Lzh Dg Bu Vb Np 22An Almsbowl With Fewer Than Five Mends

– FOUR-PART VINAYA

– NISSAGGIYA PĀCITTIYA

22. EXCHANGING FOR A NEW BOWL

A. ORIGIN

At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling in the Anāthapiṇḍika garden, Jeta's Grove, at Śrāvastī. At that time, Upananda the Śākyan's bowl had broken, so he entered the city of Śrāvastī and said to a certain householder:

"Please take note. My bowl has broken. Please help me."

At that time, a certain householder then went to the market, bought a bowl, and offered it to him. Upananda then went to the home of another householder and said likewise:

"My bowl has broken. Please help me."

Those householders also went at once to the market and bought bowls to offer.

Upananda had broken one bowl yet sought many bowls to store away. After some time had passed, the householders had occasion to meet one another. One householder said to the others:

"I have gained immeasurable merit."

The householders asked:

"By what means have you gained immeasurable merit?"

He replied:

"The Venerable Upananda had his bowl broken. I bought a bowl and offered it to him, and so I have gained immeasurable merit."

Each of the householders then said for themselves:

"We too have gained immeasurable merit."

Other householders asked:

"By what cause and condition have all of you gained immeasurable merit?"

The householders replied:

"Upananda's bowl was broken, and we also went to the market to buy bowls to offer to Upananda."

The householders who disapproved criticized them, saying:

"The śramaṇa disciples of the Śākyans have no sense of shame or remorse; they seek without weariness and do not know contentment. Outwardly they proclaim, 'We know the true Dharma.' Yet what true Dharma is there in this? One bowl is broken, yet he seeks many bowls to store away. Though the donors may give without weariness, the one who receives ought to know contentment!"

Among the bhikkhus who heard this, those who were of few desires and contentment, who practiced the ascetic disciplines, who delighted in training in the precepts, and who had a sense of shame and remorse, criticized Upananda the Śākyan, saying: "How could you, having broken one bowl, seek many bowls to store away?" The bhikkhus went to the Blessed One, bowed their heads at his feet, sat to one side, and reported this matter to the Blessed One in full.

The Blessed One assembled the bhikkhus and rebuked Upananda the Śākyan:

"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 you, having broken one bowl, seek many bowls to store away?"

The Blessed One rebuked him with countless skillful means, and then said to the bhikkhus:

"This Upananda is a foolish person, a field in which many seeds of the āsavas are planted, and the first to commit this offense. From this day forward, I shall establish the precept for the bhikkhus in ten phrases, so that the true Dharma may long endure."

The precept should be recited as follows:

Whichever bhikkhu, while his bowl, mended in fewer than five places and not leaking, seeks to obtain a new bowl out of desire for something finer — nissaggiya pācittiya.

That bhikkhu should go before the Saṅgha to relinquish it, and then in due order receive the lowest bowl, which he is to keep until it breaks; that is the proper procedure.

B. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE OFFENSE

Bhikkhu: as explained above.

Five mended places: the distance between two mended places is equal to two finger-widths.

Whichever bhikkhu's bowl has been mended in fewer than five places and is not leaking, yet seeks a new bowl — nissaggiya pācittiya. If the bowl has been mended in exactly five places and is not leaking, yet he seeks a new bowl — dukkhaṭa.

This nissaggiya item should be relinquished to the Saṅgha of the residence. He should go before the Saṅgha, bare his right shoulder, remove his sandals, bow respectfully toward the senior monk, kneel with his right knee touching the ground, press his palms together, and say:

"Venerable Saṅgha, please listen! I, the bhikkhu named …, whose bowl has broken and has been mended in fewer than five places without leaking, sought a new bowl, and have committed a nissaggiya pācittiya offense. I now relinquish it to the Saṅgha."

After relinquishing it, he must confess the offense. The one who receives the confession must first make a formal announcement:

"Venerable Saṅgha, please listen! This bhikkhu named …, whose bowl had broken and had been mended in fewer than five places without leaking, sought a new bowl, committed a nissaggiya pācittiya offense, and has now relinquished it to the Saṅgha. If it is the appropriate time for the Saṅgha, may the Saṅgha approve, and I shall receive the confession of this bhikkhu named …. This is the formal announcement."

After making the formal announcement, he may then receive the confession. When receiving the confession, he should say to the other:

"Reflect carefully upon your own mind!"

The other bhikkhu replies:

"I will."

If the bowl of this bhikkhu is of excellent and valuable quality, it should be set aside, and the lowest bowl should be taken and given to him. This is done by means of a formal act with one announcement and one motion (羯磨, kammavācā). One member of the Saṅgha capable of performing the kammavācā should be appointed, and following the matter above, should make the announcement:

"Venerable Saṅgha, please listen! This bhikkhu named …, whose bowl had broken and had been mended in fewer than five places without leaking, sought a new bowl, committed a nissaggiya pācittiya offense, and has relinquished it to the Saṅgha. If it is the appropriate time for the Saṅgha, may the Saṅgha approve the returning of a bowl to this bhikkhu named …. This is the formal announcement."

