四分戒本疏卷第一．第二．第三 3.18

3.18

"If a bhikṣu speaks of superhuman dharmas to an unordained person, saying, 'I see this, I know this,' when it is true, it is a prāyaścittika."
This text of the precept has four clauses: 1. the person; 2. the object addressed; 3. speaking of one's own attainments; 4. the offense according with conditions. "If a bhikṣu" is explained as above. "An unordained person" refers to anyone other than a bhikṣu or a bhikṣuṇī. "Superhuman dharmas" refers to the dharmas realized by the noble ones. "Prāyaścittika" is the offense of transgression. Thus the Sarvāstivāda Vinaya says: "If a bhikṣu is truly an occupant of the four fruits or the four directions, or has attained the four dhyānas or the four formless [attainments], or has accomplished benevolence, compassion, joy, equanimity, the foulness [meditation], ānāpāna, and so forth, and speaks of it, he in all cases incurs a prāyaścittika offense. Or if he truly sees devas, nāgas, and ghosts coming to his dwelling and speaks of it, it is also a prāyaścittika."
Question: Why is speaking of what has actually been attained separated into [a pārājika for lying and a] prāyaścittika [for truth], whereas displaying supernatural powers only incurs a duṣkṛta?
Answer: Oral speech applies to both ordinary and noble beings, and the matter distinguishes between the false and the true: when false, the fault is grave; when true, the transgression is slight, so they are distinguished into pārājika and prāyaścittika. Supernatural powers are the abilities of noble ones and brook no ambiguity, so one incurs only a duṣkṛta.
Question: The object of a pārājika encompasses offenses against the seven assemblies; the true [attainment] excludes the two ordained [assemblies]; while displaying supernatural powers is an offense only toward the two lay [assemblies]. Why are they not the same?
Answer: All are based on the degree of increase or decrease in fault; hence this graded differentiation. Moreover, this precept has no separate origin story, but was drawn out from within [the precept against] grave false speech.