Lzh Dg Bu Vb Pc 90Robe Size

– FOUR-PART VINAYA

– PĀCITTIYA

90. THE TATHĀGATA'S ROBE MEASURE

A. ORIGIN

At one time, the Buddha was dwelling in the Nyagrodha Park at Kapilavatthu. At that time, the Venerable Nanda's height was only four finger-breadths shorter than the Buddha's. Monks who saw Nanda approaching from a distance mistook him for the Buddha and rose to welcome him. Only upon his arrival did they realize it was Nanda. All the monks felt embarrassed, and Nanda too felt embarrassed.

The monks reported this matter in full to the Buddha. The Buddha instructed the monks:

"From now on, it is prescribed that the monk Nanda shall wear dark-colored robes."

At that time, the group of six monks sewed robes equal to or exceeding the measure of the Buddha's robe.

The monks heard of this, and among them those who were of few desires and contentment, who lived the dhutaṅga practices, who were fond of training in the precepts, and who had a sense of shame, criticized the group of six monks: "Why do you sew robes equal to or exceeding the measure of the Buddha's robe?"

The monks went to the Blessed One, paid homage at his feet, and sat to one side, then reported this matter in full to the Blessed One. The Blessed One, on account of this, convened the Sangha of monks and rebuked the group of six monks:

"What you have done is wrong, not in accordance with proper conduct, not in accordance with the practice of a samaṇa, not in accordance with pure conduct, not in accordance with proper deportment—this is something that should not be done. Group of six monks, why did you sew robes equal to or exceeding the measure of the Tathāgata's robe?"

Having rebuked the group of six monks with numerous means, the Buddha said to the monks:

"These foolish ones are a field where many seeds of the āsavas are planted; they are the first to commit this offense. From now on, I shall lay down a rule for the monks, comprising ten purposes, up to the purpose of causing the true Dharma to endure long."

The rule should be stated thus:

Whatever monk sews a robe equal to the measure of the Tathāgata's robe, or sews one exceeding that measure—pācittiya. In this case, the measure of the Tathāgata's robe is ten spans in length and six spans in width, measured by the Buddha's hand-spans. That is called the measure of the Tathāgata's robe.

B. ANALYSIS OF THE OFFENSE

Monk: as defined above.

Robe: there are ten types as stated above.

If a monk sews a robe equal to the measure of the Tathāgata's robe, wherein the length is not exactly the measure but the width is exactly the measure, or the width is not exactly the measure but the length is exactly the measure, or both length and width are not exactly the measure, and he sews it himself and it is completed—he commits a pācittiya; if not completed, a dukkaṭa. If he instructs another to sew it and it is completed—he commits a pācittiya; if not completed, a dukkaṭa. If he sews it for another, whether completed or not completed, he commits a dukkaṭa.

For a bhikkhunī—dukkaṭa. For a sikkhāmānā, sāmaṇera, or sāmaṇerī—dukkaṭa. This is called an offense.

Non-offense: receiving from another a robe that has already been sewn and completed; cutting and sewing in accordance with the rule. Or, without cutting away material, folding it and sewing it into two layers. In all such cases there is no offense.

Those who do not commit an offense: one who commits the act for the first time before the rule has been laid down, one who is insane, one whose mind is disturbed, one who is afflicted with pain, one who is under duress.

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

Chinese translation: Tripiṭaka Master Buddhayaśas and Zhu Fonian.

Revised and annotated: Bhikkhu Thích Nguyên Chứng

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

Buddhist Studies Editorial Board, 2002