1.0.1Origin story

1.0.2First substory

1.1Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.At one time when the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery,1.2Tena kho pana samayena aññataro bhikkhu aciravatiyā nadiyā nahāyati. Aññataropi brāhmaṇo pañcasatānaṁ thavikaṁ thale nikkhipitvā aciravatiyā nadiyā nahāyanto vissaritvā agamāsi.a monk was bathing in the river Aciravatī, when a brahmin, too, came there to bathe. He deposited a bag with five hundred coins on the ground, bathed, forgot about the bag, and left.1.3Atha kho so bhikkhu—“tassāyaṁ brāhmaṇassa thavikā, mā idha nassī”ti aggahesi.The monk thought, “This is the bag belonging to that brahmin; it wouldn’t be nice if it got lost,” and he picked it up.

1.4Atha kho so brāhmaṇo saritvā turito ādhāvitvā taṁ bhikkhuṁ etadavoca—“api me, bho, thavikaṁ passeyyāsī”ti?Soon the brahmin remembered. He hurried back and asked that monk, “Sir, did you see my bag?”

1.5“Handa, brāhmaṇā”ti adāsi.Saying, “I did indeed,” he gave it to him.

1.6Atha kho tassa brāhmaṇassa etadahosi—“kena nu kho ahaṁ upāyena imassa bhikkhuno puṇṇapattaṁ na dadeyyan”ti.The brahmin thought, “How can I avoid giving a reward to this monk?”1.7“Na me, bho, pañcasatāni, sahassaṁ me”ti palibundhetvā muñci.And he said, “I didn’t have five hundred coins, I had a thousand!” And he seized hold of that monk.

1.8Atha kho so bhikkhu ārāmaṁ gantvā bhikkhūnaṁ etamatthaṁ ārocesi.After being released, that monk went to the monastery and told the monks what had happened.1.9Ye te bhikkhū appicchā …pe… te ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti—The monks of few desires complained and criticized him,1.10“kathañhi nāma bhikkhu ratanaṁ uggahessatī”ti …pe…“How could a monk pick up precious things?” …1.11“saccaṁ kira tvaṁ, bhikkhu, ratanaṁ uggahesī”ti?“Is it true, monk, that you did this?”

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

1.13Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe…The Buddha rebuked him …1.14kathañhi nāma tvaṁ, moghapurisa, ratanaṁ uggahessasi.“Foolish man, how could you do this?1.15Netaṁ, moghapurisa, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe…This will affect people’s confidence …” …1.16evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—“And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

1.17.0First preliminary ruling

1.17.1“Yo pana bhikkhu ratanaṁ vā ratanasammataṁ vā uggaṇheyya vā uggaṇhāpeyya vā, pācittiyan”ti.‘If a monk picks up something precious or something regarded as precious, or he has it picked up, he commits an offense entailing confession.’”

1.18Evañcidaṁ bhagavatā bhikkhūnaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ paññattaṁ hoti.In this way the Buddha laid down this training rule for the monks.

2.0Second substory

2.1Tena kho pana samayena sāvatthiyā ussavo hoti. Manussā alaṅkatappaṭiyattā uyyānaṁ gacchanti.Soon afterwards there was a celebration in Sāvatthī. People were going to the park all dressed up,2.2PTS 4.162Visākhāpi migāramātā alaṅkatappaṭiyattā “uyyānaṁ gamissāmī”tias did Visākhā Migāramātā.2.3gāmato nikkhamitvā—“kyāhaṁ karissāmi uyyānaṁ gantvā, yannūnāhaṁ bhagavantaṁ payirupāseyyan”tiAs she was leaving her village, she thought, “What will I do when I get to the park? Why don’t I pay a visit to the Buddha!”2.4ābharaṇaṁ omuñcitvā uttarāsaṅgena bhaṇḍikaṁ bandhitvā dāsiyā adāsi—“handa, je, imaṁ bhaṇḍikaṁ gaṇhāhī”ti.She then removed all her ornaments, bound them in a bundle with her upper robe, and gave it to her slave girl, saying, “Listen, look after this bundle.”

2.5Atha kho visākhā migāramātā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.Visākhā then went to the Buddha, bowed, and sat down.2.6Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho visākhaṁ migāramātaraṁ bhagavā dhammiyā kathāya sandassesi samādapesi samuttejesi sampahaṁsesi. Atha kho visākhā migāramātā bhagavatā dhammiyā kathāya sandassitā samādapitā samuttejitā sampahaṁsitā uṭṭhāyāsanā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā padakkhiṇaṁ katvā pakkāmi.And the Buddha instructed, inspired, and gladdened her with a teaching, after which she got up from her seat, bowed down, circumambulated him with her right side toward him, and left.2.7Atha kho sā dāsī taṁ bhaṇḍikaṁ vissaritvā agamāsi.And the slave girl left too, forgetting the bundle.

