Lzh Dg Bu Vb Sk 2Evenly All Around (2nd)

– FOUR-PART VINAYA

– SEKHIYA RULES

RULE 2

At one time, the Buddha was dwelling in the Anāthapiṇḍika Garden, Jeta's Grove, in the country of Śrāvastī. At that time, the group of six monks wore their robes variously: sometimes worn too high, sometimes too low, sometimes made to hang like an elephant's trunk, sometimes spread out like the leaves of a tāla tree, or gathered up into small folds. The laypeople who saw this criticized them, saying: "These Śākyan monastics are shameless. They outwardly claim, 'We know the true Dharma.' But what Dharma is this? Why do they wear their robes sometimes low, sometimes high, sometimes like an elephant's trunk, sometimes like tāla tree leaves, sometimes folded into small bunches — just like kings, elders, ministers, and householders?"

The monks heard this, and among them those who were of few desires and contentment, who practiced the ascetic disciplines, who delighted in training in the rules, and who had a sense of shame, reproached the group of six monks: "Why do you wear your three robes sometimes high, sometimes low, sometimes like an elephant's trunk, sometimes like tāla tree leaves, or at times folded into small bunches?"

The monks went to the Blessed One, bowed with their heads at his feet, sat to one side, and reported this matter fully to the Blessed One. The Blessed One, on account of this matter, assembled the community of monks and rebuked the group of six monks:

"What you have done is wrong. It is not proper deportment, not the conduct of a monastic, not pure practice, not fitting behavior — it is something that should not be done. Why do you wear your robes sometimes high, sometimes low, sometimes like an elephant's trunk, sometimes like tāla tree leaves, or at times folded into small bunches?"

Having rebuked the group of six monks with countless skillful means, the Buddha addressed the monks:

"These foolish men are a field for sowing many defiled seeds; they are the first to commit this offense. From now on, I shall lay down a rule for the monks, comprising ten principles, up to and including the purpose of the long endurance of the true Dharma."

The rule should be stated as follows:

One should wear the three robes evenly and all around — sekhiya.

Monk: the meaning is as above.

Here, not evenly all around means: sometimes worn high, sometimes worn low, sometimes made like an elephant's trunk, sometimes like the leaves of a tāla tree, or at times folded into small bunches.

Worn low: hanging down past the elbows, leaving the sides exposed.

Worn high: wrapped so high as to be above the lower legs.

Like an elephant's trunk: one corner hanging down.

Like tāla tree leaves: two corners hanging down in front, the back lifted up.

Folded into small bunches: folded into small pleats forming a border of the robe.

If a monk intentionally wears his robe too high, too low, in the manner of an elephant's trunk, in the manner of tāla tree leaves, or at times folded into small bunches — if done intentionally, he should confess a dukkhaṭa. Because it is done intentionally, it constitutes a dukkhaṭa of improper deportment. If it is not done intentionally, it is only a dukkhaṭa.

For a bhikkhunī: dukkhaṭa. For a sikkhāmānā, a sāmaṇera, or a sāmaṇerī: dukkhaṭa. These are called offenses.

Non-offense: if one is ill in such a way, or if there is a sore on the shoulder or arm and the robe must be worn lower, or if there is a sore on the lower leg and the robe must be worn higher, or if one is within the monastery grounds, or outside a village, or while traveling, or while doing manual work — in these cases there is no offense.

Those who do not offend: one who commits the act for the first time before the rule has been established, one who is insane, one whose mind is disturbed, one who is in pain and distress.

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

Chinese translation: Tripiṭaka Master Buddhayaśas and Zhú Fóniàn.

Revised and annotated by: Bhikkhu Thích Nguyên Chứng

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

Buddhist Publications Committee, 2002