四分比丘戒本疏 1.15

1.15

Second, directly explaining the meaning of concord: examining the vinaya texts, there are three passages, which together with this Prātimokṣa make four passages in total. Among these four passages, two directly explain the meaning of concord, and two comprehensively delineate the preliminary procedures (upāya) of performing the rite by screening out the mixed and retaining the pure. First, based on the Campā Khandhaka, concord is explained as: "Dwelling in the same residence, uniting in one place (this refers to those who ought to come coming); at the time of the karmavācanā, those who ought to convey consent conveying consent (this temporarily mentions consent, but in principle actually includes declaring purity as well); and those who are present and eligible to object not objecting (even if pure monks assemble, if they refuse to assent to the legal act, the legal act is not established. Now since they are willing to assent, this is 'those eligible to object not objecting'. If someone is impure, even if they refuse to assent, because their substance is not [counted as] the saṃgha, although they object, it does not rupture the legal rite)." These three points are used to explain concord. Based on the Miscellaneous Khandhaka (Kṣudrakavastu), this is unfolded into five points to exhort people that they ought to be in concord. Thus that text states: "There are five dharmas by which one ought to be in concord: 1. If in accord with the Dharma one ought to be in concord (this refers to poṣadha, karmavācanā, etc., which ought to be harmonized; this means those who ought to come coming); 2. If one abides in silence (this means those who could object not objecting); 3. Conveying consent (this means those who ought to convey consent conveying consent); 4. If one hears it from a trustworthy person (this is a distinction within 'those who ought to come coming'; this person does not understand the Dharma himself, like one newly ordained who trusts his upādhyāya and comes to assemble); 5. Having previously been sitting in the assembly in silence (the former 'abiding in silence' refers to latecomers; this one reveals those who arrived earlier—although their senses differ, their essence is not distinct, because both essentially mean that those who could object do not object)." Since subsuming the five forms the three concords, among the senses of the three concords, the first—those who ought to come coming—corresponds in this text to "the saṃgha is assembled". Those who ought to convey consent conveying consent corresponds in this text to "the monks who have not come have declared their consent and purity". Those who could object not objecting corresponds in this text to the two words "in concord". However, the name "concord" has two meanings: first, in terms of its specific sense, it is that those who could object do not object; second, in terms of its general sense, it encompasses those who ought to come coming and conveying consent, etc., being collectively named concord. If one further adds screening the assembly and the questions and answers, these are the preliminaries for the karmavācanā and the recitation of the prātimokṣa. However, before the recitation of the prātimokṣa, questions and answers regarding the request for bhikṣuṇī instruction are also added; if it is solely a karmavācanā and not intended to recite the prātimokṣa, then this is not needed. As for what was mentioned earlier about the two passages screening out the mixed and retaining the pure as the preliminary procedures for performing the rite: this Prātimokṣa text is one, as briefly differentiated above. Furthermore, in the Kaṭhina Khandhaka, there is another passage, which constitutes the two passages clearly explaining the preliminary procedures of the rite. As that text states: "The saṃgha has assembled and is in concord; let those who have not received the full precepts go out; let those who have not come declare their consent. What is the saṃgha now to do? One should reply: 'Suspension of the kaṭhina robe.'" According to the transmission of past generations, prior to the karmavācanā, based on that text, this is unfolded into six procedures: 1. Asking: "Has the saṃgha assembled?" (Reply: "It has assembled.") 2. "Is it in concord?" (Reply: "It is in concord.") 3. "Let those who have not received the full precepts go out." (If there are any, they are made to leave; after they have left, reply: "They have left." If there are none, one should directly reply: "Here there is no one who has not received the full precepts.") 4. "Let the monks who have not come declare their consent and purity." (Having declared it, reply: "Consent has been declared." If there are none, one should reply: "Here there is no one declaring consent.") 