During the rite of lifting restrictions, each monk extends an “invitation” or “lifts restrictions” (Tib. dgag dbye bya ba; Skt. pravāraṇam pravārayitum) to the other monks with whom he has passed the rains retreat. Other monks may then “prompt” (Tib. gleng ba; Skt. codanā) him with evidence of or well-grounded suspicion for an offense he has failed to confess. The semantic range of the Tib. verb gleng ba (Skt. codanā) in the Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya extends from gentle exhortation to reproof and compelling questioning. Hence it may be translated with “to prompt” or even “to accuse,” depending upon context. Kalyāṇamitra gives “should not prompt, that is, announce a fault,” and, “should not remind, that is, add assistance while [the confessant] is confessing”. See Kalyāṇamitra (F.319.a): gleng bar mi bya zhes bya ba ni nyes pa bsgrags pas so/ / dran par mi bya zhes bya ba ni bshags pa’i dus dang grogs brjod pas so. Here, the commentator emphasizes the verbal nature of the act without implying any of the rancor or contentiousness usually associated with the English verb “accuse.” Yijing, the translator of the Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya into Chinese, likewise renders the underlying Skt. codanā with yan 言 (Taishō 1044c17), a generic verb for “speak.” The commentator Śura explains that “when [a monk] is made to lift restrictions, [the monk] withdraws to an isolated place on the boundary and, having gathered his recollection and attentiveness, he should ‘prompt’ [the other monk’s memory] with the circumstances of what he has seen, heard, or suspected. If, when thus prompted with the circumstances, [the accused monk] is unable to recall, he should be reminded with the place, time, and circumstances.” Śura (vol. nu, F.76.a): des de la skabs ’byed du bcug ste dus dben pa’i mthar dran pa dang shes bzhin nye bar gzhag ste mthong ba ’am/ thos pa ’am/ dogs pa’i gzhi dang bcas bas gleng bar bya’o/ /de ltar gzhi dang bcas pas glengs pa na ma dran na yul dang/ dus dang/ gzhi gang nas ltung ba byung ba gleng ba pos ji ltar mthong ba ’am/ thos pa ’am/ dogs pa’i sgo nas dran par bya’o. See Dharmamitra (vol. yu, F.348.a–349.a) for comments on Guṇaprabha’s digest.

Introduction

The Translation