English
But the Elder Mahāpaduma said: "It should not be done thus. People give requisites for the upkeep of their own dwellings. Therefore, other monks should enter there." 221. If the Great Elder here objects, saying: "Do not, friends, take it thus. Follow the Buddha's instruction. For it has been said by the Buddha: 'I allow, monks, to take by the front of the precinct.'" Not standing by his objection, but convincing him, saying: "Venerable sir, the monks are many, the requisites are few, it is proper to make a collection," it should indeed be taken. And the monk who takes it, being authorized, should go to the Great Elder and say thus: "Venerable sir, your lodging is due, please hold the requisites." "The requisites of such-and-such a family and such-and-such a lodging are due to me, friend." "It is due, venerable sir, please take it." "I take it, friend." It is taken. "But if, when it is said, 'It is taken by you, venerable sir,' he says, 'It is taken by me,' or when it is said, 'Will you take it, venerable sir?' he says, 'I will take it,' it is not taken," said the Elder Mahāsumma. But the Elder Mahāpaduma said: "Whether it is a past or future tense word, or a present tense word, the mere arising of mindfulness, the mere making of attachment, is the measure here. Therefore, it is taken." Even a monk who is a rag-robe wearer, having taken a lodging, and released the requisites, should not be placed in another dwelling. In that very precinct, or in the fire-hall, or in the long-hall, or at the foot of a tree, it is proper for another to take it. The rag-robe wearer will maintain the lodging, saying, "I will dwell." The other will take the requisites, saying, "I will take the requisites." Thus, for these two reasons, the lodging will be better maintained. But in the Mahāpaccariya it is said: "When a rag-robe wearer takes a lodging for dwelling, the lodging-taker should say: 'Venerable sir, there are requisites here, what should be done with them?' He should be told: 'Have another take them below.' But if he dwells without saying anything, and after the rains retreat, they place the robe at the root of a tree and give it, it is allowable. Then they say, ‘We give a rain-residence,’ it belongs to the monks who have spent the rains in that dwelling. But for those who have no dwelling, and only give requisites, it is allowable for them to receive the requisites in a non-rain-residence dwelling. People make a stupa and cause a rain-residence to be received. A stupa is not a dwelling, it should be received by connecting it to a tree or a pavilion near it. That monk should maintain the cetiya. The same method applies to Bodhi trees, Bodhi houses, seat houses, broom-sticks, wooden planks, wooden latrines, gatehouses, water-huts, water-sheds, and tooth-stick sheds. But the refectory is a dwelling, therefore it is allowable to receive it by assigning it to one or many, all this is stated in detail in the Mahāpaccari. However, the one who receives the dwelling should receive it from the dawn of the first day until the next dawn breaks. This is the field for receiving a dwelling. If, in a dwelling received early in the morning, another monk, a wanderer, comes and asks for a dwelling, he should be told, “The dwelling is taken, venerable sir, the Sangha has entered the rains, the monastery is delightful, dwell wherever you wish, at the root of a tree or elsewhere.” But on the day of the latter rains-retreat, if, after proclaiming the time and assembling the Sangha, someone brings a ten-cubit cloth and gives it as a rain-residence, if the visiting monk is the senior monk of the Sangha, it should be given to him. If he is a junior monk, the senior monk of the Sangha should be told by an appointed monk, “If, venerable sir, you wish, release the first share and take this cloth,” it should not be given to one who does not release it. But if he releases what was previously received and takes it, it should be given. By this same method, starting from the second senior monk, it should be rotated and given to the visitor in place of his bowl. But if two, three, four, or five cloths were received by those who entered the first rains-retreat, each one received, by this same method Having caused it to be distributed, it should be given until it is equal for the arriving monk. When that equality is obtained, the remaining portion should be given to the senior monks. When there is present gain, it is proper to make an agreement to take it for a fixed allowance. If there is a famine, and the monks who have entered the rains retreat in both rainy season commencements are distressed by alms-round, they say: "Friends, dwelling here, we are all distressed. It would be good if we were two groups. Those who have places where they are invited by relatives, let them dwell there and come for the Pavāraṇā and receive their own rains-residence allowance." To those among them who dwell there and come for the Pavāraṇā, the