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The Concept of Pancasila in Indian Thought
with the gravest, while the last with the least serious offences.
The gravest offences called pārājikas in the Vinaya are four in number. They are called pārājika because by committing them the monk is no longer held in the communion, he is excommunicated from the Samgha.? Out of these four, the third pārājika pertains to the precept of non-violence. Though non-violence should be observed in all minuteness as is prescribed in the vow, but the offence increases with the size of the creature injured, and in this sense man is regarded as the biggest among all living creatures. Therefore, the code declares, “Whatsoever Bhikkhu shall knowingly deprive a human being of life or searches for an arm like a knife etc. shall utter the praises of death or incite others to selfdestruction saying 'Oh my friend what good do you get from this sinful, wretched life ? Death is better to you than life. If so thinking, and with such an aim, he, by various arguments, utter the praises of death or incite other to self-destruction, is excommunicated and no longer held under the communion."2 This great crime along with the other three is repeated in the formula of warning addressed to the monks at their first admisson in Mahāvagga too. Next to the category of pārājika comes what are called the samghādisesa' offences. Out of the thirteen such offences only two, those 1. उद्दिट्ठा खो आयस्मन्तो चत्तारो पाराजिका धम्मा, येसं भिक्खु
अञ्जतरं वा अञ्जतरं वा आपज्जित्वा न लभति भिक्खूहि सद्धिं संवासं, यथा पुरे तथा पच्छा, पाराजि को होति असंवासो।
-Pārājika, vol I, p. 149. 2. यो पन भिक्खु संचिच्च मनुस्सविग्गहं जीविता वोरोपेय्य सत्थहारकं
वास्स परियेसेय्य, मरण वण्णं वा संवण्णेय्य, मरणाय वा समादपेय्यअम्भो पुरिस, किं तुम्हिमिना पापकेन दुज्जीवितेन, मतं ते जीविता सेय्यो ति, इति चित्तमनो चित्तसंकप्पो अनेकपरियायेन मरणवणं वा संवण्णेय्य, मरणाय व समादपेयय-अयं पि पाराजिको होतीअसंवासो। -Bhikku Pātimokkha, Pārājikadhamma, Pārājika, vol. I, p. 90.
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