 Due to delusion they are eatin&
e=$rement and are $ontaminated with foul thin&s15 Su$h lo-in&( helpful
thou&hts arise in a &ood person1 All human bein&s are brothers and sisters e-en
when they do &reat or small e-ils1 So a $riti$ who see othersB serious $rimes
O8 A Manual of th Dhamma
must repro-e the immoral a$ts without hatred1 ?ith $ompassion he must help
others to remo-e their faults if possible1 %f all oneBs efforts are futile( one must
$ulti-ate $ompassion or e;uanimity( as a mother( after repeated unsu$$essful
attempts to res$ue her son from a well( shows $ompassion and e;uanimity
until the end1
Similarly( a tea$her or a friend must instru$t( &uide( and train a wayward
pupil or a bad mon! with &reat $ompassion and wisdom1 After se-eral
attempts fail to produ$e positi-e results( $ompassion is the best $ourse( then
e;uanimity at last1 The important point is that an&er( resentment( ill4will( or
remorse must not be allowed to intrude1 Mne must repro-e the e-il a$ts( or
unwholesome states only1 Mne should $ondemn bad a$tions without personal
&rud&e( without hatred1 %n this way a $riti$al tea$her or a ri&hteous lay person
will obtain wholesome !amma in s$oldin&( admonishin&( or repro-in& others(
e-en with personal referen$es1 Unwholesome moti-es are absent in followin&
this method of dire$t $riti$ism1 Mne should not &et an&ry be$ause of othersB
e-il deeds1 This e=plains the $orre$t way of wise $ondemnation( whi$h must be
made s!ilfully1
!an A $hameless Monk ,ecome $crupulous'
3%f a shameless mon! be$omes afraid of sufferin& in saPsra( or if he
a$;uires moral dread( how $an he be$ome a s$rupulous mon!@ %s it
possible for him to be$ome a s$rupulous mon!@5
There are two types of s$rupulous mon!s< a temporarily s$rupulous mon!(
and a naturally 7stable9 s$rupulous mon!1
How one $an attain temporary morality has been e=plained in the first
answer1 ?ith re&ard to $omplete moral attainment( the answer was &i-en in
the reply to the si=th ;uestion1
The essential point is this< attainment of temporary morality is $on$erned
with &ood thou&ht4moments1 Thus a mon! be$omes shameless if he
deliberately brea!s a Vinaya rule in full !nowled&e of it1 At this time he is a
shameless mon!1 %f he purifies his offen$e in the proper way he a&ain be$omes
a s$rupulous mon!1 -en the arisin& of the intention to purify his mis$ondu$t
or trans&ression ma!es him s$rupulous a&ain1 So his moti-ation is $ru$ial1
Althou&h he is free from any offen$e or &uilt due to his reformed mind and
a$ts of $onfession( he still possesses only temporary morality1 So the ne=t sta&e
is more important1 This is the stable sta&e due to the $omplete elimination of
self4-iew1 The destru$tion of self4-iew is essential to be$ome a naturally
s$rupulous mon!1
%n the ;uestion the terms( 3a &ood person5 (sappu)isa) and 3shameless5
(ala..-) are used1 He is $alled 3s$rupulous5 if he purifies the e-ils that arise at
the body door and -o$al door only1 A &ood person or a &ood mon!( in the
te$hni$al sense( means one who has purified his mental door( that is( he has
a$hie-ed mental purity too1 Thus the mere attainment of s$rupulous status
does not si&nify 3a &ood person(5 a mentally purified one1
The essential point is that the Vinaya rules( if obeyed( &uard a&ainst e-ils
in the physi$al and -o$al spheres only( whi$h are &ross1 "urifi$ation of the
mental sphere is not tau&ht in the Vinaya and no offen$e arises if only mental
e-ils appear1 The Vinaya te=t de$lares that there is no offen$e in the mind
OI
+* A Manual of th Dhamma
door1 Ko form of $onfession is found in the Vinaya for mental wron&s1 Ko
rules for mental dis$ipline are &i-en in the Vinaya1
So e-ery mon!( if he learns and pra$tises the Vinaya rules -ery $arefully(
obtains physi$al and -o$al &ood $ondu$t1 By abandonin& these &ross e-il thin&s
one be$omes s$rupulous1 Howe-er( innumerable faults and mental defe$ts(
whi$h are not Vinaya offen$es( remain to be eradi$ated1 They are e-il(
uns!ilful states1 A &ood person needs to pra$tise the -irtues of a &ood person(
whi$h % ha-e mentioned earlier1 Mnly when these fa$tors pre-ail $an a mon!
or layman be $lassified as a &ood person1
$hould #ay Persons #earn the 0inaya'
3Should lay persons learn the Vinaya@ Does this a&ree with the
Ma2&ala Dhamma that ad-ises one to be well4trained in dis$ipline
(%inayo ca susikkhito)0 ?hat are the &ood or bad results of this a$t@
Lindly &i-e e-iden$e or e=amples to pro-e a definite point1 Should a
mon! tea$h the monasti$ dis$ipline to a lay person@ ?hat are the
&ood or bad results of this@ "lease &i-e some e-iden$e15
%n the Ma2&ala Sutta the Buddha tea$hes that one should be well4trained
in Vinaya1 The meanin& of this Ma2&ala Dhamma is that laity should learn a
lay personBs dis$ipline properly( that is( to learn it wisely1 /or laity there are
dis$iplinary rules to learn $i-ility and &ain prosperity( su$h as the
$hara$teristi$s of a &ood man( the uni-ersal $ode of ethi$al $ondu$t( the rules
of a householder( et$1 They should be learnt and pra$tised wisely1
/or mon!s( too( there are Vinaya rules to !now and obser-e so that the
fa$tors of a s$rupulous and &ood mon! will be a$hie-ed in full1 The aim of
learnin& dis$ipline is to ma!e one a s$rupulous( modest( and &ood mon!1 So
the mon!sB $ode of $ondu$t is for homeless persons( but it is different from the
homeless lay personBs $ode of $ondu$t (Ang)ika Ainaya). a$h &roup must
follow the appropriate $ode of $ondu$t1 Householders must follow their rules
to be$ome moral and &ood( and mon!s must follow their Vinaya without
trans&ressin& any rule( whether partially or $ompletely1 Ko taint should be
o-erloo!ed1 This means the $orre$t and full obser-an$e of Vinaya so that the
benefits in this life and hereafter are a$hie-ed in full1 Sin$e blessin&s arise for
mon!s it is $alled a blessin&1 The te=t does not mean that laity should learn
mon!sB Vinaya to obtain blessin&s1
The term 3well4trained in dis$ipline5 is e=plained in the $ommentary on
the Ma2&ala Sutta as follows< 3There are two !inds of Vinaya( one for laity
and the other for mon!s1 The lay Vinaya means a-oidan$e of the ten
unwholesome !ammas1 A lay person shuns these ten e-il !ammas with a pure
heart and humble attitude1 ?ith the aim of not spoilin& his morality he
respe$tfully obser-es the trainin& in full1 This is the meanin& of the term Rwell4
trainedB15
+A
+) A Manual of th Dhamma
,e&ardin& the mon!sB Vinaya( the $ommentary e=plains that a mon! must
obser-e the se-en $lasses of rules with $omplete $onfiden$e1 %f he has no
defe$ts he &ets the honour of pra$tisin& well1 Moreo-er he be$omes truly
learned by this means1 Besides the se-en $lasses of offen$es( the rules for
mon!s in$lude the morality of fourfold purifi$ation1 By obser-in& these four
trainin&s a mon! $an rea$h the hi&hest sta&e of san$tity( the perfe$t purity
$alled Arahantship1 %f one dili&ently pra$tises the rules to rea$h this noble aim(
one is $alled 3well4trained15
So the $ommentary $learly shows that a lay person must learn a lay
personBs Vinaya1 /or mon!s there is the $ode of $ondu$t des$ribed in the
Vinaya "iJa!a1 %f lay people and mon!s both learn and pra$tise their respe$ti-e
$odes of $ondu$t they are $alled 3well4trained in dis$ipline15 The ad-i$e in the
Ma2&ala Sutta does not $on-ey the sense that laity should learn the mon!sB
Vinaya1 The term 3well4trained5 does not mean mere a$ademi$ study1
A$ademi$ !nowled&e is useless in this sphere1 ?hat 3well4trained5 means here
is that a mon! dili&ently follows the Vinaya rules in pra$ti$e1 So 3to be well4
trained5 also means 3to be learned15 The main point is that without followin&
the Vinaya rules de-otedly one does not deser-e to be $alled 3learned15 Mere
a$ademi$ !nowled&e be$omes useless if it is not put into pra$ti$e1
The dis$ipline for lay people is $learly mentioned in the Sutta "iJa!a1 %n
brief( a lay person must shun ten unwholesome !ammas and $ulti-ate ten
wholesome !ammas1 The ten unwholesome !ammas are $alled !dasa akusala
kammapath.' The ten wholesome !ammas are $alled !dasa kusala
kammapath.' Here the words 3well4trained in dis$ipline5 en$ompass two
fa$tors< purifi$ation of defilements( and de-oted pra$ti$e of moral dis$ipline1
These two essential fa$tors should be learned and pra$tised by the laity1
As re&ards the fa$tor of 3purifi$ation of defilements5 one should study the
Boo! of Tens in the 0radual Sayin&s to !now the pra$ti$al si&nifi$an$e in
detail1 The "Gi te=t in the A2&uttarani!ya e=plains the four fa$tors of
defilement for brea!in& the first pre$ept1 3Mne !ills by oneself1 Mne ad-ises(
ur&es( or in$ites others to !ill1 Mne spea!s in praise of !illin&1 Mne $onsents to
the a$t of !illin&15 The first two fa$tors are ob-ious and need no e=planation1
% will e=plain the fa$tor 3Mne spea!s in praise of !illin&15 %n Buddhism(
e-ery ethi$al pre$ept and moral duty is a profound matter to !now and pra$tise
with wisdom and insi&ht1 An ordinary person( seein& how ri$hes in$rease for
those who ma!e their li-elihood by sellin& meat often spea!s in praise of these
4hould Lay /)sons La)n th Ainaya0 +'
men be$omin& ri$h1 Some may utter words in support of !illin&1 Su$h praise of
!illin& amounts to two defilements of his morality1 The person brea!s the non4
!illin& pre$ept and defilements also arise1 %f another person( on hearin& praise
spo!en( follows the o$$upation of a fisherman or slau&hterman( one who
praises their a$tions trans&resses the pre$ept that says 3% underta!e to abstain
from !illin& li-in& bein&s15 -en thou&h he does not a$tually do the !illin&( he
has e=pressed appro-al of !illin&( and his moti-e is to prompt others to !ill1 So(
li!e the !iller himself( the supporter is also &uilty of !illin&1
Howe-er( mere praise without in$itin& others only amounts to the
defilement of morality( e-en thou&h another person may follow a wron&
o$$upation or do unwholesome deeds1 %n this $ase( one who praises the a$t
merely defiles the pre$ept1
The fourth fa$tor is bein& pleased or e=pressin& appro-al when one hears
about the !illin& of murderers( or robbers after their arrest( or if they are !illed
while bein& arrested1 %t also means bein& pleased about the !illin& of wild
ti&ers( elephants( sna!es( et$1 Mther $ases in$lude< satisfa$tion on hearin& news
about the death of oneBs enemies1 Lon&in& for the destru$tion of bu&s( $o$!4
roa$hes( flies( ants( rats( or other pests also means defilement of oneBs pre$epts1
Some people are pleased when animals are !illed( be$ause they are &luttonous1
They willin&ly e=press support and pleasure at the !illin& of animals1 Thou&h
this does not amount to !illin&( they taint themsel-es with appro-al( whi$h
spoils the moral pre$ept1
Some people &i-e an e=$use and e=press en>oyment by sayin& that the
meat and fish are for alms&i-in&1 Mne should analyse ea$h $ase $arefully to
!now its true nature1 Mne must $onsider the state of mind1 Those who e=press
appro-al of !illin& for almsfood or a feast should e=amine their moti-es1 These
&rey areas need s$rupulous $onsideration1
/or $eremonies and festi-als some !ill the animals themsel-es( some ta!e
deli&ht in it( and others praise these a$ts1 Some mon!s( who want to eat &ood
food( hope for it1 So !illin& by indire$t orders is done to satisfy the wishes of
mon!s and &uests1 But$hers and fishmon&ers wait for this indire$t si&n from
the ser-ants of donors who wish to feed thousands with suffi$ient meat and
fish1
The fa$tors for &uilt re&ardin& the pre$ept of not !illin& are listed in the
$ommentary1 %t is stated that one of the fa$tors of &uilt is 3&i-in& indire$t si&ns(
+N A Manual of th Dhamma
or hintin&15 So in the abo-e instan$es( ser-ants of the donors either brea! the
pre$ept or defile it1 As for the $ommission of e-il !amma 7that leads to hell9
one must $onsider all the fa$tors of a parti$ular $ase1 Some borderline $ases are
diffi$ult to >ud&e de$isi-ely1
%f the ser-ants are &uilty of full trans&ression( donors $annot be free from
e-il !amma( and re$ipient mon!s and &uests also $annot be free from blame1 %f
meat is doubtful on three $ounts< seein&( hearin&( or suspe$tin& the a$t of
!illin&( mon!s must not eat it1 To be allowable within the Vinaya rules( meat
must be free from all three fa$tors1 %f a mon! !nows that an animal was not
!illed for him( he has no doubt( and so this meat is pure in all three ways1 Mnly
this type of meat and fish is allowed by the Buddha1 %f a mon! eats meat when
he is doubtful about its ori&in( it is a Vinaya offen$e1 Those who offer su$h
doubtful almsfood( re$ei-e mi=ed results if they mi= &ood and bad !ammas in
their meritorious deeds1
Mi5ed Kammas (i&e Mi5ed 2esults
As mentioned earlier( one who does deeds with mi=ed moti-es &ets mi=ed
results1 Due to his &enerosity he &ains wealth( influen$e( and power1 Howe-er(
due to the a$$ompanyin& unwholesome !amma he suffers untimely death1
Lin&s slay him to $onfis$ate his immense wealth( his property is stolen
fre;uently( his house is burnt down( or he suffers from -arious diseases1 ?hy is
this@ ?hen he performed &ood deeds it was asso$iated with some
unwholesome !amma1 So an unblemished result is not possible for a whole
series of li-es1 This type of !amma is a mi=ture of bla$! and white1 %n other
words( su$h moral deeds ha-e been planted with poison at their bases( so to
spea!1 So the four fa$tors of the immoral deed of !illin& will be present in su$h
a deed1 Mne should note that if only one fa$tor is present( morality is stained(
whi$h is the minimum bad effe$t1 Moreo-er a person destroys the fa$tor of
bein& well4trained in dis$ipline1 That is why the $ru$ial words( 3?ell4trained
means purifi$ation of defilements( and de-oted pra$tise of moral dis$ipline5
AO

are used in the Ma2&ala Sutta $ommentary1
A lay person must obser-e the fi-e moral pre$epts to the best of his or her
ability1 He or she must !now the nature and fa$tors of e-il and &ood deeds in
AO
!#attha asa$kilspa..anna c)agua%a%atthnna.'
