The treasury of knowledge book five buddhist ethics buddhist ethics v 5 (58)

Concern for personal peace motivated by renunciationForms the basis for defining the personal liberation vows of the proclaimers.. The eight vows, those of the monk and nun, male and fem

When teaching, the master demonstrates three kinds of expertise, two types of kindness,

And three kinds of patience; and includes six elements in the discourse

Alternatively, the teacher first states the general and specific purposes,

Provides two summaries which have six qualities,

And then analyzes the words in terms of object, agent, and action, and their literal meaning

To facilitate understanding, the speaker clarifies the sequence

of words and meaning by illustrating the two types of

relationships,

And in response to objections, ascertains the meaning through scriptures and logic

For the brightest student, the teacher may explain deep and far-reaching subjects; for the less intelligent, first give easily retained and accessible teachings,

Then delve into subtle details, connections, and contradictions Another task of the teacher is to encourage dispirited persons and counteract their distraction and apathy

The disciple should eliminate the three defects of a jug, the six improper ways of listening, etc.,

And regard himself or herself as an ill person, the doctrine as medicine, and the master as a physician

The speaker and the student should practice the six perfections when teaching and listening

The teacher concludes the discourse with an apology, dedication, and sealing by contemplation

The student makes offerings, recites dedication prayers, and maintains mindfulness

Study, reflection, expounding, listening, and upholding the

doctrine

Integrated with living experience is said to yield limitless merits

To follow in the footsteps of saints, bodhisattvas, and buddhas

Is to preserve a threefold morality, the foundation for all good qualities,

Known as the ethics of personal liberation, of the bodhisattva, and

of the awareness holder

Concern for personal peace motivated by renunciation

Forms the basis for defining the personal liberation vows of the proclaimers

The vows themselves are defined as the intention (as well as

concomitant mental factors)

To forsake both injury to others and its basis In the Analysts’ view, these vows have form

Personal liberation is known as morality, virtue, endeavor, and vow The vows of personal liberation, meditative absorption, and the uncontaminated are found within different levels of existence The eight vows, those of the monk and nun, male and female novices and lay practitioners,

Postulant nun, and the purificatory fast,

Diversified in nature, are condensed into four types Only seven meet the necessary requirements

The present-day ceremony of ordination was introduced after the demise of the original one

Men or women of the three continents are suitable candidates

In assuming the vows, the candidate must not be bound by five stipulations, and must be free of the four obstacles

An aspirant who has not gone for refuge cannot assume the

personal liberation vows

The precepts of the purificatory fast are observed for a day and may be conferred by any person holding the precepts

The layperson’s precepts, the novice’s, and the monk’s ordination are conferred in their respective ceremonies

The ceremony for the monk’s ordination requires ten essential elements

Ethical conduct is maintained by reliance on others, purity of mind, recognition of incompatible factors,

Engagement in the training, and relying on the conditions for living comfortably

The eight branches of the purificatory fast consist of the four basic precepts, abstinence from alcohol, dance, necklaces, etc.,

Luxurious or high beds, and eating after noon;

Ethical conduct, conscientiousness, and disciplined conduct

encompass these eight

An individual who observes these precepts for life is known as a venerable lay practitioner

Lay practitioners are of five types The first is committed to the Three Jewels

And abides by the three special and five general precepts

The second abstains from one; the third, from some; the fourth, from most;

And the fifth, from all four root downfalls and alcohol

Traditionalists maintain that there is also a celibate lay practitioner Novices may incur ten transgressions of the rules: violations of the eight branches,

Plus the rule to not accept gold and silver With the exception of thirteen permissible ones,

The related minor infractions are the same as those of the monk The postulant nun observes six basic and six ancillary rules The rules of the monk concern five classes of downfalls

Sexual intercourse, theft, murder, and lying about one’s level of spiritual attainment

Constitute the class of defeating offenses

If the basis, attitude, act, and consummation are all present, the ordination is lost

If one or more aspects are missing, a serious infraction or another offense is incurred

Ejaculation, touching, and speaking of sexual intercourse to a woman, extolling reverence,

