BUDDHIST MONASTIC CODE I

Saṅghādisesa Chapter 5If the bhikkhu originally mentions the proper stipulations but later learns that thebuilders are ignoring them, he must go himself or send a messenger to reiterate thestipulations. Not to do so incurs a dukkaṭa. If, having been reminded of thestipulations, the builders still ignore them, the bhikkhu incurs no penalty; but they —if they are bhikkhus — incur a dukkaṭa for each of the three criteria regarding thesite that they disobey. As for the standard measurement, they are not bound by it asthey are building the hut for another's use.Begging. The Vibhaṅga to this rule does not go into any great detail on the issue ofbegging for construction materials. However, the Commentary contains a longdiscussion of what a bhikkhu may and may not beg for when building any kind ofbuilding, even those not covered by this rule. Because the Commentary'sdiscussion here is not based on the Canon, not all Communities regard these pointsas binding. Still, many of its suggestions merit serious consideration. Its main pointsare these:A bhikkhu may ask for people to give labor in any situation (although this pointseems to conflict with the spirit of the origin story to this rule). Thus he may askstone masons to carry stone posts to his construction site, or carpenters to carryboards there. If, after he has asked them to help with the labor, they volunteer todonate the materials as well, he may accept them without penalty. Otherwise, hehas to reimburse them for the materials.As for tools, vehicles, and other things he will use in the process of construction, hemay ask only to borrow them from other people and may not ask for them outright(except when asking from relatives or those who have made an offer). If the toolsget damaged, he is responsible for getting them repaired before returning them tothe owner. (This opinion, however, seems based on the Commentary's concept ofbhaṇḍadeyya, which we have already rejected under Pr 2.) The only things heneedn't return to the owner are light articles (lahubhaṇḍa), which the Subcommentaryidentifies as things like reeds, rushes, grass, and clay — i.e., thingshaving little or no monetary value at all.This means that unless a bhikkhu is going to build his dwelling out of reeds, etc., orout of thrown-away scraps, he may not ask people in general for any of thematerials that will actually go into the dwelling. Keep in mind that these rules weremade during a period when wilderness was still plentiful, and solid building materialssuch as timber and stones were free for the taking. At present, unless a bhikkhu hasaccess to unclaimed wilderness of this sort, to unclaimed garbage, or has enoughfunds on deposit with his steward (see NP 10) to cover the cost of materials, hisonly recourse if he wants a solid structure is either to rammed earth or to hinting.The Commentary notes that while hinting is not allowed with regard to food or cloth,it is allowed with regard to construction materials (although again, this point seemsto conflict with the spirit of the origin story). One example it gives is asking, "Do youthink this is a good place to build a hut? An ordination hall?" Another example isstaking out a construction site in hope that someone will ask, "What are youplanning to do here?" If people get the hint and offer the materials, the bhikkhu may109