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Account of ways of purification for each kind of monastic fault.
A bhikkhu who has committed a párájika cannot under any circumstances become a bhikkhu again in the course of his current existence. The only way of retaking the robe – of a bhikkhu – is to wait for a future existence.Whoever commits such an offence must disrobe immediately. Afterwards, he can choose to live either as a sámašera or as a lay person. When confessing his transgression, he must declare: "I will lead my life of sámašera (or of lay person) in order to purify myself."
When a saµghádisesa has been committed, it is possible to expiate it, but this is rather complicated and requires close surveillance of the offending bhikkhu by the other members of the saµgha throughout the entire duration of the procedure.
The bhikkhu who commits a saµghádisesa must inform another bhikkhu of what he has done as soon as possible. If he does not report his offence, a day is counted as one day of concealment of the offence from the passage of the following dawn. The number of days, months or years during which the transgression is concealed will be the same as the time required to submit to the parivása (the period of expiation of the fault).
When a saµghádisesa has been committed, there are three exceptional cases in which the number of days without confessing the fault is not taken into account: The bhikkhu does not know that he has committed a saµghádisesa; there are no other bhikkhus in the area; there is a danger along the route leading to the nearby bhikkhus.
For a bhikkhu to put the parivása in practice, he must first receive a reading of the fourth ñatti kammavácá in the presence of at least four bhikkhus within the símá.
Next, the offending bhikkhu must confess all the saµghádisesa that he has committed as well as the number of days during which this (these) fault (s) has been concealed, so that the ensuing parivása can be established. If the bhikkhu is unable to remember precisely what saµghádisesa he has committed or the number of days he has kept the faults hidden, he must say: "sabbahulá nánávatthuká ápattiyo." In English: "All the faults of all kinds."
A bhikkhu who commits a saµghádisesa through negligence could easily forget the date. If he is unable to say how long he has concealed the offence, he must give an estimate of the number of days, months or years during which he thinks he has concealed the transgression. Next, the duration of parivása is established, making sure that it is at least of the same length as the concealment time. If he is unable to estimate the duration, he is asked how many vassas he is certain to have remained pure – of that saµghádisesa –, and what is his total number of vassas. The difference between the two is then used to establish the duration of the parivása.
The establishment of the length of expiation for a saµghádisesa through an estimate is called suddhanta parivása.
If the bhikkhu has committed several saµghádisesa with different times of concealment, the length of expiation is calculated by taking into account the longest duration of concealment among all the transgressions of all kinds. This case is called "samodhánaparivása" and three kinds are distinguished (odhánasamodhánaparivása, aggha samodhánahmá and missaka samodhána).
When a bhikkhu commits a saµghádisesa during an expiation period, the latter loses its validity and must be started again from the beginning, with the addition of the number of days during which the new offence was concealed.
When several saµghádisesa have been committed, the greater duration of concealment is taken into account to establish the length of the parivása.
If a bhikkhu commits different kinds of saµghádisesa, these are all grouped into one in order to establish the parivása.
If a bhikkhu commits a new saµghádisesa during his expiation period, he must immediately declare it in the presence of another bhikkhu. The offence committed during this time is called "antarápatti". If this transgression is concealed at least overnight, the past expiation period is invalidated and must be re-started from the beginning, with the addition of the number of days of concealment of the new transgression. In Pali this is called "múláyapa†ikassana".
Having committed a saµghádisesa, those bhikkhus doing parivása are subject to a series of penances aimed at purifying the transgression (or transgressions). These penances must be applied following very precise rules.
Of the whole parivása procedure, the most difficult aspect is the notification of the parivása. After having formally confessed his saµghádisesa in the símá, the bhikkhu undergoing penance must notify that he is performing parivása because of such fault to all the bhikkhus that he meets, as soon as he sees or hears them. If he hears a bhikkhu recite a text or beating a drum in the area, he must go to him straight away to notify his parivása. When on the road, if the bhikkhu undergoing penance notices a bhikkhu inside a vehicle, he is obliged to stop this vehicle to notify his parivása to the bhikkhu. If he fails in this duty, he commits a dukka†a and his expiation period is extended by one day (in Pali, the failure to comply with an obligation [penance] due in the parivása is vattabheda). If a bhikkhu undergoing penance does not succeed in reaching a bhikkhu travelling inside a vehicle to report his parivása, he does not commit a dukka†a, but his expiation period is increased by one day.
