Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law

The Great Analysis

The chapter on relinquishment

The subchapter on almsbowls

28. The training rule on haste-cloth

Origin story

At one time when the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery,

a government official who was about to set out on a journey sent a message to the monks, saying,

“Come, venerables, I wish to give robe-cloth to those who have completed the rainy-season residence.”

The monks thought,

“The Buddha has allowed such robes only for those who have completed the rains residence,”

and being afraid of wrongdoing they did not go.

That government official complained and criticized them,

“How could they not come when I send a message?

I’m about to set out with the army.

It’s hard to know whether I’ll live or die.”

The monks heard the complaints of that government official,

and they told the Buddha.

Soon afterwards the Buddha gave a teaching and addressed the monks:

“Monks, I allow you to receive a haste-cloth, and then store it.”

When they heard about this,

monks received haste-cloths and stored them beyond the robe season,

keeping them in bundles on a bamboo robe rack.

While walking about the dwellings, Venerable Ānanda saw that cloth, and he asked the monks,

“Whose cloth is this?”

“It’s our haste-cloth.”

“But how long have you stored it?”

They told him.

Ānanda then complained and criticized them,

“How could these monks receive haste-cloth and then store it beyond the robe season?”

After rebuking those monks in many ways, Ānanda told the Buddha. Soon afterwards he had the Sangha gathered and questioned the monks:

“Is it true, monks, that there are monks who do this?”

“It’s true, sir.”

The Buddha rebuked them …

“Monks, how could those foolish men do this?

This will affect people’s confidence …” …

“And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

Final ruling

‘When there are ten days left to the Kattika full moon that ends the first rainy-season residence and haste-cloth is given to a monk, he may receive it if he regards it as urgent. He may then store it until the end of the robe season.

If he stores it beyond that, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.’”

Definitions

There are ten days left:

the invitation ceremony is ten days in the future.

The Kattika full moon that ends the first rainy-season residence:

the Kattika full moon of the invitation ceremony is what is meant.

Haste-cloth:

when someone intends to set out with the army, when someone intends to set out on a journey, when someone is sick, when someone is pregnant, when someone without faith acquires faith, when someone without confidence acquires confidence—if that person sends a message to the monks, saying, “Come, venerables, I wish to give a robe to those who have completed the rainy-season residence,” this is called “haste-cloth”.

He may receive it if he regards it as urgent. He may then store it until the end of the robe season:

establishing the perception of it as a haste-cloth, he may store it.

The robe season:

for one who has not participated in the robe-making ceremony, it is the last month of the rainy season;

for one who has participated in the robe-making ceremony, it is the five month period.

If he stores it beyond that:

for one who has not participated in the robe-making ceremony, if he stores it beyond the last day of the rainy season, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.

For one who has participated in the robe-making ceremony, if he stores it beyond the day on which the robe season ends, the cloth becomes subject to relinquishment.

The cloth should be relinquished to a sangha, a group, or an individual.

“And, monks, it should be relinquished like this.

(To be expanded as in Bu NP 1:3.2.5–3.2.29, with appropriate substitutions.)

‘Venerables, this haste-cloth, which I have stored beyond the robe season, is to be relinquished.

I relinquish it to the Sangha.’ …

the Sangha should give …

you should give …

‘I give this cloth back to you.’”

Permutations

If it is haste-cloth and he perceives it as such, and he stores it beyond the robe season, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.

If it is haste-cloth, but he is unsure of it, and he stores it beyond the robe season, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.

If it is haste-cloth, but he does not perceive it as such, and he stores it beyond the robe season, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.

If it has not been determined, but he perceives that it has …

If it has not been assigned to another, but he perceives that it has …

If it has not been given away, but he perceives that it has …

If it has not been lost, but he perceives that it has …

If it has not been destroyed, but he perceives that it has …

If it has not been burned, but he perceives that it has …

If it has not been stolen, but he perceives that it has, and he stores it beyond the robe season, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.

If he uses a cloth that should be relinquished without first relinquishing it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If it is not haste-cloth, but he perceives it as such, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If it is not haste-cloth, but he is unsure of it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If it is not haste-cloth and he does not perceive it as such, there is no offense.

Non-offenses

There is no offense:

if within the robe season the haste-cloth has been determined, assigned to another, given away, lost, destroyed, burned, stolen, or taken on trust;

if he is insane;

if he is the first offender.

The training rule on haste-cloth, the eighth, is finished.