Relinquishment With Confession 25

The 25th training precept: Supplementing one’s food with a fund intended for dyeing a robe.

Origin Story

Location as before. Then Thullanandā bhikkhunī’s five robes were torn and damaged. At the meal time, she put on her robes, took her bowl, and went to Queen Sirimālā. When she had arrived there, she was made to sit on a seat laid out. Having spoken dhamma, she remained silent. The queen said: “Why are your clothes old and torn?” Thullanandā bhikkhunī said: “How could I now have a husband and children to give me robes?” The queen said: “Noble one, I give the five robes.” She replied: “May you be free from illness. Now is the right time for this.” The queen then brought out her clothes chest and said: “Noble one, take whatever you want.” The bhikkhunī said: “Even though there’s merit in offering, there’s no merit in receiving. A fund for sewing and a fund for dyeing would be necessary.” The queen also gave that. When Thullanandā had obtained (the robes), she sold them to supplement her food and edibles. As before, she again put on her old robes and went to the queen. The queen saw her and said: “Noble one, why do you wear these old robes?” The bhikkhunī said: “You should just rejoice in being freed from the eight difficulties. You previous gift remains in an inexhaustible storehouse. i.e. She has made good karma and should rejoice in the benefits this brings her.*” The queen said: “Noble one, what did you do with the robes you received?” The bhikkhunī said: “I let them go as was suitable. Wearing a patchwork robe is just for covering the body. What’s the use of neat clothes?” The queen investigated it, and disrespect arose in her mind: “How can a bhikkhunī use offerings for the five robes to supplement her food?” The bhikkhunīs told the bhikkhus, and the bhikkhus told the Buddha. The Buddha gathered the bhikkhunīs for this reason as before, asked if it was true, and criticized her as explained in detail, down to: “I’ll lay down another training precept. You should recite it like this:

Final Ruling

‘If a bhikkhunī uses a fund for dyeing robes to supplement her food, it’s a nissaggiya pācittiya.’” This rule is somewhat different in the pātimokkha: If a bhikkhunī uses a fund for robes to supplement her food, it’s a nissaggiya pācittiya. So the rule itself is not about dyeing. However, the summary verse in the pātimokkha indicates that it should be about dyeing.*

Explanations

“A bhikkhunī” means Thullanandā, or any other bhikkhunī.

“Obtaining a fund for dyeing robes” means the seven kinds of robes as above.

“A dyeing fund” means obtaining the value of that.

“Using it to supplement her food” means obtaining such and such robes, and selling them for the two (kinds of) five foods and edibles. khādanīya and bhojanīya.*

The rest is as above.