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Vinaya Piṭaka - Monastic Rules

Bhikkhu Vibhaṅga - Nissaggiya Pācittiya 6: Not to ask someone who is not a relative for a robe.

Origin story

First sub-story

1974At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery. At that time Venerable Upananda the Sakyan was skilled at teaching. On one occasion the son of a wealthy merchant went to Upananda, bowed, and sat down. And Upananda instructed, inspired, and gladdened him with a teaching. Afterwards that merchant’s son said to Upananda:

“Venerable, please tell me what you need. I can give you robe-cloth, almsfood, a dwelling, and medicinal supplies.”

“If you wish to give me something, give me one of your wrap garments.”

“It’s shameful, Venerable, for a gentleman to walk around in only one wrap. Please wait until I get back home. I’ll send you this wrap or a better one.”


2-3A second time and a third time Upananda said the same thing to that merchant’s son, and he got the same reply. He then said, “What’s the point of inviting me if you don’t want to give?”


4Being pressured by Upananda, that merchant’s son gave him one of his wraps and left. People asked him why he was walking around in only one wrap, and he told them what had happened. People complained and criticized him, “These Sakyan monastics have great desires. They’re not content. Even to make them an appropriate offer isn’t easy. How could they take his wrap when the merchant’s son was making an appropriate offer?”

5The monks heard the complaints of those people, and the monks of few desires complained and criticized Upananda, “How could Venerable Upananda ask the merchant’s son for a robe?”

6After rebuking him in many ways, they told the Buddha. Soon afterwards he had the Sangha gathered and questioned Upananda: “Is it true, Upananda, that you did this?”


“It’s true, Sir.”

“Is he a relative of yours?”

“No.”


“Foolish man, people who are unrelated don’t know what’s appropriate and inappropriate, what’s good and bad, in dealing with each other. And still you did this. This will affect people’s confidence …” … “And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

7‘If a monk asks an unrelated male or female householder for a robe, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.’”

8In this way the Buddha laid down this training rule for the monks.


9Soon afterwards a number of monks who were traveling from Sāketa to Sāvatthī were robbed by bandits. Knowing that the Buddha had laid down this training rule and being afraid of wrongdoing, they did not ask for robes. As a consequence, they walked naked to Sāvatthī, where they bowed down to the monks. The monks there said:


“These Ājīvaka ascetics are good people, seeing as they bow down to the monks.”

“We’re not Ājīvakas! We’re monks!”


The monks asked Venerable Upāli to examine them.

When the naked monks told him what had happened, Upāli said to the monks, “They are monks. Please give them robes.”

The monks of few desires complained and criticized them, “How can monks go naked? Shouldn’t they have covered up with grass and leaves?”


10After rebuking those monks in many ways, they told the Buddha. Soon afterwards he gave a teaching and addressed the monks:

“Monks, if a monk’s robes are stolen or lost, I allow him to ask an unrelated householder for robes. At the first monastery where he arrives, if the Sangha has a communal robe, a bedspread, a floor cover, or a mattress cover, he should take that and put it on, thinking, ‘When I get a robe, I’ll return it.’ If there’s none of these things, he should cover up with grass and leaves before going on. He should not go on while naked. If he does, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

And so, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

Final ruling

11‘If a monk asks an unrelated male or female householder for a robe, except on an appropriate occasion, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. These are the appropriate occasions: his robes are stolen or his robes are lost.’”

Definitions

12A: 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.


13Unrelated: anyone who is not a descendant of one’s male ancestors going back eight generations, either on the mother’s side or on the father’s side.

14A male householder: any man who lives at home.

15A female householder: any woman who lives at home.


16A robe: one of the six kinds of robe-cloth, but not smaller than what can be assigned to another.

17Except on an appropriate occasion: unless it is an appropriate occasion.


18His robes are stolen: a monk’s robe is taken by kings, bandits, scoundrels, or whoever.

19His robes are lost: a monk’s robe is burned by fire, carried away by water, eaten by rats or termites, or worn through use.


