2.
The Discourse on the Peril of Offences
244.
"There are, monks, these four fears of offence.
What are the four?
Just as, monks, having seized a thief, a criminal, they might show him to the king -
'This, Sire, is a thief, a criminal.
Let the Sire decree punishment for him.'
The king might speak to him thus -
'Go, sirs, having bound this man with his hands tied behind his back with a strong rope, tightly bound, having shaved his head, having led him from road to road, from crossroads to crossroads with a harsh-sounding drum, having departed by the southern gate, to the south of the city, cut off his head.'
The king's men, having bound that man with his hands tied behind his back with a strong rope, tightly bound, having shaved his head, having led him from road to road, from crossroads to crossroads with a harsh-sounding drum, having departed by the southern gate, to the south of the city, might cut off his head.
There, it might occur to a certain man standing nearby -
'Evil indeed, friend, this man did a deed, blameworthy, resulting in decapitation.
Inasmuch as the king's men, having bound him with his hands tied behind his back with a strong rope, tightly bound, having shaved his head, having led him from road to road, from crossroads to crossroads with a harsh-sounding drum, having departed by the southern gate, to the south of the city, will cut off his head!
Surely I should not do such an evil deed, blameworthy, resulting in decapitation.'
So too, monks, for whoever, whether monk or nun, such a sharp perception of fear is present regarding offences involving expulsion.
This is to be expected for it -
either not having committed an offence involving expulsion, he will not commit one, or having committed an offence involving expulsion, he will make amends according to the Teaching.
Just as, monks, a man, having put on a dark cloth, having dishevelled his hair, having placed a pestle on his shoulder, having approached a great multitude of people, might say thus - 'I, venerable sirs, did an evil deed, blameworthy, deserving the pestle; I will do that by which the venerable ones are pleased.' There, it might occur to a certain man standing nearby - 'Evil indeed, friend, this man did a deed, blameworthy, deserving the pestle. Inasmuch as, having put on a dark cloth, having dishevelled his hair, having placed a pestle on his shoulder, having approached a great multitude of people, he will say thus - 'I, venerable sirs, did an evil deed, blameworthy, deserving the pestle; I will do that by which the venerable ones are pleased.' Surely I should not do such an evil deed, blameworthy, deserving the pestle.' So too, monks, for whoever, whether monk or nun, such a sharp perception of fear is present regarding offences entailing initial and subsequent meetings of the Community, this is to be expected for that one - either not having committed an offence entailing initial and subsequent meetings of the Community, he will not commit one, or having committed an offence entailing initial and subsequent meetings of the Community, he will make amends according to the Teaching.
Just as, monks, a man, having put on a dark cloth, having dishevelled his hair, having placed a container of ashes on his shoulder, having approached a great multitude of people, might say thus - 'I, venerable sirs, did an evil deed, blameworthy, deserving the ashes. I will do that by which the venerable ones are pleased.' There, it might occur to a certain man standing nearby - 'Evil indeed, friend, this man did a deed, blameworthy, deserving the ashes. Inasmuch as, having put on a dark cloth, having dishevelled his hair, having placed a container of ashes on his shoulder, having approached a great multitude of people, he will say thus - 'I, venerable sirs, did an evil deed, blameworthy, deserving the ashes; I will do that by which the venerable ones are pleased.' Surely I should not do such an evil deed, blameworthy, deserving the ashes.' So too, monks, for whoever, whether monk or nun, such a sharp perception of fear is present regarding offences requiring expiation, this is to be expected for that one - either not having committed an offence requiring expiation, he will not commit one, or having committed an offence requiring expiation, he will make amends according to the Teaching.
"Just as, monks, a man, having put on a dark cloth, having dishevelled his hair, having approached a great multitude of people, would say thus - 'I, venerable sir, have done an evil deed, blameworthy, deserving of censure. I will do that by which the venerable ones are pleased.' There, it might occur to a certain man standing nearby - 'Evil indeed, friend, this man has done a deed, blameworthy, deserving of censure. Inasmuch as, having put on a dark cloth, having dishevelled his hair, having approached a great multitude of people, he will say thus - I, venerable sir, have done an evil deed, blameworthy, deserving of censure; I will do that by which the venerable ones are pleased.' Surely I should not do such an evil deed, blameworthy, deserving of censure.' So too, monks, for whoever, whether monk or nun, such a sharp perception of fear is established regarding rules requiring acknowledgement, for that one this is to be expected - either not having committed a rule requiring acknowledgement, he will not commit it, or having committed a rule requiring acknowledgement, he will make amends according to the Teaching. These, monks, are the four fears of offence." The second.