Theravāda Vinayapiṭaka

Monks’ rules and their analysis

Monks’ Expiation (Pācittiya) 2

… at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove in Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. Now at that time, the group of six monks, quarrelling with well behaved monks, insulted the well behaved monks; they jeered at them, they scoffed at them about birth and name and clan and work and craft and disease and distinguishing mark and passion and attainment and low mode of address. Those who were modest monks looked down upon, criticised, spread it about, saying:

“How can this group of six monks, quarrelling with well behaved monks, insult the well behaved monks? How can they jeer at them, scoff at them about birth … low mode of address?” Then these monks told this matter to the lord. He said:

“Is it true, as is said, that you, monks, quarrelling with well behaved monks, insulted the well behaved monks, jeered at them … about low mode of address?”

“It is true, lord,” they said.

The enlightened one, the lord, rebuked them, saying: “How can you, foolish men, quarrelling with well behaved monks, insult the well behaved monks, jeer at them, scoff at them about … low mode of address? It is not, foolish men, for pleasing those who are not (yet) pleased …” And having rebuked them and given dhamma-talk, he addressed the monks, saying:


“Formerly, monks, at Takkasilā, Nandivisāla was the name of an ox belonging to a certain brahmin. Then, monks, Nandivisāla, the ox, spoke thus to the brahmin: ‘Brahmin, you go, bet a thousand with the great merchant, saying: “My ox will draw a hundred carts tied together.”’ Then, monks, that brahmin made a bet of a thousand with the great merchant, saying: ‘My ox will draw a hundred carts tied together.’ Then, monks, that brahmin having tied together a hundred carts, having yoked Nandivisāla, the ox, spoke thus: ‘Go, hornless one, let the hornless one pull them along.’ Then, monks, Nandivisāla, the ox, stood just where he was. Then, monks, that brahmin, having suffered the loss of a thousand, was overcome by grief. Then, monks, Nandivisāla, the ox, spoke thus to the brahmin: ‘Why are you, brahmin, overcome by grief?’

‘Because I, good sir, suffered the loss of a thousand through you.’

‘But why do you, brahmin, bring me, who am not hornless, into disgrace with words of deceit? Brahmin, you go, bet two thousand with the great merchant, saying: “My ox will draw a hundred carts tied together,” but do not bring me, who am not hornless, into disgrace with words of deceit.’

Then, monks, that brahmin bet two thousand with the great merchant, saying: ‘My ox will draw a hundred carts tied together.’ Then, monks, that brahmin having tied together a hundred carts, having yoked Nandivisala, the ox, spoke thus: ‘Go, good creature, let the good creature pull them along.’ Then, monks, Nandivisala, the ox, drew the hundred carts tied together.

Speak only words of kindness,
never words unkind.
For him who spoke him fair, he moved
A heavy load, and brought him wealth, for love.

At that time, monks, jeering and scoffing were not liked by me, so however could jeering and scoffing become liked now? It is not, monks, for pleasing those who are not (yet) pleased … And thus, monks, this rule of training should be set forth:

In insulting speech there is an offence of expiation.”


Insulting speech means: he insults in ten ways: about birth and name and clan and work and craft and disease find distinguishing mark and passion and attainment and mode of address.

Birth means: there are two kinds of birth: low birth and high birth. Low birth means: birth as (a member of) a despised class, birth as a bamboo-plaiter, birth as a hunter, birth as a cartwright, birth as a refuse- scavenger—this means low birth. High birth means: birth as a noble, birth as a brahmin—this means high birth.

Name means: there are two (kinds of) name: low name and high name. Low name means: Avakaṇṇaka, Javakaṇṇaka, Dhaniṭṭhaka, Saviṭṭhaka, Kulavaḍḍhaka, or what is disdained, disregarded, scorned, treated with contempt, despised in these districts—this means low name. High name means: connected with the enlightened one, connected with dhamma, connected with the Order, or what is not disdained, not disregarded, not scorned, not treated with contempt, what is esteemed in these districts—this means high name.

