Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law

The Great Analysis

The chapter on offenses entailing suspension

3. The training rule on indecent speech

Origin story

At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery.

At that time Venerable Udāyī was staying in a beautiful dwelling in the wilderness.

On one occasion a number of women came to the monastery to see the dwellings.

They approached Udāyī

and said,

“Venerable, we would like to see your dwelling.”

Then, after showing them his dwelling, he praised and disparaged their private parts; he requested and implored, asked and enquired, described, instructed, and abused their private parts.

The shameless and indecent women flirted with Udāyī; they called out to him, laughed with him, and teased him.

But after leaving, those of them who had a sense of shame complained to the monks,

“Venerables, this isn’t suitable or appropriate.

We wouldn’t want to hear such speech from our own husbands, let alone from Venerable Udāyī.”

The monks of few desires complained and criticized him,

“How could Venerable Udāyī speak indecently to women?”

They rebuked Udāyī in many ways and told the Buddha.

The Buddha had the Sangha gathered and questioned Udāyī:

“Is it true, Udāyī, that you spoke like this?”

“It’s true, sir.”

The Buddha rebuked him,

“It’s not suitable, foolish man, it’s not proper, it’s not worthy of a monastic, it’s not allowable, it’s not to be done.

How could you speak like this?

Haven’t I given many teachings for the sake of dispassion, not for the sake of passion …

the stilling of the fevers of worldly pleasures?

This will affect people’s confidence …” …

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

Final ruling

‘If a monk, overcome by lust and with a distorted mind, speaks indecent words to a woman, as a young man might to a young woman and referring to sexual intercourse, he commits an offense entailing suspension.’”

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.

Overcome by lust:

having lust, longing for, in love with.

Distorted:

a lustful mind is distorted; an angry mind is distorted; a confused mind is distorted.

But in this case “distorted” refers to the lustful mind.

A woman:

a female human being, not a female spirit, not a female ghost, not a female animal. She understands and is capable of discerning bad speech and good speech, what is decent and what is indecent.

Indecent words:

speech connected with the anus, the vagina, or sexual intercourse.

Speaks:

misconduct is what is meant.

As a young man might to a young woman:

a male youth to a female youth, a boy to a girl, a male who indulges in worldly pleasures to a female who indulges in worldly pleasures.

Referring to sexual intercourse:

connected with the sexual act.

He commits an offense entailing suspension:

… Therefore, too, it is called “an offense entailing suspension”.

Permutations

Summary

Referring to the two private orifices, he praises, disparages, requests, implores, asks, enquires, describes, instructs, abuses.

Sub-definitions

Praises:

extols, praises, commends the two private orifices.

Disparages:

despises, reviles, censures the two private orifices.

Requests:

saying, “Give to me; you should give to me.”

Implores:

saying, “When will you please your mother?”

“When will you please your father?”

“When will you please the gods?”

“When will there be a good opportunity, a good time, a good moment?”

“When will I have sexual intercourse with you?”

Asks:

saying, “How do you give to your husband?”

“How do you give to your lover?”

Enquires:

saying, “So you give to your husband like this,

and to your lover like this?”

Describes:

when asked, he says, “Give like this. If you do, you’ll be dear and pleasing to your husband.”

Instructs:

without being asked, he says, “Give like this. If you do, you’ll be dear and pleasing to your husband.”

Abuses:

saying, “You lack genitals;”

“You have incomplete genitals;”

“You don’t menstruate;”

“You menstruate continuously;”

“You always wear a menstruation pad;”

“You’re incontinent;”

“You have genital prolapse;”

“You lack sexual organs;”

“You’re manlike;”

“You have fistula;”

“You’re a hermaphrodite.”

Exposition

Referring to the private parts of a single person or animal

It is a woman, he perceives her as a woman, and he has lust.

If the monk, referring to the anus or the vagina of the woman, praises, disparages, requests, implores, asks, enquires, describes, instructs, or abuses, he commits an offense entailing suspension. …

… (To be expanded as in Bu Ss 2:3.1.3–Bu Ss 2:3.1.49, with appropriate substitutions.) …

Referring to the private parts of two beings of the same kind

It is two women, he perceives them both as women, and he has lust.

If the monk, referring to the anus or the vagina of both women, praises, disparages …

or abuses, he commits two offenses entailing suspension.

… (To be expanded as in Bu Ss 2:3.2.4–Bu Ss 2:3.2.26, with appropriate substitutions.) …

Referring to the private parts of two beings of different kinds

It is a woman and a paṇḍaka, but he perceives both as women, and he has lust.

If the monk, referring to the anus or the vagina of both of them, praises, disparages …

or abuses, he commits one offense entailing suspension and one offense of wrong conduct.

… (To be expanded as in Bu Ss 2:3.3.4–Bu Ss 2:3.3.61, with appropriate substitutions.) …

Referring to other parts of the body: below the collar bone and above the knees

It is a woman, he perceives her as a woman, and he has lust.

If the monk, referring to any part of the woman below the collar bone but above the knees, apart from the anus or the vagina, praises, disparages …

or abuses, he commits a serious offense. …

It is two women, he perceives them both as women, and he has lust.

If the monk, referring to any part of both women below the collar bone but above the knees, apart from the anus or the vagina, praises, disparages …

or abuses, he commits two serious offenses. …

It is a woman and a paṇḍaka, but he perceives both as women, and he has lust.

If the monk, referring to any part of both of them below the collar bone but above the knees, apart from the anus or the vagina, praises, disparages …

or abuses, he commits one serious offense and one offense of wrong conduct. …

Referring to other parts of the body: above the collar bone or below the knees

It is a woman, he perceives her as a woman, and he has lust.

If the monk, referring to any part of the woman above the collar bone or below the knees, praises, disparages …

or abuses, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. …

It is two women, he perceives them both as women, and he has lust.

If the monk, referring to any part of both women above the collar bone or below the knees, praises, disparages …

or abuses, he commits two offenses of wrong conduct. …

It is a woman and a paṇḍaka, but he perceives both as women, and he has lust.

If the monk, referring to any part of both of them above the collar bone or below the knees, praises, disparages …

or abuses, he commits two offenses of wrong conduct. …

Referring to anything connected to the body

It is a woman, he perceives her as a woman, and he has lust.

If the monk, referring to anything connected to the woman’s body, praises, disparages …

or abuses, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. …

It is two women, he perceives them both as women, and he has lust.

If the monk, referring to anything connected to the body of both women, praises, disparages …

or abuses, he commits two offenses of wrong conduct. …

It is a woman and a paṇḍaka, but he perceives both as women, and he has lust.

If the monk, referring to anything connected to the body of both of them, praises, disparages …

or abuses, he commits two offenses of wrong conduct. …

Non-offenses

There is no offense:

if he is aiming at something beneficial;

if he is aiming at giving a teaching;

if he is aiming at giving an instruction;

if he is insane;

if he is the first offender.

Summary verses of case studies

“Red, coarse, thick,

Rough, long, sown;

I hope the path has an end,

Faith, with a gift, with work.”

Case studies

At one time a certain woman was wearing a newly dyed woolen cloak.

A lustful monk said to her,

“Sister, is that red thing yours?”

She did not understand and said,

“Yes, venerable, it’s a newly dyed woolen cloak.”

He became anxious and thought, “The Buddha has laid down a training rule. Could it be that I’ve committed an offense entailing suspension?”

He told the Buddha, who said,

“There’s no offense entailing suspension,

but there’s an offense of wrong conduct.”

At one time a certain woman was wearing a coarse woolen cloak.

A lustful monk said to her,

“Sister, is that coarse hair yours?”

She did not understand and said,

“Yes, venerable, it’s a coarse woolen cloak.”

He became anxious …

“There’s no offense entailing suspension,

but there’s an offense of wrong conduct.”

At one time a certain woman was wearing a newly woven woolen cloak.

A lustful monk said to her,

“Sister, is that thick hair yours?”

She did not understand and said,

“Yes, venerable, it’s a newly woven woolen cloak.”

He became anxious …

“There’s no offense entailing suspension,

but there’s an offense of wrong conduct.”

At one time a certain woman was wearing a rough woolen cloak.

A lustful monk said to her,

“Sister, is that rough hair yours?”

She did not understand and said,

“Yes, venerable, it’s a rough woolen cloak.”

He became anxious …

“There’s no offense entailing suspension,

but there’s an offense of wrong conduct.”

At one time a certain woman was wearing a fleecy upper robe.

A lustful monk said to her,

“Sister, is that long hair yours?”

She did not understand and said,

“Yes, venerable, it’s a fleecy upper robe.”

He became anxious …

“There’s no offense entailing suspension,

but there’s an offense of wrong conduct.”

At one time a certain woman was returning after having had a field sown.

A lustful monk said to her,

“Have you sown, Sister?”

She did not understand and said,

“Yes, venerable, but the furrow isn’t closed yet.”

He became anxious …

“There’s no offense entailing suspension,

but there’s an offense of wrong conduct.”

At one time a lustful monk saw a female wanderer coming in the opposite direction. He said to her,

“Sister, I hope the path has an end?”

She did not understand and said,

“Yes, just keep going.”

He became anxious …

“There’s no offense entailing suspension,

but there’s a serious offense.”

At one time a lustful monk said to a woman,

“You have faith, Sister,

yet you don’t give us what you give your husband.”

“What’s that, venerable?”

“Sexual intercourse.”

He became anxious …

“There’s an offense entailing suspension.”

At one time a lustful monk said to a woman,

“You have faith, Sister,

yet you don’t give us the highest gift.”

“What’s that, venerable?”

“Sexual intercourse.”

He became anxious …

“There’s an offense entailing suspension.”

At one time a certain woman was doing some work.

A lustful monk said to her,

“Stand, Sister, I’ll work.” …

“Sit, Sister, I’ll work.” …

“Lie down, Sister, I’ll work.”

She did not understand.

He became anxious …

“There’s no offense entailing suspension,

but there’s an offense of wrong conduct.”

The training rule on indecent speech, the third, is finished.