"Bhikkhus, there are these four perils of offenses. What four?

---

(1) "Suppose, bhikkhus, they were to arrest a thief, a criminal, and show him to the king, saying: ‘Your majesty, this is a thief, a criminal. Let your majesty impose a penalty on him.’ The king would say to them: ‘Go, sirs, and tie this man's arms tightly behind his back with a strong rope, shave his head, and lead him around from street to street, from square to square, to the ominous beating of a drum. Then take him out through the south gate and behead him south of the city.’ The king's men would do as instructed and behead that man south of the city. A man standing on the sidelines might think: ‘Truly, this man must have committed an evil deed, reprehensible, punishable by beheading, insofar as the king's men tied his arms tightly behind his back with a strong rope … and beheaded him south of the city. Indeed, I should never do such an evil deed, reprehensible, punishable by beheading.’

"So too, when a bhikkhu or bhikkhunī has set up such a keen perception of peril in regard to the pārājika offenses, it can be expected that one who has never yet committed a pārājika offense will not commit one; and one who has committed such an offense will make amends for it in accordance with the Dhamma. [n.949] The pārājikas are the most serious class of offenses. For bhikkhus, they consist of four offenses that entail expulsion from the Saṅgha: sexual intercourse, theft (to a degree punishable by law), murder of a human being, and making a false claim to a superhuman state of spiritual distinction. Bhikkhunīs have four additional pārājikas. The only way for one who has committed one of these offenses to "make amends for it in accordance with the Dhamma" is to admit it and relinquish one's status as a fully ordained monk or nun. For details, see Ṭhānissaro 2007a, chap. 4.

---

2(2) "Suppose, bhikkhus, a man were to wrap himself in a black cloth, loosen his hair, put a club on his shoulder, and tell a large crowd of people: ‘Worthy sirs, [n.950] The text uses the word bhante here. Apparently this word was not used solely to address monks but also others in a superior position. Thus I here translate it as "worthy sirs." I have committed an evil deed, reprehensible, punishable by clubbing. Let me do whatever will make you pleased with me.’ A man standing on the sidelines might think: ‘Truly, this man must have committed an evil deed, reprehensible, punishable by clubbing, insofar as he has wrapped himself in a black cloth, loosened his hair, put a club on his shoulder, and tells a large crowd of people: "Worthy sirs, I have committed an evil deed, reprehensible, deserving a clubbing. Let me do whatever will make you pleased with me." Indeed, I should never do such an evil deed, reprehensible, punishable by clubbing.’

"So too, when a bhikkhu or bhikkhunī has set up such a keen perception of peril in regard to the saṅghādisesa offenses, it can be expected that one who has never yet committed a saṅghādisesa offense will not commit one, and one who has committed such an offense will make amends for it in accordance with the Dhamma. [n.951] The saṅghādisesas are the second most serious class of offenses. For bhikkhus, they include intentional emission of semen, touching a woman with a lustful mind, speaking lewdly to a woman, falsely accusing a virtuous bhikkhu of a pārājika, etc. Rehabilitation involves a complex process requiring formal meetings of the Saṅgha. For details, see Ṭhānissaro 2007a, chap. 5.

3(3) "Suppose, bhikkhus, a man were to wrap himself in a black cloth, loosen his hair, put a sack of ashes on his shoulder, and tell a large crowd of people: ‘Worthy sirs, I have committed an evil deed, reprehensible, punishable by a sack of ashes. [n.952] Ce and Ee assapuṭaṁ, Be bhasmapuṭaṁ. Mp: "(His deed) deserves to be punished with a reprehensible sack of ashes on his head" (garahitabbachārikāpuṭena matthake abhighātārahaṁ). Let me do whatever will make you pleased with me.’ A man standing on the sidelines might think: ‘Truly, this man must have committed an evil deed, reprehensible, punishable by a sack of ashes, insofar as he has wrapped himself in a black cloth, loosened his hair, put a sack of ashes on his shoulder, and tells a large crowd of people: "Worthy sirs, I have committed an evil deed, reprehensible, punishable by a sack of ashes. Let me do whatever will make you pleased with me." Indeed, I should never do such an evil deed, reprehensible, (to be punished with) a sack of ashes.’

