四分比丘戒本疏 2.18

2.18

Tenth: the precept against pressing the attendant excessively to demand robes. The text has two sections: first, clarifying the offence of obtaining robes beyond the limit; second, clarifying the method of not exceeding and not obtaining. In the first section there are three parts: first, allowing for the perpetrator; second, the procedure of entrusting the treasure and seeking the robe; third, the offence of demanding and obtaining beyond the limit. In the second part, there are: first, entrusting the treasure; second, seeking the robe. Within entrusting the treasure, the text is divided into six: first, the donor prepares the treasure; second, sends a messenger to deliver it to the monk; third, the monk declines and instructs that it is not proper; fourth, the messenger asks for the attendant's location; fifth, delivers the treasure to him; sixth, returns to report to the monk. In the second part on seeking the robe, there are two parts: first, clarifying the three spoken requests; next, clarifying the six silent stands. Both passages each have the proper protocol for seeking robes and the goodness of obtaining robes. Regarding the earlier three spoken requests, the text says: "The monk in need of a robe should go to where the attendant is, and say up to: 'I need a robe'": according to the Mahāsāṃghika-vinaya, it is for the duration of a person entering a storeroom to fetch goods and place them on the shop counter, or for the duration of wrapping up items in a cloth. The text says "if after two or three returns up to obtaining the robe, it is good": this explains the goodness of obtaining the robe, meaning conforming to the instruction. Next, clarifying the six silent stands. The text says: "If he does not obtain the robe, standing silently before him four times, five times, six times": in the text, one ought to accumulate from one and two times up to six times, but the text follows the flow of the passage to connect them. The Samantapāsādikā says: "Standing silently means not speaking with the mouth, not sitting when invited to sit, not accepting when offered food, and neither expounding the Dharma nor making aspirational prayers. If he says, 'Why have you come here?' one replies, 'The householder knows for himself.'" Furthermore, according to the Vinaya text, "if he says 'I do not know,' and another person knows, the monk should say to him, 'That person knows it.'" Moreover, one spoken word breaks two silent stands; hence, demanding purely by speech can reach up to six times, while demanding purely in silence can reach up to twelve times. The variations between them may be known by reflection. The remainder of the text is intelligible. Next, clarifying the method when one does not exceed and does not obtain. The meaning of the text is: "If he does not obtain it, he reports to the original donor so that he may demand it back. This is the proper time": it is the proper time in accordance with the Dharma so that the offering of faith is not lost.