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. a man who was going away said to his wife, “Please weigh some thread, take it to the weavers, get them to weave robe-cloth, and put the robe-cloth aside. Tena kho pana samayena aññataro puriso pavāsaṁ gacchanto pajāpatiṁ etadavoca—“suttaṁ dhārayitvā amukassa tantavāyassa dehi, cīvaraṁ vāyāpetvā nikkhipa, When I return, I’ll give it to Venerable Upananda.” āgato ayyaṁ upanandaṁ cīvarena acchādessāmī”ti.

An alms-collecting monk heard that man speaking those words. Assosi kho aññataro piṇḍacāriko bhikkhu tassa purisassa imaṁ vācaṁ bhāsamānassa. He then went to Upananda the Sakyan and said, “Upananda, you have much merit. Atha kho so bhikkhu yenāyasmā upanando sakyaputto tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ upanandaṁ sakyaputtaṁ etadavoca—“mahāpuññosi tvaṁ, āvuso upananda, In such-and-such a place I heard a man, as he was going away, tell his wife to get robe-cloth woven so that he could give it to you when he returned.” amukasmiṁ okāse aññataro puriso pavāsaṁ gacchanto pajāpatiṁ etadavoca—‘suttaṁ dhārayitvā amukassa tantavāyassa dehi, cīvaraṁ vāyāpetvā nikkhipa, āgato ayyaṁ upanandaṁ cīvarena acchādessāmī’”ti.

“He’s my supporter.” “Atthāvuso, maṁ so upaṭṭhāko”ti. And the weaver was Upananda’s supporter too. Sopi kho tantavāyo āyasmato upanandassa sakyaputtassa upaṭṭhāko hoti.

Upananda then went to that weaver and said, Atha kho āyasmā upanando sakyaputto yena so tantavāyo tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ tantavāyaṁ etadavoca—“This robe-cloth that you’re weaving for me, make it long and wide. And make it closely woven, well-woven, well-stretched, well-scraped, and well-combed.” “idaṁ kho, āvuso, cīvaraṁ maṁ uddissa viyyati; āyatañca karohi vitthatañca. Appitañca suvītañca suppavāyitañca suvilekhitañca suvitacchitañca karohī”ti.

“Venerable, they’ve already weighed the thread and given it to me, “Ete kho me, bhante, suttaṁ dhārayitvā adaṁsu; telling me to weave the robe-cloth with that. iminā suttena cīvaraṁ vināhī”ti. I won’t be able to make it long, wide, or closely woven. “Na, bhante, sakkā āyataṁ vā vitthataṁ vā appitaṁ vā kātuṁ. But I’m able to make it well-woven, well-stretched, well-scraped, and well-combed.” Sakkā ca kho, bhante, suvītañca suppavāyitañca suvilekhitañca suvitacchitañca kātun”ti.

“Just make it long, wide, and closely woven. “Iṅgha tvaṁ, āvuso, āyatañca karohi vitthatañca appitañca. There’ll be enough thread.” Na tena suttena paṭibaddhaṁ bhavissatī”ti.

Then, when all the thread had been used up, that weaver went to that woman and said, “Ma’am, I need more thread.” Atha kho so tantavāyo yathābhataṁ suttaṁ tante upanetvā yena sā itthī tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ itthiṁ etadavoca—“suttena, ayye, attho”ti.

“But didn’t I tell you to weave the robe-cloth with that thread?” “Nanu tvaṁ ayyo mayā vutto—‘iminā suttena cīvaraṁ vināhī’”ti.

“You did. “Saccāhaṁ, ayye, tayā vutto—‘iminā suttena cīvaraṁ vināhī’ti. But Venerable Upananda told me to make it long, wide, and closely woven. Api ca maṁ ayyo upanando evamāha—‘iṅgha tvaṁ, āvuso, āyatañca karohi vitthatañca appitañca, And he said there would be enough thread.” na tena suttena paṭibaddhaṁ bhavissatī’”ti. That woman then gave him as much thread again as she had done the first time. Atha kho sā itthī yattakaṁyeva suttaṁ paṭhamaṁ adāsi tattakaṁ pacchā adāsi.

When Upananda heard that the husband had returned from his travels, he went to his house and sat down on the prepared seat. Assosi kho āyasmā upanando sakyaputto—“so kira puriso pavāsato āgato”ti. Atha kho āyasmā upanando sakyaputto yena tassa purisassa nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi. That man approached him, bowed, and sat down. Atha kho so puriso yenāyasmā upanando sakyaputto tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā āyasmantaṁ upanandaṁ sakyaputtaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. He then said to his wife, “Has the robe-cloth been woven?” Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho so puriso pajāpatiṁ etadavoca—“vītaṁ taṁ cīvaran”ti?

“Yes, it has.” “Āmāyya, vītaṁ taṁ cīvaran”ti.

“Please bring it. I’ll give it to Venerable Upananda.” “Āhara, ayyaṁ upanandaṁ cīvarena acchādessāmī”ti.

She then got the robe-cloth, gave it to her husband, and told him what had happened. Atha kho sā itthī taṁ cīvaraṁ nīharitvā sāmikassa datvā etamatthaṁ ārocesi. After giving the robe-cloth to Upananda, he complained and criticized him, Atha kho so puriso āyasmato upanandassa sakyaputtassa cīvaraṁ datvā ujjhāyati khiyyati vipāceti—“These Sakyan monastics have great desires; they’re not content. “mahicchā ime samaṇā sakyaputtiyā asantuṭṭhā. It’s no easy matter to give them robe-cloth. Nayime sukarā cīvarena acchādetuṁ. How could Venerable Upananda go to the weavers and say what kind of robe-cloth he wanted without first being invited by me?” Kathañhi nāma ayyo upanando mayā pubbe appavārito tantavāye upasaṅkamitvā cīvare vikappaṁ āpajjissatī”ti.

The monks heard the complaints of that man, Assosuṁ kho bhikkhū tassa purisassa ujjhāyantassa khiyyantassa vipācentassa. and the monks of few desires complained and criticized Upananda, Ye te bhikkhū appicchā …pe… te ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—“How could Venerable Upananda go to a householder’s weavers and say what kind of robe-cloth he wants without first being invited?” “kathañhi nāma āyasmā upanando sakyaputto pubbe appavārito gahapatikassa tantavāye upasaṅkamitvā cīvare vikappaṁ āpajjissatī”ti.

After rebuking him in many ways, they told the Buddha. Soon afterwards he had the Sangha gathered and questioned Upananda: Atha kho te bhikkhū āyasmantaṁ upanandaṁ sakyaputtaṁ anekapariyāyena vigarahitvā bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ …pe… “Is it true, Upananda, that you did this?” “saccaṁ kira tvaṁ, upananda, pubbe appavārito gahapatikassa tantavāye upasaṅkamitvā cīvare vikappaṁ āpajjī”ti?

“It’s true, sir.” “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.

“Is he a relative of yours?” “Ñātako te, upananda, aññātako”ti?

“No, sir.” “Aññātako, bhagavā”ti.

“Foolish man, people who are unrelated don’t know what’s appropriate and inappropriate, what’s good and bad, in dealing with each other. “Aññātako, moghapurisa, aññātakassa na jānāti patirūpaṁ vā appatirūpaṁ vā santaṁ vā asantaṁ vā. And still you did this. Tattha nāma tvaṁ, moghapurisa, pubbe appavārito aññātakassa gahapatikassa tantavāye upasaṅkamitvā cīvare vikappaṁ āpajjissasi. This will affect people’s confidence …” … Netaṁ, moghapurisa, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe… “And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this: evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—