rains-residence allowance should be given after asking permission. Even if they accept it, they are indeed the owners of the rains-residence allowance. And even if the resident monks are annoyed, they cannot but give it. But in the Kurundī it is said: "An agreement should be made: 'Gruel and food are not sufficient for all of us here. Dwell in a suitable place and come, you will receive your share of the rains-residence allowance.' If one objects to it, it is well-objected. If no one objects, the agreement is well-made. Afterwards, to those who have dwelt there and returned, it should be given after asking permission. At the time of asking permission, it is not allowed to object." Again it is said: "If, when some of the rains-retreat monks do not receive the rains-residence allowance, the monks make an agreement: 'It is agreeable to give to these monks the rains-residence allowance of those who have broken their retreat, and also the rains-residence allowance that arises now.' When such an agreement is made, it is as if it has been received, and whatever arises should be given to them." Having provided drinking water for three months, having maintained the monastery paths, the cetiya grounds, and the Bodhi tree grounds, having watered the Bodhi tree, even if he has departed or wandered away, he still receives the rains-residence allowance. For he has done hired work. But if it was received after performing the act of asking permission from the Sangha, even if he wanders away during the rains, he still receives it. But if it was received on account of requisites, they say he does not receive it. If a monk who has completed the rains retreat and is going to another direction, from the hand of a resident monk, something... If someone takes a suitable item and says, "In such-and-such a family, my Rains-residence robe is due; take it," and then wanders off from that place, the Rains-residence robe belongs to the Sangha. But if he makes the people accept it in his presence and then goes, he receives it. If it is said, "We give this Rains-residence robe to the monk who has resided in our dwelling," it belongs to whomever it was taken for. But if, out of affection for the owner of the dwelling, sons, daughters, and others bring many cloths and give them, saying, "We give them to our dwelling," then only one cloth should be given to the one who observed the Rains-residence there, the rest belong to the Sangha. They should be taken according to the Rains-residence roster. If there is no roster, they should be taken starting from the seat of the elder. Relying on the monk who observed the Rains-residence in the dwelling, if, with a mind full of faith, many cloths are brought and given, saying, "We give them to the dwelling," the same rule applies. But if they place them at his feet and say, "We give these to this monk," they belong to him. In one house, there are two Rains-residence robes. The first portion is taken for a novice, the second for the elder's seat. He sends one ten-cubit and one eight-cubit cloth, saying, "Give these to the monks who are due Rains-residence robes." Having chosen, the better portion should be given to the novice, and the lesser portion should be given to the elder's seat. But if they bring both to the house, feed them, and place them at their feet themselves, whatever is given to whom, that belongs to him. Furthermore, the method stated in the Mahāpaccari applies: In one house, a Rains-residence robe is due to a young novice. If he asks, "To whom is our Rains-residence robe due?" without saying, "To the novice," one should say, "You will know at the time of giving," and on the day of giving, send a great elder to have it brought out. If the one to whom the Rains-residence robe is due wanders off or passes away, and the people ask, "To whom is our Rains-residence robe due?" they should be told the truth. If they say, "We give it to you..." then it falls to that bhikkhu. Then if they give it to the Saṅgha or to a group, it falls to the Saṅgha or to a group. If those who have entered the rains retreat are solely wearers of rag-robes, the dwelling requisites given for the rains retreat, having been brought, should be kept, or cushions and the like should be made. This much about the taking of dwellings during the rains retreat, on the day of entering the rains retreat. 222. This other taking of dwellings, called "antarāmuttaka" (intermediate release), is to be known during the season. For there are three kinds of dwelling-taking according to the day: the former, the latter, and the intermediate release. As it has been said: "There are these three takings of dwellings, bhikkhus: the former, the latter, and the intermediate release. The former should be taken on the day before the full moon of Āsāḷhī. The latter should be taken when a month has passed in Āsāḷhī. The intermediate release should be taken on the day before the Pavāraṇā for the purpose of the future rains retreat."