Lzh Dg Bu Vb Np 21An Extra Almsbowl

– FOUR-PART VINAYA

– NISSAGGIYA PĀCITTIYA

21. KEEPING AN EXTRA ALMSBOWL

A. ORIGIN OF THE RULE

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

At that time, the group of six monks kept storing almsbowls. Whichever was fine they would use; whichever was not fine they would set aside. They constantly sought out fine almsbowls in this way and accumulated many of them.

At that time, some lay people came to visit the monks' quarters. Seeing the group of six monks storing many almsbowls, they all criticized them, saying: "The śramaṇa disciples of the Śākyan have desires without end and know no shame. Outwardly they proclaim, 'We know the true Dharma.' What sort of true Dharma is this? Storing so many almsbowls like a potter's shop."

Among the monks who heard this, those who were of few desires, content, who practiced the dhūta disciplines, and who delighted in learning the precepts reproached the group of six monks: "How can you store almsbowls, keeping the fine ones and setting aside the inferior ones, constantly seeking new almsbowls and accumulating many?"

The monks went to where the Blessed One was, bowed with their heads at his feet, sat to one side, and reported this matter to the Blessed One in full.

The Blessed One, on account of this matter, assembled the community of monks and rebuked Bhadananda, saying:

"What you have done is wrong — it is not proper conduct, not the way of a śramaṇa, not pure practice, not appropriate behavior, and is something that should not be done. How can you store almsbowls, keeping the fine ones and setting aside the inferior ones, constantly seeking new almsbowls and accumulating many?"

The Blessed One rebuked them with countless skillful means, then said to the monks:

"Bhadananda is a foolish man, a field for the sowing of many defiled seeds, and the first to commit this offense. From now on, I shall lay down the precept for the monks, comprising ten points of meaning, so that the true Dharma may long endure."

In wishing to set forth the precept, it should be spoken thus:

Whatever monk keeps an extra almsbowl — nissaggiya pācittiya.

After the Blessed One had thus laid down this precept for the monks, at that time the Venerable Ānanda received a precious almsbowl from the country of Sumā, intending to offer it to the Great Kāśyapa, since the Great Kāśyapa regularly used this type of bowl from that country.

At that time, the Great Kāśyapa was not present. The Venerable Ānanda thought: "The Blessed One has laid down the precept for the monks: 'Whatever monk keeps an extra almsbowl — nissaggiya pācittiya.' Now I have received this precious almsbowl from the country of Sumā, wishing to offer it to the Venerable Great Kāśyapa, but he is not here. I do not know what to do." The Venerable Ānanda went to where the Blessed One was, bowed with his head at the Buddha's feet, stood to one side, and said to the Blessed One:

"Blessed One, the Blessed One has laid down the precept for the monks: 'Whatever monk keeps an extra almsbowl — nissaggiya pācittiya.' Now I have just received a precious almsbowl from the country of Sumā, wishing to offer it to the Great Kāśyapa, but the Great Kāśyapa is not here, and I do not know what to do."

The Blessed One asked the Venerable Ānanda:

"How long before the Great Kāśyapa returns?"

The Venerable Ānanda said to the Buddha:

"In ten days, the Great Kāśyapa will return."

At that time, the Blessed One, on account of this matter, assembled the community of monks, and with countless skillful means spoke the Dharma in accordance with the occasion, praised the proper practice of the dhūta disciplines, of few desires and contentment, and those who delight in renunciation, and said to the monks:

"From now on, monks are permitted to keep an extra almsbowl for up to ten days."

The precept should be set forth thus:

Whatever monk keeps an extra almsbowl without having performed the act of relinquishment, and is permitted to keep it within the limit of ten days — if he exceeds this limit, it is nissaggiya pācittiya.

B. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE OFFENSE

Monk — the meaning is as above.

Almsbowl — There are six types: tin bowls, bowls from the country of Sumā, bowls from the country of Ujjalā, bowls from the country of Ujjhasā, black bowls, and red bowls. In general there are two types: bowls made of tin and bowls made of clay. A large bowl holds three dou; a small bowl holds one and a half dou. These are the capacities of almsbowls; they should be received and kept accordingly, and the act of relinquishment should be performed accordingly.

