Lzh Dg Bu Vb Np 10Excessive Prompting for Robe Funds

– FOUR-PART VINAYA

– NISSAGGIYA PĀCITTIYA

10. EXCESSIVE DEMANDING FOR ROBE FUNDS

A. ORIGIN

At one time, the Buddha was dwelling in the Anāthapiṇḍika Garden, the Jeta Grove, in the country of Śrāvastī.

At that time, within the city of Rājagṛha there was a high minister who was a close friend of Upananda the Śākyan, the two frequently visiting one another. This minister sent a messenger bearing robe funds to the place where Upananda the Śākyan was staying, with the following instructions:

"Upananda the Śākyan is my old acquaintance, whom I have always held in respect. Take these robe funds and purchase such-and-such a robe to offer to him."

The messenger took the robe funds and arrived at the monastery where Upananda was residing, and said:

"How excellent! You are a person of great merit."

Upananda asked:

"For what reason do you say that I am a person of great merit?"

The messenger replied:

"A high minister in the city of Rājagṛha has sent me with these robe funds to purchase such-and-such a robe and offer it to you."

Upananda asked:

"Is this truly so?"

The messenger replied:

"It is truly so."

Upananda then asked:

"Where does the residence of this high minister lie? In which direction does the gate face?"

The messenger replied:

"The minister's residence is in such-and-such a place, and the gate faces such-and-such a direction."

Having heard this, Upananda said:

"Just as you say — that minister is my old acquaintance, a donor who regularly makes offerings and attends upon me."

Now at that time, within the city of Śrāvastī, there was a householder who was a close friend of Upananda, the two frequently visiting one another. Upananda led the messenger into the city of Śrāvastī, went to the householder's home, and said:

"A high minister in the city of Rājagṛha has sent this messenger with these robe funds for me, to have a robe made. Please be so kind as to hold them on my behalf."

The householder then agreed to keep them on his behalf.

Some time later, the high minister asked his messenger:

"Previously I instructed you to take the robe funds and offer them to Upananda. Has Upananda worn that robe on my behalf yet?"

The messenger replied:

"I have not seen Upananda wearing it."

The high minister then sent the messenger to say to Upananda:

"Previously, I sent a messenger with robe funds to offer to you. In the end, you have not worn the robe made from my funds. What have you used them for? I now request to have them returned."

Upon hearing this, Upananda hurried to the householder's home and said:

"Previously I deposited robe funds with you. Now I need a robe, so please go and have a robe made for me."

At that time, the householders of Śrāvastī were occupied with an assembly, and there was a regulation in place that anyone who failed to attend would be fined five hundred coins. The householder said:

"According to the rules of the assembly, anyone who does not come will be fined five hundred coins. I now beg leave to go to the assembly. Please wait a moment, Venerable; when the assembly is over I will return. Venerable, do not cause me to be fined five hundred coins."

Upananda said:

"That will not do. First, you must take the robe funds and go have a robe made for me."

At that point, the householder had no choice but to take the robe funds and have a robe made for Upananda. By the time this was done, the assembly had concluded, and the householder was fined five hundred coins for not attending. The householder was resentful: "A Śākyan śramaṇa has caused me to be fined five hundred coins by the assembly." At that time, the laypeople in the city of Śrāvastī who had no faith in the Buddha-Dharma together expressed resentment: "The Śākyan śramaṇas do not know contentment and have no sense of shame or remorse.

Outwardly they claim to know the true Dharma — but if this is how they behave, what true Dharma is there? They caused the householder to miss the assembly and be fined five hundred coins. Henceforth we should not draw near to them, pay them reverence, greet them, attend upon them, or make offerings to them."

Among the bhikkhus who heard of this, those of few desires and contentment, who practiced the ascetic disciplines, were fond of training in the precepts, and possessed a sense of shame and remorse, reproached Upananda: "How could you cause the assembly to fine the householder five hundred coins?"

They then went to the Blessed One, prostrated themselves at his feet, and reported the matter to the Blessed One in full. The Blessed One, on account of this cause and condition, assembled the community of bhikkhus and with countless skillful means rebuked Upananda:

"What you have done is wrong — it is not in accord with proper conduct, not in accord with the Dharma of a śramaṇa, not in accord with pure practice, not in accord with harmonious behavior; it is something that should not have been done. Upananda, how could you cause the householder to be fined five hundred coins by the assembly?"

Having rebuked Upananda with countless skillful means, the Blessed One said to the bhikkhus:

"This person is foolish; he is a field in which many seeds of the outflows are planted; he is the first to commit this offense. From this time forward, I shall establish a precept for the bhikkhus, encompassing ten principles of meaning, up to and including the principle that the true Dharma may long endure. The precept to be recited shall be as follows:

If a bhikkhu — whether a king, a high minister, a brahmin, a layman, or a laywoman — sends a messenger bearing robe funds to a bhikkhu with the instruction: 'Take these robe funds and give them to such-and-such a bhikkhu.' And the messenger comes to the bhikkhu and says: 'Venerable, these robe funds are being sent to you; please receive them.' The bhikkhu should say to that person: 'I am not permitted to receive robe funds.

When the time comes that I need a robe that is timely and pure, I shall receive it.' The messenger should then ask the bhikkhu: 'Venerable, do you have a steward?' The bhikkhu who needs a robe should say: 'Yes,' and point out a monastery resident or an upāsaka, saying: 'That person is the steward for the bhikkhu; he regularly acts as steward for the bhikkhus.' The messenger then goes to the steward, hands over the robe funds, and returns to the bhikkhu to say: 'Venerable, I have given the robe funds to the steward whom you indicated.