Clan means: there are two (kinds of) clan: low clan and high clan. Low clan means: a Kosiya clan, a Bharadvāja clan, or what is disdained, disregarded, scorned, treated with contempt, despised in these districts—this means low clan. High clan means: a Gotama clan, a Moggallāna clan, a Kaccāyana clan, a Vāsiṭṭha clan, or what is not disdained … what is esteemed in these districts—this means high clan.

Work means: there are two (kinds of) work: low work and high work. Low work means: work of a store-room (keeper), work of a flower-scavenger, or what is disdained … despised in these districts—this means low work. High work means: agriculture, trade, cattle-keeping, or what is not disdained … what is esteemed in these districts—this means high work.

Craft means: there are two (kinds of) craft: low craft and high craft. Low craft means: the craft of the basket-maker, the potter’s craft, the weaver’s craft, the leather-worker’s craft, the barber’s craft, or what is disdained … despised in these districts—this means low craft. High craft means: reckoning on the fingers, calculation, writing, what is not disdained … what is esteemed in these districts—this means high craft.

All diseases are low, except that diabetes is a high (kind of) disease.

Distinguishing mark means: there are two (kinds of) distinguishing mark: low distinguishing mark and high distinguishing mark. Low distinguishing mark means: (being) very tall, very short, very dark, very fair—this means low distinguishing mark. High distinguishing mark means: not (being) very tall, very short, very dark, very fair—this means high distinguishing mark.

All passions are low.

All attainments are low, except that stream-attainment and higher attainment are high.

Mode of address means: there are two modes of address: low mode of address and high mode of address. Low mode of address means: he says, “You are a camel, you are a ram, you are an ox, you are an ass, you are an animal, you are (destined) for a state of woe, a good bourn is not for you, but a bad bourn is to be expected for you,” or by adding ya or bha (to the end of his name), or by calling him male and female—this means low mode of address. High mode of address means: he says, “You are learned, you are experienced, you are wise, you are clever, you are a speaker of dhamma, a bad bourn is not for you, but a good bourn is to be expected for you”—this means high mode of address.


If one who is ordained, desiring to jeer at, desiring to scoff at, desiring to shame one who is ordained speaks of a low thing—(a member of) a despised class, a bamboo-plaiter, a hunter, a cartwright, a refuse-scavenger, with low words and says: “You are (a member of a) despised class, you are a bamboo-plaiter, you are a hunter, you are a cartwright, you are a refuse-scavenger,” for each sentence there is an offence of expiation.

If one who is ordained, desiring to jeer at … desiring to shame one who is ordained speaks of a high thing—a noble, a brahmin, with low words and says: “You are (a member of) a despised class … you are a refuse-scavenger,” for each sentence there is an offence of expiation.

If one who is ordained, desiring to jeer at … desiring to shame one who is ordained speaks of a low thing—(a member of) a despised class … a refuse-scavenger, with high words and says: “You are a noble, you are a brahmin,” for each sentence there is an offence of expiation.

If one who is ordained, desiring to jeer at … desiring to shame one who is ordained speaks of a high thing—a noble, a brahmin, with high words and says: “You are a noble, you are a brahmin,” for each sentence there is an offence of expiation.

If one who is ordained, desiring to jeer at … desiring to shame one who is ordained speaks of a low thing—an Avakaṇṇaka, a Javakaṇṇaka, a Dhaniṭṭhaka, a Saviṭṭhaka, a Kulavaḍḍhaka, with low words, for each sentence there is an offence of expiation.

If one who is ordained, desiring … to shame one who is ordained speaks of a high thing—a Buddharakkhita, a Dhammarakkhita, a Saṅgharakkhita with low words and says: “You are an Avakaṇṇaka … you are a Kulavaḍḍhaka,” for each sentence there is an offence of expiation.

If one who is ordained, desiring … to shame one who is ordained speaks of a low thing with high words … speaks of a high thing with high words … for each sentence there is an offence of expiation.

If one is ordained, desiring … to shame … speaks of a low thing—a Kosiya, a Bhāradvāja with low words … speaks of a high thing—a Gotama, a Moggallāna, a Kaccāyana, a Vāsiṭṭha with low words … speaks of a low thing with high words … speaks of a high thing with high words … there is an offence of expiation.

