Lzh Dg Bu Vb Np 5Used Robes

– FOUR-PART VINAYA

– NISSAGGIYA PĀCITTIYA

5. HAVING A NON-RELATED BHIKKHUNĪ WASH A USED ROBE

A. ORIGIN OF THE RULE

At one time, the Buddha was dwelling in the Anāthapiṇḍika's garden, Jeta's Grove, in the country of Śrāvastī. At that time, the Venerable Kāḷudāyin was of handsome appearance. The bhikkhunī Sthūlanandā was also of handsome appearance. Kāḷudāyin took notice of Sthūlanandā, and Sthūlanandā also took notice of Kāḷudāyin.

At the time for almsround, Kāḷudāyin put on his robe, took his bowl, and went to where Sthūlanandā was. He sat down directly before her and exposed himself. The bhikkhunī also sat and exposed herself. The two looked at each other with minds of sensual desire. After a while, Kāḷudāyin emitted impure fluid, soiling his inner robe. Sthūlanandā, seeing this, said:

"Venerable Sir, hand me that robe; I will wash it for you."

Kāḷudāyin then changed and gave it to her. The bhikkhunī Sthūlanandā received the robe, went to a secluded place, used her finger to take the impure fluid and put it in her mouth, then took a little more and inserted it into her urinary passage. Thereafter she became pregnant. The other bhikkhunīs, seeing this, questioned her:

"You have no sense of shame; you have engaged in an impure act."

Sthūlanandā said:

"Senior Sisters! I am not without shame. I have not violated the pure conduct."

The bhikkhunīs said:

"If you have not violated the pure conduct, then why are you pregnant? Bhikkhunīs who have not violated pure conduct—why do they not become pregnant?"

At that time, Sthūlanandā then clearly explained to the bhikkhunīs what had occurred.

Among those bhikkhunīs who heard this, there were those of few desires, who were content, who practiced the austere practices, who were fond of training in the precepts, and who had a sense of shame and remorse. For this reason, they reproached Kāḷudāyin:

"How could the Venerable One have caused the bhikkhunī Sthūlanandā to do such a thing?"

At that time, the bhikkhunīs reported the matter to the bhikkhus. The bhikkhus then went and reported it to the Buddha.

At that time, the Buddha, on account of this matter, assembled the Sangha of bhikkhus. Though he already knew, he nonetheless deliberately asked Kāḷudāyin:

"Is it true that you caused the bhikkhunī Sthūlanandā to do such a thing?"

Kāḷudāyin acknowledged that it was so.

The Buddha reproached Kāḷudāyin with numerous means:

"What you have done is wrong, is not proper conduct, is not in accordance with the way of a śramaṇa, is not pure conduct, is not befitting behavior—you have done what ought not to be done. How could you have caused the bhikkhunī Sthūlanandā to do such a thing?"

Having finished reproaching him, the Buddha said to the bhikkhus:

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

The precept should be proclaimed as follows:

"Whatever bhikkhu causes a bhikkhunī to wash, or dye, or beat a used robe—nissaggiya pācittiya."

When the Blessed One had thus established this precept for the bhikkhus, the bhikkhus thereafter were fearful and cautious, not daring to have even related bhikkhunīs wash, dye, or beat used robes. The Buddha then instructed:

"I permit bhikkhus to have related bhikkhunīs wash, dye, or beat used robes…"

From this day forward, the precept shall be stated as follows:

Whatever bhikkhu causes a bhikkhunī who is not a relative to wash, or dye, or beat a used robe—nissaggiya pācittiya.

B. ANALYSIS OF THE PRECEPT

Bhikkhu: the meaning is as above.

Not a relative: as explained above.

Relative: likewise as explained.

Used robe: refers to a robe that has been worn even just once.

Robe: the ten types as mentioned above.

If a bhikkhu causes a bhikkhunī who is not a relative to wash, or dye, or beat a used robe, he incurs a nissaggiya pācittiya.

If he instructs her to wash, dye, and beat, but the bhikkhunī only washes and dyes without beating, he incurs two nissaggiya pācittiyas and one dukkaṭa.

If he instructs her to wash, dye, and beat, but the bhikkhunī washes and beats without dyeing, he incurs two nissaggiya pācittiyas and one dukkaṭa.

