Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law Theravāda Vinaya
The Great Analysis Mahāvibhaṅga
The chapter on offenses entailing confession Pācittiyakaṇḍa
The subchapter on naked ascetics Acelakavagga

41. The training rule on naked ascetics 41. Acelakasikkhāpada

Origin story

At one time when the Buddha was staying in the hall with the peaked roof in the Great Wood near Vesālī, Tena samayena buddho bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ. the Sangha had an abundance of fresh food. Tena kho pana samayena saṅghassa khādanīyaṁ ussannaṁ hoti. Venerable Ānanda told the Buddha, who said, “Well then, Ānanda, give the cookies to those who take leftovers.” Atha kho āyasmā ānando bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesi. “Tenahānanda, vighāsādānaṁ pūvaṁ dehī”ti.

“Yes, sir.” Ānanda had them sit in a row and gave them one cookie each, until he accidentally gave two to a female wanderer. “Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā ānando bhagavato paṭissuṇitvā vighāsāde paṭipāṭiyā nisīdāpetvā ekekaṁ pūvaṁ dento aññatarissā paribbājikāya ekaṁ maññamāno dve pūve adāsi. The female wanderers sitting next to her said to her, “This monastic is your lover.” Sāmantā paribbājikāyo taṁ paribbājikaṁ etadavocuṁ—“jāro te eso samaṇo”ti.

“He’s not. He gave me two, thinking they were one.” “Na me so samaṇo jāro, ekaṁ maññamāno dve pūve adāsī”ti.

And a second time … Dutiyampi kho …pe… And a third time Ānanda gave them one cookie each, until he accidentally gave two to that same female wanderer. tatiyampi kho āyasmā ānando ekekaṁ pūvaṁ dento tassāyeva paribbājikāya ekaṁ maññamāno dve pūve adāsi. Once again the female wanderers sitting next to her said to her, “This monastic is your lover.” Sāmantā paribbājikāyo taṁ paribbājikaṁ etadavocuṁ—“jāro te eso samaṇo”ti.

“He’s not. He gave me two, thinking they were one.” “Na me so samaṇo jāro, ekaṁ maññamāno dve pūve adāsī”ti.

And they started to argue about whether or not they were lovers. “Jāro na jāro”ti bhaṇḍiṁsu.

A certain Ājīvaka ascetic, too, went to that distribution of food. Aññataropi ājīvako parivesanaṁ agamāsi. A monk mixed rice with a large amount of ghee and gave him a large lump. Aññataro bhikkhu pahūtena sappinā odanaṁ madditvā tassa ājīvakassa mahantaṁ piṇḍaṁ adāsi. He took it and left. Atha kho so ājīvako taṁ piṇḍaṁ ādāya agamāsi. Another Ājīvaka asked him, “Where did you get that lump?” Aññataro ājīvako taṁ ājīvakaṁ etadavoca—“kuto tayā, āvuso, piṇḍo laddho”ti?

“From the food distribution of the ascetic Gotama, that shaven-headed householder.” “Tassāvuso, samaṇassa gotamassa muṇḍagahapatikassa parivesanāya laddho”ti.

Some lay followers overheard that conversation between those Ājīvaka ascetics. Assosuṁ kho upāsakā tesaṁ ājīvakānaṁ imaṁ kathāsallāpaṁ. They then went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down, and said, Atha kho te upāsakā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te upāsakā bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ—“Sir, these monastics of other religions want to disparage the Buddha, the Teaching, and the Sangha. “ime, bhante, titthiyā avaṇṇakāmā buddhassa avaṇṇakāmā dhammassa avaṇṇakāmā saṅghassa. It would be good if the monks didn’t personally give anything to the monastics of other religions.” Sādhu, bhante, ayyā titthiyānaṁ sahatthā na dadeyyun”ti.

After the Buddha had instructed, inspired, and gladdened those lay followers with a teaching, they got up from their seats, bowed down, circumambulated him with their right sides toward him, and left. Atha kho bhagavā te upāsake dhammiyā kathāya sandassesi samādapesi samuttejesi sampahaṁsesi. Atha kho te upāsakā bhagavatā dhammiyā kathāya sandassitā samādapitā samuttejitā sampahaṁsitā uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkamiṁsu. Soon afterwards the Buddha gave a teaching and addressed the monks: Atha kho bhagavā etasmiṁ nidāne etasmiṁ pakaraṇe dhammiṁ kathaṁ katvā bhikkhū āmantesi—“Well then, monks, I will lay down a training rule for the following ten reasons: “tena hi, bhikkhave, bhikkhūnaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ paññapessāmi dasa atthavase paṭicca—for the well-being of the Sangha, for the comfort of the Sangha, for the restraint of bad people, for the ease of good monks, for the restraint of the corruptions relating to the present life, for the restraint of the corruptions relating to future lives, to give rise to confidence in those without it, to increase the confidence of those who have it, for the longevity of the true Teaching, and for supporting the training. saṅghasuṭṭhutāya, saṅghaphāsutāya …pe… saddhammaṭṭhitiyā, vinayānuggahāya. And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this: Evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—

