四分戒本疏卷第一．第二．第三 2.12

2.12

"If a monk goes back and forth acting as a match-maker between this party and that, conveying a man's intentions to a woman, or conveying a woman's intentions to a man, whether to bring about marriage or for an illicit liaison, even for a momentary instant—it is a saṃghāvaśeṣa." This complete Prātimokṣa text has five clauses: first the listing, afterward the explanation. In the listing: (1) the offender; (2) going back and forth; (3) the object match-made, this party and that; (4) actually carrying out the act of match-making; (5) determination of the offense. In the explanation: the first clause is self-evident. "Going back and forth" means that union may be accomplished. "This party and that" refers to the objects of match-making, man and woman serving mutually as this and that. First, we enumerate the count and list the names: There are twenty kinds of women: protected by mother, protected by father, protected by both father and mother, protected by elder brother, protected by elder sister, protected by both elder brother and sister, self-protected, protected by the Dharma, protected by clan, protected by kinsmen; a maidservant who is willing, a maidservant bought with clothes, a maidservant bought with wealth, a maidservant who works together, a maidservant rescued from floating in water, a maidservant exempt from tax, a maidservant released, a hired maidservant, a maidservant protected by another, and a maidservant obtained from a border region. Next, explaining their names and meanings: "Protected by mother" means safeguarded by the mother; "protected by father" means safeguarded by the father; "protected by both father and mother," "protected by elder brother," "protected by elder sister," and "protected by both elder brother and sister" are also like this. "Self-protected" means having bodily independence. "Protected by the Dharma" means cultivating the brahma-conduct. "Protected by clan" means not being given to a low caste. "Protected by kinsmen" means safeguarded by relatives. "A maidservant who is willing" means one who delights in being a maidservant to another. "Bought with clothes" means the price was clothes. "Bought with wealth" means the price was down to a single coin. "Working together" means jointly performing service. "Rescued from floating in water" means saved from the water. "Exempt from tax" means one from whom no taxes are collected. "A maidservant released" means either purchased or born in the household. "A hired maidservant" means employed for wages. "Protected by another" means bound by receiving another's garland. "Obtained from a border region" means acquired by plundering. Concluding afterward: these are the twenty. Men are also like this. The fourth clause, "actually carrying out the act of match-making," has two parts: first, the match-making act, which is "bringing about marriage, etc.," this being the conveyed intention; second, "even for a momentary instant," which means even a temporary union also incurs a saṃghāvaśeṣa. Twenty moments of thought make an instant (kṣaṇa); twenty instants make a finger-snap; twenty finger-snaps make an ālikṣaṇa; twenty ālikṣaṇas make a muhūrta. When the day is at its longest, it is eighteen muhūrtas, and the night twelve muhūrtas; when the night is at its longest, it is eighteen muhūrtas, and the day is short, being twelve muhūrtas. "Saṃghāvaśeṣa" is the clause fixing the offense. In severity, there are three: First, when the function of acting as a go-between fulfills all three [steps], one incurs a saṃghāvaśeṣa. Second, if one receives words and goes to the other party but does not report back, fulfilling two and lacking one, one incurs a sthūlāccaya. Third, if one receives words and does not go to the other party, fulfilling one and lacking two, one incurs a duṣkṛta. Therefore the Vinaya states: "At the initial word, a duṣkṛta; going and speaking without reporting back, a sthūlāccaya; if one reports back, a saṃghāvaśeṣa." Whether by oneself, by sending a letter, by finger-sign, or by manifesting a sign, according to the extent of the match-making spoken clearly, corresponding to each round of going and returning, there is each time a saṃghāvaśeṣa. If not clearly understood, it is a sthūlāccaya. In the Mahīśāsaka Vinaya, receiving a man's words is a duṣkṛta; speaking to the other who does not consent, and reporting back, is a sthūlāccaya; consenting and reporting back is a saṃghāvaśeṣa. It differs from the Dharmaguptaka, which incurs a saṃghāvaśeṣa only when all three steps are fulfilled: 1. receiving the words; 2. going there and stating them; 3. reporting back. Match-making for other bodily parts apart from the two paths is a sthūlāccaya. If monks, by a two-motion karmavācanā, depute someone to arrange a marriage, all incur a saṃghāvaśeṣa. In modern times, if the duty-monk informs the Saṃgha to arrange a marriage for a kappiyakāra, supplying wedding equipment, and asks the Saṃgha to agree in harmony, all incur a saṃghāvaśeṣa. If Saṃgha property is used, it incurs a grave offense according to the Sarvāstivāda Vinaya. The Mātṛkā says: Arranging a marriage for an unborn fetus or match-making for oneself is a sthūlāccaya. For those incapable of sex, or women whose two paths are joined as one path, barren women, etc., all are sthūlāccayas. Match-making for a human male and an animal, etc., are all duṣkṛtas. In the Mahāsāṃghika Vinaya, bringing about union for the sake of another seeking a good breed of horse is a sthūlāccaya; other animals are duṣkṛtas. Under non-offenses, the Vinaya states: If a man and woman had already had relations before, were subsequently separated, and are brought back together, it is permissible without offense. It also states: One must not serve as a messenger for a layperson. One must not carry another's letter without reading it. If it is to repay kindness, to produce good, to eliminate evil, or for affairs of the Buddha, Dharma, or Saṃgha, in all cases reading the letter and carrying it incurs no offense.