四分律刪繁補闕行事鈔 1.447

1.447

Second, explaining the method of reprimand. Whenever one wishes to reprimand another, one must first gauge one's own internal joy and anger. If there is resentment, one must simply restrain and bear it; when fire bursts forth from within, it first burns one's own body. If one harbors compassion and relief, one also gauges the gravity of the fault, and moreover proceeds or withdraws according to the words of reprimand: first point out his fault so that he knows what is unprincipled; reprimand in accordance with the fault so that his mind submits and complies. If the fault is slight but the reprimand is heavy, or the offense is grave but the chastisement is light; or if one follows anger and gives free rein to ugly words—this is deciding according to one's own mind, not conforming to the sage's intent; originally not mutually beneficial, the master's instruction is not accomplished. One should halt vulgar, base sentiments and rely on the path of renunciation to clarify faults; harbor compassionate nurturing within and display majesty externally; use biting words and earnest restraints to bring about his reformation. One reprimands him in accordance with the five Vinaya methods in sequence of his offense. The Dharmaguptaka Vinaya states: 'If a disciple does not serve the upādhyāya, the Buddha ordered five matters of reprimand: 1. "I now reprimand you, depart!" (Because the fault is extremely grave, he is sent far away.) 2. "Do not enter my room!" (He is permitted to dwell in the monastery, providing supplies externally.) 3. "Do not run errands for me!" (He is permitted to pay visits and enter the room.) 4. "Do not come to my place!" (He attends to external affairs, but is not permitted to approach the master's side. If a niśraya master reprimands, it is altered to say: "Do not rely on me!") 5. "I will not speak with you!" (The fault is the slightest; he may attend upon him as before.)' Ever since the Buddha's teachings of the three periods, in all punishments there has only been subjugation and reprimand; there has fundamentally never been a method of beating people with a staff. Recently I have seen venerable elders and leaders of the saṃgha who have no share of the path within to be relied upon; not considering their own lack of virtue to gather others, they exclusively carry out tortures and beatings. Either before the great assembly or again inside their rooms, they bind [them], suspend their heads, and administer unmeasured beatings. They then cite the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra's parable of the three sons. This is because they have not comprehended the sage's teachings. That sūtra is based on abiding in the compassion of the stage of an only child, where the mind has no gradation, and thus one may carry out such punishment. The Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra itself says: 'Do not kill, do not use the staff,' and so forth. Not knowing how to interpret what these words refer to, they recklessly and falsely cite the text. Even if one cites a strict master, this is merely citing a metaphor, not the primary text. As the Mahāyānasaṃgraha states: 'When a bodhisattva attains the pure mind-ground and attains non-conceptual wisdom, he skillfully executes the ten matters such as taking life in full without the fault of defilement,' and so forth. Those nowadays who discipline disciples with staffs all give rise to the poison of anger, their wrath surging up; valuing themselves and scorning others, they inflict suffering on them. If one conforms to the Mahāparinirvāṇa Sūtra's taking oneself as the metaphor, one cannot even bear the prick of a needle. Furthermore, there are foolish masters who cite the Jingdu jing's three hundred meritorious punishments. This is an apocryphal sūtra forged by humans, condemned jointly by the wise. Even according to that sūtra, only one who does not give rise to the three poisons may rely on it for meritorious punishment; nowadays people follow their own defilements, so how could they recklessly rely on it? In the Vinaya, reprimanding with an angry mind is itself an offense; one may not even aim a staff at an animal, let alone beat a human being! In the Bodhisattvabhūmi: the highest offense is punished by expulsion, the medium offense by subjugation, and the lowest offense by reprimand. There is also no disciplining with a staff. The Mahāsaṃnipāta Sūtra states: 'If one strikes or reviles a shaven-headed person wearing the kāṣāya who has broken the precepts or is without precepts, the sin is equal to shedding the blood of ten thousand koṭis of Buddhas.' If one commits the four pārājikas, one is not permitted to remain in the monastery or participate in saṃgha affairs; but if one punishes him, one regresses on the path and will surely enter Avīci. Why is that? This person will surely swiftly enter nirvāṇa, so one should not strike or revile him. Clarifying according to this, one will know one's own stage and position; the retribution in future lives will be dark and obscure, and deceitfully mistreating oneself is deeply lamentable. It is broadly explained in that sūtra. The Mahāsāṃghika-vinaya states: 'If the master reprimands and the disciple does not accept it, one should tell the administrator to cut off his food. If he is ferocious, the master should depart far away himself. If he is a niśraya disciple, the master should leave the boundary, spend one night, and return. If the disciple has a fault, the upādhyāya confesses and apologizes on the disciple's behalf to everyone, saying: "Even ordinary mortals in their ignorance—how could they be without fault? This junior novice indeed committed this offense; I shall instruct and order him not to do it." In this way he gladdens the assembly's mind.'