Wrong livelihood for Bhikkhus
Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2012 2:57 am
I guess it's somehow a challenge to see those wrong livelihood also amoung todays usuall practices. While in SEAsia, such wrong livelihoods are very common and still present, there are also new kinds which how ever fit to the old if we do not take it to literary.
And in addition maybe also the "Animal Talk" which are often related to wrong livelihoods21 Kinds of Wrong Livelihood for Bhikkhus & Animal Arts (Tiracchāna Vijjā)
wenty-one Kinds of Wrong Livelihood for Bhikkhus
1.Medical practice (vejjakammaṃ karoti)
2.Acting as a messenger (dūtakammaṃ karoti)
3.Doing things at the behest of laymen (pahiṇakammaṃ karoti)
4.Lancing boils (gaṇḍaṃ phāleti)
5.Giving oil for medical application (arumakkhaṇaṃ deti)
6.Giving emetics (uddhaṃ virecanaṃ deti)
7.Giving purgatives (adho virecanaṃ deti)
8. Preparing oil for nosetreatment (natthutelaṃ pacati)
9.Preparing oil for medicine (pivanatelaṃ pacati)
10.Presenting bamboos (veḷudānaṃ deti)
11.Presenting leaves (pattadānaṃ deti)
12. Presenting flowers (pupphadānaṃ deti)
13.Presenting Fruits (phaladānaṃ deti)
14.Presenting soapclay (sinānadānaṃ deti)
15.Presenting toothsticks (dantakaṭṭhadānaṃ deti)
16.Presenting water for washing the face (mukhodakadānaṃ deti)
17.Presenting talcum powder (cuṇṇamattikadānaṃ deti)
18. Using flattering speech (cāṭukamyaṃ karoti)
19.Acting like halfcooked bean soup, i.e.,speaking halftruths (muggasūpiyaṃ karoti)
20.Fondling children (pāribattaṃ karoti)
21.Running errands (jaṅghapesaniyaṃ karoti)
Animal Arts
(Tiracchāna Vijjā)
They can be summarised as follows:
1.Palmistry, divination by signs, portents, dreams, or body marks.
2.Knowledge of animal behaviour.
3.Judging the value of gems, livestock, and other goods.
4.Predictions about the movements of armies.
5.Predictions about the movements of planets.
6.Predictions about the weather.
7.Predictions about the harvest.
8.Accountancy and mathematics.
9.Composition of poetry.
10.Philosophy.
11.Arranging marriages and divorces.
12.Advising on investments.
13.Good-luck charms.
14.Black magic and spells.
15.Supplicating deities.
16.Consecrating building sites.
Although bhikkhus can visit a new house or a building site, and
chant to ward off dangers and evil spirits, they should not be involved in
choosing the site, the position for buildings on the site, nor the auspicious
time for starting work. Such decisions should be made by qualified
town-planners, architects, and builders.
17.Giving ritual bathings.
18.Giving various kinds of medical Treatments.
To summarise:
A bhikkhu should not do anything that would normally be done by lay people for a fee. He can teach secular knowledge or help others with voluntary labour out of compassion, but he should not accept anything in return. If he accepts any kind of reward for such services, it is wrong livelihood, and any goods he has received should be forfeited to another monk. Allowable goods can then be returned to him, and he can use them, but a scrupulous bhikkhu would normally give such things awayto others.
A bhikkhu’s primary duty is to observe the Vinaya, study the Dhamma,and strive in meditation to realise nibbāna. If he receives any suitable gifts that people offer out of faith, it is right livelihood as he is fulfilling a monk’s duty. If he can also teach Dhamma, it is excellent, but he need not, if he doesnot feel competent. Just by following the Vinaya strictly he is teaching the people how to restrain their desires and how to live a simple, contented lifein accordance with the Dhamma.
Animal Talk
(Tiracchāna Kathā)
Thirth-two kinds of talk obstructing fruition and rebirth in higher planes. (1)
1.Talk about kings (rājakathā)
2.Talk about robbers (corakathā)
3.Talk about ministers of state (mahāmattakathā)
4.Talk about armies (senākathā)
5.Talk about dangers (bhayakathā)
6. Talk about battles (yuddhakathā)
7.Talk about food (annakathā)
8.Talk about drinks (pānakathā)
9.Talk about clothing (vatthakathā)
10.Talk about dwellings (sayanakathā)
11.Talk about garlands (mālākathā)
12.Talk about perfumes (gandhakathā)
13.Talk about relations (ñātikathā)
14.Talk about vehicles (yānakathā)
15.Talk about villages (gāmakathā)
16.Talk about market towns (nigamakathā)
17.Talk about towns (nagarakathā)
18. Talk about districts (janapadakathā)
19.Talk about women (2) (itthikathā)
20.Talk about heroes (sūrakathā)
21. Talk about streets (visikhākathā)
22.Talk about watering places (kumbaṭṭhānakathā)
23.Talk about relatives who have passed away (pubbapetakathā)
24. Tittletattle (nānattakathā)
25.Talk about the origin of the world (lokakkhāyikakathā)
26.Talk about the origin of the ocean (samuddakkhāyikakathā)
27.Talk about annihilation belief (numbers 27 to 32 are known as Itibhavābhavakathā)
28.Talk about eternity belief
29.Talk about worldly gain30.Talk about worldly loss
31.Talk about self-indulgence
32.Talk about self-mortification.
—
1
These 32 types of talk are listed in the Sandaka Sutta (Middle-length Sayings, Sutta 76),
where the wanderers were talking all kinds of worldly talk. Seeing Venerable Ānanda
coming, the wanderer Sandaka told them to be silent, saying that the Buddha’s disciples donot like a lot of noise. (ed.)
2
Talk about men is omitted in accordance with Majjhima Pannāsa Atthakathā. p.156. 6th.
Synod Edition