Matchmaking, constructing a hut, or a large dwelling, groundless,

or trivial accusation,

Causing a schism, taking sides, causing a layperson to lose faith, and defiance

Constitute the class of partially defeating offenses

Any of these offenses is said to leave only a residue of the vows Keeping, being without, retaining cloth, or inducing a nun to wash robes, accepting, and requesting cloth,

Asking for cloth of a greater measure or value from two donors, and excessive insistence,

To make a mat with silk, black wool, or more than half black wool, making a new one before six years,

Not adding to it a handspan’s patch, carrying, and spinning wool, handling gold or silver,

Usury, trading, keeping an unconsecrated begging bowl, or re-questing an extra one, engaging a weaver, improving the weave,

Taking back gifts, using rainy season retreat offerings, being

separated from the robes, keeping the large rain cloak too long, Redirecting dedicated offerings, and storing food constitute the class of downfalls that require forfeiture

Lying, criticizing, slandering, reviving quarrels, teaching a woman, Reciting the scriptures, revealing lapses, telling the truth, accusing a steward, reviling the discipline, destroying vegetation, censuring the caretaker,

Refusing to comply, leaving the bed outside or grass under the mat, driving out or harassing a monk, poking holes, casting water, laying bricks,

Teaching a nun doctrine when not appointed, or after sunset; accusing of teaching for gain; giving to, or making a robe for a nun;

Walking with or going in a boat with a nun, sitting or standing with

a woman, persuading someone to prepare food,

Eating consecutively, or while staying with non-Buddhists, taking excess, resuming eating, giving leftover food to a monk,

Gathering to eat, eating at inappropriate times, eating stored foods, foods not given, and good foods,

Using water that contains life, sitting or standing at a place of sexual intercourse, serving food to a naked ascetic,

Watching, or staying in an army camp, inciting preparations, striking, threatening to strike, concealing a lapse,

Preventing alms from being given, lighting a fire, withdrawing one’s assent, sleeping with the non-ordained, not giving up erroneous views,

Siding with or befriending the expelled, wearing undyed clothes, handling treasures, bathing frequently,

Killing an animal, causing regret, tickling, playing in water, sleep-ing in the same place as a woman,

Frightening, hiding, or using without permission the belongings of fellow monks, defaming a monk, accompanying a woman, Traveling with a thief, conferring full ordination to one under age, tilling the soil, overstaying one’s welcome,

Rejecting advice, eavesdropping, leaving without informing, being disrespectful, drinking alcohol, going at the inappropriate time, Wandering into the village, making a visit at night, showing

disdain for the rules,

Accepting a fine needlecase, making a seat with legs, covering a mat with cotton, exceeding the sizes for the mat, the robe for skin rash, the large rain cloak, and the robes

Constitute the class of downfalls that require confession alone Accepting a nun’s alms, accepting food served without regard to seniority,

Transgressing the rule not to beg at a household, and eating with-out checking the forest

Constitute the class of offenses to be individually confessed The one hundred and twelve minor infractions

Concern the wearing of robes, decorum,

Sitting, receiving food, manner of eating,

Begging bowl, teaching the doctrine, behavior,

And climbing Thus, a monk must observe

A total of two hundred and fifty-three rules

The nun must observe three hundred and sixty-four rules

Prohibitions concern that which is incompatible with ethical conduct

The first basis for monastic discipline consists of three methods for refinement of the training

The purification-renewal to develop mental quiescence perfects meditation and wisdom

Confession to foster harmony should be performed

Every half month, to increase prosperity, to eliminate misfortune, and to settle disputes

Each of the two rainy season retreats, the earlier and later, lasts three months

Timely, untimely, or unexpected lifting of the restrictions conclude the retreat

The making and distribution of robes constitutes a basis of training concerned with conditions for living comfortably

Robes include prescribed, accessory, and extra garnments

The thirteen prescribed robes should be colored by the appropriate dyes

Leather seat and shoes are permitted in special cases The four types of food and medicine

Are those permissible before noon, within a day, seven days, or kept until one is cured of an illness