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15. Not putting away bedding

Seyyasanthārana

A monk who abandons bedding in a dwelling belonging to the Order must confess the offense.

Translated by Bhikkhu Brahmali · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

  • 0.1Theravāda VinayaTheravāda Collection on Monastic Law
  • 0.2MahāvibhaṅgaThe Great Analysis
  • 0.3PācittiyakaṇḍaThe chapter on offenses entailing confession
  • 0.4BhūtagāmavaggaThe subchapter on plants

0.515. DutiyasenāsanasikkhāpadaNot putting away bedding

1.0Origin story

1.1PTS 4.41Tena 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 sattarasavaggiyā bhikkhū sahāyakā honti.At that time the monks from the group of seventeen were friends.1.3Te vasantāpi ekatova vasanti, pakkamantāpi ekatova pakkamanti.The lived together, and when going somewhere they would leave together.1.4Te aññatarasmiṁ saṅghike vihāre seyyaṁ santharitvā taṁ pakkamantā neva uddhariṁsu na uddharāpesuṁ, anāpucchā pakkamiṁsu.On one occasion they put out bedding in a dwelling belonging to the Sangha, but then departed without putting it away, having it put away, or informing anyone.1.5Senāsanaṁ upacikāhi khāyitaṁ hoti.The furniture was eaten by termites.1

1.6Ye te bhikkhū appicchā …pe… te ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—The monks of few desires complained and criticized them,1.7“kathañhi nāma sattarasavaggiyā bhikkhū saṅghike vihāre seyyaṁ santharitvā taṁ pakkamantā neva uddharissanti na uddharāpessanti, anāpucchā pakkamissanti, senāsanaṁ upacikāhi khāyitan”ti.“How could those monks from the group of seventeen put out bedding in a dwelling belonging to the Sangha, and then depart without putting it away, getting it put away, or informing anyone? The furniture was eaten by termites.”

1.8Atha kho te bhikkhū sattarasavaggiye bhikkhū anekapariyāyena vigarahitvā bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ …pe…After rebuking those monks in many ways, they told the Buddha. Soon afterwards he had the Sangha gathered and questioned the monks:1.9“saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, sattarasavaggiyā bhikkhū saṅghike vihāre seyyaṁ santharitvā taṁ pakkamantā neva uddhariṁsu na uddharāpesuṁ, anāpucchā pakkamiṁsu, senāsanaṁ upacikāhi khāyitan”ti?“Is it true, monks, that those monks did this?”

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

1.11Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe…The Buddha rebuked them …1.12kathañhi nāma te, bhikkhave, moghapurisā saṅghike vihāre seyyaṁ santharitvā taṁ pakkamantā neva uddharissanti na uddharāpessanti, anāpucchā pakkamissanti, senāsanaṁ upacikāhi khāyitaṁ.“How could those foolish men do this?1.13Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe…This will affect people’s confidence …” …1.14evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—“And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

1.15.0Final ruling

1.15.1“Yo pana bhikkhu saṅghike vihāre seyyaṁ santharitvā vā santharāpetvā vā taṁ pakkamanto neva uddhareyya na uddharāpeyya, anāpucchaṁ vā gaccheyya, pācittiyan”ti.‘If a monk puts out bedding in a dwelling belonging to the Sangha, or has it put out, and he then departs without putting it away, having it put away, or informing anyone, he commits an offense entailing confession.’”

2.1.0Definitions

2.1.1Yo panātiA:
2.1.2yo yādiso …pe…whoever …
2.1.3bhikkhūtiMonk:
2.1.4…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.
2.1.5Saṅghiko nāma vihāroA dwelling belonging to the Sangha:2
2.1.6saṅghassa dinno hoti pariccatto.given to the Sangha, given up to the Sangha.
2.1.7Seyyaṁ nāmaBedding:
2.1.8bhisi, cimilikā uttarattharaṇaṁ, bhūmattharaṇaṁ, taṭṭikā, cammakhaṇḍo, nisīdanaṁ, paccattharaṇaṁ, tiṇasanthāro, paṇṇasanthāro.a mattress, a mat underlay, a bedspread, a floor cover, a straw mat, a hide, a sitting mat, a sheet, a spread of grass, a spread of leaves.3
2.1.9SantharitvātiPuts out:
2.1.10sayaṁ santharitvā.puts out oneself.
2.1.11SantharāpetvātiHas put out:
2.1.12aññaṁ santharāpetvā.gets another to put out.
2.1.13Taṁ pakkamanto neva uddhareyyātiDeparts without putting it away:
2.1.14na sayaṁ uddhareyya.he does not put it away himself.
2.1.15Na uddharāpeyyātiHaving it put away:
2.1.16na aññaṁ uddharāpeyya.he does not get another to put it away.
2.1.17PTS 4.42Anāpucchaṁ vā gaccheyyātiOr informing anyone:
2.1.18bhikkhuṁ vā sāmaṇeraṁ vā ārāmikaṁ vā anāpucchā parikkhittassa ārāmassa parikkhepaṁ atikkamantassa āpatti pācittiyassa.if he does not inform a monk, a novice monk, or a monastery worker, and he crosses the boundary of an enclosed monastery, he commits an offense entailing confession.2.1.19Aparikkhittassa ārāmassa upacāraṁ atikkamantassa āpatti pācittiyassa.If he goes beyond the vicinity of an unenclosed monastery, he commits an offense entailing confession.