MiEd 7ammas <i% MiEd Dsults +O
ea$h $ase1
A+
/our fa$tors will amount to either unwholesome or e-il !amma in
the first pre$ept1 The remainin& nine misdeeds( if trans&ressed with the four
fa$tors(
AQ
amount at least to unwholesome !amma< stealin&( se=ual
mis$ondu$t( lyin&( slanderin&( harsh spee$h( idle $hatter( ill4will( $o-etousness(
and wron& -iew1 So the ten e-il deeds be$ome forty in total( with ea$h fa$tor
promotin& unwholesome or e-il !amma1
Those who abstain from ea$h e-il deed( in all four aspe$ts( are the
pra$titioners of the Ma2&ala Dhamma 3well4trained in dis$ipline15 They
be$ome truly modest( s$rupulous( and &ood people1 The Buddha tau&ht the
ten e-il deeds with the four fa$tors and their $hara$teristi$s1 Mne must obser-e
them fully to be free from taints and the four $orrespondin& e-il !ammas1
The essential fa$tors a$$ordin& to the tea$hin& 3de-oted pra$tise of moral
dis$ipline5 are e=plained in the S&lo-da Sutta( whi$h is $ommonly $alled
3the lay personBs dis$ipline15 %n it one will find a householdersB duties and
-irtuous $ondu$t e=plained in detail1 Li!e the Ma2&ala Sutta( the S&lo-da
Sutta is famous1
Therein( the duties of $hildren( parents( tea$hers( et$1( are tau&ht as
dis$iplines for householders( so it is $alled the householderBs Vinaya1 %f
$hildren pra$tise their fi-e moral duties to their parents they a$hie-e the status
of a &ood person as well as the Ma2&ala Dhammas1 6on-ersely( $hildren who
fail in these moral duties destroy the Ma2&ala Dhammas and fail to a$hie-e
the status of a &ood person1 The e=position in the $ommentary is -ery $lear1
Therefore e-eryone needs to fulfil their moral responsibilities( and to follow
the path of &reat and noble -irtues based on !nowled&e and insi&ht1 %f
$ustomary duties $on$ur with the tea$hin& in the Ma2&ala and S&lo-da
Suttas they should be followed with de-otion1 Amon& lay people( few perform
these uni-ersal moral duties in full1
This se$tion e=plains the meanin& of the Ma2&ala Dhamma 3well4trained
in dis$ipline5 in relation to a lay personBs Vinaya1 Lay people ha-e a natural
dis$ipline $alled 30ood $ondu$t5 (suca)ita %inaya), and 3Virtuous $ondu$t5
(c)a %inaya), whi$h they should try to maintain in full with faith and
A+
Lay Buddhists should s$rupulously apply the four fa$tors to ea$h of the ten
unwholesome deeds1 This e=er$ise will re-eal many defilements1 7ed19
AQ
Mne does it oneselfF one ad-ises( ur&es( or in$ites others to do itF one $onsents to it
or $ondones itF one spea!s in praise of it1
++ A Manual of th Dhamma
dili&en$e1 This ethi$al $ondu$t was pres$ribed for the laity by the Buddha( so
they do not need to learn the Vinaya for mon!s1
Howe-er( wise lay persons who want to promote the BuddhaBs tea$hin&s(
and are well -ersed in their own dis$ipline( do need to learn the mon!sB
Vinaya1 ?hy@ Those who are well4trained in the householderBs dis$ipline
be$ome truly &ood people( so their minds and moti-es are &ood1 %f they are
well $ontrolled by the lay personBs dis$ipline( after learnin& the mon!sB Vinaya(
they will not use their !nowled&e unwisely1 They will not defile themsel-es
with impure physi$al( -o$al( and mental a$tions1 They will not a$$umulate e-il
moti-es and e-il !ammas be$ause of this new !nowled&e1 %n the $ommentary
it is mentioned that a wise( learned brahmin( after listenin& to the mon!sB
Vinaya rules in detail( de-eloped a $lear mind and stron& faith in the Sa2&ha1
He appre$iated the power and si&nifi$an$e of the mon!sB Vinaya as $lear
understandin& had re-ealed its profundity1
Mne day a de-oted brahmin heard the mon!s re$itin& their Vinaya rules1
Appre$iatin& the benefits of these numerous rules he entered the Sa2&ha1
Thus oneBs own attitude and moti-e are $ru$ial to e-aluate the !nowled&e of
Vinaya rules and the di-erse $ondu$t of mon!s1
The way for a lay person to study the Vinaya is first to learn and pra$tise
the lay personBs Vinaya( whi$h &i-es $ulture( wisdom( and !nowled&e1 A lay
person must be dedi$ated to obser-in& lay ethi$s with perfe$t inte&rity1 %f
inte&rity is la$!in&( a lay person( thou&h learned in ethi$s( be$omes a hypo$rite
with sham morality1 He or she be$omes a bad person1 This type of lay person(
who learns the mon!sB Vinaya( will de-elop a fault4findin& attitude1 Seein&
only the offen$es and wea!nesses of mon!s( he or she will blame( slander( and
abuse them1 So there is no benefit for su$h a lay person in learnin& the mon!sB
Vinaya1 Sin$e he or she fails to learn and pra$tise the lay personBs Vinaya well(
he or she la$!s fundamental -irtues and a s!ilful mental attitude1 So it is futile
to learn the mon!sB Vinaya( sin$e he or she will $riti$ise the $ondu$t of
wayward mon!s( interferin& in the affairs of others1 Su$h a person who ;uotes
the Vinaya te=ts and blames the mon!s( ma!es e-il !amma be$ause he or she
la$!s the -irtues of a &ood and moral person1 Due to these defe$ts he or she
ta!es a superior stan$e( utterin& words of $ondemnation and slander1 Thus(
&ra-e e-il !ammas result from his or her learnin&1
Seein& only the bad $ondu$t of a wayward mon!( he or she blames him(
but this &i-es bad effe$ts1 6on$entratin& on the faults of others( he or she fails
MiEd 7ammas <i% MiEd Dsults +Q
to see their -irtues1 %f the mon! has not $ommitted one of the offen$es of
defeat( the fundamental morality of a mon! remains inta$t( but it is not seen
by his detra$tor1 These remainin& pre$epts are more than nine billion1 An
edu$ated lay person sees and blames the $ommitted offen$es only( not the
fundamental morality( whi$h still e=ists1 The $riti$ does not see the -irtue of
this fundamental morality( but sees the defe$ts of the mon! only1 Thus the e-il
that he or she &ets in the a$t of $ondemnation is not due to the defe$ts of the
mon! $on$erned( but due to the mon!Bs status that still pre-ails1 So a $riti$
&ets numerous e-ils in spea!in& a&ainst this Dhamma1
Those with an unde-eloped mind and a wea! $hara$ter often see the
faults of others1 %ne-itably they slander( abuse( and use harsh words a&ainst
those who $ommit e-il deeds1 They $asti&ate mon!s who are of poor moral
$hara$ter1 %f this type of lay person learns the monasti$ dis$ipline( he or she
foolishly a$$umulates e-il !ammas due to la$! of restraint1 Therefore only
disad-anta&es e=ist for su$h a person in studyin& the Vinaya1
Those who a$$use immoral mon!s with unfounded $har&es suffer e-il >ust
as if they a$$used a s$rupulous mon!1 Mon!s &et an offen$e of Sa2&hdisesa(
whi$h is -ery &ra-e1 The Vinaya te=t de$lares( !Asuddha hotipuggalo a&&ata)a$
p).ika$ sammpanno.' The meanin& is that those who a$$use mon!s of
immorality are themsel-es impure1 The term 3immoral5 means( in the final
analysis( $o-etousness or &reed( ill4will( and wron& -iew1 Akhanti means
impatien$e or surliness1 A&a means i&noran$e or delusion (moha). 7ossa..a
means laCiness or moral sla$!ness1 Muhasati means la$! of mindfulness or
la$! of $lear $omprehension1
The Four Purifyin Moralities
3Lindly &i-e the detailed fa$tors or $hara$teristi$s of ea$h of the four
purifyin& moralities (p)isuddhi s-la). .ou may &i-e ea$h its
$hara$teristi$( fun$tion( manifestation( and pro=imate $ause15
67 P+timokkha 2estraint
A mon! who is an ordinary person is liable to fall into offen$es( and he
must $onfess his offen$e with the determination to a-oid it in future1 The
purity of restraint is re4established by this a$t of purifi$ation( and prote$ts the
mon! a&ainst future misdeeds1 %n $urin& his offen$es( a mon! sin$erely
promises( 3% will not do this a&ain15 This de$isi-e mind must be present durin&
$onfession1
87 $ense Faculty 2estraint
The abo-e two fa$tors also $o4e=ist in the morality of sense4fa$ulty
restraint D &uardin& the si= sense4doors1 To purify the faults in the matter of
sense4fa$ulty restraint is -ery subtle and diffi$ult1 Mne must use mindfulness at
the si= sense doors to &et moral restraint and moral purifi$ation1
97 Two Factors of #i&elihood Purification
A1 Kot a$$eptin& or usin& unallowable food and other re;uisites1 Mnly
allowable food and re;uisites must be a$$epted a$$ordin& to the Vinaya rules1
)1 %f unlawful food and thin&s are a$$epted due to i&noran$e( a mon!
must ;ui$!ly purify his &uilt by suitable Vinaya pro$edure mentioned in the
te=ts( then purity of li-elihood is restored1 6urin& this !ind of offen$e in-ol-es
the abandonment of unlawful thin&s and ma!in& a $onfession1 %n some $ases(
where brea!in& purity of li-elihood does not amount to an offen$e( a mon!
