Lzh Dg Bu Vb Np 24Bribing Weavers

– FOUR-PART VINAYA

– NISSAGGIYA PĀCITTIYA

24. DIRECTING THE WEAVER

A. ORIGIN

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

At that time, in the city of Śrāvastī there was a householder who was an acquaintance and friend of Upananda the Śākyan. He brought fine thread to a weaver and instructed him to weave a robe of such-and-such a kind as an offering for Upananda the Śākyan. After the householder had given the thread to the weaver, he had some business that required him to travel to another village. The weaver then went to the monastery and said to Upananda the Śākyan:

"Venerable Sir, never has there been anyone as meritorious as you."

Upananda asked:

"What is it that leads you to know I am a person of merit?"

The weaver said:

"A householder by the name of so-and-so brought this amount of thread to me and said: 'Upananda the Śākyan is my friend; please weave a robe of such-and-such a kind for me to offer to him.' That is why I know the Venerable Sir is a person of merit."

Upananda asked again:

"Is it really so?"

The weaver replied:

"It is really so."

Upananda said:

"If you wish to weave a robe for me, you must weave it wide, long, fine, durable, and well-crafted — only then will it be a robe worthy of my wearing. If it is not the kind of robe I need to wear, I have no use for it."

The weaver said:

"For a robe such as the Venerable Sir describes, this amount of thread is not sufficient to weave it."

Upananda said:

"Go ahead and weave; I will find more thread and bring it to make up the difference."

Early that morning, Upananda put on his robe, took his bowl, went to the householder's home, sat down on the prepared seat, and said to the householder's wife:

"Previously the householder brought thread to the weaver and instructed him to weave a robe for me. Now that amount of thread is not sufficient for the weaving."

Upon hearing this, the householder's wife brought out the chest containing thread and said to Upananda:

"However much you need, please take as much as you wish."

At that time, Upananda selected the finest threads according to his own preference, then brought them to the weaver and said:

"I have provided the full amount of thread as I promised. Go ahead and weave the robe for me."

The weaver said:

"If I weave according to the style of robe the Venerable Sir described, you must pay me additional wages."

Upananda said:

"Go ahead and weave it so. I will pay you the additional wages."

At that time, the weaver finished weaving the robe and brought it to the householder's wife. Just then, the householder returned from his journey and asked his wife:

"Previously I gave thread to the weaver and instructed him to weave a robe for Upananda the Śākyan. Has that robe been woven yet?"

His wife said:

"That robe has already been woven. Here it is."

The husband said to bring the robe so he could see it. The wife opened the chest and showed her husband. The husband said to his wife:

"This is not the style of robe I previously instructed the weaver to weave."

The wife said:

"This is indeed that very robe."

The husband said:

"The thread I previously gave the weaver to weave into a robe — this robe was not made from that thread."

At that point the wife explained the full circumstances to her husband. The husband and wife unfolded the robe to examine it. Just then, Upananda came again to the householder's home and asked:

"Previously you and your wife had the weaver make a robe for me — is this that robe?"

"Yes, this is indeed that robe."

"In that case, may I receive it?"

The householder thereupon expressed his resentment, saying:

"The Śākyan monk receives without knowing satisfaction, without knowing shame. Outwardly he says, 'I know the true Dharma.' But if this is how he acts, what Dharma can there be? He goes to others' homes to ask for robes; even though the giver is not weary of giving, the receiver must know sufficiency! Even in a private place such talk should not be had."

At that time, the monks who were out on alms-round heard this and rebuked Upananda the Śākyan, saying: "Why do you greedily go and ask people for robes?"

Having rebuked him, they returned to the monastery and related these circumstances to the other monks. The monks heard of it, and among them those who were of few desires, content, who practiced the ascetic rules, were fond of training in the precepts, and knew shame and remorse, rebuked Upananda: "Why do you greedily go and ask people for robes?"

The monks went to where the Blessed One was, paid homage at his feet, sat to one side, and related these circumstances in full to the Blessed One.

The Blessed One, on account of these circumstances, assembled the Saṃgha of monks and rebuked Upananda:

"What you have done is wrong, not in accordance with proper conduct, not in accordance with the Dharma of a śramaṇa, not in accordance with pure practice, not in accordance with proper comportment — you have done what should not be done. Why do you greedily go and ask people for robes?"

Using countless skillful means, the Blessed One rebuked him, and then said to the monks:

"This is a foolish person; he is a field in which many seeds of the outflows are planted; he is the first to commit this offense. From now on, I shall establish a precept for the monks, based on ten principles, so that the true Dharma may long endure."

