Lzh Mg Bu Vb Pc 49Precious Things

– MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

– PĀCITTIYA RULES

– CLEAR EXPLANATION OF THE SIXTH SECTION OF THE 92 SINGLE EXPIATION RULES.

49. RULE: WEARING A ROBE WITHOUT BLEMISHING THE COLOR.

When the Buddha was residing in Rājagaha, as described in full above. At that time, the bhikkhus wore robes that had not been cut and sewn into many pieces, and the non-Buddhist ascetics also wore robes that had not been cut and sewn into many pieces. Then it happened that a male lay devotee, wishing to pay homage to a bhikkhu, bowed down to a non-Buddhist ascetic instead; it was only upon hearing the benediction recited that he realized the recipient was a non-Buddhist ascetic, and so the lay devotee felt ashamed in his heart.

At the same time, a disciple of a non-Buddhist ascetic, wishing to pay homage to his own teacher, bowed down to a bhikkhu instead; it was only upon hearing the benediction that he realized the recipient was a bhikkhu, and so the disciple of the non-Buddhist ascetic felt ashamed in his heart.

The bhikkhus then brought this matter and reported it to the Blessed One. The Buddha instructed: "From now on, robes should be made differently — cut, sewn, and dyed so that they have a distinct color."

The bhikkhus accordingly cut, sewed, and dyed their robes so that they had a different color. At that time, the non-Buddhist ascetics used red ochre to dye their robes the color of Liuzhula red, and carried staffs with three notches to further distinguish themselves.

Furthermore, when the Buddha was residing in Śrāvastī, as described in full above. At that time, a bhikkhu who was dwelling in a wilderness place had found a kauśeya robe, and he boiled up dye water intending to dye it. Just then, the Blessed One, traveling through the air by means of his supernormal power, arrived at the bhikkhu's location. He knew what was happening but still asked the bhikkhu: "What are you intending to do?"

— "I am boiling dye water intending to dye this kauśeya robe."

— "A kauśeya robe is delicate; if dyed with such coarse dye it will damage the robe. From now on, a kauśeya robe should be made allowable (kappiya) in two ways: by cutting a piece and sewing it on as the mark of allowability, and by marking it with blue to make it allowable."

Furthermore, when the Buddha was residing in Śrāvastī, as described in full above. At that time, a bhikkhu at Vaiśālī had obtained a soft kambala robe, and he boiled up dye water intending to dye it, when just then the Buddha, traveling by supernormal power, arrived at his location. The Buddha knew what was happening but still asked: "Bhikkhu, what are you doing?"

— "I am boiling dye water to dye this kambala robe."

— "A kambala robe is soft and delicate; if dyed with such coarse dye it will tear the robe. From now on, I permit the kambala robe to be made allowable in two ways: by cutting and sewing as the mark of allowability, and by marking it with blue to make it allowable."

Furthermore, when the Buddha was residing in Śrāvastī, as described in full above. At that time, the Venerable Sundarananda was a son of the Buddha's maternal aunt, born of Mahāpajāpatī; he possessed thirty of the major marks, including the mark of the white hair-tuft between the brows and the mark of elongated earlobes that hung down. After finishing his almsround and departing from the city of Śrāvastī, with the Venerable Ānanda walking behind him, it happened that some bhikkhus had just finished eating and were sitting in meditation or walking in kinhin in front of the gate of the Jetavana monastery.

Seeing him from afar, they thought it was the Blessed One, and they all rose together with palms joined, saying: "The Blessed One is coming, the Blessed One is coming." Sundarananda likewise rubbed his hands together and joined his palms, saying: "Venerable elders, I am Sundarananda, I am Sundarananda."

Upon hearing this, all the bhikkhus felt embarrassed, and they brought this matter and reported it to the Blessed One. The Buddha instructed: "From now on, a mark must be made on the blemished-color robe." Thereupon, the Buddha commanded all the bhikkhus living in Śrāvastī to assemble together, and for the sake of ten benefits he established this rule for the bhikkhus; even those who had already heard it were to hear it again:

— If a bhikkhu receives a new robe, he must use three kinds of substances to blemish the color, or at least one kind to blemish the color — namely: blue-green, black, and the color of the magnolia tree. If he does not use these three kinds to blemish the color of the robe and wears it, he commits a Pācittiya offense.

Explanation

1. Bhikkhu: As explained above.

2. Receives: Received from a man, a woman, a layperson, or one who has gone forth.

3. New robe: Just having been newly made, such as a kambala robe, a silk robe, a śaṇa robe, a kauśeya robe, a śana robe, a hemp robe, or a kumuda robe.

4. Three kinds of blemishing, or each single kind of blemishing: These are the blue-green color, the black color, and the magnolia color.

5. Blue-green color: This comprises copper blue, growing blue, and stone blue.

— Copper blue: Place a copper vessel over bitter liquor so that the copper develops verdigris, then take that verdigris — this is called copper blue.

— Growing blue: This is the blue of indigo dregs, or the color indigo blue.

— Stone blue: This is the color of the sky.

In general, one uses the above-mentioned colors to mark the robe as allowable (kappiya).

6. Black color: This comprises two kinds: named-mud and unnamed-mud.

— Named-mud: Using the powders of harītakī, vibhītaka, and āmalaka, combined together in a bowl — this is called named-mud.

— Unnamed-mud: This is actual mud, mud from the bottom of a pond, mud from the bottom of a well — in general, various kinds of mud such as these.

7. Magnolia color: One grinds harītakī, vibhītaka, or āmalaka on iron and uses that to make the mark of allowability — this is called the magnolia color.

A bhikkhu who receives a new robe and wears it without making the mark of allowability commits a Pācittiya offense.

Pācittiya: As explained above.

If one receives a new saṃghāṭī and makes the mark of allowability, this is good; if one does not make the mark of allowability, one commits a Pācittiya offense. Likewise, when receiving an uttarāsaṅga, an antaravāsaka, a rain-bathing robe, a robe for covering sores, or a sitting cloth — making the mark of allowability is good; if one does not make the mark of allowability, one commits a Pācittiya offense.

A kambala robe is made allowable in two ways: by cutting and sewing the "purity mark" and by marking it with blue. If one performs the cutting-and-sewing mark of allowability but does not mark it with blue, one commits a Pācittiya offense.

If one marks it with blue but does not perform the cutting-and-sewing mark of allowability, one commits a Vinaya transgression offense (Vietn. Việt tì ni).

If one neither marks it with blue nor performs the cutting-and-sewing mark of allowability, one commits one Pācittiya offense and one Vinaya transgression offense.

If one performs both the cutting-and-sewing mark of allowability and the blue-color mark of allowability, there is no offense.

A multi-layered robe must be made allowable in three ways: by the cutting-and-sewing mark of allowability, by the dyeing mark of allowability, and by the blue-color mark of allowability. If one performs the cutting-and-sewing mark and the dyeing mark but does not perform the blue-color mark, one commits one Pācittiya offense.

If one performs the blue-color mark but does not perform the cutting-and-sewing mark and does not perform the dyeing mark, one commits two Vinaya transgression offenses.

If one does not perform the cutting-and-sewing mark, does not perform the dyeing mark, and does not perform the blue-color mark, one commits one Pācittiya offense and two Vinaya transgression offenses. If one performs all three marks as described above, there is no offense.

A śaṇa robe is made allowable in three ways, the same as a multi-layered robe; a kauśeya robe is made allowable in two ways, the same as a kambala robe; a śana robe, a hemp robe, and a kumuda robe are made allowable in three ways, the same as a multi-layered robe — that is, making the blue-color mark, the black mark, and the magnolia-color mark, all likewise in this manner.

When making the mark of allowability, it should not be too large and not too small — the maximum size is four finger-widths, and the minimum size is that of a bean. Or one may press harītakī, vibhītaka, or āmalaka upon iron to extract the liquid and use that to make the mark of allowability. The marks must not be made in an even number but in an odd number — either one, three, five, seven, or nine. They must not be made in the shape of a flower. If, when washing or mending, mud falls upon the robe, or if footprints of earth left by birds or crows tread upon it, this too is regarded as having made the mark of allowability.

If one receives many miscellaneous articles and piles them together in one place, it is sufficient to make the mark of allowability at one point. If they are spread into many separate piles, then each pile requires the mark of allowability.

If making a new saṃghāṭī, the mark of allowability must be made at one corner. If adding a half-panel or a full panel, the mark of allowability must also be made.

The uttarāsaṅga, the antaravāsaka, and all other robes — when newly mended, the mark of allowability must also be made.

Therefore it is said (as above).

Vietnamese translation: Thích Phước Sơn. MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

Chinese translation: TRIPIṬAKA MASTER BUDDHABHADRA OF INDIA

TOGETHER WITH ŚRAMAṆA FAXIAN, TRANSLATED DURING THE EASTERN JIN DYNASTY

MEANING VERIFIED BY: THÍCH ĐỖNG MINH