must abandon the unlawful thin&s( ma!in& a determination to obser-e
restraint in the future1
%n the sphere of obser-an$e of this morality there are three aspe$ts<
a$$eptan$e of four lawful re;uisites a$$ordin& to Vinaya rules( usin& them
$ons$ientiously( usin& them within the allowable time limit1
+I
Q* A Manual of th Dhamma
:7 Morality !oncernin 2e;uisites
A mon! must refle$t when usin& food( robes( dwellin&s( and medi$ines
with the abo-e three fa$tors1 ?ise refle$tion should be pra$tised so that a
s!ilful attitude and $lear $omprehension arise1 To pra$tise morality is diffi$ult
and profound1 ?hy@ By usin& a rosary( a mon! normally refle$ts wisely on the
four re;uisites( thus purity of this morality is &ained1 Mne mi&ht therefore
thin! that this is easy1 Howe-er( mere $ountin& of beads and re$itation of &ood
words and thou&hts are not suffi$ient to fulfil this morality1 Mere awareness or
$orre$t mindfulness on the four re;uisites( thou&h ne$essary( is not enou&h1
/or a mon!( subtle atta$hment or $lin&in& to robes( food( and dwellin&s are
diffi$ult to eradi$ate( despite re$itations( $ountin& of beads( and ri&ht
thou&hts1 A mon! needs -ery stron& mindfulness and insi&ht to abandon this
subtle $ra-in&1 So whene-er he uses the four re;uisites he must de-elop the
power of $onsideration to the full with $omplete awareness1 Mnly when the
four types of atta$hment $ease( is this morality satisfa$torily attained1 "urity is
obtained on the use of thin&s after strenuous noble efforts1 Hen$e $ustomary
$ountin& of beads and mere -erbal repetition $annot fulfil this morality1 He
must $on$entrate on the full meanin& and si&nifi$an$e of the "Gi te=ts for the
arisin& of $lear !nowled&e1 %f this !nowled&e fails to arise( morality $on$ernin&
re;uisites is not attained1 La$!in& this deep insi&ht( four types of atta$hment
pre-ail in the heart1
Mne $an !now whether this morality is attained or not by obser-in& the
beha-iour of a mon!1 A mon! who attains this moral purity has no atta$hment
or &reed1 He will not a$$umulate possessions( wealth( or property1 He will not
e=hibit atta$hment to lay supporters1 He will li-e in any type of monastery( in
e-ery season( under diffi$ult $onditions1 He will a$$ept ra& robes( alms food(
dwellin&s under a tree( and putrid medi$ines( all of whi$h were hi&hly praised
by the Buddha( thou&h they are $oarse types of simple li-in&1 %f a mon!
$hooses and sele$ts only &ood monasteries( eats only &ood food( hopes for only
&ood dwellin&s( and lon&s for them( he fails to a$hie-e this sublime morality(
and is impure in this respe$t1 So a mon! must !now the fa$tors leadin& to the
attainment of this important morality and pra$tise -i&orously and
systemati$ally to &et the ne$essary fa$tors of a$hie-ement1
1hat Are the Effects of Transressin Morality'
3Amon& the four purifyin& moralities( what are the bad effe$ts if a
mon! trans&resses basi$ monasti$ restraint (/imokkha sa$%a)a s-la).
?hat are the &ood effe$ts if a mon! obser-es it@ Lindly e=plain the
remainin& three types of purifyin& morality( whi$h may ha-e &ood or
bad effe$ts a$$ordin& to obser-an$e or non4obser-an$e15
%n the matter of brea!in& basi$ monasti$ restraint( we must distin&uish two
types< offen$es of defeat( or any of the si= &rades of lesser offen$es1 Amon& the
remainin& si= types of dis$ipline( offen$es belon& to two $lasses< offen$es
a$$ordin& to worldly standards( and offen$es a$$ordin& to the rules of Vinaya1
,e&ardin& &uilt in the matter of defeat( he $ommits the &ra-est offen$e in
this dispensation1 As lon& as he remains in robes he is $lassified as an immoral
mon!1 %f he renoun$es a mon!Bs status( he be$omes pure e-en if he does not
immediately rea$h the status of a layman( a no-i$e( or a hermit1 Howe-er(
sin$e he remains as an immoral mon! in the Sa2&ha( serious faults and &uilt
arise as mentioned in the A&&i!!handhopama Sutta( Ydittapariyya Sutta(
"iVZola Sutta( and others1 The Visuddhima&&a also e=plains the &ra-ity of
immorality in detail1 Day4by4day he &athers serious misdeeds1 This immoral
status produ$es &ra-e e-ils1
?e $an $ite plenty of e=amples of the bad results for immoral mon!s1
Some immoral mon!s durin& the time of Lassapa Buddha( who died without
renun$iation of mon! status( were reborn as hun&ry &hosts in the 0i>>a!SJa
mountain1 They suffered until the time of 0otama Buddha1 The Kidna-a&&a
SaPyutta of the Vinaya 7under the fourth "r>i!a9( mentions their pitiable
pli&ht1 %t is also mentioned in the Vibha2&a1 Tea$hers will e=plain these te=ts
in detail1
,e&ardin& the remainin& si= $lasses of offen$es( those who do not under&o
the re;uired purifi$ation be$ome shameless( and offend a&ainst the BuddhaBs
dis$ipline( thus &ettin& a further serious fault1 %f bro!en( the Vinaya rules
$reate a dan&er $alled !pa&&attikkama anta),' a dan&er obtained from
brea!in& the BuddhaBs $ommand1 So immoral mon!s $an attain neither >hna(
nor the path and its fruition1 Moreo-er( when they die( they suffer in hell1
QA
Q) A Manual of th Dhamma
Shameless mon!s suffer li!ewise1 ?e will $ite an e=ample here as support for
this statement1
%n the Dhammapada $ommentary( a mon! suffered for his misdeeds and
was reborn as ra!apatta n&a1 -en brea!in& minor pre$epts without
!nowled&e( if they are &uilty a$$ordin& to the worldly rules and re&ulations(
$reates bad results1 See the $ases of the o&res SS$iloma and Lharaloma1 They
bro!e the ordinary pre$epts of the world and were reborn as spirits or o&res1 As
for the &ood results for the obser-an$e of morality( the Visuddhima&&a has
mentioned them in detail1 Moreo-er( Visuddhrma Mahthera mentions the
respe$ti-e &ood and bad results $learly in the "aramatthasarSpabhedni1 The
&ood or bad results of obser-in& or brea!in& the remainin& three moralities $an
be found in that boo!1
%n the Hta!a $ommentary 7e!anipta9 one who brea!s the morality of
refle$tion on the use of re;uisites suffers in the lower realms1 Mne mon! was
reborn as a louse due to atta$hment to his robes1 The Vinaya e=perts and
an$ient tea$hers say that atta$hment to allowable thin&s lawfully a$;uired
does not amount to full $ommission of e-il leadin& to hell
(akusalakammapath). So here the bad results the mon! suffered are due to
atta$hment( and other serious Vinaya &uilt1
1hat Are the Factors of $a<hikad+na'
3?hat are the fa$tors of offerin&s made to the whole Sa2&ha
(sa3ghikadna)0 How $an we perform this type of donation@5
The Da!!hiV-ibha2&a Sutta of the Ma>>himani!ya mentions se-en types
of 4a3ghikadna<
A1 Mfferin&s to both Sa2&has headed by the Buddha1
)1 After the parinibbna of the Buddha( offerin&s to both Sa2&has1
'1 Mfferin&s to the Bhi!!hu Sa2&ha only1
N1 Mfferin& to the Bhi!!hun Sa2&ha only1
O1 Mfferin&s to sele$ted bhi!!hus and bhi!!huns as the Sa2&haBs
representati-es1
+1 Mfferin&s to sele$ted bhi!!hus as the Sa2&haBs representati-es1
Q1 Mfferin&s to sele$ted bhi!!huns as the Sa2&haBs representati-es1
?hen ma!in& su$h offerin&s( one should fo$us oneBs mind on &i-in& to the
Sa2&ha1 So the Buddha $lassified se-en !inds of Sa2&ha1 This 4a3ghikadna
brin&s the &reatest benefits for all1 Before ma!in& the offerin&s( the donor
should meditate on the nine -irtues of the Sa2&ha1 He or she should banish
the idea of personal referen$es or personal attitudes towards any indi-idual
mon!( re&ardin& the whole Sa2&ha as the re$ipient1
How is this attitude possible@ A donor must not $hoose indi-idual mon!s
a$$ordin& to personal preferen$e1 He or she must suppress any li!es and
disli!es1 The intention to offer to the Sa2&ha must fo$us on the -irtues of the
Buddha( Dhamma( and Sa2&ha1 A-oidin& personal preferen$es( one should
re&ard any mon! as the representati-e of the Sa2&ha1 Mne should refle$t thus<
3He is a son of the Buddha( a representati-e of the Sa2&ha( and therefore
represents all the -irtues of the BuddhaBs first fi-e dis$iples( the si=ty Arahants
who were the first missionaries( the one thousand Arahants of the Uru-ela
/orest( and other Arahants li!e Venerables Sriputta( Mo&&allna( and
Q'
QN A Manual of th Dhamma
Mah!assapa15 Thus the supporter $on$entrates his mind on the -irtues of the
whole Sa2&ha and( in this way( donates 4a3ghikadna1
The $ommentary says( 3-en in offerin& to immoral mon!s who only wear
the robes around their ne$!s( if one fo$uses the mind on the Sa2&ha( it
amounts to offerin& to the ei&hty &reat Arahants lead by the Venerables
Sriputta and Mo&&allna15 The &ood results one &ets are the same1 This is
possible be$ause the Koble Sa2&ha( the true sons of the Buddha( by their
powerful -irtues( permeate influen$es and honour e-en today1 The offerin& is
benefi$ial not be$ause of the mon!sB immoral nature( but be$ause of the purity
of the Sa2&ha1
Thus( a donor must fo$us his mind on the purity and power of the
BuddhaBs Koble Sa2&ha1 So e-en when offerin& to immoral mon!s( su$h &ood
influen$es and benefits pre-ail if the mind is s!ilfully dire$ted1 So offerin&
robes to immoral mon!s( amounts to offerin&s made to Arahants( past and
present( who ha-e $ompletely eradi$ated the defilements1 This Dhamma
support &i-es Sa2&hi!adna the &reatest benefits1 %n offerin& food( dwellin&s(
et$1( the donor must pay re&ard to the Sa2&ha only1 So he be$omes a supporter
of the Sa2&ha D all the &reatest dis$iples of the Buddha1
%n ma!in& offerin&s to the Buddha ima&e( althou&h the Buddha had passed
away( the a$t amounts to the same nature and result1 So buildin& Buddha
ima&es( pa&odas( et$1( &i-es the title 3Supporter of the Buddha15 The mind
should be dire$ted towards the support and offerin&s to the Mmnis$ient
Buddha himself who has passed away1 So the title 3Supporter of the Buddha5
does not mean the ima&e( but the Buddha himself1
?ith the de-otional mind on the Buddha himself one $an now set oneBs
attitude $orre$tly in ma!in& 4a3ghikadna e-en to ordinary mon!s1 /or
e=ample( ta!e the $ase of those who ha-e many $hildren1 Althou&h some
$hildren may die( other $hildren remain( so when the parents die( the
remainin& $hildren inherit their property1 Li!ewise( all types of mon!s today
inherit the Dhamma nature of the past noble sons of the Buddha1 They a$t as
re$ipients( representati-es( and heirs1 So in the a$ts of offerin& and sharin& of
merits( one must hold the Sa2&ha in mind and dedi$ate the offerin& to the
Sa2&ha as a whole (4a3ghagat). The $ulti-ation of this $ru$ial !4a3ghagat
citta' is -ital1 ?hile one in-ites some mon!s( and physi$ally offers donations to
them( one fo$uses the mind on the Sa2&ha( whi$h is !4a3ghagat' de$ision1
