… among the Sakyans at Kapilavatthu in the Banyan monastery. Now at that time monks were invited by a certain potter who said: “If these masters need a bowl, I (can supply them) with a bowl.” Now at that time monks, not knowing moderation, asked for many bowls. They asked for large bowls for those who had small bowls, they asked for small bowls for those who had large bowls. Then that potter, making many bowls for the monks, could not make other goods for sale, and he could not keep himself going and his wife and children suffered. People … spread it about, saying: “How can these recluses, sons of the Sakyans, not knowing moderation, ask for many bowls? This (man), making many bowls for these (monks), is not able to make other goods for sale, and he cannot keep himself going and his wife and children suffer.”

Monks heard these people who … spread it about. Those who were modest monks … spread it about, saying: “How can these monks, not knowing moderation, ask for many bowls? Then these monks told this matter to the lord. He said:

“Monks, is it true, as is said, that monks, not knowing moderation, asked for many bowls?”

“It is true, lord.”

The enlightened one, the lord, rebuked them, saying:

“How, monks, can these foolish men, not knowing moderation, ask for many bowls? It is not, monks, for pleasing those who are not (yet) pleased …” And having rebuked them and given reasoned talk, he addressed the monks, saying:

“Monks, a bowl is not to be asked for. Whoever should ask (for one), there is an offence of wrong-doing.”

Now at that time a certain monk’s bowl became broken. Then it occurred to that monk: “Asking for a bowl is forbidden by the lord,” and being scrupulous; he did not ask (for one); he went about for alms-food (to be put) into his hands. People … spread it about, saying: “How can these recluses, sons of the Sakyans, go about for alms-food (to be put) into their hands, like followers of other sects?” Monks heard these people who … spread it about. Then these monks told this matter to the lord. Then the lord on this occasion, in this connection, having given reasoned talk, addressed the monks, saying: “I allow you, monks, when a bowl is destroyed or when a bowl is broken, to ask for a bowl.”

Now at that time the group of six monks said: “It is allowed by the lord to ask for a bowl when a bowl is destroyed or when a bowl is broken”; and these, because (their bowls) were a little broken and a little chipped and a little scratched, asked for many bowls. Then that potter, making many bowls, as before, for the monks, was not able to make other goods for sale, and he did not keep himself going and his wife and children suffered. As before, people … spread it about, saying: “How can these recluses, sons of the Sakyans, not knowing moderation, ask for many bowls? This (man) making many bowls for these (monks), is not able to make other goods for sale, and he does not keep himself going and his wife and children suffer.” Monks heard these people who … spread it about. Those who were modest monks … spread it about, saying: “How can this group of six monks, when their bowls are a little broken and a little chipped and a little scratched, ask for many bowls?” Then these monks told this matter to the lord. He said:

“Is it true, as is said, that you, monks, when your bowls were a little broken … asked for many bowls?”

“It is true, lord,” they said.

The enlightened one, the lord, rebuked them, saying:

“How can you, foolish men, when your bowls are a little broken … ask for many bowls? It is not, foolish men, for pleasing those who are not yet pleased … And thus, monks, this rule of training should be set forth:

“Whatever monk should get another new bowl in exchange for a bowl mended in less than five places, there is an offence of expiation involving forfeiture. That bowl is to be forfeited by that monk to the company of monks, and whatever is the last bowl belonging to that company of monks, that should be given to this monk with the words: ‘Monk, this is a bowl for you; it should be kept until it breaks.’ That is the proper course in this case.”

Whatever means: … is monk to be understood in this case.

A bowl mended in less than five places means: it is not mended, or it is mended in one (place), or it is mended in two (places), or it is mended in three (places), or it is mended in four (places). A bowl with no room for mends means: its rim is not two finger-lengths (in breadth). A bowl with room for mends means: its rim is two finger-lengths (in breadth).

New bowl means: it is so called with reference to the asking for (it).

