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– MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

– RULES OF DISCIPLINE FOR BHIKKHUNĪS

– CONCLUSION OF THE SAṂGHĀVAŚEṢA RULES.

21–29. RULE: OUTBIDDING OTHERS FOR GOODS.

When the Buddha was residing in the city of Śrāvastī, there was at that time a person transporting firewood who passed in front of the shop of a merchant. The merchant asked:

—How much do you want for this firewood?

—One kṛtasapanna.

—Carry the firewood and unload it at my house, then come back here and I will pay you.

The firewood seller then drove his cart past in front of the bhikkhunī monastery. The bhikkhunī Sthūlanandā saw this and asked:

—Good sir, has your firewood already been purchased by someone?

—It has already been purchased.

—For how much?

—One kṛtasapanna.

—I will give you two kṛtasapanna.

The owner, out of greed for profit, sold it to her. After delivering the firewood, he returned past the front of the shop, and the shopkeeper said to him:

—Come and take your money.

—I have already sold it to someone else.

—For how much?

—For two kṛtasapanna.

—Who took it?

—The bhikkhunī Sthūlanandā.

Upon hearing this, the merchant criticized her, saying: "Why does this śramaṇī nun have so much money?"

The bhikkhunīs, upon hearing this, reported the matter to Mahāprajāpatī. Mahāprajāpatī then brought the matter before the Blessed One. The Buddha ordered Sthūlanandā to be summoned. When she arrived, the Buddha questioned her:

—Is it true that, knowing the firewood had already been purchased by another, you raised the price to take it for yourself?

—It is true, Blessed One!

—That is a bad thing. Why, knowing that something had already been purchased by another, did you still contend to buy it? This is not in accordance with the Dharma, not in accordance with the Vinaya, it goes against my teaching, and by such an act one cannot nourish and increase wholesome qualities.

Thereupon the Buddha instructed Mahāprajāpatī Gautamī to convey this order to all the bhikkhunīs living in Śrāvastī, requiring them all to assemble—even those who had already heard this were to hear it again:

—If a bhikkhunī, knowing that something has already been purchased by another, outbids them to take it for herself, she commits an offence of niḥsargika-pāyattika.

EXPLANATION:

Knowing: Either knowing by oneself or knowing through hearing it from another.

Already purchased: As in the case of the merchant at the shop described above. If a bhikkhunī wishes to purchase something and knows that another person has already purchased it, she must not contend to buy it but should wait until they no longer wish to take it, and only then take it herself. She should also ask that person: "Do you intend to obtain it for certain?" If the reply is: "I intend to obtain it for certain," meaning they are firmly resolved to buy that item, then one should not take it. If they say: "I will no longer take it," then one may take it without offence.

If bhikkhus contend among themselves to purchase robes or bowls, they commit an offence of transgressing the Vinaya. If in the midst of the Saṃgha one raises the price to obtain something—except in the case of the preceptor or ācārya—there is no offence.

If a bhikkhunī contends with others to purchase goods, she commits an offence of transgressing the Vinaya. Therefore it is said (as above).

Verse summary:

"An almsbowl with fewer than five mends,

Seven days, angrily seizing a robe.

Purchasing gold, requesting thread,

Hiring a weaver, giving hastily.

Outbidding others, taking from the Saṃgha—

Concluding the third section."

From the taking of a bhikkhunī's robe to have it washed and dyed, robes of pure black, three parts white, kauśeya, use of a sitting-cloth for six years, three yojanas, combing sheep's wool, a bathing robe for the rains, dwelling in the forest—these eleven matters should be set aside and not discussed here. There are also eleven other matters to be found at the end. In the first section, the matter of taking a bhikkhunī's robe is supplemented by the matter of handling gold and silver.

Washing an old robe is supplemented by the subject of buying and selling. In the final section, the bathing robe for the rains is supplemented by the matter of selling gold; dwelling in the forest is supplemented by the matter of outbidding others. The first and second parts of the niḥsargika are enumerated without omission.

At this point the Blessed One has completed his exposition of the thirty matters pertaining to bhikkhunīs.

Vietnamese translation: Thích Phước Sơn. MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

Chinese translation: TRIPIṬAKA BUDDHĀBHADRA OF INDIA

TOGETHER WITH ŚRAMAṆA FAXIAN, TRANSLATED DURING THE EASTERN JIN DYNASTY

DOCTRINAL VERIFICATION: THÍCH ĐỖNG MINH