Final ruling

‘If a monk personally gives fresh or cooked food to a naked ascetic, to a male wanderer, or to a female wanderer, he commits an offense entailing confession.’” “Yo pana bhikkhu acelakassa vā paribbājakassa vā paribbājikāya vā sahatthā khādanīyaṁ vā bhojanīyaṁ vā dadeyya, 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.
A naked ascetic: Acelako nāma: any wanderer who is naked. yo koci paribbājakasamāpanno naggo.
A male wanderer: Paribbājako nāma: any male wanderer apart from Buddhist monks and novice monks. bhikkhuñca sāmaṇerañca ṭhapetvā yo koci paribbājakasamāpanno.
A female wanderer: Paribbājikā nāma: any female wanderer apart from Buddhist nuns, trainee nuns, and novice nuns. bhikkhuniñca sikkhamānañca sāmaṇeriñca ṭhapetvā yā kāci paribbājikasamāpannā.
Fresh food: Khādanīyaṁ nāma: apart from the five cooked foods, water, and tooth cleaners, the rest is called “fresh food”. pañca bhojanāni—udakadantaponaṁ ṭhapetvā avasesaṁ khādanīyaṁ nāma.
Cooked food: Bhojanīyaṁ nāma: there are five kinds of cooked food: cooked grain, porridge, flour products, fish, and meat. pañca bhojanāni—odano, kummāso, sattu, maccho, maṁsaṁ.
Gives: Dadeyyāti: if he gives by body or by what is connected to the body or by releasing, he commits an offense entailing confession. kāyena vā kāyapaṭibaddhena vā nissaggiyena vā deti, āpatti pācittiyassa.

Permutations

If it is a monastic of another religion, and he perceives them as such, and he personally gives them fresh or cooked food, he commits an offense entailing confession. Titthiye titthiyasaññī sahatthā khādanīyaṁ vā bhojanīyaṁ vā deti, āpatti pācittiyassa. If it is a monastic of another religion, but he is unsure of it, and he personally gives them fresh or cooked food, he commits an offense entailing confession. Titthiye vematiko sahatthā khādanīyaṁ vā bhojanīyaṁ vā deti, āpatti pācittiyassa. If it is a monastic of another religion, but he does not perceive them as such, and he personally gives them fresh or cooked food, he commits an offense entailing confession. Titthiye atitthiyasaññī sahatthā khādanīyaṁ vā bhojanīyaṁ vā deti, āpatti pācittiyassa.

If he gives water or a tooth cleaner, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Udakadantaponaṁ deti, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If it is not a monastic of another religion, but he perceives them as such, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Atitthiye titthiyasaññī, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If it is not a monastic of another religion, but he is unsure of it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Atitthiye vematiko, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If it is not a monastic of another religion, and he does not perceive them as such, there is no offense. Atitthiye atitthiyasaññī, anāpatti.

Non-offenses

There is no offense: Anāpatti—if he does not give, but has it given; dāpeti na deti, if he gives by placing it near the person; upanikkhipitvā deti, if he gives ointments for external use; bāhirālepaṁ deti, if he is insane; ummattakassa, if he is the first offender. ādikammikassāti.

The training rule on naked ascetics, the first, is finished. Acelakasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ paṭhamaṁ.

English Translation

Pāli Text

Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law
The Great Analysis
The chapter on offenses entailing confession
The subchapter on naked ascetics

41. The training rule on naked ascetics

Origin story

At one time when the Buddha was staying in the hall with the peaked roof in the Great Wood near Vesālī, the Sangha had an abundance of fresh food. Venerable Ānanda told the Buddha, who said, “Well then, Ānanda, give the cookies to those who take leftovers.”

“Yes, sir.” Ānanda had them sit in a row and gave them one cookie each, until he accidentally gave two to a female wanderer. The female wanderers sitting next to her said to her, “This monastic is your lover.”

“He’s not. He gave me two, thinking they were one.”

And a second time … And a third time Ānanda gave them one cookie each, until he accidentally gave two to that same female wanderer. Once again the female wanderers sitting next to her said to her, “This monastic is your lover.”

“He’s not. He gave me two, thinking they were one.”

And they started to argue about whether or not they were lovers.

A certain Ājīvaka ascetic, too, went to that distribution of food. A monk mixed rice with a large amount of ghee and gave him a large lump. He took it and left. Another Ājīvaka asked him, “Where did you get that lump?”

“From the food distribution of the ascetic Gotama, that shaven-headed householder.”