The obligations imposed by the parivása are relatively overpowering. Thus, it is recommended to the bhikkhus undergoing penance to reside in an isolated (little frequented) monastery during their expiation period.
The obligations imposed by the parivása are difficult. However, it is possible to rescind it, thus reducing the risk of failing to fulfill those obligations.
To rescind the parivása, the bhikkhu undergoing penance must first of all, enter the símá to request the parivása, the delivery of the parivása, the application of the parivása and finally the notification of the parivása. Thanks to rescinding the parivása, the bhikkhu undergoing penance is exempted from notifying to all the bhikkhus passing by the monastery soon as he sees or hears them. During the cancellation of the parivása, he can be considered as a pakatatta bhikkhu. The bhikkhu who commits a saµghádisesa during his expiation period can include it in his parivása by grouping it with the preceding one.
When the parivása has been rescinded, it is restored automatically at dawn. To maintain it rescinded, the bhikkhu must then say a formula in Pali to another bhikkhu just before dawn, and to another just after dawn. The first rescindement of the parivása must be done in the símá in the presence of at least four bhikkhus. For the following ones, it is acceptable if there are only two bhikkhus.
However, it is more appropriate to go and dwell in a secluded monastery and pursue the parivása there (without rescinding it).
In order to regain the esteem and respect of the other bhikkhus and for his practice of síla, the bhikkhu in the expiation period must apply the practice of mánatta.
A bhikkhu who on the same day reveals a saµghádisesa he has committed, has no need to undergo parivása. He is, however, obliged to undergo mánatta. Counting the number of days is not necessary; six days are assigned. To put mánatta in practice, the bhikkhu who has committed the transgression must proceed to request mánatta within the símá in the presence of at least four bhikkhu.. The saµgha transmits the mánatta through a reading of the fourth ñatti kammavácá. Next, the mánatta is put into practice, and, by reason of this, the notification of the mánatta. As with the parivása, the mánatta must also be notified to all the bhikkhus seen or heard arriving at the monastery, and can be rescinded. To rescind the mánatta, the bhikkhu in the period of mánatta must first of all go outside the enclosures of the monastery before dawn, together with at least four bhikkhus (if there is no wall or enclosure, they must go to a minimum distance of two stone throws from the corner of the furthest building of the monastery). There, at the side of the road, behind a bush (or anything else permitting to be out of view), he will put the mánatta in practice, and performs the notification of the mánatta. Once dawn has passed, he can rescind the mánatta.
Although the practice of parivása is similar to that of mánatta, the parivása lasts a time equal to the time the offence has been concealed, whereas mánatta has a fixed duration of six days. Rescinding the parivása requires four bhikkhus only the first time, whereas the mánatta requires this for each of the six days
When a bhikkhu disrobes during his period of parivása or of mánatta to return to lay life, or to the life of a sámašera, this parivása or mánatta is automatically interrupted. However, if he retakes the robes of a bhikkhu, he must continue the period of parivása or mánatta in order to complete the remaining number of days, without having to restart the period. However, if he has proceeded to rescind the parivása or the mánatta, he must retake the procedure from the beginning.
When re-entering the saµgha, the bhikkhu who has disrobed having committed one or more saµghádisesa without confessing them, recovers them automatically and is obliged to reveal them and follow the proper procedure (without counting the time spent outside the saµgha).
When the period of parivása or of mánatta is fulfilled, the abbhána takes place among the other members of the saµgha. Thus, everybody can take note that the offence has been completely purified. The abbhána designs the reconsideration, reacceptance and reintegration within the saµgha.
The abbhána must take place during a meeting of at least twenty bhikkhus. So that these pure bhikkhus can perform the abbhána by reading the fourth ñatti kammavácá, the bhikkhu about to purify his fault must formulate his request to them. For the offence to be purified, the bhikkhu must reject his point of view. If he has not done this at the end of three consecutive readings of the ñatti kammavácá, he continues to be in saµghádisesa. Concerning the saµghádisesa 10, 11, 12 and 13, as long as the bhikkhu has not rejected his point of view, he cannot initiate the expiation period (practice of the parivása or of the mánatta). Once the whole procedure has been fulfilled, the bhikkhu who has committed the saµghádisesa can again be considered a pakatatta bhikkhu.
