30. Pariṇatasikkhāpada
Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tena kho pana samayena sāvatthiyaṁ aññatarassa pūgassa saṅghassa sacīvarabhattaṁ paṭiyattaṁ hoti— “bhojetvā cīvarena acchādessāmā”ti. Atha kho chabbaggiyā bhikkhū yena so pūgo tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā taṁ pūgaṁ etadavocuṁ— “dethāvuso, amhākaṁ imāni cīvarānī”ti. “Na mayaṁ, bhante, dassāma. Amhākaṁ saṅghassa anuvassaṁ sacīvarabhikkhā paññattā”ti. “Bahū, āvuso, saṅghassa dāyakā, bahū saṅghassa bhattā. Mayaṁ tumhe nissāya tumhe sampassantā idha viharāma. Tumhe ce amhākaṁ na dassatha, atha ko carahi amhākaṁ dassati? Dethāvuso, amhākaṁ imāni cīvarānī”ti. Atha kho so pūgo chabbaggiyehi bhikkhūhi nippīḷiyamāno yathāpaṭiyattaṁ cīvaraṁ chabbaggiyānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ datvā saṅghaṁ bhattena parivisi. Ye te bhikkhū jānanti saṅghassa sacīvarabhattaṁ paṭiyattaṁ, na ca jānanti chabbaggiyānaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ dinnanti, te evamāhaṁsu— “oṇojethāvuso, saṅghassa cīvaran”ti. “Natthi, bhante. Yathāpaṭiyattaṁ cīvaraṁ ayyā chabbaggiyā attano pariṇāmesun”ti. Ye te bhikkhū appicchā …pe… te ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti— “kathañhi nāma chabbaggiyā bhikkhū jānaṁ saṅghikaṁ lābhaṁ pariṇataṁ attano pariṇāmessantī”ti. Atha kho te bhikkhū chabbaggiye bhikkhū anekapariyāyena vigarahitvā bhagavato etamatthaṁ ārocesuṁ …pe… “saccaṁ kira tumhe, bhikkhave, jānaṁ saṅghikaṁ lābhaṁ pariṇataṁ attano pariṇāmethā”ti? “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti. Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… kathañhi nāma tumhe, moghapurisā, jānaṁ saṅghikaṁ lābhaṁ pariṇataṁ attano pariṇāmessatha. Netaṁ, moghapurisā, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe… evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—
Diverting an offering intended for the Sangha Origin story
At one time when the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery, an association had prepared a meal together with robe-cloth for the Sangha, intending to offer the robe-cloth after giving the meal. But the monks from the group of six went to that association and said, “Please give this robe-cloth to us.” “Venerables, we can’t do that. We’ve prepared our annual alms-offering together with robe-cloth for the Sangha.” “The Sangha has many donors and supporters. But since we’re staying here, we look to you for support. If you don’t give to us, who will? So give us the robe-cloth.” Being pressured by the monks from the group of six, that association gave the prepared robe-cloth to them and served the food to the Sangha. The monks who knew that a meal together with robe-cloth had been prepared for the Sangha, but who did not know that the robe-cloth had been given to the monks from the group of six, said, “Please dedicate the robe-cloth.” “There isn’t any. The monks from the group of six have diverted to themselves the robe-cloth we had prepared.” The monks of few desires complained and criticized those monks, “How could the monks from the group of six divert to themselves things they knew were intended for the Sangha?” After rebuking those monks in many ways, they told the Buddha. Soon afterwards he had the Sangha gathered and questioned the monks: “Is it true, monks, that you did this?” “It’s true, sir.” The Buddha rebuked them … “Foolish men, how could you do this? This will affect people’s confidence …” … “And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this: