7. As To Graduation (PLI-TV-PVR7)

Its Summary

Offence, classes of offence,
trained in, and with no delay,
Individuals, and also cutting down,
and he falls, due to, /
And it does not become, it becomes,
allowable, mistrusted, oil,
Tallow, loss, prosperity,
nullification, and as to a person, /
Charnel-ground, and gnawn by cattle,
theft, and he is called a thief,
Not to be disposed of, not to be divided up,
from body from body and speech, /
Confession, an Order, recital,
bordering, and about kaṭhina
(Formal) acts, up to the third time,
defeat, grave, wrong-doing, /
Unallowable, and allowable,
unmeritorious, hard to drive away,
Brooms, and a further (five),
speech, and also about an offence, /
Legal question, subject,
motion, offence, and the two,
These are slight (and) they are strong:
distinguish between the dark and the bright; /
Forest, and almsfood-eater,
refuse-rag, tree, charnel-ground-dwellers,
In the open air, and robe,
house-to-house, a sitter, /
Bed, refusers of food later,
and too the bowl-food-eater,
Observance, Invitation,
and also an offence and what is not an offence,
And similarly these dark and bright items are for nuns too, /
Unpleasing (person), pleasing,
likewise a further two,
Dependent on families, too much,
propagation, and allowable to recluses, /
Purification, and a further too,
Discipline, and not legally valid,
Likewise legally valid is spoken of:
concluded are the fair Pentads.

6. Sextets

Six forms of irreverence.

Six forms of reverence.

Six matters that are trained in.

Six “proper courses”.

Six originations of offences.

Six offences involving cutting down.

In six ways does one fall into an offence.

Six advantages for an expert in Discipline.

Six “at most”.

One may be away, separated from that robe for six nights.

Six (kinds of) robe-material.

Six (kinds of) dyes.

Six offences originate from body and thought, not from speech.

Six offences originate from speech and thought, not from body.

Six offences originate from body and speech and thought.

Six (formal) acts.

Six roots of disputes.

Six roots of censure.

In length six spans of the accepted span.

In breadth six spans.

Six nullifications of guidance from a teacher.

Six supplementary layings down about bathing.

Taking a robe that is imperfectly executed he goes away.

Taking with him a robe that is imperfectly executed he goes away.

A monk who is possessed of six qualities may ordain, he may give guidance, a novice may attend him: if he is possessed of an adept’s body of moral habit … body of concentration … body of wisdom … body of freedom … body of the vision and knowledge of freedom, if he is of ten years’ standing or more than ten years’ standing.

And a monk who is possessed of six further qualities may ordain … a novice may attend him: if he is possessed of an adept’s body of moral habit and encourages another as to an adept’s body of moral habit … if he is himself possessed of an adept’s body of the vision and knowledge of freedom and encourages another as to an adept’s body of the vision and knowledge of freedom, if he is of ten years’ standing or more than ten years’ standing.

And a monk who is possessed of six further qualities may ordain … novice may attend him: if he comes to have faith, if he comes to feel shame, if he comes to be cautious, if he comes to be of stirred up energy, if he comes to be of ready mindfulness if he is of ten years’ standing or of more than ten years’ standing.

And a monk who is possessed of six further qualities may ordain … a novice may attend him: if, in regard to moral habit, he has not fallen away from moral habit; if, in regard to good habits, he has not fallen away from good habits; if, in regard to (right) view, he has not fallen away from right view; if he has heard much; if he is intelligent; if he is … of more than ten years’ standing.

And a monk who is possessed of six further qualities may ordain … a novice may attend him; if he is competent to tend or get another to tend a pupil or one who shares a cell who is ill, to allay or get another to allay dissatisfaction that has arisen, to dispel or get another to dispel, by means of Dhamma, remorse that has arisen, if he knows what is an offence, if he knows the removal of an offence, if he is … of more than ten years’ standing.

And a monk who is possessed of six further qualities may ordain … a novice may attend him: if he is competent to make a pupil or one who shares a cell train in the training regarding the fundamentals of conduct, to lead him in the training regarding the fundamentals of the Brahma-faring, to lead him in what pertains to Dhamma, to lead him in what pertains to Discipline, to discuss or get another to discuss, by means of Dhamma, a false view that has arisen, if he is of … more than ten years standing.

