Lzh Sarv Bi Pm Np 8Excessive Prompting for Robe Funds
Pāli / Sanskrit:Rāja
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Sutta on Excessive Pressing for Robe Support
Background
This text belongs to the Vinaya Piṭaka of the Pāli Canon and reflects a specific situation that occurred in the community of monks and nuns during the Buddha’s time. The Vinaya Piṭaka records the rules of training (sīla) and the stories that led to the establishment of those rules. Each rule in the Vinaya Piṭaka has a history: an event that gave rise to the rule, after which the Buddha laid down the Dharma to guide proper conduct among the monks.
The case of “excessive pressing for robe support” (Rāja Pāti-paññatti, or variants recorded in different Vinaya traditions) concerns monks asking lay householders for robes. Robes (cīvara) are one of the four basic requisites (cattāro paccayā) in Buddhism: robes, food, lodging, and medicine. Yet the manner of asking for robes must conform to the humble and non-greedy nature of a monastic.
Main Content
According to the Vinaya Piṭaka, some monks used hints, prompting, or even insinuation to encourage householders to provide robes for them. They might speak subtly, while concealing an intention to obtain gain, or make repeated statements meant to create psychological pressure.
The Buddha, seeing that this conduct violated the principles of “guarding the sense faculties” (indriya-saṃvara) and “fewness of wishes and contentment” (appicchatā-santuṭṭhi), laid down a rule prohibiting it. Monks are not allowed to use clever methods to indirectly demand robes or any other requisites from laypeople. The offering of necessities must arise wholly from the faith and free will of the householder, not from urging or pressure, whether subtle or coarse.
This rule emphasizes that a monk should accept only what is freely given. If necessary, he may state his need directly, but only once, without repetition or pressure.
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