2.8Bhikkhū passitvā bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ. “Tena hi, bhikkhave, uggahetvā nikkhipathā”ti.The monks saw it and told the Buddha. “Well then, monks, pick it up and put it aside.”2.9Atha kho bhagavā etasmiṁ nidāne etasmiṁ pakaraṇe dhammiṁ kathaṁ katvā bhikkhū āmantesi—Soon afterwards the Buddha gave a teaching and addressed the monks:2.10“anujānāmi, bhikkhave, ratanaṁ vā ratanasammataṁ vā ajjhārāme uggahetvā vā uggahāpetvā vā nikkhipituṁ—‘yassa bhavissati so harissatī’ti.“Within a monastery, monks, you should pick up precious things or what’s regarded as precious, or have it picked up, and then put it aside with the thought, ‘Whoever owns it will come and get it.’2.11Evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—And so, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

2.12.0Second preliminary ruling

2.12.1“Yo pana bhikkhu ratanaṁ vā ratanasammataṁ vā, aññatra ajjhārāmā, uggaṇheyya vā uggaṇhāpeyya vā, pācittiyan”ti.‘If a monk picks up something precious or something regarded as precious, or he has it picked up, except within a monastery, he commits an offense entailing confession.’”

2.13Evañcidaṁ bhagavatā bhikkhūnaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ paññattaṁ hoti.In this way the Buddha laid down this training rule for the monks.

3.0Third substory

3.1Tena kho pana samayena kāsīsu janapade anāthapiṇḍikassa gahapatissa kammantagāmo hoti.At that time the householder Anāthapiṇḍika had a whole village working for him in the country of Kāsi,3.2Tena ca gahapatinā antevāsī āṇatto hoti—“sace bhadantā āgacchanti, bhattaṁ kareyyāsī”ti.and he had told an apprentice there that if the monks arrive he should make them a meal.3.3Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā bhikkhū kāsīsu janapade cārikaṁ caramānā yena anāthapiṇḍikassa gahapatissa kammantagāmo tenupasaṅkamiṁsu.Soon afterwards a number of monks were wandering in the country of Kāsi, when they came to that village.3.4Addasā kho so puriso te bhikkhū dūratova āgacchante. Disvāna yena te bhikkhū tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā te bhikkhū abhivādetvā etadavoca—“adhivāsentu, bhante, ayyā svātanāya gahapatino bhattan”ti.When that man saw them coming, he approached them, bowed, and said, “Venerables, please accept a meal from Anāthapiṇḍika tomorrow.”3.5Adhivāsesuṁ kho te bhikkhū tuṇhībhāvena.The monks accepted by remaining silent.

3.6Atha kho so puriso tassā rattiyā accayena paṇītaṁ khādanīyaṁ bhojanīyaṁ paṭiyādāpetvā kālaṁ ārocāpetvā aṅgulimuddikaṁ omuñcitvā te bhikkhū bhattena parivisitvā—The following morning, after having various kinds of fine foods prepared, he had the monks informed that it was time for the meal. He removed a ring from his finger and then offered the food to the monks, saying,3.7“ayyā bhuñjitvā gacchantu, ahampi kammantaṁ gamissāmī”ti aṅgulimuddikaṁ vissaritvā agamāsi.“Venerables, please leave after you’ve eaten. I have to go to work.” And he left, forgetting his ring.

3.8PTS 4.163Bhikkhū passitvā—“sace mayaṁ gamissāma nassissatāyaṁ aṅgulimuddikā”ti tattheva acchiṁsu.The monks saw it and said, “If we just go, this ring will be lost,” and so they stayed right there.3.9Atha kho so puriso kammantā āgacchanto te bhikkhū passitvā etadavoca—“kissa, bhante, ayyā idheva acchantī”ti?When that man returned from work, he saw the monks and said to them, “Why are you still here?”3.10Atha kho te bhikkhū tassa purisassa etamatthaṁ ārocetvāAnd the monks told him what had happened.

3.11sāvatthiṁ gantvā bhikkhūnaṁ etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ.Those monks then went to Sāvatthī where they told the monks,3.12Bhikkhū bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ.who in turn told the Buddha.

3.13Atha kho bhagavā etasmiṁ nidāne etasmiṁ pakaraṇe dhammiṁ kathaṁ katvā bhikkhū āmantesi—After giving a teaching, the Buddha addressed the monks:3.14“anujānāmi, bhikkhave, ratanaṁ vā ratanasammataṁ vā ajjhārāme vā ajjhāvasathe vā uggahetvā vā uggahāpetvā vā nikkhipituṁ—“Within a monastery, monks, or inside a lodging, you should pick up precious things or what’s regarded as precious, or have it picked up, and then put it aside with the thought,3.15‘yassa bhavissati so harissatī’ti.‘Whoever owns it will come and get it.’3.16Evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—And so, monks, this training rule should be recited like this: