四分戒本疏卷第一．第二．第三 2.14

2.14

"If a monk, begging [materials] himself, would build a hut that is ownerless and for himself, he must build it according to measure. Herein the measure is: twelve of the Buddha's spans in length, and inside, seven spans in breadth. He must bring other monks to designate the site; those monks should designate a site that is free of peril and free of hindrance. If the monk, at a site of peril or a site of hindrance, begging [materials] himself, would build a hut that is ownerless and for himself, not bringing other monks to designate the site, or building exceeding the measure, it is a saṃghāvaśeṣa." This complete Prātimokṣa text has three clauses. First it enumerates, and then it explains. Regarding the enumeration: first, the offender; second, begging [materials] himself, below which it properly teaches the monk the standard for the dimensions of the hut and the procedure for designating the site; third, from "if a monk" downward, the conclusion of the offense if built in violation of the instructions. Regarding the explanation: the meaning of the first clause is as above. Explaining the text of the second clause, there are seven points. 1. Begging [materials] himself: if it troubles a donor, one incurs the offense of exceeding the measure; if it is one's own property, then there is no exceeding the measure. 2. Building a hut: except when making other things, there is no exceeding the measure or failure to have it assigned; the Mahīśāsaka Vinaya states that a "hut" is one in which one can walk, stand, sit, and lie down, performing the four postures. 3. Ownerless: because if it has an owner, there is no exceeding the measure. 4. For himself: this distinguishes it from building it for another; if one has no share in it oneself, the concluding offense is not a saṃghāvaśeṣa. 5. Explaining the cubit measurement of the hut: regarding the "Buddha's span," various texts are not uniform; one span in the Mahāsāṃghika Vinaya is two chǐ and four cùn; in the Mahīśāsaka Vinaya it is two chǐ; relying provisionally on the Mahīśāsaka Vinaya, "twelve spans in length" means twenty-four chǐ, and "seven spans in breadth" means fourteen chǐ; this refers to the inside of the room; the Mahāsāṃghika Vinaya also states that length and breadth are measured within the room. 6. From "he must bring" downward: this counts the hut-owning monk's method of requesting the site, the text being as extensively explained in the Vinaya. Question: At what size of a hut being built does one request assignment? The Samantapāsādikā states: "Six spans in length and four spans in breadth; building such a hut does not require assignment." The Vinaya text also confirms this: "A small hut that barely accommodates the body does not constitute an offense." This is not an allowance without exceeding the measure, since originally the latter hut does not exceed the measure; why does the allowance exclude a small hut that barely accommodates the body? If it exceeds six spans by four, regardless of whether it exceeds the [maximum] measure or does not exceed the measure, it truly requires assignment. 7. From "those monks" downward: this instructs the Saṃgha to make the assignment; the procedure for assignment is as extensively explained in the Vinaya. In the third clause, which concludes the offenses, there are four kinds: two saṃghāvaśeṣas and two duṣkṛtas; the permutations of presence and absence can be understood. Below this, various points from the texts mentioned above are explained miscellaneous: The Dharmaguptaka Vinaya states: "When building this hut, after first knowing that it is free of hindrance and peril, he then comes into the Saṃgha, removes his leather shoes, bares his right shoulder, bows to the feet of the senior monk, places his right knee on the ground, and requests the assignment procedure." At that time, the Saṃgha observes this monk: if he is trustworthy, they permit him to build it; if he is not trustworthy, the Saṃgha goes to inspect it; if the Saṃgha does not go, they should dispatch trustworthy monks from the Saṃgha to inspect it; if there is hindrance or peril, they should not assign it. "Peril" refers to tigers, wolves, lions, and other ferocious beasts, down to ants. "Hindrance" means even to the extent of not having space for a grass-cart to turn around. The Samantapāsādikā states: "It is another's field or garden, a place of enemies or bandits, a charnel ground, or a place protected by royal decree; on all four sides it does not permit passage for twelve […]; between the shuttles there is a roll; one cubit." The Sarvāstivāda Vinaya states that it is one fathom on each of the four sides of the dwelling; within the land there is government land, lay land, non-Buddhist land, or bhikṣuṇī land; or large rocks, running water, large trees, deep pits, and the like are sites of hindrance. The Vinītadeva Commentary states: "Or in the shadow of empty mountain crags, where one can walk, stand, sit, and lie down, it is subsumed under building huts." The explanation says: If one wishes to dwell in such places as above, one must partition them off; if not built according to measure, it expends much labor; and if there is peril or hindrance, it harms both oneself and others. Therefore the Vinaya states: "If one arbitrarily builds a hut on perilous or hindering ground, one incurs two duṣkṛta offenses; if it exceeds the measure without requesting [assignment], one incurs two saṃghāvaśeṣa offenses." If either transgression occurs, an offense is incurred; they cannot both be saṃghāvaśeṣa. Building a hut for another incurs thullaccayas for both. In the non-offense clause of the Vinaya: building below the measure on ground without hindrance or peril; for a stupa or a lecture hall; for a dwelling housing many monks of the Saṃgha; or for a grass hut, a small shelter that accommodates the body.