Release and Expression of Regret Offenses
Thirty-two Release and Expression of Regret Offenses (Naihsargika-Payantika)
1. A bhikshu who keeps in his possession or uses
tobacco or any kind of illegal drug which is
considered to be a mind-altering substance,
commits an offense which involves Release and
Expression of Regret.
2. A bhikshu who keeps and trades in worldly
novels, horror stories, or horoscope and fortunetelling
materials, commits an offense which
involves Release and Expression of Regret.
3. A bhikshu who keeps for himself or for others
toxic cultural items such as worldly films,
videotapes, music, and electronic games, commits
an offense which involves Release and Expression
of Regret.
4. A bhikshu who keeps a television, video player,
karaoke player, electronic games’ machine, or any
other kind of equipment used for showing worldly
films, listening to worldly music, or playing
electronic games, commits an offense which
involves Release and Expression of Regret.
5. A bhikshu who has a private e-mail account,
except with the permission of the Sangha, commits
an offense which involves Release and Expression
of Regret.
6. A bhikshu who owns his own car or uses
expensive, luxurious, or flashy and brightly colored
cars or telephones, commits an offense which
involves Release and Expression of Regret.
7. A bhikshu who thinks that money and
possessions can guarantee his security and seeks
ways to accumulate these things in such a way that
they become an obstacle to his path of practice,
commits an offense which involves Release and
Expression of Regret.
8. A bhikshu who opens or keeps a bank account
for his own use, except when he has the
permission of his Sangha to study Buddhism
abroad, commits an offense which involves Release
and Expression of Regret.
9. A bhikshu who makes himself the sole manager
of the properties of the monastery or a charitable
organization, without being designated by the
Sangha to do so, commits an offense which
involves Release and Expression of Regret.
10. A bhikshu who uses the monastery budget or
the budget of a charitable organization to give
support to his relatives or friends without the
consent of other members of the Sangha or the
charitable organization, commits an offense which
involves Release and Expression of Regret.
11. A bhikshu who lends money with interest,
invests money, buys and sells stocks or shares,
invests in land or real estate, or plays the lottery,
commits an offense which involves Release and
Expression of Regret.
12. A bhikshu who uses a rosary made of
expensive or brightly colored gems or wears
objects of gold, silver, or precious stones, even
though they are a keepsake of a close relation, or
has a dental implant or crown made of gold or
silver for cosmetic purposes or to display his
wealth, commits an offense which involves Release
and Expression of Regret.
13. A bhikshu who buys and stores expensive
antiques and cherishes them as precious belongings
commits an offense which involves Release and
Expression of Regret.
14. A bhikshu who keeps in his possession too
many books, even if those books are sutras or
connected to Buddhist studies, who is afraid to
lend them to others and who refuses to entrust
them to the Sangha library for communal use,
commits an offense which involves Release and
Expression of Regret.
15. A bhikshu who stores a large amount of cloth
and does not hand it over to the community or
share it with someone who needs it, commits an
offense which involves Release and Expression of
Regret.
16. A bhikshu who has more than three formal
robes (the antaravasa, the uttarasangha, and the
sanghati), more than three long robes (the ao trang
and ao nhat binh), and more than three suits (vat
ho) worn under the long robe (not counting work
clothes, warm underwear, or coats for those living
in cold places), and who refuses to hand the excess
over to the Sangha for keeping for newly ordained
members, commits an offense which involves
Release and Expression of Regret.
17. A bhikshu who wears monastic robes made of
translucent, shiny, silky, or colorful material or
any kind of material which is sewn with golden
thread or glittering beads, commits an offense
which involves Release and Expression of Regret.
18. A bhikshu who makes monastic robes
according to a fashionable design or in imitation of
clothes worn by wealthy and powerful people
rather than robes that reflect the spirit of monastic
simplicity, commits an offense which involves
Release and Expression of Regret.
19. A bhikshu who buys luxurious personal items,
commits an offense which involves Release and
Expression of Regret.
20. A bhikshu who keeps and wears expensive or
fashionable slippers or shoes, commits an offense
which involves Release and Expression of Regret.
21. A bhikshu who stores a significant amount of
shampoo, laundry soap, toothpaste, towels,
toothbrushes, or other toiletries and refuses to
share them with the Sangha, commits an offense
which involves Release and Expression of Regret.
22. A bhikshu who is admitted to a hospital for
treatment and stays in an expensive, private room
with unnecessary luxuries, commits an offense
which involves Release and Expression of Regret.
23. A bhikshu who lies on a luxurious bed,
commits an offense which involves Release and
Expression of Regret.
24. A bhikshu who decorates his room in a
luxurious way with many comforts like that of
people in the world, commits an offense which
involves Release and Expression of Regret.
25. A bhikshu who stores a significant amount of
food or drink in his personal storage space and
does not bring it out to share with the Sangha,
commits an offense which involves Release and
Expression of Regret.
26. A bhikshu who goes to laypeople, whether
those people are related to him or not, and collects
material objects and funds for his personal use,
commits an offense which involves Release and
Expression of Regret.
27. A bhikshu who uses an offering from a
layperson not in accordance with the layperson’s
wishes and without informing the layperson, so
that the layperson suffers or is unhappy and
upset, commits an offense which involves Release
and Expression of Regret.
28. A bhikshu who is only interested in growing
crops or manufacturing things to sell, even if it is
to create income for the monastery, and therefore
neglects the Sangha practice schedule, commits an
offense which involves Release and Expression of
Regret.
29. A bhikshu who raises animals or fowl for
entertainment or with the intention to sell them
and make money, commits an offense which
involves Release and Expression of Regret.
30. A bhikshu who keeps items which belong to
the whole Sangha for his personal use or gives
them to someone else without the permission of
the Sangha, commits an offense which involves
Release and Expression of Regret.
31. A bhikshu who uses what belongs to the
Sangha in a way that is contrary to the Sangha’s
wishes, causing discontent or disharmony in the
Sangha, commits an offense which involves Release
and Expression of Regret.
32. A bhikshu who uses Sangha resources in a
wasteful manner, including money, water,
electricity, telephone, car, and so on, commits an
offense which involves Release and Expression of
Regret.
From Freedom Wherever We Go by Thich Nhat Hanh