四分戒本疏卷第一．第二．第三 3.15

3.15

向未受具人說他麁罪戒第七　制意者。出家僧眾理宜清顯。善名外障生人信教。以此比丘麁惡之事。向俗人說前人聞之。於彼僧寶情生薄淡。失其敬信崇重之意。損壞處深。故須聖制　別緣有七。一是比丘及尼。二犯初二篇罪。三知犯麁罪。四無僧法開。五向未受具人說。六言辭了了。七前人聞知。已下正明戒本。此戒因六群比丘向白衣說犯僧殘。比丘過彼犯者聞聲乃慚。餘比丘白佛。佛便制戒。

Precept 7: Speaking of another's grave offenses to an unordained person. Regarding the intention behind the formulation: The monastic Saṃgha ought in principle to be pure and prominent, so that its good reputation serves as an external barrier to generate faith in the teaching among people. If one speaks of these coarse and evil matters of a bhikṣu to laypersons, when the other person hears of it, their sentiments toward the Saṃgha jewel will become slight and indifferent, losing their sense of respect, faith, and veneration, causing profound damage. Therefore, it required holy formulation. The specific conditions comprise seven: 1. A bhikṣu or bhikṣuṇī. 2. Having committed offenses of the first two sections. 3. Knowing that a grave offense was committed. 4. Without permission through a legal act of the Saṃgha. 5. Speaking to an unordained person. 6. The words are distinct. 7. The other person hears and understands. Below, the Prātimokṣa text is properly explained. This precept arose because the group of six monks spoke to laypersons of a bhikṣu's fault of committing a saṃghāvaśeṣa; when the offender heard the report, he was ashamed; the other bhikṣus reported it to the Buddha, and the Buddha then formulated the precept.