- Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law Theravāda Vinaya
- The Great Analysis Mahāvibhaṅga
- The chapter on relinquishment Nissaggiyakaṇḍa
- The subchapter on silk Kosiyavagga
17. The training rule on having wool washed 17. Eḷakalomadhovāpanasikkhāpada
Origin story
At one time the Buddha was staying in the Sakyan country in the Banyan Tree Monastery at Kapilavatthu. Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sakkesu viharati kapilavatthusmiṁ nigrodhārāme. At that time the monks from the group of six had the nuns wash, dye, and comb wool. Tena kho pana samayena chabbaggiyā bhikkhū bhikkhunīhi eḷakalomāni dhovāpentipi rajāpentipi vijaṭāpentipi. Because of this, the nuns neglected recitation, testing, the higher morality, the higher mind, and the higher wisdom. Bhikkhuniyo eḷakalomāni dhovantiyo rajantiyo vijaṭentiyo riñcanti uddesaṁ paripucchaṁ adhisīlaṁ adhicittaṁ adhipaññaṁ.
Mahāpajāpati Gotamī then went to the Buddha and bowed down to him. Atha kho mahāpajāpati gotamī yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ aṭṭhāsi. And the Buddha said to her, “Gotamī, I hope the nuns are heedful, energetic, and diligent?” Ekamantaṁ ṭhitaṁ kho mahāpajāpatiṁ gotamiṁ bhagavā etadavoca—“kacci, gotami, bhikkhuniyo appamattā ātāpiniyo pahitattā viharantī”ti?
“How could the nuns be heedful, venerable sir?” “Kuto, bhante, bhikkhunīnaṁ appamādo. And she told him what was happening. Ayyā chabbaggiyā bhikkhunīhi eḷakalomāni dhovāpentipi rajāpentipi vijaṭāpentipi. Bhikkhuniyo eḷakalomāni dhovantiyo rajantiyo vijaṭentiyo riñcanti uddesaṁ paripucchaṁ adhisīlaṁ adhicittaṁ adhipaññan”ti.
The Buddha then instructed, inspired, and gladdened her with a teaching. Atha kho bhagavā mahāpajāpatiṁ gotamiṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandassesi samādapesi samuttejesi sampahaṁsesi. She bowed down, circumambulated him with her right side toward him, and left. Atha kho mahāpajāpati gotamī bhagavatā dhammiyā kathāya sandassitā samādapitā samuttejitā sampahaṁsitā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi.
Soon afterwards the Buddha had the Sangha gathered and questioned the monks from the group of six: Atha kho bhagavā etasmiṁ nidāne etasmiṁ pakaraṇe bhikkhusaṅghaṁ sannipātāpetvā chabbaggiye bhikkhū paṭipucchi—“Is it true, monks, that you do this?” “saccaṁ kira tumhe, bhikkhave, bhikkhunīhi eḷakalomāni dhovāpethapi rajāpethapi vijaṭāpethapī”ti?
“It’s true, sir.” “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.
“Are they your relatives?” “Ñātikāyo tumhākaṁ, bhikkhave, aññātikāyo”ti?
“No.” “Aññātikāyo, bhagavā”ti.
“Foolish men, people who are unrelated don’t know what’s appropriate and inappropriate, what’s inspiring and uninspiring, in dealing with each other. “Aññātakā, moghapurisā, aññātikānaṁ na jānanti patirūpaṁ vā appatirūpaṁ vā pāsādikaṁ vā apāsādikaṁ vā. And still you do this. Tattha nāma tumhe, moghapurisā, aññātikāhi bhikkhunīhi eḷakalomāni dhovāpessathapi rajāpessathapi vijaṭāpessathapi. This will affect people’s confidence …” … Netaṁ, moghapurisā, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe… “And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this: evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—
Final ruling
‘If a monk has an unrelated nun wash, dye, or comb wool, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.’” “Yo pana bhikkhu aññātikāya bhikkhuniyā eḷakalomāni dhovāpeyya vā rajāpeyya vā vijaṭāpeyya vā, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyan”ti.
Definitions
- A: Yo panāti
- whoever … yo yādiso …pe…
- Monk: bhikkhūti
- … 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. …pe… ayaṁ imasmiṁ atthe adhippeto bhikkhūti.
- Unrelated: Aññātikā nāma
- 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. mātito vā pitito vā yāva sattamā pitāmahayugā asambaddhā.
- A nun: Bhikkhunī nāma
- she has been given the full ordination by both Sanghas. ubhatosaṅghe upasampannā.
If he tells her to wash it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Dhovāti āṇāpeti, āpatti dukkaṭassa. When it has been washed, it becomes subject to relinquishment. Dhotāni nissaggiyāni honti. If he tells her to dye it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Rajāti āṇāpeti, āpatti dukkaṭassa. When it has been dyed, it becomes subject to relinquishment. Rattāni nissaggiyāni honti. If he tells her to comb it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Vijaṭehīti āṇāpeti, āpatti dukkaṭassa. When it has been combed, it becomes subject to relinquishment. Vijaṭitāni nissaggiyāni honti.
