Be Not Immoral

Mark Wong

Seyyo ayoguḷo bhtto
Tattoo aggi sikhūpamo
Yañ ce bhuñjeyya dussilo
Rațțha piṇḍaṃ asaññto.

Dpd.308

It is better for one to eat a red-hot iron ball burning like a flame than to eat almsfood offered by the people, if one  is without morality (sīla) and unrestrained in thought, word, and deed.

Translated by K.S.Dhammananda

 

Purport:

The above Dhammapada verse is Gotama Buddha’s stern admonition to ordained monks and nuns who are lax towards the Vinaya – the Rules of Discipline for the monastic community (saṅgha). The Exalted One advises the fully  ordained  members of the Saṅgha on the danger of receiving almsfood from the devotees if they are  not worthy of them. Any monk or nun who is not morally restrained in body, speech and mind  are not worthy of accepting requisites including almsfood.

A fully ordained monk or nun is said to be without morality if he or she does not restrain themselves with Vinaya Rules of discipline (pātimokkhas) declared by Gotama Buddha. A fully ordained monk of the Theravāda tradition ought to restrain morally in his bodily, verbal and mental conduct  so as not to transgress 227 Vinaya Rules of Discipline (bhikkhu-pātimokkhā). The total number of Vinaya Rules of Discipline for nuns (bhikkhunīpātimokkhā) of the same tradition is 311. Thus, a monk’s or nun’s morality is purified by adhering to the pātimokkhā.

In addition, the monk (bhikkhu) or nun (bhikkhunī)  has to guard his six- sense door well by undertaking the training of the four foundations of mindfulness (cattāri satipațțhāna). Besides, he should  course diligently, resolutely and ardently in the Noble Eight Fold Path comprising the eight-fold training of right view, right thought, right speech, right actions, right livelihood, right efforts, right mindfulness and right concentration. Having undertaken such a training, a fully ordained monk or nun is worthy of accepting almsfood from the devotees.

If a fully ordained monk has not fulfilled the above requirements of being a fully ordained monk, Gotama Buddha warns immoral monk that it is better to eat a red-hot iron ball burning like a flame  than to eat almsfood  offered by the people. In other words, a morally uncultivated monk accepting almsfood from the devotees is guilty of having committed a grave (pārājika) offence of insincerity and untruthfulness. The karmic retribution will be grave in the future life.

In fact, in the Vinayapițaka, it is stated that the relationship between the Saṅgha and the lay devotees is symbiotic. The devotees offer gifts of four requisites comprising food, robes, shelter and medicine ; the Saṅgha members should reciprocate with the preaching of Dhamma to the devotees. It is the two-way traffic.

May I remind the coming younger generation that if Bhikkhus or Bhikkhunī (fully ordained monk or nun) is not committed to protecting the Vinaya Rules, training himself or herself in coursing the Noble Eight Fold Path and in  preaching the true Doctrine (Saddhamma), please do not go forth from home to homelessness to become a Buddhist recluse. The human life is too precious and its rebirth is rare. The original purpose of monastic life is sacred and divine. It is aimed to bring forth the innate supremacy of Man in intrinsic wisdom (paññā) and virtue (Sīla) to benefit oneself through intensive self-cultivation and self-rectification. Most importantly, a Bodhisatta career is committed and undertaken  altruistically to benefit others through whole-life preaching of the  Saddhamma to guide and liberate the Buddhist disciples and  devotees.

Monastic career is a very serious commitment. It is  as serious as the political career to elevate the life standard of the people and to help the needy. The Vinayapițaka specifies the symbiotic relationship between the Buddhist devotees and Saṅgha thus : Lay Buddhists offer the four requisites, namely food, robes, shelter and medicine to the Saṅgha. The Saṅgha members preach the Saddhamma to edify and develop wisdom in their disciples and the lay devotees. The deontological relationship between the Guru and pupil is stated clearly in the Sigālovāda-sutta (DN33).