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APPENDICES
I. Controversial points: Dawn.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Canon lacks a clear-cut definition of precisely when dawn takes
place. This lack is especially felt in connection with NP 2, but it
also affects a number of other rules as well. The Khuddasikkha, a
Vinaya manual composed in the medieval period by Ven. Dhammasiri,
states that the sky lightens in four stages before sunrise: a slight
reddening two hours before the sun appears on the horizon; a slight
whitening half an hour later; a second reddening 48 minutes before
sunrise; and a second whitening 24 minutes after that. Burmese, Sri
Lankan and some Thai bhikkhus tend to follow this analysis, and
differ among themselves only as to which of the four stages
constitutes dawn, most of them favoring the first reddening. Other
Thai bhikkhus ignore the Khuddasikkha entirely and say that dawn
occurs in the half hour before the point when, by natural light, one
can see the lines in one's hand while holding it out at arm's length.
Pacittiyas 37 & 38, taken together, require that a bhikkhu not
accept alms before dawn. If he did go for alms before dawn, he
would not be able to eat any of the food he accepted at that time,
since Pacittiya 37 forbids him from eating before dawn, and
Pacittiya 38 forbids him from eating after dawn any food received
before dawn of that day. If the first reddening or whitening on the
eastern horizon did count as dawn, then bhikkhus would be able to go
for alms when it is still dark, since the dark of night does not
lift until the second reddening and whitening. A passage in the
Latukikopama Sutta (M. 66), however, states specifically that once
the rules were established, one of their benefits was that they
prevented bhikkhus from going for alms in the dark. This suggests
that in the time of the Canon, the first reddening and whitening did
not count as dawn. The passage runs as follows:
"(Ven. Udayin -- the good Udayin, not the lax Udayin of the
first five sanghadisesas -- is addressing the Buddha:) 'It
used to be, venerable sir, that we ate in the evening, in
the morning, and in the afternoon. Then there was the time
when the Blessed One addressed the bhikkhus, saying, "Come
now, bhikkhus, give up this afternoon meal." Because of
that, I felt sorry and upset: "The fine staple and
non-staple food that householders give us in the afternoon
-- the Blessed One has us give them up! The Sugata has us
abandon them!" But on considering our love and respect for
the Blessed One, our sense of shame and conscience, we gave
up that afternoon meal, and ate (only) in the evening and in
the morning.
"'Then there was the time when the Blessed One addressed the
bhikkhus, saying, "Come now, bhikkhus, give up this evening
meal." Because of that, I felt sorry and upset: "The more
highly regarded of our two meals -- the Blessed One has us
give it up! The Sugata has us abandon it!" It has
happened, venerable sir, that a man has gotten ingredients
for curry during the day and has told his wife, "Come, let's
put this aside, and we'll all have it together in the
evening." Almost all cooking is done at night, sir, and
very little during the day. But on considering our love and
respect for the Blessed One, our sense of shame and
conscience, we gave up that evening meal.
"'It used to be that bhikkhus going for alms in the dark
gloom of night would walk into a mud hole, fall into a
cesspool, stumble into a thorny hedge, stumble into a
sleeping cow, encounter teenage gangs on the way to or from
a theft, and be propositioned by women. Once it happened
when I was going for alms in the dark gloom of night that a
certain woman washing a bowl saw me by a lightning flash.
As soon as she saw me, she shrieked out in terror, "I'm
doomed! A demon is after me!"
"'When she said that, I said to her, "I'm not a demon,
sister. I'm a bhikkhu waiting for alms."
"'"Well then you're a bhikkhu whose mom is dead and pop is
dead. It would be better for you, bhikkhu, that your belly
be cut open with a sharp butcher's knife, than that you go
prowling around for alms for your belly's sake like this in
the dark gloom of night!"
"'When I remember this, sir, the thought occurs to me:
"There are so many painful things the Blessed One has rid us
of, and so many pleasant ones he has provided; so many
unskillful things he has rid us of, and so many skillful
ones he has provided!"'"
This shows clearly that once the rules were in effect, bhikkhus
were saved from the dangers of going for alms in the dark; and
suggests that dawn can be no earlier than the second reddening and
whitening mentioned in the Khuddasikkha.
* * *
II. Controversial points: Sugata measures.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Commentary to Sanghadisesa 6 states that the Buddha's cubit --
the distance from his bent elbow to the tips of his fingers -- was
three times that of a normal man. This puts all the Sugata measures
-- based on the Buddha's cubit, handspan, and breadth of his fingers
-- at three times normal length and makes the Buddha freakishly tall.
How the Commentary arrived at this figure is hard to say, for the
Vinaya Mukha cites several passages from the Canon showing that the
Buddha, though tall, was not abnormally so. The most telling
passage is the one from the Samannaphala Sutta (D. 2), in which King
Ajatasattu visits the Buddha while the latter is sitting in an
assembly of bhikkhus, and he is unable to tell which one of the
assembly the Buddha is. This, of course, is meant to indicate the
king's spiritual blindness, but if the Buddha had been remarkably
tall, it would have certainly been part of his general reputation,
and the king would not have had to ask.
The Vinaya Mukha then goes on to suggest a variety of ways of
calculating the Buddha's measurements, the most useful being to
assume the Buddha's cubit to be 50 cm. This, at least roughly, fits
a number of passages from the Canon, as follows:
According to the Lakkhana Sutta (D. 30), the spread of the
Buddha's arms, outstretched, was equal to his height. Since a
person's cubit is one-fourth the spread of his outstretched arms,
this would put the Buddha's height at 2 meters, or approximately 6
feet 7 inches. The origin story to Pacittiya 92 states that his
half-brother, Nanda, was four fingerbreadths shorter than he, and
that when bhikkhus saw him coming from afar, they would mistake him
for the Buddha, partly on the basis of his tall height. One
fingerbreadth is said to be 1/24 cubit, or a little more than 2 cm.
by this reckoning, which would put Nanda at 1.92 meters, or
approximately 6 feet 4 inches tall.
These figures would seem to fit the information in the Canon
fairly well, in that they allow for both Nanda and the Buddha to be
tall, but not outlandishly so.
Another pair of passages supporting these measurements is the
ruling under Pacittiya 87 that the legs of a bhikkhu's bed not be
more than eight Sugata fingerbreadths tall, taken together with the
passage in the Cullavagga (VIII.1.5) that one should grope under the
bed with one's hand to make sure that nothing is there before
placing one's bowl there. Our measurements would put the maximum
height for the bed legs at 18 cm. If they were much taller than
that, there would be no need to grope, for one could easily see
under the bed with a glance. If they were much shorter than that,
even a small bowl wouldn't fit.
Although there is no way of determining the Sugata measures with
100% accuracy, the above considerations suggest that the following
estimates are reasonable:
The Sugata cubit = 50 cm.
The Sugata span = 25 cm.
The Sugata fingerbreadth = 2.08 cm.
Applied to the various rules, this would give us a hut 3 x 1.75
meters -- small, but adequate; a rains-bathing cloth 1.5 x .625
meters -- enough to cover one from the waist to the knees; and an
skin-eruption covering cloth 1 x .5 meters -- enough to cover one
from the waist to just above the knees. All of these figures seem
appropriate, and so have been accepted for the purposes of this
book.
* * *
III.Controversial points: Meals.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Cullavagga (VI.21.1) contains a passage in which the Buddha
allows bhikkhus to accept seven kinds of specially arranged meals, in
addition to the meals they receive on almsround. The passage runs as
follows:
"Now at that time Rajagaha was short of food. People were
not able to provide a meal for the Community, but they
wanted to provide a designated meal, an invitational meal, a
meal by lots, a meal on a day of the waxing or waning of the
moon, on Observance (//uposatha//) days, and on the day
after each Observance day. They told this matter to the
Blessed One. He said, 'I allow, bhikkhus, a Community meal,
a designated meal, an invitational meal, a meal by lots, a
meal on a day of the waxing or waning of the moon, on an
Observance (uposatha) day, and on the day after an
Observance day.'"
Unfortunately, the Canon does not give any detailed explanation of
these terms. The Commentary explains Community meals as meals for
the entire Community, and the other terms as follows:
"(Having said,) 'Give 1, 2...10 bhikkhus designated from the
Community,' they wanted to provide a meal for the bhikkhus
they got through that designation. Later, having decided on
bhikkhus in the same way (i.e., 1, 2...10 bhikkhus), and
having invited them, they wanted to provide a meal for them.
Later, they wanted to provide a meal having decided on a
lottery. Later, having fixed a date -- the waxing or waning
moons, the Observance day or the day after -- they wanted to
provide a meal for 1, 2...10 bhikkhus. This is the extent
of the meals that fall under the terms "designated meals,
invitational meals (the Sub-commentary adds an 'etc.'
here.)"
These definitions seem fairly clear: a //designated meal// is one
in which the donors do not specify which bhikkhus are to receive it,
but simply ask for //x// number of bhikkhus from the Community,
leaving it up to the bhattuddesaka (the "meal designator" -- the
Community official responsible for managing these various meals) to
designate who the recipients will be. An //invitational meal// is
one in which the donors decide on the recipients themselves. A
//lot meal// is one in which the recipients are chosen by drawing
lots, while the remaining meals -- //periodic meals// -- are given
regularly to a rotating roster of x number of bhikkhus every time
the specified date comes around.
However, the Commentary's discussion of how the bhattuddesaka
should manage these meals blurs the lines between the first three
categories. It gives no detailed discussion of Community meals, but
divides designated meals into the following two types:
1a) Meals for which the number of bhikkhus to be designated is
equal to the total number of bhikkhus in the Community.
1b) Meals for which the number of bhikkhus to be designated is
less than the total number of bhikkhus in the Community.
Invitational meals come in the four types:
2a) Meals to which the entire Community is invited.
2b) Meals to which specific individuals or types of bhikkhus
(e.g., no one but senior bhikkhus) are invited.
2c) Meals to which one bhikkhu is invited and asked to bring
//x// number of his friends.
2d) Meals for which the donor simply asks for //x// number of
bhikkhus, without specifying in any way who they should be.
This typology raises two questions. For one, why aren't #1a and
#2a grouped under Community meals? Is it because the donor uses the
words "designated" and "invited" when announcing his/her plans for
the meal? If so, how does one arrange for a Community meal that
would not fall into these two types, in line with the fact that a
Community meal is said to be a separate category?
The second question is how type #2d differs from a designated
meal. Is it, again, because the donor does not use the word
"designated" in announcing the meal? If so, the difference is only
formal, for the Commentary itself states that the bhattuddesaka is
to treat such a meal as he would a designated meal, which shows that
in essence it is the same thing.
As we reasoned in the discussion of Pacittiya 32, that rule
applies only to invitational meals. If we follow the Commentary's
original definitions of the various categories of special meal --
and eliminate types 1a, 2a and 2d as redundant -- it is easy enough
to determine in essence which types of meals fall into this category
and which don't. If we follow the detailed typologies, though, the
distinctions become more a matter of formality and technicalities:
For example, if the donor asks the bhattuddesaka to "designate nine
bhikkhus from the Community," the meal would not violate Pacittiya
32, but if he simply asked for nine bhikkhus -- even if he did not
specify who they were to be -- the meal would be a group meal, and
any bhikkhus who ate it would be committing an offense. Or again,
if he asked that the entire Community be "designated" to come to his
meal, they would not incur a penalty in going, but if he simply
asked the entire Community to a meal, they would.
Since the Commentary is a compendium of the opinions of many
generations of teachers, it may have been that the definitions of
the categories of meals were agreed on by one generation of
teachers, and the typologies by another. This would explain the
discrepancies between the two. Or it may have been that the entire
discussion -- definitions and typologies -- was the product of one
generation, who did mean the categories to depend on questions of
formalities.
At any rate, as with many areas where the Canon gives no definite
guidance, this is an issue where the wise policy for each bhikkhu is
to follow the standards of the Community to which he belongs.
* * *
IV. Pali formulae: Determination.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The articles a bhikkhu must determine for his use have already been
mentioned under NP 1, 21, & 24.
Determination, according to the Commentary, may be done in either
of two ways: by the body or by word. To determine by the body
means to grasp or touch the object in question with any part of the
body and to determine in the mind that the object is for one's own
particular use, in line with the formula given below. To determine
by word means to speak the formula out loud. In this case, if the
object is within the reach of the hand, use the same formula as for
determination with the body. If it is beyond the reach of the hand,
alter the formula, changing //imam//, this, to //etam//, that.
Articles to be worn -- i.e., robes, the rains-bathing cloth -- must
first be dyed the proper color and marked with small round dots at
the corners in accordance with Pacittiya 58.
The Canon and commentaries make no mention of any formula to
repeat while marking, but the tradition in Thailand is to repeat:
Imam bindu-kappam karomi,
which means, "I make this properly marked."
The words for determination, taking the bowl as an example, are:
Imam pattam adhitthami,
which means, "I determine this bowl" or "I determine this as a
bowl."
To determine other requisites, replace the word //pattam//, bowl,
with the appropriate name, as follows:
for the outer robe: sanghatim
for the upper robe: uttarasangam
for the lower robe: antaravasakam
for the sitting cloth: nisidanam
for the skin-eruption cloth: kandu-paticchadim
for the rains-bathing cloth: vassikasatikam
for the sleeping cloth: paccattharanam
for the handkerchief: mukha-punchana-colam
for other cloth requisites: parikkhara-colam
To determine many cloths of the same sort at the same time, use
the plural forms: Change //imam// to //imani//; //etam// to
//etani//; and the //-am// ending for the name of the article to
//-ani//. For example, to determine many miscellaneous cloth
requisites within reach of the hand, the formula is:
Imani parikkhara-colani adhitthami.
A bhikkhu may determine only one of each of the following five items
for use at any one time: the bowl, the basic set of three robes,
and the sitting cloth. If he wishes to replace an old one with a
new one, he must first withdraw the determination of the old item
before determining the new one. The formula for withdrawal, again
taking the bowl as an example, is:
Imam pattam paccuddharami,
which means, "I relinquish this bowl." To withdraw the
determination of other items, replace the word //pattam// with the
appropriate name, as above.
If an item has been stolen, burnt, destroyed, lost, given away, or
taken away on trust, its determination automatically lapses, and
there is no need to withdraw the determination before determining a
new item to replace it. The Commentary explains //destroyed// as
meaning that the bowl or any of the three robes develops a hole of a
certain size: for a clay bowl, a hole large enough for a millet
grain to pass through; for an iron bowl, a hole large enough to let
liquid pass through; for the robes, a complete break at least the
size of the fingernail of the small finger, located at least one
handspan in from the long edge of the robe, and four fingerbreadths
from the short edge of the lower robe, or eight fingerbreadths from
the short edge of the upper and outer robes.
Once the robe or bowl develops a hole of this sort, it reverts to
the status of an extra robe or bowl. If the owner still wishes to
use it, the hole must be mended and the article redetermined before
ten days elapse. Otherwise, he is subject to the penalties imposed
by NP 1 or 21.
* * *
V. Pali formulae: Shared ownership.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The topic of shared ownership, together with the various
controversies connected with it, are discussed in detail under
Pacittiya 59. Here we will simply give the formulae.
There are two formulae for sharing ownership in the presence of
the second owner. The first -- taking as an example a piece of
robe-cloth within reach of the hand -- is this:
Imam civaram tuyham vikappemi,
meaning, "I share ownership of this robe-cloth with you (plural)."
To place a bowl under shared ownership, change //civaram// to
//pattam//. For more than one piece of cloth, change //imam
civaram// to //imani civarani//. For more than one bowl, change
//imam pattam// to //ime patte//. For articles beyond the reach of
the hand, change //imam// to //etam//; //imani// to //etani//; and
//ime// to //ete//.
The second formula -- less formal than the first -- is:
Imam civaram itthannamassa vikappemi,
which means, "I share ownership of this robe-cloth with so-and-so."
Suppose, for example, that the person's name is Nando. If he is
one's senior, change //itthannamassa// to //Ayasmato Nandassa//; if
he is one's junior, change it to //Nandassa Bhikkhuno//; if he is a
novice, change it to //Nandassa Samanerassa//. If he is very much
one's senior, use the first formula, above. (Mv.I.74.1 shows that
the tradition in the Buddha's time was not to use a very senior or
respected person's name when referring to him.)
To share a bowl in this way, change //civaram// to //pattam//.
Other changes, as called for, may be inferred from the previous
formulae.
To place a piece of robe-cloth under shared ownership with two
persons who are absent, say to a witness:
Imam civaram vikappanatthaya tuyham dammi,
which means, "I give this robe-cloth to you to share." The witness
should ask the original owner the names of two bhikkhus or novices
who are his friends or acquaintances. In Pali, this is:
Ko te mitto va sandittho va.
After the original owner tells the names, the witness says:
Aham tesam dammi,
which means, "I give it to them."
To rescind the shared ownership, the Vibhanga says that the
witness in the last case should say,
Tesam santakam paribhunja va
vissajjehi va yatha-paccayam va karohi,
which means, "Use what is theirs, give it away or do as you like
with it."
As for cases in which the article is placed under shared ownership
in the presence of the second owner, the Vibhanga gives no formula
for rescinding the arrangement. The K/Commentary suggests that the
second owner should say,
Mayham santakam paribhunja va
vissajjehi va yatha-paccayam va karohi,
which means, "Use what is mine, give it away or do as you like with
it."
The Pubbasikkha Vannana, though, suggests the following formula
(for robe-cloth within reach, rescinded by a bhikkhu who is senior
to the original owner):
Imam civaram mayham santakam paribhunja va
vissajjehi va yatha-paccayam va karohi,
which means, "Use this robe-cloth of mine, give it away, etc." If
the bhikkhu rescinding the shared ownership is junior to the
original owner, the verb endings are more formal:
Imam civaram mayham santakam paribhunjatha va
vissajjetha va yatha-paccayam va karotha.
For a bowl, change //civaram// to //pattam//. If more than one
piece of cloth is involved, the formula begins, //Imani civarani
mayham santakani....// If more than one bowl, //Ime patte mayham
santake....// Changes for articles outside the reach of the hand
may be inferred from those for the earlier formulae.
* * *
VI. Pali formulae: Forfeiture.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As noted in the conclusion to the chapter on Nissaggiya Pacittiya
rules, articles received in defiance of NP 18, 19, & 22 must be
forfeited to a Community. The words of forfeiture in these cases are:
NP 18. For receiving gold and silver (money):
Aham bhante rupiyam patiggahesim. Idam me
nissaggiyam. Imaham sanghassa nissajjami.
This means, "Venerable sirs, I have received money. This of mine is
to be forfeited. I forfeit it to the Community."
NP 19. For engaging in monetary exchange:
Aham bhante nanappakarakam rupiya-sanvoharam
samapajjim. Idam me nissaggiyam. Imaham
sanghassa nissajjami.
This means, "Venerable sirs, I have engaged in various types of
monetary exchange. This of mine is to be forfeited. I forfeit it
to the Community."
NP 22. For asking for a new bowl when one's original bowl is
still usable:
Ayam me bhante patto unapanca-bandhanena
pattena cetapito nissaggiyo. Imaham sanghassa
nissajjami.
This means, "This bowl of mine, venerable sirs, asked for when the
(previous) bowl had less than five mends, is to be forfeited. I
forfeit it to the Community."
Articles used or received in violation of the remaining NP rules
may be forfeited to the Community, to a group, or to an individual.
Here only the formulae for forfeiting to an individual will be
given. Formulae for rules rarely broken -- e.g., involving
bhikkhunis or felted rugs -- are not listed.
NP 1. For an extra robe (or robe-cloth) kept beyond ten days.
Idam me bhante civaram dasahatikkantam
nissaggiyam. Imaham ayasmato nissajjami.
This means, "This robe (robe-cloth) of mine, venerable sir, kept
beyond ten days, is to be forfeited. I forfeit it to you." If the
speaker is senior to the listener, change //bhante// to //avuso//.
If many pieces of cloth are to be forfeited at once, the forms
should be changed to plural:
Imani me bhante civarani dasahatikkantani
nissaggiyani. Imanaham ayasmato nissajjami.
For robes beyond the reach of the hand, change //idam// to //etam;
//imaham// to //etaham//; //imani// to //etani//; and //imanaham//
to //etanaham//. For example, for one robe, one would say:
Etam me bhante civaram dasahatikkantam
nissaggiyam. Etaham ayasmato nissajjami.
For more than one robe beyond the reach of the hand, one would
say:
Etani me bhante civarani dasahatikkantani
nissaggiyani. Etanaham ayasmato nissajjami.
Once the offense has been confessed, the robe (robe-cloth) is to
be returned to the original owner, using this formula:
Imam civaram ayasmato dammi,
which means "I give this robe (robe-cloth) to you."
For more than one piece:
Imani civarani ayasmato dammi.
Changes in the formula for robe-cloth beyond the reach of the hand
may be inferred from the preceding example. These two formulae for
returning cloth are used in every case involving cloth and will not
be repeated below.
NP 2. For a robe separated from one for a night or more:
Idam me bhante civaram ratti-vippavuttham
annatra bhikkhu-sammatiya nissaggiyam.
Imaham ayasmato nissajjami,
which means, "This robe of mine, separated (from me) for a night
without authorization of the bhikkhus, is to be forfeited. I
forfeit it to you." Change //civaram// to //dvi-civaram// for two
robes, and to //ti-civaram// for three. Other changes, as
necessary, may be inferred from the formulae for rule #1, above.
The formulae for returning the robe(s) are also given there.
NP 3. For out-of-season robe-cloth kept more than a month:
Idam me bhante akala-civaram masatikkantam
nissaggiyam. Imaham ayasmato nissajjami,
which means, "This out-of-season robe-cloth of mine, venerable sir,
kept beyond a month, is to be forfeited. I forfeit it to you." For
more than one piece of cloth:
Imani me bhante akala-civarani masatikkantani
nissaggiyani. Imanaham ayasmato nissajjami.
Other changes, as necessary, may be inferred from the formulae for
rule #1.
NP 6. For a robe (robe-cloth) requested from an unrelated
householder:
Idam me bhante civaram annatakam gahapattikam
annatra samaya vinnapitam nissaggiyam. Imaham
ayasmato nissajjami,
which means, "This robe (cloth) of mine, venerable sir, requested
from an unrelated householder at other than the proper occasion, is
to be forfeited. I forfeit it to you."
For more than one robe:
Imani me bhante civarani annatakam gahapattikam
annatra samaya vinnapitani nissaggiyani. Imanaham
ayasmato nissajjami.
NP 7. For a robe (robe-cloth) requested from an unrelated
householder during an allowable occasion, but beyond the allowable
limit:
Idam me bhante civaram annatakam gahapattikam
taduttarim vinnapitam nissaggiyam. Imaham
ayasmato nissajjami,
which means, "This robe (cloth) of mine, requested beyond that
(allowable) from an unrelated householder, is to be forfeited. I
forfeit it to you."
For more than one robe:
Imani me bhante civarani annatakam gahapattikam
taduttarim vinnapitani nissaggiyani. Imanaham
ayasmato nissajjami.
NP 8. For a robe (robe-cloth) received after making a stipulation
to an unrelated householder:
Idam me bhante civaram pubbe appavarito
annatakam gahapattikam upasankamitva civare
vikappam apannam nissaggiyam. Imaham
ayasmato nissajjami,
which means, "Without prior invitation, I approached an unrelated
householder and made stipulations about a robe (cloth). This robe
(cloth) of mine, venerable sir, is to be forfeited. I forfeit it to
you."
NP 9. For a robe (robe-cloth) received after making stipulations
to two or more unrelated householders, use the same formula as for
the preceding rule, changing //annatakam gahapattikam to annatake
gahapattike//.
NP 10. For a robe (robe-cloth) received after reminding one's
steward too many times:
Idam me bhante civaram atireka-tikkhattum
codanaya atireka-chakkhattum thanena
abhinipphaditam nissaggiyam. Imaham
ayasmato nissajjami,
which means, "This robe (cloth) of mine, venerable sir, produced
after more than three reminders, after more than six standings, is
to be forfeited. I forfeit it to you."
NP 18 & 19. The formulae for these rules are given at the
beginning of this appendix.
NP 20. For an article received in trade:
Aham bhante nanappakarakam kaya-vikkayam
samapajjim. Idam me nissaggiyam. Imaham
ayasmato nissajjami,
which means, "Venerable sir, I have engaged in various types of
trade. This of mine is to be forfeited. I forfeit it to you."
To return the article:
Imam ayasmato dammi,
which means, "I give this to you."
NP 21. For an extra bowl kept beyond ten days:
Ayam me bhante patto dasahatikkanto nissaggiyo.
Imaham ayasmato nissajjami,
which means, "This bowl of mine, venerable sir, kept beyond ten
days, is to be forfeited. I forfeit it to you."
To return the bowl:
Imam pattam ayasmato dammi.
NP 22. The formula for this rule is given at the beginning of
this appendix.
NP 23. For any of the five tonics kept beyond seven days:
Idam me bhante bhesajjam sattahatikkantam
nissaggiyam. Imaham ayasmato nissajjami,
which means, "This medicine of mine, venerable sir, kept beyond
seven days, is to be forfeited. I forfeit it to you."
To return the medicine:
Imam bhesajjam ayasmato dammi.
