- Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law Theravāda Vinaya
- The Great Analysis Mahāvibhaṅga
- The chapter on relinquishment Nissaggiyakaṇḍa
- The subchapter on robes Cīvaravagga
7. The training rule on more than that 7. Tatuttarisikkhāpada
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. the monks from the group of six said to the monks whose robes had been stolen, Tena kho pana samayena chabbaggiyā bhikkhū acchinnacīvarake bhikkhū upasaṅkamitvā evaṁ vadanti—“The Buddha has allowed “bhagavatā, āvuso, anuññātaṁ—a monk whose robes have been stolen or lost to ask an unrelated householder for a robe. ‘acchinnacīvarassa vā naṭṭhacīvarassa vā aññātakaṁ gahapatiṁ vā gahapatāniṁ vā cīvaraṁ viññāpetuṁ’; You should ask for a robe.” viññāpetha, āvuso, cīvaran”ti.
“It’s not necessary. We’ve already gotten robes.” “Alaṁ, āvuso, laddhaṁ amhehi cīvaran”ti.
“We’ll ask for you.” “Mayaṁ āyasmantānaṁ viññāpemā”ti.
“Do as you please.” “Viññāpetha, āvuso”ti.
The monks from the group of six then went to householders and said, Atha kho chabbaggiyā bhikkhū gahapatike upasaṅkamitvā etadavocuṁ—“Monks have arrived whose robes have been stolen. “acchinnacīvarakā, āvuso, bhikkhū āgatā. Please give them robes.” Detha nesaṁ cīvarānī”ti, And they asked for many robes. bahuṁ cīvaraṁ viññāpesuṁ.
Soon afterwards in the public meeting hall a certain man said to another, Tena kho pana samayena aññataro puriso sabhāyaṁ nisinno aññataraṁ purisaṁ etadavoca—“Sir, monks have arrived whose robes have been stolen. “acchinnacīvarakā ayyo bhikkhū āgatā. I’ve given them robes.” Tesaṁ mayā cīvaraṁ dinnan”ti.
The other replied, “So have I.” Sopi evamāha—“mayāpi dinnan”ti. And another said the same. Aparopi evamāha—“mayāpi dinnan”ti.
They complained and criticized those monks, Te ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—“How can the Sakyan monastics ask for many robes without moderation? “kathañhi nāma samaṇā sakyaputtiyā na mattaṁ jānitvā bahuṁ cīvaraṁ viññāpessanti, Are they going to trade in cloth or set up shop?” dussavāṇijjaṁ vā samaṇā sakyaputtiyā karissanti, paggāhikasālaṁ 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 could the monks from the group of six ask for many robes without moderation?” “kathañhi nāma chabbaggiyā bhikkhū na mattaṁ jānitvā bahuṁ cīvaraṁ viññāpessantī”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 did this?” “saccaṁ kira tumhe, bhikkhave, na mattaṁ jānitvā bahuṁ cīvaraṁ viññāpethā”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, na mattaṁ jānitvā bahuṁ cīvaraṁ viññāpessatha. 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
‘If an unrelated male or female householder invites that monk to take many robes, he should accept at most one sarong and one upper robe. If he accepts more than that, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.’” “Tañce aññātako gahapati vā gahapatānī vā bahūhi cīvarehi abhihaṭṭhuṁ pavāreyya santaruttaraparamaṁ tena bhikkhunā tato cīvaraṁ sāditabbaṁ. Tato ce uttari sādiyeyya, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyan”ti.
Definitions
- That monk: Tañceti
- the monk whose robes have been stolen. acchinnacīvarakaṁ bhikkhuṁ.
- Unrelated: Aññātako nāma
- anyone who is not a descendant of one’s male ancestors going back eight generations, either on the mother’s side or on the father’s side. mātito vā pitito vā yāva sattamā pitāmahayugā asambaddho.
- A male householder: Gahapati nāma
- any man who lives at home. yo koci agāraṁ ajjhāvasati.
- A female householder: Gahapatānī nāma
- any woman who lives at home. yā kāci agāraṁ ajjhāvasati.
- Many robes: Bahūhi cīvarehīti
- a lot of robes. bahukehi cīvarehi.
- Invites to take: Abhihaṭṭhuṁ pavāreyyāti
- saying, “Take as many as you like.” yāvatakaṁ icchasi tāvatakaṁ gaṇhāhīti.
- He should accept at most one sarong and one upper robe: Santaruttaraparamaṁ tena bhikkhunā tato cīvaraṁ sāditabbanti
- if three robes are lost, he should accept two; if two robes are lost, he should accept one; if one robe is lost, he should not accept any. sace tīṇi naṭṭhāni honti dve sāditabbāni, dve naṭṭhāni ekaṁ sāditabbaṁ, ekaṁ naṭṭhaṁ na kiñci sāditabbaṁ.
- If he accepts more than that: Tato ce uttari sādiyeyyāti
- if he asks for more than that, then for the effort there is an act of wrong conduct. tatuttari viññāpeti, payoge dukkaṭaṁ. When he gets the robe, it becomes subject to relinquishment. Paṭilābhena nissaggiyaṁ hoti.
The 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 robe, which I received after asking an unrelated householder for too many, is to be relinquished. “idaṁ me, bhante, cīvaraṁ aññātakaṁ gahapatikaṁ upasaṅkamitvā tatuttari viññāpitaṁ 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 robe back to you.’” āyasmato dammīti.
Permutations
If the person is unrelated and the monk perceives them as such, and he asks them for too many robes, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. Aññātake aññātakasaññī tatuttari cīvaraṁ viññāpeti, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ. If the person is unrelated, but the monk is unsure of it, and he asks them for too many robes, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. Aññātake vematiko tatuttari cīvaraṁ viññāpeti, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ. If the person is unrelated, but the monk perceives them as related, and he asks them for too many robes, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. Aññātake ñātakasaññī tatuttari cīvaraṁ viññāpeti, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ.
If the person is related, but the monk perceives them as unrelated, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Ñātake aññātakasaññī, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If the person is related, but the monk is unsure of it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Ñātake vematiko, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If the person is related and the monk perceives them as such, there is no offense. Ñātake ñātakasaññī, anāpatti.
Non-offenses
There is no offense: Anāpatti—if he takes too much, but with the intention of returning the remainder; “sesakaṁ āharissāmī”ti haranto gacchati, if they give, saying, “The remainder is for you;” “sesakaṁ tuyheva hotū”ti denti, if they give, but not because his robes were stolen; na acchinnakāraṇā denti, if they give, but not because his robes were lost; na naṭṭhakāraṇā denti, if it is from relatives; ñātakānaṁ, if it is from those who have given an invitation; pavāritānaṁ, if it is by means of his own property; attano dhanena, if he is insane; ummattakassa, if he is the first offender. ādikammikassāti.
The training rule on more than that, the seventh, is finished. Tatuttarisikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ sattamaṁ.