20If he asks, except on an appropriate occasion, then for the effort there is an act of wrong conduct. When he gets the robe-cloth, it becomes subject to relinquishment.

The robe-cloth should be relinquished to a saṅgha, a group, or an individual. “And, monks, it should be relinquished like this. To be expanded as in Nissaggiya Pācittiya 1 verse 17 with appropriate substitutions.


‘Venerables, this robe-cloth, which I received after asking an unrelated householder, but not on an appropriate occasion, is to be relinquished. I relinquish it to the Sangha.’ … the Sangha should give … you should give … ‘I give this robe-cloth back to you.’”

Permutations

21If the person is unrelated and the monk perceives them as such, and he asks them for robe-cloth, except on an appropriate occasion, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. If the person is unrelated, but the monk is unsure of it, and he asks them for robe-cloth, except on an appropriate occasion, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. If the person is unrelated, but the monk perceives them as related, and he asks them for robe-cloth, except on an appropriate occasion, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.

22If the person is related, but the monk perceives them as unrelated, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If the person is related, but the monk is unsure of it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If the person is related and the monk perceives them as such, there is no offense.

Non-offenses

23There is no offense: if it is an appropriate occasion; if he asks relatives; if he asks those who have given an invitation; if he asks for the benefit of someone else; if it is by means of his own property; if he is insane; if he is the first offender.

24The training rule on asking non-relations, the sixth, is finished.

 

  

1p_1V_1974, msdiv515Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā upanando sakyaputto paṭṭo hoti dhammiṁ kathaṁ kātuṁ. Atha kho aññataro seṭṭhiputto yenāyasmā upanando sakyaputto tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ upanandaṁ sakyaputtaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho taṁ seṭṭhiputtaṁ āyasmā upanando sakyaputto dhammiyā kathāya sandassesi samādapesi samuttejesi sampahaṁsesi. Atha kho so seṭṭhiputto āyasmatā upanandena sakyaputtena dhammiyā kathāya sandassito samādapito samuttejito sampahaṁsito āyasmantaṁ upanandaṁ sakyaputtaṁ etadavoca:

"Vadeyyātha, bhante, yena attho. Paṭibalā mayaṁ ayyassa dātuṁ yadidaṁ cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhāran"ti.

"Sace me tvaṁ, āvuso, dātukāmosi, ito ekaṁ sāṭakaṁ dehī"ti.

"Amhākaṁ kho, bhante, kulaputtānaṁ kismiṁ viya ekasāṭakaṁ gantuṁ. Āgamehi, bhante, yāva gharaṁ gacchāmi. Gharaṁ gato ito vā ekaṁ sāṭakaṁ pahiṇissāmi ito vā sundarataran"ti.


2p_1V_1975Dutiyampi kho āyasmā upanando sakyaputto taṁ seṭṭhiputtaṁ etadavoca: "Sace me tvaṁ, āvuso, dātukāmosi ito ekaṁ sāṭakaṁ dehī"ti. Amhākaṁ kho bhante kulaputtānaṁ kismiṁ viya ekasāṭakaṁ gantuṁ, āgamehi, bhante yāva gharaṁ gacchāmi, gharaṁ gato ito vā ekaṁ sāṭakaṁ pahiṇissāmi ito vā sundarataranti.

3p_1V_1976Tatiyampi kho āyasmā upanando sakyaputto taṁ seṭṭhiputtaṁ etadavoca: "Sace me tvaṁ, āvuso, dātukāmosi, ito ekaṁ sāṭakaṁ dehī"ti. Amhākaṁ kho, bhante, kulaputtānaṁ kismiṁ viya ekasāṭakaṁ gantuṁ, āgamehi, bhante yāva gharaṁ gacchāmi, gharaṁ gato ito vā ekaṁ sāṭakaṁ pahiṇissāmi ito vā sundarataranti. "Kiṁ pana tayā, āvuso, adātukāmena pavāritena yaṁ tvaṁ pavāretvā na desī"ti.


