Vinaya Pitaka - Monastic Rules
Bhikkhu Vibhanga - Nissaggiya Pācittiya 16: The Training Rule on Wool.
- Translated from the Pali by Brahmali Bhikkhu.
Origin story
1
At one time the Buddha, the Master, was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery. At that time a monk obtained some wool while walking through the Kosalan country on his way to Sāvatthī. He bound the wool into a bundle with his upper robe, and then went on. Some people who saw that monk mocked him: “Bhante, how much did this cost you? How much will the profit be?" Because he was mocked, he became embarrassed.
When he arrived at Sāvatthī, he threw the wool to the ground. The monks asked him: “Why do you throw this wool to the ground?"
“Because people mocked me because of this wool."
“But how far have you carried it?"
“Over 40 kilometres."
The monks of few desires … complained and criticised him: “How can a monk carry wool more than 40 kilometres?"
2 After criticising that monk in many ways, they informed the Master. … “Is it true, monk, that you carried wool more than 40 kilometres?" “It’s true, Master." The Buddha, the Master, criticised him: “ … Foolish man, how can you carry wool more than 40 kilometres? This will not give rise to confidence in those without it … And, monks, this training rule should be recited thus:
Final ruling
3 “If wool becomes available for a monk while travelling, he may receive it if he wishes. If he receives it and there is no one else to carry it, he may carry it by himself for at most 40 kilometres.Three yojanas. The length of a yojana has not been precisely established (perhaps it never was a precise distance), but a reasonable estimate is 8 miles or just under 13 kilometres (see T.W. Rhys Davids, “On the Ancient Coins and Measures of Ceylon", p.16). Thus 3 yojanas is close to 40 km, which seems like a suitably round number given the uncertainty in the estimate. If he carries it further than that, even if there is no one else to carry it, he commits an offence entailing relinquishment and confession."
Definitions
4 A monk [ … ] while travelling: one walking on a road.
5 If wool becomes available: if it becomes available from a Sangha, from a group, from a relative, from a friend, or if rags becomes available, or if it becomes available by means of his own property.
6 If he wishes: if he desires, he may receive it.
7 If he receives it [ … ] he may carry it by himself for at most 40 kilometres: he may carry it by himself no further than 40 kilometres.
8 There is no one else to carry it: there is no other person who can carry it, either a woman or a man, either a householder or a monastic.
9
If he carries it further than that, even if there is no one else to carry it: when he goes beyond 40 kilometres with the first foot, there is an offence of bad conduct. When he goes beyond with second foot, he commits an offence entailing relinquishment and confession. If he stands within the 40 kilometre limit, but drops it beyond the 40 kilometre limit, he commits an offence entailing relinquishment and confession. If he places it in the vehicle or among the goods of another without their knowledge, and it goes more than 40 kilometres, it becomes subject to relinquishment.
The wool is to be relinquished to a Sangha, a group, or an individual. “And, monks, it is to be relinquished in this way. … To be expanded as in Nissaggiya Pācittiya 1, verses 13 to 17 with appropriate substitutions. … ‘Bhante, this wool which I have carried more than 40 kilometres is to be relinquished. I relinquish it to the Sangha.’ … the Sangha should give … the Venerables should give … “I give this wool back to the Venerable."
Permutations
10If he goes more than 40 kilometres and he perceives it as more, he commits an offence entailing relinquishment and confession. If he goes more than 40 kilometres, but he has doubt about it, he commits an offence entailing relinquishment and confession. If he goes more than 40 kilometres, but he perceives it as less, he commits an offence entailing relinquishment and confession.
11If he goes less than 40 kilometres, but he perceives it as more, he commits an offence of bad conduct. If he goes less than 40 kilometres, but he has doubt about it, he commits an offence of bad conduct. If he goes less than 40 kilometres and he perceives it as less, there is no offence.
Non-offences
12There is no offence: if he carries it 40 kilometres; if he carries it less than 40 kilometres; if he carries it 40 kilometres and then carries it back; if he goes 40 kilometres with the intention of staying there, but then goes further; if he gets back what was taken from him and then carries it; if he gets back what was given up by him and then carries it; if he get someone else to carry it; if it is a finished article; if he is insane; if he is the first offender.
13The sixth rule, the training rule on wool, is finished.
