Lzh Dg Bu Vb Np 29Keeping Robes while Staying in Risky Regions

– DHARMAGUPTAKA VINAYA

– NISSAGGIYA PĀCITTIYA

29. SEPARATION FROM ROBES IN A WILDERNESS DWELLING WHEN DANGER ARISES

A. ORIGIN OF THE RULE

At one time, the Buddha was staying in the Anāthapiṇḍika garden, Jeta's Grove, in the country of Śrāvastī. At that time, bhikkhus who were dwelling in wilderness dwellings had completed the rains retreat, and the one month of Kārttika that followed had also come to an end.

At that time, many bands of robbers plundered the robes and bowls, sitting cloths, needle cases, and requisites of the bhikkhus, and beat the bhikkhus as well. Out of fear, the bhikkhus gathered together and came to stay at the Jetavana monastery. The Blessed One, though already knowing, nonetheless asked the Venerable Ānanda:

"Why have these bhikkhus gathered together and come to dwell at the Jetavana monastery?"

The Venerable Ānanda reported to the Buddha:

"These bhikkhus who were dwelling in wilderness dwellings had completed the rains retreat, and the one month of Kārttika that followed had also come to an end. They were robbed by bandits of their robes and bowls, sitting cloths, needle cases, and requisites, and those bandits also beat the bhikkhus. Out of fear, the bhikkhus have all come together to dwell at the Jetavana monastery."

The Buddha said to the Venerable Ānanda:

"From now on, I permit bhikkhus who are residing in wilderness dwellings where there is much suspicion and fear: a bhikkhu residing in such a wilderness dwelling, if he wishes to store a robe, is permitted to leave one of his three robes in a layperson's house."

At that time, the group of six bhikkhus heard that the Buddha had permitted bhikkhus residing in wilderness dwellings where there is suspicion and fear—that a bhikkhu residing in such a place, if he wishes to store a robe, is permitted to leave one of his three robes in a layperson's house. They thereupon deposited robes in a layperson's house, entrusted them to bhikkhu friends, and went on their way. Later, the bhikkhu friends brought the robes out to air them at midday. Other bhikkhus, seeing this, asked one another: "The Blessed One has laid down a rule permitting bhikkhus to keep three robes and no more. Whose robes are these?"

The bhikkhu replied:

"The group of six bhikkhus are my friends and companions. They deposited their robes here and have gone wandering among people, so we are airing them in the sun."

At that time, the bhikkhus who heard this—among them those who were of few wishes, who were content, who practiced the dhūta qualities, who delighted in training in the precepts, who had a sense of shame and remorse—reproached the group of six bhikkhus:

"The Blessed One has permitted that bhikkhus dwelling in wilderness dwellings where there is suspicion and fear may store one of their three robes in a layperson's house. Why then have you deposited many robes with friends and companions in order to wander among people, sleeping separated from your robes?"

The bhikkhus went to the Blessed One, paid homage at his feet, then sat to one side and reported this entire matter to the Blessed One in full. The Blessed One, on account of this matter, assembled the community of bhikkhus and reprimanded the group of six bhikkhus:

"What you have done is wrong, not in accordance with proper deportment, not in accordance with the conduct of a śramaṇa, not in accordance with pure conduct, not in accordance with proper behavior—this is something that ought not to have been done. How could you six bhikkhus, when I have permitted bhikkhus dwelling in wilderness dwellings where there is suspicion and fear to store one of their three robes in a layperson's house, deposit many robes with friends and go wandering among people, sleeping separated from your robes?"

The Blessed One, using countless skillful means to reprimand the group of six bhikkhus, then said to the bhikkhus:

"These six bhikkhus are foolish persons; they are a field where many seeds of the outflows are planted; they are the first to commit this offense. From now on, I shall lay down the rule for the bhikkhus, composed of ten clauses, so that the true Dharma may long endure."

The rule to be recited is as follows:

When a bhikkhu has completed the three months of the rains retreat and the following month of Kārttika has also come to an end, and he is residing in a wilderness dwelling that is a place of suspicion and fear—a bhikkhu residing in such a dwelling may, if he wishes, leave one of his three robes in a layperson's house. Should there be cause for a bhikkhu to sleep separated from his robes, he may do so for up to six nights; if he exceeds this, it is a nissaggiya pācittiya.

B. ANALYSIS OF THE RULE

Bhikkhu: as explained above.

Wilderness dwelling: a place five hundred bows from a village. The bow of the country of Cammāra is four cubits in length, measured by the standard cubit.

A place of suspicion: where there is suspicion of robbers and bandits.

