Lzh Mg Bu Vb Np 22An Almsbowl With Fewer Than Five Mends

– MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

– NIḤSARGIKA RULES FOR BHIKKHUNĪS

– ON THE SECOND SECTION OF THE THIRTY NIḤSARGIKA-PĀYATTIKA RULES

22. RULE: SEEKING A NEW BOWL WHILE THE OLD BOWL HAS NOT YET DETERIORATED.

When the Buddha was residing in the city of Śrāvastī, as described in detail above. At that time there was a potter in that city named Dharmapradīpa who invited the Saṅgha to come and receive the gift of bowls. The bhikkhus, being fond of fine things, exchanged their old bowls for new ones, and a great many did so.

As a result, the donor was unable to keep up with the demand. At that time, the Venerable Śāriputra, when the hour for almsround had come, put on his robe, took his bowl, and entered the city going from house to house for alms. He arrived at the home of Dharmapradīpa and stood before the gate.

Dharmapradīpa's wife had known the Venerable Śāriputra previously and had great faith and reverence for him, so she was very glad, and said to him: "Venerable Sir, my husband invited the Saṅgha to come and receive the gift of bowls. The bhikkhus, being fond of fine bowls, brought their old bowls to exchange for new ones, so that our home now has old bowls piled up like a mountain. We are a household of laypeople; even new bowls we do not use, let alone old ones.

Venerable Sir, the entire livelihood of our family depends on the craft of making bowls."

Thereupon Śāriputra taught the Dharma in accordance with her condition, causing her to give rise to a mind of joy. She paid homage at his feet and took her leave. Then he returned to the monastery and reported the matter in full to the Blessed One. The Buddha then commanded that the bhikkhus be summoned. When they had come, the Buddha asked: "Did you truly do this?"

The bhikkhus replied: "It is true, Blessed One."

The Buddha said: "From this day forward, I do not permit bhikkhus to beg for bowls from donors."

Again, when the Buddha was residing in the city of Śrāvastī, as described in detail above. At that time, sixty bhikkhus from the northern region wished to come to the Jetavana monastery to pay homage to the Buddha, but along the road bandits took all their bowls, so they had no bowls with which to continue to Jetavana. At that time, fellow practitioners each gave them one bowl. When they had received the bowls, they went to the Blessed One, bowed their heads and paid homage at the feet of the Buddha, and then stood to one side. The Buddha, though he knew, still asked: "Bhikkhus, where have you come from?"

They replied: "We have come from the northern region."

The Buddha again asked the bhikkhus: "Was the journey peaceful?"

They replied: "It was not peaceful. Along the road we met with bandits and lost all our bowls. Thus we had no bowls with which to enter Jetavana. Fortunately, our fellow practitioners each gave us a bowl."

The Buddha asked further: "Were there no cities, towns, or villages along the road?"

They replied: "There were."

The Buddha asked: "Why did you not beg for bowls?"

They replied: "Because we had heard that the Blessed One had established a rule not permitting begging for bowls, and there were no donors."

The Buddha praised them, saying: "Well done! Well done, bhikkhus! You have gone forth in faith, and it is right and proper to act thus. Even at the cost of one's life, one must not transgress the precepts. From now on, I permit that when one has lost one's bowl, one may beg for a bowl."

Again, when the Buddha was residing in the city of Śrāvastī, as described in detail above. At that time, the sixty bhikkhus from the northern region who had lost their bowls arrived at Jetavana. The Venerable Nanda and Upananda said to them: "Elders, the Blessed One permits that whoever has lost a bowl may beg for a bowl — why did you not beg?"

They replied: "Our fellow practitioners have already given us bowls."

Nanda and Upananda said further: "You did not seek what you were permitted to seek, and so you have suffered a loss."

They replied: "We have already received bowls; whether it is a loss or not is of no consequence."

Nanda said: "I will beg on your behalf."

They replied: "You know what you must do," — and so on until a male lay follower said: "Does the Venerable One wish to open a pottery shop?" — as has already been explained in the section on begging for robes.

