Bu Np 2727. Bribing weavers

MAHĀPESAKĀRA SUTTA: OFFENSE OF INFLUENCING CLOTH WEAVERS

Background

The Vinaya Piṭaka is the collection of disciplinary rules that the Buddha established for the monastic community of monks and nuns. These rules are recorded in the Pātimokkha, in which the Bhikkhunī Pātimokkha (the training rules for nuns) contains thirty detailed training rules with forfeiture. The Mahāpesakāra Sutta belongs to the Nissaggiya Pācittiya section (offenses requiring forfeiture and confession) — disciplinary violations that require the relinquishment of an improperly obtained article, together with confession before the assembly.

This context arises from the need to govern the material possessions of monastics. In the Theravāda tradition, monastics are not permitted to procure or demand necessary articles on their own behalf. It is the lay Buddhist disciples (upāsakas and upāsikās) who bear responsibility for providing three of the four basic requisites: robes, food, lodging, and medicine. Nevertheless, these rules also serve to prevent abusive or dishonest conduct in the course of such provision.

Main Content

The Mahāpesakāra Sutta addresses a specific situation: when a lay Buddhist has already arranged for weavers to weave cloth for a bhikkhunī, if that bhikkhunī goes herself and makes additional requests or imposes conditions upon the weavers — such as asking them to make the cloth finer, softer, or of more expensive material — such conduct is regarded as "pesakāra," that is, "ingratiating oneself with" or "bribing" the weavers.

The essential point is that the bhikkhunī has exceeded her proper authority. She is not permitted to intervene personally in the process of production or to make separate demands of the weavers. The conditions and quality of the cloth must be determined by the lay Buddhist — the one who is making the offering. The bhikkhunī has only the right to accept or decline what the lay Buddhist has prepared.