"Venerable Saṅgha, please listen! This bhikkhu named …, whose bowl had broken and had been mended in fewer than five places without leaking, sought a new bowl, committed a nissaggiya pācittiya offense, and has relinquished it to the Saṅgha. The Saṅgha now returns a bowl to this bhikkhu named …. Any elder who approves of the Saṅgha returning a bowl to this bhikkhu named … please remain silent. Any who do not approve, please speak."

"The Saṅgha has approved returning a bowl to this bhikkhu named …. The Saṅgha approves and therefore remains silent. So it is recorded."

The bowl of that bhikkhu should then be announced to the Saṅgha with the following formal announcement:

"Venerable Saṅgha, please listen! If it is the appropriate time for the Saṅgha, may the Saṅgha approve that this bowl be offered in order to each senior monk. This is the formal announcement."

After making this announcement, the bowl should be brought and offered to the most senior monk. If the senior monk wishes to receive this new bowl, it is given to him, and his former bowl is then taken and offered to the next monk. If it is offered to that bhikkhu, that bhikkhu should accept it.

He should not refuse out of consideration for protecting the Saṅgha. Nor should he, on account of this matter, retain the lowest bowl; if he does retain it, he commits a dukkhaṭa. If the second senior monk takes this bowl, then the second senior monk's bowl should be taken and offered to the third senior monk.

If it is offered to that bhikkhu, that bhikkhu should accept it; he should not refuse out of consideration for protecting the Saṅgha, and he should not on account of this matter retain the worst bowl; if he does retain it, he commits a dukkhaṭa.

In this way it proceeds in order down to the most junior monk. Either the bowl of this bhikkhu is returned to this bhikkhu, or the lowest bowl is given to him. When giving it, a formal act with one announcement and one motion should be performed. One member of the Saṅgha capable of performing the kammavācā should be appointed, and following the matter above, should make the announcement:

"Venerable Saṅgha, please listen! If it is the appropriate time for the Saṅgha, may the Saṅgha approve that the lowest bowl now be given to the bhikkhu named … to keep until it breaks. This is the formal announcement."

"Venerable Saṅgha, please listen! The Saṅgha now gives the lowest bowl to the bhikkhu named … to keep until it breaks. Any elder who approves of the Saṅgha giving this bowl to this bhikkhu please remain silent. Any who do not approve, please speak."

"The Saṅgha has approved giving this bowl to this bhikkhu. The Saṅgha approves and therefore remains silent. So it is recorded."

That bhikkhu must carefully maintain this bowl: he must not place it where stones or bricks could fall upon it; must not place it beneath a leaning staff or leaning knife; must not place it beneath a hanging object; must not place it in the middle of a path; must not place it on a stone; must not place it beneath a fruit-bearing tree; must not place it on uneven ground.

A bhikkhu must not grasp two bowls in one hand, except with a finger placed between them. He must not hold two bowls in one hand while opening a door, except with due care. He must not leave them in a threshold or beneath a door panel. He must not place them beneath a rope bed or wooden bed, except temporarily. He must not place them in the space between a rope bed and a wooden bed. He must not place them at the corner of a wooden bed or rope bed, except temporarily. He must not stir the bowl while standing to the point that the bowl may break. That bhikkhu must not deliberately damage the bowl; must not deliberately cause it to be lost or intentionally cause it to be damaged. He must not use it as a non-bowl.

If, after relinquishing the bowl to the Saṅgha, the Saṅgha does not return it, the Saṅgha commits a dukkhaṭa. If anyone instructs others not to return it, that person commits a dukkhaṭa.

If one performs a pure gift transfer of it, or delegates it to another, or deliberately causes its loss or damage, uses it as a non-bowl, or makes ordinary use of it — all of these constitute a dukkhaṭa offense.

For a bhikkhunī — nissaggiya pācittiya. For a śikṣamāṇā, a śrāmaṇera, or a śrāmaṇerī — dukkhaṭa. This is called an offense.

Non-offenses: The five mends have become leaky. Or when fewer than five mends have become leaky, one seeks a new bowl. Or one goes to ask from relatives, from those who have gone forth, asks on behalf of others, or others ask on one's behalf. Or one receives without asking. Or they make an offering to the Sangha, and one receives it in turn. Or one has the means to purchase one for one's own keeping. In all such cases, there is no offense.

Those who do not offend: the first offender when the rule had not yet been established; one who is insane, mentally deranged, or afflicted with extreme pain.

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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.

Revision and annotation: Bhikkhu Thích Nguyên Chứng

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

Buddhist Studies Editorial Committee, 2002