Lzh Mg Bi Vb Pc 76Durbalāya kaṭhina

– MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

– PRECEPTS OF THE BHIKKHUNĪS

– EXPLAINING THE FIRST SECTION OF THE 141 PĀYANTIKA RULES

76. PRECEPT: REQUESTING A ROBE AT THE HOME OF ONE WITHOUT FAITH IN THE BUDDHA.

When the Buddha was residing in the city of Śrāvastī, at that time the community of bhikkhunīs said to Sthūlanandā:

—Can you request a kaṭhina robe on behalf of the Saṅgha?

—I can.

So she went to a household that had no faith and said:

—O greatly meritorious donor, would you be able to offer a kaṭhina robe to the Saṅgha?

—I will see to it.

After the Pravāraṇā was completed, the Saṅgha asked Sthūlanandā:

—Has the kaṭhina robe been obtained?

—I know about it.

So she went to that household and asked:

—Good sir, has the kaṭhina robe been prepared yet?

—I know about it.

After that, whenever the Saṅgha came to ask Sthūlanandā, she would reply: "I know about it." And so it continued until the time for the kaṭhina robe had passed without any robe being obtained. The bhikkhunīs then reported this matter to Mahāprajāpatī. Mahāprajāpatī brought it and reported it to the Blessed One. The Buddha then directed that Sthūlanandā be summoned. When she arrived, the Buddha asked:

—Did this matter truly occur?

—It truly did, Blessed One.

—Why did you go to a household incapable of providing a robe to request a kaṭhina robe for the Saṅgha? From now on, I do not permit this.

Thereupon the Buddha instructed Mahāprajāpatī Gautamī to transmit this ruling to all the bhikkhunīs living in Śrāvastī, requiring them all to assemble, and even those who had already heard it must hear it again:

—If a bhikkhunī goes to a household incapable of donating a robe to request a kaṭhina robe for the Saṅgha, she commits a pāyantika offense.

EXPLANATION:

Without faith: Without the means to give; there is very little hope.

Robe: Such as a kambala robe, a woolen robe, and so forth up to a kaumudī robe.

Request: Requesting a kaṭhina robe on behalf of the Saṅgha. But if the time for the robe passes without having obtained the robe, a pāyantika offense is committed.

Pāyantika: As stated above. If a bhikkhunī goes to request a kaṭhina robe on behalf of the Saṅgha, she should go with sincere earnestness; however, she should not go to request from households that have no faith, but should instead go to households that have faith and many relatives to make the request. If the person says: "I will see to it myself," she must ask again: "Do you intend to give?

Do not let the time for the robe pass." At the same time, she must also observe the person carefully; if she sees they are not capable of providing the robe, she should go to request it elsewhere. Furthermore, she must also honestly assess her own ability — if she cannot accomplish it, she should not promise to go and request it for the Saṅgha. If she has already promised to request a robe for the Saṅgha, yet does not diligently go to request it, does not ask another person to request it, and does not inform the Saṅgha, thus allowing the time for the robe to pass, then she commits a pāyantika offense.

If a bhikkhu goes to a household without faith to request a kaṭhina robe for the Saṅgha, he commits a duṣkṛta offense. Therefore the Blessed One spoke thus (as above).

Vietnamese translation: Thích Phước Sơn. MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

Chinese translation: THE TRIPIṬAKA MASTER BUDDHABHADRA OF INDIA

TOGETHER WITH THE ŚRAMAṆA FAXIAN, TRANSLATED DURING THE EASTERN JIN DYNASTY

DOCTRINAL VERIFICATION: THÍCH ĐỖNG MINH