- Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law Theravāda Vinaya
- The Great Analysis Mahāvibhaṅga
- The chapter on relinquishment Nissaggiyakaṇḍa
- The subchapter on almsbowls Pattavagga
21. The training rule on almsbowls 21. Pattasikkhāpada
Origin story
First sub-story
At one time when the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery, Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. the monks from the group of six were storing up many almsbowls. Tena kho pana samayena chabbaggiyā bhikkhū bahū patte sannicayaṁ karonti. When people walking about dwellings saw this, they complained and criticized them, Manussā vihāracārikaṁ āhiṇḍantā passitvā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—“How can the Sakyan monastics store up many bowls? “kathañhi nāma samaṇā sakyaputtiyā bahū patte sannicayaṁ karissanti, Are they starting up as bowl merchants or setting up a bowl shop?” pattavāṇijjaṁ vā samaṇā sakyaputtiyā karissanti āmattikāpaṇaṁ vā pasāressantī”ti.
The monks heard the complaints of those people, Assosuṁ kho bhikkhū tesaṁ manussānaṁ ujjhāyantānaṁ khiyyantānaṁ vipācentānaṁ. and the monks of few desires complained and criticized those monks, Ye te bhikkhū appicchā …pe… te ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—“How can the monks from the group of six keep extra bowls?” “kathañhi nāma chabbaggiyā bhikkhū atirekapattaṁ dhāressantī”ti.
After rebuking those monks in many ways, they told the Buddha. Soon afterwards he had the Sangha gathered and questioned the monks: Atha kho te bhikkhū chabbaggiye bhikkhū anekapariyāyena vigarahitvā bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ …pe… “Is it true, monks, that you do this?” “saccaṁ kira tumhe, bhikkhave, atirekapattaṁ dhārethā”ti?
“It’s true, sir.” “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.
The Buddha rebuked them … Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… “Foolish men, how can you do this? kathañhi nāma tumhe, moghapurisā, atirekapattaṁ dhāressatha. 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—
Preliminary ruling
‘If a monk keeps an extra almsbowl, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.’” “Yo pana bhikkhu atirekapattaṁ dhāreyya, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyan”ti.
In this way the Buddha laid down this training rule for the monks. Evañcidaṁ bhagavatā bhikkhūnaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ paññattaṁ hoti.
Second sub-story
Soon afterwards Venerable Ānanda was offered an extra bowl. Tena kho pana samayena āyasmato ānandassa atirekapatto uppanno hoti. He wanted to give it to Venerable Sāriputta, Āyasmā ca ānando taṁ pattaṁ āyasmato sāriputtassa dātukāmo hoti. who was staying at Sāketa. Āyasmā ca sāriputto sākete viharati. Knowing that the Buddha had laid down a rule against keeping an extra bowl, 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. Venerable Ānanda thought, “What should I do now?” Kathaṁ nu kho mayā paṭipajjitabban”ti? He told the Buddha, who said, Bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesi. “How long is it, Ānanda, before Sāriputta returns?” “Kīvaciraṁ panānanda, sāriputto āgacchissatī”ti?
“Nine or ten days, venerable sir.” “Navamaṁ vā, bhagavā, divasaṁ dasamaṁ vā”ti.
Soon afterwards the Buddha gave a teaching and addressed the monks: Atha kho bhagavā etasmiṁ nidāne etasmiṁ pakaraṇe dhammiṁ kathaṁ katvā bhikkhū āmantesi—“Monks, you should keep an extra almsbowl for ten days at the most. “anujānāmi, bhikkhave, dasāhaparamaṁ atirekapattaṁ dhāretuṁ. And so, monks, this training rule should be recited like this: Evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—
Final ruling
‘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.’” “Dasāhaparamaṁ atirekapatto dhāretabbo. Taṁ atikkāmayato nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyan”ti.
Definitions
- For ten days at the most: Dasāhaparamanti
- it should be kept ten days at a maximum. dasāhaparamatā dhāretabbo.
- An extra almsbowl: Atirekapatto nāma
- a bowl that is not determined, nor assigned to another. anadhiṭṭhito avikappito.
- An almsbowl: Patto nāma
there are two kinds of bowls: the iron bowl and the clay bowl. dve pattā ayopatto mattikāpattoti.
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: 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. Ukkaṭṭho nāma patto aḍḍhāḷhakodanaṁ gaṇhāti catubhāgaṁ khādanaṁ tadupiyaṁ byañjanaṁ.
The medium bowl: 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. Majjhimo nāma patto nāḷikodanaṁ gaṇhāti catubhāgaṁ khādanaṁ tadupiyaṁ byañjanaṁ.
The small bowl: 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. Omako nāma patto patthodanaṁ gaṇhāti catubhāgaṁ khādanaṁ tadupiyaṁ byañjanaṁ. Anything larger than this is not a bowl, nor anything smaller. Tato ukkaṭṭho apatto, omako apatto.
- If he keeps it longer than that, it becomes subject to relinquishment: Taṁ atikkāmayato nissaggiyo hotīti
- it becomes subject to relinquishment at dawn on the eleventh day. ekādase aruṇuggamane nissaggiyo hoti.
The bowl should be relinquished to a sangha, a group, or an individual. Nissajjitabbo saṅghassa vā gaṇassa vā puggalassa vā. “And, monks, it should be relinquished like this. Evañca pana, bhikkhave, nissajjitabbo. 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, Tena bhikkhunā saṅghaṁ upasaṅkamitvā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā vuḍḍhānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ pāde vanditvā ukkuṭikaṁ nisīditvā añjaliṁ paggahetvā evamassa vacanīyo—
‘Venerables, this almsbowl, which I have kept over ten days, is to be relinquished. “ayaṁ me, bhante, patto dasāhātikkanto nissaggiyo. I relinquish it to the Sangha.’ Imāhaṁ saṅghassa nissajjāmī”ti.