Whenever the Venerable is in need, go there and you will receive a robe.' When the bhikkhu needs a robe, he should go to the steward — two or three times — to remind him, saying: 'I am in need of a robe.' Two times or three times he causes the steward to be reminded. If a robe is obtained, that is good. If no robe is obtained, then four, five, or six times he stands silently before the steward.

If by standing silently four, five, or six times before the steward a robe is obtained, that is good. If no robe is obtained and he persists in requesting beyond that limit, and thereby obtains a robe — nissaggiya pācittiya. If no robe is obtained, then he himself or through a messenger should go to the person who sent the robe funds and say: 'Previously, you sent a messenger with robe funds for such-and-such a bhikkhu.

That bhikkhu in the end did not receive a robe. You should take the funds back, lest they be lost.' This is the proper course of action.

B. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PRECEPT

Bhikkhu: the meaning is as above.

King: one who is sovereign and subject to no one's authority.

High minister: those on the left and right of the king.

Brahmin: one of brahmin lineage.

Layman: refers to those who are householders, excluding kings, the king's high ministers, and brahmins.

Laywoman: also a woman who is a householder.

Robe funds: as stated above.

Robes are of ten kinds, as stated above.

Reminding: causing the steward — whether at home, in the marketplace, or at the place of work — to be reminded by going there two or three times and saying: "I am now in need of a robe. Please have a robe made for me." This is called reminding. If after reminding two or three times a robe is obtained, that is good. If no robe is obtained, then four, five, or six times one goes there and stands silently before the steward.

Standing before the steward: going to stand silently before the steward — whether at home, in the marketplace, or at the place of work. If the steward asks: "Venerable, for what reason are you standing here?" the bhikkhu should reply: "You yourself know the reason." If the steward says: "I do not know," and if there is someone else who knows the matter, the bhikkhu may say: "That person knows this matter." If the bhikkhu speaks once, this counts in place of two occasions of silence.

If he speaks twice, it counts in place of four occasions of silence. If he speaks three times, it counts in place of six occasions of silence. If a bhikkhu exceeds two or three times of speaking and exceeds six occasions of standing silently in order to demand the robe — and thereby obtains the robe — nissaggiya pācittiya.

This nissaggiya offense must be forfeited before the Saṅgha, or before a group of bhikkhus, or before one individual; it may not be forfeited before a partial assembly. If it is forfeited in a manner that does not constitute proper forfeiture, the offense becomes a dukkaṭa.

When forfeiting before the Saṅgha, the offender must go before the Saṅgha, bare the right shoulder, remove footwear, bow to the senior elder, kneel with the right knee touching the ground, join the palms, and say:

"I ask the venerable Saṅgha to please listen! I, bhikkhu by the name of ——, having demanded a robe by speaking more than three times and by standing silently more than six times in order to obtain a robe, have committed a forfeiture offense, and now forfeit it before the Saṅgha."

Having forfeited, one must then confess the offense. First, the one who receives the confession must make a formal announcement:

"I ask the venerable Saṅgha to please listen! This bhikkhu by the name of —— has demanded a robe by speaking more than three times and by standing silently more than six times in order to obtain a robe, has committed a forfeiture offense, and now forfeits it before the Saṅgha. If it is suitable to the Saṅgha, the Saṅgha consents, and I shall receive the confession of this bhikkhu. This is the formal announcement."

After the declaration has been made, the confession is received. The one receiving the confession should say to that bhikkhu:

"You should reproach your own mind!"

The bhikkhu who has committed the offense replies:

"Yes, I will."

The Sangha must return this robe to that bhikkhu by means of a formal act with one motion and one announcement (ñattidutikyakamma), as follows: within the Sangha, one who is capable of performing the formal act should be appointed, and based on the matter above, the announcement is made:

"Venerable Sangha, please listen! This bhikkhu named … has on more than three occasions verbally requested a robe, and on more than six occasions stood in silence to obtain a robe. He has committed a nissaggiya pācittiya offense and has now forfeited it to the Sangha. If it is agreeable to the Sangha, the Sangha consents to return this robe to this bhikkhu. This is the motion."

"Venerable Sangha, please listen! This bhikkhu named … has on more than three occasions verbally requested a robe, and on more than six occasions stood in silence to obtain a robe. He has committed a nissaggiya pācittiya offense and has now forfeited it to the Sangha. The Sangha now returns this robe to this bhikkhu. Those elders who agree that the Sangha should return this robe to this bhikkhu should remain silent. Those who do not agree should speak."

"The Sangha has consented to return this robe to the bhikkhu named … The Sangha agrees and has remained silent. This matter is so recorded."

If the bhikkhu who committed the offense has forfeited the robe before the Sangha in this manner, yet the Sangha does not return it, the Sangha incurs a dukkaṭa. Whoever says "do not return it" also commits a dukkaṭa.

If one transfers it as a pure gift (净施), or makes it into one of the three robes, or makes it into a pārikāra cloth, or gives it to another person, or wears it many times until it is worn out — in all these cases, a dukkaṭa is incurred.

For a bhikkhunī: nissaggiya pācittiya. For a sikkhāmānā, a sāmaṇera, or a sāmaṇerī: dukkaṭa. These are called offenses.

Non-offense: If on three occasions one verbally requests and receives a robe, or on six occasions one stands in silence and receives a robe.

If one does not receive a robe, one may go oneself or send another to the donor of the robe funds and say: "Previously you sent a messenger with funds to procure a robe for the bhikkhu named … In the end, that bhikkhu did not receive a robe. You may go and reclaim the funds, so that they are not lost." If that person says: "I have already donated it; I will not reclaim it," then this bhikkhu should, in due time, by gentle and skillful words, seek to obtain the robe. This is not an offense.

Those who do not offend: the first offender before the rule was promulgated; one who is insane, mentally disturbed, or in extreme pain and distress.

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

Chinese translation: Tripiṭaka masters 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 Board, 2002