Bi Pc 4747. Not relinquishing a communal robe
Pāli / Sanskrit:Āvasathacīvara
A nun who uses a communal menstruation robe beyond the intended period must confess the offense.
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Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law The Nuns’ Analysis
The chapter on offenses entailing confession The subchapter on galleries 47. Not relinquishing a communal robe
Origin story
At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery. At that time the nun Thullanandā did not relinquish the communal robe, but continued using it. Other menstruating nuns did not get to use it.
The nuns of few desires complained and criticized her, “How could Venerable Thullanandā not relinquish the communal robe, but continue using it?” … “Is it true, monks, that the nun Thullanandā did this?”
“It’s true, sir.”
The Buddha rebuked her … “How could the nun Thullanandā do this? This will affect people’s confidence …” … “And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this:
Final ruling
‘If a nun does not relinquish a communal robe, but continues to use it, she commits an offense entailing confession.’”
Definitions
A: whoever … Nun: … The nun who has been given the full ordination in unanimity by both Sanghas through a legal procedure consisting of one motion and three announcements that is irreversible and fit to stand—this sort of nun is meant in this case. A communal robe: it is given specifically for the use of menstruating nuns. Does not relinquish, but continues to use it: if she uses it for two or three days, washes it on the fourth day, and then uses it again without relinquishing it to a nun or a trainee nun or a novice nun, she commits an offense entailing confession.
Permutations
If it has not been relinquished, and she perceives that it has not, and she uses it, she commits an offense entailing confession. If it has not been relinquished, but she is unsure of it, and she uses it, she commits an offense entailing confession. If it has not been relinquished, but she perceives that it has, and she uses it, she commits an offense entailing confession.
If it has been relinquished, but she perceives that it has not, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. If it has been relinquished, but she is unsure of it, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. If it has been relinquished, and she perceives that it has, there is no offense.
Non-offenses
There is no offense: if she relinquishes it and then uses it; if she uses it again at the next turn; if there are no other menstruating nuns; if her robe has been stolen; if her robe has been lost; if there is an emergency; if she is insane; if she is the first offender.
The seventh training rule is finished.
The “…” is an abbreviation carried over from the Pāli original itself, called peyyāla. The early canon was memorized and recited, so passages repeated verbatim from a preceding discourse were commonly contracted to an elision mark rather than written out in full. Venerable Thích Minh Châu's translation preserves this convention. Some texts therefore look short — but that is the canonical form, not missing content or a truncated translation. The elided passages can be read in full in the preceding discourses of the same chapter.
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