Lzh Mg Bu Vb Pc 83Needle Cases

– MAHĀSĀṂGHIKA VINAYA

– PĀCITTIYA RULES

– EXPLAINING THE NINTH SECTION OF THE 92 SINGLE EXPIATION RULES.

83. RULE: USING BONE OR HORN TO MAKE NEEDLE CASES.

When the Buddha was residing in the city of Sāvatthī, as described in full above; in this city there was an ivory craftsman named Dhammassava. At that time, a certain bhikkhu came to his house and said: "Layman, please make me a needle case." The craftsman made for him a needle case that was neither too large nor too small, with a fine and attractive appearance, and the bhikkhu took it back to his room. Other bhikkhus saw it and asked: "Venerable, where did you obtain such a needle case — neither too large nor too small, with such a fine and attractive appearance?" He replied: "The ivory craftsman named Dhammassava made it for me." Upon hearing this, the bhikkhus went there to ask for one as well.

The ivory craftsman thought to himself: "All the bhikkhus are in need of needle cases, and moreover the Sangha is a most excellent field of merit — I should invite the Sangha to my home and offer needle cases as a gift." Thinking thus, he went to the Jetavana monastery, bowed his head in reverence at the feet of the monastics, and said: "I am Dhammassava. I invite the Sangha to come to my home to receive needle cases as an offering." Upon hearing this, the bhikkhus all came to receive them; some took one, some took two or three, and some even took ten, so that the ivory was entirely used up.

The layman then said: "The ivory is exhausted; now I have only bone remaining — whoever needs one, I will make it." The bhikkhus replied: "We all need one." But then the bone too was exhausted, so the craftsman said: "The bone is also all used up; now I have only horn remaining — whoever needs one, I will make it." The bhikkhus replied: "We all need one." But because so many people came to demand them, the craftsman could no longer find anything to supply.

At that time, the Venerable Sāriputta, it being the hour for alms-gathering, put on his robe, took his bowl, and entered the city of Sāvatthī for alms. Going in turn from house to house, he arrived at that home. The wife of Dhammassava, being a person of faith and joy, and moreover being acquainted with Sāriputta, brought out food and offered it to him, then bowed her head at his feet and stood directly before him. Sāriputta then asked: "Sister, how are things at home? Is the livelihood increasing?"

— "Things at home are just barely manageable, but the livelihood is not increasing."

— "Why is that?"

— "Venerable sir, my husband invited the bhikkhus to our home to offer needle cases. The bhikkhus took one each, or two, or three, and some took as many as ten, so that the ivory was entirely used up; then they took bone until the bone was exhausted; then they took horn. But because so many people came demanding them, there was nothing left to supply. Venerable sir, all the activities of our household — feeding the children and paying taxes to the authorities — all depend on this craft. Because you are someone I hold in great respect, I have dared to speak openly in this way. And because of this, when my husband is at home he says he is not at home; when he is awake he pretends to be asleep, and so on."

At that time, the Venerable Sāriputta taught the Dhamma in accordance with the occasion, gladdening the woman, and then returned to the monastery and reported the matter to the Blessed One. The Buddha then directed that the bhikkhus be summoned. When they had assembled, the Buddha asked in full about all the matters mentioned above:

— "Did you indeed do such things?"

— "It is true that we did, Blessed One."

— "From this time forward, I do not permit the use of elephant tusk, bone, or horn to make needle cases."

The Buddha then commanded all the bhikkhus residing in the city of Sāvatthī to assemble together, and for ten reasons he laid down this rule for bhikkhus — and even those who had already heard it were to hear it again:

"If a bhikkhu uses tusk, bone, or horn to make a needle case, he commits a pācittiya offence."

Explanation

Tusk: Such as the tusks of elephants, the teeth of fish, the teeth of makaras, the teeth of boars, and so forth.

Bone: Such as the bones of elephants, horses, cattle, camels, dragons, and so forth.

Horn: Such as the horns of cattle, water buffalo, rhinoceroses, deer, goats, and so forth.

Making: Whether one makes it oneself or instructs another to make it — the object must be destroyed and the pācittiya offence confessed; if one confesses without destroying it, one commits a Vinaya infraction.

Pācittiya: As explained above.

When the Blessed One had laid down the rule prohibiting the use of tusk, bone, or horn to make needle cases, the bhikkhus then began making them from gold, silver, beryl, crystal, and precious gems. Therefore the Buddha instructed: "I do not permit needle cases to be made from gold, silver, or precious gems. They should instead be made from copper, iron, white wax, lead, tin, refined bronze, white bronze, bamboo, wood, kambala silk, bird feathers, or even the strap of a bowl bag." Therefore it is said (as above).

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

DOCTRINAL VERIFICATION: THÍCH ĐỖNG MINH