Lzh Mg Bu Vb Np 9Requesting Fine Robes From a Combined Robe Fund

– MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

– NISSAGGIYA RULES

– EXPLAINING The second section of THE THIRTY NISSAGGIYA PĀCITTIYA RULES.

8–9. RULE: REQUESTING ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR ROBES.

When the Buddha was residing in the city of Sāvatthī, a certain bhikkhu, at the time for alms-round, donned his robe, took up his bowl, and entered the city to go on alms-round in order. Arriving at a certain house, the mistress of that household said to the bhikkhu: "Venerable sir, on such-and-such a day I intend to offer a meal and donate robes to the Saṅgha."

The bhikkhu said: "Excellent, dear sisters! Using one's wealth to establish three firm foundations — may nothing obstruct you in that endeavor." Having said this, he departed. When the alms-round was finished and he had returned to his dwelling, he told the other bhikkhus: "I have a piece of good news to report to the elders."

The bhikkhus asked: "What good news is that?"

He replied: "I have heard that on a certain day a certain lay woman intends to invite the Saṅgha for a meal and to offer robes."

Upon hearing this, Nanda and Upananda immediately asked: "Elder, in which neighborhood is that household? What is the name of that person?"

Having inquired thoroughly into the matter, the following morning these two bhikkhus donned their robes, went to that household, and greeted her: "Upāsikā, are you well?"

The upāsikā replied: "Welcome, venerable sirs."

The bhikkhus said: "I have just heard some good news."

She asked: "What news did you hear, venerable sir?"

They replied: "We heard that you intend to invite the Saṅgha for a meal offering and to donate robes."

She said: "I do have that intention, but I fear some obstacle may arise midway and it may not come to pass."

The bhikkhus said: "If you invite the Saṅgha for a meal offering and donate cloth, you should offer fine cloth to the elder bhikkhus, and coarse cloth to the novices. If you give fine cloth to me, I will wear it when entering the royal palace, visiting noble households, and paying homage to the Buddha. If anyone asks, I will say it was given to me by the faithful upāsikā of such-and-such a family, and then you will receive praise and merit."

She said: "But I did not promise to make an offering to the Saṅgha. If I had, I would have set it aside especially for you."

The bhikkhu said: "Whether you give or not is entirely up to you."

Having said this, he departed.

That donor then thought: "If I offer to that bhikkhu and not to the Saṅgha, which is a supreme field of merit, then I shall have broken my promise. Yet if I do not offer to that bhikkhu, I fear he may use the power of kings and princes to cause me harm." Out of fear of that bhikkhu, she did not make an offering to the Saṅgha, and because she was not joyful of heart, she made no offering to either party.

The bhikkhus said to the bhikkhu who had been on alms-round: "Of the matter you heard about before, there is no sign of it at all."

The bhikkhu on alms-round said: "I am certain it will happen tomorrow."

And so the next morning, he donned his regular robe, went to that house, and asked the upāsikā: "Why is there no food and drink being prepared?"

She said: "Venerable sir, it is because Nanda and Upananda have destroyed my wholesome intention."

He asked: "How so?"

She then related the matter in full as described above. The bhikkhu on alms-round, having heard this, returned and reported it to the other bhikkhus.

The bhikkhus then reported the matter in full to the Blessed One. The Buddha immediately had Nanda and Upananda summoned. When they had come, the Buddha asked: "Did this matter actually occur as reported?"

They replied: "Yes, Blessed One, it did."

The Buddha said: "You are foolish ones. This is a wrongful act. You have caused both parties to lose benefit: the donor has lost merit, and the recipient has lost gain. Have you not heard me, using countless skillful means, censure excessive desire and praise contentment? Why, when no one has voluntarily invited you, have you, out of wanting fine robes, gone to encourage them to donate? This is against the Dhamma, contrary to the Vinaya, and not in accordance with my teaching. It cannot be used to nurture wholesome states."

Thereupon the Buddha instructed all the bhikkhus dwelling at Sāvatthī to assemble, and for the sake of ten benefits he laid down this rule for the bhikkhus — even those who have already heard it must hear it again:

"If a householder couple, on behalf of a bhikkhu, prepares a sum of money for robes, and they discuss it thus: 'We are preparing this sum of money to purchase such-and-such a robe for bhikkhu so-and-so.' If that bhikkhu, without having previously received a voluntary offer of robes from those householders, goes to their home out of a desire for finery and says: 'Please procure for me a robe of such-and-such a kind,' then upon receiving the robe he commits a Nissaggiya Pācittiya."

Explanation

—Bhikkhu: Either the Saṅgha as a whole, or several persons, or one person.

—Householder: As stated above.

—Robe: As stated above.

—Price of a robe: The value reckoned in terms of gold, silver, jewels, and so forth.

—Quoting a price: Such as saying: "Today, or tomorrow, or in a fortnight, or in one month, I need a robe of such-and-such a kind, of such-and-such a value, for bhikkhu so-and-so." This is called quoting a price.

—Without having previously received a voluntary invitation: Knowing that they have not voluntarily invited one, yet claiming that they have. Or knowing that they have voluntarily invited other bhikkhus, yet claiming that they have invited oneself. Or knowing that they have voluntarily invited someone to donate other goods, yet saying that they have voluntarily invited me to receive a robe donation.

—Going to them: Whether going to the householder's field, going to his home, or entering inside the home.

—Making a request: Such as saying: "I need a blue one, or a yellow one, or a red one, or a black one, or some other color. Or I need one of such-and-such a length, or width, or of such-and-such dimensions." If they give according to one's request, or if they give something else instead, it constitutes a Nissaggiya Pācittiya.

—Out of a desire for finery: Desire for finery is of three kinds: contentment-finery, discontentment-finery, and coarseness-finery.

—Contentment-finery: If they offer fine cloth (cloth of fine thread), one then says: "I need coarse cloth." This is called contentment-finery (desiring what is fine while appearing content). If one accepts such cloth, it constitutes a Nissaggiya offence.

—Discontentment-finery: When they offer a coarse robe, one says: "If you offer me a coarse robe, I will not deign to wear it, for I am a person of high standing; you must give me a fine robe." This is called discontentment-finery.

—Coarseness-finery: When they offer a smooth and fine robe, one says: "I do not use a fine robe like this, for I am one who dwells in remote wilderness like a deer in the forest, resting in open spaces; therefore give me a rough, coarse robe sufficient only to protect against cold, heat, rain, and wind." This is called coarseness-finery. If one accepts such a robe, it constitutes a Nissaggiya Pācittiya.

—Nissaggiya Pācittiya: As already explained above.

Therefore the Blessed One said to the bhikkhus:

"If a householder, a householder's wife, and so forth, down to: out of a desire for finery one receives a robe, it constitutes a Nissaggiya Pācittiya."

End of the eighth Nissaggiya rule.

Vietnamese translation: Thích Phước Sơn. MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

Chinese translation: TRIPIṬAKA BUDDHABHĀDRA OF INDIA

TOGETHER WITH ŚRAMAṆA FAXIAN, TRANSLATED DURING THE EASTERN JIN DYNASTY

DOCTRINAL VERIFICATION: THÍCH ĐỖNG MINH