Lzh Dg Bu Vb Np 23Asking for Thread

– DHARMAGUPTAKA VINAYA

– NISSAGGIYA PĀCITTIYA

23. ASKING FOR THREAD

A. ORIGIN

At one time, the Blessed One was dwelling in the garden of Anāthapiṇḍika, in the Jeta Grove, in the country of Śrāvastī.

At that time, Bhadananda the Śākyan wished to sew a saṃghāṭī, so he entered the city and went to the home of a householder, saying:

"Do you know? I wish to sew a saṃghāṭī, and so I need thread."

The householder then offered thread. Bhadananda then went to the homes of other householders and likewise said: "I wish to sew a saṃghāṭī, and so I need thread."

Bhadananda solicited in this way everywhere, and gathered a very large quantity of thread. He then thought: "At another time, in another place, I will again ask for thread, to have enough to sew a saṃghāṭī. Robes are difficult to obtain for a bhikkhu; I should procure all three robes at once. Now I should take this thread to a weaver and have him weave three robes."

Having thought this, he took the thread to the weaver's place, spun the thread with his own hands, and stood there himself supervising the weaver. Householders who saw this reproached him, saying:

"Look at that—Bhadananda the Śākyan is spinning thread with his own hands and standing there supervising the weaver weaving three robes."

Among the bhikkhus who heard of this, there were those of few desires and contentment, who practiced the dhūta virtues, loved learning the precepts, and had a sense of shame and remorse. They rebuked Bhadananda: "How can you seek out so much thread and then have a weaver weave three robes, spinning the thread with your own hands and standing there yourself supervising the weaver?"

The bhikkhus went to where the Blessed One was, paid homage at his feet, and sat down to one side. They then reported this matter in full to the Blessed One. The Blessed One, on account of this matter, assembled the Saṃgha of bhikkhus and rebuked Bhadananda:

"What you have done is wrong, not in keeping with proper conduct, not in keeping with the practice of a śramaṇa, not in keeping with pure conduct, not in keeping with proper behavior—you have done what should not be done. How could you seek out so much thread, spin it with your own hands, and stand there yourself supervising the weaver weaving three robes?"

The Blessed One rebuked him with many expedient means, and then said to the bhikkhus:

"This person is foolish; he is a field that grows many seeds of the āsravas, and he is the first to transgress this precept. From now on, I shall establish the precept for the bhikkhus, formulating ten principles of meaning, so that the true Dharma may long endure."

The precept should be stated thus:

Whatever bhikkhu himself asks for thread and has a weaver who is not a relative weave it into three robes—nissaggiya pācittiya.

B. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PRECEPT

Bhikkhu: as explained above.

Himself asks: personally solicits everywhere.

Thread: there are ten kinds, as above—that is, thread for weaving the ten kinds of robes as above.

A weaver who is not a relative; the one who gave the thread is not a relative: if not a relative, an offense is committed.

The weaver is not a relative; the one who gave the thread is either a relative or not a relative: if not a relative, an offense is committed.

The weaver is not a relative; the one who gave the thread is a relative or not a relative: if not a relative, an offense is committed.

Either the weaver is a relative or not a relative; the one who gave the thread is not a relative: if not a relative, an offense is committed.

Either the weaver is a relative or not a relative; the one who gave the thread is either a relative or not a relative: if not a relative, an offense is committed. Either the weaver is a relative or not a relative; the one who gave the thread is not a relative: if not a relative, an offense is committed.

The weaver is a relative; the one who gave the thread is not a relative: if not a relative, an offense is committed.

The weaver is a relative; the one who gave the thread is either a relative or not a relative: if not a relative, an offense is committed.

If a bhikkhu himself asks for thread and has a weaver weave a robe, he commits nissaggiya. If he watches the weaver weave, or weaves himself, or spins the thread himself, all these constitute dukkaṭa.

This nissaggiya must be forfeited to the Saṃgha, or to a group, or to an individual; it may not be forfeited outside the assembly. If the forfeiture is performed improperly, it is not a valid forfeiture, and a dukkaṭa is committed.

When forfeiting, the offender should go before the Saṃgha, uncover the right shoulder, remove footwear, face the senior elder, pay homage, kneel with the right knee touching the ground, join the palms, and say:

"Venerable Saṃgha, please listen. I, the bhikkhu named ——, having myself solicited much thread and had a weaver weave a robe, have committed a nissaggiya offense. I now forfeit it to the Saṃgha."

Having forfeited, he must then confess. The one receiving the confession must first make the announcement thus:

"Venerable Saṃgha, please listen. This bhikkhu named —— having himself solicited much thread and had a weaver weave a robe, has committed a nissaggiya offense, and now forfeits it to the Saṃgha. If the time is right for the Saṃgha, the Saṃgha should consent: I shall receive the confession of this bhikkhu. This is the announcement."

After making the announcement, the confession is received, and the following should be said to the bhikkhu:

"You should reproach your own mind!"

The bhikkhu who has committed the offense replies:

"I will do so."

The Saṃgha should then immediately return the robe to this bhikkhu by means of a kammavācā with one motion and one announcement, as follows. Within the assembly, one capable of performing the formal act should be appointed, and based on the above matter, make the announcement thus:

"Venerable Saṃgha, please listen. This bhikkhu named —— having sought out much thread and had a weaver who is not a relative weave a robe, has committed a nissaggiya offense. He now forfeits it to the Saṃgha. If the time is right for the Saṃgha, the Saṃgha should consent: the Saṃgha now returns the robe to this bhikkhu. This is the announcement."

"Venerable Saṃgha, please listen. This bhikkhu named —— having sought out much thread and had a weaver who is not a relative weave a robe, has committed a nissaggiya offense, and now forfeits it to the Saṃgha. The Saṃgha now returns the robe to this bhikkhu named ——. Those elders who consent to the Saṃgha returning the robe to this bhikkhu named —— should remain silent. Those who do not consent should speak."

"The Saṃgha has consented to returning the robe to this bhikkhu named ——. The Saṃgha consents and therefore remains silent. This is recorded as such."

If, after the offender has forfeited the robe before the Saṃgha, the Saṃgha does not return the robe, a dukkaṭa is committed. If it is transferred as a pure trust offering, or given to someone, or used by oneself to make three robes, or used to make pārikāra cloth, or damaged, or burned, or made into something that is not a robe, or worn continuously—all of these constitute dukkaṭa.

For a bhikkhunī: nissaggiya pācittiya. For a śikṣamāṇā, a śrāmaṇera, and a śrāmaṇerī: dukkaṭa. These are called offenses.

Non-offense: The weaver is a relative and the one who gave the thread is a relative. Or one weaves for oneself a bag for the alms bowl, a bag for footwear, a bag for needles, or makes a meditation belt. Or makes an ordinary belt, or a cap, or stockings, or a headwrap for warmth, or a wrapping cloth. None of these constitute an offense.

Those who do not commit an offense: the first offender at the time before the precept was established; one who is mentally deranged, of disturbed mind, or afflicted and overwhelmed with pain.

---

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

Chinese translation: Tripiṭaka masters Buddhayaśas and Zhu Fonian.

Revised and annotated by: Bhikkhu Thích Nguyên Chứng

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

Buddhist Studies Editorial Board, 2002.