pācittiya 71
Not to look for pretexts to disregard the rules of the pātimokkha. If a bhikkhu who is heard by the bhikkhus who live with him making suggestions about shortcomings concerning a rule of conduct, replies that he will not apply that rule until being informed by a bhikkhu expert on the vinaya, he commits a pācittiya.
Every bhikkhu must see to it that he acquires proper knowledge of the pātimokkha rules in order to train himself correctly. It is only the effort of such a training that determines the quality of a bhikkhu.
In contrast to the pācittiya 54, discussed above, the pācittiya 71 is committed when a bhikkhu gives an excuse to avoid following a rule. When using these excuses, the bhikkhu commits a pācittiya with every sentence pronounced to justify his exemption from obeying a rule.
pācittiya 72
Not to denigrate the rules of the pātimokkha. When the bhikkhus review, analyse or discuss aspects of the vinaya, a bhikkhu must not say that the minor rules are of little interest, or that they are taken to extremes, or that he never worries about knowing whether such action is correct or not, nor that it is painful to have to memorise it all, or that he is plagued having to learn them. If a bhikkhu denigrates the vinaya by any statements whatsoever, showing a hostile state of mind, he commits a pācittiya.
By denigrating aspects of the vinaya, a bhikkhu commits a pācittiya. By denigrating aspects of the suttanta or of the abhidhamma, he commits a dukkaṭa.
pācittiya 73
Not to pretend not knowing a rule of conduct. During the uposatha, if a bhikkhu pretends to discover a pātimokkha rule, affirming that he had not known it until that moment, when he has already participated at least twice in the pātimokkha recitation, he must be reprimanded. After having expiated his fault, this bhikkhu must be reprimanded in front of the saṃgha, who will formally establish his grasping of this rule by means of the ñatti kammavācā. After this, if the bhikkhu again pretends not to know this rule, he commits the pācittiya 73.
Whether he knows a rule or not, a bhikkhu is never exonerated from the offences he commits. Whatever the offence, whether it is committed willingly or not, it must always be purified in accordance with the vinaya. By ignoring the rules of the pātimokkha, a bhikkhu could easily be lead to commit a very large number of offences.
When it is recited, the pātimokkha must be listened to in a proper manner and with full concentration, for it to be beneficial. Only a bad bhikkhu does not pay attention to this recitation.
Remarks: Nowadays, only rare bhikkhus can understand the recitation of the pātimokkha because it is given only in Pali. For this reason, each bhikkhu must study it in a language that he understands in order to know the rules he is obliged to obey.
pācittiya 54
Not to lack respect. By lacking respect to a bhikkhu or to the dhamma, a bhikkhu commits a pācittiya.
If a bhikkhu admonishes another bhikkhu for not respecting the vinaya, for actions that are not correct, but the other bhikkhu keeps committing his incorrect actions without paying attention to those remarks, this is a lack of respect towards a bhikkhu.
If a bhikkhu tells another bhikkhu to observe a rule of the vinaya, and the other disappears or hides to keep on breaching this rule, this is a lack of respect towards the dhamma.
If a bhikkhu persists in behaving incorrectly disregarding the admonitions made by those bhikkhus, which back up with the vinaya, he commits a pācittiya. If a bhikkhu persists in behaving incorrectly, disregarding the admonitions made by those bhikkhus, which back up with the suttanta or the abhidhamma, he commits a dukkaṭa. If a bhikkhu persists in behaving incorrectly, disregarding the admonitions made by those sāmaṇera or lay persons, which back up with the vinaya, the suttanta or the abhidhamma, he commits a dukkaṭa.
pācittiya 77
Not to arouse remorse, doubts or anguish in another bhikkhu's mind. If, with spitefulness or out of mischief, a bhikkhu unjustifiably tries to arouse doubts, remorse, fear or anguish in another bhikkhu's, in such a way as to effectively provoke torment in the latter, even for a single instant, he commits a pācittiya.
Naturally, if a bhikkhu arouses remorse, doubt or anguish in another bhikkhu's mind by notifying him of a real fact, without any mischievousness in his intention, he does not commit a fault.
A bhikkhu commits a pācittiya with every phrase pronounced with the aim of unjustifiably inducing doubts, remorse or anguish in another bhikkhu. By doing the same thing to a sāmaṇera or a lay person, a bhikkhu commits a dukkaṭa.
pācittiya 78
Not to eavesdrop on a conflict between bhikkhus. If, by approaching or remaining in a certain place, a bhikkhu hides to eavesdrop on the words of bhikkhus, with whom he is in disagreement, speaking with each other – in a lowered voice or in private –, so as to listen for no other reason than to spy on what they say, he commits a pācittiya.
If, with a beneficial intention, a bhikkhu hides to spy on the words of other bhikkhus, telling himself: "I will try to resolve this dispute", he does not commit a fault.
Taken from:
list of the 227 rules of pātimokkha