If he instructs her to wash, dye, and beat, but the bhikkhunī does not wash, but dyes and beats, he incurs two nissaggiya pācittiyas and one dukkaṭa.

If he instructs her to wash, dye, and beat, but the bhikkhunī does not wash, does not dye, and does not beat, he incurs three dukkaṭas.

If a bhikkhu causes a sikkhamānā or a sāmaṇerī who is not a relative to wash, dye, or beat a used robe, he incurs a dukkaṭa.

If he causes a bhikkhunī who is not a relative to wash, dye, or beat a new robe, he incurs a dukkaṭa.

This nissaggiya [robe] must be forfeited to the Sangha, or to a group of monks, or to a single individual; it must not be forfeited outside the Sangha. If the forfeiture is carried out improperly, it is not a valid forfeiture and constitutes a dukkaṭa.

When forfeiting to the Sangha, one should go before the Sangha, bare the right shoulder, remove one's sandals, bow to the senior monk, kneel with the right knee on the ground, join the palms together, and say:

"Venerable Sangha, please hear me! I, the bhikkhu named …, have caused a bhikkhunī who is not a relative to wash, dye, and beat a used robe, committing an offence of forfeiture. I now forfeit it to the Sangha."

After forfeiting, one must confess the offence. First, the monk who is to receive the confession must make the announcement:

"Venerable Sangha, please hear me! The bhikkhu named … has caused a bhikkhunī who is not a relative to wash, dye, and beat a used robe, committing an offence of forfeiture, and now forfeits it to the Sangha. If the time is right for the Sangha, may the Sangha consent to my receiving the confession of the bhikkhu named …. This is the proclamation."

Having made the announcement, one then receives the confession. The one receiving the confession should say to the offender:

"Examine your own mind!"

The offender replies:

"So be it."

The Sangha should then return the robe to this bhikkhu immediately, by means of a motion-and-one-proclamation kammavācā, as follows. The Sangha appoints one who is capable of performing the formal act, who makes the announcement in accordance with the matter at hand:

"Venerable Sangha, please hear me! This bhikkhu named … has caused a bhikkhunī who is not a relative to wash, dye, and beat a used robe, committing an offence of forfeiture, and now forfeits it to the Sangha. If the time is right for the Sangha, may the Sangha consent to return this robe to the bhikkhu named …. This is the proclamation."

"Venerable Sangha, please hear me! This bhikkhu named … has caused a bhikkhunī who is not a relative to wash, dye, and beat a used robe, committing an offence of forfeiture, and now forfeits it to the Sangha. If the time is right for the Sangha, may the Sangha consent to return this robe to the bhikkhu named …. This is the proclamation."

"Venerable Sangha, please hear me! This bhikkhu named … has caused a bhikkhunī who is not a relative to wash, dye, and beat a used robe, committing an offence of forfeiture, and now forfeits it to the Sangha. The Sangha now returns this robe to this bhikkhu. Those elders who agree that the Sangha shall return this robe to this bhikkhu should remain silent. Those who disagree, please speak."

"The Sangha has agreed to return the robe to the bhikkhu named …. The Sangha has agreed and thus remains silent. This matter is recorded as such."

Within the Sangha, if this bhikkhu has already forfeited the robe and the Sangha does not return it, this constitutes a dukkaṭa. When returning it, if someone says "do not return it," that person incurs a dukkaṭa. If it is not returned but instead dedicated as a pure gift, or assigned to another person, or used to make the three robes, or made into a pārikāra robe, or burned, or deliberately ruined, or kept in use until worn out—all of these constitute dukkaṭas.

For a bhikkhunī: dukkaṭa. For a sikkhamānā, a sāmaṇera, or a sāmaṇerī: dukkaṭa. These are the offences.

Non-offences: Giving a used robe to a related bhikkhunī to wash, dye, or beat; or washing, dyeing, or beating for the sake of a sick person; or washing, dyeing, or beating robes belonging to the Sangha or the Buddha; or washing, dyeing, or beating a robe borrowed from another person—there is no offence.

Those who do not offend: the first instance before the precept was established, one who is insane, one whose mind is deranged, one who is overwhelmed by severe pain.

---

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, fascicles 1 and 2)

Buddhist Publication Committee 2002