If one who is ordained, desiring … to shame … speaks of a low thing—a store-room keeper, a flower-scavenger with low words … speaks of a high thing—a cultivator, a trader, a cattle-keeper with low words … speaks of a low thing with high words … speaks of a high thing with high words … there is an offence of expiation.

If one who is ordained, desiring … to shame … speaks of a low thing—a basket-maker, a potter, a weaver, a leather-worker, a barber with low words … if he speaks of a high thing—a reckoner, an arithmetician, a scribe with low words … speaks of a low thing with high words … speaks of a high thing with high words … there is an offence of expiation.

If one who is ordained, desiring … to shame … speaks of a low thing—one afflicted with leprosy, with boils, with eczema, with consumption, with epilepsy with low words … if he speaks of a high thing—one afflicted with diabetes with low words … if he speaks of a low thing with high words … if he speaks of a high thing with high words … there is an offence of expiation.

If one who is ordained, desiring … to shame … speaks of a low thing—(being) very tall, very short, very dark, very fair, with low words—speaks of a high thing—not (being) very tall, not very short, not very dark, not very fair with low words … speaks of a low thing with high words … speaks of a high thing with high words … of expiation.

If one who is ordained, desiring … to shame … speaks of a low thing … of one obsessed by passion, of one obsessed by hatred, of one obsessed by confusion with low words … speaks of a high thing—of one without passion, of one without hatred, of one without confusion with low words … speaks of a low thing with high words … speaks of a high thing with high words … of expiation.

If one who is ordained, desiring … to shame … speaks of a low thing with low words—of being guilty of an offence of defeat, of being guilty of an offence entailing a formal meeting of the Order, of being guilty of a grave offence, of being guilty of an offence of expiation, of being guilty of an offence which ought to be confessed, of being guilty of an offence of wrong-doing, of being guilty of an offence of wrong speech … speaks of a high thing—a stream-attainer with low words … speaks of a low thing with high words … speaks of a high thing with high words … there is an offence of expiation.

If one who is ordained, desiring … to shame … speaks of a low thing—a camel, a ram, an ox, an ass, an animal, one (destined) for a state of woe, and says, “You are a camel … you are (destined) for a state of woe, a good bourn is not for you but a bad bourn is to be expected for you,” for each sentence there is an offence of expiation.

If one who is ordained, desiring … to shame … speaks of a high thing—a learned person, an experienced, wise, clever person, one who is a speaker of dhamma with low words, and says, “You are a camel … but a bad bourn is to be expected for you,” for each sentence there is an offence of expiation.

If one who is ordained, desiring … to shame … speaks of a low thing—a camel … one (destined) for a state of woe with high words, and says, “You are learned, you are experienced, you are wise, you are clever, you are a speaker of dhamma, a bad bourn is not for you but a good bourn is to be expected for you,” for each sentence there is an offence of expiation.

If one who is ordained, desiring … to shame … speaks of a high thing—a learned person … and says, “… but a good bourn is to be expected for you,” for each sentence there is an offence of expiation.


If one who is ordained, desiring … to shame one who is ordained, speaks thus, saying: “There are here some (members of) despised classes, bamboo-plaiters, hunters, cartwrights, refuse-scavengers,” for each sentence there is an offence of wrong-doing.

If one who is ordained, desiring … to shame … speaks thus, saying: “There are here some nobles and brahmins,” for each sentence there is an offence of wrong-doing.

If one who is ordained, desiring … to shame … speaks thus, saying: “There are here some Avakaṇṇakas, Javakaṇṇakas, Dhaniṭṭhakas, Saviṭṭhakas, Kulavaḍḍhakas … Buddharakkhitas, Dhammarakkhitas, Saṅgharakkhitas … Kosiyas, Bhāradvājas … Gotamas, Moggallānas, Kaccānas, Vāsiṭṭhas … store-room (keepers), flower-scavengers … cultivators, traders, cattle-keepers … basket-makers, potters, weavers, leather-workers, barbers … reckoners, arithmeticians, scribes … those afflicted by leprosy, by boils, by eczema, by consumption, by epilepsy … those afflicted by diabetes … (those who are) very tall, very short, very dark, very fair … (those who are) not very tall, not very short, not very dark, not very fair … (those who are) obsessed by passion, obsessed by hatred, obsessed by confusion … (those who are) without passion, without hatred, without confusion … (those who are) guilty of an offence involving defeat … guilty of an offence of wrong speech … (those who are) stream-attainers … camels, rams, oxen, asses, animals, (those destined) for a state of woe, a good bourn is not for these, but a bad bourn is to be expected for these … learned, experienced, wise, clever people, speakers of dhamma, a bad bourn is not for these, but a good bourn is to be expected for these,” for each sentence there is an offence of wrong-doing.