NP 25. For a robe (robe-cloth) snatched back in anger:
Idam me bhante civaram bhikkhussa samam datva
acchinnam nissaggiyam. Imaham ayasmato
nissajjami,
which means, "This robe (cloth) of mine, venerable sir, snatched
back after I myself gave it to a bhikkhu, is to be forfeited. I
forfeit it to you."
NP 28. For a robe (robe-cloth) offered in urgency kept beyond the
robe season:
Idam me bhante acceka-civaram civara-kala-
samayam atikkamitam nissaggiyam. Imaham
ayasmato nissajjami,
which means, "This robe-cloth-offered-in-urgency of mine, venerable
sir, kept beyond the robe season, is to be forfeited. I forfeit it
to you."
NP 29. For a robe separated from one for more than six nights:
Idam me bhante civaram atireka-cha-rattam
vippavuttham annatra bhikkhu-sammatiya
nissaggiyam. Imaham ayasmato nissajjami,
which means, "This robe of mine, separated (from me) for more than
six nights without authorization of the bhikkhus, is to be
forfeited. I forfeit it to you." Change //civaram// to
//dvi-civaram// for two robes, and to //ti-civaram// for three.
NP 30. For gains intended for the Community that one has diverted
to oneself:
Idam me bhante janam sanghikam labham
parinatam attano parinamitam nissaggiyam.
Imaham ayasmato nissajjami,
which means, "This gift, intended for the Community and knowingly
diverted for myself, is to be forfeited. I forfeit it to you."
To return the article:
Imam ayasmato dammi.
* * *
VII. Pali formulae: Confession.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Six types of offense may be expiated through confession:
thullaccaya, nissaggiya pacittiya, pacittiya, patidesaniya, dukkata,
and dubbhasita.
The formula for confessing a patidesaniya is given in the training
rules themselves:
Garayham avuso dhammam apajjim asappayam
patidesaniyam. Tam patidesemi,
which means, "Friend, I have committed a blameworthy, unsuitable act
that ought to be acknowledged. I acknowledge it."
The five remaining types of offenses are confessed as follows:
One arranges one's upper robe over the left shoulder, approaches
another bhikkhu, kneels down and, with hands raised palm-to-palm in
respect, repeats the formula of confession. The bhikkhu to whom the
offense is to be confessed must be part of the Community -- i.e., he
does not belong to a schismatic faction and has not been suspended
-- and he must not be guilty, without having made confession, of the
same offense that one is confessing.
If all the bhikkhus in a particular residence are guilty of the
same offense, one of them must go to another residence to confess
the offense, and then return to let the remaining bhikkhus confess
their offenses in his presence, or one after another in the presence
of those who have already confessed. If this cannot be arranged,
then on the day of the Patimokkha recitation one of the bhikkhus
should announce the fact of their common offense in the midst of the
gathering. Only then may they go ahead with the recitation.
As bhikkhus are to declare their purity of unconfessed offenses
before listening to the Patimokkha, a bhikkhu who listens to the
Patimokkha knowing that he has an unconfessed offense must tell one
of his neighboring bhikkhus of the offense when the recitation comes
to the relevant rule and promise that he will confess it when the
recitation is over. Otherwise, if he tells no one, he incurs a
pacittiya for telling a conscious lie.
The Cullavagga (IV.14.30) gives a formula for confessing an
offense in the presence of another bhikkhu:
Aham avuso ittannamam apattim apanno.
Tam patidesemi,
which means, "Friend, I have fallen into an offense of such-and-such
a name. I confess it."
The bhikkhu acknowledging the confession says,
Passasi?
which means, "Do you see it (the offense)?"
The bhikkhu confessing the offense says,
Ama, passami,
which means, "Yes, I see it."
The bhikkhu acknowledging the confession then says,
Ayatim sanvareyyasi,
which means, "You should restrain yourself in the future."
The formula most generally used at present is expanded from this.
The major changes include a vow, made by the confessant at the end
of the exchange, that he will exercise restraint; and the inclusion
of the words "many" and "of various sorts" to qualify offense(s) in
the original confession. This latter change is to streamline the
confession. Rather than confessing each offense of a particular
class separately, one gathers them into a single statement. As one
is allowed to confess more offenses than one has actually committed,
and as it is possible in some cases to commit offenses unknowingly,
the current formula has been adopted to cover such unwitting
offenses.
Since the formula is repeated by every bhikkhu before the
recitation of the Patimokkha, the procedure has become little more
than a formality. The Vinaya Mukha thus recommends that a bhikkhu
conscious of having committed a particular offense should mention it
to the other bhikkhu in their own language before making use of the
Pali formula.
If the bhikkhu making confession is junior to the one
acknowledging him, the exchange is as follows (taking thullaccaya
offenses as an example):
Confessant: Aham bhante sambahula nana-vatthukayo
thullaccayayo apattiyo apanno. Ta patidesemi.
Acknowledger: Passasi avuso?
C: Ama bhante, passami.
A: Ayatim avuso sanvareyyasi.
C: Sadhu sutthu bhante sanvarissami. (Three times.)
This last sentence means, "Very well, venerable sir, I will be
restrained."
If the bhikkhu making confession is senior to the other bhikkhu,
the exchange is as follows:
C: Aham avuso sambahula nana-vatthukayo thullaccayayo
apattiyo apanno. Ta patidesemi.
A: Passatha bhante?
