Perils of Offenses

“Mendicants, there are these four perils of offenses.What four?

“Cattārimāni, bhikkhave, āpattibhayāni. Katamāni cattāri?

“Mendicants, there are these four perils of offenses.“Cattārimāni, bhikkhave, āpattibhayāni. What four?Katamāni cattāri?

Suppose they were to arrest a bandit, a criminal and present him to the king, saying:‘Your Majesty, this is a bandit, a criminal.May Your Majesty punish them!’The king would say:‘Go, my men, and tie this man’s arms tightly behind his back with a strong rope. Shave his head and march him from street to street and square to square to the beating of a harsh drum. Then take him out the south gate and there, to the south of the city, chop off his head.’The king’s men would do as they were told.Then a bystander might think:‘This man must have done a truly bad and reprehensible deed, a capital offense.There’s no way I’d ever do such a bad and reprehensible deed, a capital offense.’In the same way, take any monk or nun who has set up such an acute perception of peril regarding expulsion offenses.It can be expected that if they haven’t committed an expulsion offense they won’t, and if they committed one they will deal with it properly.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, coraṁ āgucāriṁ gahetvā rañño dasseyyuṁ: ‘ayaṁ te, deva, coro āgucārī. Imassa devo daṇḍaṁ paṇetū’ti. Tamenaṁ rājā evaṁ vadeyya: ‘gacchatha, bho, imaṁ purisaṁ daḷhāya rajjuyā pacchābāhaṁ gāḷhabandhanaṁ bandhitvā khuramuṇḍaṁ karitvā kharassarena paṇavena rathikāya rathikaṁ siṅghāṭakena siṅghāṭakaṁ parinetvā dakkhiṇena dvārena nikkhāmetvā dakkhiṇato nagarassa sīsaṁ chindathā’ti. Tamenaṁ rañño purisā daḷhāya rajjuyā pacchābāhaṁ gāḷhabandhanaṁ bandhitvā khuramuṇḍaṁ karitvā kharassarena paṇavena rathikāya rathikaṁ siṅghāṭakena siṅghāṭakaṁ parinetvā dakkhiṇena dvārena nikkhāmetvā dakkhiṇato nagarassa sīsaṁ chindeyyuṁ. Tatraññatarassa thalaṭṭhassa purisassa evamassa: ‘pāpakaṁ vata, bho, ayaṁ puriso kammaṁ akāsi gārayhaṁ sīsacchejjaṁ. Yatra hi nāma rañño purisā daḷhāya rajjuyā pacchābāhaṁ gāḷhabandhanaṁ bandhitvā khuramuṇḍaṁ karitvā kharassarena paṇavena rathikāya rathikaṁ siṅghāṭakena siṅghāṭakaṁ parinetvā dakkhiṇena dvārena nikkhāmetvā dakkhiṇato nagarassa sīsaṁ chindissanti. So vatassāhaṁ evarūpaṁ pāpakammaṁ na kareyyaṁ gārayhaṁ sīsacchejjan’ti. *vatassāhaṁ → so vatassāyaṁ (bj, sya-all) | pāpakammaṁ → pāpaṁ kammaṁ (bj, pts1ed) | na kareyyaṁ → na kareyya (si, sya-all)Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, yassa kassaci bhikkhussa vā bhikkhuniyā vā evaṁ tibbā bhayasaññā paccupaṭṭhitā hoti pārājikesu dhammesu. Tassetaṁ pāṭikaṅkhaṁ—anāpanno vā pārājikaṁ dhammaṁ na āpajjissati, āpanno vā pārājikaṁ dhammaṁ yathādhammaṁ paṭikarissati.

