SHĀSAN ĀVATARA AYA (COMPENDIUM OF BHIKKHU VINAYA) By Rerukāne Candawimala Mahā Thero Translated By D.J.Percy Silva 1 CONTENTS Page Translator’s note 7 Preface 10 Pabbajja 18 Lay pleasure and Bhikkhu pleasure 27 Beginning of Pabbajja 35 Persons suited and unsuited for Pabbajja 38 Teachers qualified to ordain noble sons 40 How to perform ordination 42 Formula requesting precepts 47 Mak ārānta taking refuge 47 Niggahit ānta taking refuge 48 The other method of taking precepts 49 Accepting preceptor 50 Taking refuge 51 Utilisation of the four requisites 52 Reflection 56 Pali stanzas on reflection 66 Reflection on robes 66 Reflection on food 66 Reflection on residences 67 Reflection on gilānpaccaya (medicine) 67 Past reflection 67 Reflection on robes 67 Reflection on food 68 Reflection on residences 68 Reflection on gilānpaccaya 69 English paras on reflection 69 Reflection on robes 69 2 Reflection on food 70 Reflection on residences 70 Reflection on gilānpaccaya 70 Past reflection 71 Past reflection on robes 71 Past reflection on food 71 Past reflection on residences 72 Past reflection on gilanpasa 72 Sāmaera ten precepts 73 Ten defeats 84 Ten punishments-Penances 86 Wearing and donning robes 88 Matters to be known regarding robes 92 Dimensions of robes 93 Robe materials 94 Colour of robes 94 Colouring materials 95 Belt ( Kāya bandhana ) 96 Precepts regarding the consumption of food 97 Precepts to be observed in the village 104 Precepts regarding Dhamma desan ā 110 Precepts regarding toilet practices 113 Seventy-five disciplinary precepts 114 Duties 119 Duties towards preceptor 121 Duties towards teacher 123 Duties towards pupils 123 Visitor’s duties 125 Residents duties 125 Gamika Vata 126 Duties at refectory (Bhattagga vata ) 127 Duties of transferring merit 127 Alms round duties 128 3 Forest Monastary duties 129 Temple duties 129 Lavatory duties 130 Ancient daily routine 131 Catupārisuddhi s īla 134 Pātimokkhasa#vara s īla 135 Indriya sa#vara s īla 135 Ājīvap ārisuddhi s īla 136 Pratya sannishrita sila 137 How to protect morality 137 Bhikkhūs who protected morality at the cost of their lives 138 Benefits of observing morality 140 Wealth of bhikkhus 143 Benefits to the world from a bhikkhu 146 Becoming a great bhikkhu 147 Dangers of immorality 153 Asisstance for bhikkhūs 158 Bhikkhu practices 161 Four meditations 163 Obedience 170 Venerable S āriputta mahā thero 172 Vattabbaka N īgrodha sāmaera 172 Respect for teachers 175 Virtue of humility 178 Patience 183 Pu::a thero 189 Insulting and abusing bhikkhūs 191 The quality of intolerance 194 Unity among bhikkhūs 197 Smaraīya Dhamma 201 Three maha theros who lived in harmony 204 Things to be done at gatherings 206 4 Subjects of discussion not suited for bhikkhūs 207 Ten types of speech to be practised by bhikkhūs 208 Pabbajja and lying 210 Adhimutta sāmaera 212 Hermit Harittaca 214 Appicchat ā santu''hit ā qualities 218 Atricchat ā 218 Mahicchat ā 219 Pāpicchat ā 221 Accepting what is sufficient 222 Requesting 223 Story of cobra king Ma:ika:tha 224 Story related to bhikkhūs Alau 226 Lay- Bhikkhu relationship 229 Candopama patipad ā 232 Matters to be known regarding Dhamma desan ā 238 Those whom bhikkhūs should not associate 240 Maintaining contacts with women 241 Āriyava)sa Dhamma 246 Undertaking of austere practices 252 Dasadhamma sutta 256 Jīvaka sutta 259 Effort/energy 264 The effort of Mah āsīva thero 267 Eight types of laziness 271 Eight types of effort 272 Begging for food 274 The places unsuitable to visit for pi+ap āta 278 A matter to be careful about 279 Benefits 280 Eight vicissitudes of fortune 284 Godattathera gāth ā 285 A series of stanzas showing sama:a qualities 288 5 Bhikkhūs of the Buddhas period 290 People suitable and unsuitable for the robe 292 Four dangers for the bhikkhūs 294 Sa)sāra 296 Consequences of sense desire 301 Bhisa j ātaka 307 Inheritance of the Buddha 316 Pary āpti Dhamma 318 Aparih ānīya Dhamma 320 Nāthakaraa Dhamma 324 Qualities of metta karua 329 The story of Ma:ik āra kulupaga Tissa thero 330 Nursing the sick 332 Good attendant 336 Vijaya sutta 337 Dasabala sutta 341 Kula putta sutta 345 Vitakka sutta 348 Cintana sutta 349 Koti gr āma sutta 352 Advice on the discilplinary code 354 Thoughts of great people 355 Buddhas last advice 358 Loving kindness meditation 358 Reverential stanzas used in Burma 372 6 Translator ’s Note It is not practical for a person seeking ordination in the Buddha sāsana or a young sāmaera to study the entire vinaya pitaka (disciplinary code). Therefore, a book of the nature of Shāsan āvatara aya is of immense value for such a person to acquire an adequate knowledge of the bhikkhu practices. Shāsan āvathara:aya is widely used for this purpose, particularly so by the Sri Kaly ā:i Yog āshrama SaDsth ā. There