Dhammaquelle Texts, Talks and Meditations

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Bu NP 15

15. The training rule on sitting blankets

15. Nisīdanasanthatasikkhāpada

from: The Great Analysis

The chapter on relinquishment The subchapter on silk

15. The training rule on sitting blankets

Origin story

At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery. There the Buddha addressed the monks: “Monks, I wish to do a solitary retreat for three months. No one should visit me except the one who brings me almsfood.”

“Yes, sir,” they replied, and no one visited him except the one who brought him almsfood.

Soon afterwards the Sangha at Sāvatthī made the following agreement: “The Buddha wishes to be on solitary retreat for three months. No one should visit him except the one who brings him almsfood. Anyone who does must confess an offense entailing confession.”

Just then Venerable Upasena of Vaṅganta and his followers went to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down. Since it is the custom for Buddhas to greet newly-arrived monks, the Buddha said this to Upasena, “I hope you’re keeping well, Upasena, I hope you’re getting by? I hope you’re not tired from traveling?”

“We’re keeping well, sir, we’re getting by. We’re not tired from traveling.”

One of Upasena’s students was seated not far from the Buddha, and the Buddha said to him, “Do you like rag-robes, monk?”

“I don’t like rag-robes, sir.”

“Why then do you wear them?”

“My preceptor wears them, and so I do it too.”

And the Buddha said to Upasena, “Upasena, your followers are inspiring. How do you train them?”

“When anyone asks me for the full ordination, I tell him this: ‘I stay in the wilderness, I eat only almsfood, and I wear rag-robes. If you do the same, I’ll give you the full ordination.’ If he agrees, I ordain him. Otherwise I don’t. And I do the same when anyone asks me for support. It’s in this way that I train my followers.”

“Good, Upasena, you train your followers well. But do you know the agreement made by the Sangha at Sāvatthī?”

“No.”

“The Sangha at Sāvatthī has made the following agreement: ‘The Buddha wishes to be on solitary retreat for three months. No one should visit him except the one who brings him almsfood. Anyone who does must confess an offense entailing confession.’”

“Sir, let the Sangha at Sāvatthī be known for this agreement. We, however, don’t lay down new rules, nor do we get rid of the existing ones. We practice and undertake the training rules as they are.”

“Good, Upasena. One should not lay down new rules, nor should one get rid of the existing ones. One should practice and undertake the training rules as they are.

And, Upasena, I allow those monks who stay in the wilderness, who eat only almsfood, and who wear rag-robes to visit me whenever they please.”

Upasena and his followers got up from their seats, bowed down, circumambulated the Buddha with their right sides toward him, and left. Just then a number of monks were standing outside the gateway, thinking, “We’ll make Venerable Upasena confess an offense entailing confession.” And they said to Upasena, “Upasena, do you know the agreement of the Sangha at Sāvatthī?”

“The Buddha asked me the same question, and I replied that I didn’t. He then told me what it was, and I said, ‘Sir, let the Sangha at Sāvatthī be known for this agreement. We, however, don’t lay down new rules, nor do we get rid of the existing ones. We practice and undertake the training rules as they are.’ Also, the Buddha has allowed those monks who stay in the wilderness, who eat only almsfood, and who wear rag-robes to visit him whenever they please.”

Those monks thought, “It’s true what Venerable Upasena says.”

The monks heard that the Buddha had allowed those monks who stay in the wilderness, who eat only almsfood, and who wear rag-robes to visit him whenever they please. Longing to see the Buddha, they discarded their blankets and undertook the practice of staying in the wilderness, of eating only almsfood, and of wearing rag-robes.

Soon afterwards, when the Buddha and a number of monks were walking about the dwellings, he saw discarded blankets here and there. He asked the monks, “Who owns these discarded blankets?”

The monks told him. Soon afterwards he gave a teaching and addressed the monks: “Well then, monks, I will lay down a training rule for the following ten reasons: for the well-being of the Sangha, for the comfort of the Sangha, for the restraint of bad people, for the ease of good monks, for the restraint of the corruptions relating to the present life, for the restraint of the corruptions relating to future lives, to give rise to confidence in those without it, to increase the confidence of those who have it, for the longevity of the true Teaching, and for supporting the training. And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

Final ruling

‘If a monk is having a sitting blanket made, he must incorporate a piece of one standard handspan from the border of an old blanket in order to make it ugly. If he has a new sitting blanket made without incorporating a piece of one standard handspan from the border of an old blanket, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.’”

Definitions

Sitting (blanket): one with a border is what is meant. A blanket: it is made by strewing, not by weaving. Is having made: making it himself or having it made. An old blanket: even worn once. He must incorporate a piece of one standard handspan from the border in order to make it ugly: to make it strong, he cuts out a circular or a rectangular piece, and he then incorporates it in one place or he strews it on after pulling it apart. Without incorporating a piece of one standard handspan from the border of an old blanket: if he makes a new sitting blanket, or has one made, without incorporating a piece of one standard handspan from the border of an old blanket, then for the effort there is an act of wrong conduct. When he gets the sitting blanket, it becomes subject to relinquishment.

The sitting blanket 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 sitting blanket, which I got made without incorporating a piece of one standard handspan from the border of an old blanket, is to be relinquished. I relinquish it to the Sangha.’ … the Sangha should give … you should give … ‘I give this sitting blanket back to you.’”

Permutations

If he finishes what he began himself, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. If he has others finish what he began himself, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. If he finishes himself what was begun by others, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. If he has others finish what was begun by others, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.

If he makes one, or has one made, for the sake of another, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

Non-offenses

There is no offense: if he makes one incorporating a piece of one standard handspan from the border of an old blanket; if he is unable to get hold of such a piece and he makes one incorporating a smaller piece; if he is unable to get hold of such a smaller piece and he makes one without; if he gets what was made by another and then uses it; if he makes a canopy, a floor cover, a cloth screen, a mattress, or a pillow; if he is insane; if he is the first offender.

The training rule on sitting blankets, the fifth, is finished.

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

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