Vinaya Pitaka (3): Khandhaka
by I. B. Horner | 2014 | 386,194 words | ISBN-13: 9781921842160
The English translation of the Khandhaka: the second book of the Pali Vinaya Pitaka, one of the three major ‘baskets’ of Therevada canonical literature. It is a collection of various narratives. The English translation of the Vinaya-pitaka (third part, khandhaka) contains many Pali original words, but transliterated using a system similar to the I...
On an agreement for a storeroom, etc.
Kd.8.7.1 Now at that time the monks who were keepers of robe-material kept the robe-material in a shed[1] and at the root of a tree and in the hollow of a nimb-tree[2]; it was eaten by rats and white ants. They told this matter to the Lord. He said:
“I allow you, monks, to agree upon a store-room that the Order desires: a dwelling-place or a curved house[3] or a long house[4] or a mansion[5] or a cave.[6]
Kd.8.7.2 “And thus, monks, should it be agreed upon. The Order should be informed by an experienced, competent monk, saying: ‘Honoured sirs, let the Order listen to me. If it seems right to the Order, the Order should agree upon such and such a dwelling-place as a store-room. This is the motion. Honoured sirs, let the Order listen to me. The Order is agreeing upon such and such a dwelling-place as a store-room. If the agreement upon such and such a dwelling-place as a store-room is pleasing to the venerable ones let them be silent; he to whom it is not pleasing should speak. Such and such a dwelling-place is agreed upon by the Order as a store-room. It is pleasing to the Order; therefore it is silent. Thus do I understand this’.”
Kd.8.8.1 Now at that time an Order’s robe-material came to be unguarded[7] in the store-room. They told this matter to the Lord. He said:
“I allow you, monks, to agree upon a monk endowed with five qualities as guardian of the store-room[8]: one who would not follow a wrong course through partiality … one who would not follow a wrong course through fear, and one who BD.4.403 would know what is guarded and what is not guarded.[9] And thus, monks, should he be agreed upon … ‘… The monk so and so is agreed upon by the Order as guardian of the store-room. Vin.1.285 It is pleasing to the Order; therefore it is silent. Thus do I understand this’.”
Kd.8.8.2 Now at that time the group of six monks turned away[10] the guardian of a store-room. They told this matter to the Lord. He said: “Monks, a guardian of a store-room is not to be turned away.[11] Whoever should turn him away, there is an offence of wrong-doing.”
Kd.8.9.1 Now at that time robe-material came to be heaped up in an Order’s store-room. They told this matter to the Lord. He said: “I allow you, monks, to distribute it by means of the Order that is present.”[12] Then the whole Order, distributing the robe-material, made a tumult.[13] They told this matter to the Lord. He said:
“I allow you, monks, to agree upon a monk endowed with five qualities as distributor of robe-material[14]: one who would not follow a wrong course through partiality … one who would not follow a wrong course through fear, and one who would know what is distributed and what is not distributed. And thus, monks, should he be agreed upon … ‘… The monk so and so is agreed upon by the Order as distributor of robe-material. It is pleasing to the Order; therefore it is silent. Thus do I understand this’.”
Kd.8.9.2 BD.4.404 Then it occurred to the monks who were the distributors of robe-material: “Now, how should we distribute the robe-material?” They told this matter to the Lord. He said: “I allow you, monks, having first examined[15] it, having estimated[16] it, having equalised[17] it, having counted the monks, having formed them into sections,[18] to arrange[19] a share of the robe-material (for each section).”
Then it occurred to the monks who were the distributors of robe-material: “Now, how should a share of the robe-material be given to novices?” They told this matter to the Lord. He said: “I allow you, monks, to give half a share to novices.”
Kd.8.9.3 Now at that time a certain monk became desirous of crossing over[20] with his own portion. They told this matter to the Lord. He said: “I allow you, monks, to give his own portion to one who is crossing over.” Now at that time a certain monk became desirous of crossing over with more than one portion. They told this matter to the Lord. He said: “I allow you, monk, to give more than one portion if he gives a compensation.”[21]
Kd.8.9.4 Then it occurred to the monks who were the distributors BD.4.405 of robe-material: “Now, how should a share of the robe-material be given: in the order in which they came in,[22] or according to seniority?” They told this matter to the Lord. He said: “I allow you, monks, having made good anything lacking,[23] to cast lots with kusa-grass.”[24]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
maṇḍapa.
