Pabbajja And Lying

Pabbajja and lying

The bhikkhu should be an absolutely truthful person who does not lie even to protect his life. Telling a lie even for fun completely breaks the morality of sāmaceras. Young ones are especially fond of telling lies. It is fun for them. They say, “We did not see” about things they saw. Say, “We saw” about things they did not see”. Tathāgata often advised the young Rāhula sāmacera in order to prevent such things happening. Once Rāhula sāmacera was living at a retreat called AmbalaIIhikā. The Tathāgata visited the Rāhula sāmacera one evening. Rāhula sāmacera saw the arrival of the Tathāgata, prepared a seat and kept water to wash the feet. The Tathāgata sat there washed his feet and left some water in the vessal; addressed the Rahula sāmacera and said “Rāhula do you see the little water in the vessal”. Rāhula replied “yes”. Then the Tathāgata said, Rahula, if someone is shameless as to lie purposely, then his pabbajja is as little as the water here.

Thereafter the Tathāgata discarded the little water, addressed the Rāhula sāmacera, Rāhula, do you see the little water that is discarded. Rāhula sāmacera replied “yes”. Then the Tathāgata said. “If one can be shameless as to lie purposely, his pabbajja is similarly discarded.” Thereafter the Tathāgata turned the vessal upside down and said. “If one can be shameless as to lie purposely, his pabbajja is turned upside down as this.” Thereafter the Tathāgata turned the vesal upright and said, “If one can be shameless as to lie purposely, his pabbajja is as empty as this.”

Thereafter the Tathāgata stated, “Rāhula, the kings elephant taken to the battlefield protects his life until he keeps the trunk protected in the mouth and uses the other parts of the body. If he takes out the trunk and starts fighting with it as well, then he has given up the love for his life. Thereafter, there is nothing he cannot do. There is nothing he will not do. Rahula, if some bhikkhu is shameless as to lie purposely, there is no sin that he cannot commit. Rāhula, therefore, you must be disciplined as to, not lie even for fun.” What kind of person, a bhikkhu who lies is to be considered according to the advice given to Rāhula (Rāhulovādaya).The following stanzas must be memorized by bhikkhūs and contemplated upon from time to time.

“Ekan dhaman atītassa musāvādissa jantuno, Viticcaparalokassa natthi pāpam akāriyan.”

(Dhammapada lokavagga)

There is no sin that cannot be done by a person who has given up the singular quality of truthfulness and expectation of a world hereafter.

“Na mucdakena samaco abbato alikan bhanan, Icchālobhasamāpanno samaco kin bhavissati.”

Shaving the head alone does not make a bhikkhu. How does one without morality, who lies and is full of jealousy-greed, become a bhikkhu.

Truthful Adhimutta sāmauera

 Adhimutta sāmacera was a pupil of the Sankicca thero. One day the Sankicca thero addressed the Adhimutta sāmacera thus, “sāmacera, you are now grown up, go home and find out your age to confer higher ordination.” The sāmacera said “yes, bhante” and took his bowl and robes and left. He went on alms round in the village of his sister, adjoining a forest where robbers lived. The sister, who saw the sāmacera, paid respects, invited him to the house and offered alms. At the end of the meal, the sāmacera inquired as to his age from the sister. She said that, only the mother and not she knows it. He entered the forest full of robbers, beyond, which was, situated the village where his mother lived saying, “in that case I will go to the mother”. There the robbers caught the sāmacera. It was the practice of the robbers to kill people even with no wealth, who enter the forest in order to prevent people getting to know of their presence. Some robbers said that the sāmacera should be let off, as he was a bhikkhu. Some said that he must be killed. The sāmacera who heard their discussion thought, “I have not yet become a full fledged bhikkhu. I am a novice who has more to achieve, therefore, I will talk to them and escape,” and addressed the leader as friend, I will give you an example and uttered the following.

Ahū atītatamaddhānan araññasamin brahāvane, Ceto kūtāni oaahetvā sasakan avadhī tadā.

Sasakañca matan disvā ubbiggā migapakkhino, Ekarattin apakkāmun akiccan vattate idha.

