Venerables, these thirty rules entailing relinquishment and confession come up for recitation.

Origin story

First sub-story

At one time the Buddha was staying at Vesālī at the Gotamaka Shrine. At that time the Master had allowed the three robes for the monks. Knowing that this was the case, the monks from the group of six entered the village in one set of three robes, stayed in the monastery in another set, and went to bathe in yet another set. The monks of few desires … complained and criticized them, “How can the monks from the group of six have extra robes?”

After criticizing those monks in many ways, they told the Master. … “Is it true, monks, that you have extra robes?”

“It’s true, Master.”

The Buddha rebuked them, “… Foolish men, how can you have extra robes? This will not give rise to confidence in those without it … And, monks, this training rule should be recited thus:

Preliminary ruling

‘If a monk has extra robe-cloth, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.’”

In this way the Master laid down this training rule for the monks.

Second sub-story

Soon afterwards robe-cloth was given to Venerable Ānanda. He wanted to give it to Venerable Sāriputta who was staying at Sāketa. Knowing that the Buddha had laid down a rule against having extra robe-cloth, Ānanda thought, “What should I do in this situation?” He told the Master, and the Master said, “How long is it, Ānanda, before Sāriputta returns?”

“Nine or ten days, Master.”

Soon afterwards the Master gave a teaching and addressed the monks: “Monks, you should keep extra robe-cloth for ten days at the most. And so, monks, this training rule should be recited thus:

Final ruling

In addition to meaning a finished robe, according to the definition of cīvara below it also refers to pieces of robe-cloth. This means that I have to vary my translation depending on the context. ‘When his robe is finished and the robe-making season has ended, a monk should keep extra robe-cloth for ten days at the most. If he keeps it beyond that, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.’”

Definitions

When his robe is finished: This refers to the robe-cloth received during the robe-making season. For details see Mv.7.2-7.12.the monk has made a robe, or the robe-cloth has been lost, destroyed, or burnt, or he has abandoned his expectation of receiving further robe-cloth.

The robe-making season has ended: For an explanation of this see Mv.7.1.7 and Mv.7.2-7.12.it has ended according to one of the eight headings or the Order has ended it, whichever comes first.

For ten days at the most: it should be kept for ten days at a maximum.

Extra robe-cloth: “Transferred” is a rendering of vikappita. The explanation given at pācittiya 59 seems to make it clear that vikappanā refers to a change in ownership. The word commentary specifically says that the item is given to someone else and that the monk giving it up may use it only if he takes their belonging on trust.robe-cloth that is not determined, nor transferred.

Robe-cloth: The six are linen, cotton, silk, wool, sunn hemp, and hemp, see Mv.8.3.1. This means not smaller than 8 by 4 standard (sugata) finger-breadths, or 16 by 8 cm; see Kkh.94.4 and BMC I, pp.565-566.one of the six kinds of robe-cloth, but not smaller than what can be transferred.

If he keeps it beyond that […] entailing relinquishment: According to the commentary this means the tenth dawn after one received the robe(cloth, see Sp.3.639.27it becomes subject to relinquishment at dawn on the eleventh day.

The robe-cloth should be relinquished to an Order, a group, or an individual. “And, monks, it should be relinquished in this way. After approaching the Order, that monk should put his upper robe over one shoulder and pay respect at the feet of the senior monks. He should then squat on his heels, put the palms of his hands together, and say, ‘Venerables, this robe-cloth that I have kept over ten days is to be relinquished. I relinquish it to the Order.’ After relinquishing it, he should confess the offense. The confession should be received by a competent and capable monk. The relinquished robe-cloth is then to be given back:

‘Venerables, let the Order listen to me. This robe-cloth that was to be relinquished by monk so-and-so has been relinquished to the Order. If it seems appropriate to the Order, the Order should give this robe-cloth back to monk so-and-so.’

After approaching several monks, that monk should put his upper robe over one shoulder and pay respect at the feet of the senior monks. He should then squat on his heels, put the palms of his hands together, and say, ‘Venerables, this robe-cloth that I have kept over ten days is to be relinquished. I relinquish it to the venerables.’ After relinquishing it, he should confess the offense. The confession should be received by a competent and capable monk. The relinquished robe-cloth is then to be given back:

‘Let the venerables listen to me. This robe-cloth that was to be relinquished by monk so-and-so has been relinquished to you. If it seems appropriate to you, you should give this robe-cloth back to monk so-and-so.’

After approaching a single monk, that monk should put his upper robe over one shoulder, squat on his heels, put the palms of his hands together, and say, ‘This robe-cloth that I have kept over ten days is to be relinquished. I relinquish it to you.’ After relinquishing it, he should confess the offense. The confession should be received by that monk. The relinquished robe-cloth is then to be given back: ‘I give this robe-cloth back to you.’”

Permutations

If it is more than ten days and he perceives it as more than ten days, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. If it is more than ten days, but he is unsure if it is, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. If it is more than ten days, but he perceives it as less than ten days, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.

If it has not been determined, but he perceives it as determined, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. If it has not been transferred, but he perceives it as transferred, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. If it has not been given away, but he perceives it as given away, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. If it has not been lost, but he perceives it as lost, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. If it has not been destroyed, but he perceives it as destroyed, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. If it has not been burnt, but he perceives it as burnt, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. If it has not been stolen, but he perceives it as stolen, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.

If he uses a robe-cloth that should be relinquished without first relinquishing it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If it is less than ten days, but he perceives it as more than ten days, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If it is less than ten days, but he is unsure if it is, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If it is less than ten days and he perceives it as less than ten days, there is no offense.

Non-offenses

There is no offense: if within ten days it has been determined, transferred, given away, lost, destroyed, burnt, stolen, or taken on trust; if he is insane; if he is the first offender.

At that time monks from the group six did not give back relinquished robe-cloth. They told the Master. “Monks, relinquished robe-cloth should be given back. If a monk does not give it back, he commits an offense of wrong conduct.”

The first rule, the training rule on the robe-making season, is finished.