C: Ama avuso, passami.
A: Ayatim bhante sanvareyyatha.
C: Sadhu sutthu avuso sanvarissami. (Three times.)
For other categories of offenses, change //thullaccayayo// to
//nissaggiyayo pacittiyayo//,
//pacittiyayo//,
//dukkatayo//, or
//dubbhasitayo//,
as the case may be. In confessing dubbhasita offenses, drop the
word //nana-vatthukayo//, as there is only one rule in this class
* * *
VIII. A pupil's duties as attendant to his mentor.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As mentioned in Chapter 2, one is required to act as one's mentor's
personal attendant if he does not already have one. There I sketched
out these duties in general terms. What follows is a translation
from Mv.I.25.8-19, which lays them out in very specific terms. Some
Communities have their members follow these duties to the letter;
others have adapted them to fit in with what they see as changes in
culture and technology (e.g., bathing practices now differ from what
they were then). Even in the latter cases, though, it is useful to
have the original standards down in writing as practical guides to
mindful action in daily life and sensitivity to one's mentor's needs,
for the role of attendant is an excellent opportunity for learning
the Dhamma and Vinaya in action on a day-to-day basis. A bhikkhu who
approaches this role with the proper attitude will benefit greatly
from it, much as Ven. Ananda benefited from the care and attention he
brought to bear in attending to the Buddha.
In the following passages, statements in parentheses are from the
Commentary; statements in brackets are my own.
Having gotten up early, having taken off his sandals, having
arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, the pupil should provide
tooth-cleaning sticks [see Pacittiya 40] and water for washing the
face. (On the first three days when one is performing these
services, one should provide the mentor with three lengths of
tooth-cleaning sticks -- long, medium, and short -- and notice which
one he takes. If he takes the same length on all three days,
provide him only with that length from then on. If he is not
particular about the length, provide him with whatever length is
available. A similar principle holds for the water: On the first
three days, provide him with both warm and cold water. If he
consistently takes either the warm or the cold, provide him only
with that kind of water from then on. If not, provide him with
whatever water is available.) [The Commentary suggests that in
"providing" these things, one need only set them out, rather than
hand them to the mentor. Once they have been set out, one should
proceed to sweep out the bathroom and its surrounding area while the
mentor is using the tooth-cleaning sticks and water. Then, while
the mentor is using the bathroom, one should proceed to the next
step.]
Make a seat ready. If there is conjey, then having washed a bowl,
place the conjey near the mentor. When he has drunk the conjey,
then having given him water, having received the bowl, having
lowered it [so as not to let the washing water wet one's robes],
wash it properly without scraping it (i.e., knocking it against the
floor) and then put it away. When the mentor has gotten up, remove
the seat. If the place is soiled, sweep it.
If the mentor wishes to enter the village for alms, give him his
lower robe, receiving the lower robe [he is wearing] from him in
return. [This is one of the few passages showing that the practice
of having spare robes was already current when the Canon was being
compiled.] Give him his belt; give him his upper and outer robe,
arranged so that the upper robe forms a lining for the outer one
[%]. Having rinsed out the bowl, give it to him while it is still
wet [i.e., pour out as much of the rinsing water as possible, but
don't wipe it dry].
If the mentor desires an attendant, one should put on one's lower
robe so as to cover the three circles all around (see Sekhiyas 1 &
2). Having put on the belt, having put the upper and outer robes
together and having put them on, having fastened the ties, having
washed and taken a bowl, be the mentor's attendant. Do not walk too
far behind him, do not walk too close. (One to two steps behind him
is appropriate.) Receive the mentor's bowl and its contents. (If
the mentor's bowl is heavy or hot to the touch, take his bowl and
give him one's own bowl [which is presumably lighter or less hot to
the touch] in return.)
Do not interrupt the mentor when he is speaking. If he is
bordering on an offense (e.g., Pacittiya 4 or Sanghadisesa 3), one
should speak in an indirect way so as to call him to his senses.
(These two duties apply everywhere, not only on almsround.) [The
Sub-commentary adds that, unlike the pupil's other duties, these
must also be observed even when one is ill.]
Returning ahead of the mentor, one should make a seat ready. Set
out water for washing the feet, a foot scraper, and a towel for
drying the feet. Having gone to meet him, receive his bowl and
robe. Give him his lower robe; receive the lower robe [that he has
been wearing] in return. If the upper and outer robes are damp with
perspiration, dry them for a short time in the sun's warmth, but do
not leave them there long in the sun. Fold up the robes
[separately, says the Sub-commentary], keeping the edges four
fingerbreadths apart so that neither robe becomes creased in the
middle. [One should follow the same practice in folding and hanging
one's own robes.] Place the belt in the fold of the robe. [From
these statements it would appear the bhikkhus in those days wore
only their lower robes while inside their dwellings.]
If there is almsfood, and the mentor wishes to eat, give him water
and place the almsfood near him. Offer him drinking water. (If
there is enough time before noon, one should wait by the mentor
while he is eating, in order to offer him drinking water, and eat
one's own meal only when he is finished. If there is not enough
time for this, one should simply set out the water and proceed to
one's own meal.)
When he has finished eating, then having given him water, receive
the bowl, lower it, and wash it properly without scraping it. Then,
having emptied out the water, dry it for a short time in the sun's
warmth, but do not leave it there long.
