BUDDHIST MONASTIC CODE I

Buddhist Monastic Code 1accept them. If they don't, he may not ask directly for any materials except the "lightarticles" mentioned above.From this it should be obvious that even in cases not covered by this rule — i.e.,the dwelling he is building doesn't qualify as a "hut," or he is building something forother people to use — a bhikkhu engaged in construction work should not beburdensome to the laity. This is an important point, as the Buddha illustrated in astory he told to the bhikkhus at Āḷavī. A certain bhikkhu had once come to him witha complaint, and he reports the conversation as follows:"'Venerable sir, there is a large stand of forest on the slopes of the Himalayas, andnot far from it is a broad, low-lying marsh. A great flock of birds, after feeding allday in the marsh, goes to roost in the forest at nightfall. That is why I have come tosee the Blessed One — because I am annoyed by the noise of that flock of birds.'"'Bhikkhu, do you want those birds not to come there?'"'Yes, venerable sir, I want them not to come there.'"'Then in that case, go back there, enter the stand of forest, and in the first watchof the night make this announcement three times: "Listen to me, good birds. I wanta feather from everyone roosting in this forest. Each of you give me one feather." Inthe second watch... In the third watch of the night make this announcement threetimes: "Listen to me, good birds. I want a feather from everyone roosting in thisforest. Each of you give me one feather"... (The bhikkhu did as he was told.) Thenthe flock of birds, thinking, 'The bhikkhu asks for a feather, the bhikkhu wants afeather,' left the forest. And after they were gone, they never again returned.Bhikkhus, begging is unpleasant, hinting is unpleasant even to these commonanimals — how much more so to human beings?"Non-offenses. The Vibhaṅga's non-offense clauses mention, in addition to theusual exemptions, that there is no offense "in a leṇa, in a guhā, in a grass hut, in (adwelling) for another's use, or in anything other than a dwelling." The Commentaryexplains that no offense here means that these cases are not subject to any of thefour stipulations given in this rule. With regard to "another's use," it says that thiscould mean a dwelling that will belong to another individual — such as one'spreceptor or mentor — or to the Community. As for the last case, it explains that if abhikkhu is building, e.g., a meeting hall, he is not bound by this rule, but if he plansto lay claim to it and use it as his dwelling as well, he is.Further restrictions and allowances concerning the construction of dwellings arediscussed under Pc 19 and in BMC2 Chapters 6 and 18.Summary: Building a plastered hut — or having it built — without a sponsor,destined for one's own use, without having obtained the Community's approval, is asaṅghādisesa offense. Building a plastered hut — or having it built — without asponsor, destined for one's own use, exceeding the standard measurements, isalso a saṅghādisesa offense.110