Lzh Mg Bu Vb Np 17Getting a Nun to Wash Wool

– MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

– NUN'S NISSAGGIYA (RULES ENTAILING FORFEITURE)

– EXPLANATION OF The second part of THE THIRTY NUN'S NISSAGGIYA PĀCITTIYA RULES.

17. RULE: GETTING A BHIKKHUNĪ TO WASH WOOL.

When the Buddha was dwelling at Vesālī in the Kūṭāgārasālā in the forest, the full account is as above. At that time, the Venerable Udāyin brought some sheep's wool and gave it to the bhikkhunī Sujanā, who had formerly been his wife, saying: "Please, dear, wash, dye, and card this for me." The bhikkhunī Sujanā took it back to her dwelling, washed, dyed, and carded it, placed it in a box, covered it with the chest and breast hair of a deer, and then sent it by messenger to Udāyin. When Udāyin received it, he opened the box and, seeing the deer hair, was delighted. He then went to show off to the other bhikkhus, saying: "Look at this, venerable ones — I gave a small amount of wool to a bhikkhunī who is not a blood relative, and received back a great deal of wool in return."

The bhikkhus, upon seeing this, said: "That is something that ought to be kept hidden — why are you showing it to others?"

He replied: "What is there to hide about this? I gave her a little wool and received back a lot of wool."

At that point, the group of six bhikkhus, hearing this from afar, clapped their hands and laughed loudly: "How extraordinary! How extraordinary!"

The bhikkhus, upon hearing this, went and reported the matter to the Blessed One. The Buddha then ordered Udāyin to be summoned. When he arrived, the Buddha asked: "Is it true that you did this?"

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

The Buddha immediately rebuked him: "That is a wrongful act," and so on.

The Buddha then asked the bhikkhus: "Suppose there were an object that ought to be kept hidden — should a bhikkhunī who is a blood relative show it to a bhikkhu who is also a blood relative?"

They replied: "She should not, Blessed One."

The Buddha asked again: "Suppose a bhikkhu who is a blood relative has received from a bhikkhunī who is a blood relative an object that ought to be kept hidden — should he show it to others?"

They replied: "He should not, Blessed One."

The Buddha then said to the bhikkhus: "From this day forward, bhikkhus are not permitted to ask bhikkhunīs who are not blood relatives to wash, dye, and card sheep's wool."

Furthermore, when the Buddha was dwelling at Sāvatthī, the full account is as above. At that time, the Venerable Udāyin took some sheep's wool and gave it to the bhikkhunī Mahāpajāpatī, saying: "Please, elder sister, wash, dye, and card this for me."

The bhikkhunī Mahāpajāpatī then washed, dyed, and carded it, and sent it back to Udāyin. She then went to where the Buddha was, bowed her head at his feet, and stood to one side. The Buddha, though he knew, nevertheless asked: "Why is there dye on your hands?"

She replied: "I washed, dyed, and carded sheep's wool on behalf of the Venerable Udāyin."

The Buddha then said to the bhikkhus: "Why has Udāyin asked a bhikkhunī who is not a blood relative to wash, dye, and card sheep's wool for him?"

The Buddha then summoned Udāyin. When he arrived, the Buddha asked: "Did you really ask the bhikkhunī Mahāpajāpatī to wash, dye, and card sheep's wool?"

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

The Buddha immediately rebuked Udāyin: "Why did you make a bhikkhunī who is practicing the path do such a thing? From this day forward, I do not permit bhikkhus to ask bhikkhunīs who are not blood relatives to wash, dye, and card sheep's wool."

The Buddha then commanded all the bhikkhus dwelling at Sāvatthī to assemble, and for the sake of ten benefits he proclaimed the following rule for the bhikkhus — and even those who have already heard it must hear it again:

"If a bhikkhu asks a bhikkhunī who is not a blood relative to wash, dye, and card sheep's wool, he commits a Nissaggiya Pācittiya offense."

Explanation

(Some terms have already been explained above.)

In this rule, the carding of wool is added, and the case of bringing a mud-stained or soiled robe to a nunnery is excluded; in other respects, it is as set forth in Rule 5 above.

MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

End of Volume 9

Vietnamese translation: Thích Phước Sơn. MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

Chinese translation: TRIPIṬAKA MASTER BUDDHABHADRA OF INDIA

TOGETHER WITH ŚRAMAṆA FAXIAN, TRANSLATED DURING THE EASTERN JIN DYNASTY

Verified in meaning by: Thích Đỗng Minh