The bhikkhus heard of this matter and went to report it to the Blessed One. The Buddha then commanded that Nanda and Upananda be summoned. When they had come, the Buddha asked: "Nanda, Upananda, did you truly do this?"

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

The Buddha asked: "For what reason did you beg?"

They replied: "We begged on behalf of the bhikkhus who had lost their bowls."

The Buddha commanded that the bhikkhus who had lost their bowls be summoned. When they had come, the Buddha asked: "Bhikkhus, did you instruct Nanda and Upananda to beg for bowls?"

The bhikkhus replied: "We did not, Blessed One."

The Buddha said: "Then for what reason did they beg?"

They then recounted the events described above.

The Buddha said to the bhikkhus: "These two, Nanda and Upananda, begged for what should not be begged for, and did not beg for what should have been begged for."

Thereupon the Buddha said to Nanda and Upananda: "This is an evil deed. Have you not heard me on countless occasions using many skillful means to praise fewness of desire and to censure much desire? This is contrary to the Dharma, contrary to the Vinaya, and goes against my teaching. This cannot be used to nourish wholesome states."

The Buddha then commanded that all the bhikkhus dwelling in the city of Śrāvastī assemble together, and for the sake of ten benefits he established this rule for the bhikkhus — even those who have already heard it must hear it again:

"If a bhikkhu, whose bowl has not yet been mended five times, and being fond of a finer one, seeks a new bowl, he commits a Niḥsargika-Pāyattika offense. That bowl must be relinquished before the Saṅgha, and the Saṅgha shall then give him the most inferior bowl and instruct him as follows: 'Bhikkhu, you must receive this bowl and use it until it breaks' — this is to be the standard practice."

Explanation

—Not yet five mends: If there is one mend, or from two mends up to four mends, this is called not yet five mends.

—Five mends: There are already five mends, and the extent is sufficient. The extent here is defined as a repaired crack approximately the size of a big toe.

—Bowl: As described above.

—New: Newly completed.

—Seeking further: Whether by begging or by soliciting, being fond of something finer, and then disparaging the bowl he is presently using — finding it too large, too small, too heavy, too light, or too coarse — and thinking to himself: "I have a donor, I have clay, I have the skill; I should make another bowl, a finer one." If he does so, that bhikkhu must take the new bowl and relinquish it before the Saṅgha. The Saṅgha then selects the most inferior bowl and gives it to that bhikkhu, with the admonishment: "Elder, you must receive this bowl and use it until it breaks; you must not deliberately smash it. Furthermore, you must confess the Pāyattika offense." If he confesses the Pāyattika offense without first relinquishing the new bowl before the Saṅgha, he commits a Duṣkṛta offense.

—Pāyattika: As described above. That bhikkhu, whose bowl has not been mended in five places, seeks a new bowl out of fondness for a finer one and thereby commits a Niḥsargika offense. That bhikkhu must invite a Vinaya master who knows how to perform the Karmavācanā and who possesses the five qualities, and the Saṅgha then performs the Karmavācanā appointing him to handle the matter. This person must embody five qualities: not showing favoritism, not acting from anger, not acting from fear, not acting from confusion, and knowing who has given and who has not given. These are called the five qualities. The one performing the Karmavācanā should speak as follows:

"May the Venerable Saṅgha please listen! Bhikkhu so-and-so possesses the five qualities. If it seems proper to the Saṅgha, the Saṅgha now appoints Bhikkhu so-and-so as the bowl-distributor to handle this matter. This is the motion.

May the Venerable Saṅgha please listen! Bhikkhu so-and-so possesses the five qualities. The Saṅgha now appoints Bhikkhu so-and-so as the bowl-distributor. Those Venerable Ones who consent to Bhikkhu so-and-so serving as the bowl-distributor should remain silent; those who do not consent should speak. The Saṅgha has consented to appoint Bhikkhu so-and-so as the bowl-distributor, since all have remained silent. The matter shall be carried out accordingly."

