On duties to one who shares his cell

^Kd.18.12.1 Now at that time preceptors did not conduct themselves properly towards those who shared their cells. Those who were modest monks … spread it about, saying: “How can these preceptors not conduct themselves properly towards those who share their cells?” Then these monks told this matter to the Lord. He said: “Is it true, as is said, monks, that preceptors do not conduct themselves properly towards those who share their cells?”

“It is true, Lord.” Having rebuked them, having given reasoned talk, he addressed the monks, saying: “Well then, monks, I will lay down an observance for preceptors towards those who share their cells and which should be observed by preceptors towards those who share their cells.

^Kd.18.12.2 “The preceptor,^[1] monks, should conduct himself properly towards the one who shares his cell. ^Vin.2.228 This is the proper conduct in this respect: the one who shares the cell should be furthered, he should be helped by the preceptor in regard ^BD.5.318 to recitation, interrogation, exhortation, instruction. If there is a bowl for the preceptor but no bowl for the one who shares his cell, a bowl should be given by the preceptor to the one who shares his cell, or he should make an effort, thinking: ‘How then could a bowl be procured for the one who shares my cell?’ If there is a robe for the preceptor … if there is (another) requisite for the preceptor … ‘How then could (another) requisite be procured for the one who shares my cell?’

^Kd.18.12.3 “If the one who shares a cell becomes ill, having got up early he should give tooth-wood, he should give water for rinsing the mouth, he should make ready a seat. If there is conjey, having washed a vessel, conjey should be placed near him. When he has drunk the conjey, having given him water, having received the vessel, having lowered it, having washed it properly without rubbing it, it should be put away. When the one who shares a cell has got up, the seat should be removed. If that place is soiled that place should be swept.

^Kd.18.12.4 “If the one who shares a cell wishes to enter a village, his inner clothing should be given (to him), the inner clothing (that he is wearing) should be received from him, in return, the outer robes should be given (to him), having folded them (into two or four folds); having washed it, a bowl with water is to be given to him. Thinking: ‘He will be returning about now,’ he should make ready a seat, he should set out water for washing the feet, a foot-stool, a foot-stand; having gone to meet him, he should receive his bowl and robe, he should give back the inner clothing (given) in return, he should receive his inner clothing. If a robe is damp with perspiration, he should dry it for a short time in the sun’s warmth, but a robe should not be laid aside in the warmth. He should fold up the robe. When folding up the robe, having made the corners turn back four finger-breadths, he should fold up the robe, thinking: ‘Mind there is no crease in the middle’. The waistband should be placed in a fold (of the robe). If there is almsfood and the one who shares a cell wishes to eat, having given him water, almsfood should be placed near (him).

^Kd.18.12.5 “He should offer the one who shares his cell drinking water. ^BD.5.319 When he has eaten, having given him water, having received the bowl, having lowered it, having washed it properly without rubbing it, having emptied out the water he should dry it for a short time in the sun’s warmth, but a bowl should not be laid aside in the warmth. He should lay aside the bowl and robes. When laying aside the bowl, having taken the bowl in one hand, ^Vin.2.229 having felt with the other under the couch or under the chair, the bowl should be laid aside, but the bowl should not be laid aside on the bare ground. When laying aside a robe, having taken the robe in one hand, having stroked the other hand along the bamboo for robes or the cord for robes, having got the edges away from him and the fold towards him, the robe should be laid aside. When the one who shares a cell has got up, the seat should be removed, the water for washing the feet, the foot-stool, the foot-stand should be put away. If that place comes to be soiled, that place should be swept.

^Kd.18.12.6 “If the one who shares a cell wishes to bathe, he should prepare a bath. If he wants a cold (bath), he should prepare a cold one; if he wants a hot (bath), he should prepare a hot one. If the one who shares a cell wishes to enter a bathroom, he should knead chunam, he should moisten clay; taking a chair for the bathroom, having gone (close behind the one who shares a cell), having given him the chair for the bathroom, having received his robe, he should lay it to one side. He should give him the chunam, he should give him the clay. If he is able to do so he should enter the bathroom. When he is entering the bathroom, having smeared his face with clay, having covered himself front and back he should enter the bathroom.

^Kd.18.12.7 “He should not sit down so as to encroach upon (the space intended for) monks who are elders. He should not keep newly ordained monks from a seat. He should make preparation for the one who shares a cell in the bathroom. When he is leaving the bathroom, taking the chair for the bathroom, having covered himself front and back, he should leave the bathroom. And he should make preparation in the water for the one who shares his cell. When he is bathing, having come out of the water first, having dried his own body, having put on his inner robe, he should wipe off the water from the ^BD.5.320 limbs of the one who shares the cell, he should give him his inner clothing, he should give him his outer cloak; taking the chair for the bathroom, having come back first, he should make ready a seat, he should put out water for washing the feet, a foot-stool, a foot-stand. He should offer the one who shares a cell drinking-water.

^Kd.18.12.8 “If the dwelling-place in which the one who shares a cell is staying is dirty, if he is able (to do so) he should clean it. When he is cleaning it, having first taken out the bowl and robes, he should lay them to one side … If there is no water in the pitcher of water for rinsing, water should be tipped into the pitcher of water for rinsing. If dissatisfaction has arisen in the one who shares a cell, the preceptor should allay it or get another to allay it, or he should give him a talk on dhamma. If remorse … the preceptor should dispel it or get another to dispel it, or he should give him a talk on dhamma. If ^Vin.2.230 wrong views have arisen in the one who shares a cell, the preceptor should dissuade him (from them) or get another to dissuade him (from them) or he should give him a talk on dhamma.

^Kd.18.12.9 “If the one who shares a cell has committed an offence against an important rule … the preceptor should make an effort, thinking: ‘How then could the Order rehabilitate the one who shares the cell?’

^Kd.18.12.10 “If the Order desires to carry out a (formal) act against one who shares a cell … thinking: ‘How then could the one who shares a cell conduct himself properly, be subdued, mend his ways, (so that) the Order could revoke that (formal) act?’

^Kd.18.12.11 “If the robe of one who shares a cell should be washed … When he is dyeing the robe, he should dye it properly, turning it again and again, nor should he go away if the drips have not ceased. If the one who shares a cell becomes ill, he should tend him for as long as life lasts; he should wait (with him) until he recovers. This, ^Vin.2.231 monks, is the observance for preceptors towards those who share their cells and which should be observed by preceptors towards those who share their cells.”

The Second Portion for Repeating.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

From here to the end of Kd.18.12 is the same as Kd.1.26.