Vinaya Pitaka - Monastic Rules
Bhikkhu Vibhanga - Nissaggiya Pācittiya 21: The Training Rule on Bowls.
- Translated from the Pali by Brahmali Bhikkhu.
Origin story
First sub-story1 At one time the Buddha, the Master, was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery. At that time some monks belonging to the group of six were storing up many bowls. People who were touring the lodgings saw this, and they grumbled and complained: “How can the Sakyan ascetics store up many bowls? Will they start up as bowl merchants or set up a bowl shop?"
2 Monks heard the complaints of those people, and the monks of few desires … complained and criticised those monks: “How can those monks belonging to the group of six keep extra bowls?"
3 After criticising those monks in many ways, they informed the Master. … “Is it true, monks, that you are keeping extra bowls?" “It’s true, Master." The Buddha, the Master, criticised them: “ … Foolish men, how can you keep extra bowls? This will not give rise to confidence in those without it … And, monks, this training rule should be recited thus:
Preliminary ruling
4 “If a monk keeps an extra bowl, he commits an offence entailing relinquishment and confession."
5 In this way the Master laid down this training rule for the monks.
Second sub-story6
Soon afterwards a bowl was offered to Venerable Ānanda, but he wished to give it to Venerable Sāriputta who was staying at Sāketa. Knowing that the Buddha had laid down a rule against keeping an extra bowl, Venerable Ānanda thought, “What should I do in this situation?" He informed the Master, who said: “How long is it, Ānanda, before Sāriputta returns?"
“Nine or ten days, Master."
The Master then spoke on the Dhamma and addressed the monks: “Monks, I allow you to keep an extra bowl for ten days at the most. And so, monks, this training rule should be recited thus:"
Final ruling
7 “A monk should keep an extra bowl for ten days at the most. If he keeps it beyond that, he commits an offence entailing relinquishment and confession."
Definitions
8 Ten days at the most: it is to be kept at most ten days.
9 An extra bowl: a bowl that is not determined, nor placed under shared ownership.
10Bowl: there are two kinds of bowl: the iron bowl and the clay bowl.
11And there are three kinds of bowl: the large bowl, the medium bowl, and the small bowl. Anything larger than this is not a bowl, nor anything smaller. The large bowl: it takes half an āḷhaka measure of rice, a fourth part of non-staple food, and suitable curry. The medium bowl: it takes a nāḷika measure of rice, a fourth part of non-staple food, and suitable curry. The small bowl: it takes a pattha measure of rice, a fourth part of non-staple food, and suitable curry.
12If he keeps it beyond that, it becomes subject to relinquishment:
At dawn on the eleventh day, it becomes subject to relinquishment.*According to the commentary this means the tenth dawn after one received the bowl, see Sp 3.639.27
The bowl is to be relinquished to a Sangha, a group, or an individual. “And, monks, it is to be relinquished in this way. After approaching the Sangha, that monk should put his upper robe over one shoulder and pay homage at the feet of the senior monks. He should then squat on his haunches, put the palms of his hands together, and say: ‘Bhante, this bowl which I have kept over ten days is to be relinquished. I relinquish it to the Sangha.’" After relinquishing it, he is to confess the offence. The confession should be received by an experienced and competent monk. The relinquished bowl is then to be given back:
13“‘Bhante, let the Sangha listen to me. This bowl belonging to monk so-and-so, which was to be relinquished, has been relinquished to the Sangha. If it seems appropriate to the Sangha, the Sangha should give this bowl back to monk so-and-so.’
14“After approaching several monks, that monk should put his upper robe over one shoulder and pay homage at the feet of the senior monks. He should then squat on his haunches, put the palms of his hands together, and say: ‘Bhante, this bowl which I have kept over ten days is to be relinquished. I relinquish it to the Venerables.’" After relinquishing it, he is to confess the offence. The confession should be received by an experienced and competent monk. The relinquished bowl is then to be given back:
15“‘Let the Venerables listen to me. This bowl belonging to monk so-and-so, which was to be relinquished, has been relinquished to the Venerables. If it seems appropriate to the Venerables, the Venerables should give this bowl back to monk so-and-so.’
16“After approaching a single monk, that monk should put his upper robe over one shoulder, squat on his haunches, put the palms of his hands together, and say: ‘This bowl which I have kept over ten days is to be relinquished. I relinquish it to the Venerable One.’" After relinquishing it, he is to confess the offence. The confession should be received by that monk. The relinquished bowl is then to be given back: “I give this bowl back to the Venerable."