Suppose they were to arrest a bandit, a criminal and present him to the king, saying:Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, coraṁ āgucāriṁ gahetvā rañño dasseyyuṁ: ‘Your Majesty, this is a bandit, a criminal.‘ayaṁ te, deva, coro āgucārī. May Your Majesty punish them!’Imassa devo daṇḍaṁ paṇetū’ti. The king would say:Tamenaṁ rājā evaṁ vadeyya: ‘Go, my men, and tie this man’s arms tightly behind his back with a strong rope. Shave his head and march him from street to street and square to square to the beating of a harsh drum. Then take him out the south gate and there, to the south of the city, chop off his head.’‘gacchatha, bho, imaṁ purisaṁ daḷhāya rajjuyā pacchābāhaṁ gāḷhabandhanaṁ bandhitvā khuramuṇḍaṁ karitvā kharassarena paṇavena rathikāya rathikaṁ siṅghāṭakena siṅghāṭakaṁ parinetvā dakkhiṇena dvārena nikkhāmetvā dakkhiṇato nagarassa sīsaṁ chindathā’ti. The king’s men would do as they were told.Tamenaṁ rañño purisā daḷhāya rajjuyā pacchābāhaṁ gāḷhabandhanaṁ bandhitvā khuramuṇḍaṁ karitvā kharassarena paṇavena rathikāya rathikaṁ siṅghāṭakena siṅghāṭakaṁ parinetvā dakkhiṇena dvārena nikkhāmetvā dakkhiṇato nagarassa sīsaṁ chindeyyuṁ. Then a bystander might think:Tatraññatarassa thalaṭṭhassa purisassa evamassa: ‘This man must have done a truly bad and reprehensible deed, a capital offense.‘pāpakaṁ vata, bho, ayaṁ puriso kammaṁ akāsi gārayhaṁ sīsacchejjaṁ. Yatra hi nāma rañño purisā daḷhāya rajjuyā pacchābāhaṁ gāḷhabandhanaṁ bandhitvā khuramuṇḍaṁ karitvā kharassarena paṇavena rathikāya rathikaṁ siṅghāṭakena siṅghāṭakaṁ parinetvā dakkhiṇena dvārena nikkhāmetvā dakkhiṇato nagarassa sīsaṁ chindissanti. There’s no way I’d ever do such a bad and reprehensible deed, a capital offense.’So vatassāhaṁ evarūpaṁ pāpakammaṁ na kareyyaṁ gārayhaṁ sīsacchejjan’ti. *vatassāhaṁ → so vatassāyaṁ (bj, sya-all) | pāpakammaṁ → pāpaṁ kammaṁ (bj, pts1ed) | na kareyyaṁ → na kareyya (si, sya-all)In the same way, take any monk or nun who has set up such an acute perception of peril regarding expulsion offenses.Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, yassa kassaci bhikkhussa vā bhikkhuniyā vā evaṁ tibbā bhayasaññā paccupaṭṭhitā hoti pārājikesu dhammesu. It can be expected that if they haven’t committed an expulsion offense they won’t, and if they committed one they will deal with it properly.Tassetaṁ pāṭikaṅkhaṁ—anāpanno vā pārājikaṁ dhammaṁ na āpajjissati, āpanno vā pārājikaṁ dhammaṁ yathādhammaṁ paṭikarissati.

