70. Kaṇṭakasikkhāpada
Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tena kho pana samayena kaṇṭakassa nāma samaṇuddesassa evarūpaṁ pāpakaṁ diṭṭhigataṁ uppannaṁ hoti— “tathāhaṁ bhagavatā dhammaṁ desitaṁ ājānāmi, yathā yeme antarāyikā dhammā vuttā bhagavatā te paṭisevato nālaṁ antarāyāyā”ti. Assosuṁ kho sambahulā bhikkhū kaṇṭakassa nāma kira samaṇuddesassa evarūpaṁ pāpakaṁ diṭṭhigataṁ uppannaṁ— “tathāhaṁ bhagavatā dhammaṁ desitaṁ ājānāmi, yathā yeme antarāyikā dhammā vuttā bhagavatā, te paṭisevato nālaṁ antarāyāyā”ti. Atha kho te bhikkhū yena kaṇṭako samaṇuddeso tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā kaṇṭakaṁ samaṇuddesaṁ etadavocuṁ— “saccaṁ kira te, āvuso kaṇṭaka, evarūpaṁ pāpakaṁ diṭṭhigataṁ uppannaṁ— ‘tathāhaṁ bhagavatā dhammaṁ desitaṁ ājānāmi, yathā yeme antarāyikā dhammā vuttā bhagavatā te paṭisevato nālaṁ antarāyāyā’”ti? “Evaṁ byā kho ahaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā dhammaṁ desitaṁ ājānāmi— ‘yathā yeme antarāyikā dhammā vuttā bhagavatā te paṭisevato nālaṁ antarāyāyā’”ti. “Mā, āvuso kaṇṭaka, evaṁ avaca. Mā bhagavantaṁ abbhācikkhi. Na hi sādhu bhagavato abbhakkhānaṁ. Na hi bhagavā evaṁ vadeyya. Anekapariyāyenāvuso kaṇṭaka, antarāyikā dhammā antarāyikā vuttā bhagavatā. Alañca pana te paṭisevato antarāyāya. Appassādā kāmā vuttā bhagavatā bahudukkhā bahupāyāsā, ādīnavo ettha bhiyyo …pe… evampi kho kaṇṭako samaṇuddeso tehi bhikkhūhi vuccamāno tatheva taṁ pāpakaṁ diṭṭhigataṁ thāmasā parāmāsā abhinivissa voharati— “evaṁ byā kho ahaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā dhammaṁ desitaṁ ājānāmi— ‘yathā yeme antarāyikā dhammā vuttā bhagavatā te paṭisevato nālaṁ antarāyāyā’”ti. Yato ca kho te bhikkhū nāsakkhiṁsu kaṇṭakaṁ samaṇuddesaṁ etasmā pāpakā diṭṭhigatā vivecetuṁ, atha kho te bhikkhū yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ. Atha kho bhagavā etasmiṁ nidāne etasmiṁ pakaraṇe bhikkhusaṅghaṁ sannipātāpetvā kaṇṭakaṁ samaṇuddesaṁ paṭipucchi— “saccaṁ kira te, kaṇṭaka, evarūpaṁ pāpakaṁ diṭṭhigataṁ uppannaṁ— ‘tathāhaṁ bhagavatā dhammaṁ desitaṁ ājānāmi, yathā yeme antarāyikā dhammā vuttā bhagavatā te paṭisevato nālaṁ antarāyāyā’”ti? “Evaṁ byā kho ahaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā dhammaṁ desitaṁ ājānāmi— ‘yathā yeme antarāyikā dhammā vuttā bhagavatā te paṭisevato nālaṁ antarāyāyā’”ti. “Kassa nu kho nāma tvaṁ, moghapurisa, mayā evaṁ dhammaṁ desitaṁ ājānāsi? Nanu mayā, moghapurisa, anekapariyāyena antarāyikā dhammā antarāyikā vuttā, alañca pana te paṭisevato antarāyāya? Appassādā kāmā vuttā mayā bahudukkhā bahupāyāsā, ādīnavo ettha bhiyyo. Aṭṭhikaṅkalūpamā kāmā vuttā mayā …pe… sappasirūpamā kāmā vuttā mayā bahudukkhā bahupāyāsā, ādīnavo ettha bhiyyo. Atha ca pana tvaṁ, moghapurisa, attanā duggahitena amhe ceva abbhācikkhasi attānañca khaṇasi bahuñca apuññaṁ pasavasi. Tañhi te, moghapurisa, bhavissati dīgharattaṁ ahitāya dukkhāya. Netaṁ, moghapurisa, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe… pasannānañca ekaccānaṁ aññathattāyā”ti. Vigarahitvā …pe… dhammiṁ kathaṁ katvā bhikkhū āmantesi— “tena hi, bhikkhave, saṅgho kaṇṭakaṁ samaṇuddesaṁ nāsetu. Evañca pana, bhikkhave, nāsetabbo— ‘ajjatagge te, āvuso kaṇṭaka, na ceva so bhagavā satthā apadisitabbo. Yampi caññe samaṇuddesā labhanti bhikkhūhi saddhiṁ dirattatirattaṁ sahaseyyaṁ sāpi te natthi. Cara pire vinassā’”ti. Atha kho saṅgho kaṇṭakaṁ samaṇuddesaṁ nāsesi. Tena kho pana samayena chabbaggiyā bhikkhū jānaṁ tathānāsitaṁ kaṇṭakaṁ samaṇuddesaṁ upalāpentipi upaṭṭhāpentipi sambhuñjantipi sahāpi seyyaṁ kappenti. Ye te bhikkhū appicchā …pe… te ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti— “kathañhi nāma chabbaggiyā bhikkhū jānaṁ tathānāsitaṁ kaṇṭakaṁ samaṇuddesaṁ upalāpessantipi upaṭṭhāpessantipi sambhuñjissantipi sahāpi seyyaṁ kappessantī”ti …pe… “saccaṁ kira tumhe, bhikkhave, jānaṁ tathānāsitaṁ kaṇṭakaṁ samaṇuddesaṁ upalāpethāpi upaṭṭhāpethāpi sambhuñjathāpi sahāpi seyyaṁ kappethā”ti? “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti. Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… kathañhi nāma tumhe, moghapurisā, jānaṁ tathānāsitaṁ kaṇṭakaṁ samaṇuddesaṁ upalāpessathāpi upaṭṭhāpessathāpi sambhuñjissathāpi sahāpi seyyaṁ kappessatha. Netaṁ, moghapurisā, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe… evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—
