0.1Theravāda VinayaTheravāda Collection on Monastic Law
0.2BhikkhunivibhaṅgaThe Nuns’ Analysis
0.3NissaggiyakaṇḍaThe chapter on relinquishment
0.4PattavaggaThe subchapter on almsbowls

0.51. PattasannicayasikkhāpadaThe training rule on collecting almsbowls

0.6Ime kho panāyyāyo tiṁsa nissaggiyā pācittiyā dhammā uddesaṁ āgacchanti.Venerables, these thirty rules on relinquishment and confession come up for recitation.

1.0Origin story

1.1PTS 4.243Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery.1.2Tena kho pana samayena chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo bahū patte sannicayaṁ karonti.At that time the nuns from the group of six had collected a large number of almsbowls.1.3Manussā vihāracārikaṁ āhiṇḍantā passitvā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—When people walking about the dwellings saw this, they complained and criticized those nuns,1.4“kathañhi nāma bhikkhuniyo bahū patte sannicayaṁ karissanti, pattavāṇijjaṁ vā bhikkhuniyo karissanti, āmattikāpaṇaṁ vā pasāressantī”ti.“How can the nuns collect a large number of bowls? Will they start up as bowl merchants or set up a bowl shop?”

1.5Assosuṁ kho bhikkhuniyo tesaṁ manussānaṁ ujjhāyantānaṁ khiyyantānaṁ vipācentānaṁ.The nuns heard the complaints of those people,1.6Yā tā bhikkhuniyo appicchā …pe… tā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—and the nuns of few desires complained and criticized those nuns,1.7“kathañhi nāma chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo pattasannicayaṁ karissantī”ti …pe…“How can the nuns from the group of six collect bowls?” …1.8“saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo pattasannicayaṁ karontī”ti?“Is it true, monks, that the nuns from the group of six do this?”

1.9“Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti.“It’s true, sir.”

1.10Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe…The Buddha rebuked them …1.11kathañhi nāma, bhikkhave, chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo pattasannicayaṁ karissanti.“How can the nuns from the group of six collect bowls?1.12Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe…This will affect people’s confidence …” …1.13evañca pana, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniyo imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddisantu—“And, monks, the nuns should recite this training rule like this:

1.14.0Final ruling

1.14.1“Yā pana bhikkhunī pattasannicayaṁ kareyya, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyan”ti.‘If a nun collects almsbowls, she commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.’”

2.1.0Definitions

2.1.1Yā panātiA:: 2.1.2yā yādisā …pe…whoever …
2.1.3bhikkhunītiNun:: 2.1.4…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.
2.1.5Patto nāmaAn almsbowl:: 2.1.6dve pattā— ayopatto, mattikāpatto.there are two kinds of bowls: the iron bowl and the ceramic bowl.2.1.7Tayo pattassa vaṇṇā— ukkaṭṭho patto, majjhimo patto, omako patto.And there are three sizes of bowls: the large bowl, the medium bowl, and the small bowl.
2.1.8Ukkaṭṭho nāma pattoThe large bowl:: 2.1.9aḍḍhāḷhakodanaṁ gaṇhāti catubhāgaṁ khādanaṁ tadupiyaṁ byañjanaṁ.it holds half an āḷhaka measure of cooked rice, a fourth part of fresh food, and a suitable amount of curry.
2.1.10Majjhimo nāma pattoThe medium bowl:: 2.1.11nāḷikodanaṁ gaṇhāti catubhāgaṁ khādanaṁ tadupiyaṁ byañjanaṁ.it holds a nāḷika measure of cooked rice, a fourth part of fresh food, and a suitable amount of curry.
2.1.12PTS 4.244Omako nāma pattoThe small bowl:: 2.1.13patthodanaṁ gaṇhāti catubhāgaṁ khādanaṁ tadupiyaṁ byañjanaṁ.it holds a pattha measure of cooked rice, a fourth part of fresh food, and a suitable amount of curry.2.1.14Tato ukkaṭṭho apatto omako apatto.Anything larger than this is not a bowl, nor anything smaller.
2.1.15Sannicayaṁ kareyyātiCollects:: 2.1.16anadhiṭṭhito avikappito.almsbowls that have neither been determined nor assigned to another.¹
2.1.17Nissaggiyo hotītiEntailing relinquishment:: 2.1.18saha aruṇuggamanā nissaggiyo hoti.entailing relinquishment at dawn.

