Theravāda Vinayapiṭaka
Monks’ rules and their analysis
Monks’ Relinquishment 10: kings
Origin story
At one time the Buddha, the Master, was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. At that time a minister who was a supporter of Venerable Upananda sent a robe fund for Venerable Upananda by messenger, saying, “Buy a robe with this fund and give it to Venerable Upananda.”
The messenger went to Venerable Upananda and said: “Bhante, I have brought a robe fund for you. Please accept it.”
“We do not receive robe funds, but we do receive allowable robes at the right time.”
“Is there anyone who provides services for you?”
Just then a certain lay disciple had come to the monastery on some business. Venerable Upananda told the messenger: “This lay disciple provides services for the monks.”
The messenger instructed that lay disciple and then returned to Venerable Upananda and said: “I have instructed the lay disciple you pointed out for me. Please approach him at the right time and he will give you a robe.”
Later on that minister sent a messenger to Venerable Upananda, saying, “May the Venerable use the robe; we wish you to use the robe.” But Venerable Upananda did not say anything to that lay disciple. The minister sent the same message a second time, but again Venerable Upananda did nothing. The minister then sent the message a third time.
On that occasion the towns-people were having a community meeting, and an agreement had been made that whoever came late got fined fifty coins. Just then Venerable Upananda went to that lay disciple and said: “I need a robe.”
“Bhante, please wait one day, for today there is a community meeting, and an agreement has been made that whoever comes late gets fined fifty coins.”
“Give me the robe today,” and he grabbed him by the belt.
Being pressured by Venerable Upananda, the lay disciple bought him a robe, and as a consequence he was late for the meeting. People asked him: “Sir, why are you late? You have just lost fifty coins.”
Then that lay disciple informed those people of what had happened. They grumbled and complained: “These Sakyan ascetics have great desires; they are not content. Even to provide them with a service is not easy. How can Venerable Upananda not agree when he is asked by a lay disciple to wait for a day?”
The monks heard the complaints of those people, and the monks of few desires … complained and criticised him: “How could Venerable Upananda not agree when asked by a lay disciple to wait for a day?”
After criticising Venerable Upananda in many ways, they informed the Master … “Is it true, Upananda, that you did not agree when asked by a lay disciple to wait for a day?”
“It’s true, Master.”
The Buddha, the Master, rebuked him: “… Foolish man, how could you not agree when asked by a lay disciple to wait for a day? This will not give rise to confidence in those without it … And, monks, this training rule should be recited thus:
Final ruling
“If a king, a king’s employee, a brahmin, or a householder sends a robe fund for a monk by messenger, saying, ‘Buy a robe with this robe fund and give it to monk so-and-so,’ and the messenger goes to that monk and says, ‘Bhante, I have brought a robe fund for you; please accept it,’ then that monk should reply, ‘We do not receive robe funds, but we do receive allowable robes at the right time.’ If that messenger then says, ‘Is there anyone who provides services for you?’, the monk, if he needs a robe, should point out a monastery attendant or a lay disciple and say, ‘He provides services for the monks.’ If the messenger instructs that service provider and then returns to the monk and says, ‘Bhante, I have instructed the service provider you pointed out; please approach him at the right time and he will give you a robe,’ then, if that monk needs a robe, he should approach that service provider and prompt him and remind him two or three times, saying, ‘I need a robe.’ If he then gets a robe, good. If he does not get it, he should stand in silence for it at most six times. If he then gets a robe, good. If he makes any further effort and then gets the robe, he commits an offence entailing relinquishment and confession. If he does not get a robe, he should go to the owner of that robe fund, or send a messenger: ‘Sirs, that monk has not received any benefit from the robe fund you sent for him. May you get back what is yours; may it not be lost.’ This is the proper procedure.”
Definitions
For a monk: for the benefit of a monk; making a monk the object of consideration, they desire to supply him.
A king’s employee: whoever gets food and wages from a king.
A brahmin: a brahmin by birth.
A householder: anyone apart from a king, a king’s employee, and a brahmin.
A robe fund: gold, a pearl, or a gem.
With this robe fund: with that which is at his disposal.
And the messenger goes to that monk and says, “Bhante, I have brought a robe fund for you; please accept it,” then that monk should reply, “We do not receive robe funds, but we do receive allowable robes at the right time.” If that messenger then says, “Is there anyone who provides services for you?”, the monk, if he needs a robe, should point out a monastery attendant or a lay disciple and say, “He provides services for the monks”: he should not say, “Give it to him,” or “He will put it aside,” or, “He will do the exchange,” or, “He will buy it.”
If the messenger instructs that service provider and then returns to the monk and says, “Bhante, I have instructed the service provider you pointed out; please approach him at the right time and he will give you a robe,” then, if that monk needs a robe, he should approach that service provider and prompt him and remind him two or three times, saying, “I need a robe”: he should not say, “Give me a robe,” or “Get me a robe,” or, “Get a robe in exchange for me,” or, “Buy me a robe.” He should say it a second and a third time. If he gets it, good. If he does not get it, he should go there and ‒
He should stand in silence for it:
He should not sit down on a seat. He should not accept a gift. He should not speak on Dhamma. If he is asked, “Why have you come?”, he should say, “You know.” If he sits down on a seat, or he accepts a gift, or he speaks on Dhamma, he loses one allowance to stand.
He should stand a second and a third time. If he prompts four times, he can stand four times. If he prompts five times, he can stand twice. If he prompts six times, he cannot stand at all.
If he make any further effort and the robe then appears, he commits an offence of bad conduct for the effort. When he gets the robe, he commits an offence entailing relinquishment. The robe 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 Bu-NP.1.3.2, with appropriate substitutions. … ‘Bhante, this robe of mine, which I got after prompting more than three times and standing more than six times, is to be relinquished. I relinquish it to the Sangha.’ … the Sangha should give … the Venerables should give … ‘I give this robe back to the Venerable.’”
If he does not get a robe, he should go to the owner of that robe fund, or send a messenger: ‘Sirs, that monk has not received any benefit from the robe fund you sent for him. May you get back what is yours; may it not be lost.’ This is the proper procedure: this is the right method.
Permutations
If he prompts more than three times and stands more than six times, and he perceives that he has, and he gets the robe, he commits an offence entailing relinquishment and confession. If he prompts more than three times and stands more than six times, but he has doubts about it, and he gets the robe, he commits an offence entailing relinquishment and confession. If he prompts more than three times and stands more than six times, but he perceives that it is less, and he gets the robe, he commits an offence entailing relinquishment and confession.
If he prompts less than three times and stands less than six times, but he perceives that it is more, he commits an offence of bad conduct. If he prompts less than three times and stands less than six times, but he has doubts about it, he commits an offence of bad conduct. If he prompts less than three times and stands less than six times, and he perceives that it is less, there is no offence.
Non-offences
There is no offence: if he prompts three times; if he stands six time; if he prompts less than three times; if he stands less than six times; if it is given without prompting; if he prompts the owners and they give; if he is insane; if he is the first offender.
The tenth rule, the training rule on kings, is finished.
The first chapter on the kathina frame is finished.