Suppose a man was to put on a black cloth, mess up his hair, and put a club on his shoulder. Then he approaches a large crowd and says:‘Sirs, I’ve done a bad and reprehensible deed, deserving of clubbing. I submit to your pleasure.’Then a bystander might think:‘This man must have done a truly bad and reprehensible deed, deserving of clubbing. …There’s no way I’d ever do such a bad and reprehensible deed, deserving of clubbing.’In the same way, take any monk or nun who has set up such an acute perception of peril regarding suspension offenses. It can be expected that if they haven’t committed a suspension offense they won’t, and if they committed one they will deal with it properly.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso kāḷavatthaṁ paridhāya kese pakiritvā musalaṁ khandhe āropetvā mahājanakāyaṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ vadeyya: *kāḷavatthaṁ → kāḷakaṁ vatthaṁ (bj, sya-all, km, pts1ed)‘ahaṁ, bhante, pāpakammaṁ akāsiṁ gārayhaṁ mosallaṁ, yena me āyasmanto attamanā honti taṁ karomī’ti. Tatraññatarassa thalaṭṭhassa purisassa evamassa: ‘pāpakaṁ vata, bho, ayaṁ puriso kammaṁ akāsi gārayhaṁ mosallaṁ. Yatra hi nāma kāḷavatthaṁ paridhāya kese pakiritvā musalaṁ khandhe āropetvā mahājanakāyaṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ vakkhati: “ahaṁ, bhante, pāpakammaṁ akāsiṁ gārayhaṁ mosallaṁ, yena me āyasmanto attamanā honti taṁ karomī”ti. So vatassāhaṁ evarūpaṁ pāpakammaṁ na kareyyaṁ gārayhaṁ mosallan’ti. Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, yassa kassaci bhikkhussa vā bhikkhuniyā vā evaṁ tibbā bhayasaññā paccupaṭṭhitā hoti saṅghādisesesu dhammesu, tassetaṁ pāṭikaṅkhaṁ—anāpanno vā saṅghādisesaṁ dhammaṁ na āpajjissati, āpanno vā saṅghādisesaṁ dhammaṁ yathādhammaṁ paṭikarissati.

Suppose a man was to put on a black cloth, mess up his hair, and put a club on his shoulder. Then he approaches a large crowd and says:Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso kāḷavatthaṁ paridhāya kese pakiritvā musalaṁ khandhe āropetvā mahājanakāyaṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ vadeyya: *kāḷavatthaṁ → kāḷakaṁ vatthaṁ (bj, sya-all, km, pts1ed)‘Sirs, I’ve done a bad and reprehensible deed, deserving of clubbing. I submit to your pleasure.’‘ahaṁ, bhante, pāpakammaṁ akāsiṁ gārayhaṁ mosallaṁ, yena me āyasmanto attamanā honti taṁ karomī’ti. Then a bystander might think:Tatraññatarassa thalaṭṭhassa purisassa evamassa: ‘This man must have done a truly bad and reprehensible deed, deserving of clubbing. …‘pāpakaṁ vata, bho, ayaṁ puriso kammaṁ akāsi gārayhaṁ mosallaṁ. Yatra hi nāma kāḷavatthaṁ paridhāya kese pakiritvā musalaṁ khandhe āropetvā mahājanakāyaṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ vakkhati: “ahaṁ, bhante, pāpakammaṁ akāsiṁ gārayhaṁ mosallaṁ, yena me āyasmanto attamanā honti taṁ karomī”ti. There’s no way I’d ever do such a bad and reprehensible deed, deserving of clubbing.’So vatassāhaṁ evarūpaṁ pāpakammaṁ na kareyyaṁ gārayhaṁ mosallan’ti. In the same way, take any monk or nun who has set up such an acute perception of peril regarding suspension offenses. It can be expected that if they haven’t committed a suspension offense they won’t, and if they committed one they will deal with it properly.Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, yassa kassaci bhikkhussa vā bhikkhuniyā vā evaṁ tibbā bhayasaññā paccupaṭṭhitā hoti saṅghādisesesu dhammesu, tassetaṁ pāṭikaṅkhaṁ—anāpanno vā saṅghādisesaṁ dhammaṁ na āpajjissati, āpanno vā saṅghādisesaṁ dhammaṁ yathādhammaṁ paṭikarissati.