2.1.19Nissajjitabbo saṅghassa vā gaṇassa vā ekabhikkhuniyā vā.The bowl should be relinquished to a sangha, a group, or an individual nun.2.1.20Evañca pana, bhikkhave, nissajjitabbo.“And, monks, it should be relinquished like this.2.1.21Tāya bhikkhuniyā saṅghaṁ upasaṅkamitvā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā vuḍḍhānaṁ bhikkhunīnaṁ pāde vanditvā ukkuṭikaṁ nisīditvā añjaliṁ paggahetvā evamassa vacanīyo—After approaching the Sangha, that nun should arrange her upper robe over one shoulder and pay respect at the feet of the senior nuns. She should then squat on her heels, raise her joined palms, and say:

2.1.22“ayaṁ me, ayye, patto rattātikkanto nissaggiyo, imāhaṁ saṅghassa nissajjāmī”ti.‘Venerables, this almsbowl, which I have kept for more than one day, is to be relinquished. I relinquish it to the Sangha.’”

2.1.23Nissajjitvā āpatti desetabbā.After relinquishing it, she should confess the offense.2.1.24Byattāya bhikkhuniyā paṭibalāya āpatti paṭiggahetabbā.The confession should be received by a competent and capable nun.2.1.25Nissaṭṭhapatto dātabbo—The relinquished bowl is then to be given back:

2.1.26“Suṇātu me, ayye, saṅgho.“Please, venerables, I ask the Sangha to listen.2.1.27Ayaṁ patto itthannāmāya bhikkhuniyā nissaggiyo saṅghassa nissaṭṭho.This almsbowl, which was to be relinquished by the nun so-and-so, has been relinquished to the Sangha.2.1.28Yadi saṅghassa pattakallaṁ, saṅgho imaṁ pattaṁ itthannāmāya bhikkhuniyā dadeyyā”ti.If the Sangha is ready, it should give this bowl back to nun so-and-so.”

2.1.29Tāya bhikkhuniyā sambahulā bhikkhuniyo upasaṅkamitvā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā vuḍḍhānaṁ bhikkhunīnaṁ pāde vanditvā ukkuṭikaṁ nisīditvā añjaliṁ paggahetvā evamassu vacanīyā—Or: after approaching several nuns, that nun should arrange her upper robe over one shoulder and pay respect at the feet of the senior nuns. She should then squat on her heels, raise her joined palms, and say:

2.1.30“ayaṁ me, ayyāyo, patto rattātikkanto nissaggiyo, imāhaṁ ayyānaṁ nissajjāmī”ti.“Venerables, this almsbowl, which I have kept for more than one day, is to be relinquished. I relinquish it to you.”

2.1.31Nissajjitvā āpatti desetabbā.After relinquishing it, she should confess the offense.2.1.32Byattāya bhikkhuniyā paṭibalāya āpatti paṭiggahetabbā.The confession should be received by a competent and capable nun.2.1.33Nissaṭṭhapatto dātabbo—The relinquished bowl is then to be given back:

2.1.34“Suṇantu me, ayyāyo.“Please, venerables, I ask you to listen.2.1.35Ayaṁ patto itthannāmāya bhikkhuniyā nissaggiyo ayyānaṁ nissaṭṭho.This almsbowl, which was to be relinquished by the nun so-and-so, has been relinquished to you.2.1.36Yadi ayyānaṁ pattakallaṁ, ayyāyo, imaṁ pattaṁ itthannāmāya bhikkhuniyā dadeyyun”ti.If the venerables are ready, you should give this bowl back to nun so-and-so.”

