English
"This meaning is understood by referring to the reading 'dinnam' (given), the reading 'sadhenti' (they accomplish), and the reading 'anisamsam labhanti' (they obtain benefits)." Here, this is the intention of the teachers: In "idam sanghena dinnam" (this is given by the Sangha), the agent of the root "da" (to give) is "sanghena" (by the Sangha), and "idam" (this) is the object. Because this Kathina robe belongs to the Sangha, it is given by the Sangha. Thus, it is understood that when "Kathina" is mentioned, it is Sanghika. In "Kathinattharam ke labhanti" (who obtain the spreading of the Kathina?), "ke labhanti" means "ke sadhenti" (who accomplish?). "Five people accomplish it," it is stated in the Vajirabuddhi Tika (Vajira. Ti. Mahavagga 306). There, "five people" refers to the Sangha. By this also, it is understood that when "Kathina" is mentioned, it is Sanghika. And in "anisamsam labhanti" (they obtain benefits), because it is Sanghika, all bhikkhus within the boundary obtain benefits. By this also, it is understood that when "Kathina" is mentioned, it is Sanghika. In that regard, such an investigation should be made: The four kinds of requisites, in the past, donors mostly gave them to the Sangha itself. Therefore, the discourse on the Sangha as the recipient of the four requisites is very extensive. But they rarely gave to individuals. Therefore, the Kathina robe given to the Sangha is said with reference to it being given by the Sangha to the individual who spreads it. And "sadhenti" (they accomplish) means the four donors of the Kathina cloth, and the one recipient, these five people accomplish the act of giving the Kathina. It is said to be given. It is said that they receive a benefit. This refers to the benefit received by the monks from the spreading and the approval. It should not be understood from these passages that when the word "kathina" is mentioned, it becomes communal. How is it understood that the robe that arose for the Sangha was given by the Sangha for the spreading? It is understood by seeing the Pāli passage that says: "This kathina robe has arisen for the Sangha. The Sangha gives this kathina robe to such-and-such a monk to spread the kathina." (Mahāvagga 307) And by seeing the commentary passage that says: "The Sangha receives the kathina robe today and gives it the next day; this is an accumulation." It is understood that the act of giving is the robe belonging to the Sangha itself, that the Sangha is the doer, and that the individual is worthy of being the recipient, by referring to the aforementioned Pāli passage. If this is the case, how should one proceed to make a personal robe, given to an individual, communal? If that receiving individual says to the donors: "Lay followers, a gift given to the Sangha is more fruitful than a gift given to an individual. Therefore, give it to the Sangha. Only when it is given to the Sangha, and then given by the Sangha to a monk worthy of spreading by means of a formal act (kammavācā), and spread by that individual according to the Vinaya, is it called kathina. It is not when it is given to an individual and spread by the individual themselves. Therefore, give it to the Sangha." Even if it is caused to be given to the Sangha by such an exhortation, that robe becomes communal and worthy of spreading the kathina. But if the donor, due to lack of knowledge, says: "Venerable sir, I know nothing. I give this robe to you yourselves." In such a case, even if it is received as a personal gift, and that individual gives that robe to the Sangha, it becomes communal. If so, how could a robe given by a monk to a monk be worthy of spreading the kathina? No, it would not be. For it is said in the commentary (Mahāvagga Commentary 306): "Ka By whom given, is a robe valid? By whatever deva or human, or by any one of five co-dhamma followers, given, it is valid. Then why did the teachers, who were in succession, use the robes, other than those acquired by formal declaration, only after dividing them among the Sangha? It is said: Some bhikkhus practice only following the tradition of their teachers. Some, seeing the actions of many, practice by following what they have seen. Some learned elders, even if they do not approve, practice for fear of breaking tradition. Others, by their own preference, interpret the meaning and intention and accept it. But bhikkhus who follow the texts take the meaning just as it comes in the texts, keeping Sangha property and personal property separate, and keeping seasonal robes and unseasonal robes separate, they accept them. In the Bhikkhuni Vibhanga, it is stated: "The bhikkhuni Thullananda, having declared an unseasonal robe as a 'seasonal robe', caused it to be distributed. Then the Blessed One enacted the offense of Nissaggiya Pacittiya." Therefore, a modest, virtuous, learned, and training-desiring bhikkhu should examine and compare many Pali texts and commentaries, and follow the texts themselves, and