After rebuking him in many ways, they told the Buddha. Soon afterwards he had the Sangha gathered and questioned Upananda: “Is it true, Upananda, that you did this?” “It’s true, sir.” “Is he a relative of yours?” “No, sir.” “Foolish man, people who are unrelated don’t know what’s appropriate and inappropriate, what’s good and bad, in dealing with each other. And still you did this. This will affect people’s confidence …” … “And, monks, this training rule should be recited like this:

Final ruling ‘If a male or female householder is having robe-cloth woven by weavers for an unrelated monk and, without first being invited, that monk goes to those weavers and specifies the kind of robe-cloth he wants, saying,

“This robe-cloth that you are weaving for me, make it long and wide; make it closely woven, well-woven, well-stretched, well-scraped, and well-combed, and perhaps I will even give you a small gift,” then, in saying that and afterwards giving them a small gift, even a bit of almsfood, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.’”

Definitions For a monk: for the benefit of a monk; making a monk the object of consideration, one wants to give to him. Unrelated: anyone who is not a descendant of one’s male ancestors going back eight generations, either on the mother’s side or on the father’s side. A male householder: any man who lives at home. A female householder: any woman who lives at home. By weavers: by those who weave. Robe-cloth: one of the six kinds of robe-cloth, but not smaller than what can be assigned to another. Is having woven: is causing to weave.