Monks’ Forfeiture (Nissaggiya) 9

^{Bu-NP.9.1.1 BD.2.58} … at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove in Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. At that time^[1] a certain man said to another man: “I will present master Upananda, the son of the Sakyans, with a robe.” Then he^[2] said: “I also will present master Upananda, the son of the Sakyans, with a robe.” A certain monk who was going for alms heard this conversation of these men. Then this monk approached the venerable Upananda, the son of the Sakyans, and having approached, he said to the venerable Upananda, the son of the Sakyans:

“You, reverend Upananda, are of great merit; on a certain occasion a ^Vin.3.218 certain man said to another man: ‘I will present master Upananda, the son of the Sakyans, with a robe.’ Then he said: ‘I also will present master Upananda, the son of the Sakyans with a robe.’” ‘Your reverence, these (men) are my supporters.’ Then the venerable Upananda, the son of the Sakyans, approached these men, and having approached, he said to these men:

“Is it true, as is said, that you, sirs, desire to present me with robes?”

“Did we not think, master: ‘We will present master Upananda with robes?’”

“If you, sirs, desire to present me with robes, present me with a robe like this. What shall I do with ones presented that I cannot make use of?”

Then these men … spread it about, saying:

“These recluses, sons of the Sakyans, have great desires, they are not contented. It is not easy to present them with robes. How can master Upananda, before being invited by us, approaching, put forward a consideration with regard to a robe?”

^BD.2.59 Monks heard these men who … spread it about. Those who were modest monks … spread it about, saying: “How can the venerable Upananda, the son of the Sakyans, before being invited, approaching householders, put forward a consideration with regard to a robe?” Then these monks told this matter to the lord. He said:

“Is it true, as is said, that you, Upananda, before being invited, approaching householders, put forward a consideration with regard to a robe?” “It is true, lord,” he said.

“Are they relations of yours, Upananda, or not relations?”

“They are not relations, lord,” he said.

“Foolish man, one who is not a relation does not know what is suitable or what is unsuitable, or what is right or what is wrong for those who are not relations.^[3] Thus you, foolish man, before being invited, approaching householders who are not relations, will put forward a consideration with regard to a robe. It is not, foolish man, for pleasing those who are not (yet) pleased … And thus, monks, this rule of training should be set forth:

“In case various robe-funds come to be laid by for a monk by two men householders or by (two) women householders who are not relations (of his), thinking: ‘We will present the monk so and so with robes, having got various robes in exchange for the various robe-funds.’ Then if that monk, out of desire for something fine, approaching before being invited, should put forward a consideration with regard to a robe, saying: ‘Indeed it would be well; do let the venerable ones, having got a robe like this or like that in exchange for the various robe-funds, present it to me, the two together with one,’^[4] there is an offence of expiation involving forfeiture.” ^Vin.3.219

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^{Bu-NP.9.2.1 BD.2.60} For a monk^[5] means: … See Bu-NP.8.2.2 … being desirous of presenting to a monk.

By two^[6] means: by two.^[7]

Men who are not relations means: … back through seven generations.^[8]

Men householders mean: they who live in a house.

Women householders mean: they who live in a house.

Robe-funds mean: gold or gold coins or pearls or jewels or corals or ploughshares or cloths or threads or cottons.^[9]

For these various robe-funds means: for these (things) that are present.

Having got in exchange means: having bartered.

We will present means: we will give.

Then if that monk means: that monk for whom the robe-funds have come to be laid by.

Before being invited means: … ‘… what kind of robe shall we get in exchange for you?’

Approaching … should put forward a consideration with regard to a robe means: ‘Let it be long …’

For these various robe-funds means: for these (things) that are present.

Like this … present (it) means: give (it).

The two together with one means: two people for one (robe).^[10]

Out of desire for something fine means: wanting what is good, wanting what is costly.

If, according to what he says, they get in exchange one that is long or wide or rough or soft, there is an offence of wrong-doing in the action … (See Bu-NP.8.2.1–Bu-NP.8.2.3; instead of a householder who is not a ^BD.2.61 relation, … a householder read householders who are not relations … householders) … if he gets something of small value in exchange while they desire to get something costly in exchange; if he is mad, if he is the first wrong-doer.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Cf. Bu-NP.8

[2]:

The other man.

[3]:

Cf. above, BD.2.39, BD.2.44, BD.2.59.

[4]:

Ubho’va santā, ekenā ti. The Commentary says nothing, but see Old Commentary below. It means that the two men should combine and put their funds together so that there should be two funds which could then be exchanged for one (good) cloth or robe, and the two men present the monk with one robe.

[5]:

Cf. this portion of the Old Commentary, with that on previous Nissaggiya.

[6]:

ubhinnaṃ, (more properly ‘both’) … dvinnaṃ.

[7]:

ubhinnaṃ, (more properly ‘both’) … dvinnaṃ.

[8]:

Cf. above, BD.2.39, BD.2.44, BD.2.54.

[9]:

Cf. above, BD.2.55, where these items are given in the singular, since only one robe-fund is being defined.

[10]:

dve pi janā ekena, two people with one (fine robe instead of with two more ordinary ones).