Supporting a novice monk with a bad view Origin story
At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery. At that time the novice monastic Kaṇṭaka had the following bad and erroneous view: “As I understand the Teaching of the Buddha, the things he calls obstacles are unable to obstruct one who indulges in them.” A number of monks heard that the novice monastic Kaṇṭaka had that view. They went to see him and asked, “Is it true, Kaṇṭaka, that you have such a view?” “Yes, indeed. As I understand the Buddha’s Teaching, the things he calls obstacles are unable to obstruct one who indulges in them.” “No, Kaṇṭaka, don’t misrepresent the Buddha, for it’s not good to misrepresent him. The Buddha would never say such a thing. The Buddha has given many discourses about the obstacles being obstructive and how they obstruct one who indulges in them. The Buddha has said that the enjoyment provided by worldly pleasures is small, whereas the suffering and trouble with them are huge, and so their drawbacks are greater. …” But even though the monks corrected Kaṇṭaka like this, he stubbornly held on to that bad and erroneous view, and he continued to insist on it. Since those monks were unable to make him give up that view, they went to the Buddha and told him what had happened. Soon afterwards the Buddha had the Sangha gathered and questioned the Kaṇṭaka: “Is it true, Kaṇṭaka, that you have such a view?” “Yes indeed, venerable sir.” “Foolish man, who do you think I have taught like this? Haven’t I given many discourses about the obstacles being obstructive and how they obstruct one who indulges in them? I have said that the enjoyment provided by worldly pleasures is small, whereas the suffering and trouble with them are huge, and so their drawbacks are greater. I have said that worldly pleasures are similar to a skeleton … similar to a snake’s head; the suffering and trouble with them are huge, and so their drawbacks are greater. And yet, foolish man, by misunderstanding you have misrepresented me, hurt yourself, and made much demerit. This will be for your long-lasting harm and suffering. This will affect people’s confidence, and cause some to lose it.” Having rebuked him … the Buddha gave a teaching and addressed the monks: “Well then, monks, the Sangha should expel the novice monastic Kaṇṭaka. And this is how he should be expelled: ‘From today, Kaṇṭaka, you may not refer to the Buddha as your teacher. And, unlike other novices, you can no longer share a sleeping place with the monks for two or three nights. Go! Away with you!’” The Sangha then expelled Kaṇṭaka. Soon afterwards the monks from the group of six befriended Kaṇṭaka, and they were attended on by him, lived with him, and shared a sleeping place with him. Yet they knew that he had been expelled. The monks of few desires complained and criticized those monks, “How can the monks from the group of six befriend Kaṇṭaka, and be attended on by him, live with him, and share a sleeping place with him, even though they know that he has been expelled?” … “Is it true, monks, that you do this?” “It’s true, sir.” The Buddha rebuked them … “Foolish men, how can you do this? This will affect people’s confidence …” … “And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this: