On duties to the preceptor

^Kd.18.11.1 Now at that time those who shared cells did not conduct themselves properly towards their preceptors. Those who were modest monks … spread it about, saying: “How can these who share cells not conduct themselves properly towards their preceptors?” Then these monks told this matter to the Lord. He said: “Is it true, as is said, monks, that those who share cells do not conduct themselves properly towards their preceptors?” “It is true, Lord.” The Awakened One, the Lord rebuked them, saying:

“How, monks, can those who share cells ^Vin.2.223 not conduct themselves properly towards their preceptors? It is not, monks …” And having rebuked them, having given reasoned talk, he addressed the monks, saying:

“Well then, monks, I will lay down an observance for those who share cells towards their preceptors and which should be observed by those who share cells towards their preceptors:

^Kd.18.11.2 “The one who shares a cell,^[1] monks, should conduct himself ^BD.5.312 properly towards the preceptor. This is the proper conduct in this respect: having got up early, having taken off his sandals, having arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, he should give toothwood, he should give water for rinsing the mouth, he should make ready a seat. If there is conjey, having washed a bowl, the conjey should be placed near (the preceptor). When he has drunk the conjey, having given him water, having received the bowl, having lowered it, having washed it properly without rubbing it, it should be put away. When the preceptor has got up, the seat should be removed. If that place is soiled, that place should be swept.

^Kd.18.11.3 “If the preceptor wishes to enter a village, his inner clothing should be given (to him), the inner clothing (that he is wearing) should be received (from him) in return, the waistband should be given (to him); having folded them (into two or four folds), the outer robes are to be given (to him); having washed it, a bowl with water is to be given (to him). If the preceptor desires an attendant, (the latter) having put on his inner robe all round so as to cover the three circles, having bound on the waistband, having folded them, and having dressed in the outer robes, having fastened the ties, having washed, having taken a bowl, should be the preceptor’s attendant. He should not walk too far away (from him), he should not walk too close. He should receive the bowl and its contents.

^Kd.18.11.4 “He should not interrupt the preceptor when he is speaking. (But) if the preceptor is bordering on an offence, then, speaking himself, he should warn him. When he is returning, he should make ready a seat, having come back first; he should set out water for washing the feet, a foot-stool, a foot-stand; having gone to meet him, he should receive his bowl and robe, he should give back the inner clothing (given) in return, he should receive his inner clothing. If a robe is damp with perspiration, he should dry it for a short time in the sun’s warmth, but a robe should not be laid aside in the warmth. He should fold up the robe. When folding up the robe, having made the corners turn back four finger-breadths, he should fold up the robe, thinking ‘Mind there is no crease in the middle.’ The waistband should be placed in a fold (of the robe). If there is almsfood and the preceptor wishes to eat, having given him water, almsfood should be placed near (him).

^{Kd.18.11.5 BD.5.313} “He should offer the preceptor drinking-water. When he has eaten, having given him water, having received the bowl, having lowered it, having washed it properly without rubbing it, having emptied out the water, he should dry it for a short time in the sun’s warmth, but a bowl should not be laid aside in the warmth. ^Vin.2.224 He should lay aside the bowl and robes. When laying aside the bowl, having taken the bowl in one hand, having felt with the other hand under the couch or under the chair, the bowl should be laid aside, but the bowl should not be laid aside on the bare ground. When laying aside a robe, having taken the robe in one hand, having stroked the other hand along the bamboo for robes or along the cord for robes, having got the edges away from him and the fold towards him, the robe should be laid aside. When the preceptor has got up, the seat should be removed, the water for washing the feet, the foot-stool, the foot-stand should be put away. If that place comes to be soiled that place should be swept.

^Kd.18.11.6 “If the preceptor wishes to bathe, he should prepare a bath. If he wants a cold (bath), he should prepare a cold one; if he wants a hot (bath), he should prepare a hot one. If the preceptor wishes to enter a bathroom, he should knead chunam, should moisten clay; taking a chair for the bathroom, having gone close behind the preceptor, having given him the chair for the bathroom, having received his robe he should lay it to one side. He should give him the chunam, he should give him the clay. If he is able to do so, he should enter the bathroom. When he is entering the bathroom, having smeared his face with clay, having covered himself front and back, he should enter the bathroom.

^Kd.18.11.7 “He should not sit down so as to encroach upon (the space intended for) monks who are elders. He should not keep newly ordained monks from a seat. He should make preparation for the preceptor in a bathroom. When he is leaving the bathroom, taking the chair for the bathroom, having covered himself front and back, he should leave the bathroom. He should also make preparation for the preceptor in the water. When he is bathing, having come out of the water (first), having dried his own body, having put on his inner robe, he should wipe off the water from the preceptor’s limbs, he should ^BD.5.314 give him his inner clothing, he should give him his outer cloak; taking the chair for the bathroom, having come back first, he should make ready a seat, he should put out water for washing the feet, a foot-stool, a foot-stand. He should offer the preceptor drinking-water.

^Kd.18.11.8 “If he wishes to make him recite, he should make him recite. If he wishes to interrogate, he should be interrogated. In whatever dwelling-place the preceptor is staying, if that dwelling-place is soiled, it should be cleaned if he is able (to do so). When he is cleaning the dwelling-place, having first taken out the bowl and robes, he should lay them to one side. Having taken out the piece of cloth to sit upon and the sheet, he should lay them to one side. Having taken out the mattress and the squatting-mat, he should lay them to one side.

^Kd.18.11.9 “Having lowered the couch, ^Vin.2.225 having taken it out carefully without rubbing it, without knocking it against the door or the posts, he should lay it to one side. Having lowered the chair, having taken it out carefully without rubbing it, without knocking it against the door or the posts, he should lay it to one side. Having taken out the supports for the couch, he should lay them to one side. Having taken out the spittoon, he should lay it to one side. Having taken out the reclining-board, he should lay it to one side. Having taken out the ground-covering, having observed how it was laid down, he should lay it to one side. If there come to be cobwebs in the dwelling-place, he should first remove them from the (floor-) covering; he should wipe the corners of the window-holes. If a wall that was coloured red comes to be stained, he should wipe it, having moistened a rag, having wrung it out. If ground that was blacked becomes stained, he should wipe it, having moistened a rag, having wrung it out. If the ground did not come to be treated, he should sweep it, having sprinkled it all over with water, thinking: ‘Take care lest the dwelling-place is sullied with dust’. Having looked for (any) rubbish, he should remove it to one side.

^Kd.18.11.10 “Having dried the ground-covering in the sun, having cleaned it, having shaken it, having brought it back, he should lay it down as it was laid down before. Having dried the supports for the couch in the sun, having wiped them, having brought them back, he should place them where they were ^BD.5.315 before. Having dried the couch in the sun, … the chair in the sun, having cleaned it, having shaken it, having lowered it, having brought it back carefully without rubbing it, without knocking it against the door or the posts, he should lay it down as it was laid down before. Having dried the mattress and the squatting mat in the sun … having dried the piece of cloth to sit upon and the sheet in the sun, having cleaned them, having shaken them, having brought them back, he should lay them down as they were laid down before. Having dried the spittoon in the sun, having wiped it, having brought it back, he should place it where it was before. Having dried the reclining-board in the sun, having wiped it, having brought it back, he should place it where it was before.

^Kd.18.11.11 “He should lay aside the bowl and robes. When laying aside the bowl … as in Kd.18.11.5 … When laying aside a robe … the fold towards him, the robe should be laid aside.

^Kd.18.11.12 “If dusty winds blow from the east, he should close the eastern windows. If dusty winds blow from the west … the north … ^Vin.2.226 … from the south, he should close the southern windows. If the weather is cool, he should open the windows by day, he should close them at night. If the weather is warm, he should close the windows by day, he should open them at night.

^Kd.18.11.13 “If a cell is soiled, the cell should be swept. If a porch … an attendance-hall … a fire-hall … a privy is soiled, the privy should be swept. If there is no drinking-water, drinking-water should be provided. If there is no water for washing, water for washing should be provided. If there is no water in the pitcher of water for rinsing, water should be tipped into the pitcher of water for rinsing.

^Kd.18.11.14 “If dissatisfaction has arisen in the preceptor, the one who shares his cell should allay it or get another to allay it, or he should give him a talk on dhamma. If remorse has arisen in the preceptor, the one who shares the cell should dispel it or get another to dispel it, or he should give him a talk on dhamma, If wrong views have arisen in the preceptor, the one who shares his cell should dissuade him (from them) or get another to dissuade him (from them), or he should give him a talk on dhamma.

^{Kd.18.11.15 BD.5.316} “If the preceptor has committed an offence against an important rule and deserves probation, the one who shares his cell should make an effort, thinking: ‘How then could the Order grant the preceptor probation?’ If the preceptor deserves to be sent back to the beginning, the one who shares his cell should make an effort, thinking: ‘How then could the Order send the preceptor back to the beginning?’ If the preceptor deserves mānatta (discipline), the one who shares his cell should make an effort, thinking: ‘How then could the Order inflict mānatta (discipline) on the preceptor?’ If the preceptor deserves rehabilitation, the one who shares his cell should make an effort, thinking: ‘How then could the Order rehabilitate the preceptor?’

^Kd.18.11.16 “If the Order desires to carry out a (formal) act against the preceptor—one of censure or one of guidance or one of banishment or one of reconciliation or one of suspension—the one who shares his cell should make an effort, thinking: ‘How then could the Order not carry out a (formal) act against the preceptor, or change it to a lighter one?’ Yet if a (formal) act—one of censure … one of suspension—is carried out by the Order against him, the one who shares his cell should make an effort, thinking: ‘How then could the preceptor conduct himself properly, be subdued, mend his ways, (so that) the Order could revoke that (formal) act?’

^Kd.18.11.17 “If the preceptor’s robe should be washed, ^Vin.2.227 the one who shares his cell should wash it or he should make an effort, thinking: ‘How then could the preceptor’s robe be washed?’ If the preceptor’s robe-material should be made up, the one who shares his cell should make it up or he should make an effort, thinking: ‘How then could the preceptor’s robe-material be made up?’ If dye should be boiled for the preceptor, the one who shares the cell should boil it or he should make an effort, thinking: ‘How then can the dye be boiled?’ If the preceptor’s robe should be dyed, the one who shares his cell should dye it or should make an effort, thinking: ‘How then can the preceptor’s robe be dyed?’ When he is dyeing the robe, he should dye it properly, turning it again and again, nor should he go away if the drips have not ceased.

^Kd.18.11.18 “Without asking the preceptor (for permission), he should ^BD.5.317 not give an almsbowl to anyone nor should he receive an alms bowl from anyone; he should not give a robe to anyone nor should he receive a robe from anyone; he should not give a requisite to anyone nor should he receive a requisite from anyone; he should not cut off anyone’s hair, nor should he have his hair cut off by anyone; he should not render a service to anyone nor should he cause a service to be rendered by anyone; he should not execute a commission for anyone nor should he cause a commission to be executed by anyone; he should not become an attendant on anyone nor should he take anyone as an attendant; he should not bring back almsfood for anyone nor should he have almsfood brought back by anyone. Without asking the preceptor (for permission), he should not enter a village, he should not go to a cemetery, he should not leave the district. If the preceptor becomes ill, he should tend him for as long as life lasts; he should wait (with him) until he recovers. This, monks, is the observance for those who share cells towards preceptors and which should be observed by those who share cells towards preceptors.”

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

From here to the end of Kd.18.11.2 see Kd.1.25.8–Kd.1.25.24, and for notes see BD.4.59ff.