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Theravāda Vinaya Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law
Bhikkhunivibhaṅga The Nuns’ Analysis
Nissaggiyakaṇḍa The chapter on relinquishment
Pattavagga The subchapter on almsbowls
2. Akālacīvarabhājanasikkhāpada Distributing out-of-season robe-cloth
Origin story
Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery.
Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā bhikkhuniyo gāmakāvāse vassaṁvuṭṭhā sāvatthiṁ agamaṁsu vattasampannā iriyāpathasampannā duccoḷā lūkhacīvarā. At that time, after completing the rainy-season residence in a village monastery, a number of nuns were traveling to Sāvatthī. They were perfect in conduct and deportment, but poorly dressed in shabby robes.
Upāsakā tā bhikkhuniyo passitvā—Some lay followers who saw them thought,
“imā bhikkhuniyo vattasampannā iriyāpathasampannā duccoḷā lūkhacīvarā, imā bhikkhuniyo acchinnā bhavissantī”ti bhikkhunisaṅghassa akālacīvaraṁ adaṁsu. “These nuns are perfect in conduct and deportment, but poorly dressed in shabby robes; they must’ve been robbed,” and they gave out-of-season robe-cloth to the Sangha of nuns.
Thullanandā bhikkhunī—Because they had performed the robe-making ceremony, the nun Thullanandā
“amhākaṁ kathinaṁ atthataṁ kālacīvaran”ti adhiṭṭhahitvā bhājāpesi. determined it as in-season robe-cloth, and then distributed it.
Upāsakā tā bhikkhuniyo passitvā etadavocuṁ—The lay followers asked those nuns whether
“apayyāhi cīvaraṁ laddhan”ti? they had obtained any robe-cloth.
“Na mayaṁ, āvuso, cīvaraṁ labhāma. They replied that they hadn’t
Ayyā thullanandā—and told them what had happened. The point here is that because Thullanandā (illegitimately) determines the robe-cloth as in-season, it can only be distributed to those nuns who have spent the rainy season in the monastery where the robe-cloth is given. The traveling nuns were therefore excluded from receiving it.
‘amhākaṁ kathinaṁ atthataṁ kālacīvaran’ti adhiṭṭhahitvā bhājāpesī”ti.
Upāsakā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—Those lay followers then complained and criticized her,
“kathañhi nāma ayyā thullanandā akālacīvaraṁ ‘kālacīvaran’ti adhiṭṭhahitvā bhājāpessatī”ti. “How could Venerable Thullanandā determine out-of-season robe-cloth as ‘in-season’, and then distribute it?”
Assosuṁ kho bhikkhuniyo tesaṁ upāsakānaṁ ujjhāyantānaṁ khiyyantānaṁ vipācentānaṁ. The nuns heard the complaints of those lay followers,
Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—and the nuns of few desires complained and criticized her,
“kathañhi nāma ayyā thullanandā akālacīvaraṁ ‘kālacīvaran’ti adhiṭṭhahitvā bhājāpessatī”ti. “How could Venerable Thullanandā do this?”
Atha kho tā bhikkhuniyo bhikkhūnaṁ etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ. Those nuns then told the monks,
Bhikkhū bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ …pe… who in turn told the Buddha. Soon afterwards he had the Sangha gathered and questioned the monks:
“saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, thullanandā bhikkhunī akālacīvaraṁ ‘kālacīvaran’ti adhiṭṭhahitvā bhājāpetī”ti? “Is it true, monks, that the nun Thullanandā did this?”
“Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti. “It’s true, sir.”
Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… The Buddha rebuked her …
kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, thullanandā bhikkhunī akālacīvaraṁ “kālacīvaran”ti adhiṭṭhahitvā bhājāpessati. “How could the nun Thullanandā do this?
Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe… This will affect people’s confidence …” …
evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—“And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this:
Final ruling
“Yā pana bhikkhunī akālacīvaraṁ ‘kālacīvaran’ti adhiṭṭhahitvā bhājāpeyya, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyan”ti. ‘If a nun determines out-of-season robe-cloth as “in-season”, and then distributes it, she commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.’”
Definitions
Yā panāti A:
yā yādisā …pe… whoever …
bhikkhunīti Nun:
…pe… ayaṁ imasmiṁ atthe adhippetā bhikkhunīti. … The nun who has been given the full ordination in unanimity by both Sanghas through a legal procedure consisting of one motion and three announcements that is irreversible and fit to stand—this sort of nun is meant in this case.