5. Asking: "What is the saṃgha, now in concord, to do?" 6. Replying: "Suspension of the kaṭhina robe." If another legal act is to be performed, one replies accordingly for each matter. However, there are general and specific applications. Take, for example, the ordination rite: 1. Appointing the master of deportment; 2. Summoning [the candidate] into the assembly; 3. The karmavācanā master questioning [the candidate] about the obstacles in front of the assembly. These three levels are all performed with a single motion (jñapti). When the questioning about obstacles is completed, next a motion with three announcements (jñapti-caturtha-karman) is performed to formally bestow the ordination. These four rites all concern the ordination, so they can take a collective name, replying: "An ordination karmavācanā." If, during the intervals, persons stand up, sit down, or move back and forth irregularly, then for each matter one should ask and answer separately, performing it accordingly. For example, asking: "What is the saṃgha, now in concord, to do?" and replying: "Appointing the master of deportment." Stepping out of the assembly to examine and interrogate about the obstacles is a single motion karmavācanā. The others, such as summoning into the assembly, are each performed separately and should be understood in accordance with this. However, in current practice, fearing a lack of diligence, it is mostly performed by asking and answering separately for each. According to the Vinaya masters of Xiangzhou, the first two procedures are combined into: "Has the saṃgha assembled and is it in concord?" and the reply is: "The saṃgha has assembled and is in concord." Considering the principle, there may be cases where they have assembled but are not in concord; thus asking separately is preferable. Now, since we intend to perform the matter of reciting the prātimokṣa, within the preliminary procedures, seven procedures should be unfolded: 1. In concord; 2. The saṃgha has assembled; 3. Let those who have not received the full precepts go out. (The method of replying is the same as before. Now when reciting the prātimokṣa, the prātimokṣa reciter is instructed to combine these three procedures into one; in the reply, one merely answers that those who have not received the precepts have already left, etc. In principle, this is valid, because the previous circulation of tally-sticks and the announcement have already made the assembly's minds fully aware that the saṃgha has assembled in concord, unlike before a karmavācanā where tally-sticks are not circulated, thus requiring separate questioning.) 4. Monks who have not come declare consent and purity. Regarding this, it is briefly distinguished into three gates: first, in terms of the dharma; second, in terms of the person; third, in terms of the time. Concerning the dharma: as for what is called 'consent' (chanda), it means having a willing wish regarding the karmavācanā of the saṃgha, but because I have a circumstance preventing me from assembling, I have one person transmit my statement of consent to inform the saṃgha. After the saṃgha receives the consent, the legal act can be performed and the karmavācanā accomplished. Only for the boundary-marking rite must all assemble, and receiving consent is not permitted. As for what is called 'purity' (pariśuddhi), in general, for reciting the prātimokṣa, one must be pure, down to not having committed a duṣkṛta offence. If by chance one has committed one, before the recitation of the prātimokṣa it must be confessed before one can listen to the precepts. Now, having a circumstance preventing me from assembling, yet possessing purity qualified to participate in the prātimokṣa recitation, I have one person transmit my purity to inform the saṃgha. Once the saṃgha has received it, it may recite the prātimokṣa and accomplish the legal act, in accord with what is said in the vinaya. The group of six monks gave consent but did not give purity, and also gave consent declaring it for one specific matter but not for other matters. The Buddha therefore laid down a general rule: from this time forward, it is required generally to say, 'Giving consent and purity for the legitimate matters of the saṃgha and other matters.' If it is the time of pravāraṇā (invitation), then one says, 'Giving consent and invitation for legitimate saṃgha matters.' Unlike the Mahāsāṃghika, where during the recitation of the prātimokṣa consent and purity are both given, whereas when it is not the recitation of the prātimokṣa, only consent must be given. However, circumstances for giving consent include matters for the Buddha, Dharma, or Saṃgha, personal illness, attending to the sick, guarding rooms, and the like. If, having no real cause, one falsely gives consent under a pretext, one commits a false speech offence oneself, but the legal act of the saṃgha is valid. Second, distinguishing in terms of persons: 1. The receiver of consent; 2. The giver of consent; 3. The transmitter of consent. First, the receiver of consent: at the time of reciting the prātimokṣa, if within the boundary there are only four persons, all must assemble; three persons may not receive the consent of the fourth person—if received, it is invalid, which constitutes a schismatic assembly (vyagra-saṃgha). Only after four persons have assembled can they receive the consent of the fifth person. Furthermore, according to the Mahāsāṃghika, fascicle twenty-seven, it is not permitted that those giving consent be more numerous or equal in number [to those assembled]; those who ought to assemble must be many and those giving consent few; if not so, one incurs a vinaya offence. Second, the giver of consent: except for those committing grave offences where the three roots [of suspicion, seeing, hearing] are already evident, and those under the three types of suspension (utkṣepana), all remaining bhikṣus and bhikṣuṇīs, according to their respective communities, must provide consent and purity. Third, the conveyor of consent: he also must be a pure bhikṣu free from the fault of the three roots; once he has received consent, he must proceed directly to the hall; if there are no difficulties or perils, he must not detour into other rooms or leave the boundary. As the vinaya states: 'He must not travel by other paths or cross the boundary,' etc. There are twenty-seven persons disqualified from