- Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law Theravāda Vinaya
- The Great Analysis Mahāvibhaṅga
- The chapter on relinquishment Nissaggiyakaṇḍa
- The subchapter on almsbowls Pattavagga
24. The training rule on the rainy-season robe 24. Vassikasāṭikasikkhāpada
Origin story
At one time when the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery, Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. he allowed the rainy-season robe for the monks. Tena kho pana samayena bhagavatā bhikkhūnaṁ vassikasāṭikā anuññātā hoti. Knowing that this was the case, the monks from the group of six Chabbaggiyā bhikkhū—“bhagavatā vassikasāṭikā anuññātā”ti, went looking for cloth for their rainy-season robes in advance. paṭikacceva vassikasāṭikacīvaraṁ pariyesanti, And after sewing them in advance, they wore them. paṭikacceva katvā nivāsenti, Then, because their rainy-season robes were worn out, they bathed naked in the rain. jiṇṇāya vassikasāṭikāya naggā kāyaṁ ovassāpenti.
The monks of few desires complained and criticized them, Ye te bhikkhū appicchā …pe… te ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—“How could the monks from the group of six go looking for cloth for their rainy-season robes in advance, sew them in advance, and then wear them, and then, because their rainy-season robes are worn out, bathe naked in the rain?” “kathañhi nāma chabbaggiyā bhikkhū paṭikacceva vassikasāṭikacīvaraṁ pariyesissanti, paṭikacceva katvā nivāsessanti, jiṇṇāya vassikasāṭikāya naggā kāyaṁ ovassāpessantī”ti.
After rebuking the monks from the group of six 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 did this?” “saccaṁ kira tumhe, bhikkhave, paṭikacceva vassikasāṭikacīvaraṁ pariyesatha? Paṭikacceva katvā nivāsetha? Jiṇṇāya vassikasāṭikāya naggā kāyaṁ ovassāpethā”ti?
“It’s true, sir.” “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.
The Buddha rebuked them … Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… “Foolish men, how could you do this? kathañhi nāma tumhe moghapurisā, paṭikacceva vassikasāṭikacīvaraṁ pariyesissatha, paṭikacceva katvā nivāsessatha, jiṇṇāya vassikasāṭikāya naggā kāyaṁ ovassāpessatha. 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
‘When there is a month left of summer, a monk may go looking for cloth for his rainy-season robe. When there is a half-month left, he may sew it and then wear it. “‘Māso seso gimhānan’ti bhikkhunā vassikasāṭikacīvaraṁ pariyesitabbaṁ; ‘addhamāso seso gimhānan’ti katvā nivāsetabbaṁ. If he goes looking for cloth for his rainy-season robe when there is more than a month left of summer, or if he sews it and then wears it when there is more than a half-month left, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.’” ‘Orena ce māso seso gimhānan’ti vassikasāṭikacīvaraṁ pariyeseyya, ‘orenaddhamāso seso gimhānan’ti katvā nivāseyya, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyan”ti.
Definitions
- When there is a month left of summer, a monk may go looking for cloth for his rainy-season robe: “Māso seso gimhānan”ti bhikkhunā vassikasāṭikacīvaraṁ pariyesitabbanti.
- after going to those people who previously, too, have given cloth for the rainy-season robes, he should say, “It’s time for the rainy-season robe,” “It’s the occasion for the rainy-season robe,” “Other people, too, are giving cloth for the rainy-season robe.” Ye manussā pubbepi vassikasāṭikacīvaraṁ denti te upasaṅkamitvā evamassu vacanīyā— “kālo vassikasāṭikāya, samayo vassikasāṭikāya, aññepi manussā vassikasāṭikacīvaraṁ dentī”ti. He should not say, “Give me cloth for the rainy-season robe,” “Bring me cloth for the rainy-season robe,” “Trade me cloth for the rainy-season robe,” “Buy me cloth for the rainy-season robe.” Na vattabbā— “detha me vassikasāṭikacīvaraṁ, āharatha me vassikasāṭikacīvaraṁ, parivattetha me vassikasāṭikacīvaraṁ, cetāpetha me vassikasāṭikacīvaran”ti.
- When there is a half-month left, he may sew it and then wear it: “Addhamāso seso gimhānan”ti katvā nivāsetabbanti.
- after sewing it during the last half-month of summer, he may wear it. Addhamāse sese gimhāne katvā nivāsetabbaṁ.
- When there is more than a month left of summer: “Orena ce māso seso gimhānan”ti
- if he goes looking for cloth for the rainy-season robe when there is more than a month left of summer, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. atirekamāse sese gimhāne vassikasāṭikacīvaraṁ pariyesati, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ.
