Lzh Dg Bu Vb Np 14A New Blanket Should be Kept for Six Years

– DHARMAGUPTAKA VINAYA

– NISSAGGIYA PĀCITTIYA

14. A SLEEPING MAT KEPT FOR FEWER THAN SIX YEARS

A. ORIGIN OF THE RULE

At one time, the Buddha was staying in the Anāthapiṇḍika garden, Jeta's Grove, in the country of Śrāvastī. At that time, the group of six bhikkhus disparaged their sleeping mats as either too thick or too thin, or too heavy or too light. Without relinquishing their old sleeping mats, they made new ones. They continually sought out sleeping mats and accumulated a great many of them.

At that time, among the bhikkhus who heard of this, there were those of few desires and contentment, who lived the austere practices, who delighted in training in the precepts, who knew shame and remorse. They rebuked the group of six bhikkhus: "Why do you disparage your old sleeping mats as either too light or too heavy, too thin or too thick, and then, without relinquishing the old ones, make new ones, accumulating so many?" After rebuking them, they went to the Blessed One, bowed down at his feet, sat to one side, and reported this matter fully to the Blessed One.

The Blessed One, on account of this matter, assembled the Sangha of bhikkhus and rebuked the group of six bhikkhus by every means:

"What you have done is wrong; it is not proper conduct, not the practice of a śramaṇa, not pure conduct, not befitting behavior. You have done what should not be done. How could this group of six bhikkhus disparage sleeping mats as too light or too heavy, too thin or too thick, and then make new sleeping mats, accumulating so many?"

After rebuking them by countless means, the Blessed One said to the bhikkhus:

"This group of six bhikkhus are foolish persons; they are a field that grows many seeds of the āsravas; they are the first to commit this offense. From now on, I shall lay down a precept for the bhikkhus, based on ten principles, up to and including the long endurance of the true Dharma."

The precept should be stated as follows:

Whatever bhikkhu makes a new sleeping mat shall keep it for six years. If before six years have passed he does not relinquish it but makes a new one, it is a nissaggiya pācittiya.

After the Blessed One had laid down this precept for the bhikkhus in this way, there was at that time a bhikkhu who was afflicted with a wasting illness, and his rag-robe sleeping mat was excessively heavy. He had a certain reason for wishing to travel through the countryside, and he thought to himself: "The Blessed One has laid down the precept: 'Whatever bhikkhu makes a new sleeping mat shall keep it for six years. If before six years have passed he does not relinquish his old sleeping mat and makes a new one, he commits a nissaggiya pācittiya.' Now I have a certain reason for wishing to travel through the countryside, yet I am afflicted with a wasting illness and this sleeping mat is too heavy. What am I to do?" That bhikkhu spoke to the other bhikkhus:

"Venerable sirs, I now have a certain reason for which I must travel through the countryside, yet I am afflicted with a wasting illness. This rag-robe sleeping mat is too heavy; I cannot carry it with me. Please, venerable sirs, report this matter to the Blessed One on my behalf. Whatever the Blessed One instructs, I shall follow accordingly."

Having heard this, the bhikkhus went to the Blessed One, bowed down at his feet, sat to one side, and reported this matter fully to the Blessed One.

At that time, the Blessed One assembled the bhikkhus and said:

"From now on, I permit the Sangha to bestow upon that bhikkhu a formal act by single proclamation with one motion."

That bhikkhu should go before the Sangha, bare his right shoulder, remove his sandals, bow in reverence toward the senior monk, kneel with the right knee touching the ground, join his palms together, and say:

"Venerable Sangha, please listen. I, the bhikkhu named ——, have a certain reason for wishing to travel through the countryside, yet I am afflicted with a wasting illness. My rag-robe sleeping mat is too heavy and cannot be carried with me. I now come to request the Sangha to perform a formal act permitting me to make a new sleeping mat."

He requests this three times.

Among the assembly, a competent bhikkhu should be appointed to carry out the formal act. Based on the matter above, he makes the proclamation:

"Venerable Sangha, please listen. This bhikkhu named —— wishes to travel through the countryside yet is afflicted with a wasting illness. He has a heavy rag-robe sleeping mat. He now comes to request the Sangha to perform a formal act permitting him to make a new sleeping mat. If it is the proper time for the Sangha, and the Sangha consents, the Sangha shall bestow upon this bhikkhu the formal act permitting him to make a new sleeping mat. This is the proclamation."