If one who is ordained, desiring … to shame one who has been ordained, speaks thus, saying: “What now if these are (members of) a despised class, bamboo-plaiters, hunters, cartwrights, refuse-scavengers?” … saying: “What now if these are learned, experienced, wise, clever people, speakers of dhamma?”, for each sentence there is an offence of wrong-doing.


If one who is ordained, desiring … to shame one who has been ordained, speaks thus, saying: “We are not (members of) a despised class, bamboo-plaiters, hunters, cartwrights, refuse-scavengers” … saying, “We are not learned, experienced, wise, clever people, speakers of dhamma, a bad bourn is not for us, but a good bourn is to be expected for us,” for each sentence there is an offence of wrong-doing.


If one who is ordained, desiring … to shame one who is not ordained, speaks of a low thing with low words, of a high thing with low words, of a low thing with high words, of a high thing with high words, of a learned person, of an experienced, wise, clever person, of a speaker of dhamma, saying: “You are learned, you are experienced, you are wise, you are clever, you are a speaker of dhamma, a bad bourn is not for you but a good bourn is to be expected for you,” for each sentence there is an offence of wrong-doing.

If one who is ordained, desiring … to shame one who is not ordained, speaks thus: “There are here some members of low castes …, we are not learned people, experienced, wise, clever people, not speakers of dhamma, a bad bourn is not for us, but a good bourn is to be expected for us,” for each sentence there is an offence of wrong-doing.


If one who is ordained, not desiring to jeer at, not desiring to scoff at, not desiring to shame one who is ordained, (but having) a fondness for joking, speaks of a low thing—of a (member of a) despised class, a bamboo-plaiter, a hunter, a cartwright, a refuse-scavenger with low words, and says: “You are (a member of) a despised class … you are a refuse-scavenger,” for each sentence there is an offence of wrong speech.

If one who is ordained, desiring not … to shame one who is ordained, (but having) a fondness for joking, speaks of a high thing—a noble, a brahmin with low words, and says: “You are (a member of) a despised class … you are a refuse-scavenger” … speaks of a low thing with high words … speaks of a high thing with high words—of a noble, a brahmin, and says: “You are a noble, you are a brahmin,” for each sentence there is an offence of wrong speech.

If one who is ordained, not desiring … to shame one who is ordained, (but having) a fondness for joking, speaks of a low thing with low words … speaks of a high thing with low words … speaks of a low thing with high words … speaks of a high thing with high words—of a learned person …” … but a good bourn is to be expected for you,” for each sentence there is an offence of wrong speech.

If one who is ordained, not desiring … to shame one who is ordained, (but having) a fondness for joking, speaks thus: “There are here some (members of a) despised class … we are not learned people, experienced, wise, clever people, we are not speakers of dhamma, a bad bourn is not for us, but a good bourn is to be expected for us,” for each sentence there is an offence of wrong speech.


If one who is ordained, not desiring … to shame one who is not ordained, (but having) a fondness for joking, speaks of a low thing with low words … of a high thing with low words … of a low thing with high words … of a high thing with high words—of a learned person … “… but a good bourn is to be expected for you,” for each sentence there is an offence of wrong speech.

If one who is ordained, not desiring … to shame one who is not ordained, (but having) a fondness for joking, speaks thus: “There are here some (members of a) despised class … we are not learned people, experienced, wise, clever people, we are not speakers of dhamma, a bad bourn is not for us, but a good bourn is to be expected for us,” for each sentence there is an offence of wrong speech.


There is no offence if he is aiming at (explaining) the goal, if he is aiming at (explaining) dhamma, if he is aiming at (explaining) the teaching, if he is mad, if he is the first wrong-doer.

The Second