Bhikkhu Vibhaṅga - Nissaggiya Pācittiya 21: The Training Rule on Bowls.
- Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Brahmali. (More copyright information)
Origin story
First sub-story
1At one time when the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery, the monks from the group of six were storing up many almsbowls. When people walking about dwellings saw this, they complained and criticized them, “How can the Sakyan monastics store up many bowls? Are they starting up as bowl merchants or setting up a bowl shop?”
2The monks heard the complaints of those people, and the monks of few desires complained and criticized those monks, “How can the monks from the group of six keep extra bowls?”
3After rebuking those monks in many ways, they told the Buddha. Soon afterwards he had the Sangha gathered and questioned the monks: “Is it true, monks, that you do this?”
“It’s true, Sir.”
The Buddha rebuked them … “Foolish men, how can you do this? This will affect people’s confidence …” … “And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:
4‘If a monk keeps an extra almsbowl, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.’”
5In this way the Buddha laid down this training rule for the monks.
6Soon afterwards Venerable Ānanda received an extra bowl. He wanted to give it to Venerable Sāriputta, who was staying at Sāketa. Knowing that the Buddha had laid down a rule against keeping an extra bowl, Venerable Ānanda thought, “What should I do now?” He told the Buddha, who said, “How long is it, Ānanda, before Sāriputta returns?”
“Nine or ten days, Venerable Sir.”
Soon afterwards the Buddha gave a teaching and addressed the monks: “Monks, you should keep an extra almsbowl for ten days at the most. And so, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:
Final ruling
7‘A monk should keep an extra almsbowl for ten days at the most. If he keeps it longer than that, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.’”
Definitions
8For ten days at the most: it should be kept ten days at a maximum.
9An extra almsbowl: a bowl that is not determined, nor assigned to another.
10An almsbowl: there are two kinds of bowls: the iron bowl and the clay bowl.
11And there are three sizes of bowls: the large bowl, the medium bowl, and the small bowl.
The large bowl: it takes half an āḷhaka measure of boiled rice, a fourth part of fresh food, and a suitable amount of curry.
The medium bowl: it takes a nāḷika measure of boiled rice, a fourth part of fresh food, and a suitable amount of curry.
The small bowl: it takes a pattha measure of boiled rice, a fourth part of fresh food, and a suitable amount of curry. Anything larger than this is not a bowl, nor anything smaller.
12If he keeps it longer than that, it becomes subject to relinquishment: it becomes subject to relinquishment at dawn on the eleventh day. The bowl should be relinquished to a saṅgha, a group, or an individual.
“And, monks, it should be relinquished like this. After approaching the Sangha, that monk should arrange his upper robe over one shoulder and pay respect at the feet of the senior monks. He should then squat on his heels, raise his joined palms, and say,
‘Venerables, this almsbowl, which I have kept over ten days, is to be relinquished. I relinquish it to the Sangha.’
After relinquishing it, he should confess the offense. The confession should be received by a competent and capable monk. The relinquished bowl is then to be given back:
13‘Please, Venerables, I ask the Sangha to listen. This almsbowl, which was to be relinquished by monk so-and-so, has been relinquished to the Sangha. If it seems appropriate to the Sangha, the Sangha should give this bowl back to monk so-and-so.’
14Or: after approaching several monks, that monk should arrange his upper robe over one shoulder and pay respect at the feet of the senior monks. He should then squat on his heels, raise his joined palms, and say,
‘Venerables, this almsbowl, which I have kept over ten days, is to be relinquished. I relinquish it to the venerables.’
After relinquishing it, he should confess the offense. The confession should be received by a competent and capable monk. The relinquished bowl is then to be given back:
15‘Please, I ask the venerables to listen to me. This almsbowl, which was to be relinquished by monk so-and-so, has been relinquished to you. If it seems appropriate to you, you should give this bowl back to monk so-and-so.’
16Or: after approaching a single monk, that monk should arrange his upper robe over one shoulder, squat on his heels, raise his joined palms, and say, ‘This almsbowl, which I have kept over ten days, is to be relinquished. I relinquish it to you.’ After relinquishing it, he should confess the offense. The confession should be received by that monk. The relinquished bowl is then to be given back:
‘I give this almsbowl back to you.’”
Permutations
17If it is more than ten days and he perceives it as more, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. If it is more than ten days, but he is unsure of it, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. If it is more than ten days, but he perceives it as less, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.
If it has not been determined, but he perceives that it has, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. If it has not been assigned to another, but he perceives that it has, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. If it has not been given away, but he perceives that it has, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. If it has not been lost, but he perceives that it has, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. If it has not been destroyed, but he perceives that it has, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. If it has not been broken, but he perceives that it has, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. If it has not been stolen, but he perceives that it has, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.
18If he uses an almsbowl that should be relinquished without first relinquishing it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If it is less than ten days, but he perceives it as more, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If it is less than ten days, but he is unsure of it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If it is less than ten days and he perceives it as less, there is no offense.
Non-offenses
19There is no offense: if, within ten days, it is determined, assigned to another, given away, lost, destroyed, broken, stolen, or taken on trust; if he is insane; if he is the first offender.
20Soon afterwards the monks from the group of six did not give back a relinquished bowl. They told the Buddha.
“Monks, a relinquished alsmbowl should be given back. If you don’t give it back, you commit an offense of wrong conduct.”
21The training rule on almsbowls, the first, is finished.
1p_1V_2252, msdiv598Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tena kho pana samayena chabbaggiyā bhikkhū bahū patte sannicayaṁ karonti. Manussā vihāracārikaṁ āhiṇḍantā passitvā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti: "Kathañhi nāma samaṇā sakyaputtiyā bahū patte sannicayaṁ karissanti, pattavāṇijjaṁ vā samaṇā sakyaputtiyā karissanti āmattikāpaṇaṁ vā pasāressantī"ti.
2p_1V_2253Assosuṁ kho bhikkhū tesaṁ manussānaṁ ujjhāyantānaṁ khiyyantānaṁ vipācentānaṁ. Ye te bhikkhū appicchā … pe … te ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti: "Kathañhi nāma chabbaggiyā bhikkhū atirekapattaṁ dhāressantī"ti.
3p_1V_2254Atha kho te bhikkhū chabbaggiye bhikkhū anekapariyāyena vigarahitvā bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ … pe … "Saccaṁ kira tumhe, bhikkhave, atirekapattaṁ dhārethā"ti?
"Saccaṁ, bhagavā"ti.
Vigarahi buddho bhagavā … pe … kathañhi nāma tumhe, moghapurisā, atirekapattaṁ dhāressatha. Netaṁ, moghapurisā, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya … pe … evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—
4p_1V_2255, msdiv599"Yo pana bhikkhu atirekapattaṁ dhāreyya, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyan" ti.
5p_1V_2256Evañcidaṁ bhagavatā bhikkhūnaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ paññattaṁ hoti.
6p_1V_2257, msdiv600Tena kho pana samayena āyasmato ānandassa atirekapatto uppanno hoti. Āyasmā ca ānando taṁ pattaṁ āyasmato sāriputtassa dātukāmo hoti. Āyasmā ca sāriputto sākete viharati. Atha kho āyasmato ānandassa etadahosi: "bhagavatā sikkhāpadaṁ paññattaṁ— ‘Na atirekapatto dhāretabbo’ti. Ayañca me atirekapatto uppanno. Ahañcimaṁ pattaṁ āyasmato sāriputtassa dātukāmo. Āyasmā ca sāriputto sākete viharati. Kathaṁ nu kho mayā paṭipajjitabban"ti? Bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesi. "Kīvaciraṁ panānanda, sāriputto āgacchissatī"ti?
"Navamaṁ vā, bhagavā, divasaṁ dasamaṁ vā"ti.
Atha kho bhagavā etasmiṁ nidāne etasmiṁ pakaraṇe dhammiṁ kathaṁ katvā bhikkhū āmantesi: "Anujānāmi, bhikkhave, dasāhaparamaṁ atirekapattaṁ dhāretuṁ. Evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—
7p_1V_2258, msdiv601"Dasāhaparamaṁ atirekapatto dhāretabbo. Taṁ atikkāmayato nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyan"ti. (21:40)
8p_1V_2259, msdiv602Dasāhaparaman'ti dasāhaparamatā dhāretabbo.
9p_1V_2260Atirekapatto nāma anadhiṭṭhito avikappito.
10p_1V_2261Patto nāma dve pattā ayopatto mattikāpattoti.
11p_1V_2262Tayo pattassa vaṇṇā ukkaṭṭho patto majjhimo patto omako patto.
Ukkaṭṭho nāma patto aḍḍhāḷhakodanaṁ gaṇhāti catubhāgaṁ khādanaṁ tadupiyaṁ byañjanaṁ.
Majjhimo nāma patto nāḷikodanaṁ gaṇhāti catubhāgaṁ khādanaṁ tadupiyaṁ byañjanaṁ.