Permutations
17If it is more than ten days and he perceives it as more than ten days, he commits an offence entailing relinquishment and confession. If it is more than ten days, but he has doubts about it, he commits an offence entailing relinquishment and confession. If it is more than ten days, but he perceives it as less than ten days, he commits an offence entailing relinquishment and confession
If it is undetermined, but he perceives it as determined, he commits an offence entailing relinquishment and confession. If it is not placed under shared ownership, but he perceives it as placed under shared ownership, he commits an offence entailing relinquishment and confession. If it is not given away, but he perceives it as given away, he commits an offence entailing relinquishment and confession. If it is not lost, but he perceives it as lost, he commits an offence entailing relinquishment and confession. If it is not destroyed, but he perceives it as destroyed, he commits an offence entailing relinquishment and confession. If it is not broken, but he perceives it as broken, he commits an offence entailing relinquishment and confession. If it is not stolen, but he perceives it as stolen, he commits an offence entailing relinquishment and confession.
18If he uses a bowl which is to be relinquished without first relinquishing it, he commits an offence of bad conduct. If it is less than ten days, but he perceives it as more than ten days, he commits an offence of bad conduct. If it is less than ten days, but he has doubts about it, he commits an offence of bad conduct. If it is less than ten days and he perceives it as less than ten days, there is no offence.
Non-offences
19There is no offence: if within ten days it is determined, placed under shared ownership, given away, lost, destroyed, broken, stolen, or taken on trust; if he is insane; if he is the first offender.
20At that time some monks belonging to the group six did not give back a relinquished bowl. They informed the Master. “Monks, a relinquished bowl is not not to be given back. If one does not give it back, there is an offence of bad conduct."
21The first rule, the training rule on bowls, is finished.
1 tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṃ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. tena kho pana samayena chabbaggiyā bhikkhū bahū patte sannicayaṃ karonti. manussā vihāracārikaṃ āhiṇḍantā passitvā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti— "kathañhi nāma samaṇā sakyaputtiyā bahū patte sannicayaṃ karissanti, pattavāṇijjaṃ vā samaṇā sakyaputtiyā karissanti āmattikāpaṇaṃ vā pasāressantī"ti.
2 assosuṃ kho bhikkhū tesaṃ manussānaṃ ujjhāyantānaṃ khiyyantānaṃ vipācentānaṃ. ye te bhikkhū appicchā … pe … te ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti— "kathañhi nāma chabbaggiyā bhikkhū atirekapattaṃ dhāressantī"ti.
3 atha kho te bhikkhū chabbaggiye bhikkhū anekapariyāyena vigarahitvā bhagavato etamatthaṃ ārocesuṃ … pe … "saccaṃ kira tumhe, bhikkhave, atirekapattaṃ dhārethā"ti? "saccaṃ, bhagavā"ti. vigarahi buddho bhagavā … pe … kathañhi nāma tumhe, moghapurisā, atirekapattaṃ dhāressatha. netaṃ, moghapurisā, appasannānaṃ vā pasādāya … pe … evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṃ sikkhāpadaṃ uddiseyyātha—
4 "yo pana bhikkhu atirekapattaṃ dhāreyya, nissaggiyaṃ pācittiyan"ti.
5 evañcidaṃ bhagavatā bhikkhūnaṃ sikkhāpadaṃ paññattaṃ hoti.
6 tena kho pana samayena āyasmato ānandassa atirekapatto uppanno hoti. āyasmā ca ānando taṃ pattaṃ āyasmato sāriputtassa dātukāmo hoti. āyasmā ca sāriputto sākete viharati. atha kho āyasmato ānandassa etadahosi— "bhagavatā sikkhāpadaṃ paññattaṃ— ‘na atirekapatto dhāretabbo’ti. ayañca me atirekapatto uppanno. ahañcimaṃ pattaṃ āyasmato sāriputtassa dātukāmo. āyasmā ca sāriputto sākete viharati. kathaṃ nu kho mayā paṭipajjitabban"ti? bhagavato etamatthaṃ ārocesi. "kīvaciraṃ panānanda, sāriputto āgacchissatī"ti? "navamaṃ vā, bhagavā, divasaṃ dasamaṃ vā"ti. atha kho bhagavā etasmiṃ nidāne etasmiṃ pakaraṇe dhammiṃ kathaṃ katvā bhikkhū āmantesi— "anujānāmi, bhikkhave, dasāhaparamaṃ atirekapattaṃ dhāretuṃ. evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṃ sikkhāpadaṃ uddiseyyātha—
7 "dasāhaparamaṃ atirekapatto dhāretabbo. taṃ atikkāmayato nissaggiyaṃ pācittiyan"ti. (21:40)
8 dasāhaparamanti dasāhaparamatā dhāretabbo.
9 atirekapatto nāma anadhiṭṭhito avikappito.
10 patto nāma dve pattā ayopatto mattikāpattoti.