Mne must( of $ourse( offer food to a parti$ular mon!( but the attitude should
Bhat A) th +acto)s of 4a3ghikadna0 QO
be on the Sa2&ha1 "resent4day mon!s will use the property or ta!e the food
-ery respe$tfully if they !now that it is 4a3ghikadna1 %mproper use ma!es
them serious offenders as it taints the whole Sa2&ha1
The first type( offerin& to both Sa2&has headed by the Buddha( $an be
attained by offerin& to the Buddha and his followers by de$larin&
!>uddhappamukhassa ubhatosa3ghassadma.' The attitude must be $orre$t1
Kow that the Buddha has attained parinibbna( to perform this first type of
4a3ghikadna( one must pla$e a BuddhaBs ima&e $ontainin& holy reli$s( with a
be&&in& bowl( in a suitable pla$e1 Then after ma!in& offerin&s to the BuddhaBs
ima&e( food and re;uisites must be offered to bhi!!hus and bhi!!huns1 %ma&es
with reli$s to represent the Buddha are used to maintain the hi&hest honour
and respe$t amon& the donors1 This is a spe$ial $ase1 Mrdinary Buddha ima&es
$an ta!e the pla$e of the Buddha thou&h there may be no true reli$s present1
The attitude( if noble( produ$es the same result1
As re&ards the se$ond type of 4a3ghikadna( the meanin& should be $lear
and no further e=planation is ne$essary1
The third type of 4a3ghikadna $an be obtained by offerin&s made in front
of a BuddhaBs ima&e with holy reli$s1 The pro$edure is the same1
As re&ard the offerin&s for the Bhi!!hun Sa2&ha( today it is impossible as
no bhi!!huns e=ists1
The abo-e four types of 4a3ghikadna are always performed by in-itin&
mon!s in &eneral for alms1 The in-itation must be made with the Sa2&ha in
mind1
,e&ardin& the fifth( si=th and se-enth types of 4a3ghikadna( they are
$lassed under the main type $alled !@ddissaka 4a3ghikadna.' The $ases are as
follows1 A donor has insuffi$ient means to feed hundreds of mon!s in a
monastery1 Hen$e he as!s the $hief mon! to send a few mon!s for his alms4
&i-in& in the house1 The $hief mon! then sele$ts representati-es of the
monastery1 The donor must neither $hoose nor sele$t mon!sF neither $an he
name them1 The term !@ddissaka D sele$ted5( means sele$tion made by the
$hief mon! to represent the whole Sa2&ha1
%n this !@ddissaka 4a3ghikadna' if a lay4supporter fails to purify his mind
or maintains the wron& attitude many e-ils arise if he or she thin!s in terms of
names( status( or persons1 %n the $ommentary it is e=plained thus<
Q+ A Manual of th Dhamma
3A person thin!s( R% will offer 4a3ghikadna(B and ma!es well4prepared
food1 Then he &oes to the monastery and as!s for a mon! to re$ei-e alms1
6hoosin& by lots( the Saydaw sends a no-i$e1 Seein& this youn& no-i$e as a
re$ipient the donor is disappointed( as he was e=pe$tin& a Mahthera1 So his
$onfiden$e is destroyed by his wron& mental attitude1 %f his $onfiden$e wa-ers
he $annot attain this noblest alms&i-in& $alled 64a3ghikadna* e-en if is pleased
at &ettin& a Mahthera1 %n both $ases( due to his wron& attitude( he fails to
maintain the idea of RDonation to the Sa2&ha(B whi$h is the noblest
intention15 %n an$ient times( the Saydaws( due to fre;uent in-itations for
4a3ghikadna( prepared a list of mon!s to be sent by lot( irrespe$ti-e of a&e and
status1
%f a donor as!s for an elderly mon!( the Saydaw must not a&ree with this
re;uest1 He must send a mon! or mon!s by ballot( sele$ted a$$ordin& to a list
already prepared1 So one may &et a no-i$e althou&h one has as!ed for a
Mahthera1 Anyhow oneBs intention of donatin& to the Sa2&ha must not be
sha!en( whate-er the nature of a mon! or a no-i$e may be1
To &i-e 4a3ghikadna the donor must $ulti-ate the thou&ht of Rdonation to
the Sa2&haB to the hi&hest de&ree1 Moti-e alone $ounts whate-er the situation
is1 Hust as Venerable Sriputta and Mo&&allna( with the ei&hty &reat
Arahants( are worthy of re$ei-in& food and shelter( the present4day Sa2&ha
obtains the same pri-ile&es due to the power of the Sa2&ha1 -en if one &ets a
no-i$e for offerin& almsfood( one should !eep in mind that the Sa2&ha is the
re$ipient( not the no-i$e1 This no-i$e is a means to an end( not the end itself1
6onsidered in this li&ht( one should not ha-e any personal preferen$es in the
matter of 4a3ghikadna1 Mnly then is this uni;ue 4a3ghikadna attained1
A wea! person with a wron& moti-e will find this type of donation the
most diffi$ult thin& in the world1 He or she fails to maintain the idea of
donation to the Sa2&ha when his or her wishes are thwarted1 Mne must not
feel either re&ret or >oy in &ettin& a parti$ular mon!1 ?ith $lear intention and
firm determination one must not loo! at 3fa$es5 or the 3world15 %f these
dis$iplines are present then one obtains the rare opportunity of offerin&
!4a3ghikadna.' %t is -ery diffi$ult to perform this !ind of meritorious deed( as
the mind is tri$!y1
-en if one &ets a youn& no-i$e or an immoral mon!( one must treat him
>ust li!e one would treat the Venerable Sriputta or Venerable Mo&&allna1
The $orre$t attitude must be pla$ed on the Koble Sa2&ha only1 So e-ery
Bhat A) th +acto)s of 4a3ghikadna0 QQ
respe$t and honour must be paid to him1 Any pre>udi$e or partiality must be
remo-ed1 %f $omplete impartiality is la$!in&( the donorBs mind fails to fo$us on
the Koble Mnes li!e Venerable Sriputta1 His mind remains with the present
youn& no-i$e or shameless mon! to whom he has to offer food1 His mind is
limited to su$h a person and the limitless ran&e of mind be$omes tainted and
its purity destroyed1
%n this $onte=t( the $ommentary &i-es an interestin& a$$ount from an$ient
times1 Mn$e a ri$h man( wantin& to offer 4a3ghikadna for his monastery(
as!ed for a mon! from the Saydaw1 Thou&h an immoral mon! was sent( he
paid respe$t and honour to this depra-ed mon! and sin$erely made offerin&s to
the monastery with his mind fi=ed on the 3Sa2&ha15 He presented $eilin&
$loths( $urtains( and $arpets1 Then he treated the immoral mon! >ust li!e one
would treat a Buddha1 He always paid respe$ts to him1 ?hen others blamed
him( he replied that althou&h an immoral mon! was the re$ipient( he offered
his donation to the Sa2&ha only1 He e=plained that he was not appro-in& of
the bad a$tions of the immoral mon! as his mind was fi=ed on the Koble
Sa2&ha1 He donated it to the Sa2&ha( thou&h an immoral mon! had to a$$ept
it1 Thus ri&ht moti-e and ri&ht understandin& amount to !4a3ghikadna' D
the &reatest donation of all1
%n the TipiJa!a( it is stated< 3%f( with a pure( de-oted mind( one pays
respe$t to the Koble Sa2&ha e-en if one offers food to an immoral mon!( one
is a$tually offerin& food to the Buddha1 So the a$t is the noblest one15
Althou&h it is not mentioned in the ;uestion( % &i-e a &raded list of
persons worthy to re$ei-e alms( as &i-en in the te=t1 An animal( an immoral
lay person( a moral lay person( hermits with >hna outside the BuddhaBs
dispensation( Koble Mnes(
A8
"a$$e!abuddhas and Mmnis$ient Buddhas D a
total of fourteen types of indi-idual1 Moral lay persons means those who li-e
outside the BuddhaBs dispensation( who are moral1 Those with morality in this
dispensation are in$luded under those stri-in& to be$ome Koble Mnes( in this
dispensation1
The $ommentary states< 3A lay person possessin& morality is liable to
attain Stream4winnin& if he pra$tises the Koble "ath1 So he is pra$tisin&
ri&htly (supaipanno), and worthy of honour and respe$t1 %f one offers food to a
A8
There are four types of Koble Mnes who ha-e attained the four paths( and four
types stri-in& for the four paths D ei&ht in all1 7ed19
Q8 A Manual of th Dhamma
man professin& Three ,efu&es( with a pure mind( one &ets immeasurable
benefits due to this ;ualifi$ation1 Many powerful benefits arise for him1 %f one
honours a person who !eeps fi-e pre$epts by offerin& food( this is the best
amon& donation to lay persons( and brin&s limitless benefits1 %f a person
!eepin& ten pre$epts is offered alms( the donor &ets e-en more benefits1 As for
offerin&s made to a Stream4winner( this is supreme amon& donation performed
by ordinary persons1 The point to note is that those lay persons with fi-e
pre$epts who ha-e $onfiden$e in the Three 0ems are in line to be$ome
Stream4winners1 Therefore su$h a lay person is a well4beha-ed person worthy
of respe$t and honour15 This is the e=planation of the $ommentary1 /ollowin&
this line of thin!in& and beha-in&( one $an appre$iate the -alue of donation
&i-in& to ordinary mon!s and no-i$es whate-er the state of their morality1
The te=ts mention that persons outside the BuddhaBs dispensation 7non4
refu&e ta!in& persons9 $an be $lassified as immoral lay persons( and as moral
lay persons1 %n this respe$t $lasses of lay people( no-i$es( and mon!s inside the
dispensation are not mentioned1 %n the $ommentary( $lassifi$ation is made for
the persons inside the dispensation on similar lines1 So it is $lear that
s$rupulous mon!s and no-i$es are worthy of respe$t and honour1
Howe-er( the ;uestion is 36an shameless or immoral no-i$es and mon!s
be $lassified under the fourteen $ate&ories mentioned already@5 Tea$hers hold
different opinions1 Howe-er( in the Milindapa:ha a sound de$ision is made
when the !in& as!s< 3?hat is the differen$e in -irtue between an immoral
layman and an immoral mon!@5
3M !in&( an immoral mon! has &reater -irtues than an immoral layman in
ten ways1 They are in$on$ei-able in an immoral layman while an immoral
mon! possesses them in full1 ?hat are they@ An immoral mon! possesses ten
-irtues<
A1 He pays respe$t to the Mmnis$ient Buddha1
)1 He pays respe$t to the Dhamma1
'1 He pays respe$t to the Koble Sa2&ha1
N1 He pays respe$t to his $ompanions in the holy life1
O1 He hears and learns the TipiJa!a and its $ommentaries1
Bhat A) th +acto)s of 4a3ghikadna0 QI
+1 Althou&h he has bro!en the rules and li-es without morality( when he
enters an assembly of mon!s he instantly ta!es the si&n and beha-iour
of modest mon!s1
Q1 He &uards his deeds and words due to fear of peoplesB $riti$ism and
blame1
81 His mind in$lines towards to $on$entration and insi&ht from the
position of a lay dis$iple1 He yearns for the state of a &ood layman1
I1 He is still $lassified as mon!1
A*1 ?hen he does immoral a$ts he perform them in se$ret1 This means he
has shame in his mind1
Kot one of these &ood ;ualities e=ists in an immoral layman( so an
immoral mon! is more honourable than an immoral layman15
?e ha-e already mentioned the Sin&halese !in&( Saddhtissa who( $ould
pay respe$ts to an immoral mon! due to his insi&ht1 He $ould see the noble
;uality D fear of $riti$ism and blame D in that immoral mon!1 That uni;ue
