the 30 nissaggiyas pácittiyas (1)

nissaggiya 1

"ni††hitacívarasmiµ bhikkhuná ubbhatasmiµ kathine dasáhaparamaµ atinekacívaraµ dháretabbaµ, taµ atikkámayato nissaggiaµ pacittiaµ."

Not to keep an extra robe more than ten days at a time. If a bhikkhu keeps his non-determined robe more than ten days, it entails a pácittiya and irremediably calls for the forfeiture of this robe. This robe must be momentarily handed over to another bhikkhu by means of an authoritative formula, and then the latter returns the robe. Then, the bhikkhu who has committed the nissaggiya must perform the desaná.

This only concerns the robes being worn, as old robes can be used as a curtain, a carpet, etc. Then a bhikkhu cannot determine a new robe as long as the determination of the old robe has not been overruled.

There are four exceptions according to which a bhikkhu can keep a non-determined robe more than ten days at a time:

1. When the tailoring of the robe has not been completed.
2. When the bhikkhu comes across inauspicious conditions in the monastery in which he spends the vassa.
3. During the month of kathina (from the first day following the full moon bringing the vassa to an end, until the following full moon).
4. During the five months following the vassa, if benefits are derived out of the kathina.

This rule only concerns the robes being worn, because a bhikkhu could definitely own others that he uses as carpets, curtains, etc.

The way to give up a robe nissaggiya 1

The bhikkhu who committed the fault of having kept an extra robe more than ten days at a time, must give up this robe nissaggiya before doing the desaná. The formula of this forfeiture can be uttered in pá¦i or in another language.

"idaµ me bhante cívaraµ dasáhátikkantaµ nissaggiyaµ, imáhaµ áyasmato nissajjámi".

"Venerable, I must give up this robe that I have kept more than ten days. This robe, I leave it to you."

After having relinquished the robe, it is necessary to purge the pácittiya caused by the nissaggiya by means of desaná. Afterwards, the bhikkhu who receives the robe nissaggiya returns it to the bhikkhu who has committed the nissaggiya while uttering in pá¦i, or another language:

"imaµ cívaraµ áyasmato dammi."

" This robe Venerable, I return it to you."

nissaggiya 2

"ni††hitacívarasmiµ bhikkhuná ubbhatasmiµ kathine ekarattaµpi ce bhikkhu ticívarena vippavaseyya, aññatra bhikkhusammutiyá, nissaggiyaµ pácittiyaµ."

Not to spend the night far from one of his three robes. Once a bhikkhu has managed to finish the tailoring of his robe, if he does no longer and doesn't come

across any inauspicious conditions at vassa's time, and he is not sick, spending the night without one of the three determined robes, it entails a pácittiya and irremediably calls for the forfeiture of this robe.

The way to give up a robe nissaggiya 2

The formula of this abandonment can be recited in pá¦i or in another language.

"idaµ me bhante cívaraµ rattivippavutthaµ aññatra bhikkhusammutiyá nissaggiyaµ, máhaµ áyasmato nissajjámi."

"Venerable, I must give up this robe that I left far behind me overnight. This robe, I leave it to you."

If the bhikkhu thinks that he will spend dawn far from one of his three robes, he can recite the formula meant for eliminating the determination of this robe and so, be free from nissaggiya...

If it concerns the double robe:

"etaµ saµghá†iµ paccuddharámi."

I abolish the determination of this second robe."

If concerns the upper robe:

"etaµ uttatásaýgaµ paccuddharámi."

"I abolish the determination of the upper robe."

If it concerns the lower robe:

"etaµ antaravásakaµ paccuddharámi."

"I abolish the determination of this lower robe."

A bhikkhu who spends a night until dawn without one of his three robes can re-determine it

the day after. In this case, he does not commit the nissaggiya 2.

nissaggiya 3

"ni††hitacívarasmiµ bhikkhuná ubbhatasmiµ kathine bhikkhuno paneva akálacívaraµ uppajjeyya, ákaýkhamánena bhikkhuná pa†iggahetabbaµ, pa†iggahetvá khippameva káretabbaµ, no ca' ssa páripúri, másaparamaµ tena bhikkhuná taµ cívaraµ nikkhipitabbaµ únassa párikapúriyá satiyá paccásáya. tato ce uttari nikkhipeyya satiyápi paccásáya, nissaggiyaµ pácittiyaµ."

Not to keep the clothing material meant for the tailoring of a robe more than one month at a time. If a bhikkhu succeeded in completing the tailoring of a new robe, if he does no longer or doesn't come across any inauspicious conditions during a vassa and if he is not sick, when some clothing materials are set apart and meant for a new robe, it must be sewed in the forthcoming ten days, (in accordance with the nissaggiya 1). If there is not enough clothing material and the bhikkhu is still expecting to receive some to finish this robe, the material can be kept for a month – a lunar month. If this period is exceeded, it entails a pácittiya and irremediably calls for the abandon of the unfinished robe. To purge this fault, it is advisable to give up the robe in the presence of another bhikkhu by means of the following formula in pá¦i or in another language:

"imaµ me bhante akálacívaraµ másátikkantaµ nissaggiyaµ, imáhaµ áyasmato nissajjámi."

"I must give up this robe "exceeding the allotted period" that I have kept more than a month. This robe Venerable, I leave it to you."

After having given up this robe, it is necessary to do the desaná to purify the pácittiya that is inherent to this fault.

Note: In today's world, given that the robes are already sewed (ready-made), the nissaggiya 3 has virtually no longer any chance to be committed.

nissaggiya 4

"yo pana bhikkhu aññátikáya bhikkhuniyá purášacívaraµ dhovápeyya vá rajápeyya vá áko†ápeyyavá, nissaggiyaµ pácittiyaµ."

Not to have a robe washed or dyed by a bhikkhuní who is not a relative. If a bhikkhu gets his "old" robe washed, dyed or dried through hitting by a bhikkhuní, who is not an offspring of his family up to the seventh generation, he commits a fault irremediably calling for the abandonment of his robe and entailing a pácittiya.

As soon as the robe has been worn or used as a pillow, it is considered as "old".

The seven generations of the family

The seven generations of the family corresponds with his own generation, to the three who are backward and to the three subsequent ones after himself. Worth to come to know:

• great-grand-parents,
• grand-parents,
• brothers and sisters,
• children,
• grand-children,
• great grand-children.

nissaggiya 5

"yo pana bhikkhu aññátikáya bhikkhuníyá hatthato cívaraµ pa†iggahšeyya aññatra párivattaká, nissaggiyaµ pácittiyaµ."

Not to accept a robe from a bhikkhuní who is not a relative. If, this not being an exchange, a bhikkhu accepts a robe from the hands of a bhikkhuní who is not a relative of his, it irremediably calls for the abandon of the robe and entails a pácittiya.

A piece of clothing material is considered as a "robe" as soon as it has a width of a quarter of a yard - about 20 centimetres / 9 inches - and an cubit's length - about 50 centimetres / 19 inches. If a bhikkhu receives from a bhikkhuní a clothing material measuring at least these dimensions, under the agreement of an exchange even only with a myrobolan (symbolic, because it is only a valueless small fruit), no fault is being committed by accepting it.

nissaggiya 6

"yo pana bhikkhu aññátakaµ gahapatiµ vá gahapatániµ vá cívaraµ viññápeyya aññtra samayá, nissaggiyaµ pácittiyaµ. tattháyaµ samayo, acchinnacínaro vá hoti bhikkhu na††hacívaro vá, ayaµ tattha samayo."

Not to ask someone who is not a relative for a robe. If a bhikkhu asks for a robe from a dáyaka who is not a relative of his and he gets one, this irremediably calls for the abandonment of this robe and entails a pácittiya. However, in case the robe is stolen or destroyed, it is permissible to ask for one from anybody. Also, when a dáyaka has invited a bhikkhu to ask from him, the latter can freely inform him of the need for the robe.

Here is the formula which is appropriate to say - in pá¦i or in another language - in front of one or several bhikkhus, in order to proceed to the abandonment of the robe nissaggiya:

"idaµ me bhante cívaraµ aññátakaµ gahapatikaµ aññatra samayá viññápitaµ nissaggiyaµ, imáhaµ saµghassa imáhaµ áyasmantánaµ (áyasmato) nissajjámi."

"Venerable(s), I must give up this robe that I asked from a dáyaka who is not a relative of mine. This robe, I leave it to the saµgha, venerable(s)."

After having given up the robe, the fault must be purged by means of desaná.