are several foreign (non Sinhala) bhikkhūs ordained in this Sa#sth ā and lay foreigners seeking ordination as well as foreign bhikkhūs ordained elsewhere in the world and residing at āraya sen āsana (monasteries) belonging to the Sa#sth ā. Therefore, the need was felt for an English book of this nature and the idea to translate Shāsan āvatharanaya was conceived. Venerable Angulgamuve Ariyananda thero with the blessings of the Agga Mahā Kamma''hānācārya the most venerable Nauyane Ariyadhamma Mahā Thero, the chief advisor of the Sri Kaly ā:i Yog āshrama SaDsth ā, requested me to undertake the task of translating this book. I was extremely pleased to make my small contribution, particularly because it is a book written by the most venerable professor Rerukane Chandavimala Mahā thero, some of whose books I have read and hence developed a great respect for the thero, although I was not fortunate enough to meet him during his lifetime. My thoughts at the time of undertaking this task, was by complete coincidence identical to that of the Maha thero in that “it would be 7 sufficient reward, if at least a few bhikkhus accepted and followed the contents of this book. ” I wish to express my gratitude to several persons who helped me in numerous ways connected with this work. 1. Venerable Angulgamuve Ariyananda thero for identifying me as the suitable person to do the translation. 2. Venerable Meegoda SaDghsobhana Mahā thero for meticulously checking the translation and making several corrections and useful suggestions. His immense contribution has not only made the translation more accurate but also enhanced my knowledge in the spelling of Pali words in roman script. 3. My wife and two children who were always ready to suggest words when I met with difficulties in finding suitable words. 4. Agga Mahā Kama''hānācārya the most venerable Nauyane Ariyadhamma Maha Thero who spent several hours with me explaining the meanings of over hundred words, which were not clear to me. I would never have completed this task without the assistance and guidance of this learned, virtuous, erudite bhikkhu . 5. My friend Mr. C. Batuwangala who went through the script and made comments. 6. The most venerable Kirioruve Dhammanada mahā thero the president of the Sri Chandavimala Dhamma publications board who gave permission to undrtake the translation and also kindly took 8 over the translation and arranged it to be studied by the scholar Mr. Viranjiva weerakkody. 7. Mr. Viranjiva weerakkody who studied the text and made suggestions and corrections. May they all end suffering in the sa)sāra and attain Nibbana. D.J.Percy Silva 223/25D Parklane Residencies Katuwana Road Homagama. Sri Lanka. 14 th November 2012 9 PREFACE The Buddha the all compassionate one, the blessed one, the perfected one, the supremely enlightened one established the sāsana as an abode for the faithful and intelligent to practice Dhamma in order to release themselves from suffering in sa)sāra (cycle of births and deaths), as well as a meritorious abode for dev ās and worldlings. On entering the sāsana (dispensation of the Buddha), one initially receives the Sāmaera (novice) pabbajja (going forth/going into homelessness) in the first instance. Several Mahā Theros who were interested in the proper continuation of the sāsana , being distressed on seeing many who had received sāmaera ordination behaving in an undesirable manner due to the lack of their knowledge regarding the sāmaera precepts and proper practice and due to the absence of a Dhamma book on sāmaera practice, invited us to prepare such a book. Having ourselves felt the shortcomings that existed due to the absence of such a book we accepted the invitation and composed this book named “Shāsanāvathara aya”. Details of sāmaera morality and many aspects of the Dhamma taught by the Tathāgata especially for the ordained, which should be learned and retained by the junior monks ,middle level monks and theros as well as sāmaeras have been included in this book. Pabbajja is the entry into the sāsana , involving both mind and body of the person concerned . Shaving of hair of the head and face, discarding lay attire and wearing robes constitute only the ordination of body. Lay mind cannot be discarded as easily as hair, beard and dress. The 10 mind of the person wearing the robes remains the same. Ordination of the body can be performed in a few minutes. Ordination of the mind cannot be done as easily as that. Ordination of the minds of some, whose bodies are ordained, cannot be achieved at all. Some such ordained persons end their lives still having lay minds. To reap the real benefits of pabbajja in the Buddha sāsana one must ordain both mind and body. Pabbajja is unpleasant for one who has a lay mind but ordained in body only.