Asking for thread (PLI-TV-BU-VB-NP26)

Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law

The Great Analysis

The chapter on relinquishment

The subchapter on almsbowls

Asking for thread

Origin story

At one time when the Buddha was staying at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove,

the monks from the group of six were making robes and they asked for a large amount of thread.¹

But when their robes were finished, there was much thread left over.

They said,

“Well, let’s ask for even more thread and get weavers to weave us robe-cloth.”

Yet even when that robe-cloth had been woven, there was much thread left over.

A second time they asked for more thread and had weavers weave them robe-cloth.

Once again there was much thread left over.

A third time they asked for more thread and had weavers weave them robe-cloth.

People complained and criticized them,

“How could the Sakyan monastics ask for thread and then get weavers to weave them robe-cloth?”

The monks heard the complaints of those people,

and the monks of few desires complained and criticized those monks,

“How could the monks from the group of six ask for thread and then get weavers to weave them robe-cloth?”

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

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

“It’s true, sir.”

The Buddha rebuked them …

“Foolish men, 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 monk himself asks for thread, and then has weavers weave him robe-cloth, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.’”

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.

Himself:

he himself has asked.

Thread:

there are six kinds of thread:

linen, cotton, silk, wool, sunn hemp, and hemp.²

Weavers:

if he has it woven by weavers, then for every 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 got weavers to weave after asking for the thread myself, 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 he had it woven, and he perceives that he did, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.

If he had it woven, but he is unsure of it, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.

If he had it woven, but he does not perceive that he did, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.

If he did not have it woven, but he perceives that he did, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If he did not have it woven, but he is unsure of it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

If he did not have it woven, and he does not perceive that he did, there is no offense.

Non-offenses

There is no offense:

if it is to sew a robe;

if it is for a back-and-knee strap;³

if it is for a belt;

if it is for a shoulder strap;

if it is for a bowl bag;

if it is for a water filter;

if it is from relatives;

if it is from those who have given an invitation;

if it 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 for thread, the sixth, is finished.