"Venerable Sangha, please listen. This bhikkhu named —— wishes to travel through the countryside yet is afflicted with a wasting illness. Because his rag-robe sleeping mat is too heavy, he now comes to request the Sangha to perform the formal act of making a new sleeping mat. The Sangha now bestows upon the bhikkhu named —— the formal act of making a new sleeping mat. Any elder who consents to the Sangha bestowing upon the bhikkhu named —— the formal act of making a new sleeping mat, let him be silent. Whoever does not consent, let him speak."

"The Sangha has consented and has bestowed upon the bhikkhu named —— the formal act of making a new sleeping mat. The Sangha consents; therefore it is silent. This matter is recorded as such."

The Buddha instructs that from now on the precept should be stated as follows:

Whatever bhikkhu makes a new sleeping mat shall keep it for six years. If before six years have passed he does not relinquish it but makes a new one—except when permitted by the Sangha's formal act—it is a nissaggiya pācittiya.

B. ANALYSIS OF THE OFFENSE

Bhikkhu: as explained above.

If a bhikkhu, before six years have passed, does not relinquish the old one but makes a new sleeping mat, it is a nissaggiya pācittiya. If he makes one that is not completed, he commits a duṣkṛta. If he instructs another to make it and it is completed, he commits a nissaggiya pācittiya; if not completed, a duṣkṛta. If he makes one on behalf of another, whether completed or not, he commits a duṣkṛta.

This nissaggiya offense must be forfeited to the Sangha, or to a group, or to an individual; it may not be forfeited in a separate assembly. If the forfeiture is not carried out properly, he commits a duṣkṛta.

When forfeiting to the Sangha, the offender should go before the Sangha, bare his right shoulder, remove his sandals, bow in reverence toward the senior monk, kneel with the right knee touching the ground, join his palms together, and say:

"Venerable Sangha, please listen. I, the bhikkhu named ——, before six years had passed, did not relinquish my old sleeping mat but made a new sleeping mat, thus committing a forfeiture offense. I now forfeit it to the Sangha."

After forfeiting, he must confess the offense. The one who receives the confession must first make a proclamation:

"Venerable Sangha, please listen. This bhikkhu named ——, before six years had passed, did not relinquish his old sleeping mat but made new sleeping mats, thus committing a forfeiture offense. He now forfeits it to the Sangha. If it is the proper time for the Sangha, and the Sangha consents, I shall receive the confession of this bhikkhu. This is the proclamation."

After making this proclamation, he then receives the confession. When receiving the confession, he should say to the offending bhikkhu:

"Examine your own mind!"

The offender replies:

"Yes, I will."

The Sangha should return the sleeping mat to this bhikkhu by a formal act of single proclamation with one motion, as follows. A competent bhikkhu should be appointed from within the Sangha to carry out the formal act. Based on the matter above, he makes the proclamation:

"Venerable Sangha, please listen. This bhikkhu named ——, before six years had passed, did not relinquish his old sleeping mat but made a new one, thus committing a forfeiture offense. He has now forfeited it to the Sangha. If it is the proper time for the Sangha, and the Sangha consents, the Sangha shall return this sleeping mat to this bhikkhu. This is the proclamation."

"Venerable Sangha, please listen. This bhikkhu named ——, before six years had passed, did not relinquish his old sleeping mat but made a new one, thus committing a forfeiture offense. He has now forfeited it to the Sangha. The Sangha now returns this sleeping mat to this bhikkhu. Any elder who consents to the Sangha returning this sleeping mat to this bhikkhu, let him be silent. Whoever does not consent, let him speak."

"The Sangha has consented and has returned the sleeping mat to this bhikkhu. The Sangha consents; therefore it is silent. This matter is recorded as such."

If a bhikkhu who has committed such an offense forfeits the sleeping mat before the Sangha and the Sangha does not return it, the Sangha commits a duṣkṛta. If someone says "do not return it," that person commits a duṣkṛta.

If one takes it and transfers it as a pure gift, or assigns it to another person, or keeps using it until it falls apart, or makes it into something other than a sleeping mat—all of these are duṣkṛta.

For a bhikkhunī, it is a duṣkṛta. For a śikṣamāṇā, a śrāmaṇera, and a śrāmaṇerī, it is a duṣkṛta. These are called offenses.

Non-offenses: when the Sangha has given permission; when six years have passed; or when, before six years have passed, one relinquishes the old and makes a new one; or when there is none and so one must make one; or when another makes one for him; or when one receives an already-completed article—there is no offense.

Those who do not offend: the first offender before the precept was laid down; one who is insane, mentally disturbed, or racked and overwhelmed by pain.

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

Chinese translation: Tripiṭaka masters Buddhayaśas and Zhu Fonian.

Revision and annotation: Bhikkhu Thích Nguyên Chứng

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

Buddhist Studies Editorial Committee, 2002