The Section on Accusation

1.

The Pursuit of the Examiner

360. The accuser should be questioned by the investigator - "As to your accusing this monk, on what ground do you accuse him - do you accuse him on account of failure in morality, or do you accuse him on account of failure in good conduct, or do you accuse him on account of failure in view?" If he should say thus - "I accuse him on account of failure in morality, or I accuse him on account of failure in good conduct, or I accuse him on account of failure in view," he should be addressed thus - "But does the venerable one know failure in morality, does he know failure in good conduct, does he know failure in view?" If he should say thus - "I indeed know, friend, failure in morality, I know failure in good conduct, I know failure in view," he should be addressed thus - "But what, friend, is failure in morality? What is failure in good conduct? What is failure in view?" If he should say thus - "The four expulsions and the thirteen offences entailing initial and subsequent meetings of the Community - this is failure in morality. Grave offence, expiation, acknowledgement, wrong-doing, insulting speech - this is failure in good conduct. Wrong view, extreme-grasping view - this is failure in view," he should be addressed thus - "As to your accusing this monk, do you accuse him by what is seen or do you accuse him by what is heard or do you accuse him by suspicion?" If he should say thus - "I accuse him by what is seen or I accuse him by what is heard or I accuse him by suspicion," he should be addressed thus - "As to your accusing this monk by what is seen, what was seen by you, how was it seen by you, when was it seen by you, where was it seen by you - was he seen committing an offence involving expulsion, was he seen committing an offence entailing initial and subsequent meetings of the Community, a grave offence... an expiation... an acknowledgement... a wrong-doing... was he seen committing insulting speech, and where were you, and where was this monk, and what were you doing, and what was this monk doing?" If he should say thus - "I do not indeed accuse this monk by what is seen, friend, but I accuse him by what is heard," he should be addressed thus - "As to your accusing this monk by what is heard, what was heard by you, how was it heard by you, when was it heard by you, where was it heard by you - was it heard that he committed an offence involving expulsion, an offence entailing initial and subsequent meetings of the Community... a grave offence... an expiation... an acknowledgement... a wrong-doing... was it heard that he committed insulting speech - was it heard from a monk, was it heard from a nun, was it heard from a female trainee, was it heard from a novice, was it heard from a female novice, was it heard from a lay follower, was it heard from a female lay follower, was it heard from kings, was it heard from royal ministers, was it heard from sectarians, was it heard from disciples of sectarians?" If he should say thus - "I do not indeed accuse this monk by what is heard, friend, but I accuse him by suspicion," he should be addressed thus - "As to your accusing this monk by suspicion, what do you suspect, how do you suspect, when do you suspect, where do you suspect - do you suspect that he committed an offence involving expulsion, do you suspect that he committed an offence entailing initial and subsequent meetings of the Community, a grave offence... an expiation... an acknowledgement... a wrong-doing... do you suspect that he committed insulting speech - do you suspect having heard from a monk, do you suspect having heard from a nun, do you suspect having heard from a female trainee, do you suspect having heard from a novice, do you suspect having heard from a female novice, do you suspect having heard from a lay follower, do you suspect having heard from a female lay follower, do you suspect having heard from kings, do you suspect having heard from royal ministers, do you suspect having heard from sectarians, do you suspect having heard from disciples of sectarians?"

361.

362. What is the beginning of accusation, what is the middle, what is the end? For accusation, the act of giving permission is the beginning, the function is the middle, stilling is the end. How many roots are there of accusation, how many cases, how many planes, in how many ways does one accuse? For accusation there are two roots, three cases, five planes, one accuses in two ways. What are the two roots of accusation? With foundation or without foundation - these are the two roots of accusation. What are the three cases of accusation? By what is seen, by what is heard, by suspicion - these are the three cases of accusation. What are the five planes of accusation? 'I will speak at the proper time, not at an improper time; I will speak what is factual, not what is not factual; I will speak smoothly, not harshly; I will speak what is beneficial, not what is unbeneficial; I will speak with a mind of friendliness, not with hate within' - these are the five planes of accusation.

In which two ways does one accuse? One accuses by body or one accuses by speech - in these two ways one accuses.

2.

The Practice of the Accuser and so on

363. How should the accuser proceed? How should the accused proceed? How should the monastic community proceed? How should the investigator proceed? How should the accuser proceed? By the accuser, having been established in five qualities, another should be accused. 'I will speak at the proper time, not at an improper time; I will speak what is factual, not what is not factual; I will speak smoothly, not harshly; I will speak what is beneficial, not what is unbeneficial; I will speak with a mind of friendliness, not with hate within' - thus should the accuser proceed. How should the accused proceed? By the accused, one should proceed in two qualities. In truth and in being unshakable - thus should the accused proceed. How should the monastic community proceed? By the monastic community, what is overcome and what is not overcome should be known. Thus should the monastic community proceed. How should the investigator proceed? By the investigator, by whatever rule, by whatever monastic discipline, by whatever Teacher's instruction that legal case is appeased, so that legal case should be settled. Thus should the investigator proceed.

364.

3.

The Self-Examination of the Accuser

The Section on Accusation is concluded.

Its summary: