Lzh Mg Bi Vb Pc 71Borrowed Robes

– MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

– PRECEPTS FOR BHIKKHUNĪS

– EXPLICATING THE FIRST SECTION OF THE 141 PĀYATTIKA RULES

71. PRECEPT: WEARING ANOTHER'S ROBE WITHOUT PERMISSION.

When the Buddha was residing at Vesālī, the bhikkhunī Bhadralagā wore the robe of her dependent disciple without telling her, and went into the village. Then another bhikkhunī called out: "Whoever is going for alms, come along." The dependent disciple replied: "Venerable, please wait while I fetch my saṅghāṭī." But when she searched for her robe she could not find it, and saw only her teacher's robe. She thought: "Surely my teacher has put on my robe and gone out. But my teacher is permitted to wear my robe, while I am not permitted to wear my teacher's robe." Thinking thus, she said to the other:

—You go ahead; I cannot go.

—Why is that?

—I have no robe.

—Then wear your teacher's robe and go.

—My teacher is someone I hold in reverence, so I dare not wear her robe. Please, you go on ahead.

And so that day she missed her meal. The bhikkhunīs then reported the matter to Mahāpajāpatī. Mahāpajāpatī brought it before the Blessed One. The Buddha had that bhikkhunī summoned. When she arrived, the Buddha asked:

—Did this thing truly happen?

—It is exactly so, Blessed One!

—That was wrong. Why did you wear another's robe without telling her? From this day forward, I do not permit this.

The Buddha then instructed Mahāpajāpatī to convey the ruling to all bhikkhunīs residing at Vesālī, requiring them all to assemble, and that even those who had already heard it must hear it again:

—If a bhikkhunī wears another's robe without informing its owner, she commits a pāyattika offence.

EXPLANATION:

Bhikkhunī: as explained above.

The Buddha does not permit wearing a disciple's saṅghāṭī without informing the disciple. When one wishes to wear it, one should say: "Your teacher is wearing your robe; if you need to go anywhere, you may wear your teacher's saṅghāṭī." The same applies to all other robes.

When one wishes to wash, dye, mend a robe, or when circumstances require wearing a disciple's robe, one should say: "Stay home; I will bring food back for you."

If a bhikkhu wears another's robe without informing them, he commits a dukkaṭa offence. Therefore the Blessed One has spoken (as above).

End of the thirty-seventh fascicle.

Vietnamese translation: Thích Phước Sơn. MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

Chinese translation: TRIPIṬAKA MASTER BUDDHABHADRA OF INDIA

TOGETHER WITH ŚRAMAṆA FAXIAN, TRANSLATED DURING THE EASTERN JIN DYNASTY

DOCTRINAL VERIFICATION: THÍCH ĐỖNG MINH