"So too, when a bhikkhu or bhikkhunī has set up such a keen perception of peril in regard to the pācittiya offenses, it can be expected that one who has never yet committed a pācittiya offense will not commit one, and one who has committed such an offense will make amends for it in accordance with the Dhamma. [n.953] The pācittiyas are a class of offenses that can be cleared by confession to a fellow monastic. Presumably the nissaggiya-pācittiyas, offenses which also require the relinquishment of an unsuitable item, are also included under this heading. For details, see Ṭhānissaro 2007a, chaps. 7 and 8.

4(4) "Suppose, bhikkhus, a man were to wrap himself in a black cloth, loosen his hair, and tell a large crowd of people: ‘Worthy sirs, I have committed an evil deed, reprehensible, censurable. Let me do whatever will make you pleased with me.’ A man standing on the sidelines might think: ‘Truly, this man must have committed an evil deed, reprehensible, censurable, insofar as he has wrapped himself in a black cloth, loosened his hair, and tells a large crowd of people: "Worthy sirs, I have committed an evil deed, reprehensible, censurable. Let me do whatever will make you pleased with me." Indeed, I should never do such an evil deed, reprehensible, censurable.’

"So too, when a bhikkhu or bhikkhunī has set up such a keen perception of peril in regard to the pāṭidesanīya offenses, it can be expected that one who has never yet committed a pāṭidesanīya offense will not commit one, and one who has committed such an offense will make amends for it in accordance with the Dhamma. [n.954] This is a smaller class of offenses that can be cleared by confession. For details, see Ṭhānissaro 2007a, chap. 9.

---

"These, bhikkhus, are the four perils of offenses."

1"Cattārimāni, bhikkhave, āpattibhayāni. Katamāni cattāri?

---

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, coraṁ āgucāriṁ gahetvā rañño dasseyyuṁ: ‘Ayaṁ te, deva, coro āgucārī. Imassa devo daṇḍaṁ paṇetū’ti. Tamenaṁ rājā evaṁ vadeyya: ‘gacchatha, bho, imaṁ purisaṁ daḷhāya rajjuyā pacchābāhaṁ gāḷhabandhanaṁ bandhitvā khuramuṇḍaṁ karitvā kharassarena paṇavena rathikāya rathikaṁ siṅghāṭakena siṅghāṭakaṁ parinetvā dakkhiṇena dvārena nikkhāmetvā dakkhiṇato nagarassa sīsaṁ chindathā’ti. Tamenaṁ rañño purisā daḷhāya rajjuyā pacchābāhaṁ gāḷhabandhanaṁ bandhitvā khuramuṇḍaṁ karitvā kharassarena paṇavena rathikāya rathikaṁ siṅghāṭakena siṅghāṭakaṁ parinetvā dakkhiṇena dvārena nikkhāmetvā dakkhiṇato nagarassa sīsaṁ chindeyyuṁ. Tatraññatarassa thalaṭṭhassa purisassa evamassa: ‘pāpakaṁ vata, bho, ayaṁ puriso kammaṁ akāsi gārayhaṁ sīsacchejjaṁ. Yatra hi nāma rañño purisā daḷhāya rajjuyā pacchābāhaṁ gāḷhabandhanaṁ bandhitvā khuramuṇḍaṁ karitvā kharassarena paṇavena rathikāya rathikaṁ siṅghāṭakena siṅghāṭakaṁ parinetvā dakkhiṇena dvārena nikkhāmetvā dakkhiṇato nagarassa sīsaṁ chindissanti. So vatassāhaṁ evarūpaṁ pāpakammaṁ na kareyyaṁ gārayhaṁ sīsacchejjan’ti.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, yassa kassaci bhikkhussa vā bhikkhuniyā vā evaṁ tibbā bhayasaññā paccupaṭṭhitā hoti pārājikesu dhammesu. Tassetaṁ pāṭikaṅkhaṁ – anāpanno vā pārājikaṁ dhammaṁ na āpajjissati, āpanno vā pārājikaṁ dhammaṁ yathādhammaṁ paṭikarissati.