The wool should be relinquished to a sangha, a group, or an individual. Nissajjitabbāni saṅghassa vā gaṇassa vā puggalassa vā. “And, monks, it should be relinquished like this. … Evañca pana, bhikkhave, nissajjitabbāni. (To be expanded as in <a href='https://suttacentral.net/pli-tv-bu-vb-np1#3.2.5'>Bu NP 1:3.2.5</a>–3.2.29, with appropriate substitutions.) …pe…
‘Venerables, this wool, which I got washed by an unrelated nun, is to be relinquished. “imāni me, bhante, eḷakalomāni aññātikāya bhikkhuniyā dhovāpitāni nissaggiyāni. I relinquish it to the Sangha.’ … Imānāhaṁ saṅghassa nissajjāmī”ti …pe… the Sangha should give … dadeyyāti …pe… you should give … dadeyyunti …pe… ‘I give this wool back to you.’” āyasmato dammīti.
Permutations
If she is unrelated and he perceives her as such, and he has her wash wool, he commits one offense entailing relinquishment and confession. Aññātikāya aññātikasaññī eḷakalomāni dhovāpeti, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ. If she is unrelated and he perceives her as such, and he has her wash and dye wool, he commits one offense entailing relinquishment and one offense of wrong conduct. Aññātikāya aññātikasaññī eḷakalomāni dhovāpeti rajāpeti, nissaggiyena āpatti dukkaṭassa. If she is unrelated and he perceives her as such, and he has her wash and comb wool, he commits one offense entailing relinquishment and one offense of wrong conduct. Aññātikāya aññātikasaññī eḷakalomāni dhovāpeti vijaṭāpeti, nissaggiyena āpatti dukkaṭassa. If she is unrelated and he perceives her as such, and he has her wash, dye, and comb wool, he commits one offense entailing relinquishment and two offenses of wrong conduct. Aññātikāya aññātikasaññī eḷakalomāni dhovāpeti rajāpeti vijaṭāpeti, nissaggiyena āpatti dvinnaṁ dukkaṭānaṁ.
If she is unrelated and he perceives her as such, and he has her dye wool, he commits one offense entailing relinquishment and confession. Aññātikāya aññātikasaññī eḷakalomāni rajāpeti, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ. If she is unrelated and he perceives her as such, and he has her dye and comb wool, he commits one offense entailing relinquishment and one offense of wrong conduct. Aññātikāya aññātikasaññī eḷakalomāni rajāpeti vijaṭāpeti, nissaggiyena āpatti dukkaṭassa. If she is unrelated and he perceives her as such, and he has her dye and wash wool, he commits one offense entailing relinquishment and one offense of wrong conduct. Aññātikāya aññātikasaññī eḷakalomāni rajāpeti dhovāpeti, nissaggiyena āpatti dukkaṭassa. If she is unrelated and he perceives her as such, and he has her dye, comb, and wash wool, he commits one offense entailing relinquishment and two offenses of wrong conduct. Aññātikāya aññātikasaññī eḷakalomāni rajāpeti vijaṭāpeti dhovāpeti, nissaggiyena āpatti dvinnaṁ dukkaṭānaṁ.
If she is unrelated and he perceives her as such, and he has her comb wool, he commits one offense entailing relinquishment and confession. Aññātikāya aññātikasaññī eḷakalomāni vijaṭāpeti, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ. If she is unrelated and he perceives her as such, and he has her comb and wash wool, he commits one offense entailing relinquishment and one offense of wrong conduct. Aññātikāya aññātikasaññī eḷakalomāni vijaṭāpeti dhovāpeti, nissaggiyena āpatti dukkaṭassa. If she is unrelated and he perceives her as such, and he has her comb and dye wool, he commits one offense entailing relinquishment and one offense of wrong conduct. Aññātikāya aññātikasaññī eḷakalomāni vijaṭāpeti rajāpeti, nissaggiyena āpatti dukkaṭassa. If she is unrelated and he perceives her as such, and he has her comb, wash, and dye wool, he commits one offense entailing relinquishment and two offenses of wrong conduct. Aññātikāya aññātikasaññī eḷakalomāni vijaṭāpeti dhovāpeti rajāpeti, nissaggiyena āpatti dvinnaṁ dukkaṭānaṁ.
If she is unrelated, but he is unsure of it … Aññātikāya vematiko …pe… If she is unrelated, but he perceives her as related … aññātikāya ñātikasaññī …pe…
If he has her wash wool belonging to someone else, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. aññassa eḷakalomāni dhovāpeti, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If he has a nun who is fully ordained only on one side do the washing, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Ekato upasampannāya dhovāpeti, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If she is related, but he perceives her as unrelated, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Ñātikāya aññātikasaññī, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If she is related, but he is unsure of it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Ñātikāya vematiko, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If she is related and he perceives her as such, there is no offense. Ñātikāya ñātikasaññī, anāpatti.
Non-offenses
There is no offense: Anāpatti—if a related nun does the washing and an unrelated nun helps her; ñātikāya dhovantiyā aññātikā dutiyā hoti, if a nun does the washing without being asked; avuttā dhovati, if he has a nun wash an unused and finished article; aparibhuttaṁ katabhaṇḍaṁ dhovāpeti, if it is a trainee nun; sikkhamānāya if it is a novice nun; sāmaṇeriyā if he is insane; ummattakassa, if he is the first offender. ādikammikassāti.
The training rule on having wool washed, the seventh, is finished. Eḷakalomadhovāpanasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ sattamaṁ.