Omako nāma patto patthodanaṁ gaṇhāti catubhāgaṁ khādanaṁ tadupiyaṁ byañjanaṁ. Tato ukkaṭṭho apatto, omako apatto.
12p_1V_2263Taṁ atikkāmayato nissaggiyo hotī'ti ekādase aruṇuggamane nissaggiyo hoti. Nissajjitabbo saṅghassa vā gaṇassa vā puggalassa vā.
Evañca pana, bhikkhave, nissajjitabbo.
Tena bhikkhunā saṇghaṁ upasaṅkamitvā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā vuḍḍhānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ pāde vanditvā ukkuṭikaṁ nisīditvā añjaliṁ paggahetvā evamassa vacanīyo:
"Ayaṁ me, bhante, patto dasāhātikkanto nissaggiyo. Imāhaṁ saṅghassa nissajjāmī"ti.
Nissajjitvā āpatti desetabbā. Byattena bhikkhunā paṭibalena āpatti paṭiggahetabbā, nissaṭṭhapatto dātabbo—
13p_1V_2264, msdiv603 "Suṇātu me, bhante, saṅgho. Ayaṁ patto itthannāmassa bhikkhuno nissaggiyo saṅghassa nissaṭṭho. Yadi saṅghassa pattakallaṁ, saṅgho imaṁ pattaṁ itthannāmassa bhikkhuno dadeyyā"ti.
14p_1V_2265, msdiv604Tena bhikkhunā sambahule bhikkhū upasaṅkamitvā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā vuḍḍhānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ pāde vanditvā ukkuṭikaṁ nisīditvā añjaliṁ paggahetvā evamassu vacanīyā—
"Ayaṁ me, bhante, patto dasāhātikkanto nissaggiyo. Imāhaṁ āyasmantānaṁ nissajjāmī"ti.
Nissajjitvā āpatti desetabbā. Byattena bhikkhunā paṭibalena āpatti paṭiggahetabbā, nissaṭṭhapatto dātabbo—
15p_1V_2266, msdiv605 "Suṇantu me āyasmantā. Ayaṁ patto itthannāmassa bhikkhuno nissaggiyo āyasmantānaṁ nissaṭṭho. Yadāyasmantānaṁ pattakallaṁ, āyasmantā imaṁ pattaṁ itthannāmassa bhikkhuno dadeyyun"ti.
16p_1V_2267, msdiv606Tena bhikkhunā ekaṁ bhikkhuṁ upasaṅkamitvā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā ukkuṭikaṁ nisīditvā añjaliṁ paggahetvā evamassa vacanīyo: "Ayaṁ me, āvuso, patto dasāhātikkanto nissaggiyo. Imāhaṁ āyasmato nissajjāmī"ti. Nissajjitvā āpatti desetabbā. Tena bhikkhunā āpatti paṭiggahetabbā, nissaṭṭhapatto dātabbo—
"Imaṁ pattaṁ āyasmato dammī"ti.
17p_1V_2268, msdiv607Dasāhātikkante atikkantasaññī, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ. Dasāhātikkante vematiko, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ. Dasāhātikkante anatikkantasaññī, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ.
Anadhiṭṭhite adhiṭṭhitasaññī, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ. Avikappite vikappitasaññī, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ. Avissajjite vissajjitasaññī, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ. Anaṭṭhe naṭṭhasaññī nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ. Avinaṭṭhe vinaṭṭhasaññī, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ. Abhinne bhinnasaññī, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ. Avilutte viluttasaññī, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ.
18p_1V_2269Nissaggiyaṁ pattaṁ anissajjitvā paribhuñjati, āpatti dukkaṭassa. Dasāhānatikkante atikkantasaññī, āpatti dukkaṭassa. Dasāhānatikkante vematiko, āpatti dukkaṭassa. Dasāhānatikkante anatikkantasaññī, anāpatti.
19p_1V_2270, msdiv608Anāpatti— antodasāhaṁ adhiṭṭheti, vikappeti, vissajjeti, nassati, vinassati, bhijjati, acchinditvā gaṇhanti, vissāsaṁ gaṇhanti, ummattakassa, ādikammikassāti.
20p_1V_2271Tena kho pana samayena chabbaggiyā bhikkhū nissaṭṭhapattaṁ na denti. Bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ.
"Na, bhikkhave, nissaṭṭhapatto na dātabbo. Yo na dadeyya, āpatti dukkaṭassā"ti.
21p_1V_2272Pattasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ paṭhamaṁ.