- Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law Theravāda Vinaya
- The Nuns’ Analysis Bhikkhunivibhaṅga
- The chapter on relinquishment Nissaggiyakaṇḍa
- The subchapter on almsbowls Pattavagga
The training rule on collections of almsbowls 1. Pattasannicayasikkhāpada
Venerables, these thirty rules on relinquishment and confession come up for recitation. Ime kho panāyyāyo tiṁsa nissaggiyā pācittiyā dhammā uddesaṁ āgacchanti.
Origin story
At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery. Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. At that time the nuns from the group of six had collected a large number of almsbowls. Tena kho pana samayena chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo bahū patte sannicayaṁ karonti. When people walking about the dwellings saw this, they complained and criticized those nuns, Manussā vihāracārikaṁ āhiṇḍantā passitvā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—“How can the nuns collect a large number of bowls? Will they start up as bowl merchants or set up a bowl shop?” “kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo bahū patte sannicayaṁ karissanti, pattavāṇijjaṁ vā bhikkhuniyo karissanti, āmattikāpaṇaṁ vā pasāressantī”ti.
The nuns heard the complaints of those people, Assosuṁ kho bhikkhuniyo tesaṁ manussānaṁ ujjhāyantānaṁ khiyyantānaṁ vipācentānaṁ. and the nuns of few desires complained and criticized those nuns, Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—“How can the nuns from the group of six collect bowls?” … “kathañhi nāma chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo pattasannicayaṁ karissantī”ti …pe… “Is it true, monks, that the nuns from the group of six do this?” “saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo pattasannicayaṁ karontī”ti?
“It’s true, Sir.” “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.
The Buddha rebuked them … Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… “How can the nuns from the group of six collect bowls? kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo pattasannicayaṁ karissanti. This will affect people’s confidence …” … Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe… “And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this: evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—
Final ruling
‘If a nun collects almsbowls, she commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.’” “Yā pana bhikkhunī pattasannicayaṁ kareyya, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyan”ti.
Definitions
- A: Yā panāti
- whoever … yā yādisā …pe…
- Nun: bhikkhunīti
- … The nun who has been given the full ordination in unanimity by both Sanghas through a legal procedure consisting of one motion and three announcements that is irreversible and fit to stand—this sort of nun is meant in this case. …pe… ayaṁ imasmiṁ atthe adhippetā bhikkhunīti.
- An almsbowl: Patto nāma
- there are two kinds of bowls: the iron bowl and the ceramic bowl. dve pattā— ayopatto, mattikāpatto. And there are three sizes of bowls: the large bowl, the medium bowl, and the small bowl. Tayo pattassa vaṇṇā— ukkaṭṭho patto, majjhimo patto, omako patto.
- The large bowl: Ukkaṭṭho nāma patto
- it takes half an <i lang='pi' translate='no'>āḷhaka</i> measure of boiled rice, a fourth part of fresh food, and a suitable amount of curry. aḍḍhāḷhakodanaṁ gaṇhāti catubhāgaṁ khādanaṁ tadupiyaṁ byañjanaṁ.
- The medium bowl: Majjhimo nāma patto
- it takes a <i lang='pi' translate='no'>nāḷika</i> measure of boiled rice, a fourth part of fresh food, and a suitable amount of curry. nāḷikodanaṁ gaṇhāti catubhāgaṁ khādanaṁ tadupiyaṁ byañjanaṁ.
- The small bowl: Omako nāma patto
- it takes a <i lang='pi' translate='no'>pattha</i> measure of boiled rice, a fourth part of fresh food, and a suitable amount of curry. patthodanaṁ gaṇhāti catubhāgaṁ khādanaṁ tadupiyaṁ byañjanaṁ. Anything larger than this is not a bowl, nor anything smaller. Tato ukkaṭṭho apatto omako apatto.
- Collects: Sannicayaṁ kareyyāti
- almsbowls that have neither been determined nor assigned to another. anadhiṭṭhito avikappito.
- Entailing relinquishment: Nissaggiyo hotīti
- entailing relinquishment at dawn. saha aruṇuggamanā nissaggiyo hoti.
The bowl should be relinquished to a sangha, a group, or an individual nun. Nissajjitabbo saṅghassa vā gaṇassa vā ekabhikkhuniyā vā. “And, monks, it should relinquished like this. Evañca pana, bhikkhave, nissajjitabbo. After approaching the Sangha, that nun should arrange her upper robe over one shoulder and pay respect at the feet of the senior nuns. She should then squat on her heels, raise her joined palms, and say: Tāya bhikkhuniyā saṅghaṁ upasaṅkamitvā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā vuḍḍhānaṁ bhikkhunīnaṁ pāde vanditvā ukkuṭikaṁ nisīditvā añjaliṁ paggahetvā evamassa vacanīyo—
‘Venerables, this almsbowl, which I have kept for more than one day, is to be relinquished. I relinquish it to the Sangha.’ “ayaṁ me, ayye, patto rattātikkanto nissaggiyo, imāhaṁ saṅghassa nissajjāmī”ti.