Should get in exchange means: he asks for (it). There is an offence of wrong-doing in the action. It is to be forfeited on acquisition. It should be forfeited in the midst of the Order. All should come together taking each the bowl in his keeping. An inferior bowl should not be in his keeping if he hopes, ‘I shall receive a costly bowl.’ If an inferior bowl is in his keeping, and he hopes, ‘I shall receive a costly bowl,’ there is an offence of wrong-doing. And thus, monks, should it be forfeited. That monk, approaching the Order, arranging his upper robe over one shoulder, honouring the feet of the senior monks, sitting down on his haunches, saluting with joined palms, should say: ‘Honoured sirs, this bowl, got in exchange by me for a bowl mended in less than five places, is to be forfeited. I forfeit it to the Order.’ Having forfeited it, the offence should be confessed. The offence should be acknowledged by an experienced, competent monk. A monk endowed with five qualities should be agreed upon as assigner of bowls: one who would not follow a wrong course through desire, one who would not follow a wrong course through hatred, one who would not follow a wrong course through stupidity, one who would not follow a wrong course through fear, and one who would know what is taken and what is not taken. And thus, monks, should he be agreed upon. First, the monk is to be requested. Having been requested, the Order should be informed by an experienced, competent monk, saying: ‘Honoured sirs, let the Order listen to me. If it seems right to the Order, the Order should agree upon the monk so and so as assigner of bowls. This is the motion. Honoured sirs, let the Order listen to me. The Order agrees upon the monk so and so as assigner of bowls. If it is pleasing to the venerable ones to agree upon the monk so and so as assigner of bowls, let them be silent; if it is not pleasing, they should speak. The monk so and so is agreed upon by the Order as assigner of bowls, and it is right … So do I understand.’ The monk agreed upon should make the bowl pass. He should say to an elder: ‘Honoured sir, let the elder take the bowl.’ If the elder takes it, the elder’s bowl should be passed to a second. He should not take it out of regard for him. For whoever should not take it, there is an offence of wrong-doing. It should not be made to pass to one who has what is not a bowl. In this way the bowl should be made to pass down to the youngest member of the Order.

Whatever is the last bowl belonging to that company of monks, that should be given to this monk with the words : ‘Monk, this is a bowl for you; it should be kept until it breaks’ means: This bowl should not be laid aside by that monk in what is not the right place; it should not be used for improper purposes; it should not be given away with the words: ‘How can this bowl be lost or destroyed or broken?’ If it is laid aside in the wrong place or used for improper purposes or given away, there is an offence of wrong-doing.

This is the proper course in this case means: this is the appropriate course in this case.

If he gets an unmended bowl in exchange for an unmended bowl, there is an offence of expiation involving forfeiture. If he gets a bowl that is mended in one place … in two places … in three places … in four places in exchange for an unmended bowl, there is an offence of expiation involving forfeiture. If he gets an unmended bowl … a bowl that is mended in one place … in two places … in three places … in four places in exchange for a bowl that is mended in one place, there is an offence of expiation involving forfeiture. If he gets an unmended bowl … a bowl that is mended in one place … in two places … in three places … in four places in exchange for a bowl that is mended in two places … in three places … in four places, there is an offence of expiation involving forfeiture.

If he gets a bowl with no room for mends in exchange for an unmended bowl, there is an offence of expiation involving forfeiture. If he gets a bowl that has room for one mend in exchange for an unmended bowl … If he gets a bowl that has room for four mends in exchange for a bowl that is mended in four places, there is an offence of expiation involving forfeiture.

If he gets an unmended bowl in exchange for a bowl that has no room for mends, there is an offence of expiation involving forfeiture … If he gets a bowl mended in four places in exchange for a bowl that has room for four mends, there is an offence of expiation involving forfeiture.

If he gets a bowl with no room for mends in exchange for a bowl that has no room for mends … If he gets a bowl that has room for four mends in exchange for a bowl that has room for four mends, there is an offence of expiation involving forfeiture.

There is no offence if the bowl is destroyed, if the bowl is broken, if they belong to relations, if they are invited, if it is for another, if it is by means of his own property; if he is mad, if he is the first wrong-doer.