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Bu NP 10

10. The training rule on kings

10. Rājasikkhāpada

from: The Great Analysis

The chapter on relinquishment The subchapter on robes

10. The training rule on kings

Origin story

At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery. At that time a certain government official was a supporter of Venerable Upananda the Sakyan. On one occasion that official sent a robe fund by messenger, saying, “Buy robe-cloth with this fund and give it to Venerable Upananda.”

The messenger went to Upananda and said, “Venerable, I’ve brought a robe fund for you. Please receive it.” “We don’t receive robe funds, but we do receive allowable robe-cloth at the right time.” “Is there anyone who provides services for you?”

Just then a lay follower had come to the monastery on some business. Upananda told the messenger, “This lay follower provides services for the monks.”

The messenger instructed that lay follower and then returned to Upananda, saying, “I’ve instructed the lay follower you pointed out to me. Please go to them at the right time and they’ll give you robe-cloth.”

Later on that government official sent a message to Upananda, saying, “Please use the robe-cloth. I would like you to use the robe-cloth.” When Upananda did not say anything to that lay follower, that government official sent him a second message saying the same thing. When Upananda still did not say anything to that lay follower, that government official sent him a third message. At that time the householder association had made an agreement that whoever came late to a meeting would be fined fifty coins. And now they were having a meeting. Just then Upananda went to that lay follower and said, “I need robe-cloth.”

“Please wait one day, venerable, for today there’s a meeting of the householder association. They’ve made an agreement that whoever comes late gets fined fifty coins.”

Saying, “Give me the robe-cloth today,” he grabbed him by the belt.

Being pressured by Upananda, the lay follower bought him robe-cloth, and as a consequence he was late for the meeting. People asked him, “Sir, why are you late? You’ve just lost fifty coins.”

When that lay follower told them what had happened, they complained and criticized Upananda, “These Sakyan monastics have great desires. They’re not content. It’s no easy matter to provide them with a service. How could Venerable Upananda not agree when asked by a lay follower to wait for a day?”

The monks heard the complaints of those people, and the monks of few desires complained and criticized him, “How could Venerable Upananda not agree when asked by a lay follower to wait for a day?”

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.”

The Buddha rebuked him … “Foolish man, how could you do this? This will affect people’s confidence …” … “And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

Final ruling

‘If a king, a king’s employee, a brahmin, or a householder sends a robe fund for a monk by messenger, saying, “Buy robe-cloth with this robe fund and give it to monk so-and-so,” and the messenger goes to that monk and says, “Venerable, I have brought a robe fund for you. Please receive it,” then that monk should reply, ‘We don’t receive robe funds, but we do receive allowable robe-cloth at the right time.’ If that messenger says, “Is there anyone who provides services for you?” the monk, if he needs robe-cloth, should point out a monastery worker or a lay follower and say, “They provide services for the monks.” If the messenger instructs that service provider and then returns to the monk and says, “Venerable, I have instructed the service provider you pointed out. Please go to them at the right time and they’ll give you robe-cloth,” then, if that monk needs robe-cloth, he should go to that service provider and prompt them and remind them two or three times, saying, “I need robe-cloth.” If he then gets robe-cloth, all is well. If he does not get it, he should stand in silence for it at most six times. If he then gets robe-cloth, all is well. If he makes any further effort and then gets robe-cloth, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. If he does not get robe-cloth, he should go to the owners of that robe fund, or send a message, saying, “That monk hasn’t received any benefit from the robe fund you sent for him. Please recover what’s yours, or it might perish.” This is the proper procedure.’”

Definitions

For a monk: for the benefit of a monk; making a monk the object of consideration, one wants to give to him. A king: whoever rules. A king’s employee: whoever gets food and wages from a king. A brahmin: a brahmin by birth. A householder: anyone apart from a king, a king’s employee, and a brahmin. A robe fund: money, gold, a pearl, or a gem. With this robe fund: with that which is at one’s disposal. Buy: having traded. Give: donate. And the messenger goes to that monk and says, “Venerable, I have brought a robe fund for you. Please receive it,” then that monk should reply, “We don’t receive robe funds, but we do receive allowable robe-cloth at the right time.” If that messenger says, “Is there anyone who provides services for you?” the monk, if he needs robe-cloth, should point out a monastery worker or a lay follower and say, “They provides services for the monks”: he should not say, “Give it to them,” “They’ll put it aside,” “They’ll trade it,” “They’ll buy it.” If the messenger instructs that service provider and then returns to the monk and says, “Venerable, I have instructed the service provider you pointed out. Please go to them at the right time and they’ll give you robe-cloth,” then, if that monk needs robe-cloth, he should go to that service provider and prompt them and remind them two or three times, saying, “I need robe-cloth”:

he should not say, “Give me robe-cloth,” “Get me robe-cloth,” “Trade me robe-cloth,” “Buy me robe-cloth.”

He should say it a second and a third time. If he gets it, all is well. If he does not get it, he should go there and stand in silence for it:

he should not sit down on a seat; he should not receive food; he should not give a teaching. If he is asked, “Why have you come?” he should say, “Think about it.” If he sits down on a seat, or he receives food, or he gives a teaching, he loses one allowance to stand.

He should stand a second and a third time. If he prompts four times, he can stand four times. If he prompts five times, he can stand twice. If he prompts six times, he cannot stand at all. If he makes any further effort and then gets robe-cloth:

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 <a href='https://suttacentral.net/pli-tv-bu-vb-np1#3.2.5'>Bu NP 1:3.2.5</a>–3.2.29, with appropriate substitutions.)

‘Venerables, this robe-cloth, which I got after prompting more than three times and standing more than six times, 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.’” If he does not get robe-cloth, he should go to the owner of that robe fund, or send a message, saying, “That monk hasn’t received any benefit from the robe fund you sent for him. Please recover what’s yours, or it might perish.” This is the proper procedure: this is the right method.

Permutations

If he prompts more than three times and stands more than six times, and he perceives it as more, and he gets robe-cloth, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. If he prompts more than three times and stands more than six times, but he is unsure of it, and he gets robe-cloth, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. If he prompts more than three times and stands more than six times, but he perceives it as less, and he gets robe-cloth, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.

If he prompts less than three times and stands less than six times, but he perceives it as more, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If he prompts less than three times and stands less than six times, but he is unsure of it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If he prompts less than three times and stands less than six times, and he perceives it as less, there is no offense.

Non-offenses

There is no offense: if he prompts three times and stands six times; if he prompts less than three times and stands less than six times; if it is given without prompting; if the owners prompt and then it is given; if he is insane; if he is the first offender.

The training rule on kings, the tenth, is finished.

The first subchapter on the robe season is finished.

This is the summary:

“Three on the ended robe season,
And washing, receiving;
Three on those who are unrelated,
Of both, and with messenger.”

Translation: English (Bhikkhu Brahmali). Source: SuttaCentral / Bilara (public domain, CC0).

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