By forcing a dáyaka, who invited him to ask for what he requires, to offer a robe or a material that he does not want to give, a bhikkhu commits the nissaggiya 6. In this case, depending on the value of the material and the way the offering has been forced, the párájika 2 may be committed.

nissaggiya 7

"tañce aññátako gahapati vá gahapatání vá bahúhi cívarehi abhiha††hu paváreyya, santaruttaraharamaµ tena bhikkhuná tato cívaraµ sáditabbaµ, tato ce uttari sádiyeyya, nissaggiyaµ pácittiyaµ."

Not to ask for more than one upper robe and one lower robe in case of loss of the three robes. If a bhikkhu whose robes were stolen or destroyed asks from a dáyaka who is not a relative of his, for one or several robes in addition to one for the upper part and one for the lower part of the body, or of dimensions exceeding these two robes, it irremediably calls for the abandonment of the robe or robes received in addition to those that he was authorised to ask for, and it entails a pácittiya.

If a bhikkhu is deprived of his robes, whether they have been hidden, destroyed by fire, taken away by waters, bitten by rats, etc., he can ask for others from the dáyaka (even among those who have not set such a proposal) who are not relatives of his. However, it is advisable to be offered two robes at the most: an upper and a lower robe. The bhikkhu who accepts a larger number of them commits the nissaggiya 7.

The bhikkhus who had their robes stolen, or else destroyed in one way or another, can ask for robes from a dáyaka who is not a relative of his without exceeding the maximum permitted:

• If one robe has been lost, the bhikkhu cannot ask for a robe.
• If two robes have been lost, only one robe can be asked for.
• If three robes have been lost, at the most two robes can be asked for.

However, a bhikkhu who looses the only two robes that he possesses, can ask for two. It is also advisable to ask for more than two robes from a dáyaka who has previously expressed the request to ask him in case it was needed (robes or objects pertaining to the four requisites), and also from his relatives up to the seventh generation (please refer to the list in nissaggiya 4).

nissaggiya 8

"bhikkhuµ paneva uddissa aññátakassa gahapatissa vá gahapatániyá vá cívaracetápannaµ upakkha†aµ hoti "iminá cívaracetápannena vívaraµ cetápetvá itthannámaµ bhikkhuµ cívarena acchádessámí" ti, tatra ceso bhikkhu pubbe appavárito upasaýkamitvá cívare vikappaµ ápajjeyya "sádhu vata maµ áyasmá iminá cívaracetápannena evarúpaµ vá evarúpaµ vá cívaraµ cetápetvá acchádehí" ti kalyášakamyataµ upádáya, nissaggiyaµ pácittiyaµ"

Not to ask for a good quality robe from a dáyaka who is saving money to offer one. If a bhikkhu asks for a robe of good quality from a dáyaka - who is not a relative of his, the latter having not expressed, to the former, the request to be asked for it, - who saves money to offer him one and this good quality robe costs more than the one supposed to be offered at first, that he asks him to exchange the robe that is meant to be offered or else to buy another, that he specifies the width or the length, that he asks for one that has a softer touch or else he specifies other features and if he gets the robe according to his wishes, it irremediably calls for the abandonment of this robe and entails a pácittiya.

If the value of the robe being purchased according to the specific request of the bhikkhu doesn't exceed the value of the one meant at first, the nissaggiya 8 is not being committed.

nissaggiya 9

"bhikkhuµ paneva uddissa ubhinnaµ aññátakánaµ gahapatínaµ vá gahapatánínaµ vá paccekacívaracetápannáni upakkha†áni honti "imehi mayaµ paccekacívaracetápannehi paccekacívaráni cetápetvá itthannámaµ bhikkhuµ cívarehi acchádessámá" ti, tatra ceso bhikkhu pubbe appavárito upasaýkamitvá cívare vikappaµ ápajjeyya "sádhu vata maµ áyasmanto imehi paccekacívaracetápannehi evarúpaµ vá evarúpaµ vá vívaraµ cetápetvá acchádetha ubháva santá ekená" ti kalyášakamyataµ upádáya, nissaggiyaµ pácittiyaµ."

Not to ask for a good quality robe from two dáyakas who are saving money to offer one each. If a bhikkhu proceeds to the house of one of the two dáyakas - none of them being relatives of his - the latter both willing to offer a robe, and this former having not been requested to do so asks them to get together to offer him a robe worth more that one of the two robes that these dáyakas had thought to offer at first, by imposing specifications as to the robe's width or length, if he gets offered this robe the way he asked for, he is obliged to relinquish it and in entails a pácittiya.

nissaggiya 10

"bhikkhuµ paneva uddissa rájá vá rájabhoggo vá bráhmašo vá gahapatiko vá dútena cívaracetápannaµ pahišeyya "iminá cívaracetápannena cívaraµ cetápetvá itthannámaµ bhikkhuµ cívarena acchádehí" ti. so ce dúto taµ bhikkhuµ upasaýkamitvá evaµ vadeyya "idaµ kho bhante áyasmantaµ uddissa cívaracetápannaµ ábhataµ, pa†iggahšátu áyasmá cívaracetápannaµ" nti. tena bhikkhuná so dúto evamassa vacaníyo "na kho mayaµ ávuso cívaracetápannaµ pa†iggahšáma, cívarañca kho mayaµ pa†iggahšáma kálena kappiya" nti. so ce dúto taµ bhikkhuµ evaµ vadeyya "atthi panáyasmato koci veyyávaccakaro" ti. cívaratthikena bhikkhuná veyyávaccakaro niddisitabbo árámiko vá upásako vá "eso kho ávuso bhikkhúnaµ veyyavaccakaro" ti. so ce dúto taµ veyyavaccakaraµ saññápetvá taµ bhikkhuµ upasaškamitvá evaµ vadeyya "yaµ kho bhante áyasmá veyyávaccakaraµ niddisi, saññatto so mayá, upasaýkamatuáyasmá kálena, cívarena taµ acchádessatí. cívaratthikena bhikkhave bhikkhuná veyyávaccakaro upasakaýkamitvá dvattikkhattuµ codetabbo sáretabbo" attho me ávuso cívarená" ti, dvattikkhattuµ codayamáno sárayamáno taµ cívaraµ abhinipphádeyya, iccetaµ kusalaµ, no ce abhinipphádeyya, catukkhattuµ pañcakkhattuµ chakkhattuparamaµ tuhšíbhútena uddissa †hátabbaµ, catukkhattuµ pañcakkhattuµ chakkhattuparamaµ tuhšíbúto uddissa ti††hamáno taµ cívaraµ abhinipphádeyya, iccetaµ kusalaµ, tato ce uttari váyámamáno taµ cívaraµ abhinipphádeyya, nissaggiyaµ pácittiyaµ. no ce abhinipphádeyya, yatassa cívaracetápannaµ átataµ, tattha sámaµ vá gantabbaµ, dúto vá páhetabbo "yaµ kho tuhme áyasmanto bhikkhuµ uddissa cívaracetápannaµ pahišittha, na taµ tassa bhikkhuno kiñci atthaµ anubhoti, yuñjantáyasmanto sakaµ, má vo sakaµ vinassá" ti, ayaµ sattha sámíci."

Not to appoint a kappiya on his own, nor to be too pushy with a kappiya who is supposed to provide something. If a person willing to offer a robe to a bhikkhu, sends an emissary to hand over money to the said bhikkhu, and his emissary asks him to accept it explaining that it is meant for a robe, this bhikkhu must reply to him: "I do not accept money. I can only accept a robe."

This emissary can then say to the bhikkhu: "Venerable, I will refer the matter to a kappiya." This bhikkhu can appoint a kappiya to this emissary only if he is requested to do so or if he already has one.

The emissary proceeds to the kappiya and hands him over money saying: "Friend, this sum that I am giving you is meant to buy a robe for this particular bhikkhu", naming the bhikkhu referred to.

Once this emissary has been understood by the kappiya, he proceeds back to the bhikkhu by informing him: "Venerable, I made the said kappiya understand clearly what is meant; at the required time, you could go to him so as to get a robe."

By approaching a kappiya, this bhikkhu could tell him at the most: "I need a robe." He can repeatedly ask him so twice or thrice. After these reminders, if the robe is still not obtained, he could show up before this kappiya up to six times by remaining standing and silent. If at the end of the three oral utterances and having stood silent six times, the robe is not still not obtained, if this bhikkhu says or does anything else to get this robe and he finally gets it, it irremediably calls for the abandonment of the robe and entails a pácittiya.

If the bhikkhu has not succeeded in getting a robe - after three oral utterances have been made and having stood in silence six times -, it is advisable that he himself goes to the person wishing to offer the robe or sends an emissary to carry his message: "dáyaka, the money meant for this robe has been entrusted. Such-and-such bhikkhu didn't receive anything. dáyaka, please get your money back to make sure that you have not lost it."

The vinaya applies this rule in the same way regarding offerings of other kinds such as exercise books, food, medicine, lodging, etc.