conveying consent, which cannot be detailed exhaustively. The consent conveyed may be taken on behalf of many persons; first remember their names. If after remembering them one forgets, one should describe their physical appearance. If their physical appearance is also forgotten, only then may one say: 'Many bhikṣus convey consent and purity for legitimate saṃgha matters.' Regarding the twenty-seven persons, a summary verse states: / 'Death, leaving the practice, expulsion; / entering non-Buddhist sects, schismatic groups; / at the sīmā dawn breaks; / perils, suspension, extinction, spirits, hearing.' / Third, in terms of the time: once dawn has broken, the procedure of consent is lost, as delineated in the vinaya. Next, explaining the text: once the assembly hears the prātimokṣa reciter say, 'Let the monks who have not come declare consent and purity,' the person holding consent should descend from his seat, proceed before the saṃgha, and speak. After he has spoken, the karmadāna answers: 'Consent has been declared.' If there is no one at all declaring consent, he simply replies directly: 'Here there is no one declaring consent.' Fifth, 'Who sent a bhikṣuṇī to come and request instruction?': this refers to the rule among the eight gurudharmas that every half-month the bhikṣuṇīs must request a bhikṣu possessing the ten virtues to visit the nunnery to instruct and preach the Dharma. On the day when the bhikṣus recite the prātimokṣa, the bhikṣuṇīs perform a ñattidutiya-kamma to appoint a bhikṣuṇī, and also verbally appoint two or three persons as companions; the persons appointed must be pure and free from obstacles, to go to the bhikṣus to request a master endowed with the ten virtues. Having been appointed, during daylight she goes to the bhikṣu monastery and entrusts a bhikṣu to transmit the bhikṣuṇīs' message. The formula of entrustment says: 'Venerable, focus your mind. The community of bhikṣuṇīs of such-and-such temple, being in concord, has appointed the bhikṣuṇī so-and-so, half-month after half-month, to bow the head at the feet of the venerable saṃgha, seeking to request a person to instruct the bhikṣuṇīs.' This is spoken three times and the commission is accepted. The bhikṣu replies: 'It is well.' Therefore now, at the time of reciting the prātimokṣa, the intent of the question is: 'Which nunnery has sent a nun to come and request a person to instruct the nuns?' The one who received the commission, upon hearing this, immediately stands up before the saṃgha, bows to the Buddha, and announces to the great assembly: 'Let the venerable saṃgha listen! The community of bhikṣuṇīs of such-and-such temple, being in concord...', the remaining words being the same as before. Having made the announcement, he walks among those with twenty summer retreats or more, bows, joins his palms, and on behalf of the nuns requests: 'May the Venerable, out of compassion, instruct the nuns.' If [a monk] knows himself to possess the ten virtues, he replies: 'It is well.' The saṃgha should then evaluate his actual virtues and perform a ñattidutiya-kamma to appoint and send him. According to the Mahāsāṃghika-vinaya, after being appointed, on the first three days and the last two days of the dark and bright fortnights he must not go to the nunnery, because the nun community has just finished reciting the prātimokṣa or is about to recite the prātimokṣa, and it is feared it would cause great disturbance; therefore, within the middle ten days, he is permitted to go to the nunnery to preach the Dharma and instruct. The nuns' method of inquiring after his well-being and going out to receive him is extensive, as in the vinaya. If the bhikṣus all decline on the grounds of lacking virtue and do not accept the nuns' request, the representative should go before the Elder (thera) and say: 'The venerable ones all decline, saying they lack virtue and are incapable.' The Elder should then give a brief instruction, saying: 'Since the venerable ones all decline, they should each protect their own practice. Tomorrow when the nuns come to inquire after our well-being, you should inform the nuns: "Here there is no one capable of instructing the bhikṣuṇīs, nor is there any good preacher of the Dharma. Nevertheless, the Elder gives this teaching: 'Let each in the community of nuns follow the holy teaching, practice the path in accordance with the Dharma, and be careful not to be negligent.'"' The representative replies: 'It is well.' Tomorrow when the nuns come, he instructs them to kneel and transmits the Elder's teaching. Having received the teaching, the nuns return to the nunnery, sound the bell to assemble the community, ask for consent and inquire about concord; the messenger nun strikes the sounding block and announces to the assembly of nuns: 'The Elder of the bhikṣus has given instruction; the community of nuns must all stand up from their seats, join their palms, and listen to the instruction.' Having proclaimed the instruction, they all say simultaneously: 'We receive it respectfully on our heads.' Bowing three times to the Buddha, they each withdraw to their rooms. Now, temporarily based on the time when the bhikṣus recite the prātimokṣa, having received the Elder's instruction, the karmadāna answers: 'Instruction has been given.' Sixth, asking: 'What is the saṃgha, now in concord, to do?' Seventh, replying: 'The recitation of the prātimokṣa karmavācanā.' The above seven procedures conclude the preliminary procedures before the recitation of the prātimokṣa. This fully concludes the first major section, laying down concord.