- Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law Theravāda Vinaya
- The Great Analysis Mahāvibhaṅga
- The chapter on offenses entailing confession Pācittiyakaṇḍa
- The subchapter on precious things Ratanavagga
86. The training rule on needle cases 86. Sūcigharasikkhāpada
Origin story
At one time the Buddha was staying in the Sakyan country in the Banyan Tree Monastery at Kapilavatthu. Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sakkesu viharati kapilavatthusmiṁ nigrodhārāme. At that time an ivory-worker had invited the monks Tena kho pana samayena aññatarena dantakārena bhikkhū pavāritā honti—who needed needle cases to ask for one. “yesaṁ ayyānaṁ sūcigharena attho ahaṁ sūcigharenā”ti. And the monks asked for many needle cases. Tena kho pana samayena bhikkhū bahū sūcighare viññāpenti. Those who had small needle cases asked for large ones, Yesaṁ khuddakā sūcigharā te mahante sūcighare viññāpenti. and those who had large needle cases asked for small ones. Yesaṁ mahantā sūcigharā te khuddake sūcighare viññāpenti. The ivory-worker was so busy making needle cases for the monks that he was unable to make goods for sale. He could not make a living for himself, and his wives and children suffered. Atha kho so dantakāro bhikkhūnaṁ bahū sūcighare karonto na sakkoti aññaṁ vikkāyikaṁ bhaṇḍaṁ kātuṁ, attanāpi na yāpeti, puttadāropissa kilamati. People complained and criticized them, Manussā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—“How can the Sakyan monastics not have any sense of moderation and ask for many needle cases? “kathañhi nāma samaṇā sakyaputtiyā na mattaṁ jānitvā bahū sūcighare viññāpessanti. This ivory-worker is so busy making needle cases for them that he’s unable to make goods for sale. He can’t make a living for himself, and his wives and children are suffering.” Ayaṁ imesaṁ bahū sūcighare karonto na sakkoti aññaṁ vikkāyikaṁ bhaṇḍaṁ kātuṁ, attanāpi na yāpeti, puttadāropissa kilamatī”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 those monks not have a sense of moderation and ask for many needle cases?” … “kathañhi nāma bhikkhū na mattaṁ jānitvā bahū sūcighare viññāpessantī”ti …pe… “Is it true, monks, that there are monks who do this?” “saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhū na mattaṁ jānitvā bahū sūcighare viññāpentī”ti?
“It’s true, sir.” “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.
The Buddha rebuked them … Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… “How can those foolish men do this? kathañhi nāma te, bhikkhave, moghapurisā na mattaṁ jānitvā bahū sūcighare viññāpessanti. This will affect people’s confidence …” … Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe… “And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this: evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—
Final ruling
‘If a monk has a needle case made from bone, ivory, or horn, it is to be destroyed, and he commits an offense entailing confession.’” “Yo pana bhikkhu aṭṭhimayaṁ vā dantamayaṁ vā visāṇamayaṁ vā sūcigharaṁ kārāpeyya bhedanakaṁ, 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.
- Bone: Aṭṭhi nāma
- any kind of bone. yaṁ kiñci aṭṭhi.
- Ivory: Danto nāma
- elephant tooth is what is meant. hatthidanto vuccati.
- Horn: Visāṇaṁ nāma
- any kind of horn. yaṁ kiñci visāṇaṁ.
- Has made: Kārāpeyyāti
- if he makes one or has one made, then for the effort there is an act of wrong conduct. karoti vā kārāpeti vā, payoge dukkaṭaṁ. When he gets it, it is to be destroyed, and he is then to confess an offense entailing confession. Paṭilābhena bhinditvā pācittiyaṁ desetabbaṁ.
Permutations
If he finishes what he began himself, he commits an offense entailing confession. Attanā vippakataṁ attanā pariyosāpeti, āpatti pācittiyassa. If he has others finish what he began himself, he commits an offense entailing confession. Attanā vippakataṁ parehi pariyosāpeti, āpatti pācittiyassa. If he finishes himself what was begun by others, he commits an offense entailing confession. Parehi vippakataṁ attanā pariyosāpeti, āpatti pācittiyassa. If he has others finish what was begun by others, he commits an offense entailing confession. Parehi vippakataṁ parehi pariyosāpeti, āpatti pācittiyassa.
If he makes one or has one made for the benefit of someone else, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Aññassatthāya karoti vā kārāpeti vā, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If he gets one that was made by someone else and then uses it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. Aññena kataṁ paṭilabhitvā paribhuñjati, āpatti dukkaṭassa.
Non-offenses
There is no offense: Anāpatti—if it is a toggle; gaṇṭhikāya, if it is a fire kindler; araṇike, if it is a buckle; vidhe, if it is an ointment box; añjaniyā, if it is an ointment stick; añjanisalākāya, if it is an adz handle; vāsijaṭe, if it is a water wiper; udakapuñchaniyā, if he is insane; ummattakassa, if he is the first offender. ādikammikassāti.
The training rule on needle cases, the fourth, is finished. Sūcigharasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ catutthaṁ.