BUDDHIST MONASTIC CODE I

The Bowl Chapter Chapter 7.3yet received it into his keeping — in other words, the countdown on the time spanbegins. For example, if a blacksmith promises to make him a bowl and to sendword when it is finished, the bhikkhu is responsible for the bowl as soon as hehears word from the blacksmith's messenger that the bowl is ready, even if he hasyet to receive it. If the blacksmith, prior to making the bowl, promises to send itwhen it is done, then the bhikkhu is not responsible for it until the blacksmith'smessenger brings it to him. (All of this assumes that the bowl is already fully paidfor.)However, all of this runs contrary to the principle given at Mv.V.13.13, in which thecountdown for a robe's time span (see NP 1) does not begin until the robe reachesone's hand. It would seem that the same principle should apply here.The Vibhaṅga states that if within ten days after receiving a new bowl a bhikkhudoes not determine it for use, place it under shared ownership, abandon it (give itor throw it away); and if the bowl is not lost, snatched away, damaged beyondrepair, or taken on trust, then on the tenth dawnrise after receiving it he incurs thefull penalty under this rule.Perception is not a mitigating factor here. Even if the bhikkhu thinks that ten dayshave not passed when they have, or if he thinks that the bowl is damaged beyondrepair or placed under shared ownership, etc., when it isn't, he incurs the penalty allthe same.The Vibhaṅga also states that, in the case of an extra bowl that has not been keptmore than ten days, if one perceives it to have been kept more than ten days or ifone is in doubt about it, the penalty is a dukkaṭa. As under NP 1, this dukkaṭa isapparently for then using the bowl.Forfeiture & confession. The procedures for forfeiture, confession, and return of thebowl are the same as under NP 1. For the Pali formulae to use in forfeiting andreturning the bowl, see Appendix VI. As with the rules concerning robe-cloth, thebowl must be returned to the offender after he has confessed his offense. Not toreturn it entails a dukkaṭa. Once the bowl is returned, the ten-day countdown startsall over again.Non-offenses. There is no offense if within ten days the bhikkhu determines thebowl for use, places it under shared ownership, or abandons it; or if the bowl is lost,destroyed, broken, or snatched away; or if someone else takes the bowl on trust.With regard to "destroyed" and "broken" here, the Commentary's discussionindicates that these terms mean "damaged beyond repair," as defined above.Summary: Keeping an alms bowl for more than ten days without determining it foruse or placing it under shared ownership is a nissaggiya pācittiya offense.207