Relinquishment With Confession 20

Origin Story

The Buddha was staying in Vesālī. At that time, there was a merchant from the south who came with a thin cotton cloth with a swan pattern. People asked: “How much money do you want for this cloth?” He answered: “100,000.” Because of this high price, the king’s family didn’t buy it, and the high officials and the other merchants also didn’t buy it. Because he couldn’t sell it, he sat in his shop worrying. People asked: “Why are you so worried?” He answered: “I bought this cloth at a high price, and the taxes were high, but now I can’t sell it.” The people asked: “Do you want to sell it?” He answered: “I want to sell it.” They said: “You can take it, and go to the renunciate Bhaddā. She’ll buy it from you.” Then he went, and asked people: “Where is the bhikkhunīs’ residence?” When he knew, he entered, and asked: “Where is the renunciate Bhaddā’s room?” Then people showed him the place. When he had arrived there, he said: “I pay respect to the venerable. Are you Bhaddā?” She answered: “Yes. Why do you ask?” He answered: “I’ve this cotton cloth with a swan pattern. Do you want to buy it?” She asked: “How much do you want for it?” He answered: “I’m asking for 100,000.” Then without asking him to reduce the price, the bhikkhunī said to a student: “Go and tell people at my relatives’ shop to take 100.000, and give it to him.” People asked: “Were you able to sell it?” He answered: “I sold it.” They asked: “Who took it?” He answered: “The renunciate Bhaddā took it.” These people then were upset and said: “How can renunciates indulge like this!”

When the bhikkhunīs heard this, they told Mahāpajāpatī, … The Buddha told Bhaddā bhikkhunī: “Don’t you set a standard for later generations? From now on, it’s no longer allowed to buy a thin, light robe for more than two and a half kārṣāpaṇas.” The Buddha told Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī: “Convene all the bhikkhunīs living in the vicinity of Sāvatthī. Should read Vesālī.* … Those who have already heard it should listen again:

Final Ruling

If a bhikkhunī buys a thin, light robe for more than two and a half kārṣāpaṇas, it’s a nissaggiya pācittiya.”

Explanation

“A bhikkhunī” is as explained above. “Two and a half kārṣāpaṇas” means 46 old coins This doesn’t fit with the values given in the previous rule, and with the parallel rules in other schools.*. “Buying” means knowingly taking it. If she exceeds that amount, it’s a nissaggiya pācittiya. “A nissaggiya pācittiya” is as explained above. If a bhikkhunī buys a thin, light robe, she should knowingly take one for two and a half kārṣāpaṇas. She may not exceed this. If she doesn’t ask, and is given a robe, if she obtains an expensive thin robe and uses it, there’s no offense. If a bhikkhu buys an expensive robe and uses it, there’s no offense.

Summary Verse

Asking for beds and mats and using them oneself, using robe and bowl funds for a different purpose,

Taking away from a group and using oneself The rule itself doesn’t actually say that the offerings have to be for a group, only the origin story and the explanation do. Framing it this way makes it look much closer to parallels such as Pāli bhikkhunī nissaggiya pācittiyas 6-9, than when only looking at the rules on their own.*, storing bowls, and storing robes,

Throwing away a robe and later taking it back, unsewing a robe, giving ordination,

A heavy robe, and a thin, light one, the second chapter is finished.