Lzh Dg Bi Vb Pc 103Sewing Robes

– FOUR-PART VINAYA

– PĀCITTIYA

RULE 103

A. ORIGIN STORY

At one time, the Bhagavā was dwelling in the garden of Anāthapiṇḍika, in the Jeta Grove, in the country of Śrāvastī. At that time, a certain bhikkhunī wished to cut and sew a saṃghāṭī robe. The bhikkhunī Sthūlanandā said: "Sister, bring it here and I will sew it for you." The bhikkhunī then brought the robe fabric. Since that bhikkhunī was intelligent, well known to many people, and skilled in teaching and guidance, the bhikkhunī Sthūlanandā thought to ensure that the other bhikkhunī would continue to make offerings to her for a long time. So after cutting the robe, she set it aside and refused to sew it.

At that time, the monastery where the bhikkhunī Sthūlanandā was staying caught fire, and the robe fabric was burned; what remained was scattered and blown about by the wind. Lay people saw this and criticized her: "This bhikkhunī has no sense of shame. She proclaims outwardly that she practices the true Dharma. What kind of true Dharma is this? After cutting someone's robe fabric, how could she fail to finish sewing it, letting it be burned by fire and blown away by the wind?"

The bhikkhunīs heard of this, and among them were those of few desires, who knew contentment, practiced the dhūta qualities, delighted in training in the precepts, and had a sense of shame. They criticized the bhikkhunī Sthūlanandā: "How could you cut someone's robe fabric and then not sew it, letting it be burned and blown away by the wind?"

The bhikkhunīs reported this to the bhikkhus. The bhikkhus reported it to the Blessed One. The Blessed One, on account of this matter, assembled the Saṃgha of bhikkhus and rebuked the bhikkhunī Sthūlanandā:

"What you have done is wrong, unbecoming, not in accord with the conduct of a śramaṇa, not pure conduct, not proper behavior—it is something that should not be done. How could a bhikkhunī cut a robe and then not sew it at once, letting it be burned by fire and blown away by the wind?" Having rebuked her by means of countless expedient teachings, the Blessed One said to the bhikkhus:

"This bhikkhunī is a field where many seeds of the āsavas are planted; she is the first to transgress this rule. From this day forward, I shall lay down a rule for bhikkhunīs, comprising ten principles of meaning, up to and including the principle of the long abiding of the true Dharma."

The rule should be recited as follows:

Whatever bhikkhunī sews a saṃghāṭī for more than five days: pācittiya.

After the Blessed One had laid down this rule for bhikkhunīs in this manner, some bhikkhunīs were in search of a saṃghāṭī, the kaṭhina robe had been removed, and the six kinds of difficult circumstances arose; doubt arose, and the Buddha instructed:

"In cases such as these, there is no offense."

From this day forward, the rule shall be recited as follows:

Whatever bhikkhunī sews a saṃghāṭī for more than five days: pācittiya. Except when she is in search of a saṃghāṭī, when the kaṭhina robe has been removed, or when the six kinds of difficult circumstances arise.

B. ANALYSIS OF THE RULE

Bhikkhunī: as explained above.

A bhikkhu: duṣkṛta. A śikṣamāṇā, a śrāmaṇera, a śrāmaṇerī: duṣkṛta. These constitute the offense.

Non-offenses: when she is in search of a saṃghāṭī; when the merit robe has been removed; when the robe is completed within five days; when the six kinds of difficult circumstances arise; or when in the process of sewing or preparing, or when there is no knife, no needle, no thread, or when the fabric is insufficient; or when the owner of the robe has broken the precepts, broken right view, or broken proper conduct; or when she has been suspended, expelled, or is subject to expulsion; or when proceeding with the sewing would result in a threat to her life or a threat to her practice of the holy life—in such cases, if more than five days pass without the sewing being completed, there is no offense.

Those who are not offenders: one who transgresses for the first time before the rule has been laid down; one who is insane, mentally disturbed, or afflicted by extreme pain.

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

Chinese translation: Tripiṭaka Master Buddhayaśas and Zhu Fonian.

Revised and annotated: Bhikkhu Thích Nguyên Chứng

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

Buddhist Studies Editorial Committee, 2002