;uality( as mentioned in the Milindapa:ha( is the se-enth reason that he is
worthy of respe$t1 Another -irtue he saw in the immoral mon! was the tenth
one D doin& e-il deeds furti-ely due to moral shame and fear1 %f a person $an
dete$t and appre$iate at least these two -irtues of an immoral mon! he is
$alled a wise man1 ?ith wisdom he !nows the power of these &reat -irtues(
e-en in a bad person1
%f an immoral mon! still $laims to be a mon!( in the te$hni$al sense he is a
mon! be$ause unless he relin;uishes the robe he $annot be $lassed as a
layman1 He is not a no-i$e either1 His status remains abo-e the position of a
layman or no-i$e1 The power of the Vinaya has to be stressed repeatedly(
otherwise many will underestimate it1
The ;uestioners as! a supplementary ;uestion( 3%f alms is &i-en to an
immoral mon!( $an it a$hie-e &reat( benefi$ial results for the donor@5 %t should
be noted that for a donor( an immoral mon! $an be worthy of re$ei-in& &ifts by
ten purities !nown as !Dakkhia%isuddhi', &i-in& &reat benefits for benefa$tors1
A1 An immoral mon! wears robes( and $arries a be&&in& bowl( whi$h are
sa$red symbols e=pressin& the determination and intention to destroy
defilements1
8* A Manual of th Dhamma
)1 %n the style of hermit and mon! he beha-es in se-eral ways $orre$tly1
'1 He is still within the prote$tion of the Sa2&ha1
N1 He still retains the Three ,efu&es1
O1 He still li-es in a monastery where $on$entration and insi&ht are
pra$tised dili&ently1
+1 He see!s refu&e in the Sa2&ha1
Q1 He pra$tises and tea$hes the Dhamma to others1
81 He relies on the TipiJa!a as a li&ht of wisdom1 His mind is in$lined
towards the Dhamma1
I1 He belie-es that the Buddha is the hi&hest and the noblest person in
the three worlds1
A*1 He obser-es some Uposatha and ethi$al pre$epts1
So these honourable and pure thin&s help a donor to obtain &reat benefits
when &ifts are offered to him1 0i-in& alms to him brin&s immense benefits for a
donor( not be$ause of his serious fault( but be$ause of the ten purities1 After
all( he still retains a mon!Bs status1 %f an immoral mon! returns to lay life by
$onfession and de$laration( he forsa!es his mon! status and be$omes a layman1
Se-eral $ases $an be $ited re&ardin& the importan$e of a s!ilful attitude
and moti-e1 A laywoman( seein& a -ery bad mon!( failed to show respe$t and
honour to him1 She did not offer almsfood as usual1 So a tea$her instru$ted her
as follows< 3Lay dis$iple( in this en$ounter with the dispensation your eyes now
see a mon!1 This alone is an auspi$ious( and rare e-ent1 6onsider the series of
li-es in whi$h the dispensation does not e=ist( where no true mon!s $an be
seen with the physi$al eyes1 %t is a rare $han$e you ha-e now ha-in& seen a
mon! in robes( &oin& for almsround1 ?hy $reate hatred( &reed( and delusion at
this noble si&ht( whi$h is a rare opportunity1 This 3seein& of a mon!5 is &reater
merit than a$hie-in& !in&ship( lordship( or rulership1 %t is &reater than the
&lory and power of Sa!!a( !in& of the &ods1 -en the &reatest brahm $annot
&et this uni;ue opportunity when there is no dispensation1 Seein& the 3form5
and robe of a mon! only on$e has a &reater &lory and power them seein&
Brahm1 %n this infinite saPsra( en$ounter with the BuddhaBs dispensation is
-ery rare1 %t is an auspi$ious e-ent >ust to see a mon!15
Bhat A) th +acto)s of 4a3ghikadna0 8A
Then the tea$her as!ed the laywoman how mu$h the food $ost( and how
$ould one estimate the -alue of seein& the mon!Bs robe1 -en if she had as!ed
for su$h an en$ounter by &i-in& one hundred !yats( it is impossible for the
mon! to $ome daily1 -en hundreds of thousands of !yats $ould not offer this
rare opportunity of seein& the robe1 Hen$e this immoral mon! is &i-in& her the
&reatest benefit by showin& the robe before her eyes so that the importan$e of
the BuddhaBs dispensation $an be realised1 The laywoman should therefore
show &ratitude and honour to the immoral mon!1 /rom that day onwards( due
to this wise instru$tion( she de-otedly offered almsfood to this mon! too1 Her
$onfiden$e be$ame $lear and stron&1 This s!ilful attitude is mentioned in the
Milindapa:ha as !Ana%a..aka%acadha)aatyapi dakkhina$ %isodhti D he helps
to purify the &ift by wearin& the robe of the blameless ones15 7Miln1 )OQ9
Another $ase stresses the fa$t that e-en seein& the mon!Bs robes is a rare
&ood $han$e1 Mne day a hunter saw a mon!Bs robe in a &ro-e1 Sin$e a mon!Bs
robe is a symbol of Arahantship( he felt &reat >oy( inspiration( and re-eren$e(
so he worshipped it1 After his death( he was reborn in a $elestial realm due to
this merit1 This meritorious a$t( with ri&ht $ontemplation( is $alled
!8-%a)ap1.a', re-eren$e for the robe1 %t also means 3payin& honour to those
worthy of honour15 This deity be$ame a human bein& durin& the time of the
Buddha( entered the Sa2&ha( and attained Arahantship1
Amon& the ten -irtues of an immoral mon!( some $reate sufferin& and
&ra-e dan&ers for a wayward mon! if he does not immediately return to lay life1
Howe-er( for a $lear4si&hted lay person( who ma!es s!ilful donation with the
purity of the &i-er( all ten -irtues be$ome $auses for meritorious thou&hts(
spee$h( and deeds1 /or i&norant and un$ultured lay persons( these ten -irtues
in an immoral mon! be$ome $auses for demeritorious thou&hts( words( and
deeds repeatedly1
Mne may as!( 3?hy does the Buddha tea$h us that if alms are &i-en to an
immoral mon!( only small benefits $an be a$hie-ed@5 %n tea$hin& the fourteen
&rades of persons( the pro&ressi-e benefi$ial results are $lear1 A s$rupulous
mon! is >ust li!e &ood soil1 This $an be seen by studyin& numerous stories in
the Dhammapada1 %t $learly shows that less benefits result from offerin& alms
to an immoral mon!1 Mu$h &reater benefit a$$rues from &i-in& alms to a
s$rupulous mon!1
Anyhow( one must use $lear4si&hted e-aluation( see!in& or re&ardin& all
aspe$ts in performin& $harity1 The Buddha &i-es many &uidelines for different
8) A Manual of th Dhamma
situations and $onditions that mi&ht fa$e a donor1 %n the Da!!hiV-ibha2&a
Sutta 7M1 iii1 )O'9( fourteen &rades of alms re$ipients are enumerated1 /irst
&i-in& food and shelter to animals brin&s benefits of one hundred times1 0i-in&
alms to an immoral person brin&s benefits a thousand times1 0i-in& alms to a
moral person brin&s benefits a hundred thousand times1 0i-in& alms to a non4
Buddhist who is free from lust Wthrou&h attainin& >hnaX brin&s benefits
millions of times1 The benefits from &i-in& alms to a well4beha-ed person who
is stri-in& for the attainment of Stream4winnin& are immeasurable( so what
$an be said of &i-in& alms to a Stream4winner@ Then one &ets e-en &reater
benefits from &i-in& alms to one stri-in& for Mn$e4returnin&( a Mn$e4returner(
one stri-in& for Kon4returnin&( a Kon4returner( one stri-in& for Arahantship(
an Arahant( a "a$$e!abuddha( and an Mmnis$ient Buddha1 Thus &i-in& alms
to the Buddha a$hie-es the &reatest immeasurable benefits1
,e&ardin& immeasurable benefits( the term 3immeasurable5 has a ran&e of
meanin&s1 The &rains of sand in one town are immeasurable1 The &rains of
sand in the world are also immeasurable1 So the term 3immeasurable benefits5
has a wide ran&e of meanin&s1
%n the pro&ressi-e list of fourteen types of re$ipients( &ifts offered to ea$h
type ha-e less benefit than the ne=t1 The results depend on the -irtue of the
re$ipient1 6ompared with the results of &i-in& alms to a shameless person(
&i-in& to a s$rupulous person produ$es more benefit1 So persons of the hi&hest
moral $ondu$t will pro-ide the donor with the hi&hest benefits1 0ifts to the
Mmnis$ient Buddha &i-e the best results of all1 6omparisons should be made
a$$ordin& to the -irtue and wisdom possessed by re$ipients1 Today the $han$e
of offerin& almsfood to Koble Mnes is -ery rare1 The $han$e to offer alms to
ordinary mon!s is relati-ely $ommon1 0i-en the present situation( offerin& of
alms to ordinary s$rupulous mon!s must be re&arded as alms&i-in& with &reat
fruit and benefit1 This is the rational and pra$ti$al way to $lassify persons
today1
The abo-e is a &eneral remar! only1 The Arahant is hi&hly praised by the
Buddha1 Mnly the best moral mon!( the Arahant( &i-es the best results1 So in
this $onte=t an ordinary s$rupulous mon! $annot produ$e both &reat results
and &reat benefits1 Mnly &i-in& alms to Arahants produ$es these two features1
Hen$e the words of the Buddha must be interpreted a$$ordin& to their
$onte=t1
Bhich is th >st ;ff)ing0 8'
1hich is the ,est %fferin'
3Mf the two types of donation( offerin&s to the Sa2&ha and offerin&s to
the nli&htened Mne( whi$h has &reater merit@5
%n the Da!!hiV-ibha2&a Sutta the Buddha says( !?a t%%ha$ 5nanda
knaci pa)iyyna sa3ghagatya dakkhiya pipuggalika$ dna$
mahapphalata)a$ %admi. D %n no way( Ynanda( does a &ift to an indi-idual
e-er ha-e &reater fruit than an offerin& to the Sa2&ha15
The Buddha spo!e in the $learest terms1 Therefore we $annot say that
alms &i-en personally to the Buddha is superior to 4a3ghikadna1
%n the $ommentary too it is e=plained< !4a3gh citt-k)a$ ktu$
sakkontassa hi kh-sa% dinnadnato uddisit% gahit duss-lpi dinna$
mahapphalata)am%a. D ?ith oneBs mind respe$tin& the Sa2&ha it is possible
to &et more benefit from alms offered to the Sa2&ha( e-en if the mon! is
immoral( than &i-in& alms to an Arahant as an indi-idual15 Thus the
$ommentary is definite on this $ru$ial point in a&reement with the Sutta1
These words are also $lear1
%n the "Gi te=t too( the Buddha tells his step4mother( !4a3gh <otami
dhi. 4a3gh t dinn aha&c%a p1.ito bha%issmi sa3gho ca. D 0i-e it Wthe robeX
to the Sa2&ha( 0otam1 ?hen you &i-e it to the Sa2&ha( the offerin& will be
made both to me and to the Sa2&ha15 %t is also $lear here that the BuddhaBs
instru$tion is to prefer 4a3ghikadna to donations to indi-iduals1
?hen his step4mother offered two sets of robes( the Buddha a$$epted only
one set1 Then he uttered the famous words >ust ;uoted1 ?hy did he ur&e
0otam to offer robes to the Sa2&ha sayin& it has &reater benefits@ %n the past(
disputants $reated a $ontro-ersy from this by sayin& that alms offered to the
Buddha is inferior( so for &reater results he made this instru$tion1
%n the $ommentary to the Da!!hiV-ibha2&a Sutta the disputantsB -iew is
re>e$ted1
!?ayimasmi$ lok pa)asmi$ % pana,
>uddhna sho sadiso % %i..ati.
"amhunyynamaggata$ gato.
/u&&atthikna$ %ipulaphalsinan*ti.
8N A Manual of th Dhamma
FAacanato hi satth) utta)ita)o dakkhiyyo nma natthi. (%amss cha
ctan kato hut% d-gha)atta$ hitya sukhya bha%issanti*ti dpsi.'
