86. Sūcigharasikkhāpada
Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sakkesu viharati kapilavatthusmiṁ nigrodhārāme. Tena kho pana samayena aññatarena dantakārena bhikkhū pavāritā honti— “yesaṁ ayyānaṁ sūcigharena attho ahaṁ sūcigharenā”ti. Tena kho pana samayena bhikkhū bahū sūcighare viññāpenti. Yesaṁ khuddakā sūcigharā te mahante sūcighare viññāpenti. Yesaṁ mahantā sūcigharā te khuddake sūcighare viññāpenti. Atha kho so dantakāro bhikkhūnaṁ bahū sūcighare karonto na sakkoti aññaṁ vikkāyikaṁ bhaṇḍaṁ kātuṁ, attanāpi na yāpeti, puttadāropissa kilamati. Manussā ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti— “kathañhi nāma samaṇā sakyaputtiyā na mattaṁ jānitvā bahū sūcighare viññāpessanti. Ayaṁ imesaṁ bahū sūcighare karonto na sakkoti aññaṁ vikkāyikaṁ bhaṇḍaṁ kātuṁ, attanāpi na yāpeti, puttadāropissa kilamatī”ti. Assosuṁ kho bhikkhū tesaṁ manussānaṁ ujjhāyantānaṁ khiyyantānaṁ vipācentānaṁ. Ye te bhikkhū appicchā …pe… te ujjhāyanti khiyyanti vipācenti— “kathañhi nāma bhikkhū na mattaṁ jānitvā bahū sūcighare viññāpessantī”ti …pe… “saccaṁ kira, bhikkhave, bhikkhū na mattaṁ jānitvā bahū sūcighare viññāpentī”ti? “Saccaṁ, bhagavā”ti. Vigarahi buddho bhagavā …pe… kathañhi nāma te, bhikkhave, moghapurisā na mattaṁ jānitvā bahū sūcighare viññāpessanti. Netaṁ, bhikkhave, appasannānaṁ vā pasādāya …pe… evañca pana, bhikkhave, imaṁ sikkhāpadaṁ uddiseyyātha—
Making an inappropriate needle case Origin story
At one time the Buddha was staying in the Sakyan country in the Banyan Tree Monastery at Kapilavatthu. At that time an ivory-worker had invited the monks who needed needle cases to ask for one. And the monks asked for many needle cases. Those who had small needle cases asked for large ones, and those who had large needle cases asked for small ones. The ivory-worker was so busy making needle cases for the monks that he was unable to make goods for sale. He could not make a living for himself, and his wives and children suffered. People complained and criticized them, “How can the Sakyan monastics not have any sense of moderation and ask for many needle cases? This ivory-worker is so busy making needle cases for them that he’s unable to make goods for sale. He can’t make a living for himself, and his wives and children are suffering.” The monks heard the complaints of those people, and the monks of few desires complained and criticized those monks, “How can those monks not have a sense of moderation and ask for many needle cases?” … “Is it true, monks, that there are monks who do this?” “It’s true, sir.” The Buddha rebuked them … “How can those foolish men do this? This will affect people’s confidence …” … “And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this: