Lzh Dg Bu Vb Np 15A Sitting-Blanket

– FOUR-PART VINAYA

– NISSAGGIYA PĀCITTIYA

15. A SITTING-BLANKET WITHOUT SPOILED COLOR

A. ORIGIN

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

At that time, the Blessed One sent someone to fetch food.

According to the customary practice of all Buddhas, after the bhikkhus had gone to receive their meal offering, the Buddha would walk through all the rooms. He saw old sitting-blankets discarded and strewn about in disarray everywhere — in the steam room, in the teaching hall, along the walking-meditation path, on the stone for washing feet, on the mound of earth before the doorway, on wooden pegs, on coat hooks, on robe racks, on rope beds, on wooden beds, on footstools, and on the ground — with no one to collect them.

The Blessed One, upon seeing this, thought: "The bhikkhus complain about sitting-blankets — some saying they are too heavy, some too light, some too thin, some too thick. Without discarding the old, they make new ones, accumulating too many sitting-blankets, casting the old ones aside in disarray everywhere, with no one to collect them. Now what should I do so that the bhikkhus will make use of old sitting-blankets again?" He then thought further: "I should permit the bhikkhus, when making a new sitting-blanket, to take a piece of an old one measuring one span square, sew it onto the new one, and thereby spoil the color."

After the Blessed One had finished his meal, on account of this matter he assembled the Saṅgha of bhikkhus and said:

"Just now, after the Saṅgha had gone to receive their meal offering, I walked through all the rooms and saw old sitting-blankets discarded and strewn about in disarray everywhere, with no one to collect them. Seeing this, I thought: the bhikkhus say their sitting-blankets are too heavy or too light, too thin or too thick; without discarding the old, they make new ones. The old ones are cast aside in disarray everywhere, with no one to collect them.

Seeing this, I thought: how can the bhikkhus be made to make use of old sitting-blankets again? I then thought: I will now permit the bhikkhus, when making a new sitting-blanket, to take a piece of an old one measuring one span square, sew it onto the new one, and thereby spoil the color. Therefore, I permit the bhikkhus, when making a new sitting-blanket, to take a piece of an old one measuring one span square, sew it onto the new one, and thereby spoil the color."

At that time, the group of six bhikkhus heard that the Blessed One had permitted bhikkhus, when sewing a new sitting-blanket, to take a piece of an old one measuring one span square and sew it onto the new one to spoil the color. But when they sewed new sitting-blankets, they did not take a piece of an old one measuring one span square and sew it onto the new one to spoil the color.

Among the bhikkhus who witnessed this, there were those of few desires, contentment, who practiced the ascetic way, delighted in training in the precepts, and possessed a sense of shame and remorse. They rebuked the group of six bhikkhus: "Why, when the Blessed One has permitted bhikkhus, when sewing a new sitting-blanket, to take a piece of an old one measuring one span square and sew it onto the new one to spoil the color, do you make new ones without taking a piece of an old one measuring one span square and sewing it onto the new one?" Having rebuked them, they went to the Blessed One, bowed in reverence, sat to one side, and reported this matter to the Blessed One in full.

The Blessed One, on account of this matter, assembled the Saṅgha of bhikkhus and rebuked the group of six bhikkhus:

"What you have done is wrong — it is not proper conduct, not the behavior of a recluse, not pure conduct, not compliant conduct; it is an action that should not have been done. Why, when I have established the rule for the bhikkhus: 'When a bhikkhu makes a new sitting-blanket, he must take a piece of an old one measuring one span square and sew it onto the new one to spoil the color,' did you make new sitting-blankets without taking a piece of an old one measuring one span square and sewing it onto the new one?"

After rebuking them with numerous expedient means, the Blessed One said to the bhikkhus:

"These six bhikkhus are foolish persons, a field wherein many defiled seeds are planted; they are those who first transgressed this precept. From this day forward, I shall establish the precept for the bhikkhus, comprising ten clauses of meaning… and so forth, so that the true Dharma may long endure."

The precept should be stated as follows:

Whatever bhikkhu sews a new sitting-blanket must take a piece of an old one measuring one span square and sew it onto the new one to spoil the color. If he sews a new sitting-blanket without taking a piece of an old one measuring one span square and sewing it onto the new one to spoil the color, it is a nissaggiya pācittiya.

B. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PRECEPT

Bhikkhu: as explained above.

Whatever bhikkhu wishes to sew a new sitting-blanket — if at that time the old sitting-blanket has not yet worn out, has not yet been torn into holes — he should clean, wash, and dye it, stretch it flat, cut a piece measuring one span square, and place it at the center or along the edge, sewing it onto the new one to spoil the color. If a bhikkhu does not take a piece of an old one and sew it onto the new one to spoil the color, but only sews the new one — if the sewing is completed, he incurs a nissaggiya pācittiya; if the sewing is not completed, he incurs a dukkaṭa. If he causes another to do it and it is completed, he incurs a nissaggiya pācittiya; if not completed, a dukkaṭa. If he does the work for another, whether completed or not, he incurs a dukkaṭa.

This nissaggiya offense requires forfeiture to the Saṅgha, or to many persons, or to one individual; it may not be forfeited to a partial assembly. If forfeiture is not properly carried out, he incurs a dukkaṭa.

When forfeiting to the Saṅgha, he should go before the Saṅgha, bare the right shoulder, remove his sandals, bow reverently toward the senior elder, kneel with the right knee touching the ground, join his palms together, and say:

"Venerable Saṅgha, please listen! I, the bhikkhu named …, have sewn a new sitting-blanket without taking a piece of an old one and sewing it onto the new one to spoil the color. I have incurred an offense of forfeiture, and I now forfeit it to the Saṅgha."

After forfeiture, he must confess the offense. The one who receives the confession must first make a formal declaration:

"Venerable Saṅgha, please listen! This bhikkhu named … has sewn a new sitting-blanket without taking a piece of an old one and sewing it onto the new one to spoil the color; he has incurred an offense of forfeiture and has now forfeited it to the Saṅgha. If it is agreeable to the Saṅgha, the Saṅgha approves, and I shall receive the confession of this bhikkhu. This is the formal declaration."

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

"Examine your own mind!"

The offender replies:

"I will."

The Saṅgha should then return the sitting-blanket to this bhikkhu immediately by means of a formal motion and single announcement (ñatti-dutiyakamma), as follows: The Saṅgha should appoint a capable member to carry out the formal motion and single announcement, in accordance with the matter at hand:

"Venerable Saṅgha, please listen! This bhikkhu named … has sewn a new sitting-blanket without taking a piece of an old one and sewing it onto the new one to spoil the color; he has incurred an offense of forfeiture and has now forfeited it to the Saṅgha. If it is agreeable to the Saṅgha, the Saṅgha approves, and the sitting-blanket will be returned to this bhikkhu. This is the formal declaration."

"Venerable Saṅgha, please listen! This bhikkhu named … has sewn a new sitting-blanket without taking a piece of an old one and sewing it onto the new one to spoil the color; he has incurred an offense of forfeiture and has now forfeited it to the Saṅgha. Now the Saṅgha returns this sitting-blanket to this bhikkhu. Those elders who agree that the Saṅgha returns this sitting-blanket to this bhikkhu, please remain silent. Those who do not agree, please speak."

"The Saṅgha has approved and returned the sitting-blanket to the bhikkhu named …. The Saṅgha has consented by silence. This matter is recorded as such."

If a bhikkhu has incurred an offense and forfeits the sitting-blanket to the Saṅgha, but the Saṅgha does not return it, the Saṅgha incurs a dukkaṭa. If someone says "do not return it," that person incurs a dukkaṭa.

If the item is transferred to purify it by way of gift to another, or one keeps it for oneself, or has another keep it, or sits on it until it wears out — in all such cases, a dukkaṭa is incurred.

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

Non-offense: cutting a piece from an old one and sewing it onto the new one to spoil the color. Or if such material is unavailable, one may sew the new one. Or if another person sews it on one's behalf. Or if one receives one already completed. Or if one sews one made entirely of old material — in these cases there is no offense.

Those who do not commit an offense: the first offender when the precept had not yet been established; one who is insane; one whose mind is disturbed; one who is afflicted and overcome 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, volumes 1–21; Vietnamese translation, volumes 1–2)

Buddhist Studies Editorial Board, 2002