Some lay followers overheard that conversation between those Ājīvaka ascetics. They then went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down, and said, “Sir, these monastics of other religions want to disparage the Buddha, the Teaching, and the Sangha. It would be good if the monks didn’t personally give anything to the monastics of other religions.”

After the Buddha had instructed, inspired, and gladdened those lay followers with a teaching, they got up from their seats, bowed down, circumambulated him with their right sides toward him, and left. Soon afterwards the Buddha gave a teaching and addressed the monks: “Well then, monks, I will lay down a training rule for the following ten reasons: for the well-being of the Sangha, for the comfort of the Sangha, for the restraint of bad people, for the ease of good monks, for the restraint of the corruptions relating to the present life, for the restraint of the corruptions relating to future lives, to give rise to confidence in those without it, to increase the confidence of those who have it, for the longevity of the true Teaching, and for supporting the training. And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

Final ruling

‘If a monk personally gives fresh or cooked food to a naked ascetic, to a male wanderer, or to a female wanderer, he commits an offense entailing confession.’”

Definitions

A:: whoever …
Monk:: … 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.
A naked ascetic:: any wanderer who is naked.
A male wanderer:: any male wanderer apart from Buddhist monks and novice monks.
A female wanderer:: any female wanderer apart from Buddhist nuns, trainee nuns, and novice nuns.
Fresh food:: apart from the five cooked foods, water, and tooth cleaners, the rest is called “fresh food”.
Cooked food:: there are five kinds of cooked food: cooked grain, porridge, flour products, fish, and meat.
Gives:: if he gives by body or by what is connected to the body or by releasing, he commits an offense entailing confession.

Permutations

If it is a monastic of another religion, and he perceives them as such, and he personally gives them fresh or cooked food, he commits an offense entailing confession. If it is a monastic of another religion, but he is unsure of it, and he personally gives them fresh or cooked food, he commits an offense entailing confession. If it is a monastic of another religion, but he does not perceive them as such, and he personally gives them fresh or cooked food, he commits an offense entailing confession.

If he gives water or a tooth cleaner, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If it is not a monastic of another religion, but he perceives them as such, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If it is not a monastic of another religion, but he is unsure of it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If it is not a monastic of another religion, and he does not perceive them as such, there is no offense.

Non-offenses

There is no offense: if he does not give, but has it given; if he gives by placing it near the person; if he gives ointments for external use; if he is insane; if he is the first offender.

The training rule on naked ascetics, the first, is finished.

Theravāda Vinaya
Mahāvibhaṅga
Pācittiyakaṇḍa
Acelakavagga

41. Acelakasikkhāpada

Tena samayena buddho bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ. Tena kho pana samayena saṅghassa khādanīyaṁ ussannaṁ hoti. Atha kho āyasmā ānando bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesi. “Tenahānanda, vighāsādānaṁ pūvaṁ dehī”ti.

“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā ānando bhagavato paṭissuṇitvā vighāsāde paṭipāṭiyā nisīdāpetvā ekekaṁ pūvaṁ dento aññatarissā paribbājikāya ekaṁ maññamāno dve pūve adāsi. Sāmantā paribbājikāyo taṁ paribbājikaṁ etadavocuṁ—“jāro te eso samaṇo”ti.

“Na me so samaṇo jāro, ekaṁ maññamāno dve pūve adāsī”ti.

Dutiyampi kho …pe… tatiyampi kho āyasmā ānando ekekaṁ pūvaṁ dento tassāyeva paribbājikāya ekaṁ maññamāno dve pūve adāsi. Sāmantā paribbājikāyo taṁ paribbājikaṁ etadavocuṁ—“jāro te eso samaṇo”ti.

“Na me so samaṇo jāro, ekaṁ maññamāno dve pūve adāsī”ti.

“Jāro na jāro”ti bhaṇḍiṁsu.

Aññataropi ājīvako parivesanaṁ agamāsi. Aññataro bhikkhu pahūtena sappinā odanaṁ madditvā tassa ājīvakassa mahantaṁ piṇḍaṁ adāsi. Atha kho so ājīvako taṁ piṇḍaṁ ādāya agamāsi. Aññataro ājīvako taṁ ājīvakaṁ etadavoca—“kuto tayā, āvuso, piṇḍo laddho”ti?

“Tassāvuso, samaṇassa gotamassa muṇḍagahapatikassa parivesanāya laddho”ti.

Assosuṁ kho upāsakā tesaṁ ājīvakānaṁ imaṁ kathāsallāpaṁ. Atha kho te upāsakā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te upāsakā bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ—“ime, bhante, titthiyā avaṇṇakāmā buddhassa avaṇṇakāmā dhammassa avaṇṇakāmā saṅghassa. Sādhu, bhante, ayyā titthiyānaṁ sahatthā na dadeyyun”ti.