2.2.0Permutations

2.2.1Saṅghike saṅghikasaññī seyyaṁ santharitvā vā santharāpetvā vā taṁ pakkamanto neva uddhareyya na uddharāpeyya, anāpucchaṁ vā gaccheyya, āpatti pācittiyassa.If it belongs to the Sangha, and he perceives it as such, and he puts out bedding there or has it put out, and he then departs without putting it away or having it put away or informing anyone, he commits an offense entailing confession.2.2.2Saṅghike vematiko seyyaṁ santharitvā vā santharāpetvā vā taṁ pakkamanto neva uddhareyya na uddharāpeyya, anāpucchaṁ vā gaccheyya, āpatti pācittiyassa.If it belongs to the Sangha, but he is unsure of it, and he puts out bedding there or has it put out, and he then departs without putting it away or having it put away or informing anyone, he commits an offense entailing confession.2.2.3Saṅghike puggalikasaññī seyyaṁ santharitvā vā santharāpetvā vā taṁ pakkamanto neva uddhareyya na uddharāpeyya, anāpucchaṁ vā gaccheyya, āpatti pācittiyassa.If it belongs to the Sangha, but he perceives it as belonging to an individual, and he puts out bedding there or has it put out, and he then departs without putting it away or having it put away or informing anyone, he commits an offense entailing confession.

2.2.4Vihārassa upacāre vā upaṭṭhānasālāyaṁ vā maṇḍape vā rukkhamūle vā seyyaṁ santharitvā vā santharāpetvā vā taṁ pakkamanto neva uddhareyya na uddharāpeyya, anāpucchaṁ vā gaccheyya, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If he puts out bedding, or has it put out, in the vicinity of a dwelling, in the assembly hall, under a roof-cover, or at the foot of a tree, and he then departs without putting it away or having it put away or informing anyone, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.2.5Mañcaṁ vā pīṭhaṁ vā vihāre vā vihārassūpacāre vā upaṭṭhānasālāyaṁ vā maṇḍape vā rukkhamūle vā santharitvā vā santharāpetvā vā taṁ pakkamanto neva uddhareyya na uddharāpeyya, anāpucchaṁ vā gaccheyya, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If he puts out a bed or a bench, or has it put out, in a dwelling, in the vicinity of a dwelling, in the assembly hall, under a roof cover, or at the foot of a tree, and he then departs without putting it away or having it put away or informing anyone, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

2.2.6Puggalike saṅghikasaññī, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If it belongs to an individual, but he perceives it as belonging to the Sangha, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.2.7Puggalike vematiko, āpatti dukkaṭassa.If it belongs to an individual, but he is unsure of it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.2.8Puggalike puggalikasaññī aññassa puggalike āpatti dukkaṭassa.If it belongs to an individual, and he perceives it as such, but that individual is not himself, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.2.2.9Attano puggalike anāpatti.If it belongs to himself, there is no offense.

2.3.0Non-offenses

2.3.1Anāpatti—There is no offense:2.3.2uddharitvā gacchati,if he departs after putting it away;2.3.3uddharāpetvā gacchati,if he departs after having it put away;2.3.4āpucchaṁ gacchati,if he departs after informing someone;2.3.5kenaci palibuddhaṁ hoti,if the bedding is obstructed;42.3.6sāpekkho gantvā tattha ṭhito āpucchati,if he abandons his intention to return, and at that spot informs anyone;2.3.7kenaci palibuddho hoti,if he is obstructed;2.3.8āpadāsu,if there is an emergency;2.3.9ummattakassa,if he is insane;2.3.10ādikammikassāti.if he is the first offender.

2.3.11Dutiyasenāsanasikkhāpadaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ pañcamaṁ.The training rule on not putting away bedding, the fifth, is finished.

Translator’s notes

  1. For the meaning of senāsana, see Appendix of Technical Terms.

    ↩ pli-tv-bu-vb-pc15:1.5

  2. I render vihāra as “dwelling”, the idea that it is a monastic dwelling being implied. In later usage, especially in the commentaries, vihāra comes to refer to entire monasteries, rather than individual dwellings. The commentaries seem to agree that in its early usage the word refers to a dwelling. Sp 1.493: Vihāro nivesanasadiso, “A vihāra is like a house.”

    ↩ pli-tv-bu-vb-pc15:2.1.5

  3. Sp-yoj 2.112: Cammakhaṇḍoti ettha cammaṁyeva ante khaṇḍattā chinnattā cammakhaṇḍoti vuccati, “Here cammakhaṇḍa is just a hide. Because it is cut up within and made of pieces, it is called a cammakhaṇḍa.”

    ↩ pli-tv-bu-vb-pc15:2.1.8

  4. Sp 2.118: Kenaci palibuddhaṁ hotīti vuḍḍhatarabhikkhūissariyayakkhasīhavāḷamigakaṇhasappādīsu yena kenaci senāsanaṁ palibuddhaṁ hoti, “Kenaci palibuddhaṁ hoti: by whatever the furniture is obstructed, such as the authority of more senior monks, a spirit, a lion, a wild beast, or a black snake.”

    ↩ pli-tv-bu-vb-pc15:2.3.5