Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law

The Great Analysis

The chapter on relinquishment

The subchapter on robes

6. The training rule on asking non-relations

Origin story

First sub-story

At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery.

At that time Venerable Upananda the Sakyan was skilled at teaching.

On one occasion the son of a wealthy merchant went to Upananda, bowed, and sat down.

And Upananda instructed, inspired, and gladdened him with a teaching.

Afterwards that merchant’s son said to Upananda:

“Venerable, please tell me what you need.

I can give you robe-cloth, almsfood, a dwelling, and medicinal supplies.”

“If you wish to give me something, give me one of your wrap garments.”

“It’s shameful, venerable, for a gentleman to walk around in only one wrap.

Please wait until I get back home.

I’ll send you this wrap or a better one.”

A second time

and a third time Upananda said

the same thing to that merchant’s son,

and he got the same reply.

He then said, “What’s the point of inviting me if you don’t want to give?”

Being pressured by Upananda, that merchant’s son gave him one of his wraps and left.

People asked him why he was walking around in only one wrap,

and he told them what had happened.

People complained and criticized him,

“These Sakyan monastics have great desires. They’re not content.

Even to make them an appropriate offer isn’t easy.

How could they take his wrap when the merchant’s son was making an appropriate offer?”

The monks heard the complaints of those people,

and the monks of few desires complained and criticized Upananda,

“How could Venerable Upananda ask the merchant’s son for a robe?”

After rebuking him in many ways, they told the Buddha. Soon afterwards he had the Sangha gathered and questioned Upananda:

“Is it true, Upananda, that you did this?”

“It’s true, sir.”

“Is he a relative of yours?”

“No.”

“Foolish man, people who are unrelated don’t know what’s appropriate and inappropriate, what’s good and bad, in dealing with each other.

And still you did this.

This will affect people’s confidence …” …

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

Preliminary ruling

‘If a monk asks an unrelated male or female householder for a robe, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.’”

In this way the Buddha laid down this training rule for the monks.

Second sub-story

Soon afterwards a number of monks who were traveling from Sāketa to Sāvatthī were robbed by bandits.

Knowing that the Buddha had laid down this training rule and being afraid of wrongdoing, they did not ask for robes.

As a consequence, they walked naked to Sāvatthī, where they bowed down to the monks.

The monks there said, “These Ājīvaka ascetics are good people, as they bow down to the monks.”

“We’re not Ājīvakas! We’re monks!”

The monks asked Venerable Upāli to examine them.

When the naked monks told him what had happened, Upāli said to the monks, “They are monks. Please give them robes.”

The monks of few desires complained and criticized them,

“How can monks go naked?

Shouldn’t they have covered up with grass and leaves?”

After rebuking those monks in many ways, they told the Buddha.

Soon afterwards he gave a teaching and addressed the monks:

“Monks, if a monk’s robes are stolen or lost, I allow him to ask an unrelated householder for robes.

At the first monastery where he arrives, if the Sangha has a communal robe, a bedspread, a floor cover, or a mattress cover, he should take that and put it on, thinking, ‘When I get a robe, I’ll return it.’

If there’s none of these things, he should cover up with grass and leaves before going on. He should not go on while naked.

If he does, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

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

Final ruling

‘If a monk asks an unrelated male or female householder for a robe, except on an appropriate occasion, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.

These are the appropriate occasions: his robes are stolen or his robes are lost.’”

Definitions

A:

whoever …

Monk:

… The monk who has been given the full ordination by a unanimous Sangha through a legal procedure consisting of one motion and three announcements that is irreversible and fit to stand—this sort of monk is meant in this case.

Unrelated:

anyone who is not a descendant of one’s male ancestors going back eight generations, either on the mother’s side or on the father’s side.

A male householder:

any man who lives at home.

A female householder:

any woman who lives at home.

A robe:

one of the six kinds of robe-cloth, but not smaller than what can be assigned to another.

Except on an appropriate occasion:

unless it is an appropriate occasion.

His robes are stolen:

a monk’s robe is taken by kings, bandits, scoundrels, or whoever.

His robes are lost:

a monk’s robe is burned by fire, carried away by flooding, eaten by rats or termites, or worn through use.

If he asks, except on an appropriate occasion, then for the effort there is an act of wrong conduct.

When he gets the robe-cloth, it becomes subject to relinquishment.

The robe-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 robe-cloth, which I received after asking an unrelated householder, but not on an appropriate occasion, is to be relinquished.

I relinquish it to the Sangha.’ …

the Sangha should give …

you should give …

‘I give this robe-cloth back to you.’”

Permutations

If the person is unrelated and the monk perceives them as such, and he asks them for robe-cloth, except on an appropriate occasion, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.

If the person is unrelated, but the monk is unsure of it, and he asks them for robe-cloth, except on an appropriate occasion, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.

If the person is unrelated, but the monk perceives them as related, and he asks them for robe-cloth, except on an appropriate occasion, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.

If the person is related, but the monk perceives them as unrelated, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If the person is related, but the monk is unsure of it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If the person is related and the monk perceives them as such, there is no offense.

Non-offenses

There is no offense:

if it is an appropriate occasion;

if he asks relatives;

if he asks those who have given an invitation;

if he asks for the benefit of someone else;

if it is by means of his own property;

if he is insane;

if he is the first offender.

The training rule on asking non-relations, the sixth, is finished.