四分律刪繁補闕行事鈔 2.525

2.525

Second, requesting the master of confession: He must be one who, from his original time as a layperson onwards, has not broken the five precepts or the eight precepts; who, having entered the Buddha's Dharma, has not violated the grave [precepts] among the ten precepts or the full precepts; and who, with regard to offenses of the lower four categories, has already confessed them in accordance with the Vinaya procedures. Only then may he accept another's request. As for why one must discriminate, the Buddha said: 'One who has transgressions must not accept another's confession, nor may one expiate offenses before someone who has transgressions.' Nor is it like the past, [where it was allowed] down to not sharing the same offense. This [latter view] erroneously cites the literal text of the Pañcavargika-vinaya. In that text, an exception is made for mortal danger and grave emergencies, where it is permitted regardless of whether they share the same offense or not. In the present case of an ordinary, non-urgent situation, it is certainly un-Vinayaic. In the Vinaya, it is enjoined to seek a pure bhikṣu; if there is none, one must not perform the upoṣadha recitation or confession. As for properly setting forth the rite of request: although it is not explicitly found in the Vinaya, it must be established through reasoned inference. One should go before the pure one, kneel on both knees, join the palms, and say: 'May the Venerable keep me single-mindedly in mind! I, the bhikṣu named so-and-so, request the Venerable to be my master of confession for pāyattika [offenses]. May the Venerable act as my master of confession for pāyattika [offenses] for me, out of compassion!' Having requested three times, he has not yet obtained an answer whether it is permitted or not.