Bu Pc 56

56. Jotikasikkhāpada

Tena samayena buddho bhagavā bhaggesu viharati susumāragire bhesakaḷāvane migadāye. Tena kho pana samayena bhikkhū hemantike kāle aññataraṁ mahantaṁ susirakaṭṭhaṁ jotiṁ samādahitvā visibbesuṁ. Tasmiñca susire kaṇhasappo agginā santatto nikkhamitvā bhikkhū paripātesi. Bhikkhū tahaṁ tahaṁ upadhāviṁsu. Ye te bhikkhū appicchā …pe… te ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti— “kathañhi nāma bhikkhū jotiṁ samādahitvā visibbessantī”ti …pe… “saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhū jotiṁ samādahitvā visibbentī”ti? “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti. Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… kathañhi nāma te, bhikkhave, moghapurisā jotiṁ samādahitvā visibbessanti. Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe… evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—

Lighting a fire Origin story First substory

At one time the Buddha was staying in the Bhagga country at Susumāragira in the Bhesakaḷā Grove, the deer park. At that time, during winter, the monks were warming themselves after setting fire to a hollow log. Heated by the fire, a black snake came out of the log and attacked the monks. The monks ran here and there. The monks of few desires complained and criticized them, “How could those monks light a fire to warm themselves?” … “Is it true, monks, that monks did this?” “It’s true, sir.” The Buddha rebuked them … “How could those foolish men do this? This will affect people’s confidence …” … “And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

“Yo pana bhikkhu visibbanāpekkho jotiṁ samādaheyya vā samādahāpeyya vā, pācittiyan”ti.

First preliminary ruling

‘If a monk lights a fire to warm himself, or has one lit, he commits an offense entailing confession.’”

Evañcidaṁ bhagavatā bhikkhūnaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ paññattaṁ hoti.

In this way the Buddha laid down this training rule for the monks.

Tena kho pana samayena bhikkhū gilānā honti. Gilānapucchakā bhikkhū gilāne bhikkhū etadavocuṁ— “kaccāvuso, khamanīyaṁ, kacci yāpanīyan”ti? “Pubbe mayaṁ, āvuso, jotiṁ samādahitvā visibbema; tena no phāsu hoti. Idāni pana ‘bhagavatā paṭikkhittan’ti kukkuccāyantā na visibbema, tena no na phāsu hotī”ti. Bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ …pe… anujānāmi, bhikkhave, gilānena bhikkhunā jotiṁ samādahitvā vā samādahāpetvā vā visibbetuṁ. Evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—

Second substory

At one time a number of monks were sick. The monks who were looking after them asked, “I hope you’re bearing up? I hope you’re getting better?” “Previously we lit a fire to warm ourselves, and then we were comfortable. But now that the Buddha has prohibited this, we don’t warm ourselves because we’re afraid of wrongdoing. Because of that we’re not comfortable.” They told the Buddha. Soon afterwards he gave a teaching and addressed the monks: “Monks, I allow a sick monk to light a fire to warm himself, or to have one lit. And so, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

“Yo pana bhikkhu agilāno visibbanāpekkho jotiṁ samādaheyya vā samādahāpeyya vā, pācittiyan”ti.

Second preliminary ruling

‘If a monk who is not sick lights a fire to warm himself, or has one lit, he commits an offense entailing confession.’”

Evañcidaṁ bhagavatā bhikkhūnaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ paññattaṁ hoti.

In this way the Buddha laid down this training rule for the monks.

Tena kho pana samayena bhikkhū padīpepi jotikepi jantāgharepi kukkuccāyanti. Bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ …pe… anujānāmi, bhikkhave, tathārūpappaccayā jotiṁ samādahituṁ samādahāpetuṁ. Evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—

Third substory

Soon afterwards the monks did not light lamps, small fires, or saunas because they were afraid of wrongdoing. They told the Buddha … “Monks, I allow you to light a fire, or to have one lit, if there’s a suitable reason. And so, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

“Yo pana bhikkhu agilāno visibbanāpekkho jotiṁ samādaheyya vā samādahāpeyya vā, aññatra tathārūpappaccayā, pācittiyan”ti.

Final ruling

‘If a monk who is not sick lights a fire to warm himself, or has one lit, except if there is a suitable reason, he commits an offense entailing confession.’”

Yo panāti yo yādiso …pe… bhikkhūti …pe… ayaṁ imasmiṁ atthe adhippeto bhikkhūti. Agilāno nāma yassa vinā agginā phāsu hoti. Gilāno nāma yassa vinā agginā na phāsu hoti. Visibbanāpekkhoti tappitukāmo. Joti nāma aggi vuccati. Samādaheyyāti sayaṁ samādahati, āpatti pācittiyassa. Samādahāpeyyāti aññaṁ āṇāpeti, āpatti pācittiyassa. Sakiṁ āṇatto bahukampi samādahati, āpatti pācittiyassa. Aññatra tathā rūpappaccayāti ṭhapetvā tathārūpappaccayaṁ.

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. Who is not sick: who is comfortable without a fire. Who is sick: who is not comfortable without a fire. To warm himself: wanting to heat himself. A fire: flames are what is meant. Lights: if he lights it himself, he commits an offense entailing confession. Has one lit: if he asks another, he commits an offense entailing confession. If he only asks once, then even if the other lights many fires, he commits one offense entailing confession. Except if there is a suitable reason: unless there is a suitable reason.

Agilāno agilānasaññī visibbanāpekkho jotiṁ samādahati vā samādahāpeti vā, aññatra tathārūpappaccayā, āpatti pācittiyassa. Agilāno vematiko visibbanāpekkho jotiṁ samādahati vā samādahāpeti vā, aññatra tathārūpappaccayā, āpatti pācittiyassa. Agilāno gilānasaññī visibbanāpekkho jotiṁ samādahati vā samādahāpeti vā, aññatra tathārūpappaccayā, āpatti pācittiyassa. Paṭilātaṁ ukkhipati, āpatti dukkaṭassa. Gilāno agilānasaññī, āpatti dukkaṭassa. Gilāno vematiko, āpatti dukkaṭassa. Gilāno gilānasaññī, anāpatti.

Permutations

If he is not sick, and he does not perceive himself as sick, and he lights a fire to warm himself, or has one lit, except if there is a suitable reason, he commits an offense entailing confession. If he is not sick, but he is unsure of it, and he lights a fire to warm himself, or has one lit, except if there is a suitable reason, he commits an offense entailing confession. If he is not sick, but he perceives himself as sick, and he lights a fire to warm himself, or has one lit, except if there is a suitable reason, he commits an offense entailing confession. If he puts back a burning piece of wood that has fallen off, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If he is sick, but he does not perceive himself as sick, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If he is sick, but he is unsure of it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If he is sick, and he perceives himself as sick, there is no offense.

Anāpatti— gilānassa, aññena kataṁ visibbeti, vītaccitaṅgāraṁ visibbeti, padīpe jotike jantāghare tathārūpappaccayā, āpadāsu, ummattakassa, ādikammikassāti.

Non-offenses

There is no offense: if he is sick; if he warms himself over a fire lit by another; if he warms himself over flameless coals; if he lights a lamp, a small fire, or a sauna, when there is a suitable reason; if there is an emergency; if he is insane; if he is the first offender.