After relinquishing it, she is to confess the offense. Nissajjitvā āpatti desetabbā. The confession should be received by a competent and capable nun. Byattāya bhikkhuniyā paṭibalāya āpatti paṭiggahetabbā. The relinquished bowl is then to be given back: Nissaṭṭhapatto dātabbo—
‘Please, Venerables, I ask the Sangha to listen. “Suṇātu me, ayye, saṅgho. This almsbowl, which was to be relinquished by the nun so-and-so, has been relinquished to the Sangha. Ayaṁ patto itthannāmāya bhikkhuniyā nissaggiyo saṅghassa nissaṭṭho. If the Sangha is ready, it should give this bowl back to nun so-and-so.’ Yadi saṅghassa pattakallaṁ, saṅgho imaṁ pattaṁ itthannāmāya bhikkhuniyā dadeyyā”ti.
Or: after approaching several nuns, that nun should arrange her upper robe over one shoulder and pay respect at the feet of the senior nuns. She should then squat on her heels, raise her joined palms, and say: Tāya bhikkhuniyā sambahulā bhikkhuniyo upasaṅkamitvā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā vuḍḍhānaṁ bhikkhunīnaṁ pāde vanditvā ukkuṭikaṁ nisīditvā añjaliṁ paggahetvā evamassu vacanīyā—
‘Venerables, this almsbowl, which I have kept for more than one day, is to be relinquished. I relinquish it to you.’ “ayaṁ me, ayyāyo, patto rattātikkanto nissaggiyo, imāhaṁ ayyānaṁ nissajjāmī”ti.
After relinquishing it, she is to confess the offense. Nissajjitvā āpatti desetabbā. The confession should be received by a competent and capable nun. Byattāya bhikkhuniyā paṭibalāya āpatti paṭiggahetabbā. The relinquished bowl is then to be given back: Nissaṭṭhapatto dātabbo—
‘Please, Venerables, I ask you to listen. “Suṇantu me, ayyāyo. This almsbowl, which was to be relinquished by the nun so-and-so, has been relinquished to you. Ayaṁ patto itthannāmāya bhikkhuniyā nissaggiyo ayyānaṁ nissaṭṭho. If the Venerables are ready, you should give this bowl back to nun so-and-so.’ Yadi ayyānaṁ pattakallaṁ, ayyāyo, imaṁ pattaṁ itthannāmāya bhikkhuniyā dadeyyun”ti.
Or: after approaching a single nun, that nun should arrange her upper robe over one shoulder, squat on her heels, raise her joined palms, and say: Tāya bhikkhuniyā ekaṁ bhikkhuniṁ upasaṅkamitvā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā ukkuṭikaṁ nisīditvā añjaliṁ paggahetvā evamassa vacanīyā—
‘This almsbowl, which I have kept for more than one day, is to be relinquished. “ayaṁ me, ayye, patto rattātikkanto nissaggiyo. I relinquish it to you.’ Imāhaṁ ayyāya nissajjāmī”ti.
After relinquishing it, she is to confess the offense. Nissajjitvā āpatti desetabbā. The confession should be received by that nun. Tāya bhikkhuniyā āpatti paṭiggahetabbā. The relinquished bowl is then to be given back: Nissaṭṭhapatto dātabbo—
‘I give this almsbowl back to you.’” “imaṁ pattaṁ ayyāya dammī”ti.
Permutations
If it is more than one day and she perceives it as more, she commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. Rattātikkante atikkantasaññā, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ. If it is more than one day, but she is unsure of it, she commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. Rattātikkante vematikā, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ. If it is more than one day, but she perceives it as less, she commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. Rattātikkante anatikkantasaññā, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ. If it has not been determined, but she perceives that it has, she commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. Anadhiṭṭhite adhiṭṭhitasaññā, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ. If it has not been assigned to another, but she perceives that it has, she commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. Avikappite vikappitasaññā, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ. If it has not been given away, but she perceives that it has, she commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. Avissajjite vissajjitasaññā, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ. If it has not been not lost, but she perceives that it has … Anaṭṭhe naṭṭhasaññā … If it has not been destroyed, but she perceives that it has … avinaṭṭhe vinaṭṭhasaññā … If it has not been broken, but she perceives that it has … abhinne bhinnasaññā … If it has not been stolen, but she perceives that it has, she commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. avilutte viluttasaññā, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ.
If she uses an almsbowl that should be relinquished without first relinquishing it, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. Nissaggiyaṁ pattaṁ anissajjitvā paribhuñjati, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If it is less than one day, but she perceives it as more, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. Rattānatikkante atikkantasaññā, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If it is less than one day, but she is unsure of it, she commits an offense of wrong conduct. Rattānatikkante vematikā, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If it is less than one day and she perceives it as less, there is no offense. Rattānatikkante anatikkantasaññā anāpatti.
Non-offenses
There is no offense: Anāpatti—if, before dawn, it has been determined, assigned to another, given away, lost, destroyed, broken, stolen, or taken on trust; antoaruṇe adhiṭṭheti, vikappeti, vissajjeti, nassati, vinassati, bhijjati, acchinditvā gaṇhanti, vissāsaṁ gaṇhanti, if she is insane; ummattikāya, if she is the first offender. ādikammikāyāti.
Soon afterwards the nuns from the group of six did not give back a relinquished bowl. Tena kho pana samayena chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo nissaṭṭhapattaṁ na denti. They told the Buddha. Bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ.
“Monks, a relinquished almsbowl should be given back. “Na, bhikkhave, nissaṭṭhapatto na dātabbo. If a nun doesn’t give it back, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.” Yā na dadeyya, āpatti dukkaṭassā”ti.
The first training rule is finished. Paṭhamasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.