And a monk who is possessed of six further qualities may ordain … a novice may attend him: if he knows what is an offence, if he knows what is not an offence, if he knows what is a slight offence, if he knows what is a serious offence, if the two Pātimokkhas in full have been properly handed down to him, properly sectioned, properly regulated, properly investigated clause by clause and in respect of the linguistic form, if he is … of more than ten years’ standing.

Six suspensions of the Pātimokkha are not legally valid.

Six suspensions of the Pātimokkha are legally valid.

Concluded are the Sextets

Its Summary

Irreverences, and reverences,
trained in, and “proper courses” too,
Originations, and also cuttings down,
ways, and about advantage, /
And “at mosts”, six nights,
robe-material, and dyes,
Six too from body and mind,
as well as six from speech and mind, /
And from body, speech and mind,
(formal) acts, and also dispute,
Censure, and in length,
breadth, and about guidance, /
Supplementary layings down,
taking, and similarly taking with one,
Adepts, one who encourages,
faith, and in regard to moral habit,
Ill, fundamentals of conduct,
offence, not legally valid, legally valid.

7. Septets

Seven offences.

Seven classes of offence.

Seven matters that are trained in.

Seven “proper courses”.

Seven carryings out on the acknowledgement of are not legally valid.

Seven carryings out on the acknowledgement of are legally valid.

There is no offence in going to seven (classes of people) if the business can be done in seven days.

Seven advantages for the expert in Discipline.

Seven “at mosts”.

It is to be forfeited at sunrise on the seventh day.

Seven decidings.

Seven (formal) acts.

Seven raw grains.

In breadth seven inside.

Seven supplementary layings down for a group-meal.

After one has accepted medicines they may be used as a store for at most seven days.

Taking a robe that has been made up he goes away.

Taking with him a robe that has been made up he goes away.

There is not an offence of a monk’s that should be seen.

There is an offence of a monk’s that should be seen.

There is an offence of a monk’s for which amends should be made.

Seven suspensions of the Pātimokkha are not legally valid.

Seven suspensions of the Pātimokkha are legally valid.

A monk who is possessed of seven qualities is an expert on Discipline: if he knows what is an offence, if he knows what is not an offence; if he knows what is a slight offence, if he knows what is a serious offence; if, possessed of moral habit, he lives controlled by the control of the Pātimokkha; if, possessed of right conduct and resort, seeing danger in the slightest faults, he, undertaking them, trains himself in the rules of training; if he is one who acquires at will, without trouble, without difficulty, the four meditations that are of the purest mentality—abidings in ease here and now; and if, by the destruction of the cankers, he, having realized here and now by his own super-knowledge the freedom of mind and the freedom through wisdom that are cankerless, enters and abides therein.

And if a monk is possessed of seven further qualities he is an expert on Discipline: if he knows what is an offence … if he knows what is a serious offence; if he is one who has heard much, remembers what he has heard, stores up what he has heard—those things, lovely in the beginning, lovely in the middle, lovely at the ending which, with the meaning and the spirit declare the Brahma-faring wholly fulfilled, perfectly purified, such things are much heard by him, borne in mind, familiarized by speech, pondered over in the mind, and are well penetrated by right view; if he is one who acquires at will … enters and abides therein.

And if a monk is possessed of seven further qualities he is an expert on Discipline: … if he knows what is a serious offence; if the two Pātimokkhas have been properly handed down to him in detail, properly sectioned, properly regulated, properly investigated clause by clause and in respect of the linguistic form; if he is one who acquires at will … enters and abides therein.

And if a monk is possessed of seven further qualities he is an expert on Discipline: if he knows … what is a serious offence; if he recollects a variety of former habitations, that is to say one birth and two births … … thus he recollects a variety of former habitations in all their modes and in detail; if with deva-like vision surpassing that of men, he sees beings as they are passing hence … … thus with the deva-like vision surpassing that of men does he see beings as they are passing hence and coming to be—mean, excellent, fair, foul, and he comprehends that beings are in a good bourn, in a bad bourn according to kamma; and if, by the destruction of the cankers … he enters and abides therein.