Put away the bowl and robes. When putting away the bowl, take the
bowl in one hand, feel under the bed or bench with the other hand,
and place the bowl there, but do not place it on the bare ground
(any place where it will get soiled). When putting away the robe,
take the robe with one hand, stroke the other hand along the rod or
cord for the robes [to check for any rough spots or splinters on the
cord or rod that will rip the cloth], place the robe over the cord
or rod with the edges away from one and the fold towards one. (The
fold should not be placed on the side of the wall, for if there is a
splinter in the wall, it may rip the robe in the middle [making its
determination lapse].) [Again, one should follow these same
practices in putting away one's own robe and bowl.]
When the mentor has gotten up, remove the seat. Put away the
water for washing the feet, the foot-scraper, and the towel for
drying the feet. If the place is soiled, sweep it.
If the mentor wishes to bathe, prepare a bath. Prepare a cold
bath if he wants a cold one, a hot bath if he wants a hot one.
If the mentor wishes to enter the sauna, knead the //chunam//
(bathing powder), moisten the bathing clay, take a chair for the
sauna, and follow closely behind him. Give him the chair, receive
his robe in return, and lay it to one side (where there is no soot
or smoke). Give him the chunam and clay. If one is able to, enter
the sauna, having smeared one's face with the bathing clay and
covering oneself front and back.
Sit so as not to encroach on the senior bhikkhus, at the same time
not depriving the junior bhikkhus of a seat. Look after the
mentor's needs (stoking the fire, providing him with clay and hot
water). When he is leaving the sauna, take the chair and, covering
oneself front and back, leave the sauna. Provide the mentor with
bathing water. When both have bathed, the pupil should come out of
the water first, dry himself, and put on his lower robe. Then he
should dry off his mentor, give him his lower robe and then his
outer robe.
Taking the chair, the pupil should return first, make ready a
seat, put out water for washing the feet, a foot-scraper, and a
towel for drying the feet. When the mentor has sat down, offer him
drinking water.
If the mentor wants one to recite (memorize passages of Dhamma or
Vinaya), one should recite. If he wants to interrogate one (on the
meaning of the passages), one should answer his interrogation.
If the place where the mentor is staying is soiled, the pupil
should clean it if he is able to. First take out the bowl and robe
and lay them to one side. Take out the sitting cloth and the sheet
and lay them to one side. Then take out the mattress and pillow and
lay them to one side.
Having lowered the bed [from its supports], take it out properly,
without scraping it (along the floor) or knocking it against the
door or door posts, and then lay it to one side. Lower the bench,
take it out properly, without scraping it (along the floor) or
knocking it against the door or the door posts, and lay it to one
side. Take out the supports for the bed...the spittoon...the
reclining board [a board or stone for resting the head, arms or
elbows] and lay them to one side. Take out the ground-covering,
after observing how it was laid down, and put it to one side.
If there are cobwebs, sweep them out, starting from the ceiling
and working down. Wipe the windows, the doors, and the corners. If
the wall or floor have become moldy [%], moisten a rag, wring it
out, and wipe them with it. If the floor of the room is bare
ground, sprinkle it all over with water before sweeping it, so that
the dust does not fly up and soil the room. Look for any rubbish
and throw it away.
Having dried the ground-covering in the sun, clean it, shake it
out, bring it back in, and lay it down as it was laid down before.
Having dried the supports for the bed in the sun, wipe them, bring
them back, and place them where they were before. Having dried the
bed...the bench in the sun, clean them, shake them out, lower them,
bring them back in properly without scraping them (against the
floor) or knocking them against the door or door posts, and place
them where they were placed before. Having dried the mattress and
pillow...the sitting cloth and sheet in the sun, clean them, shake
them out, bring them back in, and place them where they were before.
Having dried the spittoon in the sun, wipe it, bring it back in, and
place it where it was before. Having dried the reclining board in
the sun, wipe it, bring it back in, and place it where it was
before. [One should follow these same procedures in cleaning one's
own room.] Put away the bowl and robes [as above].
If dusty winds blow from the east, close the eastern windows. If
from the west, close the western windows. If from the north, close
the northern windows. If from the south, close the southern
windows. If the weather is cool, open the windows by day and close
them at night. If the weather is hot, close them by day and open
them at night. [Again, one should follow these same procedures in
looking after one's own room.]
If a courtyard is dirty, sweep it (%). If a porch...attendance
hall...fire hall (sauna)...restroom is dirty, sweep it. If there is
no drinking water, provide it. If there is no washing water,
provide it. If there is no water in the pitcher for rinsing [in the
restroom], pour it into the pitcher.
* * *
As noted in Chapter 2, a pupil who is not ill is expected to perform
these services for his mentor unless the mentor tells him that he
already has another pupil acting as his attendant or the other pupil
says that he will accept responsibility for them. On the other
hand, if the pupil is ill, the mentor is expected to perform these
services for the pupil until the latter recovers. This reflects the
Buddha's statement that the pupil should regard the mentor as his
father; and the mentor, the pupil as his son. If both bear this
relationship in mind, they are sure to prosper in the practice of
the Dhamma-Vinaya.
* * * * * * * *