四分戒本疏卷第一．第二．第三 3.12

3.12

"If a bhikṣu lodges together with a person who has not received the upasampadā precepts beyond two nights, up to three nights, it is a prāyaścittika." This complete Prātimokṣa text contains four phrases: first, the person who commits the offense; second, the unordained person; third, lodging together beyond the limit; fourth, declaring the offense. The first phrase is obvious. Regarding the second phrase, "unordained person": except for bhikṣus and bhikṣuṇīs, other persons who have not received the great precepts are this. Regarding the third phrase, "lodging together": the Vinaya states that lodging in the same room has four kinds, as explained previously. Among them there are four permutations: 1. the two persons are the same, but the room is different; 2. the room is the same, but one person is different; 3. both the persons and the room are the same; 4. both the persons and the room are different. All of these are included under lodging together. Regarding "beyond two nights, up to three nights": this is the limit of the permission. The Vinaya states that when lodging together up to the third night, before the break of dawn appears, one should get up and leave to avoid it. If it reaches the fourth night, whether one leaves oneself or sends the other away, if one does not avoid the break of dawn and with the conception that dawn has broken it reaches the dawn of the fourth day, one immediately commits one prāyaścittika. If one avoids the break of dawn, at dawn there is no offense yet; but on the fourth night, with each turn from side to side while lodging, each is a prāyaścittika offense. Now, in the Prātimokṣa text, it is formulated directly against the single side of transgressing the Dharma by not avoiding the break of dawn; hence it says: "exceeding two nights up to three nights is a prāyaścittika." If one avoids the break of dawn, after exceeding three nights one has not committed an offense until the fourth night. The Mahāsāṃghika Vinaya states: "If after three nights one has committed the offense and has not yet repented, there is no permission for two nights; the offense is declared according to the person with whom one lodges. If one has finished repenting, one receives permission for two nights." The Sarvāstivāda Vinaya states: "If one sits throughout the night, or if there is illness, one is permitted to exceed the nights of lodging with a śrāmaṇera; permission is granted for a sick person to lie down, but the remaining, non-sick bhikṣus should not lie down." Regarding the fourth phrase, "prāyaścittika": this is the name of the offense. The Vinayamātṛkā states: "If it reaches the third night and the bhikṣu has nowhere to go, he should not lie down, but sit until the break of dawn appears. If it reaches the fourth night and again he has nowhere to go, when the break of dawn is about to appear, he should either leave himself or send the other away. If not, in all cases he commits a prāyaścittika offense. If he exceeds three nights lodging with a male non-human or animal, all are duṣkṛtas." The remaining conditions for non-offense are all identical to the previous precept.