The meanin& is that the BuddhaBs instru$tion to 0otam in this $ase was
not be$ause 4a3ghikadna is superior e-en to donation to the Buddha1 This is
not the meanin&1 As a re$ipient of donations no one is &reater than the
Buddha himself1 Therefore the BuddhaBs aim is as follows< %f 0otam offers the
robes to the Sa2&ha she will obtain the effe$ts of three &ood intentions of
ma!in& donation a&ain 7before( durin&( and after9 after he a$$epts the first
donation( whi$h promotes three &ood intentions for her1 So there are si= &ood
intentions in the two a$ts of donation( whi$h &i-e 0otam $ountless blessin&s
and benefi$ial results brin&in& her pea$e and happiness for a lon& time1 ?ith
this aim he instru$ted 0otam to offer the remainin& set of robes to the
Sa2&ha( praisin& the benefits of 4a3ghikadna1
Then it may be as!ed( 3Does the abo-e e=planation $ontradi$t the
dis$ourse already ;uoted@5 There is no $ontradi$tion1 Amon& the -arious
donations to indi-iduals( e=$eption must be made in the $ase of donations to
the Buddha1 So it is not $ontradi$tory1
Another method of e=planation may he &i-en here1 The reason is this1
Sin$e 0otam will $ertainly attain parinibbna as an Arahant bhi!!hun( this
robe4offerin& has no further effe$ts for her1 Mne set of robes is suffi$ient for the
Buddha and the se$ond set is unne$essary for him( but the Buddha has no
personal preferen$es for any indi-idual mon!1 Therefore he instru$ts 0otam
to offer them to the Sa2&ha1 The aim is to prote$t and de-elop selflessness and
to let the power of the Sa2&ha be !nown1
Anyhow this e=planation may not fully satisfy the re;uirements of the
;uestion1 Then a &ood( reasonable answer may be &i-en to ma!e a definite
de$ision1 The ;uestion is( 3%s indi-idual donation to the Buddha superior to
the se-en types of 4a3ghikadna@
The BuddhaBs tea$hin&< 3%n no way( Ynanda( does a &ift to an indi-idual
e-er ha-e &reater fruit than an offerin& to the Sa2&ha15 is $lear( and no
$ontro-ersy should arise1 The ;uestion should not be as!ed at all be$ause it is
not suitable to de$lare that any one of the se-en types of 4a3ghikadna( is
superior to indi-idual donation1 %t is unsuitable to answer be$ause an
indi-idual re$ipient $annot be said definitely to be superior1 6onsiderin& all
Bhich is th >st ;ff)ing0 8O
these fa$ts( the 6ommentaryBs e=planation is $orre$t( whi$h $orre$tly e=plains
the "Gi te=t1
Here % present some $ases for thou&htful persons to $onsider1 ?hen
donors were offerin& food to the Buddha( they saw him in person1 After he
attained parinibbna( many de-otees made offerin&s to Buddha ima&es as
indi-idual donation to the Buddha1 %s this merit &reater than 4a3ghikadna
now@ The ne=t problem to $onsider is< 3?hi$h is &reater merit@ Buildin&
pa&odas or Buddha ima&es( and offerin& food to them as indi-idual donation(
or 4a3ghikadna su$h as offerin& a monastery to the Sa2&ha@ These problems
are offered for $onsideration be$ause in the Vimna-atthu it says< !#ihant
nibbut cpi, sam citt sama$ phala$. 8topaidhihtu hi, satt gacchanti
suggati$ D whether one a$tually sees the Buddha in person or not( if the mind
is fi=ed on him( it has the same effe$t as the intention is the same1 Many
bein&s &o to $elestial realms be$ause of this $orre$t attitude( althou&h they do
not a$tually see him15 Mnly mind $an help one to a$hie-e hea-enly attainment
and nibbna1 %f the moti-e is the same( the effe$ts are the same1 6onfiden$e
$an be present in BuddhaBs presen$e or in BuddhaBs absen$e1
Howe-er( to ha-e e;ual $onfiden$e in both $ases is -ery unli!ely1 %f one
sees the Buddha in person( oneBs $onfiden$e may be mu$h &reater than in
seein& a Buddha ima&e1 How wide this &ap will be is hard to de$ide1 To what
e=tent $an a mental ob>e$t &i-e rise to $onfiden$e@ ?ise persons should
$onsider these problems1
!ulti&atin A $kilful Attitude
Ha-in& answered the thirteen ;uestions( % will &i-e an admonition so that
the ri&ht attitude and moti-es $an be $ulti-ated1 Serious $onsideration should
be &i-en to the essential &uidelines tau&ht in the BlapaVZita Sutta 7M1 iii1
A+I91 The simile of the blind turtle should be remembered by e-eryone1
The $imile of the ,lind Turtle
3M mon!s( % will &i-e you a simile< A man ma!es a hole in a lo& and sets it
adrift in the o$ean1 ?hen the wind $omes from the east the lo& drifts
westwards1 ?hen the wind blows from the west( it drifts eastward1 Similarly(
north winds push it to the south( and south winds push it to the north1 %n the
o$ean is a blind turtle who surfa$es only on$e e-ery hundred years1 %s it
possible that the blind turtle would put his head up throu&h the hole in the
lo&@5
The mon!s replied that normally it would be impossible( but in the infinite
duration of saPsra a $han$e mi&ht o$$ur1 .et it would be -ery diffi$ult for the
blind turtle to meet up with the driftin& lo&1 Then the Buddha e=plained1
3Mon!s this rare $han$e( this frea! o$$urren$e is possible( but for a bad
man who is reborn as an animal or in hell to be$ome a human bein& a&ain is
rarer and more diffi$ult15
,arest is the human status1 Mn$e this rare status is &one one finds &reatest
diffi$ulty to be reborn a&ain as a human bein&1 ?hy@ %n the lower realms su$h
as hell( no opportunities e=ist for the performan$e of wholesome deeds1 So(
la$!in& &ood $ondu$t( a person in hell has to suffer for $ountless aeons1 Those
who are reborn in the animal !in&dom ha-e to stru&&le for e=isten$e( preyin&
upon ea$h other1 Animals do mostly harmful deeds with their low intelli&en$e(
and the stron& perse$ute the wea!1 So there is little $han$e for them to be
reborn in the human world1 The lowest probability e=ists for them to up&rade
themsel-es1
/or a blind turtle wanderin& in the o$ean to en$ounter the hole in the lo&
is possible only if the lo& ne-er rots( and only if he li-es for millions of years1
.et a mu$h smaller $han$e e=ists for a sufferer in hell to a$hie-e human status
8Q
88 A Manual of th Dhamma
a&ain( for -ery few wholesome !ammas are possible in the lower abodes1 This is
e=plained in the $ommentary1
%ndeed( this is true1 ?hen $lose to death( a human bein& ur&ently needs
&ood thou&hts to a$hie-e a &ood status in the ne=t e=isten$e1 Durin& oneBs last
thou&ht moments( pre-ious wholesome !ammas produ$e &ood mental ob>e$ts(
enablin& one to be reborn in the fortunate realms of e=isten$e1 Mtherwise bad
!ammas will predominate at this $ru$ial moment( and bad mental ob>e$ts will
send one to hell1 %n the four lower realms of e=isten$e a sentient bein& !nows
nothin& of the -alue of alms&i-in&( !eepin& moral pre$epts( or pra$tisin&
meditation1 Lower bein&s who find themsel-es la$!in& wholesome !amma are
further hampered by the la$! of opportunities to do &ood1 Mbser-e the daily
beha-iour of do&s( pi&s( $ows( buffaloes( $rows and other animals1 Their moral
sense is -ery limited( so they often indul&e in e-il deeds1 They ha-e little
$han$e to do &ood1
Therefore a dyin& bein& in the lower realms has a -ery slim $han$e of
e=perien$in& &ood mental ob>e$ts to &ain hi&her e=isten$es1 -il !ammas
usually manifest( leadin& a&ain to realms of misery1 -en a -irtuous person in
this human world $annot safely say that( at the moment of death( immoral
!ammas will not influen$e the ne=t rebirth1 Althou&h one may ha-e &i-en
alms( obser-ed morality( and performed other meritorious deeds( one may
e=perien$e -ery bad thou&hts at death1 ?ithout re&ular pra$ti$e of the four
ri&ht efforts( no one $an &uarantee the arisin& of &ood thou&hts1 -ery ordinary
person has done $ountless unwholesome !ammas in past li-es and in this
e=isten$e( whi$h $an mature at any time( produ$in& $orrespondin& results1 /or
the ma>ority of people today( wholesome !ammas are relati-ely few1 So their
past immoral !ammas will ha-e to produ$e results in future li-es1
MneBs present wholesome deeds may not stem the tide of past
unwholesome !ammas with their impendin& results( whi$h must &i-e
appropriate results at some time1 As a uni-ersal prin$iple e-erybody is sub>e$t
to moral responsibility1 All types of !ammas are waitin& for their $han$e to
mature at any time1 Thus( $ountless past !ammas of -arious types remain for
ea$h person as latent for$es1 %f a foolish person now &athers fresh e-ils( the
$han$e of past misdeeds &i-in& their effe$ts in$reases( for li!e be&ets li!e1
/or those who ha-e to suffer in hell e-en on$e( the flood&ate of past e-il
!amma opens( lettin& in the bad effe$ts1 So( &enerally spea!in&( -arious
powerful e-il !ammas ma!e the sufferin& in hell -ery lon& and tedious( as
#h 4imil of th >lind #u)tl 8I
su$$essi-e bad results &et their $han$e to mature in -arious ways1 Bad !ammi$
results predominate in the lower realms1 Mne has to under&o lon&4term
sufferin&s for the e-ils of past li-es too1 6onsider the e-ils done in the present
life to e-aluate the nature of impendin& bad results1 Therefore( in the
Sammoha-inodan( the $ommentary on the Dhammasa2&an( a note of
warnin& is stru$! for this awful possibility1 Some persons ha-e to ta!e rebirth
in hell due to minor or sli&ht mis$ondu$t1 Mn$e in hell( other &ra-e !ammas of
the pre-ious e=isten$es ma!e their appearan$e too and their sufferin&s
in$reases a thousand4fold1 "ast e-il !ammas are waitin& for $han$es to
manifest their influen$es and powers espe$ially in the lower e=isten$es1 The
moral is( 3donBt let e-il ta!es its $han$e5 or 3donBt open the doors of e-il15
The present life is -ery important1
The $imile of the Kins Fa&ourite
/or $learer understandin& a simile is &i-en here1 The !in&Bs fa-ourite(
ha-in& been empowered with &reat authority( misuses his offi$e for his own
selfish ends1 He $onfis$ates other peoplesB property( se=ually abuses &irls(
a$$epts bribes( et$1( but no one dares to $omplain1 As the !in&Bs fa-ourite he
es$apes arrest and punishment althou&h his $rimes are serious1 Due to the
!in&Bs influen$e he li-es in safety for a lon& time1 Howe-er( one day( he
happens to $ommit a minor wron& that enra&es the !in&( who orders his arrest
and prompt punishment1 As soon as the news of his arrest is !nown( all his
past -i$tims ma!e their $omplaints to the !in&1 The !in& orders in-esti&ations
and infli$ts se-ere punishments when the $ases are pro-en1 .et more -i$tims
now $ome to the !in& to see! redress1 This is an analo&y for the a$$umulation
of bad effe$ts for an e-il person when his destiny is down&raded by a minor or
ma>or fault( as the $ase may be1
Kote that e-en a small misdeed $an &i-e hellish results1 Mn$e in hell( one
suffers for lon&er as the serious results of lon& dormant e-il !ammas mature to
&i-e appropriate results at what is now the ri&ht time and pla$e1 %n the ei&ht
&reat hells( $ountless millions of sufferers are tortured for aeons1 Any
opportunity for them to return to this human world is -ery remote as no &ood
!ammas $an be pra$tised there1 This a$$umulati-e nature of !amma must be
studied alon&side the Simile of the Blind Turtle1 This analo&y a&rees with
them1
I* A Manual of th Dhamma
The Fi&e (reatest 2arities
Amon& trillions of bein&s
AI
who endure the results of e-il !ammas in the
lower realms( -ery few are reborn a&ain as human bein&s1 Based on this
inherent feature of Dhamma( the Buddha de$lares in the A2&uttarani!ya the
3/i-e 0reatest ,arities5 or the 3/i-e Hardest Thin&s5 (dullabha). They are so
$alled be$ause of the -ery small $han$es to attain them1 Human e=isten$e is
one of the &reatest of rarities( as human birth is -ery hard to attain1 Mne must
$ulti-ate ri&ht thou&hts re&ardin& the pli&ht of $ountless bein&s in the lower