not trust or follow the actions of others. Indeed, during the time the Blessed One was alive, or after that, the donors in the past mostly gave the four requisites to the Sangha itself. Therefore, because Sangha dwellings and Sangha robes were abundant, the former teachers used them only after dividing them among the Sangha. But now, donors mostly give the four requisites to individuals. Therefore, new dwellings are mostly individual, and robes are also mostly individual. Even the poor, from the time of spinning thread, think, "I will give this robe to such-and-such a bhikkhu at the Kathina time," and having said so, they perform all their tasks. And the wealthy, from the time of buying the cloth, do likewise. having thought and spoken, they do it. And at the time of giving, they send sons, servants, and so on, saying, "Give this robe to so-and-so." Or they themselves go and place the robe at the feet or in the hands of that monk, and say or think, "I give this robe to you." Among hundreds or thousands, one wise person, knowing that "a gift given to the Sangha is of great fruit compared to a gift given to an individual," says or thinks, "I give this Kathina robe to the Sangha." That offering of his goes to the Sangha. If, however, the donor wishes to give to an individual, but the individual, desiring its great fruit, makes him understand the great fruit of a Sangha-given gift compared to an individual-given gift, through teachings like the Dakkhiṇāvibhaṅga Sutta, and urges him, "Give this robe of yours to the Sangha," and the donor, accepting his word, says or thinks, "I give this Kathina robe to the Sangha," even so, that offering goes to the Sangha. But if the donor, though urged by the monk, being unwise, disregards his word and gives it to the individual, that offering of his goes to the individual. Then, if that individual himself accepts it and then dedicates it to the Sangha, even so, that robe becomes Sangha property. It should be distributed as Sangha property. If, however, the donor gives it to the individual, and the individual, having accepted it, does not dedicate it, in that case, that robe is individual property. It does not become Sangha property merely by the time of Kathina or merely by the word "Kathina." But nowadays, by this method, individual robes are abundant. Even so, desiring not to break the tradition of the teacher's lineage, they treated it as if it were Sangha property, distributed it, and used it. If it were truly Sangha property, after it was given by the Sangha, an individual would not be able to take even the amount of a single needle more. Some elders, however, say it is Sangha property, and distribute it. But at the wrong time, acting like masters, they decide as they please. Some bhikkhus, thinking it is mainly for the Sangha, overpower even a person unwilling to distribute, and make him distribute. The parents, relatives, and lay followers of that person say: "We give to our son, we give to our relative bhikkhu, we give to our family's bhikkhu." Other faithful and devoted donors, having decided, "We give to such-and-such a person," even when out of sight, say, "I give this robe to such-and-such a person," or when face to face, place it at his feet or in his hand, and give it. Such a robe is personal. Because it was not given touching the Sangha, it does not belong to the Sangha. But the saying, "I will give Kathina," or "He went to give Kathina," or "Kathina robe," in earlier and later times, is merely a conventional expression, by way of analogy, because it was given at the time of the main Kathina, which is a Sangha robe. Like what? The meal called "Uposathika" is included among the fourteen Sangha meals, and is primarily for the Sangha. Donors who have undertaken the Uposatha give the portion of food to be eaten in the evening to the Sangha. The Sangha eats it making it a fixed portion, like a ticket-meal. Thus, because it is given to the Sangha, it is for the Sangha. But now, donors give food on Uposatha days to their own family's bhikkhu or their relative bhikkhu. Because it is not given to the Sangha, it is not for the Sangha. Even so, because it is given on Uposatha day, it is conventionally called "Uposatha meal," by way of analogy, like the Uposatha meal that primarily takes place. This should be understood in the same way. Thus, at this time, because the robe is mostly given to individuals, it becomes personal, and is not suitable for a formal motion. Only that which belongs to the Sangha is suitable for a formal motion. And only that is the cause of the five benefits. Therefore, a wise person should instruct and cause it to be given, saying, "Lay followers, give to the Sangha, what is given to the Sangha brings great fruit," and so on. Or he himself should... Having desired, it should be offered to the Sangha. Having thus been offered, the robe becomes Sangha property, fit for a ñatti-kammavācā, and productive of five benefits. Thus, the instruction