Bu Pc 8181. Criticizing a robe distribution
Pāli / Sanskrit:Dubbala
If a monk, acting as part of a complete Order, gives away a robe to an official of the Order, but then criticizes the act, he must confess the offense.
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Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law The Great Analysis
The chapter on offenses entailing confession The subchapter on legitimate correction 81. Criticizing a robe distribution
Origin story
At one time when the Buddha was staying at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, Venerable Dabba the Mallian, who was the assigner of dwellings and the designator of meals, had a robe that was worn out. Just then the Sangha had obtained a robe, which it gave to Dabba. The monks from the group of six complained and criticized it, “The monks are diverting the Sangha’s material support according to friendship.”
The monks of few desires complained and criticized them, “How could the monks from the group of six give out a robe as part of a unanimous Sangha and then criticize it afterwards?” … “Is it true, monks, that you did this?”
“It’s true, sir.”
The Buddha rebuked them … “Foolish men, how could you do this? This will affect people’s confidence …” … “And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:
Final ruling
‘If a monk gives out a robe as part of a unanimous Sangha and then criticizes it afterwards, saying, “The monks are diverting the Sangha’s material support according to friendship,” he commits an offense entailing confession.’”
Definitions
A: whoever … Monk: … The monk who has been given the full ordination by a unanimous Sangha through a legal procedure consisting of one motion and three announcements that is irreversible and fit to stand—this sort of monk is meant in this case.
A unanimous Sangha: belonging to the same Buddhist sect and staying within the same monastery zone. A robe: one of the six kinds of robe-cloth, but not smaller than what can be assigned to another. Gives out: gives out himself.
According to friendship: according to friendship, according to companionship, according to who one is devoted to, according to being a co-student, according to being a co-pupil. The Sangha’s: given to the Sangha, given up to the Sangha. Material support: robes, almsfood, a dwelling, and medicinal supplies; even a bit of bath powder, a tooth cleaner, or a piece of string.
Criticizes it afterwards: when robe-cloth has been given to someone who is fully ordained and who is the assigner of dwellings or the designator of meals or the distributor of congee or the distributor of fruit or the distributor of fresh foods or the distributor of minor requisites, and he has been appointed by the Sangha as such, then if a monk criticizes the giving, he commits an offense entailing confession.
Permutations
If it is a legitimate legal procedure, and he perceives it as such, and he criticizes the giving of robe-cloth, he commits an offense entailing confession. If it is a legitimate legal procedure, but he is unsure of it, and he criticizes the giving of robe-cloth, he commits an offense entailing confession. If it is a legitimate legal procedure, but he perceives it as illegitimate, and he criticizes the giving of robe-cloth, he commits an offense entailing confession.
If he criticizes the giving of another requisite, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. When robe-cloth or another requisite has been given to someone who is fully ordained and who is the assigner of dwellings or the designator of meals or the distributor of congee or the distributor of fruit or the distributor of fresh foods or the distributor of minor requisites, but he has not been appointed by the Sangha as such, then if a monk criticizes the giving, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.
When robe-cloth or another requisite has been given to someone who is not fully ordained and who is the assigner of dwellings or the designator of meals or the distributor of congee or the distributor of fruit or the distributor of fresh foods or the distributor of minor requisites, whether he has been appointed by the Sangha as such or not, then if a monk criticizes the giving, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.
If it is an illegitimate legal procedure, but he perceives it as legitimate, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If it is an illegitimate legal procedure, but he is unsure of it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If it is an illegitimate legal procedure, and he perceives it as such, there is no offense.
Non-offenses
There is no offense: if he criticizes one who regularly acts out of favoritism, ill will, confusion, or fear, saying, “What’s the point of giving it to him—he’ll ruin it or use it inappropriately;” if he is insane; if he is the first offender.
The training rule on criticizing a robe distribution, the eleventh, 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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