realms1 %n the A2&uttarani!ya the Buddha de$lares< !Manussattabh%o
dullabho D human life is a rarity15
The bodhisatta Metteyya will a$hie-e Buddhahood in the era of as$endin&
human lon&e-ity after an era when the duration of human life falls to >ust ten
years1 Metteyya BuddhaBs dispensation will last only two or three hundred
thousand years1 Thou&h this may seem li!e a lon& time( it is too short for the
bein&s in hell to be$ome humans and meet his dispensation1 /or them( this
amounts to >ust two or three e=isten$es( so the $han$e of meetin& him is -ery
remote1
After Metteyya BuddhaBs dispensation( three su$$eedin& aeons will be
de-oid of Buddhas D they will be eras of spiritual dar!ness1 Ko Buddha will
appear in this aeon after Metteyya1
Those who treasure the in$omparable Three ,efu&es and BuddhaBs
dispensation today( ha-e many rare opportunities to perform $haritable deeds(
to obser-e fi-e or ei&ht pre$epts( and to underta!e meditation for
$on$entration and insi&ht1 Su$h &ood persons ha-e appre$iated the &reat -alue
and si&nifi$an$e of 0otama BuddhaBs dispensation1 /urthermore( for these
de-oted and wise persons at present( an en$ounter with Metteyya BuddhaBs
dispensation is -ery probable1 The reason bein& that they de-otedly li-e as
&ood human bein&s( as s$rupulous mon!s( as de-oted lay supporters( ardent
meditators( et$1 They will &ain liberation( as they see! wisdom in this present
dispensation with a s!ilful attitude and noble $ondu$t1 They may be$ome
Koble Mnes in this -ery life1 %f not( they are $ertain to meet the $omin&
Metteyya Buddha a$$ordin& to their wish1 The point is that for them( basi$
AI
The Hut$hinson n$ylopedia says< 3Appro=imately +** trillion 7million million9
!rill thri-e in the Southern M$ean1 To&ether they wei&h more than the entire human
population15 7ed19
#h +i% <)atst Da)itis IA
ethi$al and insi&ht attainments do not de&enerate any more1 Ko moral lapses
or wea!nesses will appear1 Katurally( with the for$es of past and present &ood
!amma( they are bound to win liberation in this dispensation( or durin&
Buddha MetteyyaBs dispensation1
?hile 0otama BuddhaBs dispensation retains its pristine purity( all human
bein&s ha-e rare opportunities to $ulti-ate $onfiden$e( $harity( morality( and
insi&ht meditation1 %f they $an re$o&nise these noble fa$tors and fine
$hara$teristi$s( people possess &ood perfe$tions1 They appre$iate the spe$ial
si&nifi$an$e and power of ta!in& the Three ,efu&es( so they perform a uni;ue
meritorious deed1 They now pra$tise noble morality( $on$entration( and
wisdom( whi$h pre-ail only durin& the BuddhaBs dispensation1 Their
meritorious deeds will brin& them at least to the si= $elestial realms1 At best
they will attain Stream4winnin& and hi&her sta&es in this life or the ne=t1 As
they fully appre$iate the si&nifi$an$e of the Three ,efu&es( when noble deities
in $elestial realms tea$h the Dhamma( they will instantly be$ome Koble Mnes1
Be$ause the noble deities in the si= hi&her realms li-e for innumerable years(
the BuddhaBs dispensation pre-ails in the $elestial realms lon& after it is e=tin$t
in the human world1 So a &ood ordinary person will $ertainly attain liberation
in the $elestial realms( with the four &reat moral efforts1 /or the noble deities
the duration of the BuddhaBs dispensation on earth is >ust a few years( but for
them the dispensation will $ontinue for aeons1
)*
Most Koble Dis$iples of
Buddha 0otamaBs time ha-e been reborn in these $elestial abodes1 They are
true sons and dau&hters of the Buddha( and so $an tea$h the true Dhamma1
Kon4returners dwell in the Suddh-sa Brahm realms 7the "ure Abodes9( so
those dis$iples who fail to win nibbna in this world $an listen to the Koble
Dhamma if they are reborn in the brahm realms1 So e=$ellent opportunities
pre-ail for all true Buddhists to realise nibbna in the $elestial realms1
The Bodhisatta Metteyya is now li-in& in the Tusita $elestial realm1 ?ith
him are Koble Dis$iples of 0otama Buddha( who were reborn in this uni;ue
realm before or after the BuddhaBs parinibbna1 Stream4winners from an$ient
Sri Lan!a were naturally reborn in this $elestial realm too1 %n e-ery $elestial
)*
After listenin& to the Sa!!apa:ha Sutta( Sa!!a( the !in& of Ta-atiPsa &ained
Stream4winnin&1 He will li-e for thirty4si= million years as the $elestial !in& of
Ta-atiPsa1 So( for him( the two thousand si= hundred years of the present
dispensation is e;ui-alent to >ust two and half days in the life of a hundred4year4old
man1 7ed19
I) A Manual of th Dhamma
realm Koble Mnes of this dispensation will help others by prea$hin& the /our
Koble Truths1
De-oted and wise persons &et inspiration by readin& the bio&raphies of
Vis!h and AnthapiVZi!a( and &reatly admire their noble &ood deeds1
Howe-er( they learn of their noble deeds only from the study of history1 They
do not personally en$ounter these famous dis$iples of the Buddha1 %f they are
reborn in $elestial realms( they will personally meet these famous Koble Mnes1
They will then $ertainly be$ome Koble Mnes too( as there are $ountless Koble
Dis$iples to &uide them to liberation1 De-oted people( due to their $harity(
morality( and efforts in meditation( will en>oy refined sensual pleasures in
hi&her abodes( e-en if they do not be$ome Koble Mnes1 /inally( after many
rounds of fortunate rebirths( when Metteyya Buddha arises in this world( they
will $ertainly win liberation1 They will surely meet Metteyya Buddha due to
their &ood !amma durin& this dispensation( and will $ertainly realise nibbna
too1 %t is therefore noteworthy that men and women with this !nowled&e
durin& 0otama BuddhaBs dispensation( possess rare and uni;ue opportunities
to a$hie-e the best thin&s in life( both now and hereafter1
Howe-er( ordinary meritorious deeds $annot open the doors to these
uni;ue opportunities and &i-e the rare $han$e of sal-ation( be$ause ordinary
people do meritorious deeds without insi&ht !nowled&e1 So lay people should
not rely solely on alms&i-in&1 Those who ha-e ta!en up the yellow robes
should not feel safe in the BuddhaBs dispensation as they are >ust in the
preliminary sta&es1 Most of them are ordinary persons1 %f no-i$es and mon!s
pra$tise the fourfold purifyin& morality( and fully attain the se-en fa$tors of a
&ood man( they will rea$h the sta&e of safety1 As the &reat power of morality
durin& this dispensation leadin& to nibbna is present( this type of person will
at least rea$h the sta&e of a lesser Stream4winner (c1Gasotpanna). %nsi&ht is
essential for nibbna1
Be$ause a full Stream4winner (sotpanna) is $ompletely free from moral
lapses and sufferin& in hell( the lesser Stream4winners also es$ape these &reat
e-ils and sufferin&s( althou&h they are not full Stream4winners yet1 Due to
their insi&ht into mind and matter (nma)1papa)icchda &a), and their
habitual obser-an$e of the fi-e pre$epts( they are similar to Stream4winners of
the hi&hest &rade1 Li-in& in these rare $ir$umstan$es( with the &reatest of
opportunities( no one should blame othersB wi$!edness and failures1 Ko one
should pay any attention to othersB faults( or waste time blamin& the e-il
#h +i% <)atst Da)itis I'
a$tions of others1 Mne must li-e steadfastly pra$tisin& the Dhamma oneself(
thin!in& only of oneBs own rare opportunities( whi$h must be seiCed with
strenuous moral effort1
%ne-itably( in this BuddhaBs dispensation( some mon!s show moral and
intelle$tual lapses and ba$!slidin&1 They $ons$iously or un$ons$iously brea!
the Vinaya rules( both minor and ma>or( and li-e heedlessly1 Howe-er( a
!nowled&eable and mature person 7a wise lay supporter9 must not pass
>ud&ement or blame them1 /or oneBs &reatest responsibility is to follow the path
of ri&hteousness with one4pointedness1 Mnly by ta!in& $are of oneself $an one
wal! on the path steadfastly1 MthersB e-il a$ts and faults are not oneBs $on$ern(
none of oneBs business1
%f one re&ards othersB faults and blames them( one suffers by defilin& oneBs
own mind( and a$$umulates &reed( an&er( and delusion in the pro$ess1 Mne
be$omes impure and oneBs $onfiden$e wa-ers1 These subtle unwholesome
deeds( will show their power when one is about to die( and will push one down
to hell1 MneBs own impurity in physi$al( -o$al( and mental $ondu$t $an brin&
about hellish results at the time of death1 The "Gi te=ts and $ommentaries
$onsistently $aution that on$e in hell( $han$es to be$ome a human bein& a&ain
are -ery slim1 A fallen person usually &oes downwards( bein& reborn as a
hun&ry &host( an animal( or in hell( su$$essi-ely1
Sin$e unwholesome !ammas operate most effe$ti-ely in the lower abodes(
to be reborn as a human bein&( deity( or brahm( is -ery diffi$ult1 The Buddha
used the term 3dullabho(5 whi$h means 3hard to &et the &ood planes of
e=isten$e15 So e-en if a bein& in hell attains a hi&her life on a$$ount of his past
!amma( most fail to rea$h it durin& the duration of a BuddhaBs tea$hin&1 So to
be united with Koble Mnes in $elestial realms when his &ood !ammas bear
fruit( is a -ery remote possibility1 Human bein&s in this dispensation are
unli!ely to meet Metteyya bodhisatta in Tusita( or after he be$omes Buddha( if
they are satisfied with ordinary morality and alms&i-in&1 /rom this standpoint
their ordinary morality and $haritable a$ts be$ome useless or futile1
?hy@ They are useless in the sense of &i-in& effe$ts only for the
attainment of $elestial and human pleasures or mundane bliss( whi$h are
$ommonpla$e and temporary thin&s1 After sufferin& in hell( a bein& attains a
hi&her e=isten$e due to past &ood !amma( but hea-enly bliss and human
happiness are not uni;ue1 Many times one has been a deity or a human bein&1
%n future too one will $ertainly be$ome a powerful deity or !in&1 Merits done
IN A Manual of th Dhamma
durin& the BuddhaBs dispensation should not ha-e su$h low aims1 /or after
en>oyin& hea-enly bliss( all may be$ome human bein&s a&ain as ri$h men(
powerful !in&s( et$1 These !ammi$ results are -ery $ommon and are not
espe$ially desirable in this dispensation1 The $hief aim of the dispensation is to
realise nibbna( to a$tually !now throu&h insi&ht the /our Koble Truths( that
is( to be$ome a Koble Mne1 %n other words( by means of insi&ht one must
obtain the path and its fruition( whi$h ha-e nibbna as their ob>e$t of
$o&nition1 Mere wishes and prayers will not do1 "ast -ows( in$linations( and
aspirations ha-e &i-en de-otees the $han$e to attain this noble aim of nibbna
in a short time throu&h the pra$tise of mindfulness1 The primary &oal of the
BuddhaBs dispensation is to realise nibbna here and now1 Speedy liberation is
best( be$ause for $ountless li-es one has aspired to win liberation from sorrow
and sufferin&1
This noble aim is possible to attain durin& this BuddhaBs dispensation( so
nibbna must be won by insi&ht1 This is the uni;ue feature of the BuddhaBs
tea$hin&1 %f one aims at mundane or hea-enly pleasures( one will not only miss
0otama BuddhaBs dispensation( but also that of Metteyya Buddha1 Hen$e the
term 3useless5 is attributed to ordinary merits( whi$h only lead to worldly >oys1
%f one fails to meet Metteyya Buddha due to these reasons( $ountless aeons
inter-ene when there is no dispensation1 /or this reason too( the meanin& of
3useless5 meritorious deeds should be understood1
A spe$ial $lass of s!ilful $ondu$t e=ists for the attainment of the path( its
fruition( and nibbna1 This is $alled !/)am- 7usala' D wholesome perfe$tions
for the a$hie-ement of liberation( $rossin& o-er the o$ean of saPsra1 -en
amon& perfe$tions( two $ate&ories $an be seen<
A1 Stable (niyata).
)1 Unstable (aniyata).
