Vinaya — Regras dos Monges (Bhikkhu Vibhaṅga) — Asking an unrelated person for a robe

1First substory
At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery. At that time Venerable Upananda the Sakyan was skilled at teaching. On one occasion the son of a wealthy merchant went to Upananda, bowed, and sat down. And Upananda instructed, inspired, and gladdened him with a teaching. Afterwards that merchant’s son said to Upananda:

2“Venerable, please tell me what you need. I can give you robe-cloth, almsfood, a dwelling, and medicinal supplies.”

3“If you wish to give me something, give me one of your wrap garments.”

4“It’s shameful, venerable, for a gentleman to walk around in only one wrap. Please wait until I get back home. I’ll send you this wrap or a better one.”

5A second time and a third time Upananda said the same thing to that merchant’s son, and he got the same reply. He then said, “What’s the point of inviting me if you don’t want to give?”

6Being pressured by Upananda, that merchant’s son gave him one of his wraps and left. People asked him why he was walking around in only one wrap, and he told them what had happened. People complained and criticized Upananda, “These Sakyan monastics have great desires. They’re not content. Even to make them an appropriate offer isn’t easy. How could they take his wrap when the merchant’s son was making an appropriate offer?”

7The monks heard the complaints of those people, and the monks of few desires complained and criticized him too, “How could Venerable Upananda ask the merchant’s son for a robe?”

8After 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?”

9“It’s true, sir.”

10“Is he a relative of yours?”

11“No.”

12“Foolish man, people who are unrelated don’t know what’s appropriate and inappropriate, what’s good and bad, in dealing with each other. And still you did this. This will affect people’s confidence …” … “And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

13Preliminary ruling
‘If a monk asks an unrelated male or female householder for a robe, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.’”

14In this way the Buddha laid down this training rule for the monks.

15Second substory
Soon afterwards a number of monks who were traveling from Sāketa to Sāvatthī were robbed by bandits. Knowing that the Buddha had laid down this training rule and being afraid of wrongdoing, they did not ask for robes. As a consequence, they walked naked to Sāvatthī, where they bowed down to the monks. The monks there said, “These Ājīvaka ascetics are good people, as they bow down to the monks.”

16“We’re not Ājīvakas! We’re monks!”

17The monks asked Venerable Upāli to examine them.

18When the naked monks told him what had happened, Upāli said to the monks, “They are monks. Please give them robes.”

19The monks of few desires complained and criticized them, “How can monks go naked? Shouldn’t they have covered up with grass and leaves?”

20After rebuking those monks in many ways, they told the Buddha. Soon afterwards he gave a teaching and addressed the monks:

21“Monks, if a monk’s robes are stolen or lost, I allow him to ask an unrelated householder for robes. At the first monastery where he arrives, if the Sangha has a communal robe, a bedspread, a floor cover, or a mattress cover, he should take that and put it on, thinking, ‘When I get a robe, I’ll return it.’ If there’s none of these things, he should cover up with grass and leaves before going on. He should not go on while naked. If he does, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

22And so, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

23Final ruling
‘If a monk asks an unrelated male or female householder for a robe, except on an appropriate occasion, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. These are the appropriate occasions: his robes are stolen or his robes are lost.’”

24Definitions
A:

25whoever …

26Monk:

27… 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.

28Unrelated:

29anyone who is not a descendant of one’s male ancestors going back eight generations, either on the mother’s side or on the father’s side.

30A male householder:

31any man who lives at home.

32A female householder:

33any woman who lives at home.

34A robe:

35one of the six kinds of robe-cloth, but not smaller than what can be assigned to another.

36Except on an appropriate occasion:

37unless it is an appropriate occasion.

38His robes are stolen:

39a monk’s robe is taken by kings, bandits, scoundrels, or whoever.

40His robes are lost:

41a monk’s robe is burned by fire, carried away by flooding, eaten by rats or termites, or worn through use.

42If he asks, except on an appropriate occasion, then for the effort there is an act of wrong conduct. When he gets the robe-cloth, it becomes subject to relinquishment.

43The 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.)

44“Venerables, this robe-cloth, which I received after asking an unrelated householder, but not on an appropriate occasion, 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.”

45Permutations
If the person is unrelated and the monk perceives them as such, and he asks them for robe-cloth, except on an appropriate occasion, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. If the person is unrelated, but the monk is unsure of it, and he asks them for robe-cloth, except on an appropriate occasion, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. If the person is unrelated, but the monk perceives them as related, and he asks them for robe-cloth, except on an appropriate occasion, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.

46If the person is related, but the monk perceives them as unrelated, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If the person is related, but the monk is unsure of it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If the person is related and the monk perceives them as such, there is no offense.

47Non-offenses
There is no offense: if it is an appropriate occasion; if he asks relatives; if he asks those who have given an invitation; if he asks 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.

48The training rule on asking an unrelated person for a robe, the sixth, is finished.