Monks’ Expiation (Pācittiya) 77 (PLI-TV-BU-VB-PC77)

… at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove in Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time the group of six monks intentionally aroused remorse in the group of seventeen monks, saying:

“Your reverences, a rule of training laid down by the lord says that a person under twenty years of age is not to be ordained; and you, (though) under twenty years of age, are ordained. Then perhaps you are not really ordained.” These cried out. Monks spoke thus: “Why do you, your reverences, cry out?”

“Your reverences, this group of six monks intentionally aroused remorse in us.”

Those who were modest monks … spread it about, saying: “How can this group of six monks intentionally arouse remorse in monks?” …

“Is it true, as is said, that you, monks, intentionally aroused remorse in monks?”

“It is true, lord.”

The enlightened one, the lord, rebuked them, saying: “How can you, foolish men, intentionally arouse remorse in monks? It is not, foolish men, for pleasing those who are not (yet) pleased … And thus, monks, this rule of training should be set forth:

“Whatever monk should intentionally arouse remorse in a monk thinking, “There will be no comfort for him even for a moment,” if having done it for just this object, not for another, there is an offence of expiation.”

Whatever means: … monk is to be understood in this case.

In a monk means: in another monk.

Intentionally means: a transgression committed knowingly, consciously, deliberately.

Should arouse remorse means: if he arouses remorse saying: ‘Surely you, (though) under twenty years of age, are ordained, surely you eat at the wrong time, surely you drink strong drink, surely you sit in a private place together with a woman,’ there is an offence of expiation.

Having done it for just this object, not for another means: there comes to be no other object whatever (for which) to arouse remorse.

If he thinks that one is ordained when he is ordained, (and) intentionally arouses remorse, there is an offence of expiation. If he is in doubt as to whether one is ordained… If he thinks that one is not ordained when he is ordained … offence of expiation. If he intentionally arouses remorse in one who is not ordained, there is an offence of wrong-doing. If he thinks that one is ordained when he is not ordained, there is an offence of wrong-doing. If he is in doubt as to whether one is not ordained, there is an offence of wrong-doing. If he thinks that one is not ordained when he is not ordained, there is an offence of wrong-doing.

There is no offence if, not desiring to arouse remorse, he speaks, saying: ‘Surely you, (though) under twenty years of age, are ordained … surely you sit in a private place together with a woman; come now, find out (about it), do not let there come to be remorse for you afterwards;’ if he is mad, if he is the first wrong-doer.

The Seventh

The Book of the Discipline was translated by I.B. Horner.

Digital edition prepared for SuttaCentral by Bhikkhu Sujato

A complete digital edition can be downloaded here.

Published in 2014 by SuttaCentral.

Originally published by the Pali Text Society in the following years:

Vol. 1: 1938

Vol. 2: 1940

Vol. 3: 1942

Vol. 4: 1951

Vol. 5: 1950

Vol. 6: 1966

In May 2013, these volumes were kindly released by the Pali Text Society under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 licence (CC BY-NC 3.0). The current digital edition, including all revisions, corrections, additions, and modifications, is released under the same terms, which are as follows.

You are free to:

Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format.

Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material.

The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the license terms.

Under the following terms:

Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.

NonCommercial — You may not use the material for commercial purposes.

No additional restrictions — You may not apply legal terms or technological measures that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.