Suppose a man was to put on a black cloth, mess up his hair, and put a sack of ashes on his shoulder. Then he approaches a large crowd and says:‘Sirs, I’ve done a bad and reprehensible deed, deserving of a sack of ashes.I submit to your pleasure.’Then a bystander might think:‘This man must have done a truly bad and reprehensible deed, deserving of a sack of ashes. …There’s no way I’d ever do such a bad and reprehensible deed, deserving of a sack of ashes.’In the same way, take any monk or nun who has set up such an acute perception of peril regarding confessable offenses. It can be expected that if they haven’t committed a confessable offense they won’t, and if they committed one they will deal with it properly.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso kāḷavatthaṁ paridhāya kese pakiritvā bhasmapuṭaṁ khandhe āropetvā mahājanakāyaṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ vadeyya: *bhasmapuṭaṁ → assapuṭaṁ (bj, sya-all, km, pts1ed)‘ahaṁ, bhante, pāpakammaṁ akāsiṁ gārayhaṁ bhasmapuṭaṁ. Yena me āyasmanto attamanā honti taṁ karomī’ti. Tatraññatarassa thalaṭṭhassa purisassa evamassa: ‘pāpakaṁ vata, bho, ayaṁ puriso kammaṁ akāsi gārayhaṁ bhasmapuṭaṁ. Yatra hi nāma kāḷavatthaṁ paridhāya kese pakiritvā bhasmapuṭaṁ khandhe āropetvā mahājanakāyaṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ vakkhati: “ahaṁ, bhante, pāpakammaṁ akāsiṁ gārayhaṁ bhasmapuṭaṁ; yena me āyasmanto attamanā honti taṁ karomī”ti. So vatassāhaṁ evarūpaṁ pāpakammaṁ na kareyyaṁ gārayhaṁ bhasmapuṭan’ti. Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, yassa kassaci bhikkhussa vā bhikkhuniyā vā evaṁ tibbā bhayasaññā paccupaṭṭhitā hoti pācittiyesu dhammesu, tassetaṁ pāṭikaṅkhaṁ—anāpanno vā pācittiyaṁ dhammaṁ na āpajjissati, āpanno vā pācittiyaṁ dhammaṁ yathādhammaṁ paṭikarissati.

Suppose a man was to put on a black cloth, mess up his hair, and put a sack of ashes on his shoulder. Then he approaches a large crowd and says:Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso kāḷavatthaṁ paridhāya kese pakiritvā bhasmapuṭaṁ khandhe āropetvā mahājanakāyaṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ vadeyya: *bhasmapuṭaṁ → assapuṭaṁ (bj, sya-all, km, pts1ed)‘Sirs, I’ve done a bad and reprehensible deed, deserving of a sack of ashes.‘ahaṁ, bhante, pāpakammaṁ akāsiṁ gārayhaṁ bhasmapuṭaṁ. I submit to your pleasure.’Yena me āyasmanto attamanā honti taṁ karomī’ti. Then a bystander might think:Tatraññatarassa thalaṭṭhassa purisassa evamassa: ‘This man must have done a truly bad and reprehensible deed, deserving of a sack of ashes. …‘pāpakaṁ vata, bho, ayaṁ puriso kammaṁ akāsi gārayhaṁ bhasmapuṭaṁ. Yatra hi nāma kāḷavatthaṁ paridhāya kese pakiritvā bhasmapuṭaṁ khandhe āropetvā mahājanakāyaṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ vakkhati: “ahaṁ, bhante, pāpakammaṁ akāsiṁ gārayhaṁ bhasmapuṭaṁ; yena me āyasmanto attamanā honti taṁ karomī”ti. There’s no way I’d ever do such a bad and reprehensible deed, deserving of a sack of ashes.’So vatassāhaṁ evarūpaṁ pāpakammaṁ na kareyyaṁ gārayhaṁ bhasmapuṭan’ti. In the same way, take any monk or nun who has set up such an acute perception of peril regarding confessable offenses. It can be expected that if they haven’t committed a confessable offense they won’t, and if they committed one they will deal with it properly.Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, yassa kassaci bhikkhussa vā bhikkhuniyā vā evaṁ tibbā bhayasaññā paccupaṭṭhitā hoti pācittiyesu dhammesu, tassetaṁ pāṭikaṅkhaṁ—anāpanno vā pācittiyaṁ dhammaṁ na āpajjissati, āpanno vā pācittiyaṁ dhammaṁ yathādhammaṁ paṭikarissati.

