Lzh Mg Bu Vb Np 11Pure Black Blanket

– MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

– NIḤSARGIKA (FORFEITURE) RULES FOR NUNS

– EXPLANATION OF THE SECOND PART OF THE THIRTY NIḤSARGIKA PĀYATTIKA RULES.

11. RULE: MAKING A WOOL BLANKET OF PURE BLACK.

When the Buddha was dwelling at the multi-storied hall in the Great Forest at Vesālī, as described above in full. At that time all the bhikkhus were making their saṃghāṭī, uttarāsaṅga, antarvāsaka, and nisīdana from wool, with the exception of the water-straining bag and the carrying strap, which were not made of wool. Because of this, bhikkhus went everywhere begging for goat wool to make woolen robes, and many people did likewise, causing the lay people to become weary and disenchanted.

At that time, one bhikkhu dressed early in the morning, took his bowl, and entered the city of Vesālī to beg for animal wool. Just then, a merchant came carrying his keys on his way to the market, intending to open his shop. But seeing the bhikkhu hastening toward him from afar, he thought: "This bhikkhu is surely coming here to beg for wool. It is so early in the morning, and the market has not yet opened—who would give him wool?" And so he closed the door of his shop and returned home.

The bhikkhu thought: "This merchant, upon seeing me, closed his shop and went home. He must not want to give me wool." So he took a shortcut to intercept him and asked: "Good sir, where are you going without waiting for me? From whom shall I now beg?

It is precisely your wool I intended to request, for you are one who trusts in the Buddha and the Dharma, who understands merit and demerit, and who knows that actions bring their results. If you do not give to me, who will? Good sir, you should know that the Blessed One has taught: One should arouse a mind of compassion toward those who do not wish to listen, and by skillful means bring it about that they listen; toward those who have no faith, one should encourage them to have faith; one may even hold their heads with one's hands and urge them to give.

For by this, when they die they will be born in the heavenly realms, endowed with beauty, health, and long life, surrounded by their relatives; and in future births among humans they will likewise enjoy happiness, beauty, health, long life, and abundance of relatives. Then they will cultivate the Buddha-Dharma, increase their merit, and await the fruit of the ambrosia. Therefore, good sir, the Blessed One has spoken in verse:

When the bhikkhu had finished reciting the verses, he said to the merchant: "Good sir, the merit of giving me goat wool is very great."

Hearing this, the merchant gave him a small amount of goat wool. Then he thought: "If I go to the market, many people will come to beg for wool. I will gain no benefit and will only deplete my stock. It would be better to stay at home and preserve my capital, rather than go to the shop and risk losing both capital and profit." Thinking thus, he returned and sat in his house.

His wife, seeing this, became angry and said to her husband: "Why did you go to the market and then come hurrying back? Being so lazy, how will we feed the children, pay our taxes, and meet our civic obligations?"

The merchant replied: "Do not be angry, wife; hear me out first. This morning I went to my shop intending to conduct business…" and so on as above, down to "…it is better to return home and rest."

His wife, upon hearing this, fell silent and said no more.

At that time the Venerable Śāriputra was going on his alms round in sequence and came to the house of that merchant. He stood outside the door. The merchant's wife, being a person of faithful heart, reverential and knowing the Venerable Śāriputra, took a bowl and filled it with food, brought it to the door, offered it into Śāriputra's bowl, bowed her head to his feet in reverence, and respectfully inquired after his well-being.

Śāriputra in turn consoled her, saying: "How is it in the household? Is your livelihood going well?"

She replied: "Everything in the house is fine, only our livelihood has come to a standstill."

The Venerable One asked: "Why is that?"

She then recounted the whole matter fully to Śāriputra, saying: "All the household's needs—food, clothing, provisions, labor obligations, and taxes—depend upon the shop. Yet now my husband sits idle at home, out of fear that people will beg for goat wool. When he is truly present, he says he has gone out; when he is truly awake, he says he is asleep. You, Venerable One, are someone to whom this family makes offerings with reverence and respect, and we dare not conceal anything from you. The wool is very precious—one ounce costs one gold coin, or even two, three, or four gold coins per ounce. Moreover, this wool is so fine that even if you poke it into the eye it does not draw tears, and so it is extremely difficult to obtain.

"Venerable One, this goat wool comes from four great countries: the country of Vesālī, the country of Phuṭkala, the country of Takṣaśilā, and the country of Nandivardha. My husband and his kinsmen go out in search of this wool; some return alive, and some perish and do not return. Because this wool is so difficult to obtain, it is very precious. Yet the bhikkhus come one after another to beg for it ceaselessly, ruining our family's livelihood and bringing us to poverty."

At that time the Venerable Śāriputra gave her a wide-ranging discourse on the Dharma, causing her to rejoice in mind, and then returned to the monastery. After his meal, he recounted the full circumstances to the Blessed One.

The Buddha then had that bhikkhu summoned. When he arrived, the Buddha asked: "Is it true that, wishing to make woolen robes, you begged for goat wool, and that the merchant's wife reproached Śāriputra on account of this?"

He replied: "It is true, Blessed One."

The Buddha said: "O bhikkhu, have you not heard me use countless skillful means to rebuke desire, and to praise having few desires? What you have done is contrary to the Dhamma, contrary to the Vinaya, contrary to my teaching, and cannot serve to nurture wholesome states."

Thereupon the Buddha instructed the bhikkhus dwelling at Vesālī to assemble together, and for the sake of ten benefits, established a rule for the bhikkhus—even those who have already heard it must hear it again:

"If a bhikkhu makes a new sitting blanket of pure black goat wool, he commits a Niḥsargika Pāyattika offence."

Explanation

—Pure: without mixture or adulteration.

—Goat wool: There are ten kinds: the continuous goat, the black goat, the piebald goat (not of uniform color), the mountain goat, the wandering goat, the lake goat, the equal goat, the vulture goat, the many-eared goat, and the mokulina goat.

—New: newly made.

—Blanket (nisīdana): an article for spreading, made of wool.

—Making: either making it oneself or having another make it.

—Niḥsargika Pāyattika: That blanket must be forfeited before the Saṃgha, and then the Pāyattika offence confessed. If one confesses without forfeiting, one commits a Duṣkṛta (Vītikrama) offence.

—Pāyattika: as explained above.

—Continuous goat: There are six kinds of wool: naturally blue, dyed blue, naturally black, dyed black, naturally blue-black, and dyed blue-black.

If one makes it oneself, or has another make it, one commits a Niḥsargika Pāyattika offence. When using it, one commits a Duṣkṛta offence. The same applies down to the mokulina goat wool. This type of blanket must be forfeited before the Saṃgha. However, the Saṃgha may not return it to its original owner, nor may it be used for other purposes; it may only be spread on the ground, draped over a roof, or used as a curtain or banner. Therefore it is said:

"If a bhikkhu makes a new sitting blanket of pure black goat wool, he commits a Niḥsargika Pāyattika offence."

End of the Tenth Niḥsargika Rule.

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 ĐỔNG MINH