BUDDHIST MONASTIC CODE I

The Living Plant Chapter Chapter 8.2then regardless of whether he perceives the charge as wrongful, rightful, or doubtful,the offenses or lack of offenses are allotted as if the Community transactionbringing the charge had not happened at all. This covers two situations. In the first,the bhikkhu actually deserves the charge, but the transaction was not carried outstrictly in accordance with formal procedure. In this case, if the bhikkhu continuesto be evasive or remain silent out of a desire to hide his offenses, he incurs anotherdukkaṭa. In the second situation, the bhikkhu does not deserve the charge — forinstance, he has asked questions or remained silent for one of the allowablereasons, but the Community has abused its powers in bringing the charge againsthim. In this case, if he continues to ask questions or remain silent for the allowablereasons, he incurs no offense.As for the case in which the Community rightly brings a formal charge of evasivespeech or causing frustration against a bhikkhu, and he incurs a pācittiya forcontinuing to speak evasively or remain silent: If he finally admits to his actions,then — regardless of whether he admits that they actually constituted an offense —he may further be subject to a more severe penalty, a censure transaction(tajjanīya-kamma) for being a maker of trouble and strife for the Community(Cv.I.1-8 — BMC2, Chapter 20). If he admits the action and confesses the offense,he is subject to what is essentially the same thing: an act of further punishment(tassa-pāpiyasikā-kamma) for not admitting to a true charge right from the start(see the discussion under the Adhikaraṇa-samatha rules, Chapter 11).Non-offenses. If a bhikkhu answers not to the point or remains silent for any of theallowable reasons, he incurs no penalty even after a transaction of evasive speechor causing frustration has for some reason been enacted against him.Summary: Persistently replying evasively or keeping silent in order to conceal one'sown offenses when being questioned in a meeting of the Community — after aformal charge of evasive speech or causing frustration has been brought againstone — is a pācittiya offense.13. Criticizing or complaining (about a Community official) is to beconfessed.Community officials. In the Cullavagga (VI.11.2-4; VI.21.1-3), the Buddha givesallowances for a Community of bhikkhus to designate various of its members asCommunity officials to handle such business as distributing food, deciding who willstay in which dwelling, keeping the rosters that decide who will receive theinvitations to which meals, etc. Ven. Dabba Mallaputta was the first such official andwas well-equipped for the job:"As for those bhikkhus who came at night, he would enter the fire element for themand by that light would assign them dwellings — so much so that bhikkhus arrivedat night on purpose, thinking, 'We will see the marvel of Ven. Dabba Mallaputta'spsychic power.' Approaching him, they said, 'Friend Dabba, assign us dwellings.'269