The two aniyata are not entire offences. As their name indicates, they are undefined. This means that when they are committed, the decision of the saµgha is made according to the declaration of the accused bhikkhu accused or of witnesses. If it concerns bhikkhu renowned for his honesty, the decision is determined based on his admission. If it is a dishonest bhikkhu with a the habit of lying, the decision cannot be taken on the casis of his declaration. Before a decision is taken, it is necessary to conduct a minutious enquiry taking into account the entire situation.
The nissaggiya are offences that, on the one hand, cause a pácittiya, and on the other, require the forfeiture of an object obtained in an incorrect manner. If this is an object that the bhikkhu is allowed to keep, he only relinquishes it momentarily to another bhikkhu, who next returns it. The procedure of purification of the nissaggiya is carried out in two phases: in the first, the bhikkhu must give up the object that he has obtained or caused to be offered in an incorrect manner; next, he must purify his fault by means of the desaná.
The word "sekhiya" means: "aspects of conduct that must be learnt, understood and put into practice". These rules are an obligation for every bhikkhu and every sámašera. They must learn them in order to understand them. Once understood, they must be followed strictly. Knowing and understanding these sekhiya, if a bhikkhu neglects, disregards, or does not apply any of them, he commits a dukka†a. If a sámašera neglects, disregards, or does not apply any of them, he receives a penance, such as transporting sand or water.
By breaching a sekhiya, a gilána (sick) bhikkhu does not commit an offence.
Performing desaná is a means to purify the offences (excluding the párájika and the saµghádisesa) that bhikkhus commit. This is done regularly or whenever becoming aware of having committed an offence. Therefore, it is strongly recommended to the bhikkhus to perform this daily in order to purify the multitude of minor transgressions that most of them commit without noticing. Thus one abides always at ease with onself. It is imperative to do desaná just before the pátimokkha recitation (on every full moon and every new moon) so that, through this, all the bhikkhus have pure síla at that time.
To do this, with the robe arranged around the left arm (traditional although not obligatory), the more senior kneels, with bare feet, and the most junior bhikkhu does the same placing himself in front or to the side. desaná can be done in twos or threes. In the case of a desaná in threes, the two more junior place themselves facing or to the side of the most senior and confess their faults together. At that moment, the most junior bhikkhus addresses the more senior to purify his faults. Next, the senior bhikkhu addresses the more junior by reciting, in the same way, a second verse. As a bhikkhu can only be "purified" by a bhikkhu who is already pure, the most junior pronounces again a third verse. For this reason, a bhikkhu who wishes to purify his faults with a bhikkhu who has just done desaná, only needs to use the first verse. Below, la formula of the desaná that must be recited in Pali:
(The text that must be recited by the more senior is in italic).
"ahaµ bhante sabbá ápattiyo ávikaromi.
sádhu ávuso sádhu sádhu.
ahaµ bhante sambahulá nánávatthuká sabbá ápattiyo ápajjiµ tá, tumhamúle patidesemi.
passasi ávuso tá ápattiyo.
áma bhante passámi.
áyatiµ ávuso saµvareyyási.
sádhu su††hu bhante saµvarissámi.
sádhu ávuso sádhu sádhu".
"ahaµ ávuso sabbá ápattiyo ávikaromi.
sádhu bhante sádhu sádhu.
ahaµ ávuso sambahulá nánávatthuká sabbá ápattiyo ápajjiµ tá, tuyhamúle patidesemi.
passatha bhante tá ápattiyo.
áma ávuso passámi.
áyatiµ bhante saµvareyyátha.
sádhu su††hu ávuso saµvarissámi.
sádhu bhante sádhu sádhu".
"ahaµ bhante sambahulá nánávatthuká sabbá ápattiyo ápajjiµ tá, tumhamúle patidesemi.
passasi ávuso tá ápattiyo.
áma bhante passámi.
áyatiµ ávuso saµvareyyási.
sádhu su††hu bhante saµvarissámi.
sádhu ávuso sádhu sádhu".
"The whole of my faults (voluntary or not), I confess openly to you, Venerable.
Very good, my friend, very good.
Whichever the type and whatever the reason for the offences committed, I fully assume them, Venerable.
Do you undertake to remain vigilant of all these offences, my friend?
Yes Venerable, I will be vigilant in order to be correct.
In the future, my friend, take care of your conduct.
It is understood Venerable, I will watch my conduct.
Very good, my friend, very good."
