Lzh Dg Bu Vb Pc 59Transferring to Another

– DHARMAGUPTAKA VINAYA

– PĀCITTIYA

59. USING A ROBE WITHOUT ASKING THE OWNER

A. ORIGIN

At one time, the Buddha was staying in the Anāthapiṇḍika Garden, Jeta's Grove, in the country of Śrāvastī. At that time, the group of six bhikkhus had genuinely transferred a robe to a close friend bhikkhu; afterward, without informing the owner, they took it and wore it.

The bhikkhus heard of this, and among them were those of few desires, contentment, who lived the ascetic life of dhūta practice, were fond of training in the precepts, and were possessed of a sense of shame and remorse. They reproached the group of six bhikkhus, saying: "Why did you, having previously given a robe to a close friend bhikkhu, afterward take and wear it without informing the owner?"

The bhikkhus went to where the Blessed One was, bowed at his feet, sat to one side, and reported this matter in full to the Blessed One. The Blessed One, on account of this, convened an assembly of the Saṅgha of bhikkhus and reproached the group of six bhikkhus:

"What you have done is wrong, not in accordance with proper conduct, not in accordance with the practice of a śramaṇa, not in accordance with pure conduct, not in accordance with dutiful behavior — you have done what should not be done. Group of six bhikkhus, why did you, having previously given a robe to a close friend bhikkhu, afterward take and wear it without informing the owner?"

The Blessed One, having reproached the group of six bhikkhus with countless expedient means, said to the bhikkhus:

"These foolish men are a field that sows many seeds of āsava; they are the first to commit this offense. From now on, I shall lay down the precept for the bhikkhus, encompassing ten points of meaning, up to and including the perpetuation of the True Dharma for a long time."

The precept should be stated thus:

Whatever bhikkhu, having given a robe to a bhikkhu, bhikkhunī, śikṣamāṇā, śrāmaṇera, or śrāmaṇerikā, afterward takes and wears it without informing the owner — pācittiya.

B. ANALYSIS OF THE PRECEPT

Bhikkhu: as explained above.

Robe: there are ten kinds, as stated previously.

Giving a robe: refers to transferring a robe as an act of purification (vikappana). There are two kinds of vikappana: genuine vikappana and delegated vikappana.

—Genuine vikappana: the donor says, "This is my extra robe, not yet made pure. Now, in order to make it pure, I give it to the Elder, as genuine vikappana."

—Delegated vikappana: the donor says, "This is my extra robe, not yet made pure. Now, in order to make it pure, I give it to the Elder." The one who receives it should say, "Elder, please listen. You have such an extra robe, not yet made pure.

Now you give it to me so that it may be made pure; I accept it." Having accepted it, he should ask, "Elder, to whom do you wish to give it?" The donor should say, "Give it to the one whose name is such." The other should say, "Elder, you have this extra robe, not yet made pure. Now you give it to me so that it may be made pure, and so I accept it. Having accepted it, I transfer it to the bhikkhu of such-and-such name.

Thus this robe is the property of the bhikkhu of such-and-such name. Elder, please keep and maintain it on behalf of the bhikkhu of such-and-such name, and use it as you will."

In the case of genuine vikappana, one must ask the owner before taking and using it. In the case of delegated vikappana, one may take and use it whether or not one informs the owner. If a bhikkhu whose robe has been genuinely transferred takes and uses it without informing the owner, he commits pācittiya.

For a bhikkhunī — pācittiya. For a śikṣamāṇā, śrāmaṇera, or śrāmaṇerikā — duṣkṛta. This is called an offense.

Non-offense: informing the owner before taking and using it, in the case of genuine vikappana. Taking and using it whether or not one has informed the owner beforehand, in the case of delegated vikappana.

Those who do not commit an offense: one who commits the act for the first time before the precept has been laid down; one who is insane, of disturbed mind, or tormented and oppressed by pain.

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

Chinese translation: Tripiṭaka Buddhayaśas and Zhu Fonian.

Revised and annotated by: Bhikkhu Thích Nguyên Chứng

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

Buddhist Publication Committee, 2002