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3. The Section on Forfeiture (Analysis for Bhikkhunīs) 1. The Bowl Chapter 1. The First Training Rule Now, venerable ones, these thirty offenses of forfeiture and expiation come up for recitation. 733. At that time, the Buddha, the Blessed One, was staying at Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's monastery. At that time, the group of six bhikkhunīs were accumulating many bowls. People, wandering through the monastery, saw them and complained, grumbled, and criticized: "How can these bhikkhunīs accumulate so many bowls? Will the bhikkhunīs engage in bowl-trading? Or will they open a pottery shop?" The bhikkhunīs heard those people complaining, grumbling, and criticizing. Those bhikkhunīs who were of few desires... (rest omitted)... complained, grumbled, and criticized: "How can the group of six bhikkhunīs accumulate bowls?"... (rest omitted)... "Is it true, bhikkhus, that the group of six bhikkhunīs are accumulating bowls?" "It is true, Blessed One." The Buddha, the Blessed One, rebuked them... (rest omitted)... "How can these bhikkhunīs, bhikkhus, accumulate bowls! This, bhikkhus, is not for the conversion of the unconverted... (rest omitted)... And thus, bhikkhus, let the bhikkhunīs recite this training rule: 734. "Should any bhikkhunī accumulate bowls, it is an offense of forfeiture and expiation." 735. "Any" means whichever kind... (rest omitted)... "Bhikkhunī" means... (rest omitted)... the bhikkhunī intended in this context. A bowl means two kinds of bowls: an iron bowl, a clay bowl. There are three sizes of bowls: a superior bowl, a medium bowl, an inferior bowl. A superior bowl holds half an āḷhaka of cooked rice, a quarter portion of solid food, and suitable curry. A medium bowl holds a nāḷi of cooked rice, a quarter portion of solid food, and suitable curry. An inferior bowl holds a pattha of cooked rice, a quarter portion of solid food, and suitable curry. Larger than that (superior)... Oh, an offence, a slight offence. If she should store it, not determined, not formally designated. It becomes subject to forfeiture. With the rising of dawn, it becomes subject to forfeiture. It should be forfeited. To the Sangha, or to a group, or to a single bhikkhunī. And thus, bhikkhus, it should be forfeited. That bhikkhunī, having approached the Sangha, having arranged her upper robe over one shoulder, having paid homage at the feet of the senior bhikkhunīs, having squatted down, having raised her hands in añjali, should say thus: “This bowl of mine, venerable ladies, has passed the night, it is subject to forfeiture. I forfeit it to the Sangha.” Having forfeited, the offence should be confessed. By a competent and capable bhikkhunī, the offence should be received. The forfeited bowl should be given – “May the Sangha, venerable ladies, listen to me. This bowl of the bhikkhunī named so-and-so is subject to forfeiture, it has been forfeited to the Sangha. If it is suitable for the Sangha, may the Sangha give this bowl to the bhikkhunī named so-and-so.” That bhikkhunī, having approached several bhikkhunīs, having arranged her upper robe over one shoulder, having paid homage at the feet of the senior bhikkhunīs, having squatted down, having raised her hands in añjali, should say thus: “This bowl of mine, venerable ladies, has passed the night, it is subject to forfeiture. I forfeit it to the venerable ladies.” Having forfeited, the offence should be confessed. By a competent and capable bhikkhunī, the offence should be received. The forfeited bowl should be given – “May the venerable ladies listen to me. This bowl of the bhikkhunī named so-and-so is subject to forfeiture, it has been forfeited to the venerable ladies. If it is suitable for the venerable ladies, may the venerable ladies give this bowl to the bhikkhunī named so-and-so.” That bhikkhunī, having approached a single bhikkhunī, having arranged her upper robe over one shoulder, having squatted down, having raised her hands in añjali, should say thus: “This bowl of mine, venerable lady, has passed the night, it is subject to forfeiture. I forfeit it to the venerable lady.” Having forfeited, the offence should be confessed. By that bhikkhunī, the offence should be received. The forfeited bowl to be given: “I give this bowl to the venerable one.” 736. If the night has passed, and one perceives it has passed, it is an offense of relinquishment and expiation. If the night has passed, and one is in doubt, it is an offense of relinquishment and expiation. If the night has passed, and one perceives it has not passed, it is an offense of relinquishment and expiation. If it is not determined, and one perceives it is determined, it is an offense of relinquishment and expiation. If it is not offered, and one perceives it is offered, it is an offense of relinquishment and expiation. If it is not relinquished, and one perceives it is relinquished, it is an offense of relinquishment and expiation. If it is not lost, and one perceives it is lost… If it is not destroyed, and one perceives it is destroyed… If it is not broken, and one perceives it is broken… If it is not plundered, and one perceives it is plundered, it is an offense of relinquishment and expiation. If one uses a bowl that should be relinquished without relinquishing it, it is an offense of wrong-doing. If the night has not passed, and one perceives it has passed, it is an offense of wrong-doing. If the night has not passed, and one is in doubt, it is an offense of wrong-doing. If the night has not passed, and one perceives it has not passed, there is no offense. 