2.1.37Tāya bhikkhuniyā ekaṁ bhikkhuniṁ upasaṅkamitvā ekaṁsaṁ uttarāsaṅgaṁ karitvā ukkuṭikaṁ nisīditvā añjaliṁ paggahetvā evamassa vacanīyā—Or: after approaching a single nun, that nun should arrange her upper robe over one shoulder, squat on her heels, raise her joined palms, and say:

2.1.38“ayaṁ me, ayye, patto rattātikkanto nissaggiyo.“This almsbowl, which I have kept for more than one day, is to be relinquished.2.1.39Imāhaṁ ayyāya nissajjāmī”ti.I relinquish it to you.”

2.1.40Nissajjitvā āpatti desetabbā.After relinquishing it, she should confess the offense.2.1.41Tāya bhikkhuniyā āpatti paṭiggahetabbā.The confession should be received by that nun.2.1.42Nissaṭṭhapatto dātabbo—The relinquished bowl is then to be given back:

2.1.43“imaṁ pattaṁ ayyāya dammī”ti.“I give this almsbowl back to you.”

2.2.0Permutations

2.2.1Rattātikkante atikkantasaññā, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ.If it is more than one day and she perceives it as more, she commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.2.2.2Rattātikkante vematikā, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ.If it is more than one day, but she is unsure of it, she commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.2.2.3Rattātikkante anatikkantasaññā, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ.If it is more than one day, but she perceives it as less, she commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.

2.2.4Anadhiṭṭhite adhiṭṭhitasaññā, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ.If it has not been determined, but she perceives that it has, she commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.2.2.5Avikappite vikappitasaññā, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ.If it has not been assigned to another, but she perceives that it has, she commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.2.2.6PTS 4.245Avissajjite vissajjitasaññā, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ.If it has not been given away, but she perceives that it has, she commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.2.2.7Anaṭṭhe naṭṭhasaññā …If it has not been not lost, but she perceives that it has …2.2.8avinaṭṭhe vinaṭṭhasaññā …If it has not been destroyed, but she perceives that it has …2.2.9abhinne bhinnasaññā …If it has not been broken, but she perceives that it has …2.2.10avilutte viluttasaññā, nissaggiyaṁ pācittiyaṁ.If it has not been stolen, but she perceives that it has, she commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.

2.2.11Nissaggiyaṁ pattaṁ anissajjitvā paribhuñjati, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If she uses an almsbowl that should be relinquished without first relinquishing it, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.2.12Rattānatikkante atikkantasaññā, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If it is less than one day, but she perceives it as more, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.2.13Rattānatikkante vematikā, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If it is less than one day, but she is unsure of it, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.2.14Rattānatikkante anatikkantasaññā anāpatti.If it is less than one day and she perceives it as less, there is no offense.

2.3.0Non-offenses

2.3.1Anāpatti—There is no offense:2.3.2antoaruṇe adhiṭṭheti, vikappeti, vissajjeti, nassati, vinassati, bhijjati, acchinditvā gaṇhanti, vissāsaṁ gaṇhanti,if, before dawn, it has been determined, assigned to another, given away, lost, destroyed, broken, stolen, or taken on trust; 2.3.3ummattikāya,if she is insane; 2.3.4ādikammikāyāti.if she is the first offender.

3.1Tena kho pana samayena chabbaggiyā bhikkhuniyo nissaṭṭhapattaṁ na denti.Soon afterwards the nuns from the group of six did not give back a relinquished bowl.3.2Bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ.They told the Buddha.

3.3“Na, bhikkhave, nissaṭṭhapatto na dātabbo.“Monks, a relinquished almsbowl should be given back.3.4Yā na dadeyya, āpatti dukkaṭassā”ti.If a nun doesn’t give it back, she commits an offense of wrong conduct.”

3.5Paṭhamasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ.The first training rule is finished.

1. The training rule on collecting almsbowls