How the attainment precept came to be?

[dhammarelax]

Dear Friends

Does anyone know where does the story about the prohibition to boast about a monks attainments originated from?

Smile
dhammarelax

[Nicolas]

In the Vibhaṅga: https://suttacentral.net/en/pi-tv-bu-vb-pc8

(Edit: "attainments" might be a better term than "magical abilities" since the above refers to the jhanas, ariyan attainments, and higher knowledges.)

[samseva]

If the attainments are factual and mentioned to an unordained person (a pācittiya):

The origin story to this rule deals with bhikkhus who, as a tactic for getting almsfood in a time of scarcity, had agreed to speak of one another’s superior human states to householders. This would seem to suggest that to speak of another bhikkhu’s actual attainment of superior human states with such motives in mind—e.g., hoping to get a share of the increased gains he might receive— should entail a penalty too, but none of the texts mention this point, so it is not an offense. Still, any bhikkhu who plans to act in such a way, on the grounds that whatever is not an offense is perfectly all right, should remember that the Buddha criticized the bhikkhus in the origin story in very strong terms.

Non-factual (pārājika):

“You worthless men, how can you for the sake of your stomachs speak praise of one another’s superior human states to householders? It would be better for you that your bellies be slashed open with a sharp butcher’s knife than that you should for the sake of your stomachs speak praise of one another’s superior human states to householders. Why is that? For that reason you would undergo death or death-like suffering, but you would not on that account, at the break-up of the body, after death, fall into deprivation, the bad destination, the abyss, hell. But for this reason you would, at the break-up of the body, after death, fall into deprivation, the bad destination, the abyss, hell.... Bhikkhus, in this world with its devas, māras, and brahmās, its generations with brahmans and contemplatives, princes and men, this is the ultimate great thief: he who claims an unfactual, non-existent superior human state. Why is that? You have consumed the nation’s almsfood through theft.”

[dhammarelax]

In the Vibhaṅga: https://suttacentral.net/en/pi-tv-bu-vb-pc8

(Edit: "attainments" might be a better term than "magical abilities" since the above refers to the jhanas, ariyan attainments, and higher knowledges.)

You are right.