After relinquishing it, he should confess the offense. Nissajjitvā āpatti desetabbā. The confession should be received by a competent and capable monk. Byattena bhikkhunā paṭibalena āpatti paṭiggahetabbā, The relinquished bowl is then to be given back: nissaṭṭhapatto dātabbo—
‘Please, venerables, I ask the Sangha to listen. “Suṇātu me, bhante, saṅgho. This almsbowl, which was to be relinquished by monk so-and-so, has been relinquished to the Sangha. Ayaṁ patto itthannāmassa bhikkhuno nissaggiyo saṅghassa nissaṭṭho. If the Sangha is ready, it should give this bowl back to monk so-and-so.’ Yadi saṅghassa pattakallaṁ, saṅgho imaṁ pattaṁ itthannāmassa bhikkhuno dadeyyā”ti.
Or: 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: Tena bhikkhunā sambahule bhikkhū upasaṅkamitvā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā vuḍḍhānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ pāde vanditvā ukkuṭikaṁ nisīditvā añjaliṁ paggahetvā evamassu vacanīyā—
‘Venerables, this almsbowl, which I have kept over ten days, is to be relinquished. “ayaṁ me, bhante, patto dasāhātikkanto nissaggiyo. I relinquish it to you.’ Imāhaṁ āyasmantānaṁ nissajjāmī”ti.
After relinquishing it, he should confess the offense. Nissajjitvā āpatti desetabbā. The confession should be received by a competent and capable monk. Byattena bhikkhunā paṭibalena āpatti paṭiggahetabbā, The relinquished bowl is then to be given back: nissaṭṭhapatto dātabbo—
‘Please, venerables, I ask you to listen. “Suṇantu me āyasmantā. This almsbowl, which was to be relinquished by monk so-and-so, has been relinquished to you. Ayaṁ patto itthannāmassa bhikkhuno nissaggiyo āyasmantānaṁ nissaṭṭho. If the venerables are ready, you should give this bowl back to monk so-and-so.’ Yadāyasmantānaṁ pattakallaṁ, āyasmantā imaṁ pattaṁ itthannāmassa bhikkhuno dadeyyun”ti.
Or: 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: Tena bhikkhunā ekaṁ bhikkhuṁ upasaṅkamitvā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā ukkuṭikaṁ nisīditvā añjaliṁ paggahetvā evamassa vacanīyo—‘This almsbowl, which I have kept over ten days, is to be relinquished. “ayaṁ me, āvuso, patto dasāhātikkanto nissaggiyo. I relinquish it to you.’ Imāhaṁ āyasmato nissajjāmī”ti. After relinquishing it, he should confess the offense. Nissajjitvā āpatti desetabbā. The confession should be received by that monk. Tena bhikkhunā āpatti paṭiggahetabbā, The relinquished bowl is then to be given back: nissaṭṭhapatto dātabbo—
‘I give this almsbowl back to you.’” “imaṁ pattaṁ āyasmato dammī”ti.
Permutations
If it is more than ten days and he perceives it as more, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. Dasāhātikkante atikkantasaññī, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ. If it is more than ten days, but he is unsure of it, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. Dasāhātikkante vematiko, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ. If it is more than ten days, but he perceives it as less, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. Dasāhātikkante anatikkantasaññī, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ.
If it has not been determined, but he perceives that it has, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. Anadhiṭṭhite adhiṭṭhitasaññī, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ. If it has not been assigned to another, but he perceives that it has, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. Avikappite vikappitasaññī, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ. If it has not been given away, but he perceives that it has, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. Avissajjite vissajjitasaññī, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ. If it has not been lost, but he perceives that it has, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. Anaṭṭhe naṭṭhasaññī nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ. If it has not been destroyed, but he perceives that it has, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. Avinaṭṭhe vinaṭṭhasaññī, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ. If it has not been broken, but he perceives that it has, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. Abhinne bhinnasaññī, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ. If it has not been stolen, but he perceives that it has, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. Avilutte viluttasaññī, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ.
If he uses an almsbowl that should be relinquished without first relinquishing it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Nissaggiyaṁ pattaṁ anissajjitvā paribhuñjati, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If it is less than ten days, but he perceives it as more, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Dasāhānatikkante atikkantasaññī, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If it is less than ten days, but he is unsure of it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Dasāhānatikkante vematiko, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If it is less than ten days and he perceives it as less, there is no offense. Dasāhānatikkante anatikkantasaññī, anāpatti.
Non-offenses
There is no offense: Anāpatti—if, within ten days, it has been determined, assigned to another, given away, lost, destroyed, broken, stolen, or taken on trust; antodasāhaṁ adhiṭṭheti, vikappeti, vissajjeti, nassati, vinassati, bhijjati, acchinditvā gaṇhanti, vissāsaṁ gaṇhanti, if he is insane; ummattakassa, if he is the first offender. ādikammikassāti.
Soon afterwards the monks from the group of six did not give back a relinquished bowl. Tena kho pana samayena chabbaggiyā bhikkhū nissaṭṭhapattaṁ na denti. They told the Buddha. Bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ.
“Monks, a relinquished almsbowl should be given back. If you don’t give it back, you commit an offense of wrong conduct.” “Na, bhikkhave, nissaṭṭhapatto na dātabbo. Yo na dadeyya, āpatti dukkaṭassā”ti.
The training rule on almsbowls, the first, is finished. Pattasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ paṭhamaṁ.