Bu Sk 58

58. Daṇḍapāṇisikkhāpada

Tena samayena buddho bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Tena kho pana samayena chabbaggiyā bhikkhū daṇḍapāṇissa dhammaṁ desenti …pe….

Holding a staff Origin story

At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery. At that time the monks from the group of six gave teachings to people holding staffs. …

“Na daṇḍapāṇissa agilānassa dhammaṁ desessāmīti sikkhā karaṇīyā”ti.

Final ruling

“‘I will not give a teaching to anyone holding a staff who is not sick,’ this is how you should train.”

Daṇḍo nāma

Definitions

A staff:

majjhimassa purisassa catuhattho daṇḍo. Tato ukkaṭṭho adaṇḍo, omako adaṇḍo. Na daṇḍapāṇissa agilānassa dhammo desetabbo. Yo anādariyaṁ paṭicca daṇḍapāṇissa agilānassa dhammaṁ deseti, āpatti dukkaṭassa.

a stick measuring 1.6 meters. What is longer than that is not a staff, nor what is shorter. One should not give a teaching to anyone holding a staff who is not sick. If a monk out, of disrespect, gives a teaching to someone holding a staff who is not sick, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.

Anāpatti—

Non-offenses

There is no offense:

asañcicca …pe…

if it is unintentional; if he is not mindful; if he does not know; if he is sick; if there is an emergency; if he is insane;

ādikammikassāti.

if he is the first offender.