If a monk receives an almsbowl on the first day, and up to the tenth day receives almsbowls, and retains them to the eleventh day — when dawn appears, all the almsbowls received within those ten days incur nissaggiya pācittiya.

If a monk receives an almsbowl on the first day, does not receive one on the second day, receives one on the third day, receives one on the fourth day, and so on up to the tenth day receives an almsbowl — on the eleventh day, when dawn appears, all the almsbowls received within those nine days incur nissaggiya pācittiya.

If a monk receives an almsbowl on the first day, receives one on the second day, does not receive one on the third day (and so the sequence proceeds down to not receiving an almsbowl on the tenth day; the wording of the passage is as above).

If a monk receives an almsbowl on the first day, does not receive one on the second or third days, receives one on the fourth day, and up to the tenth day receives almsbowls — on the eleventh day, when dawn appears, all the almsbowls received within those eight days incur nissaggiya pācittiya.

If a monk receives an almsbowl on the first day, receives one on the second day, does not receive one on the third or fourth days, and receives one on the fifth day (and so the sequence proceeds down to not receiving an almsbowl on the ninth and tenth days; the wording of the passage is likewise).

If a monk receives an almsbowl on the first day, does not receive one on the second, third, or fourth days, receives one on the fifth day, and up to the tenth day receives almsbowls — on the eleventh day, when dawn appears, all the almsbowls received within those seven days incur nissaggiya pācittiya.

If a monk receives an almsbowl on the first day, receives one on the second day, does not receive one on the third, fourth, or fifth days, and receives one on the eighth day (and so the sequence proceeds down to not receiving almsbowls on the sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth days; the wording of the passage is as above).

If a monk receives an almsbowl on the first day, does not receive one on the second, third, fourth, fifth, or sixth days, receives one on the sixth day, and up to the tenth day receives almsbowls — on the eleventh day, when dawn appears, all the almsbowls received within those six days incur nissaggiya pācittiya.

If a monk receives an almsbowl on the first day, receives one on the second day, does not receive one on the third, fourth, fifth, or sixth days (and so the sequence proceeds down to not receiving almsbowls on the seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth days; the wording of the passage is as above).

If a monk receives an almsbowl on the first day, does not receive one on the second, third, fourth, fifth, or sixth days, receives one on the seventh day, and up to the tenth day receives almsbowls — on the eleventh day, when dawn appears, all the almsbowls received within those five days incur nissaggiya pācittiya.

If a monk receives an almsbowl on the first day, receives one on the second day, does not receive one on the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, or seventh days, and receives one on the eighth day (and so the sequence proceeds down to not receiving almsbowls on the sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth days; the wording of the passage is as above).

If a monk receives an almsbowl on the first day, does not receive one on the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, or seventh days, receives one on the eighth day, and up to the tenth day receives almsbowls — on the eleventh day, when dawn appears, all the almsbowls received within those four days incur nissaggiya pācittiya.

If a monk receives an almsbowl on the first day, receives one on the second day, does not receive one on the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, or eighth days (and so the sequence proceeds down to not receiving almsbowls on the fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth days; the wording of the passage is as above).

If a monk receives an almsbowl on the first day, does not receive one on the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, or eighth days, receives one on the ninth and tenth days — the almsbowls received within those three days, upon the eleventh day when dawn appears, all incur nissaggiya pācittiya.

If a monk receives an almsbowl on the first day, receives one on the second day, does not receive one on the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, or ninth days (and so the sequence proceeds down to not receiving almsbowls on the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth days; the wording of the passage is as above).

If a monk receives a bowl on the first day; does not receive a bowl on the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, or ninth day; receives a bowl on the tenth day; then when dawn arises on the eleventh day, the bowls received on both days are all nissaggiya pācittiya.

If a monk receives a bowl on the first day and receives one on the second day; does not receive a bowl on the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, or tenth day (and so on, continuing down to the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, or tenth day without receiving a bowl—the phrasing of the rule is the same as above).

If a monk receives a bowl on the first day; does not receive a bowl on the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, or tenth day; then when dawn arises on the eleventh day, the bowl received on that one day is nissaggiya pācittiya.

If a monk receives a bowl on the first day without performing net-gift; receives a bowl by net-gift on the second day; receives a bowl on the third day; and so on up to the tenth day receiving a bowl without performing net-gift; then when dawn arises on the eleventh day, the bowls received on those nine days are all nissaggiya pācittiya.

If a monk receives a bowl on the first day, receives a bowl on the second day without performing net-gift, receives a bowl by net-gift on the third day, receives a bowl without net-gift on the fourth day (and so on, continuing down through receiving a bowl on the tenth day without net-gift and with net-gift—the phrasing of the rule is the same as above). Having another act on one's behalf (the phrasing is likewise). Or losing it (the phrasing is the same as above). Or deliberately causing it to be damaged (the phrasing is likewise). Or rendering it a non-bowl (the phrasing is likewise). Or with the intention of taking it as belonging to a friend (the phrasing is the same as above). Or forgetting (the phrasing is the same as above). All are nissaggiya pācittiya.

If a bowl that has incurred nissaggiya is not forfeited and another bowl is exchanged for it, one commits one nissaggiya and one dukkaṭa.

This bowl that has incurred nissaggiya must be forfeited to the Sangha, or to a group of monastics, or to a single individual; it may not be forfeited outside the community. A forfeiture that is not properly performed is a dukkaṭa.

When forfeiting, one must go before the Sangha, bare the right shoulder, remove one's sandals, bow respectfully toward the senior monastics, kneel with the right knee touching the ground, join the palms together, and say:

"Venerable Sangha, please listen! I, the monk named…, have kept an extra bowl beyond ten days, committing a nissaggiya offense; I now forfeit it to the Sangha."

After forfeiting the bowl, one must confess the offense. The one who receives the confession must first make a formal announcement:

"Venerable Sangha, please listen! This monk named…, having kept an extra bowl beyond ten days, has committed a nissaggiya offense and now forfeits it to the Sangha. If it is agreeable to the Sangha, the Sangha consents, and I receive the confession of the monk named…. This is the formal announcement."

Having made the announcement in this way, one then receives the confession of that monk. One should say to that monk:

"Reflect carefully within your own mind!"

He replies:

"I will."

The Sangha should return the bowl to this monk by a formal act of one announcement and one motion (kammavācā) as follows: one person capable of conducting the formal act should be appointed from among the assembly, and based on the matter above, should make the announcement:

"Venerable Sangha, please listen! This monk named…, having kept an extra bowl beyond ten days, has committed a nissaggiya offense and now forfeits it to the Sangha. If it is agreeable to the Sangha, the Sangha consents to return the bowl to this monk. This is the formal announcement."

"Venerable Sangha, please listen! This monk named…, having kept an extra bowl beyond ten days, has committed a nissaggiya offense and now forfeits it to the Sangha. The Sangha now returns the bowl to this monk. Those elders who consent to the Sangha's returning the bowl to the monk named… please remain silent. Those who do not consent, please speak."

"The Sangha has consented to returning the bowl to the monk named…. The Sangha consents and therefore is silent. So it is recorded."

If the bowl has been forfeited to the Sangha and the Sangha does not return it, this is a dukkaṭa. If someone says "do not return it," that person commits a dukkaṭa.

If one transfers it by net-gift, or has another act on one's behalf, or deliberately damages it, or renders it a non-bowl, or uses it habitually, all are dukkaṭa.

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

Non-offense: within ten days. Or performing net-gift. Or having another act on one's behalf. Or if one believes the bowl has been seized by robbers, lost, broken, or carried away by water, there is no offense. If the bowl is seized, lost, burned, or carried away by water, one may take and use another, or use one given by another. Or if a monk to whom a bowl was entrusted passes away, goes far away, disrobes, is seized by bandits, is harmed by dangerous animals, or is carried away by water, without having appointed another to act on one's behalf—all of these are non-offenses.

Those who do not commit an offense: the first offender before the rule was established; one who is insane, of confused mind, or afflicted and tormented.

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 by: Bhikkhu Thích Nguyên Chứng.

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

Dharma Publication Committee, 2002.