Mahavagga 8.31

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Adapted from the Translation by T. W. Rhys Davids and Hermann Oldenberg

MAHAVAGGA

EIGHTH KHANDHAKA (THE DRESS OF THE BHIKKHUS)

Chapter-31.

1. Now at that time the venerable Revata sent a robe to the venerable Sariputta in charge of a certain Bhikkhu, saying, 'Give this robe to the' Thera.' But that Bhikkhu, while on the way, took the robe himself in trust on the venerable Revata.

Now the venerable Revata, on meeting with the venerable Sariputta, asked him, saying, 'I sent to the venerable Thera a robe. Did that robe come into his hands?'

'I know nothing, friend, about that robe.'

Then the venerable Revata said to that Bhikkhu: 'I sent a robe, my friend, in your charge to the Thera. Where is that robe?'

'I took the robe myself, Lord, in trust upon you.'

They told the matter to the Lord Buddha.

2. 'In case, O Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu send a robe in charge of a Bhikkhu, saying, "Give this robe to such and such a Bhikkhu;" and he, while on the way, takes it himself in trust on the one who sends it--then it is rightly taken. But if he takes it himself in trust on the one to whom it was sent, it is wrongly taken.

'[The same repeated, the latter case being put first, and the former case last.]

'Moreover in case, O Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu send a robe in charge of a Bhikkhu, saying, "Give this robe to such and such a Bhikkhu;" and he, while on the way, hears that that Bhikkhu who sent it is dead;--then if he keeps the robe himself as the robe of a deceased Bhikkhu, it is rightly kept; if he takes it himself in trust on the one to whom it was sent, it is wrongly taken.

'[In the same case], if he, while on the way, hears that that Bhikkhu to whom it was sent is dead--then if he keeps the robe himself as the robe of a deceased Bhikkhu, it is wrongly kept; if he takes it himself in trust on the one who sent it, it is rightly taken.

[In the same case, if he hears, while on the way, that both are dead--then if he keeps it himself as the robe of a deceased Bhikkhu, to wit, the one who sent it, it is rightly kept; if he keeps it himself as the property of a deceased Bhikkhu, to wit, the one to whom it was sent, it is wrongly kept.]

3. 'Moreover in case, O Bhikkhus, a Bhikkhu send a robe in charge of a Bhikkhu, saying, "I give the robe to such and such a Bhikkhu"--then [in all the cases given in §-2 the decision is reversed].'