And if a monk is possessed of seven further qualities … he shines as an expert on Discipline … here and following read he shines as an expert on Discipline instead of he is an expert on Discipline, and repeat the foregoing paragraphs exactly … abides therein.

Seven bad conditions: if one is lacking in faith, is without conscience, is without shame, is one who has heard little, is lazy, is of muddled mindfulness, and is one weak in wisdom.

Seven right conditions: if one has faith, is conscientious, is scrupulous, is one who has heard much, is one whose energy is stirred up, is one whose mindfulness is raised up, and is one full of wisdom.

Concluded are the Septets

Its summary:

Offence, classes of offence, trained in, and “proper courses” too,
Not legally valid, and legally valid, and no offence if within seven days, /
Advantages, “at mosts,” sunrise, and about deciding,
(Formal) acts, and raw grains, inside, for a group-meal, /
For at most seven days, taking, and similarly taking with him,
There is not, there is, and there is, not legally valid, and legally valid, /
Four experts on Discipline, and four shining monks,
And seven wrong conditions too, seven right conditions are taught.

8. Octets

That monk should not be suspended for not seeing an offence by one possessed of eight advantages.

That offence should be confessed even out of faith in others if they are possessed of eight advantages.

Eight “up to the third time”.

In eight ways does one bring a family into disrepute.

Eight headings for the accruing of robe-material.

Eight headings for the withdrawing of the kaṭhina (privileges).

Eight kinds of drinks.

Devadatta, overcome and his mind controlled by eight bad conditions, is doomed to the Downfall, to Niraya, staying there for an aeon, incurable.

Eight things belonging to the world.

Eight important rules.

Eight matters that should be confessed.

Lying speech is eightfold.

Eight factors for Observance.

Eight factors for (going on) a message.

Eight customs for members of other sects.

Eight marvellous and wonderful things about the great ocean.

Eight marvellous and wonderful things in this Dhamma and Discipline.

Eight “not left overs”,

Eight “left overs”.

It is to be forfeited on the eighth day at sunrise.

Eight offences involving Defeat.

Completing the eighth thing she should be expelled.

By completing an eighth thing it is marked out even if not (actually) marked out.

Ordination having eight formulas.

(Seats) should be risen from for eight nuns.

A seat should be given to eight nuns.

The woman lay disciple asked for eight boons.

A monk who is possessed of eight qualities may be agreed upon as an exhorter of nuns.

Eight advantages for an expert in Discipline.

Eight “at mosts”.

A monk against whom a (formal) act for specific depravity has been carried out must act rightly in regard to eight things.

Eight suspensions of the Pātimokkha are not legally valid.

Eight suspensions of the Pātimokkha are legally valid.

Concluded are the Octets

Its Summary

Not that monk, and in others,
up to the third time, bringing into disrepute,
Headings, removal of the kaṭhina (privileges),
drinks, and overcome by, /
Belonging to the world, important rules,
to be confessed lying,
Observances, factors for a message,
other sects, and in the sea, /
Wonderful, not left over,
left over, to be forfeited,
Defeats, the eighth thing,
not marked out, ordination, /
And too rising from a seat,
boon, and about an exhorter
Advantages, “at mosts,”
acting in regard to eight things
Not legally valid, and legally valid:
the Octets are well proclaimed.

9. Nonads

Nine occasions for ill-will.

Nine (ways of) averting ill-will.

Nine matters that are trained in.

Nine offences at once.

An Order is split by nine (monks).

Nine sumptuous foods.

In (eating) nine kinds of meat there is an offence of wrong--doing.

Nine recitals of the Pātimokkha.

Nine “at mosts”.

Nine things rooted in craving.

Ninefold pride.

Nine robes may be allotted.

Nine robes should not be assigned.

In length nine spans of the accepted span.

Nine gifts are not legally valid.

Nine recipients are not legally valid.

Nine enjoyments are not legally valid.