737. There is no offense if one determines, offers, relinquishes, loses, destroys, breaks, has it taken by force, has it taken by trust, before dawn; for a madwoman, for the first offender. At that time, the group of six nuns did not give away a relinquished bowl. They reported this matter to the Blessed One. “Monks, a relinquished bowl should not be withheld. Whoever does not give it, commits an offense of wrong-doing.” The first training rule is concluded. 2. The Second Training Rule 738. At that time, the Buddha, the Blessed One, was dwelling in Sāvatthī, in Jeta Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery. At that time, many nuns, having completed the rainy season retreat in a village residence, went to Sāvatthī. They were complete in their observances, complete in their deportment, wearing coarse robes, rough garments. Lay followers, seeing those nuns, thought: “These nuns are complete in their observances, complete in their deportment, wearing coarse robes, rough garments. These nuns must be without robes.” So they gave untimely robes to the community of nuns. Nun Thullanandā determined: “Our kathina is spread; these are timely robes.” She caused it to be distributed. The lay followers, seeing those bhikkhunis, said this: "Sisters, have you received robes?" "No, friends, we have not received robes. Venerable Thullanandā – 'Our kathina is spread, this is a timely robe,' having designated it so, caused it to be distributed." The lay followers complained, grumbled, and criticized: "How can Venerable Thullanandā, having designated an untimely robe as a 'timely robe,' cause it to be distributed!" The bhikkhunis heard those lay followers complaining, grumbling, and criticizing. Those bhikkhunis who were of few wishes... they complained, grumbled, and criticized: "How can Venerable Thullanandā, having designated an untimely robe as a 'timely robe,' cause it to be distributed!" Then those bhikkhunis reported this matter to the bhikkhus. The bhikkhus reported this matter to the Blessed One... "Is it true, bhikkhus, that Bhikkhuni Thullanandā, having designated an untimely robe as a 'timely robe,' caused it to be distributed?" "It is true, Blessed One." The Buddha, the Blessed One, rebuked her... "How can Bhikkhuni Thullanandā, bhikkhus, having designated an untimely robe as a 'timely robe,' cause it to be distributed! This, bhikkhus, is not for the confidence of those without confidence... And thus, bhikkhus, let the bhikkhunis recite this training rule: 739. "Whatever bhikkhuni, having designated an untimely robe as a 'timely robe,' should cause it to be distributed, there is an offense of relinquishment entailing expiation." 740. "Whatever" means whichever kind... "Bhikkhuni" means... this bhikkhuni is intended in this context. An untimely robe means one arisen in the eleven months when the kathina is not spread, or one arisen in the seven months when the kathina is spread, or one given by designation even at the proper time, this is called an untimely robe. Having designated an untimely robe as a "timely robe," she causes it to be distributed, at the attempt, there is an offense of wrong-doing. Upon receipt, it becomes subject to relinquishment. It should be relinquished to the Sangha, or to a group, or to a single bhikkhuni. And thus... Not, monks, to be relinquished... "This, venerable one, is my untimely robe, which, having been designated as 'timely robe,' was distributed. It is to be relinquished. I relinquish this to the Sangha." ...should give... ...should give... ...I give to the venerable one. 741. If, concerning an untimely robe, one perceives it as an untimely robe, and, designating it as a "timely robe," causes it to be distributed, it is an offense of relinquishment and expiation. If, concerning an untimely robe, one is in doubt, and, designating it as a "timely robe," causes it to be distributed, there is an offense of wrong-doing. If, concerning an untimely robe, one perceives it as a timely robe, and, designating it as a "timely robe," causes it to be distributed, there is no offense. If, concerning a timely robe, one perceives it as an untimely robe, there is an offense of wrong-doing. If, concerning a timely robe, one is in doubt, there is an offense of wrong-doing. If, concerning a timely robe, one perceives it as a timely robe, there is no offense. 742. No offense if, an untimely robe,