4p_1V_1977Atha kho so seṭṭhiputto āyasmatā upanandena sakyaputtena nippīḷiyamāno ekaṁ sāṭakaṁ datvā agamāsi. Manussā taṁ seṭṭhiputtaṁ etadavocuṁ: "Kissa tvaṁ, ayyo, ekasāṭako āgacchasī"ti? Atha kho so seṭṭhiputto tesaṁ manussānaṁ etamatthaṁ ārocesi. Manussā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti: "mahicchā ime samaṇā sakyaputtiyā asantuṭṭhā. Nayimesaṁ sukarā dhammanimantanāpi kātuṁ. Kathañhi nāma seṭṭhiputtena dhammanimantanāya kayiramānāya sāṭakaṁ gahessantī"ti.

5p_1V_1978Assosuṁ kho bhikkhū tesaṁ manussānaṁ ujjhāyantānaṁ khiyyantānaṁ vipācentānaṁ. Ye te bhikkhū appicchā … pe … te ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti: "Kathañhi nāma āyasmā upanando sakyaputto seṭṭhiputtaṁ cīvaraṁ viññāpessatī"ti.

6p_1V_1979Atha kho te bhikkhū āyasmantaṁ upanandaṁ sakyaputtaṁ anekapariyāyena vigarahitvā bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ … pe … "Saccaṁ kira tvaṁ, upananda, seṭṭhiputtaṁ cīvaraṁ viññāpesī"ti?


"Saccaṁ, bhagavā"ti.

"Ñātako te, upananda, aññātako"ti?

"Aññātako, bhagavā"ti.


"Aññātako, moghapurisa, aññātakassa na jānāti patirūpaṁ vā appatirūpaṁ vā santaṁ vā asantaṁ vā. Tattha nāma tvaṁ, moghapurisa, aññātakaṁ seṭṭhiputtaṁ cīvaraṁ viññāpessasi. Netaṁ, moghapurisa, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya … pe … evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—

7p_1V_1980, msdiv516"Yo pana bhikkhu aññātakaṁ gahapatiṁ vā gahapatāniṁ vā cīvaraṁ viññāpeyya, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyan"ti.

8p_1V_1981Evañcidaṁ bhagavatā bhikkhūnaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ paññattaṁ hoti.


9p_1V_1982, msdiv517Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā bhikkhū sāketā sāvatthiṁ addhānamaggappaṭipannā honti. Antarāmagge corā nikkhamitvā te bhikkhū acchindiṁsu. Atha kho te bhikkhū— "bhagavatā paṭikkhittaṁ aññātakaṁ gahapatiṁ vā gahapatāniṁ vā cīvaraṁ viññāpetun"ti, kukkuccāyantā na viññāpesuṁ. Yathānaggāva sāvatthiṁ gantvā bhikkhū abhivādenti. Bhikkhū evamāhaṁsu—


"Sundarā kho ime, āvuso, ājīvakā ye ime bhikkhūsu abhivādentī"ti.

Te evamāhaṁsu: "Na mayaṁ, āvuso, ājīvakā, bhikkhū mayan"ti.


Bhikkhū āyasmantaṁ upāliṁ etadavocuṁ: "iṅghāvuso upāli, ime anuyuñjāhī"ti.

Atha kho āyasmatā upālinā anuyuñjiyamānā te bhikkhū etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ. Atha kho āyasmā upāli te bhikkhū anuyuñjitvā bhikkhū etadavoca: "bhikkhū ime, āvuso. Detha nesaṁ cīvarānī"ti.

Ye te bhikkhū appicchā … pe … te ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti: "Kathañhi nāma bhikkhū naggā āgacchissanti. Nanu nāma tiṇena vā paṇṇena vā paṭicchādetvā āgantabban"ti.