Tatheva samacan hantvā adhimuttan akiñcanan Addhikā nāgamissanti dhananjāni bhavissathaö

In the past, a hunter set traps and killed a hare. All the animals in the forest saw the dead hare, were frightened and left the forest the same day thinking, there is danger here. Therefore, the hunter lost game in that forest. If you kill me, a similar thing will happen to you.There is nothing you can get by killing me. If you kill me, no one will enter the forest, thinking that even a bhikkhu who enters does not return. It will cause loss of wealth for you. The robbers, who heard the story of the sāmacera, believed it to be true and released him after getting him to promise that he will not tell anyone about the presence of robbers. The Adhimutta sāmacera who was released by the robbers met the parents, sister and brother after passing the forest. The sāmacera did not break his promise even for the sake of his parents’ lives. He maintained the truthfulness and proceeded. The robbers in the forest caught the relatives of the sāmacera. The mother of the sāmacera mentioned the sāmacera’s name and began to weep saying, “Adhimutta did not tell us”. The robbers who heard this inquired, Who is Adhimitta sāmacera to you. She replied, “I am Adhimutta’s mother, these two are sister and brother.”

“Etan kho vattan samacānan ariyānan dhammajīvinan Saccavādī adhimutto yan disvā na nivāraye

Adhimuttassa suciccena saccavādissa bhikkhuno Sabbeva abhyan pattā sotthin gacchantu iātayo.”

Then the robbers said, “It is the duty of noble bhikkhūs to keep the promises, be truthful and live according to the Dhamma. Adhimutta who did not reveal this fact to you is  a truthful person, we will release you too because of the good behaviour of Adhimutta,” and released them. They went to Adhimutta after the release and thanked the sāmacera saying, “Child, we were released because of your good behavior as a truthful bhikkhu”. The robbers were convinced of the virtues of Adhimutta, gave up robbing, were ordained, received higher ordination, followed instructions of Adhimutta and all of them became Arahants.

Hermit Harittaca

Once upon a time, our Bodisatta was born to a brahamin family with 800 million in wealth. He was named “Harittaca” because of the golden hued body. After the demise of the parents, he saw the wealth and contemplated. “Only the wealth is to be seen. The people who earned this wealth cannot be seen. I shall also leave this wealth and go. There is no use living as the owner of this wealth”, and gave away all the wealth, went to the Himalayan forest, ordained, attained five absorptions, special powers, lived a long time and came to Bārānasī to beg for salt and sour and was sighted by the king.

The king convinced of what he saw invited the hermit to the palace, offered the royal seat and gave various types of food. The hermit gave a Dhamma talk to the king at the end of the meal. The king further convinced by the talk inquired “where are you heading” and when the hermit replied, “I am looking for a place to spend the rainy season”, the king accompanied him to the park, prepared a place to stay, assigned the park keeper as a servant and invited him to come to the palace every day for alms. The bodhisatta lived twelve years partaking in meals at the palace. One day the king had to go to a province to settle a riot and requested the queen to attend to the needs of the bodhisatta. From then on, she looked after him personally.

One day the queen, having prepared the meals for the bodhisatta and as he was getting late, she had a bath in fragrant water, covered herself with a soft cloth and lied down on a bed near an open window to feel the blowing of fresh air. That day the bodhisatta arrived very late by air at the open window. The queen heard the lapping of the bodhisatta’s robe and quickly got off the bed, then the soft cloth slid off her body. Seeing this, the sensuous desire in the bodhisatta which was suppressed over a long time surfaced. This caused the absorptins to disappear.

The bodhisatta who could not instantly establish mindfulness came to the queen and held her hand. The others covered them with a curtain. The bodhisatta enjoyed the worldly pleasures with the queen, had the meals and walked back to the park. From that day, the bodhisatta visited the palace daily and behaved in the same manner. This news spread around the whole city. The ministers sent messages to the king informing him about the conduct of the hermit Harittaca. The king did not believe it, returned to Barānasi after settling the riot in the province, went up to the queen and asked. “Is this news true”. She said, “Oh! King, it is true”. The king who trusted the hermit so much did not believe it. The king, thinking that, “I will get the truth from the hermit himself”, went to the park and inquired, “Is this true?”

The bodhisatta that if he told the king that it is a lie fabricated to break their friendship, the king would believe him. Still he did not think of deceiving him. He thought, “Those, who discard the truth may not become Sammāsabuddhas. I who aspire for Buddhahood must tell the truth, whatever the consequences”, and uttered the truth “oh! King, what you heard is true, I was deceived and went astray”. The intelligent king did not get angry with the Bodhisatta. He asked, “What is the use of your wisdom, if it fails to control the lust that comes up?” Then the Bhodisatta said,

Cattāro me mahārāja, lokhe atibalā bhusā, Rāgo doso mado moho ettha paññā na gādhatiö

Oh! King, Lust- illwill- infatuation- delusion are four very powerful dhamma in the world. When they arise, wisdom does not stay there. Wisdom runs away.