When the Karmavācanā has been performed, it should be announced before the Saṅgha: "All bowls currently in use by the Venerable Saṅgha must be brought here." If such an announcement is not made, a Duṣkṛta offense is committed.

Thereupon each bhikkhu must bring the bowl he is currently using. If any bhikkhu leaves the bowl he is currently using at his residence and instead brings an inferior bowl, he commits a Duṣkṛta offense. The one performing the Karmavācanā should instruct that bhikkhu to set down his bowl, uncover his right shoulder, kneel on his right knee, and say: "I, Bhikkhu so-and-so, having a bowl with fewer than five mends and being fond of a finer one, sought a new bowl; I now relinquish it before the Saṅgha."

The Vinaya master should ask: "Have you used it?" If he replies that he has, one should say: "You have used an impure bowl — that is, one obtained contrary to the rule — and have therefore committed innumerable Duṣkṛta offenses, and must confess them."

Thereupon that bhikkhu must say: "Venerable Elder, I, so-and-so, had a bowl with fewer than five mends and yet sought a new bowl; I now relinquish it before the Saṅgha. In this matter I have committed a Pāyattika offense for using an impure bowl, and I have further committed innumerable Duṣkṛta offenses. I confess them all."

The Karmācārya asks: "Do you see your offense?"

Answer: "I see it."

—Take care not to transgress again.

—I respectfully submit and will comply.

The bhikkhu assigned to distribute the bowl (sent by the Sangha) must bring this bowl and present it to the most senior member of the Sangha (the Elder). If the first Elder accepts it, then the Elder's own bowl must be passed to the second Elder, and so on in succession down to the bhikkhu of the lowest standing. If no one at all takes it, then that bowl should be returned to its original owner. However, if the bowl is of great value, it should be sold and ten bowls purchased; nine of them are to be stored in the Sangha's kitchen, and one is to be returned to the original owner with the instruction: "You are to use this bowl until it breaks."

When a bhikkhu carries a mended bowl into the village for almsround, after finishing his meal he should remove the mends, then wash it clean with ash and earth. When washing, one must not probe into the cracks with a hard object so as to cause it to break; rather, one should use a bird's feather to probe them. When washing the bowl, one must not scrub it with sand so as to cause it to lose its color; instead, one should use mud or earth to scrub it, or use water of tree roots, water of leaves, water of fruits, or water of flowers for washing.

When washing, one must not do so at the edge of a pit, in a dangerous place, beneath a mango tree bearing ripe fruit, beneath a coconut tree, on a stone slab, on bricks, on a pathway, or in a doorway. When washing is finished, the bowl must be placed in its bag, then stored on a wall shelf or in a cabinet, with something placed over its mouth. If there is an urgent matter and one cannot wash it clean, one should wipe it with root-water or leaf-water, and wash it properly once the matter is concluded.

In the early morning, after washing it, one may carry it into the village for almsround. If the mended bowl is difficult to use, then each day after use it must be washed clean. If one intentionally breaks it, one commits a Pācittiya offense.

If a preceptor, ācārya, or close friend reflects: "This virtuous bhikkhu is being harmed in his sitting meditation, learning of suttas, and recitation of suttas because of washing this bowl"—and then breaks it, or hides it so that the bhikkhu cannot find it, and then requests another bowl, there is no offense. When one has no bowl and obtains one through requesting, one must use it. If one obtains two bowls, use one and store the other in the Sangha's kitchen.

Even if one obtains ten bowls, use one and store the other nine in the Sangha's kitchen.

If a bhikkhu has no bowl and goes to seek one, and then receives the monetary value of one bowl, this too is considered as having a bowl. If one receives the monetary value of two bowls, the value of one must be placed into the Sangha's treasury. Even if one receives the monetary value of ten bowls, the value of nine should be placed into the Sangha's treasury. Therefore it is said (as above).

End of Nissaggiya Rule 21

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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

Reviewed for meaning by: Thích Đỗng Minh