Origin story

First sub-story

At one time the Buddha was staying at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrel sanctuary. At that time Venerable Dabba the Mallian assigned the dwellings and designated the meals, and the monks Mettiya and Bhūmajaka had recently been given the full ordination. They had little merit, and they obtained inferior dwellings and meals. They then complained about Dabba to other monks, “Dabba the Mallian assigns dwellings and designates meals based on favoritism.”

The monks of few desires … complained and criticized them, “How can the monks Mettiya and Bhūmajaka complain about Venerable Dabba to other monks?”… “Is it true, monks, that you do this?”

“It’s true, Master.”

The Buddha rebuked them, “… Foolish men, how can you complain about Dabba to other monks? This will not give rise to confidence in those without it … And, monks, this training rule should be recited thus:

Preliminary ruling

‘If a monk complains, he commits an offense entailing confession.’”

In this way the Master laid down this training rule for the monks.

Second sub-story

Knowing that the Master had prohibited complaining, the monks Mettiya and Bhūmajaka considered other ways of getting the monks to hear about their grievances. They then denounced Dabba the Mallian in the vicinity of other monks, “Dabba assigns dwellings and designates meals based on favoritism.”

The monks of few desires … complained and criticized them, “How can the monks Mettiya and Bhūmajaka denounce Venerable Dabba?”… “Is it true, monks, that you do this?”

“It’s true, Master.”

The Buddha rebuked them, “… Foolish men, how can you denounce Dabba? This will not give rise to confidence in those without it … And so, monks, this training rule should be recited thus:

Final ruling

‘If a monk complains or denounces, he commits an offense entailing confession.’”

Definitions

Complaining: Khajjaka. According to Sp.4.893.16 (commenting on the sekhiya rules) this refers to all non-staple foods: ettha mūlakhādanīyādi sabbaṃ gahetabbaṃ, “Here the non-staple foods which are roots, etc., may all be taken.”when someone who is fully ordained is the assigner of dwellings or the designator of meals or the distributor of rice-porridge or the distributor of fruit or the distributor of non-staple food or the distributor of small requisites, and he has been agreed upon by the Order as such, then if a monk complains about him or denounces him to one who is fully ordained—desiring to disparage him, desiring to give him a bad reputation, desiring to humiliate him—he commits an offense entailing confession.

Permutations

If it is a legitimate procedure, and he perceives it as legitimate, and he complains or denounces, he commits an offense entailing confession. If it is a legitimate procedure, but he is unsure if it is, and he complains or denounces, he commits an offense entailing confession. If it is a legitimate procedure, but he perceives it as illegitimate, and he complains or denounces, he commits an offense entailing confession.

If he complains or denounces to one who is not fully ordained, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

When someone who is fully ordained is the assigner of dwellings or the designator of meals or the distributor of rice-porridge or the distributor of fruit or the distributor of non-staple food or the distributor of small requisites, but he has not been agreed upon by the Order as such, then if a monk complains about him or denounces him to one who is fully ordained or to one who is not fully ordained—desiring to disparage him, desiring to give him a bad reputation, desiring to humiliate him—he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

When someone who is not fully ordained is the assigner of dwellings or the designator of meals or the distributor of rice-porridge or the distributor of fruit or the distributor of non-staple food or the distributor of small requisites, whether he has been agreed upon by the Order as such or not, then if a monk complains about him or denounces him to one who is fully ordained or to one who is not fully ordained—desiring to disparage him, desiring to give him a bad reputation, desiring to humiliate him—he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If it is an illegitimate procedure, but he perceives it as legitimate, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If it is an illegitimate procedure, but he is unsure if it is, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If it is an illegitimate procedure, and he perceives it as illegitimate, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

Non-offenses

There is no offense: if he complains about or denounces one who normally acts from desire, ill-will, confusion, or fear; if he is insane; if he is the first offender.

The third rule, the training rule on complaining, is finished.