Lzh Mg Bu Vb Np 4Receiving Robe Cloth

– MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

– NIḤSARGIKA RULES FOR BHIKKHUNĪS

– CLEARLY EXPLAINING THE FIRST PART OF THE THIRTY NIḤSARGIKA PĀCITTIYA RULES.

4. PRECEPT: RECEIVING ROBE CLOTH FROM ONE WHO IS NOT A BLOOD RELATIVE.

When the Buddha was residing in the city of Śrāvastī, as described in full above. At that time, the bhikkhunī Utpalavarṇā gave her saṃkakṣikā robe to the Venerable Ānanda. Because this robe was soiled and unclean, Ānanda washed out the mud stains and then spread it in the sun to dry. The Buddha knew, yet still asked: "Ānanda! What are you doing there?"

He replied: "Blessed One! The bhikkhunī Utpalavarṇā gave me this saṃkakṣikā robe, but it was soiled and unclean, so I washed out the mud and earth and then spread it in the sun to dry."

The Buddha then asked Ānanda: "Did you give something in exchange for it?"

He replied: "No exchange was made, Blessed One."

The Buddha said to Ānanda: "You should give something in exchange, for women have few advantages."

Yet Ānanda was unwilling to give anything. The Buddha asked Ānanda: "Why do you not give anything?"

Ānanda said to the Buddha: "What should I give?"

The Buddha told Ānanda: "You should give the cloth of kalpavṛkṣa cotton, sixteen cubits in length and eight cubits in width, which King Prasenajit offered as a gift."

Nevertheless, Ānanda still deliberately did not give it, as is clearly stated in the Kalpavṛkṣa Sūtra.

Furthermore, when the Buddha was residing in the city of Śrāvastī, as described in full above. At that time, the bhikkhunī Sujanā, wearing a tattered robe, led her assembly to pay homage to the Blessed One. The Buddha knew, yet still asked the bhikkhus: "Who is this bhikkhunī who comes to pay homage to me wearing a tattered robe?"

The bhikkhus said to the Buddha: "Blessed One! That is the bhikkhunī Sujanā."

The Buddha asked the bhikkhus: "Has this bhikkhunī Sujanā received a robe and not worn it, or has she received no robe?"

The bhikkhus replied: "Blessed One! Upon receiving a robe, she straightaway gave it to Udāyin."

Furthermore, when the Buddha was residing in the city of Śrāvastī, as described in full above. At that time, the bhikkhunī Sthulanandā, wearing a tattered robe, led her assembly to visit the Buddha, bowing her head and paying homage at the Buddha's feet. The Buddha knew, yet still asked the bhikkhus: "Who is this bhikkhunī who comes to visit me wearing a tattered robe?"

The bhikkhus said to the Buddha: "Blessed One! That is the bhikkhunī Sthulanandā."

The Buddha asked the bhikkhus: "Has this bhikkhunī Sthulanandā received a robe and not worn it, or has she not received a robe and thus cannot wear one?"

The bhikkhus replied: "It is simply that upon receiving a robe, she straightaway gave it to Ānanda."

Furthermore, when the Buddha was residing in the city of Śrāvastī, as described in full above. At that time, the bhikkhunī Subhaddā, wearing a tattered robe, led her assembly to visit the Buddha, bowing her head and paying homage at the Buddha's feet. The Buddha knew, yet still asked the bhikkhus: "Who is this bhikkhunī who comes to visit me wearing a tattered robe?"

The bhikkhus said to the Buddha: "Blessed One! That is the bhikkhunī Subhaddā."

The Buddha then asked the bhikkhus: "Has this bhikkhunī Subhaddā received a robe and not worn it, or has she received no robe?"

The bhikkhus replied: "It is simply that upon receiving a robe, she straightaway gave it to the bhikkhu Sugata."

Furthermore, when the Buddha was residing in the city of Śrāvastī, as described in full above. At that time, the bhikkhunī Śrīmā, wearing a tattered robe, led her assembly to visit the Buddha, bowing her head and paying homage at the Buddha's feet. The Buddha knew, yet still asked the bhikkhus: "Who is this bhikkhunī who comes to visit me wearing a tattered robe?"

The bhikkhus said to the Buddha: "Blessed One! That is the bhikkhunī Śrīmā."

The Buddha asked the bhikkhus: "Has this bhikkhunī Śrīmā received a robe and not worn it, or has she received no robe?"

The bhikkhus replied: "It is simply that upon receiving a robe, she straightaway gave it to the Saṃgha." The Buddha then asked the bhikkhus: "If a bhikkhu who is a blood relative were to see a bhikkhunī who is his blood relative wearing such a tattered robe, would that bhikkhu relative have the heart to accept a robe from her?"

They replied: "He would not accept it!"

The Blessed One then asked: "If a bhikkhunī who is a blood relative were wearing a tattered robe, could she give that robe to her bhikkhu relative?"

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

The Buddha said: "Therefore a bhikkhu should not take a robe from a bhikkhunī who is not a blood relative, except in the case of exchange."

At that time, the Buddha commanded all the bhikkhus dwelling in the city of Śrāvastī to assemble together, and then, for ten benefits, he established a precept for the bhikkhus, which all must hear again even if they have heard it before:

"If a bhikkhu receives a robe from a bhikkhunī who is not a blood relative—except in the case of exchange—he commits a Niḥsargika Pācittiya."

Explanation:

—Bhikkhu: As stated above.

—Bhikkhunī who is not a blood relative: Not a child of the same father, not a child of the same mother — this is called a bhikkhunī who is not a blood relative. If one person is a blood relative while many are not, or if many are blood relatives while one is not, or if a sāmaṇerī is a blood relative while the bhikkhunī is not, or if a sāmaṇerī is not a blood relative while the bhikkhunī is — if a robe is received as shared property from such persons, an offense is committed. Apart from these two communities, there is no offense.

—Robe: This includes robes of the following kinds: kambala cloth, kalpavṛkṣa cotton cloth, kauśeya cloth, śāṇa cloth, sāna cloth, hemp cloth, and khuvata cloth.

—Receiving: Accepting what the other person offers as a gift.

—Except in the case of exchange: The Buddha teaches that if an exchange is made, there is no offense.

—Niḥsargika Pācittiya: As stated above.

—Pācittiya: As stated above.

A bhikkhu who is not a blood relative sends a messenger to receive the robe; the messenger delivers it and he accepts with his own hand; the bhikkhunī delivers it with her own hand and he receives it with his own hand; the bhikkhunī sends a messenger to deliver it, and the bhikkhu sends a messenger to receive it.

—Sends a messenger to receive: The bhikkhunī delivers the robe with her own hand, and the bhikkhu sends a messenger to receive it.

—The messenger delivers, and he accepts with his own hand: The bhikkhunī sends a messenger to bring the robe to the bhikkhu, and the bhikkhu receives it with his own hand.

—Delivers with one's own hand, received with the other's own hand: The bhikkhunī delivers the robe with her own hand and the bhikkhu receives it with his own hand.

—One party sends a messenger to deliver, the other party sends a messenger to receive: The bhikkhunī sends a messenger to carry the robe and present it to the bhikkhu, and the bhikkhu sends a messenger to receive it.

If a bhikkhu receives a robe from a bhikkhunī who is not a blood relative, promises to give something in exchange but does not give it, does not ask anyone else to give it, does not speak directly, does not ask anyone to speak on his behalf, and then either returns the robe, or cuts it short and returns it, or gives a different item from what was promised and places that item beyond the range of sight and hearing, outside the boundary, then that bhikkhu commits a Pācittiya offense.

—Does not give: Does not give it himself.

—Does not ask anyone else to give: Does not instruct another person to give it.

—Does not speak directly: Does not say to the bhikkhunī himself: "On such and such a future day at such and such a time, I will give you a robe."

—Does not ask anyone to speak on his behalf: Does not ask another person to say to the bhikkhunī: "On some future day, he will give you a robe."

—Returns the original robe: Returns the bhikkhunī's original robe. This is not proper; instead, one should give her a different robe.

—Cuts it short: Cuts the original robe and then returns it to her — this cannot be called an exchange.

—Gives a robe of insufficient measure: Having received a complete robe from her, gives her a small robe of insufficient measure. This is not a proper exchange; one must give her a complete robe.

—Gives a different item: For example, taking her robe and then giving her a small bowl or a cup, or giving food and other such things. This is not called an exchange; the exchange should be made with a robe.

—Placed beyond the range of sight and hearing: If a bhikkhu takes a robe from a bhikkhunī who is not a blood relative, then does not give anything directly in return, does not ask anyone to give it, does not speak himself, does not ask anyone to speak, and places it beyond the range of sight and hearing, he commits a Pācittiya offense.

—Beyond the boundary: If a bhikkhu takes a robe from a bhikkhunī who is not a blood relative without giving anything in exchange, does not give it himself, does not ask another person to give it, does not speak directly himself, does not ask anyone to speak on his behalf, and then leaves the robe outside the boundary at a distance of twenty-five cubits, he commits a Pācittiya offense.

If a bhikkhu takes a robe from a bhikkhunī who is not a blood relative, promises to give something in exchange but does not give it, does not give it himself, does not ask another person to help give it, does not speak directly, does not ask anyone to speak on his behalf, and then sits, lies down, or enters meditative absorption — in all cases he commits a Pācittiya offense. If a bhikkhunī who is not a blood relative gives a robe to an acquaintance and instructs: "Novice, I give you this robe; take it and present it to bhikkhu so-and-so — merit will come to you." Then the bhikkhu receives it — there is no offense.

Likewise, if that bhikkhunī gives the robe to a sāmaṇerī, a śikṣamāṇā, an upāsaka, or even an upāsikā, and says: "I give you this robe; take it and present it to the Venerable bhikkhu so-and-so — merit will come to you." Then the bhikkhu receives it — there is no offense.

If a bhikkhunī says to a bhikkhu: "I lend the venerable one this robe; wear it as you please," then the bhikkhu is permitted to wear it until it is worn out and then return it, and there is no offense.

If several bhikkhunīs give robes to one bhikkhu, that bhikkhu must give a robe in return to each of those bhikkhunīs; or he may use a single robe for all those bhikkhunīs and say: "Sisters, let us exchange with one another." Or if one bhikkhunī gives a robe to each of several bhikkhus, then each of those bhikkhus must also give a robe in return to that bhikkhunī. Or they may give just one robe and say: "Sister, we give you this robe in exchange."

Or if several bhikkhunīs give robes to several bhikkhus, then those bhikkhus must also give robes in return to those bhikkhunīs.

Or if one bhikkhunī gives a robe to one bhikkhu, then that bhikkhu must give a robe in return to that bhikkhunī.

If a bhikkhunī gives a bhikkhu a bowl, or a cup, or a dish, or food, or other small items, then the bhikkhu may accept all of these without offense. Therefore it is said:

"If a bhikkhu receives a robe from a bhikkhunī who is not a blood relation—except in the case of exchange—he commits a Nissaggiya Pācittiya."

End of the Fourth Rule

MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

End of Volume Eight.

Vietnamese translation: Thích Phước Sơn. MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

Chinese translation: TRIPIṬAKA BUDDHĀBHADRA OF INDIA

TOGETHER WITH ŚRAMAṆA FAXIAN, TRANSLATED DURING THE EASTERN JIN DYNASTY

Verification of meaning: Thích Đỗng Minh