Monks’ Forfeiture (Nissaggiya) 11

^{Bu-NP.11.1.1 BD.2.71} … at Āḷavī in the chief shrine at Āḷavī.^[1] At that time the group of six monks, approaching silk-makers,^[2] said: “Sirs, hatch^[3] many silk-worms, and give them to us, for we want to make a rug^[4] mixed with silk.” These looked down upon, criticised, spread it about, saying:

“How can these recluses, sons of the Sakyans, approaching us, speak thus: ‘Sirs, hatch … mixed with silk’? It is a loss for us, it is ill-gotten for us that we, for the sake of livelihood, for the sake of wife and children, are bringing (these) many small creatures into destruction.”

Monks heard these men who … spread it about. Those who were modest monks … spread it about, saying:

“How can the group of six monks, approaching silk-makers, say: ‘Sirs, hatch … a rug mixed with silk’?” Then these monks told this matter to the lord. He said:

“Is it true, as is said, that you, monks, approaching silk-makers, spoke thus: ‘Sirs, hatch … a rug mixed with silk’?”

“It is true, lord,” they said.

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

“How can you, foolish men, approaching silk-makers, speak thus: ‘Sirs, hatch … a rug mixed with silk’? It is not, foolish men, for pleasing those ^BD.2.72 who are not (yet) pleased … And thus, monks, this rule of training should be set forth:

“Whatever monks should cause a rug to be made mixed with silk, there is an offence of expiation involving forfeiture.”

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^Bu-NP.11.2.1 Whatever means: he who …

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

A rug means: it is made “having spread,” not woven.^[5]

Should cause to be made means: if he makes it or causes it to be made mixing it with one silken filament,^[6] there is an offence of wrong-doing in the action. It is to be forfeited on acquisition. It should be forfeited to the Order, or to a group, or to an individual. And thus, monks, should it be forfeited: … ‘Honoured sirs, this rug, which I had made mixed with silk, is to be forfeited. I forfeit it to the Order.’ … ‘… the Order should give back … let the venerable ones give back … I will give back this rug to the venerable one.’ ^Vin.3.225

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^Bu-NP.11.2.2 If what was incompletely executed by himself, he has finished by himself, there is an offence of expiation involving forfeiture. If he makes others finish what was incompletely executed by himself, there is an offence of expiation involving forfeiture. If what was incompletely executed by others, he has finished by himself, there is an offence of expiation involving forfeiture. If he makes others finish what was incompletely executed by others, there is an offence of expiation involving forfeiture. If he makes it or causes it to be made for another, there is an offence of wrong-doing. If, acquiring what was made for another, he ^BD.2.73 makes use of it, there is an offence of wrong-doing.^[7]

There is no offence if he makes a canopy^[8] or a ground-covering^[9] or a screen-wall^[10] or a mattress^[11] or a squatting mat^[12]; if he is mad, if he is the first wrong-doer.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Cf. BD.1.247.

[2]:

kosiyakāraka, those preparing the raw silk, raising silk-worms (kosakāraka), rather than silk-weavers.

[3]:

pacatha, literally boil or cook.

[4]:

santhata, something that is spread: a rug, mat or a sheet. See BD.1.247.

[5]:

I.e., having spread out the material, or by the spreading method; see BD.2, Introduction, p.xxii.

[6]:

aṃsu is really the technical name of those small particles of which a thread is composed, not the thread itself.

[7]:

= below, Vin.3.227, Vin.3.229, Vin.3.233, and Vin.4.167, Vin.4.171.

[8]:

Nowadays a canopy would be used for putting over shrines.

[9]:

Cf. BD.2.46, above.

[10]:

Such as a wall made up of cloth. Word occurs at Vin.3.189, Vin.4.269, Ja.2.88.

[11]:

bhisi; see above, BD.2.47.

[12]:

bimbohana, such as monks in Ceylon use nowadays in the hall where the uposatha is held and the upasampadā conferred. They are usually padded. These items recur below at BD.2.78, BD.2.82, BD.2.89, and Vin.4.171, Vin.4.279.