/or bodhisattas( ha-in& re$ei-ed assuran$e from a Buddha( &ood $ondu$t
be$omes natural( and $ertainly leads to nibbna1 %n su$h a person( meritorious
deeds are e=tremely powerful and do not lose their for$e at all1 They always
&i-e their desired results or effe$ts1 Durin& any e=isten$e( bodhisattas perform
all !inds of perfe$tions until nibbna is attained in their final e=isten$e1
The meanin& of unstable perfe$tions or ordinary perfe$tions( is that they
la$! profundity and stability( and are mostly de-oid of wisdom1 As they are
wea! in nature they are not $ertain to brin& the desired effe$ts1 Mne who has
#h +i% <)atst Da)itis IO
done su$h perfe$tions $an attain nibbna if they meet a Buddha( in whi$h $ase
ordinary &enerosity( morality( et$1( $an lead to nibbna1 To that e=tent these
merits are e=$ellent( but in the absen$e of a BuddhaBs dispensation( &ood deeds
done with self4-iew will only prolon& the sufferin& of saPsra1 The power of
wholesome !amma diminishes and finally disappears as one wanders throu&h
$ountless rebirths1 So those with unstable perfe$tions( e-en if they meet a
Buddha( do not re$ei-e the assuran$e to be$ome Buddha1 Their &ood !amma
is not of the stable( powerful type1 %n the $y$le of e=isten$es they $an do -ery
&ra-e e-ils and end up in hell( so other wholesome deeds $annot &i-e their
benefits1 "owerful bad !ammas ta!e pre$eden$e in lower realms1 So the wea!
unstable &ood deeds are $lassified as !Aniyata kusala', whi$h means 3unstable
meritorious deeds15
Those who realise the -alue of a human e=isten$e in this BuddhaBs
dispensation should not $onsider the faults and defe$ts of others1 Ko attention
should be paid to the affairs( shameless beha-iour( i&noble $ondu$t( or bad
$hara$ter of others1 Mne must re&ard only oneBs own rare opportunities and
hi&h status in the BuddhaBs dispensation1 Amid turmoil( one must maintain
poise and serenity at all times1 Abuse( $ondemnation( $riti$ism( slander( and
a$$usation( will brin& unwholesome !amma for oneself1
,ealisin& the ur&en$y of oneBs own one tas!( must be steadfast and
e;uanimous( i&norin& the mista!es and faults of others so that oneBs mind
remains undefiled1 % will &i-e a simile to illustrate the s!ilful attitude1
The $imile of the $hipwreck
A ship was wre$!ed( and san!1 The passen&ers( fa$in& &reat dan&er(
started swimmin& to sa-e their li-es( fa$in& death at any moment1 Seein& their
pitiable pli&ht( an o$ean4deity wanted to sa-e them1 Howe-er( their past &ood
!amma was wea!( so dire$t res$ue was impossible1 The best he $ould mana&e
was to $reate a lo& for ea$h of them1 a$h sur-i-or must &rab a lo& and swim
ashore1 The ne$essary $ondition to &ain safety was obser-an$e of the fi-e
pre$epts1 ?ith strenuous( $onstant effort( they must e=ert themsel-es to rea$h
safety1 Durin& their stru&&le( the swimmers mi&ht see shar!s( $ro$odiles(
whales( and swordfish( but must not pay any heed to them1 They must
entertain neither male-olen$e( fear( nor $ontempt for these $ruel $reatures1
?hile they stru&&led to find safety( o&res and demons would fri&hten them(
and try to drown them1 Sea monsters would ma!e derisi-e remar!s at their
I+ A Manual of th Dhamma
patheti$ efforts( but they must not be an&ry( nor pay any attention to their odd
appearan$e1 -il thou&hts should not be entertained( for one would then
surely fall from the lo& and perish1
The abo-e ad-i$e was &i-en by the o$ean4deity with a stern warnin& that
his ad-i$e must be stri$tly obeyed1 %f they stri$tly obeyed his instru$tions( he
assured them( they would surely arri-e at a hu&e sandban!1 This sandban!(
thou&h helpful for some rest( was neither their destination nor a safe pla$e to
dwell for lon&( for wa-es $ould o-erwhelm it at any time1 -ery person must
swim with the lo& a&ain to ea$h su$$essi-e sandban!1 Then after ten days of
$onstant( relentless effort( another o$ean4deity would appear before them( and
put them on a res$ue ship laden with se-en !inds of treasure1 Mn this ship( the
sur-i-ors would duly arri-e at a bi& $ity4port where they would( at last( dwell
in safety and abundan$e1 This was the deityBs further ad-i$e1
/earin& for their li-es( all obeyed the instru$tions of the o$ean4deity1
?hile swimmin& with the lo&( they belie-ed impli$itly in his prophe$ies1 ?ith
unsha!able faith and resolute determination to rea$h safety( they e=erted
themsel-es and soon rea$hed the $ity1 Their minds were fi=ed on e=ertion
only1 They all followed the fi-e pre$epts reli&iously1 Due to their perilous
predi$ament( they were resolute and earnest to rea$h safety1 They were
e;uanimous and $onstant in their stru&&le( At last( they saw the o$ean4deity
and rea$hed the res$ue ship with se-en &reat treasures1 ?hen they arri-ed
safely at the port( they be$ame wealthy1
Their &oal was a$hie-ed only by obser-in& pre$epts and ma!in& strenuous
efforts1 Mbser-in& pre$epts in$ludes e;uanimity and deta$hment re&ardin&
othersB misdeeds( s$orn( insults( ridi$ule( and odd beha-iour1 Li!ewise( in full
!nowled&e of the noble( rare and uni;ue powers that pre-ail in this
dispensation( e-eryone should adopt the attitude of the sur-i-or of a
shipwre$!1 MthersB moral failures and mis$ondu$t must be i&nored so that
steadfast pro&ress $an be made e-ery day1 -eryone needs &ra$e and serenity in
daily life1 So pay no attention to othersB faults1 DonBt $riti$ise othersB
misbeha-iour for a moment1 Stron&( deta$hed determination must be
maintained at all $osts in oneBs stru&&le to win the $essation of sufferin&1
%n the abo-e simile( the first o$ean4deity is 0otama the Buddha1 The
se$ond o$ean4deity is Metteyya Buddha1 The lo& is the attainment of human
life1 The sandban!s are a series of hi&her planes of e=isten$e( in human and
$elestial realms1 The $ity port is nibbna( the ultimate &oal of safety1 The
#h 4imil of th 4hip,)ck IQ
shar!s( $ro$odiles( whales( and swordfish are ordinary people1 The o&res and
demons who ma!e derisi-e remar!s are li!e shameless and immoral mon!s in
the BuddhaBs dispensation1 Sur-i-ors who pay attention to their misdeeds(
defile their own minds1 -eryone must o-erloo! the odd beha-iour and defe$ts
of others if the &oal is to be attained1 The other points in the story are now
easy to understand1
!hoose the 2iht Path
Mne must !now two paths $learly with insi&ht and $hoose wisely1 A
person needs to e=amine his or her own $hara$ter -ery thorou&hly1 Mne must
a-oid blamin& othersB shameless( immoral( or bad $ondu$t until the end of
oneBs life1 A wise person must use this pre$ious human life to attain liberation(
morality( and restraint1 Then one will a$hie-e nibbna in su$$essi-e hi&her
abodes( either in this dispensation or in Metteyya BuddhaBs1 By any means(
final liberation must be won durin& the time of Metteyya Buddha( and the
mind must be set on this resolutely1 Mne must not allow oneBs mind to be
polluted by the misbeha-iour of others1
To attain the ultimate &oal under Metteyya Buddha( one must pra$tise
&enerosity( morality( and meditation1 Then one will surely en$ounter his
dispensation and then win liberation1 Ko one must miss this final $han$e1 Two
fundamental -irtues must be $ulti-ated now by stri-in& with the four ri&ht
efforts to oneBs utmost1 These two -irtues are wisdom and &ood $ondu$t1
?hat is wisdom@ %t means insi&ht into the $hara$teristi$s of
impermanen$e (aniccnupassan9&a), unsatisfa$toriness (dukkhnupassan9
&a), and not4self (anattnupassan9&a).
?hat is &ood $ondu$t@ As already mentioned( for the laity it means ei&ht
pre$epts with ri&ht li-elihood as the ei&hth( and the attainment of the
$hara$teristi$s of a &ood man1 /or mon!s it refers to the fourfold purifyin&
morality1 Amon& these two basi$ re;uirements( &ood $ondu$t $reates the
$onditions to rea$h happy destinies( whi$h means freedom from sufferin& in
hell( from e-il deeds and the $onse;uent sufferin& in lower realms1 Thus e-en
temporary morality ensures that one will en$ounter the ne=t Buddha1 So the
seeds of &ood moral $ondu$t must be sown anew1
%f one also sows the seeds of wisdom in this life( one will be sure to meet
the ne=t Buddha( and will also win liberation1 Howe-er( if only the seeds of
wisdom are sown without suffi$ient moral $ondu$t( one will fa$e many
I8 A Manual of th Dhamma
hardships1 -il !amma will produ$e sufferin& in the lower realms1 Mne will be
li!e a tra-eller who la$!s suffi$ient food for a lon&( arduous >ourney( and so
perishes without rea$hin& his destination1
Another type of person tries to obtain &ood moral $ondu$t to the &reatest
e=tent( but fails to &ain insi&ht1 Thou&h he or she has &ood $ondu$t( it is
a$$ompanied by superfi$ial wisdom( whi$h does not lead to liberation1 This
$ase is li!e rotten seeds( whi$h are useless e-en when sown in fertile &round1
0ood $ondu$t enables su$h a person to meet Metteyya Buddha( but he or she
$annot then &ain enli&htenment due to la$! of $ulti-ation of wisdom in past
li-es1 Due to the power of morality he or she obtains wealth( status( and safe
$ondu$t to the presen$e of the Buddha1 Howe-er( ha-in& only superfi$ial
wisdom( he or she fails to realise nibbna durin& MetteyyaBs dispensation( in
spite of meetin& the Buddha and de-otedly payin& respe$t to him1 Bein&
satisfied with the honour of bein& a lay supporter( donatin& an ordination hall
or buildin& a pa&oda( he or she fails to be$ome a Koble Mne1 %f su$h a person
>oins the Sa2&ha( he or she remains as an ordinary mon! or nun1
The $imile of the ,irds
% will &i-e another simile to illustrate the abo-e points1 0ood $ondu$t is
li!e a birdBs win&s and le&s( while wisdom is li!e a birdBs eyes and bea!1 The
distan$e to the deli$ious man&o &ro-e in the hu&e forest is li!e the time
between this dispensation and the ne=t1 ?ild man&o &ro-es represent the
fortunate realms of e=isten$e1 Underneath the man&o trees( $obras lie in wait
to $at$h any birds that fall from the trees1 -ery bird landin& on the &round
be$omes prey to these -enomous sna!es1 So the &round symbolises the lower
realms1 Those birds ha-in& &ood win&s( le&s( eyes( and bea!s land on the
man&o trees and eat the deli$ious fruits as they wish1 Hen$e they are happy
and well4fed1 %f a tree la$!s &ood man&os( they fly to another tree to feed
themsel-es( and li-e safely on them1 These happy( well4fed birds with $omplete
fa$ulties li-in& in safety( are li!e laity and mon!s who possess both wisdom and
$ondu$t1
Some birds ha-e &ood win&s( but defe$ti-e bea!s( so they $annot eat the
deli$ious man&os1 As they ha-e two &ood win&s li!e other birds( they arri-e at
the deli$ious man&o &ro-e1 Howe-er( as they la$! &ood bea!s they $annot
taste the deli$ious >ui$e of the man&os1 .et they $an still en>oy the pleasure of
ta!in& shelter on the trees and restin& on the bran$hes1 They en>oy the fine
#h 4imil of th >i)ds II
s$enery and serenity of these rare( beautiful man&o &ro-es( but due to their
defe$ti-e bea!s( they $annot taste the fruit of Dhamma and understand its
fla-our at all1
These birds are similar to those who( in this dispensation( are satisfied with
their -irtuous $ondu$t( but la$! wisdom1 They li-e without de-elopin&
wisdom1 So they will en$ounter the ne=t Buddha( but will not taste freedom as
they ha-e no insi&ht1
There is a third type of bird1 They ha-e &ood bea!s( but their win&s are
dama&ed1 They fail to rea$h the man&o &ro-e and taste the uni;ue man&o
fruit( so they li-e in -ain1 Similarly( in this dispensation( some mon!s and
laymen learn Sutta( Vinaya( and Abhidhamma( but they la$! &ood $ondu$t1
Kot !nowin& the taste of liberation( they resemble birds wal!in& on the &round
where rats and sna!es wait for them1
As de-oted laity and intelli&ent mon!s ha-e now en$ountered this
e=tremely rare dispensation( they should all be li!e the first type of birds1
?isdom and morality should both be $ulti-ated1 %f they ha-e well4rounded
abilities( after their death they will rea$h the hi&her realms( and will en$ounter
the ne=t dispensation1 ?hen they listen to the Dhamma they will be sure to
attain liberation1
The moral is that in this life( ha-in& en$ountered the dispensation(
wisdom and $ondu$t must be $ulti-ated with earnestness1 -eryone must
de-elop moral $ondu$t and &enuine wisdom with -i&orous ener&y and firm
$onfiden$e durin& the present BuddhaBs dispensation( as this -ery rare and
&reat opportunity only e=ists now1
These words of admonition are for the ;uestioners who ha-e as!ed
thirteen ;uestions $on$ernin& the mis$ondu$t of mon!s( and the problems
arisin& from relationships between the laity and the Sa2&ha1
Here nds the Dhamma Dpan