1 tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṃ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. tena kho pana samayena aññatarassa bhikkhuno kosalesu janapade sāvatthiṃ gacchantassa antarāmagge eḷakalomāni uppajjiṃsu. atha kho so bhikkhu tāni eḷakalomāni uttarāsangena bhaṇḍikaṃ bandhitvā agamāsi. manussā taṃ bhikkhuṃ passitvā uppaṇḍesuṃ— "kittakena te, bhante, kītāni? kittako udayo bhavissatī"ti? so bhikkhu tehi manussehi uppaṇḍiyamāno manku ahosi. atha kho so bhikkhu sāvatthiṃ gantvā tāni eḷakalomāni ṭhitakova āsumbhi. bhikkhū taṃ bhikkhuṃ etadavocuṃ— "kissa tvaṃ, āvuso, imāni eḷakalomāni ṭhitakova āsumbhasī"ti? "tathā hi panāhaṃ, āvuso, imesaṃ eḷakalomānaṃ kāraṇā manussehi uppaṇḍito"ti. "kīva dūrato pana tvaṃ, āvuso, imāni eḷakalomāni āharī"ti? "atirekatiyojanaṃ, āvuso"ti. ye te bhikkhū appicchā … pe … te ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti— "kathañhi nāma bhikkhu atirekatiyojanaṃ eḷakalomāni āharissatī"ti.
2 atha kho te bhikkhū taṃ bhikkhuṃ anekapariyāyena vigarahitvā bhagavato etamatthaṃ ārocesuṃ … pe … "saccaṃ kira tvaṃ, bhikkhu, atirekatiyojanaṃ eḷakalomāni āharī"ti? "saccaṃ, bhagavā"ti. vigarahi buddho bhagavā … pe … kathañhi nāma tvaṃ, moghapurisa, atirekatiyojanaṃ eḷakalomāni āharissasi. netaṃ moghapurisa, appasannānaṃ vā pasādāya … pe … evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṃ sikkhāpadaṃ uddiseyyātha—
3 "bhikkhuno paneva addhānamaggappaṭipannassa eḷakalomāni uppajjeyyuṃ. ākankhamānena bhikkhunā paṭiggahetabbāni. paṭiggahetvā tiyojanaparamaṃ sahatthā haritabbāni, asante hārake. tato ce uttari hareyya, asantepi hārake, nissaggiyaṃ pācittiyan"ti. (16:35)
4 bhikkhuno paneva addhānamaggappaṭipannassāti panthaṃ gacchantassa.
5 eḷakalomāni uppajjeyyunti uppajjeyyuṃ saṇghato vā gaṇato vā ñātito vā mittato vā paṃsukūlaṃ vā attano vā dhanena.
6 ākankhamānenāti icchamānena paṭiggahetabbāni.
7 paṭiggahetvā tiyojanaparamaṃ sahatthā haritabbānīti tiyojanaparamatā sahatthā haritabbāni.
8 asante hāraketi nāñño koci hārako hoti itthī vā puriso vā gahaṭṭho vā pabbajito vā.
9 tato ce uttari hareyya, asantepi hāraketi paṭhamaṃ pādaṃ tiyojanaṃ atikkāmeti, āpatti dukkaṭassa. dutiyaṃ pādaṃ atikkāmeti, nissaggiyaṃ pācittiyaṃ. antotiyojane ṭhito bahitiyojanaṃ pāteti, nissaggiyaṃ pācittiyaṃ. aññassa yāne vā bhaṇḍe vā ajānantassa pakkhipitvā tiyojanaṃ atikkāmeti, nissaggiyāni honti. nissajjitabbāni sanghassa vā gaṇassa vā puggalassa vā. evañca pana, bhikkhave, nissajjitabbāni … pe … "imāni me, bhante, eḷakalomāni tiyojanaṃ atikkāmitāni nissaggiyāni. imānāhaṃ sanghassa nissajjāmī"ti … pe … dadeyyāti … pe … dadeyyunti … pe … āyasmato dammīti.
10 atirekatiyojane atirekasaññī atikkāmeti, nissaggiyaṃ pācittiyaṃ. atirekatiyojane vematiko atikkāmeti, nissaggiyaṃ pācittiyaṃ. atirekatiyojane ūnakasaññī atikkāmeti, nissaggiyaṃ pācittiyaṃ.
11 ūnakatiyojane atirekasaññī, āpatti dukkaṭassa. ūnakatiyojane vematiko, āpatti dukkaṭassa. ūnakatiyojane ūnakasaññī, anāpatti.
12 anāpatti— tiyojanaṃ harati, ūnakatiyojanaṃ harati, tiyojanaṃ haratipi, paccāharatipi, tiyojanaṃ vāsādhippāyo gantvā tato paraṃ harati, acchinnaṃ paṭilabhitvā harati, nissaṭṭhaṃ paṭilabhitvā harati, aññaṃ harāpeti katabhaṇḍaṃ, ummattakassa, ādikammikassāti.