- When there is more than a half-month left: “Orenaddhamāso seso gimhānan”ti
if he wears it after sewing it when there is more than a half-month left of summer, it becomes subject to relinquishment. atirekaddhamāse sese gimhāne katvā nivāseti, nissaggiyaṁ hoti.
The rainy-season robe should be relinquished to a sangha, a group, or an individual. Nissajjitabbaṁ saṅghassa vā gaṇassa vā puggalassa vā. “And, monks, it should be relinquished like this. Evañca pana, bhikkhave, nissajjitabbaṁ. (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 cloth for the rainy-season robe, which I went looking for when there was more than a month left of summer or which I wore after sewing it when there was more than a half-month left of summer, is to be relinquished. “idaṁ me, bhante, vassikasāṭikacīvaraṁ atirekamāse sese gimhāne pariyiṭṭhaṁ atirekaddhamāse sese gimhāne katvā paridahitaṁ nissaggiyaṁ. I relinquish it to the Sangha.’ … Imāhaṁ saṅghassa nissajjāmī”ti …pe… the Sangha should give … dadeyyāti …pe… you should give … dadeyyunti …pe… ‘I give this cloth for the rainy-season robe back to you.’” āyasmato dammīti.
Permutations
If there is more than a month left of summer, and he perceives it as more, and he goes looking for cloth for a rainy-season robe, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. Atirekamāse sese gimhāne atirekasaññī vassikasāṭikacīvaraṁ pariyesati, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ. If there is more than a month left of summer, but he is unsure of it, and he goes looking for cloth for a rainy-season robe, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. Atirekamāse sese gimhāne vematiko vassikasāṭikacīvaraṁ pariyesati, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ. If there is more than a month left of summer, but he perceives it as less, and he goes looking for cloth for a rainy-season robe, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. Atirekamāse sese gimhāne ūnakasaññī vassikasāṭikacīvaraṁ pariyesati, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ.
If there is more than a half-month left of summer, and he perceives it as more, and he wears the rainy-season robe after sewing it, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. Atirekaddhamāse sese gimhāne atirekasaññī katvā nivāseti, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ. If there is more than a half-month left of summer, but he is unsure of it, and he wears the rainy-season robe after sewing it, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. Atirekaddhamāse sese gimhāne vematiko katvā nivāseti, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ. If there is more than a half-month left of summer, but he perceives it as less, and he wears the rainy-season robe after sewing it, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. Atirekaddhamāse sese gimhāne ūnakasaññī katvā nivāseti, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ.
If he has a rainy-season robe, but he bathes naked in the rain, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Satiyā vassikasāṭikāya naggo kāyaṁ ovassāpeti, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If there is less than a month left of summer, but he perceives it as more, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Ūnakamāse sese gimhāne atirekasaññī, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If there is less than a month left of summer, but he is unsure of it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Ūnakamāse sese gimhāne vematiko, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If there is less than a month left of summer, and he perceives it as less, there is no offense. Ūnakamāse sese gimhāne ūnakasaññī, anāpatti.
If there is less than a half-month left of summer, but he perceives it as more, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Ūnakaddhamāse sese gimhāne atirekasaññī, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If there is less than a half-month left of summer, but he is unsure of it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Ūnakaddhamāse sese gimhāne vematiko, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If there is less than a half-month left of summer, and he perceives it as less, there is no offense. Ūnakaddhamāse sese gimhāne ūnakasaññī, anāpatti.
Non-offenses
There is no offense: Anāpatti—if he goes looking for cloth for the rainy-season robe when there is a month left of summer; “māso seso gimhānan”ti vassikasāṭikacīvaraṁ pariyesati, if he wears the rainy-season robe after sewing it when there is a half-month left of summer; “addhamāso seso gimhānan”ti katvā nivāseti, if he goes looking for cloth for the rainy-season robe when there is less than a month left of summer; “ūnakamāso seso gimhānan”ti vassikasāṭikacīvaraṁ pariyesati, if he wears the rainy-season robe after sewing it when there is less than a half-month left of summer; “ūnakaddhamāso seso gimhānan”ti katvā nivāseti, if, after looking for a rainy-season robe, he postpones the rainy-season residence; pariyiṭṭhāya vassikasāṭikāya vassaṁ ukkaḍḍhiyyati, if, after wearing a rainy-season robe, he postpones the rainy-season residence (in which case he should wash it and store it and then use it at the right time); nivatthāya vassikasāṭikāya vassaṁ ukkaḍḍhiyyati, dhovitvā nikkhipitabbaṁ; samaye nivāsetabbaṁ, if his robe has been stolen; acchinnacīvarassa, if his robe has been lost; naṭṭhacīvarassa, if there is an emergency; āpadāsu, if he is insane; ummattakassa, if he is the first offender. ādikammikassāti.
The training rule on the rainy-season robe, the fourth, is finished. Vassikasāṭikasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ catutthaṁ.