11 tayo pattassa vaṇṇā ukkaṭṭho patto majjhimo patto omako patto. ukkaṭṭho nāma patto aḍḍhāḷhakodanaṃ gaṇhāti catubhāgaṃ khādanaṃ tadupiyaṃ byañjanaṃ. majjhimo nāma patto nāḷikodanaṃ gaṇhāti catubhāgaṃ khādanaṃ tadupiyaṃ byañjanaṃ. omako nāma patto patthodanaṃ gaṇhāti catubhāgaṃ khādanaṃ tadupiyaṃ byañjanaṃ. tato ukkaṭṭho apatto, omako apatto.
12 taṃ atikkāmayato nissaggiyo hotīti ekādase aruṇuggamane nissaggiyo hoti. nissajjitabbo sanghassa vā gaṇassa vā puggalassa vā. evañca pana, bhikkhave, nissajjitabbo. tena bhikkhunā saṇghaṃ upasankamitvā ekaṃsaṃ uttarāsangaṃ karitvā vuḍḍhānaṃ bhikkhūnaṃ pāde vanditvā ukkuṭikaṃ nisīditvā añjaliṃ paggahetvā evamassa vacanīyo— "ayaṃ me, bhante, patto dasāhātikkanto nissaggiyo. imāhaṃ sanghassa nissajjāmī"ti. nissajjitvā āpatti desetabbā. byattena bhikkhunā paṭibalena āpatti paṭiggahetabbā, nissaṭṭhapatto dātabbo—
13 "suṇātu me, bhante, sangho. ayaṃ patto itthannāmassa bhikkhuno nissaggiyo sanghassa nissaṭṭho. yadi sanghassa pattakallaṃ, sangho imaṃ pattaṃ itthannāmassa bhikkhuno dadeyyā"ti.
14 tena bhikkhunā sambahule bhikkhū upasankamitvā ekaṃsaṃ uttarāsangaṃ karitvā vuḍḍhānaṃ bhikkhūnaṃ pāde vanditvā ukkuṭikaṃ nisīditvā añjaliṃ paggahetvā evamassu vacanīyā— "ayaṃ me, bhante, patto dasāhātikkanto nissaggiyo. imāhaṃ āyasmantānaṃ nissajjāmī"ti. nissajjitvā āpatti desetabbā. byattena bhikkhunā paṭibalena āpatti paṭiggahetabbā, nissaṭṭhapatto dātabbo—
15 "suṇantu me āyasmantā. ayaṃ patto itthannāmassa bhikkhuno nissaggiyo āyasmantānaṃ nissaṭṭho. yadāyasmantānaṃ pattakallaṃ, āyasmantā imaṃ pattaṃ itthannāmassa bhikkhuno dadeyyun"ti.
16 tena bhikkhunā ekaṃ bhikkhuṃ upasankamitvā ekaṃsaṃ uttarāsangaṃ karitvā ukkuṭikaṃ nisīditvā añjaliṃ paggahetvā evamassa vacanīyo— "ayaṃ me, āvuso, patto dasāhātikkanto nissaggiyo. imāhaṃ āyasmato nissajjāmī"ti. nissajjitvā āpatti desetabbā. tena bhikkhunā āpatti paṭiggahetabbā, nissaṭṭhapatto dātabbo— "imaṃ pattaṃ āyasmato dammī"ti.
17 dasāhātikkante atikkantasaññī, nissaggiyaṃ pācittiyaṃ. dasāhātikkante vematiko, nissaggiyaṃ pācittiyaṃ. dasāhātikkante anatikkantasaññī, nissaggiyaṃ pācittiyaṃ. anadhiṭṭhite adhiṭṭhitasaññī, nissaggiyaṃ pācittiyaṃ. avikappite vikappitasaññī, nissaggiyaṃ pācittiyaṃ. avissajjite vissajjitasaññī, nissaggiyaṃ pācittiyaṃ. anaṭṭhe naṭṭhasaññī nissaggiyaṃ pācittiyaṃ. avinaṭṭhe vinaṭṭhasaññī, nissaggiyaṃ pācittiyaṃ. abhinne bhinnasaññī, nissaggiyaṃ pācittiyaṃ. avilutte viluttasaññī, nissaggiyaṃ pācittiyaṃ.
18 nissaggiyaṃ pattaṃ anissajjitvā paribhuñjati, āpatti dukkaṭassa. dasāhānatikkante atikkantasaññī, āpatti dukkaṭassa. dasāhānatikkante vematiko, āpatti dukkaṭassa. dasāhānatikkante anatikkantasaññī, anāpatti.
19 anāpatti— antodasāhaṃ adhiṭṭheti, vikappeti, vissajjeti, nassati, vinassati, bhijjati, acchinditvā gaṇhanti, vissāsaṃ gaṇhanti, ummattakassa, ādikammikassāti.
20 tena kho pana samayena chabbaggiyā bhikkhū nissaṭṭhapattaṃ na denti. bhagavato etamatthaṃ ārocesuṃ. "na, bhikkhave, nissaṭṭhapatto na dātabbo. yo na dadeyya, āpatti dukkaṭassā"ti.