Fear: where there are robbers and bandits causing terror.

In a house: within a village.

Three robes: the saṅghāṭī, the uttarāsaṅga, and the antaravāsaka.

Robe: there are ten kinds, as explained above.

If a bhikkhu has cause to sleep separated from his robes, after six nights, on the seventh night, before dawn has broken, he must relinquish the three robes—either by touching a robe with his hand, or by coming within a stone's throw of the robe. If a bhikkhu, on the seventh night after six nights, before dawn has broken, neither relinquishes the three robes, nor touches the robe with his hand, nor comes to a place within a stone's throw of the robe, and the dawn of the seventh night breaks, he commits the offense of sleeping separated from his robes—all are nissaggiya. Apart from the three robes, sleeping separated from other robes incurs a dukkaṭa.

This nissaggiya offense must be forfeited to the Saṅgha, or to a group of bhikkhus, or to an individual; it may not be forfeited in a separate assembly. Forfeiture that is not properly made constitutes a dukkaṭa.

To forfeit to the Saṅgha, one must go before the Saṅgha, bare the right shoulder, remove one's sandals, touch the right knee to the ground, bow at the feet of the senior monk, kneel with hands joined, and say:

"Venerable Saṅgha, please hear me. I, the bhikkhu named …, have slept separated from my robes for more than six nights, committing a nissaggiya offense, and I now forfeit it to the Saṅgha."

After forfeiture, one must confess the offense. The one who receives the confession must first make a formal announcement as follows:

"Venerable Saṅgha, please hear me. This bhikkhu named … has slept separated from his robes for more than six nights, committing a nissaggiya offense, and now forfeits it to the Saṅgha. If the time is suitable for the Saṅgha, let the Saṅgha consent to my receiving the confession of this bhikkhu named …. This is the formal announcement."

After making the formal announcement, one may then receive the confession. When receiving the confession, one must say to this person:

"Reproach your own mind!"

The bhikkhu replies:

"I shall do so."

The Saṅgha should return the robe to that bhikkhu by means of a formal act with one announcement and one vote (ñattidutiiyakamma), as follows. One capable person should be appointed in the assembly to conduct the formal act, and based on the matter above, make the announcement:

"Venerable Saṅgha, please hear me. This bhikkhu named … has slept separated from his robes for more than six nights, committing a nissaggiya offense, and has now forfeited it to the Saṅgha. If the time is suitable for the Saṅgha, let the Saṅgha consent to returning the robe to that bhikkhu. This is the formal announcement."

"Venerable Saṅgha, please hear me. This bhikkhu named … has slept separated from his robes for more than six nights, committing a nissaggiya offense, and has now forfeited it to the Saṅgha. The Saṅgha now returns the robe to this bhikkhu. Those Elders who consent to the Saṅgha's returning the robe to this bhikkhu, please remain silent. Those who do not consent, please speak."

"The Saṅgha has consented to returning the robe to this bhikkhu. The Saṅgha consents, therefore is silent. This matter is recorded as such."

If after a bhikkhu has forfeited his robe the Saṅgha does not return it to him, the Saṅgha commits a dukkaṭa. If any member says "do not return it," that person commits a dukkaṭa.

If one performs a pure gift (净施), or delegates it to another, or receives it as one of the three robes, or makes it into an auxiliary robe (pārikāra), or takes it and wears it continually, all constitute a dukkaṭa.

For a bhikkhunī, it is a dukkaṭa. For a śikṣamāṇā, a śrāmaṇera, and a śrāmaṇerī, it is a dukkaṭa. These are called offenses.

Non-offense: If after six nights, on the seventh night, before dawn has broken, one goes to where the robe is, or relinquishes the robe, or touches the robe with one's hand, or comes to a place within a stone's throw of the robe—there is no offense. Or if one believes the robe has been stolen, lost, burned, or swept away by water, and therefore does not relinquish the robe, does not touch the robe, and does not come to a place within a stone's throw of the robe—there is still no offense.

Or if there is no boat crossing available, if the road is beset with dangers, if there are many robbers, if there are dangerous animals, if a river is in flood, if one is seized by force, or if one is imprisoned, or bound, or if there is danger to one's life, or danger to one's practice of the holy life, and one neither relinquishes the robe, nor touches the robe, nor comes to a place within a stone's throw of the robe—in all such cases there is no offense.

Those who do not commit an offense: one who commits the first offense before the rule has been laid down; one who is insane, mentally disturbed, or overcome by severe pain and affliction.

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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: Bhikkhu Thích Nguyên Chứng

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

Buddhist Publication Committee, 2002