四分戒本疏卷第一．第二．第三 2.58

2.58

"If a bhikṣu, when a king, a great minister, a brāhmaṇa, a householder, or a householder's wife sends an envoy to deliver the price of a robe for the bhikṣu, [saying,] 'Take such a price of a robe and give it to bhikṣu so-and-so'; that envoy approaches the bhikṣu and says to the bhikṣu, 'Venerable, this price of a robe is now sent for you; please accept it.' This bhikṣu should say to that envoy thus: 'I should not accept this price of a robe. If I need a robe, at the proper time and when it is pure, I shall accept it.' That envoy says to the bhikṣu, 'Venerable, do you have a steward?' The bhikṣu in need of a robe should reply, 'There is one. Either a monastery worker (ārāmika) or an upāsaka—this is the bhikṣu's steward, who constantly attends to affairs for the bhikṣus.' Then that envoy goes to the steward, and having given the price of the robe, returns to the bhikṣu and speaks thus: 'The steward so-and-so indicated by the Venerable—I have already given him the price of the robe. Knowing the proper time, the Venerable should go there and will obtain the robe.' The bhikṣu in need of a robe should go to the steward, and two or three times remind him, saying: 'I need a robe.' If, after reminding him two or three times, he obtains the robe, that is good. If he does not obtain the robe, he should stand silently before him four, five, or six times. If, after standing silently before him four, five, or six times, he obtains the robe, that is good. If he does not obtain the robe, and by seeking beyond this he obtains the robe, it is a niḥsargika-prāyaścittika. If he does not obtain the robe, from the place where the price of the robe was obtained, he should either go himself or send an envoy to say: 'You previously sent an envoy with the price of a robe for bhikṣu so-and-so. In the end, this bhikṣu did not obtain the robe. Take it back; do not let it be lost. This is the proper time.'" This complete text of the precept has two parts: first, concluding the offense for exceeding the demands; second, from 'if he does not obtain the robe' onwards, clarifying the course of action when it is not obtained. The preceding text has six parts: 1. The offender; 2. From 'if a king' onwards, properly clarifying the donor sending an envoy to offer precious items as the price of a robe; 3. From 'this bhikṣu should say' onwards, fearing the offense of keeping precious items and not daring to accept it himself; 4. From 'that envoy says to the bhikṣu' onwards, properly clarifying the envoy delivering the precious items to entrust to a layperson to procure allowable goods; 5. From 'the bhikṣu in need of a robe' onwards, properly opening the method of demanding robes through three spoken words and six silences; 6. From 'if he does not obtain the robe' onwards, concluding the offense upon obtaining the robe after exceeding the limit of demands. However, these six passages can be summarized into three categories: 1. The offender; 2. The matter of the offense; 3. The conclusion of the offense upon obtaining the robe. The text on the offender can be understood. The text on the matter of the offense has four parts: the method established by the Sage, namely the procedure of not accepting the sent precious items, entrusting them to an allowable person, and subsequently demanding them. Or, under the fourth part on entrusting to an allowable person, there are again four: 1. Asking about the allowable person; 2. 'The bhikṣu in need of a robe' reporting the allowable person's location; 3. Entrusting; 4. Returning to report to the bhikṣu. Fifth, the method of demanding: the treatise notes that if one purely speaks, going to demand up to six times does not constitute an offense; only exceeding six constitutes an offense. Purely remaining silent up to twelve times is not an offense; the thirteenth time constitutes an offense. Mixing speech and silence: up to nine times is not an offense; the tenth time constitutes an offense. By this analogy: five spoken and two silent, seven times is not an offense; four spoken and four silent, eight times is not an offense; three spoken and six silent, nine times is not an offense; two spoken and eight silent, ten times is not an offense; one spoken and ten silent, eleven times is not an offense; entirely silent, twelve times is not an offense, and the thirteenth begins the offense. In the second part, on not obtaining, there are three texts: 1. Personally going or sending an envoy to the donor; 2. Stating one's regret; 3. Returning it to the original donor. Below, the preceding text is explained in detail. 'If a bhikṣu' is explained as above. 'If a king' means one who has attained sovereignty and is subject to no one. 'If a great minister' means those at his side. 'If a brāhmaṇa' means a brāhmaṇa by birth. 'If a householder' means any layperson other than a king, minister, or brāhmaṇa. 'A householder's wife' is a laywoman. From 'sending an envoy to deliver the robe' to 'giving it to the bhikṣu' is the etiquette of sending precious items. From 'this bhikṣu spoke to the envoy' to 'shall accept' is the method of non-acceptance. 'That envoy spoke to the bhikṣu: "Is there a steward?"' is the method of asking for the allowable person. From 'the bhikṣu in need of a robe' to 'attends to affairs' is the place of the allowable person who manages things. From 'that envoy' to 'gave the price of the robe' is the method of entrusting the precious items. From 'returned' to 'shall obtain the robe' is the method of managing for the bhikṣu. Below, the method of demanding robes is explained; the text is concise and self-evident. Regarding non-offenses: if one sends an envoy to inform them; if the other says, "I do not need it now, and offer it to you directly"; if this bhikṣu demands the robe in a timely, gentle-spoken, and skillful manner; if it was given to serve as parikāra and one demands it at the proper time; if one obtains it by skillful demanding—in all such cases, there is no offense.