Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law

The Great Analysis

The chapter on offenses entailing confession

The subchapter on legitimately

74. The training rule on hitting

Origin story

At one time the when Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery,

the monks from the group of six hit the monks from the group of seventeen in anger.

They cried.

Other monks asked them why,

and they told them what had happened.

The monks of few desires complained and criticized them,

“How could the monks from the group of six hit other monks in anger?” …

“Is it true, monks, that you did this?”

“It’s true, sir.”

The Buddha rebuked them …

“Foolish men, how could you do this?

This will affect people’s confidence …” …

“And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

Final ruling

‘If a monk hits a monk in anger, he commits an offense entailing confession.’”

Definitions

A:

whoever …

Monk:

… The monk who has been given the full ordination by a unanimous Sangha through a legal procedure consisting of one motion and three announcements that is irreversible and fit to stand—this sort of monk is meant in this case.

A monk:

another monk.

In anger:

discontent, having hatred, hostile.

Hits:

if he hits with his body, with anything connected to his body, or with anything released, even if just with a lotus leaf, he commits an offense entailing confession.

Permutations

If it is one who is fully ordained, and he perceives him as such, and he hits him in anger, he commits an offense entailing confession.

If it is one who is fully ordained, but he is unsure of it, and he hits him in anger, he commits an offense entailing confession.

If it is one who is fully ordained, but he does not perceive him as such, and he hits him in anger, he commits an offense entailing confession.

If he hits one who is not fully ordained in anger, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If it is one who is not fully ordained, but he perceives them as such, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If it is one who is not fully ordained, but he is unsure of it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If it is one who is not fully ordained, and he does not perceive them as such, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

Non-offenses

There is no offense:

if he hits in self-defense;

if he is insane;

if he is the first offender.

The training rule on hitting, the fourth, is finished.