Atha kho bhagavā te upāsake dhammiyā kathāya sandassesi samādapesi samuttejesi sampahaṁsesi. Atha kho te upāsakā bhagavatā dhammiyā kathāya sandassitā samādapitā samuttejitā sampahaṁsitā uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkamiṁsu. Atha kho bhagavā etasmiṁ nidāne etasmiṁ pakaraṇe dhammiṁ kathaṁ katvā bhikkhū āmantesi—“tena hi, bhikkhave, bhikkhūnaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ paññapessāmi dasa atthavase paṭicca—saṅghasuṭṭhutāya, saṅghaphāsutāya …pe… saddhammaṭṭhitiyā, vinayānuggahāya. Evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—

“Yo pana bhikkhu acelakassa vā paribbājakassa vā paribbājikāya vā sahatthā khādanīyaṁ vā bhojanīyaṁ vā dadeyya, pācittiyan”ti.

Yo panāti: yo yādiso …pe…
bhikkhūti: …pe… ayaṁ imasmiṁ atthe adhippeto bhikkhūti.
Acelako nāma: yo koci paribbājakasamāpanno naggo.
Paribbājako nāma: bhikkhuñca sāmaṇerañca ṭhapetvā yo koci paribbājakasamāpanno.
Paribbājikā nāma: bhikkhuniñca sikkhamānañca sāmaṇeriñca ṭhapetvā yā kāci paribbājikasamāpannā.
Khādanīyaṁ nāma: pañca bhojanāni—udakadantaponaṁ ṭhapetvā avasesaṁ khādanīyaṁ nāma.
Bhojanīyaṁ nāma: pañca bhojanāni—odano, kummāso, sattu, maccho, maṁsaṁ.
Dadeyyāti: kāyena vā kāyapaṭibaddhena vā nissaggiyena vā deti, āpatti pācittiyassa.

Titthiye titthiyasaññī sahatthā khādanīyaṁ vā bhojanīyaṁ vā deti, āpatti pācittiyassa. Titthiye vematiko sahatthā khādanīyaṁ vā bhojanīyaṁ vā deti, āpatti pācittiyassa. Titthiye atitthiyasaññī sahatthā khādanīyaṁ vā bhojanīyaṁ vā deti, āpatti pācittiyassa.

Udakadantaponaṁ deti, āpatti dukkaṭassa. Atitthiye titthiyasaññī, āpatti dukkaṭassa. Atitthiye vematiko, āpatti dukkaṭassa. Atitthiye atitthiyasaññī, anāpatti.

Anāpatti—dāpeti na deti, upanikkhipitvā deti, bāhirālepaṁ deti, ummattakassa, ādikammikassāti.

Acelakasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ paṭhamaṁ.

Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law Theravāda Vinaya
The Great Analysis Mahāvibhaṅga
The chapter on offenses entailing confession Pācittiyakaṇḍa
The subchapter on naked ascetics Acelakavagga

41. The training rule on naked ascetics 41. Acelakasikkhāpada

Origin story

“He’s not. He gave me two, thinking they were one.” “Na me so samaṇo jāro, ekaṁ maññamāno dve pūve adāsī”ti.

And they started to argue about whether or not they were lovers. “Jāro na jāro”ti bhaṇḍiṁsu.

“From the food distribution of the ascetic Gotama, that shaven-headed householder.” “Tassāvuso, samaṇassa gotamassa muṇḍagahapatikassa parivesanāya laddho”ti.

Final ruling

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.
A naked ascetic: Acelako nāma: any wanderer who is naked. yo koci paribbājakasamāpanno naggo.
A male wanderer: Paribbājako nāma: any male wanderer apart from Buddhist monks and novice monks. bhikkhuñca sāmaṇerañca ṭhapetvā yo koci paribbājakasamāpanno.
A female wanderer: Paribbājikā nāma: any female wanderer apart from Buddhist nuns, trainee nuns, and novice nuns. bhikkhuniñca sikkhamānañca sāmaṇeriñca ṭhapetvā yā kāci paribbājikasamāpannā.
Fresh food: Khādanīyaṁ nāma: apart from the five cooked foods, water, and tooth cleaners, the rest is called “fresh food”. pañca bhojanāni—udakadantaponaṁ ṭhapetvā avasesaṁ khādanīyaṁ nāma.
Cooked food: Bhojanīyaṁ nāma: there are five kinds of cooked food: cooked grain, porridge, flour products, fish, and meat. pañca bhojanāni—odano, kummāso, sattu, maccho, maṁsaṁ.
Gives: Dadeyyāti: if he gives by body or by what is connected to the body or by releasing, he commits an offense entailing confession. kāyena vā kāyapaṭibaddhena vā nissaggiyena vā deti, āpatti pācittiyassa.

Permutations

Non-offenses

The training rule on naked ascetics, the first, is finished. Acelakasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ paṭhamaṁ.