Origin story

At one time the Buddha was staying at Sāvatthī in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Monastery. At that time a minister who was going away sent a message to the monks: “Come, Venerables, I wish to give a rainy-season robe.”

The monks thought, “The Master has allowed rainy-season robes only for those who have completed the rains residence,” and being afraid of wrongdoing they did not go. That minister complained and criticized them, “How can you not come when I send a message? I’m going out with the army. It’s hard to know whether I will live or die.”

The monks heard the complaints of that minister, and they told the Master. Soon afterwards the Master gave a teaching and addressed the monks, “Monks, I allow you to receive haste-cloth, and then store it.”

Knowing that the Master had made this allowance, monks received haste-cloth and stored them beyond the robe season, in bundles on a bamboo robe-rack.

While touring the dwellings, Venerable Ānanda saw that cloth, and he asked the monks, “Whose cloth is this?”

“It’s our haste-cloth.”

“How long have you stored it?”

They told him, and Ānanda then complained and criticized them, “How can these monks receive haste-cloth and then store it beyond the robe season?”

After criticizing those monks in many ways, Ānanda told the Master. … “Is it true, monks, that some monks do this?”

“It’s true, Master.”

The Buddha criticized them, “… Monks, how can those foolish men receive haste-cloth and then store it beyond the robe season? This will not give rise to confidence in those without it … And, monks, this training rule should be recited thus:

Final ruling

‘When there are ten days left to the Kattika full moon that ends the first rains residence and haste-cloth is given to a monk, he may receive it if he regards it as urgent. If he stores it beyond that, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.’”

Definitions

There are ten days left: the invitation ceremony is ten days in the future.

The Kattika full moon that ends the first rains residence: the Kattika full moon of the invitation ceremony is what is meant.

Haste-cloth: when someone wants to go out with the army, when someone wants to go away, when someone is sick, when someone is pregnant, when someone without faith acquires faith, when someone without confidence acquires confidence— if that person sends a message to the monks, saying, “Come, Venerables, I wish to give rains-residence cloth,” this is called “haste-cloth.”

He may receive it if he regards it as urgent. He may then store it until the end of the robe season: establishing the perception of it as a haste-cloth, he may store it.

The robe season: for one who has not done the robe-making ceremony, it is the last month of the rainy season; That is, the last month of the rainy season, plus the four months of the cold season.for one who has done the robe-making ceremony, it is the five month period.

If he stores it beyond that: for one who has not done the robe-making ceremony, if he goes beyond the last day of the rainy season, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. The robe-making season ends if the Sangha decides to forgo the robe-making privilege, or if the monk leaves the monastery where he spent the rains residence and gives up any intention of making a robe before the end of the cold season, see MS.1.1869 and Mv.7.13.2.For one who has done the robe-making ceremony, if he goes beyond the day on which the robe-making season ends, the cloth becomes subject to relinquishment.

The cloth should be relinquished to an Order, a group, or an individual. “And, monks, it should be relinquished in this way. … To be expanded as in Relinquishment 1, paragraphs 13–17, with appropriate substitutions. … ‘Venerables, this haste-cloth which I have kept beyond the robe season is to be relinquished. I relinquish it to the Order.’ … the Order should give … you should give … ‘I give this cloth back to you.’”

Permutations

If it is haste-cloth and he perceives it as haste-cloth, and he keeps it beyond the robe season, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. If it is haste-cloth, but he is unsure if it is, and he keeps it beyond the robe season, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession. If it is haste-cloth, but he does not perceives it as haste-cloth, and he keeps it beyond the robe season, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.

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

If he uses a cloth which should be relinquished without first relinquishing it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If it is not haste-cloth, but he perceives it as haste-cloth, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If it is not haste-cloth, but he is unsure of it, he commits an offense of wrong conduct. If it is not haste-cloth and he does not perceive it as haste-cloth, there is no offense.

Non-offenses

There is no offense: if within the robe season the haste-cloth is determined, transferred, given away, lost, destroyed, burnt, stolen, or taken on trust; if he is insane; if he is the first offender.

The eighth rule, the training rule on haste-cloth, is finished.