Relinquishment With Confession 32

The 32nd training precept: Taking an expensive heavy robe.

Origin Story

Location as before. Then the great king of Kosala, Pasenadi, bestowed an expensive, heavy cloth on his general, who then donated the robe to Dhammadinnā bhikkhunī. When the bhikkhunī had obtained the robe, she placed it on a shelf. Then Sundarīnandā bhikkhunī entered Dhammadinnā’s room, paid respect, saw this expensive robe, and asked: “Noble one, where did you obtain this?” She replied: “The general Sword-Wielder took it, came, and offered it to me.” Sundarī bhikkhunī said: “The noble one’s merit is great. Humans and gods offer to you.” Dhammadinnā bhikkhunī said: “I think that you desire it?” Sundarī bhikkhunī said: “Noble one, when the flowers left on a deva shrine are wilted, they should be thrown away.” Having heard these words, she knew her thoughts. Dhammadinnā then took (the robe) and gave it to Sundarī bhikkhunī. When she had obtained it, she wrapped it around herself, and entered the city on almsround. When the lay people saw her, they all mocked her: “Now look at this bhikkhunī indulging in sensual pleasures. Why does she wear this superior garment of a king, wandering about from place to place?” The bhikkhunīs told the bhikkhus, and the bhikkhus told the Buddha. The Buddha gathered the bhikkhunīs for this reason as before, asked to know the truth, and criticized her: “You’re difficult to support, difficult to satisfy, have many wishes, and don’t know moderation.” The World-honored One praised being easy to support, easy to satisfy, having few wishes, knowing moderation, and the merit of the ascetic practices being like a beautiful adornment. He told the bhikkhunīs: “I’ll now lay down another training precept. You should recite it like this:

Final Ruling

‘If a bhikkhunī takes an expensive heavy robe, it’s a nissaggiya pācittiya.’”

Explanations

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

“Taking an expensive heavy robe” means the robe’s weight is a hundred “ounces”, with a value of 20 kahāpaṇas or more.

“A robe” means a fine robe from Kāsī, or a superior silk robe.

“Taking” means receiving oneself.

“A nissaggiya pācittiya” is as explained above.

The explanations of the rule factors etc. are also as explained above.