Lzh Dg Bi Vb Pc 107Giving Robes

– FOUR-PART VINAYA

– PĀCITTIYA

RULE 107

B. ORIGIN STORY

At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling in the Anāthapiṇḍika Garden, Jeta's Grove, in the country of Śrāvastī. At that time, Upananda the Śākyan had two novices in his service, one named Ñi and the other named Mit. One of them left the training, and the other put on the kaṣāya robe and joined an assembly of non-Buddhist ascetics. The group of six bhikkhunīs took robes belonging to monastics and gave them to the one who had left the training and to the one who had joined the non-Buddhist ascetics.

The bhikkhunīs heard of this, and among them were those of few desires, who were content, who practiced the ascetic way of life, who were fond of training in the rules, who knew shame and remorse. They reproached the group of six bhikkhunīs: "Why did you give robes belonging to monastics to one who has left the training and to one who has joined the non-Buddhist ascetics?"

The bhikkhunīs went and reported the matter to the bhikkhus. The bhikkhus went and reported it to the Buddha. The Buddha, on account of this, convened the assembly of bhikkhus and reproached the group of six bhikkhunīs:

"What you have done is wrong, not in accordance with proper conduct, not in accordance with the Dharma of monastics, not in accordance with pure practice, not in accordance with dutiful conduct — this is something that should not be done. Why did you give robes belonging to monastics to one who has left the training and to one who has joined the non-Buddhist ascetics?"

The Blessed One, having reproached the group of six bhikkhunīs by various means, then said to the bhikkhus:

"These bhikkhunīs are a field in which many defiled seeds grow; they are the first to commit this offense. From now on, I shall lay down a rule for the bhikkhunīs, comprising ten points of meaning, up to the clause on the long endurance of the true Dharma."

The rule should be stated as follows:

Whatever bhikkhunī gives a monastic robe to a non-Buddhist ascetic or a layperson — pācittiya.

B. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE OFFENSE

Bhikkhu: as explained above.

Layperson: a householder.

Non-Buddhist ascetic: one who has gone forth outside the teaching of the Buddha.

Monastic robe: a robe of subdued color.

Whatever bhikkhunī gives a monastic robe, and the other person receives it — pācittiya. If this one gives but the other does not receive — duṣkṛta.

If one intends to give but does not give, or promises to give but does not give — all cases are duṣkṛta.

For a bhikkhu — duṣkṛta. For a śikṣamāṇā, a śrāmaṇera, or a śrāmaṇerī — duṣkṛta. These are called offenses.

Non-offenses: giving to one's parents; giving to workers building a stūpa, or to workers building a teaching hall or living quarters, giving in exchange for the equivalent value in food; or if the robe is taken by force — none of these constitute an offense.

Those who do not commit an offense: one who commits it for the first time before the rule has been laid down; one who is insane, mentally disturbed, afflicted with pain, or acting under compulsion.

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 by: Bhikkhu Thích Nguyên Chứng

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

Buddhist Publication Committee, 2002