10p_1V_1983Atha kho te bhikkhū te anekapariyāyena vigarahitvā bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ. Atha kho bhagavā etasmiṁ nidāne etasmiṁ pakaraṇe dhammiṁ kathaṁ katvā bhikkhū āmantesi:

"Anujānāmi, bhikkhave, acchinnacīvarassa vā naṭṭhacīvarassa vā aññātakaṁ gahapatiṁ vā gahapatāniṁ vā cīvaraṁ viññāpetuṁ. Yaṁ āvāsaṁ paṭhamaṁ upagacchati, sace tattha hoti saṅghassa vihāracīvaraṁ vā uttarattharaṇaṁ vā bhūmattharaṇaṁ vā bhisicchavi vā, taṁ gahetvā pārupituṁ ‘labhitvā odahissāmī’ti. No ce hoti saṅghassa vihāracīvaraṁ vā uttarattharaṇaṁ vā bhūmattharaṇaṁ vā bhisicchavi vā tiṇena vā paṇṇena vā paṭicchādetvā āgantabbaṁ; na tveva naggena āgantabbaṁ. Yo āgaccheyya, āpatti dukkaṭassa.

Evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—

 

11p_1V_1984, msdiv518"Yo pana bhikkhu aññātakaṁ gahapatiṁ vā gahapatāniṁ vā cīvaraṁ viññāpeyya, aññatra samayā, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ. Tatthāyaṁ samayo— acchinnacīvaro vā hoti bhikkhu naṭṭhacīvaro vā. Ayaṁ tattha samayo"ti. (6:25)

 

12p_1V_1985, msdiv519Yo panā'ti yo yādiso … pe … bhikkhū'ti … pe … ayaṁ imasmiṁ atthe adhippeto bhikkhūti.


13p_1V_1986Aññātako nāma mātito vā pitito vā yāva sattamā pitāmahayugā asambaddho.

14p_1V_1987Gahapati nāma yo koci agāraṁ ajjhāvasati.

15p_1V_1988Gahapatānī nāma yā kāci agāraṁ ajjhāvasati.


16p_1V_1989Cīvaraṁ nāma channaṁ cīvarānaṁ aññataraṁ cīvaraṁ vikappanupagaṁ pacchimaṁ.

17p_1V_1990Aññatra samayā'ti ṭhapetvā samayaṁ.


18p_1V_1991Acchinnacīvaro nāma bhikkhussa cīvaraṁ acchinnaṁ hoti rājūhi vā corehi vā dhuttehi vā, yehi kehici vā acchinnaṁ hoti.

19p_1V_1992Naṭṭhacīvaro nāma bhikkhussa cīvaraṁ agginā vā daḍḍhaṁ hoti, udakena vā vūḷhaṁ hoti, undūrehi vā upacikāhi vā khāyitaṁ hoti, paribhogajiṇṇaṁ vā hoti.


20p_1V_1993Aññatra samayā viññāpeti, payoge dukkaṭaṁ. Paṭilābhena nissaggiyaṁ hoti. Nissajjitabbaṁ saṅghassa vā gaṇassa vā puggalassa vā.

Evañca pana, bhikkhave, nissajjitabbaṁ … pe …


… idaṁ me, bhante, cīvaraṁ aññātakaṁ gahapatikaṁ, aññatra samayā viññāpitaṁ, nissaggiyaṁ. Imāhaṁ saṅghassa nissajjāmīti … pe … dadeyyāti … pe … dadeyyunti … pe … āyasmato dammīti.

 

21p_1V_1994, msdiv520Aññātake aññātakasaññī aññatra samayā cīvaraṁ viññāpeti, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ. Aññātake vematiko aññatra samayā cīvaraṁ viññāpeti, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ. Aññātake ñātakasaññī aññatra samayā cīvaraṁ viññāpeti, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ.

22p_1V_1995Ñātake aññātakasaññī, āpatti dukkaṭassa. Ñātake vematiko, āpatti dukkaṭassa. Ñātake ñātakasaññī, anāpatti.

 

23p_1V_1996, msdiv521Anāpatti— samaye, ñātakānaṁ, pavāritānaṁ, aññassatthāya, attano dhanena, ummattakassa, ādikammikassāti.

24p_1V_1997Aññātakaviññattisikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ chaṭṭhaṁ.