Dhammaquelle Texts, Talks and Meditations

← VINAYA

Bu NP 21

21. The training rule on almsbowls

21. Pattasikkhāpada

from: The Great Analysis

The chapter on relinquishment The subchapter on almsbowls

21. The training rule on almsbowls

Origin story

First sub-story

At one time when the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery, the monks from the group of six were storing up many almsbowls. When people walking about dwellings saw this, they complained and criticized them, “How can the Sakyan monastics store up many bowls? Are they starting up as bowl merchants or setting up a bowl shop?”

The monks heard the complaints of those people, and the monks of few desires complained and criticized those monks, “How can the monks from the group of six keep extra bowls?”

After rebuking those monks in many ways, they told the Buddha. Soon afterwards he had the Sangha gathered and questioned the monks: “Is it true, monks, that you do this?”

“It’s true, sir.”

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

Preliminary ruling

‘If a monk keeps an extra almsbowl, 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 Venerable Ānanda was offered an extra bowl. He wanted to give it to Venerable Sāriputta, who was staying at Sāketa. Knowing that the Buddha had laid down a rule against keeping an extra bowl, Venerable Ānanda thought, “What should I do now?” He told the Buddha, who said, “How long is it, Ānanda, before Sāriputta returns?”

“Nine or ten days, venerable sir.”

Soon afterwards the Buddha gave a teaching and addressed the monks: “Monks, you should keep an extra almsbowl for ten days at the most. And so, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

Final ruling

‘A monk should keep an extra almsbowl for ten days at the most. If he keeps it longer than that, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.’”

Definitions

For ten days at the most: it should be kept ten days at a maximum. An extra almsbowl: a bowl that is not determined, nor assigned to another. An almsbowl:

there are two kinds of bowls: the iron bowl and the clay bowl.

And there are three sizes of bowls: the large bowl, the medium bowl, and the small bowl.

The large bowl: it takes half an <i lang='pi' translate='no'>āḷhaka</i> measure of boiled rice, a fourth part of fresh food, and a suitable amount of curry.

The medium bowl: it takes a <i lang='pi' translate='no'>nāḷika</i> measure of boiled rice, a fourth part of fresh food, and a suitable amount of curry.

The small bowl: it takes a <i lang='pi' translate='no'>pattha</i> measure of boiled rice, a fourth part of fresh food, and a suitable amount of curry. Anything larger than this is not a bowl, nor anything smaller. If he keeps it longer than that, it becomes subject to relinquishment: it becomes subject to relinquishment at dawn on the eleventh day.

The bowl should be relinquished to a sangha, a group, or an individual. “And, monks, it should be relinquished like this. After approaching the Sangha, that monk should arrange his upper robe over one shoulder and pay respect at the feet of the senior monks. He should then squat on his heels, raise his joined palms, and say,

‘Venerables, this almsbowl, which I have kept over ten days, is to be relinquished. I relinquish it to the Sangha.’

After relinquishing it, he should confess the offense. The confession should be received by a competent and capable monk. The relinquished bowl is then to be given back:

‘Please, venerables, I ask the Sangha to listen. This almsbowl, which was to be relinquished by monk so-and-so, has been relinquished to the Sangha. If the Sangha is ready, it should give this bowl back to monk so-and-so.’

Or: after approaching several monks, that monk should arrange his upper robe over one shoulder and pay respect at the feet of the senior monks. He should then squat on his heels, raise his joined palms, and say:

‘Venerables, this almsbowl, which I have kept over ten days, is to be relinquished. I relinquish it to you.’

After relinquishing it, he should confess the offense. The confession should be received by a competent and capable monk. The relinquished bowl is then to be given back:

‘Please, venerables, I ask you to listen. This almsbowl, which was to be relinquished by monk so-and-so, has been relinquished to you. If the venerables are ready, you should give this bowl back to monk so-and-so.’

Or: after approaching a single monk, that monk should arrange his upper robe over one shoulder, squat on his heels, raise his joined palms, and say: ‘This almsbowl, which I have kept over ten days, is to be relinquished. I relinquish it to you.’ After relinquishing it, he should confess the offense. The confession should be received by that monk. The relinquished bowl is then to be given back:

‘I give this almsbowl back to you.’”

Permutations

If it is more than ten days and he perceives it as more, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. If it is more than ten days, but he is unsure of it, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. If it is more than ten days, but he perceives it as less, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.

If it has not been determined, but he perceives that it has, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. If it has not been assigned to another, but he perceives that it has, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. If it has not been given away, but he perceives that it has, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. If it has not been lost, but he perceives that it has, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. If it has not been destroyed, but he perceives that it has, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. If it has not been broken, but he perceives that it has, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. If it has not been stolen, but he perceives that it has, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.

If he uses an almsbowl that should be relinquished without first relinquishing it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If it is less than ten days, but he perceives it as more, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If it is less than ten days, but he is unsure of it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If it is less than ten days and he perceives it as less, there is no offense.

Non-offenses

There is no offense: if, within ten days, it has been determined, assigned to another, given away, lost, destroyed, broken, stolen, or taken on trust; if he is insane; if he is the first offender.

Soon afterwards the monks from the group of six did not give back a relinquished bowl. They told the Buddha.

“Monks, a relinquished almsbowl should be given back. If you don’t give it back, you commit an offense of wrong conduct.”

The training rule on almsbowls, the first, is finished.

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

These texts are freely available — anyone who wishes can support the work with a gift.