Lzh Dg Bu Vb Sk 3Lifted Robe

– DHARMAGUPTAKA VINAYA

– ŚIKṢĀKARAṆĪYA

RULE 3

At one time, the Buddha was staying in the garden of Anāthapiṇḍika, in the Jeta Grove, in the land of Śrāvastī. At that time, the group of six bhikkhus lifted their three robes up over their shoulders and entered the homes of white-robed laypeople. The laypeople saw this and expressed their resentment: "These Sakyan monastics have no sense of shame or modesty. Outwardly they claim to know the true Dharma. What Dharma is there in this? Why do they lift their robes up over their shoulders and enter the homes of white-robed laypeople, just like kings, great ministers, elders, and householders?"

The bhikkhus heard this, and among them were those of few desires, who were content, who practiced the ascetic disciplines, who delighted in training in the precepts, and who knew shame. They reproached the group of six bhikkhus: "Why did you lift your robes up over your shoulders and enter the homes of white-robed laypeople?"

The bhikkhus went to where the Blessed One was, paid homage at his feet, and sat to one side. They then reported this matter fully to the Blessed One. The Blessed One thereupon convened an assembly of the Saṅgha of bhikkhus on account of this matter, and rebuked the group of six bhikkhus:

"What you have done is wrong, lacking in proper deportment, not in accordance with the practice of monastics, not in accordance with pure conduct, not in accordance with proper behavior — you have done what should not be done. Why did you lift your robes up over your shoulders and enter the homes of white-robed laypeople?"

Having rebuked the group of six bhikkhus with countless skillful means, the Buddha then said to the bhikkhus:

"These foolish men are a field for planting many seeds of the āsravas; they are the first to transgress this precept. From this time forth, I shall lay down this rule for the bhikkhus, comprising ten phrases of meaning, up to and including the phrase that the true Dharma may long endure."

The rule should be recited as follows:

One should not lift one's robe up over the shoulders and enter the homes of white-robed laypeople — this is a śikṣākaraṇīya.

Bhikkhu: as explained above.

Home of white-robed laypeople: refers to villages and settlements.

Lifting the robe: either lifting both the left and right sides of the robe up onto the shoulders. If a bhikkhu intentionally lifts the left and right sides of his robe up onto his shoulders and enters the homes of white-robed laypeople, having done so intentionally, he should confess a duṣkṛta. Because it is done intentionally, he incurs a duṣkṛta for improper deportment. If it is not done intentionally, he incurs only a duṣkṛta.

A bhikkhunī: duṣkṛta. A śikṣamāṇā, a śrāmaṇera, a śrāmaṇerī: duṣkṛta. This is called an offense.

Non-offense: if one is ill in such a manner, or if one has sores on one's side, or if one is within a monastery, or outside a village, or on a road, or while working — in these cases there is no offense.

Those who do not offend: one who offends for the first time before the rule has been established, one who is mentally deranged, one whose mind is disturbed, one who is afflicted with extreme pain and distress.

Vietnamese translation: Bhikkhu Thích Đỗng Minh and Thích Đức Thắng. DHARMAGUPTAKA 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, fascicles 1–2)

Buddhist Studies Editorial Board, 2002