[3]:
aḍḍhayoga. See above, BD.4.75, n.4.
[4]:
pāsāda, see BD.2.16, n.5.
[5]:
hammiya, see BD.2.16, n.6.
[7]:
Vin-a.1121 says from rain, mice, white ants, crumbling walls.
[8]:
bhaṇḍāgārika. Cf. AN.iii.274. At Vin.2.176 it is said that there was no bhaṇḍāgārika at that time. The Lord allowed one to be appointed, as above.
[9]:
According to Vin-a.1122 he should guard against the pests (note before the last above), should close the doors and window-holes in the cold weather and open them in the hot weather to let the wind come in. The accepter of robe-material—whether accepted at the right time or the wrong time, whether given for urgent reasons, whether robes for the rains, rugs, sheets or towels—should give these things to the keeper of robe-material, who should give them to the guardian of the storeroom. Thus, put by in the storeroom, when the time comes, they can be given to a monk as a set of three robes, or as two robes or as one.
[11]:
Vin-a.1122 says that there are four kinds of persons not to be turned away: an older monk (older than the one who would turn him out), a guardian of a storeroom, an ill monk, one who has received lodgings from the Order.
[12]:
sammukhībhūta. Vin-a.1123 says “being within the precincts and boundary.”
[13]:
Vin-a.1123 says that they made a great noise, saying, ‘Give for our teacher, give for our preceptor.’
[14]:
cīvarabhājaka. Cf. Vin.2.176 where it is said that at that time there was no distributor of robe-material; one was allowed to be appointed, as above.
[15]:
uccinitvā, Vin-a.1123 saying: examining the clothes thus, saying, “This is thick, this is fine, this is massive, this is small, this is used, this is not used, this is so much in length, this is so much across”.
[16]:
tulayitvā, weighed or measured; estimated or assessed. Vin-a.1123 says, “thinking, ‘this is worth so much, this so much’, thus determining by value”.
[17]:
vaṇṇāvaṇṇaṃ katvā, having made it fair. Vin-a.1123 says, “if each (monk) obtains one (robe or piece of material) worth ten (kahāpaṇas?), that is right; but if he does not obtain it, then taking what is worth nine or eight together with another (piece) worth one or two, thus the meaning is: in this way arranging (or establishing) equal shares”.
[18]:
vaggaṃ bandhitvā. Vin-a.1123 says that in case the robe-material cannot be given to each one on one day, then counting the monks by tens, the portions of robe-material by tens, having formed a section one by one, having made one collection (or heap of the material), he says, “I allow you to arrange one portion of robe-material”. When the portion of robe-material is arranged thus, lots should be cast, and when this is done the portion should be distributed among those monks who win the casting of the lots.
[19]:
ṭhapetuṃ, or to set aside.
[20]:
uttaritukāma. Vin-a.1124 says a river or the wilds.
[21]:
anukkhepa. Word apparently only occurs here. Vin-a.1125 says it means, “whatever goods are allowable may be delivered in return, may be handed over”, i.e. by the monk receiving more than one portion. It seems like a system of barter.
[22]:
āgatapaṭipātiya.
[23]:
vikalake tosetvā. Vin-a.1125 mentions two kinds of deficiencies, that of robes and that of individuals. Deficiency of robes is met by cutting up the robes that are left over into strips, so that the insufficiency is remedied. Deficiency of individuals is when monks have been counted ten by ten into sections, vagga, and one vagga is not complete, consisting of only eight or nine monks. Kusa lots should then be cast.
[24]:
kusapātaṃ kātuṃ. If the deficiency of robes cannot be satisfied, lots may be cast for another requisite, Vin-a.1125. This would hardly get over the difficulty of inadequate clothing.