Mahavagga, Khandaka 8, Chapter 32

1. There are, O Bhikkhus, these eight grounds^[1] for the getting of a gift of robes—when he gives it to the boundary, when he gives it to (a Saṃgha which is) under agreement (with other Saṃghas), when he gives it on a declaration of alms, when he gives it to the Saṃgha, when he gives it to both the Saṃghas, when he gives it to the Saṃgha which has spent the rainy season (at the place), when he gives it to a specified number^[2], when he gives it to a single Bhikkhu.

'When he gives it to the boundary, it is to be divided among all those Bhikkhus who have come within the boundary^[3].

'When he gives it to a Saṃgha which is under agreement, there are a number of residences which hold in common whatever they get, and what is given in one residence is given in all.

'When he gives it on a declaration of alms (means when the givers say), "We give it at the place where constant supply of alms is kept up for the Saṃgha^[4]."

'When he gives it to the Saṃgha, it is to be divided among the Saṃgha there present.

'When he gives it to both the Saṃghas, though there be many Bhikkhus and only one Bhikkhunī, an equal half is to be given (to each of the two Saṃghas), and though there be many Bhikkhunīs and only one Bhikkhu, an equal half is to be given (to each of the two Saṃghas).

'When he gives it to the Saṃgha which has spent the rainy season, it is to be divided among as many Bhikkhus as have spent the rainy season at that particular residence.

'When he gives it to a specified number, it is the number present at the giving of congey, or rice, or hard food, or robes, or bedding, or medicine^[5].

'When he gives it to a single Bhikkhu, he says, "I give a set of robes to such and such a one."'

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Mātikā; used in the same sense here as at VII, 1, 7.

[2]:

That is, of monks and nuns--the Bhikkhu--saṃgha and the Bhikkhunī-saṃgha.

[3]:

See chapters II, 6 and following.

[4]:

Buddhaghosa says, Bhikkhā-paññattiyā, ti attano pariccāgapañña-paññapana-tṭhāne. Ten’ ev’ āha yattha saṃghassa dhuvakārā kariyantī ti. Tass’ attho, yasmiṃ vihāre imassa cīvara-dāyakassa santakaṃ saṃghassa pākavaṭṭaṃ vā vaṭṭati, yasmiṃ vā vihāre bhikkhū attano bhāraṃ katvā sadā gehe bhojesi. Yattha vārena āvāso vā kārito, salākabhattādīni vā nibaddhāni, yena pana sakalo pi vihāro patiṭṭhāpito, tattha vattabbaṃ eva n’ atthi ime dhuvakārā nāma.

[5]:

That is, he invites a number of Bhikkhus to partake of yāgu, and when the yāgu is served he says, 'I give robes to those who have partaken of the yāgu,' and so on in all the other cases except that of robes. In that case he says, 'I give robes to those who have previously received robes from me' (B.).