Vassikasāṭikā

Theravāda Vinaya

Theravāda Collection on Monastic Law

Mahāvibhaṅga

The Great Analysis

Pācittiyakaṇḍa

The chapter on offenses entailing confession

Ratanavagga

The subchapter on precious things

91. Vassikasāṭikāsikkhāpada

Making an oversize rainy-season robe

Origin story

Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

At one time when the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery,

Tena kho pana samayena bhagavatā bhikkhūnaṁ vassikasāṭikā anuññātā hoti.

he allowed rainy-season robes for the monks.

Chabbaggiyā bhikkhū—

“bhagavatā vassikasāṭikā anuññātā”ti appamāṇikāyo vassikasāṭikāyo dhārenti.

Knowing this, the monks from the group of six wore rainy-season robes that were inappropriate in size.

Puratopi pacchatopi ākaḍḍhantā āhiṇḍanti.

As they were walking about, they were dragging them along, both in front and behind.

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

The monks of few desires complained and criticized those monks,

“kathañhi nāma chabbaggiyā bhikkhū appamāṇikāyo vassikasāṭikāyo dhāressantī”ti …pe…

“How can the monks from the group of six wear such rainy-season robes?” …

“saccaṁ kira tumhe, bhikkhave, appamāṇikāyo vassikasāṭikāyo dhārethā”ti?

“Is it true, monks, that you do this?”

“Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.

“It’s true, sir.”

Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe…

The Buddha rebuked them …

kathañhi nāma tumhe, moghapurisā, appamāṇikāyo vassikasāṭikāyo dhāressatha.

“Foolish men, how can you do this?

Netaṁ, moghapurisā, 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

“Vassikasāṭikaṁ pana bhikkhunā kārayamānena pamāṇikā kāretabbā.

‘If a monk is having a rainy-season robe made, it should be made the right size.

Tatridaṁ pamāṇaṁ—dīghaso cha vidatthiyo, sugatavidatthiyā; tiriyaṁ aḍḍhateyyā.

This is the right size: six standard handspans long and two-and-a-half wide.

Taṁ atikkāmayato chedanakaṁ pācittiyan”ti.

If it exceeds that, it is to be cut down, and he commits an offense entailing confession.’”

Definitions

Vassikasāṭikā nāma

A rainy-season robe:

vassānassa catumāsatthāya.

it is for use during the four months of the rainy season.

Kārayamānenāti

Is having made:

karonto vā kārāpento vā. Pamāṇikā kāretabbā.

making it himself or having it made, it should be made to the right size.

Tatridaṁ pamāṇaṁ— dīghaso cha vidatthiyo, sugatavidatthiyā; tiriyaṁ aḍḍhateyyā.

This is the right size: six standard handspans long and two and a half wide.

Taṁ atikkāmetvā karoti vā kārāpeti vā, payoge dukkaṭaṁ.

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

Paṭilābhena chinditvā pācittiyaṁ desetabbaṁ.

When he gets it, it is to be cut down, 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:

pamāṇikaṁ karoti,

if he makes it the right size;

ūnakaṁ karoti,

if he makes it smaller than the right size;

aññena kataṁ pamāṇātikkantaṁ paṭilabhitvā chinditvā paribhuñjati,

if he gets one made by another that exceeds the right size and then cuts it down before using it;

vitānaṁ vā bhūmattharaṇaṁ vā sāṇipākāraṁ vā bhisiṁ vā bibbohanaṁ vā karoti,

if he makes a canopy, a floor cover, a cloth screen, a mattress, or a pillow;

ummattakassa,

if he is insane;

ādikammikassāti.

if he is the first offender.

Vassikasāṭikāsikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ navamaṁ.

The training rule on making an oversize rainy-season robe, the ninth, is finished.