---

2Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso kāḷavatthaṁ paridhāya kese pakiritvā musalaṁ khandhe āropetvā mahājanakāyaṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ vadeyya: ‘Ahaṁ, bhante, pāpakammaṁ akāsiṁ gārayhaṁ mosallaṁ, yena me āyasmanto attamanā honti taṁ karomī’ti. Tatraññatarassa thalaṭṭhassa purisassa evamassa: ‘pāpakaṁ vata, bho, ayaṁ puriso kammaṁ akāsi gārayhaṁ mosallaṁ. Yatra hi nāma kāḷavatthaṁ paridhāya kese pakiritvā musalaṁ khandhe āropetvā mahājanakāyaṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ vakkhati: "Ahaṁ, bhante, pāpakammaṁ akāsiṁ gārayhaṁ mosallaṁ, yena me āyasmanto attamanā honti taṁ karomī"ti. So vatassāhaṁ evarūpaṁ pāpakammaṁ na kareyyaṁ gārayhaṁ mosallan’ti.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, yassa kassaci bhikkhussa vā bhikkhuniyā vā evaṁ tibbā bhayasaññā paccupaṭṭhitā hoti saṅghādisesesu dhammesu, tassetaṁ pāṭikaṅkhaṁ – anāpanno vā saṅghādisesaṁ dhammaṁ na āpajjissati, āpanno vā saṅghādisesaṁ dhammaṁ yathādhammaṁ paṭikarissati.

3Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso kāḷavatthaṁ paridhāya kese pakiritvā bhasmapuṭaṁ khandhe āropetvā mahājanakāyaṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ vadeyya: ‘Ahaṁ, bhante, pāpakammaṁ akāsiṁ gārayhaṁ bhasmapuṭaṁ. Yena me āyasmanto attamanā honti taṁ karomī’ti. Tatraññatarassa thalaṭṭhassa purisassa evamassa: ‘pāpakaṁ vata, bho, ayaṁ puriso kammaṁ akāsi gārayhaṁ bhasmapuṭaṁ. Yatra hi nāma kāḷavatthaṁ paridhāya kese pakiritvā bhasmapuṭaṁ khandhe āropetvā mahājanakāyaṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ vakkhati: "Ahaṁ, bhante, pāpakammaṁ akāsiṁ gārayhaṁ bhasmapuṭaṁ; yena me āyasmanto attamanā honti taṁ karomī"ti. So vatassāhaṁ evarūpaṁ pāpakammaṁ na kareyyaṁ gārayhaṁ bhasmapuṭan’ti.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, yassa kassaci bhikkhussa vā bhikkhuniyā vā evaṁ tibbā bhayasaññā paccupaṭṭhitā hoti pācittiyesu dhammesu, tassetaṁ pāṭikaṅkhaṁ – anāpanno vā pācittiyaṁ dhammaṁ na āpajjissati, āpanno vā pācittiyaṁ dhammaṁ yathādhammaṁ paṭikarissati.

4Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso kāḷavatthaṁ paridhāya kese pakiritvā mahājanakāyaṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ vadeyya: ‘Ahaṁ, bhante, pāpakammaṁ akāsiṁ gārayhaṁ upavajjaṁ. Yena me āyasmanto attamanā honti taṁ karomī’ti. Tatraññatarassa thalaṭṭhassa purisassa evamassa: ‘pāpakaṁ vata, bho, ayaṁ puriso kammaṁ akāsi gārayhaṁ upavajjaṁ. Yatra hi nāma kāḷavatthaṁ paridhāya kese pakiritvā mahājanakāyaṁ upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ vakkhati: "Ahaṁ, bhante, pāpakammaṁ akāsiṁ gārayhaṁ upavajjaṁ; yena me āyasmanto attamanā honti taṁ karomī"ti. So vatassāhaṁ evarūpaṁ pāpakammaṁ na kareyyaṁ gārayhaṁ upavajjan’ti.

Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, yassa kassaci bhikkhussa vā bhikkhuniyā vā evaṁ tibbā bhayasaññā paccupaṭṭhitā hoti pāṭidesanīyesu dhammesu, tassetaṁ pāṭikaṅkhaṁ – anāpanno vā pāṭidesanīyaṁ dhammaṁ na āpajjissati, āpanno vā pāṭidesanīyaṁ dhammaṁ yathādhammaṁ paṭikarissati.

---

Imāni kho, bhikkhave, cattāri āpattibhayānī"ti.

---

Dutiyaṁ.