The precept to be proclaimed shall be stated as follows:

Whatever monk — when a householder or a householder's wife has instructed a weaver to make a robe for a monk — that monk goes to the weaver's dwelling and says: 'Do you know? This robe is being made for me. Please weave it well, making it wide, long, durable, and fine. I will give you a little or a lot in payment.' If that monk gives payment, even if only worth a single meal; should he then receive the robe — nissaggiya pācittiya.

After the Blessed One had thus established this precept for the monks, at that time some householders wished to offer robes to monks according to the monks' own preference and asked:

"What kind of robe does the Venerable Sir need?"

The monks were uncertain and did not dare to reply. The Buddha instructed:

"If beforehand they have invited you to request according to your own preference, you may reply according to your own preference."

Or there were householders who wished to offer a costly robe to a monk, but that monk was one of few desires and content and wished to receive a less costly robe; he was uncertain and did not dare to speak. The Buddha instructed:

"From now on, a monk of few desires and content is permitted to request a less costly robe according to his own preference."

From now on the precept shall be stated as follows:

Whatever monk — when a householder or a householder's wife has instructed a weaver to make a robe for a monk — that monk, not having previously been invited to request according to his own preference, goes to the weaver and says: 'Do you know? This robe is being made for me. Please weave it well, making it wide, long, durable, and fine. I will give you a little or a lot in payment.' If that monk gives payment, even if only worth a single meal; should he then receive the robe — nissaggiya pācittiya.

B. ANALYSIS OF THE PRECEPT

Monk: as explained above.

Householder, householder's wife: also as explained above.

If a monk, not having previously been invited to request according to his own preference, goes seeking a robe; if he receives the robe — nissaggiya pācittiya; if he does not receive the robe — dukkhaṭa.

This nissaggiya [offense] must be forfeited to the Saṃgha, or to a group, or to an individual; it may not be forfeited to a separate assembly. If forfeited but the forfeiture is not valid — dukkhaṭa.

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

"I request that the Venerable Saṃgha give attention! I, the monk named ——, not having previously been invited to request according to my own preference, went and sought a fine robe; having committed a nissaggiya offense, I now forfeit it to the Saṃgha."

After forfeiting, one must confess. The monk who receives the confession should first make a formal announcement as follows:

"I request that the Venerable Saṃgha give attention! This monk named —— , not having previously been invited to request according to his own preference, went and sought a fine robe, having committed a nissaggiya offense; he now forfeits it to the Saṃgha. If it is agreeable to the Saṃgha, the Saṃgha consents, and I shall receive the confession of this monk. This is the formal announcement."

After the announcement, the confession is then received. When receiving the confession, one should say to that person:

"Reproach yourself in your own mind!"

That monk replies:

"I will."

The Saṃgha should immediately return the robe to this monk by means of a formal act with one announcement and one motion (ñattidutijakamma), as follows: Within the Saṃgha, a capable monk should be designated to perform the formal act; based on the above matter, he makes the announcement thus:

"I request that the Venerable Saṃgha give attention! This monk named ——, not having previously been invited to request according to his own preference, went and sought a fine robe, having committed a nissaggiya offense; he now forfeits it to the Saṃgha. If it is agreeable to the Saṃgha, the Saṃgha consents, the Saṃgha now returns the robe to this monk. This is the formal announcement."

"I request that the Venerable Saṃgha give attention! This monk named ——, not having previously been invited to request according to his own preference, went and sought a fine robe, having committed a nissaggiya offense; he now forfeits it to the Saṃgha. The Saṃgha now returns the robe to this monk of such a name. Those Elders who consent to the Saṃgha returning this robe to this monk, please remain silent. Those who do not consent, please speak."

"The Saṃgha has consented to returning the robe to this monk. The Saṃgha consents and has remained silent. I record the matter thus."

If that monk has forfeited the robe within the Saṃgha but the Saṃgha does not return it — dukkhaṭa. If someone says "do not return it," that person commits dukkhaṭa. If it is transferred as a pariṇāmita gift, or given to another person, or used by oneself as the three robes, or made into a pārikāra robe, or deliberately damaged, or burned, or rendered into a non-robe, or worn continuously — all of these are dukkhaṭa.

For a bhikkhunī: nissaggiya pācittiya. For a sikkhāmānā, a sāmaṇera, or a sāmaṇerī: dukkaṭa. This is called an offense.

Non-offense: If one has previously been invited to seek out and request as one sees fit, seeking what is sufficient, seeking a reduction. Or if one goes to a relative to request, or if one receives without requesting — there is no offense.

Those free from offense: the first offender before the rule was established; one who is insane, mentally disturbed, afflicted with pain, or acting under compulsion.

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, volumes 1–2)

Buddhist Studies Publication Committee, 2002