Lzh Dg Bi Vb Pc 102Bathing Robes

– FOUR-PART VINAYA

– PĀCITTIYA

RULE 102

A. ORIGIN STORY

At one time, the Bhagavā was dwelling in the Anāthapiṇḍika's park, the Jeta Grove, in the country of Śrāvastī. At that time, the Blessed One permitted bhikkhunīs to obtain bathing robes. The group of six bhikkhunīs, upon hearing that the Blessed One had permitted bhikkhunīs to obtain bathing robes, immediately obtained many bathing robes that were both wide and large. Other bhikkhunīs saw this and asked:

"The Buddha permits bhikkhunīs to keep five robes. What kind of robe is this?"

The group of six said:

"These are our bathing robes."

When the bhikkhunīs heard this, among them were those of few desires, who were content, who practiced the ascetic disciplines, who delighted in training in the precepts, and who had a sense of shame and remorse. They reproached the group of six bhikkhunīs: "The Blessed One has permitted keeping bathing robes. How then can you obtain many bathing robes that are both wide and large?"

The bhikkhunīs reported this to the bhikkhus. The bhikkhus went and reported it to the Blessed One. The Blessed One, on account of this matter, assembled the Sangha of bhikkhus and rebuked the group of six bhikkhunīs:

"What you have done is wrong; it is not proper conduct, not the practice of a śramaṇa, not pure conduct, not befitting behavior — it is something that should not be done. Why did you bhikkhunīs obtain bathing robes that are both wide and large?"

Having rebuked the group of six bhikkhunīs with countless methods of instruction, the Blessed One said to the bhikkhus:

"This group of six bhikkhunīs is a field that plants many seeds of the āsavas; they are the first to commit this offense. From now on, I shall lay down a rule for the bhikkhunīs comprising ten principles of meaning, up to the phrase 'for the enduring of the true Dharma.'"

The rule should be stated as follows:

Whatever bhikkhunī obtains a bathing robe must obtain one of the proper measure. The proper measure here is: six handspans of the Buddha in length, two and a half handspans in width. If it exceeds this, pācittiya.

B. ANALYSIS OF THE RULE

Bhikkhunī: as explained above.

Bathing robe: a robe used to cover the body while bathing.

Whatever bhikkhunī obtains a bathing robe in which the length exceeds the measure but the width is correct; or the length is correct but the width exceeds the measure; or both exceed the measure — if she herself cuts and sews it to completion, pācittiya; if not completed, dukkaṭa. If she instructs another to make it, and it is cut and sewn to completion, pācittiya; if not completed, dukkaṭa. If she makes it for another, whether completed or not, in all cases dukkaṭa.

For a bhikkhu, pācittiya. For a sikkhāmānā, a śrāmaṇerikā, dukkaṭa. This is called an offense.

Non-offense: making it of the proper measure or below the specified measure; or receiving an already-completed article and cutting it down in accordance with the Dharma; or layering; in all such cases there is no offense.

Those who do not commit an offense: one who commits an offense for the first time before the rule has been laid down; one who is mentally deranged, of disturbed mind, or who is afflicted and overwhelmed by pain.

Vietnamese translation: Bhikkhu Thích Đỗng Minh and Thích Đức Thắng. FOUR-PART VINAYA, PART ONE

Chinese translation: Tripiṭaka masters Buddhayaśas and Zhu Fonian.

Edited and annotated: Bhikkhu Thích Nguyên Chứng

(Chinese translation, fascicles 1–21; Vietnamese translation, fascicles 1–2)

Buddhist Editorial Board 2002