Being pressured by Upananda, that merchant’s son gave him one of his wraps and left.

People asked him why he was walking around in only one wrap, and he told them what had happened. People complained and criticized Upananda, “These Sakyan monastics have great desires. They’re not content. Even to make them an appropriate offer isn’t easy. How could they take his wrap when the merchant’s son was making an appropriate offer?” The monks heard the complaints of those people, and the monks of few desires complained and criticized him too, “How could Venerable Upananda ask the merchant’s son for a robe?” 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.” “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:

Preliminary ruling ‘If a monk asks an unrelated male or female householder for a robe, he commits an offense entailing relinquishment and confession.’”

In this way the Buddha laid down this training rule for the monks.

Second substory