Three gifts are legally valid; three recipients are legally valid; three enjoyments are legally valid.

Nine (ways of) making known are not legally valid.

Nine (ways of) making known are legally valid.

Two nonads for a (formal) act that is not legally valid.

Two nonads for a (formal) act that is legally valid.

Nine suspensions of the Pātimokkha are not legally valid.

Nine suspensions of the Pātimokkha are legally valid.

Concluded are the Nonads

Its Summary

Occasions for ill-will, averting,
trained in, and at once,
And is split, and sumptuous,
meat, recital, and “at mosts”, /
Craving, pride, allottings,
and assigned, spans,
Gifts, recipients, enjoyments,
and again the threefold when legally valid, /
Not legally valid, makings known that are legally valid,
and two nonads twice,
Suspensions of the Pātimokkha
that are and are not legally valid.

10. Decades

Ten occasions for ill-will.

Ten (ways of) averting ill-will.

Ten matters that are trained in.

A wrong view founded on ten (tenets).

A right view founded on ten (tenets).

Ten (ways of) taking up an extreme view.

Ten wrongnesses.

Ten rightnesses.

Ten ways of unskilled action.

Ten ways of skilled action.

Ten distributions of voting tickets are not legally valid.

Ten distributions of voting tickets are legally valid.

Ten rules of training for novices.

If he is possessed of ten qualities a novice should be expelled.

If he is possessed of ten qualities an expert on Discipline is reckoned as ignorant: if he does not put a limit to his own speech, if he does not put a limit to the speech of another (person), if, not having put a limit to his own speech, to the speech of another (person), he has a (formal) act carried out not according to rule, not with his acknowledgement, if does not know what is an offence, if he does not know what is the root of an offence, if he does not know the arising … the stopping … the course leading to the stopping of an offence.

If he is possessed of ten qualities an expert on Discipline is reckoned as clever: if he puts a limit to his own speech … if he knows what is an offence … the course leading to the stopping of an offence.

And if he is possessed of ten further qualities an expert on Discipline is reckoned as ignorant: if he does not know what is a legal question … the root of a legal question … the arising … the stopping … the course leading to the stopping of a legal question, if he does not know the subject … the provenance … the laying down … the supplementary laying down … the sequence of the connecting words.

If he is possessed of ten qualities an expert on Discipline is reckoned as clever: if he knows what is a legal question … the sequence of the connecting words.

And if he is possessed of ten further qualities an expert on Discipline is reckoned as ignorant: if he does not know what is a motion, if he does not know the carrying out of a motion, if he is not skilled in what comes first, if he is not skilled in what comes afterwards, and if he is one unknowing of the (right) time, if he does not know what is an offence and what is not an offence, if he does not know a slight and a serious offence, if he does not know what is an offence that can be done away with and one that cannot be done away with, if he does not know what is a very bad offence and one that is not very bad, if he has not learnt properly from a succession of teachers, has not attended properly, has not reflected on properly.

If he is possessed of ten qualities an expert on, Discipline is reckoned as clever: if he knows what is a motion … if he has learnt properly from a succession of teachers, has attended properly, has reflected on properly.

And if he is possessed of ten further qualities an expert on Discipline is reckoned as ignorant: if he does not know what is an offence and what is not an offence, if he does not know a slight and a serious offence, if he does not know what is an offence that can be done away with and one that cannot be done away with, if he does not know what is a very bad offence and one that is not very bad, and if the two Pātimokkhas in full have not been properly handed down to him, not properly sectioned, not properly regulated, not properly investigated clause by clause and in respect of the linguistic form, if he does not know what is an offence and what is not an offence … if he does not know what is a very bad offence and one that is not very bad, and if he is not skilled in investigating a legal question.

If he is possessed of ten qualities … clever: if he knows what is an offence … and if he is skilled in investigating a legal question.

A monk possessed of ten qualities may be agreed upon for a referendum.

Dependent on ten reasons a rule of training for disciples is laid down by the Tathāgata.

Ten perils in entering a king’s women’s quarters.

Ten objects as (alms-) gifts.

Ten gems.

A tenfold Order of monks.