Akālacīvaraṁ nāma Out-of-season robe-cloth:
anatthate kathine ekādasamāse uppannaṁ, atthate kathine sattamāse uppannaṁ, kālepi ādissa dinnaṁ, etaṁ akālacīvaraṁ nāma. for one who has not participated in the robe-making ceremony, it is robe-cloth given during the eleven months. For one who has participated in the robe-making ceremony, it is robe-cloth given during the seven months. Also, if it is given in the robe season, but the cloth is designated, it is called “out-of-season robe-cloth”. That is, in-season robe-cloth is cloth obtained during the last month of the rainy season, while out-of-season robe-cloth is cloth obtained during the remaining eleven months of the year. See Kkh. | According to the commentary to Bu Np 3, Sp 1.499: Kālepi ādissa dinnanti saṅghassa vā “idaṁ akālacīvara”nti uddisitvā dinnaṁ, ekapuggalassa vā “idaṁ tuyhaṁ dammī”ti dinnaṁ, “‘Also, if it is given in the robe season, but it is designated’ means: it is given to the Sangha after designating it by saying, ‘This is out-of-season robe-cloth’, or it is given to an individual by saying, ‘I give this to you.’” In other words, it is designated as out-of-season cloth or designated to an individual. The commentary to the present rule, at Sp 2.740, adds that designating to a group is included in designated cloth: Ādissa dinnanti sampattā bhājentūti vatvāpi idaṁ gaṇassa idaṁ tumhākaṁ dammīti vatvā vā dātukamyatāya pādamūle ṭhapetvā vā dinnampi ādissa dinnaṁ nāma hoti; etaṁ sabbampi akālacīvaraṁ, “‘Given after designating’ means: if they give after saying, ‘Let those who are present share it out’, or after saying, ‘I give this to the group, to you’, or they place it at the feet (of the recipient) wishing to give, this is called ‘Given after designating’. All this is called out-of-season robe-cloth.” See also kathina in Appendix of Technical Terms.
Akālacīvaraṁ “kālacīvaran”ti adhiṭṭhahitvā bhājāpeti, payoge dukkaṭaṁ. If she distributes it after determining the out-of-season robe-cloth as “in-season”, then for the effort there is an act of wrong conduct.
Paṭilābhena nissaggiyaṁ hoti. When she gets it, it becomes subject to relinquishment.
Nissajjitabbaṁ saṅghassa vā gaṇassa vā ekabhikkhuniyā vā. The robe-cloth should be relinquished to a sangha, a group, or an individual nun.
Evañca pana, bhikkhave, nissajjitabbaṁ. “And, monks, it should be relinquished like this. …”
…pe… (To be expanded as in Bi NP 1:2.1.21–2.1.43, with appropriate substitutions.)
“idaṁ me, ayye, akālacīvaraṁ ‘kālacīvaran’ti adhiṭṭhahitvā bhājāpitaṁ nissaggiyaṁ, imāhaṁ saṅghassa nissajjāmī”ti …pe… “Venerables, this out-of-season robe-cloth, which I distributed after determining it as “in-season”, is to be relinquished. I relinquish it to the Sangha.” …
dadeyyā”ti …pe… “the Sangha should give …”
dadeyyun”ti …pe… “you should give …”
ayyāya dammī”ti. “I give this robe-cloth back to you.”
Permutations
Akālacīvare akālacīvarasaññā “kālacīvaran”ti adhiṭṭhahitvā bhājāpeti, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ. If it is out-of-season robe-cloth and she perceives it as such, and she distributes it after determining it as “in-season”, she commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.
Akālacīvare vematikā “kālacīvaran”ti adhiṭṭhahitvā bhājāpeti, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If it is out-of-season robe-cloth, but she is unsure of it, and she distributes it after determining it as “in-season”, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.
Akālacīvare kālacīvarasaññā “kālacīvaran”ti adhiṭṭhahitvā bhājāpeti, anāpatti. If it is out-of-season robe-cloth, but she perceives it as in-season robe-cloth, and she distributes it after determining it as “in-season”, there is no offense.
Kālacīvare akālacīvarasaññā, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If it is in-season robe-cloth, but she perceives it as out-of-season robe-cloth, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.
Kālacīvare vematikā, āpatti dukkaṭassa. If it is in-season robe-cloth, but she is unsure of it, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.
Kālacīvare kālacīvarasaññā, anāpatti. If it is in-season robe-cloth and she perceives it as such, there is no offense.
Non-offenses
Anāpatti—There is no offense:
akālacīvaraṁ kālacīvarasaññā bhājāpeti, if she distributes out-of-season robe-cloth that she perceives as in-season;
kālacīvaraṁ kālacīvarasaññā bhājāpeti, if she distributes in-season robe-cloth that she perceives as in-season;
ummattikāya, if she is insane;
ādikammikāyāti. if she is the first offender.
Dutiyasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ. The second training rule is finished.