Sūcighara

Theravāda Vinaya

Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law

Mahāvibhaṅga

The Great Analysis

Pācittiyakaṇḍa

The chapter on offenses entailing confession

Ratanavagga

The subchapter on precious things

86. Sūcigharasikkhāpada

Making an inappropriate needle case

Origin story

Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sakkesu viharati kapilavatthusmiṁ nigrodhārāme.

At one time the Buddha was staying in the Sakyan country in the Banyan Tree Monastery at Kapilavatthu.

Tena kho pana samayena aññatarena dantakārena bhikkhū pavāritā honti—

At that time an ivory-worker had invited the monks

“yesaṁ ayyānaṁ sūcigharena attho ahaṁ sūcigharenā”ti.

who needed needle cases to ask for one.

Tena kho pana samayena bhikkhū bahū sūcighare viññāpenti.

And the monks asked for many needle cases.

Yesaṁ khuddakā sūcigharā te mahante sūcighare viññāpenti.

Those who had small needle cases asked for large ones,

Yesaṁ mahantā sūcigharā te khuddake sūcighare viññāpenti.

and those who had large needle cases asked for small ones.

Atha kho so dantakāro bhikkhūnaṁ bahū sūcighare karonto na sakkoti aññaṁ vikkāyikaṁ bhaṇḍaṁ kātuṁ, attanāpi na yāpeti, puttadāropissa kilamati.

The ivory-worker was so busy making needle cases for the monks that he was unable to make goods for sale. He could not make a living for himself, and his wives and children suffered.

Manussā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—

People complained and criticized them,

“kathañhi nāma samaṇā sakyaputtiyā na mattaṁ jānitvā bahū sūcighare viññāpessanti.

“How can the Sakyan monastics not have any sense of moderation and ask for many needle cases?

Ayaṁ imesaṁ bahū sūcighare karonto na sakkoti aññaṁ vikkāyikaṁ bhaṇḍaṁ kātuṁ, attanāpi na yāpeti, puttadāropissa kilamatī”ti.

This ivory-worker is so busy making needle cases for them that he’s unable to make goods for sale. He can’t make a living for himself, and his wives and children are suffering.”

Assosuṁ kho bhikkhū tesaṁ manussānaṁ ujjhāyantānaṁ khiyyantānaṁ vipācentānaṁ.

The monks heard the complaints of those people,

Ye te bhikkhū appicchā …pe… te ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—

and the monks of few desires complained and criticized those monks,

“kathañhi nāma bhikkhū na mattaṁ jānitvā bahū sūcighare viññāpessantī”ti …pe…

“How can those monks not have a sense of moderation and ask for many needle cases?” …

“saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhū na mattaṁ jānitvā bahū sūcighare viññāpentī”ti?

“Is it true, monks, that there are monks who do this?”

“Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.

“It’s true, sir.”

Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe…

The Buddha rebuked them …

kathañhi nāma te, bhikkhave, moghapurisā na mattaṁ jānitvā bahū sūcighare viññāpessanti.

“How can those foolish men do this?

Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe…

This will affect people’s confidence …” …

evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—

“And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

Final ruling

“Yo pana bhikkhu aṭṭhimayaṁ vā dantamayaṁ vā visāṇamayaṁ vā sūcigharaṁ kārāpeyya bhedanakaṁ, pācittiyan”ti.

‘If a monk has a needle case made from bone, ivory, or horn, it is to be destroyed, and he commits an offense entailing confession.’”

Definitions

Yo panāti

A:

yo yādiso …pe…

whoever …

bhikkhūti

Monk:

…pe… ayaṁ imasmiṁ atthe adhippeto bhikkhūti.

… The monk who has been given the full ordination by a unanimous Sangha through a legal procedure consisting of one motion and three announcements that is irreversible and fit to stand—this sort of monk is meant in this case.

Aṭṭhi nāma

Bone:

yaṁ kiñci aṭṭhi.

any kind of bone.

Danto nāma

Ivory:

hatthidanto vuccati.

elephant tooth is what is meant.

Visāṇaṁ nāma

Horn:

yaṁ kiñci visāṇaṁ.

any kind of horn.

Kārāpeyyāti

Has made:

karoti vā kārāpeti vā, payoge dukkaṭaṁ.

if he makes one or has one made, then for the effort there is an act of wrong conduct.

Paṭilābhena bhinditvā pācittiyaṁ desetabbaṁ.

When he gets it, it is to be destroyed, and he is then to confess an offense entailing confession.

Permutations

Attanā vippakataṁ attanā pariyosāpeti, āpatti pācittiyassa.

If he finishes what he began himself, he commits an offense entailing confession.

Attanā vippakataṁ parehi pariyosāpeti, āpatti pācittiyassa.

If he has others finish what he began himself, he commits an offense entailing confession.

Parehi vippakataṁ attanā pariyosāpeti, āpatti pācittiyassa.

If he finishes himself what was begun by others, he commits an offense entailing confession.

Parehi vippakataṁ parehi pariyosāpeti, āpatti pācittiyassa.

If he has others finish what was begun by others, he commits an offense entailing confession.

Aññassatthāya karoti vā kārāpeti vā, āpatti dukkaṭassa.

If he makes one or has one made for the benefit of someone else, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

Aññena kataṁ paṭilabhitvā paribhuñjati, āpatti dukkaṭassa.

If he gets one that was made by someone else and then uses it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

Non-offenses

Anāpatti—

There is no offense:

gaṇṭhikāya,

if it is a toggle;

araṇike,

if it is a fire kindler;

vidhe,

if it is a buckle;

añjaniyā,

if it is an ointment box;

añjanisalākāya,

if it is an ointment stick;

vāsijaṭe,

if it is a machete handle;

udakapuñchaniyā,

if it is a water wiper;

ummattakassa,

if he is insane;

ādikammikassāti.

if he is the first offender.

Sūcigharasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ catutthaṁ.

The training rule on making an inappropriate needle case, the fourth, is finished.