One may ordain through a group of ten (monks).

Ten refuse-rag-robes.

Wearers of ten colours for robes.

One may wear an extra robe for at most ten days.

Ten (colours of) semen.

Ten (kinds of) women.

Ten (kinds of) wives.

Ten points promulgated at Vesālī.

Ten individuals who are not to be greeted.

Ten ways of cursing.

One brings slander in ten ways.

Ten lodgings.

They asked for ten boons.

Ten suspensions of the Pātimokkha are not legally valid.

Ten suspensions of the Pātimokkha are legally valid.

Ten advantages from conjey.

Ten (kinds of) flesh are not allowed.

Ten “at mosts”.

An experienced competent monk who is of ten years’ standing may let go forth, may ordain, may give guidance, a novice may attend him.

An experienced competent nun who is of ten years’ standing may let go forth … a woman novice may attend her.

Agreement to ordain may be accepted by an experienced competent nun who is of ten years’ standing.

Training should be given to a girl who has been married for ten years.

Concluded are the Decades

Its Summary

Ill-will, averting, matters,
wrong (view), and right (view), taking up an extreme (view),
And wrongnesses too, rightnesses,
unskilled, and also skilled, /
Not legally valid, and legally valid tickets,
novices, and expelling,
Speech, and legal question too,
motion, and slight too, /
Slight (and) serious these:
discriminate between the dark and the bright,
And referendum, and training,
and women’s quarters, objects, /
Gems, and tenfold,
likewise ordination,
Refuse-rags, and wearers,
ten days, semen, women, /
Wives, ten points, not to be greeted,
and about cursing,
And slander too, and lodgings,
and boons, not legally valid, /
Legally valid, conjey, and flesh,
“at mosts,” monk, nun,
Ordination, married girl:
the Decades are well proclaimed.

11. Elevens

Eleven individuals who, if they have not been ordained, should not be ordained; if they have been ordained, they should be expelled.

Eleven (kinds of) shoes are not allowable.

Eleven (kinds of) bowls are not allowable.

Eleven (kinds of) robes are not allowable.

Eleven “up to the third time”.

Eleven things which are stumbling-blocks (preventing women from becoming) nuns should be asked about.

Eleven (kinds of) robes may be allotted.

Eleven (kinds of) robes may not be assigned.

On the eleventh day at sunrise it is an offence of expiation involving forfeiture.

Eleven (kinds of) “blocks” are allowable.

Eleven (kinds of) buckles are allowable.

Eleven (kinds of) earth are not allowable.

Eleven (kinds of) earth are allowable.

Eleven nullifications of guidance.

Eleven individuals are not to be greeted.

Eleven “at mosts”.

They asked for eleven boons.

Eleven defects in boundaries.

Eleven perils to be expected for an individual who reviles and abuses.

If the freedom of mind that is loving-kindness is practised, developed, made much of, made a basis, made a vehicle, persisted in, become familiar with and well established eleven advantages are to be expected: one sleeps in comfort, wakes in comfort, dreams no evil dream, is dear to human beings, dear to non-human beings, devatās guard him, fire poison and weapons do not affect him, his mind is easily concentrated, the expression on his face is serene, he does his (karmic) time unconfused, and if he penetrates no higher (to arahantship than the attainment of loving-kindness) he reaches the Brahma-world (on deceasing from this life). If the freedom of mind that is loving-kindness is practised … well established, these eleven advantages are to be expected.

Concluded are the Elevens

Its Summary

Should be expelled, and shoes,
and bowls, and robes,
The third, and should be asked about,
allotting, assigning, /
Sunrise, blocks, buckles,
and not allowable, allowable,
Guidance, and also not to be greeted,
“at mosts,” and boons,
And defects in boundaries, reviling, loving-kindness—
The Elevens are done.

Concluded is As to Gradation

Its summary:

The Units, as well as the Dyads,
and the Triads, Tetrads, Pentads,
Six, seven, eights, and Nonads,
ten, and the Elevens, /
For the welfare of all beings,
by Such a One who made known Dhamma
Were the stainless Gradations taught by the Great Hero. /

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

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