Thirty-two Release and Expression of Regret Offenses (Naihsargika-Payantika) 1. A bhikshu who keeps in his possession or uses tobacco or any kind of illegal drug which is considered to be a mind-altering substance, commits an offense which involves Release and Expression of Regret. 2. A bhikshu who keeps and trades in worldly novels, horror stories, or horoscope and fortunetelling materials, commits an offense which involves Release and Expression of Regret. 3. A bhikshu who keeps for himself or for others toxic cultural items such as worldly films, videotapes, music, and electronic games, commits an offense which involves Release and Expression of Regret. 4. A bhikshu who keeps a television, video player, karaoke player, electronic games’ machine, or any other kind of equipment used for showing worldly films, listening to worldly music, or playing electronic games, commits an offense which involves Release and Expression of Regret. 5. A bhikshu who has a private e-mail account, except with the permission of the Sangha, commits an offense which involves Release and Expression of Regret. 6. A bhikshu who owns his own car or uses expensive, luxurious, or flashy and brightly colored cars or telephones, commits an offense which involves Release and Expression of Regret. 7. A bhikshu who thinks that money and possessions can guarantee his security and seeks ways to accumulate these things in such a way that they become an obstacle to his path of practice, commits an offense which involves Release and Expression of Regret. 8. A bhikshu who opens or keeps a bank account for his own use, except when he has the permission of his Sangha to study Buddhism abroad, commits an offense which involves Release and Expression of Regret. 9. A bhikshu who makes himself the sole manager of the properties of the monastery or a charitable organization, without being designated by the Sangha to do so, commits an offense which involves Release and Expression of Regret. 10. A bhikshu who uses the monastery budget or the budget of a charitable organization to give support to his relatives or friends without the consent of other members of the Sangha or the charitable organization, commits an offense which involves Release and Expression of Regret. 11. A bhikshu who lends money with interest, invests money, buys and sells stocks or shares, invests in land or real estate, or plays the lottery, commits an offense which involves Release and Expression of Regret. 12. A bhikshu who uses a rosary made of expensive or brightly colored gems or wears objects of gold, silver, or precious stones, even though they are a keepsake of a close relation, or has a dental implant or crown made of gold or silver for cosmetic purposes or to display his wealth, commits an offense which involves Release and Expression of Regret. 13. A bhikshu who buys and stores expensive antiques and cherishes them as precious belongings commits an offense which involves Release and Expression of Regret. 14. A bhikshu who keeps in his possession too many books, even if those books are sutras or connected to Buddhist studies, who is afraid to lend them to others and who refuses to entrust them to the Sangha library for communal use, commits an offense which involves Release and Expression of Regret. 15. A bhikshu who stores a large amount of cloth and does not hand it over to the community or share it with someone who needs it, commits an offense which involves Release and Expression of Regret. 16. A bhikshu who has more than three formal robes (the antaravasa, the uttarasangha, and the sanghati), more than three long robes (the ao trang and ao nhat binh), and more than three suits (vat ho) worn under the long robe (not counting work clothes, warm underwear, or coats for those living in cold places), and who refuses to hand the excess over to the Sangha for keeping for newly ordained members, commits an offense which involves Release and Expression of Regret. 17. A bhikshu who wears monastic robes made of translucent, shiny, silky, or colorful material or any kind of material which is sewn with golden thread or glittering beads, commits an offense which involves Release and Expression of Regret. 18. A bhikshu who makes monastic robes according to a fashionable design or in imitation of clothes worn by wealthy and powerful people rather than robes that reflect the spirit of monastic simplicity, commits an offense which involves Release and Expression of Regret. 19. A bhikshu who buys luxurious personal items, commits an offense which involves Release and Expression of Regret. 20. A bhikshu who keeps and wears expensive or fashionable slippers or shoes, commits an offense which involves Release and Expression of Regret. 21. A bhikshu who stores a significant amount of shampoo, laundry soap, toothpaste, towels, toothbrushes, or other toiletries and refuses to share them with the Sangha, commits an offense which involves Release and Expression of Regret. 22. A bhikshu who is admitted to a hospital for treatment and stays in an expensive, private room with unnecessary luxuries, commits an offense which involves Release and Expression of Regret. 23. A bhikshu who lies on a luxurious bed, commits an offense which involves Release and Expression of Regret. 24. A bhikshu who decorates his room in a luxurious way with many comforts like that of people in the world, commits an offense which involves Release and Expression of Regret. 25. A bhikshu who stores a significant amount of food or drink in his personal storage space and does not bring it out to share with the Sangha, commits an offense which involves Release and Expression of Regret. 26. A bhikshu who goes to laypeople, whether those people are related to him or not, and collects material objects and funds for his personal use, commits an offense which involves Release and Expression of Regret. 27. A bhikshu who uses an offering from a layperson not in accordance with the layperson’s wishes and without informing the layperson, so that the layperson suffers or is unhappy and upset, commits an offense which involves Release and Expression of Regret. 28. A bhikshu who is only interested in growing crops or manufacturing things to sell, even if it is to create income for the monastery, and therefore neglects the Sangha practice schedule, commits an offense which involves Release and Expression of Regret. 29. A bhikshu who raises animals or fowl for entertainment or with the intention to sell them and make money, commits an offense which involves Release and Expression of Regret. 30. A bhikshu who keeps items which belong to the whole Sangha for his personal use or gives them to someone else without the permission of the Sangha, commits an offense which involves Release and Expression of Regret. 31. A bhikshu who uses what belongs to the Sangha in a way that is contrary to the Sangha’s wishes, causing discontent or disharmony in the Sangha, commits an offense which involves Release and Expression of Regret. 32. A bhikshu who uses Sangha resources in a wasteful manner, including money, water, electricity, telephone, car, and so on, commits an offense which involves Release and Expression of Regret. From Freedom Wherever We Go by Thich Nhat Hanh |
Dharma Notes > Precepts >