Suppose a man was to put on a black cloth and mess up his hair. Then he approaches a large crowd and says:‘Sirs, I’ve done a bad and reprehensible deed, deserving of criticism.I submit to your pleasure.’Then a bystander might think:‘This man must have done a truly bad and reprehensible deed, deserving of criticism. …There’s no way I’d ever do such a bad and reprehensible deed, deserving of criticism.’In the same way, take any monk or nun who has set up such an acute perception of peril regarding confessable offenses. It can be expected that if they haven’t committed an confessable offense they won’t, and if they committed one they will deal with it properly.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso kāḷavatthaṁ paridhāya kese pakiritvā mahājanakāyaṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ vadeyya: ‘ahaṁ, bhante, pāpakammaṁ akāsiṁ gārayhaṁ upavajjaṁ. Yena me āyasmanto attamanā honti taṁ karomī’ti. Tatraññatarassa thalaṭṭhassa purisassa evamassa: ‘pāpakaṁ vata, bho, ayaṁ puriso kammaṁ akāsi gārayhaṁ upavajjaṁ. Yatra hi nāma kāḷavatthaṁ paridhāya kese pakiritvā mahājanakāyaṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ vakkhati: “ahaṁ, bhante, pāpakammaṁ akāsiṁ gārayhaṁ upavajjaṁ; yena me āyasmanto attamanā honti taṁ karomī”ti. So vatassāhaṁ evarūpaṁ pāpakammaṁ na kareyyaṁ gārayhaṁ upavajjan’ti. Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, yassa kassaci bhikkhussa vā bhikkhuniyā vā evaṁ tibbā bhayasaññā paccupaṭṭhitā hoti pāṭidesanīyesu dhammesu, tassetaṁ pāṭikaṅkhaṁ—anāpanno vā pāṭidesanīyaṁ dhammaṁ na āpajjissati, āpanno vā pāṭidesanīyaṁ dhammaṁ yathādhammaṁ paṭikarissati.

Suppose a man was to put on a black cloth and mess up his hair. Then he approaches a large crowd and says:Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso kāḷavatthaṁ paridhāya kese pakiritvā mahājanakāyaṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ vadeyya: ‘Sirs, I’ve done a bad and reprehensible deed, deserving of criticism.‘ahaṁ, bhante, pāpakammaṁ akāsiṁ gārayhaṁ upavajjaṁ. I submit to your pleasure.’Yena me āyasmanto attamanā honti taṁ karomī’ti. Then a bystander might think:Tatraññatarassa thalaṭṭhassa purisassa evamassa: ‘This man must have done a truly bad and reprehensible deed, deserving of criticism. …‘pāpakaṁ vata, bho, ayaṁ puriso kammaṁ akāsi gārayhaṁ upavajjaṁ. Yatra hi nāma kāḷavatthaṁ paridhāya kese pakiritvā mahājanakāyaṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ vakkhati: “ahaṁ, bhante, pāpakammaṁ akāsiṁ gārayhaṁ upavajjaṁ; yena me āyasmanto attamanā honti taṁ karomī”ti. There’s no way I’d ever do such a bad and reprehensible deed, deserving of criticism.’So vatassāhaṁ evarūpaṁ pāpakammaṁ na kareyyaṁ gārayhaṁ upavajjan’ti. In the same way, take any monk or nun who has set up such an acute perception of peril regarding confessable offenses. It can be expected that if they haven’t committed an confessable offense they won’t, and if they committed one they will deal with it properly.Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, yassa kassaci bhikkhussa vā bhikkhuniyā vā evaṁ tibbā bhayasaññā paccupaṭṭhitā hoti pāṭidesanīyesu dhammesu, tassetaṁ pāṭikaṅkhaṁ—anāpanno vā pāṭidesanīyaṁ dhammaṁ na āpajjissati, āpanno vā pāṭidesanīyaṁ dhammaṁ yathādhammaṁ paṭikarissati.