The Buddha explains Dhamma and Vinaya to Bhikkhus

By Rohan Lalith Jayetilleke

Once when the Buddha was residing at Savatthi, the Palace of Migara Mother, the Eastern Park (Pubbarama built by Visakha, called Migara’s Mother as she made her father-in-law to embrace Buddhism) addressing the Bhikkhus on the Uposatha Day said: “Bhikkhus, there are eight wonderful and marvellous qualities of the great ocean that the Asura (demons) delight in whatever they see them.

So too, there are eight wonderful and marvellous qualities of this Dhamma and Discipline (Vinaya) that the Bhikkhus delight in whatever they see them. What are they?

“Just as the great ocean gradually slopes and inclines and shelves without any sudden drop, so too this Dhamma and Discipline there is gradual training and work and practice without any sudden penetration of final knowledge.

Again, just as the great ocean is stable and keeps within the limits of its ebb and flow without exceeding them, so too my disciples transgress no training rules made known by me. Again, as the great oceans will not tolerate dead body, but, when there is a dead body in it, throws it up on dry land so too the Sangha does not tolerate a person who is not virtuous, wicked of bad habits, secretive of his acts, no monk , but claiming to be one, not leading the holy life, but claiming to do so, rotten within full of corruption, but when it has not met together it throws him out; and even though he may be sitting in the midst of the Sangha, he is yet far from the Sangha and the Sangha is far from him”.

“Again”, just as all the great rivers, the Ganges, the Yamuna, the Achiravati, the Sarabhu and the Mahi give up their former names and identities when they reach the great ocean, and they come to be reckoned one with the great ocean itself, so too there are these four castes, the warrior - noble Khattiya, the brahman priests, the merchants, the vassas and the labouring class suddas, and when they have gone forth from the house life into homelessness in the Dhamma and Vinaya declared by the Blessed One, they give up their former name and clan and come to be reckoned one with the Bhikkhus who are sons, sons of the Sakyans.

“Again”, just as the great ocean has one taste, the taste of salt, so too, this Dhamma and Vinaya has one taste, the taste of liberation. Again, just as the great ocean holds many and various treasures, there are such treasures in it as pearls, crystals, beryls, shells, corals, silver, gold, rubies, opals, so too this Dhamma and Vinaya holds many and many treasures, there are such treasures in it as the four foundations of mindfulness, the four right endeavours, the four bases for success, the Five Spiritual, the Five Powers, the Seven Enlightenment factors, and the Noble Eightfold Path.

Again, just as the great ocean is the abode of great beings, there are such beings in it as whales, sea-serpents, demons, monsters and tritons - and in the great ocean there are creatures whose persons are a hundred leagues, two, three, four, five hundred leagues in size, so too this Dhamma and Vinaya is the abode of great beings - there are such beings in it as the stream-winner, and one who has entered on the way to the fruit of stream entry; the once - returner; non-returner and one who has entered on the way to the fruit of once return; and one who has entered on the way to the fruit of non-return; the Arahant, and one who has entered on the way to the fruit of Arahantship”.

This exposition of Dhamma and Vinaya on the Bhikkhus was a sequel to a certain incident at Pubbarama in Savatthi (Sravasti, Uttar Pradesh, India). On the Uposatha Day, the Blessed One was sitting surrounded by the Sangha of Bhikkhus. Well on into the night when the first watch was ended the Venerable Ananda rose from his seat, and arranging his robe, he raised his hands’ palms together towards the Blessed One and said: “Lord, it is now well into the night and the first catch (yama) is ended. The Sangha of Bhikkhus has been sitting long. Let the Blessed One recite the Patimokkha to the Bhikkhus”. When this was said, the Blessed One remained silent. He repeated this for the second and third time as well. The Blessed One remained silent. The Perfect One reapplied, “Ananda, the assembly is not pure”. Then Arhant thought, “who is this the person Buddha was referring to? He through his intuitive knowledge saw the wicked, unclean of suspect habits, secretive of his acts, no monk, but claiming to be one, not leading the holy life, but claiming to be so, rotten within, libidons and full of corruption, sitting in the midst of the Sangha. He went upto him and said, “Get up, friend, you are seen by the Buddha. For you, there is no living in communion with the Sangha of Bhikkhus”. When this was said, that person remained silent. Then Arahant Maha Moggallana took him by the arm and took him outside. He went to the Blessed One and said: “Lord, I have checked that person. The assembly is now pure. Let the Blessed One recite the Patimokkha to the Sangha of Bhikkhus”. Then the Blessed One said, “It is wonderful, Moggallana, it is marvellous, how that misguided man waited till he was taken by the arm”. Then the Blessed One addressed the Bhikkhus thus: “I shall now recite the Patimokkha.

Now on you yourselves will participate in the Uposatha and recite the Patimokkha. It is impossible, it cannot happen, that a Perfect One should participate in the Uposatha and recite the Patimokkha in an assembly.” Thus came into being the recitation by the Sangha of Bhikkhus themselves the Patimokkha, which Vinaya act, which will being continued by the Sangha of Bhikkhus.