Then the king said, “We considered you to be an Arahant, moral, clean person and wise”. Then the hermit said, “King, these lustful, unwholesome thoughts also hurt the wise who live attached to the Dhamma.” The king further advised the bodhisatta to get rid of this effluent called lust. This brought back mindfulness to the hermit, who saw the consquences of sense pleasures, excused himself and went back to the temple. Meditating a short while, looking at the kasina he regained the absorptions and special powers, came back to the king, sat cross legged in the sky, gave a Dhamma talk to the king and said “king, I was subject to insults by the people because I lived at the improper place, now I will go to the forest where there is no smell of women,” and departed by air to the Himalayas while the king was crying and weeping, lived there till death and was reborn in the brahma realm.

Even Bodhisattas on occasion had commited unwholesome acts such as killing living beings, stealing, sexual misconduct and consumption of intoxicants. There had been no lying after assurance of Buddhahood was received. There are several points in this story, which are to be taken as examples by bhikkhūs. The absolute truthfulness of the bodhisatta, non-acceptence of slanderous talk by the king of Barānasi, not losing the temper quickly, compassion towards wrongdoers and the harm caused to bhikkhūs by the association of women are the matters to be taken as examples.

There arise times, at which it is very difficult to be truthful. There are times at which if you do not tell the truth it will be harmful to you, but telling the truth will harm another. On such occasions the intelligent will not lie but act intelligently and save oneself and the others from harm. It is not proper for a bhikkhu to lie under any circumstances. It must be said that dying is better than living by lies.

Jīvitan ca adhammena Dhammena marcañca yan Maracan Dhammikan seyyo Yan ce jīve adhammikan.

(Godatta thera gāthā)

This stanza shows that it is better to die in Dhamma than live devoid of Dhamma.

Appicchatā santuIIhitā qualities

The two qualities known as Appicchatā and Santuiihitā are two qualities essential for bhikkhås. A person who is without these qualities does not enjoy the bhikkhu pleasures. Pabbajja is like a prison for him. He cannot properly establish pabbajja. Those who have these two qualities find pabbajja to be a great pleasure. Therefore, he can fulfill good qualities such as morality.

Appicchatā is, not desiring many things. SantuIIhitā is the quality of being satisfied with whatever you have, be it good bad or little; these two qualities are connected to each other. If one has appicchatā quality, he will also have the quality of santhuIIhitā. A bhikkhu established in these qualities does not develop the three bad qualities of atricchatā, mahicchatā and pāpicchatā. Bhikkhūs should  be aware of these three bad qualities.

 Atricchatā

 Atricchatā is the nature of not being satisfied with what  you have and wishing for and seeking better things. It is the childish greed. The person who has atricchatā will consider and wish for the rice on the other’s plate assuming it to be better than his own, although both were cooked in the same pot. In the past, a certain benefactor invited thirty bhikkhucīs and offered rice and cakes. As stated in the khuddakavatthu vibhauga commentary, a sangha therī exchanged her cake with all the other bhikkucīs and ultimately ate her own cake itself. This is the nature of people with atricchatā. Some people will have to repent the loss of both what they had and what the others had as did the king who left his queen and chased after a mermaid in the forest and ultimately repented the loss of both. Bhiikhūs with atricchatā will be subject to the disgust of fellow bhikkhūs and lay devotees and will receive fewer requisites.

Mahicchatā

Dissatisfaction with whatever one gets and the tendency to expect more, greater things and further things is mahicchatā. Showing off one’s virtues and not knowing the limits of receiving and consuming are indications of those with mahicchatā. Like the trader who shouts such and such goods are available, good things are available and going cheap; the person with mahicchatā will say that, “I am a moral person, picaapātika person, one who lives at a hermitage and a meditator.” He will accept all requisites offered by foolish people who are convinced by these utterances. However much requisites a mahicchatā person gets he will not be satisfied, as the fire will not be satisfied with however much firewood is fed into it and the ocean is not satisfied with whatever quantity of water it receives. Threfore, it is said that

Aggikkhando samuddhoca mahicchocāpi puggalo, Bahuke paccaye dente tayopete na pūraye.

Mahicchatā person is unpleasant to the world. Is even unpleasant to his own mother.

A young bhikkhu was fond of cakes. On the first day of vassāna, his mother thought, if my son knows the limits of receiving, I will offer him cakes during the entire three months, and offered cakes with idea of testing the bhikkhu.

After he ate one, she offered another. The bhikkhu ate it too. The mother offered the third cake as well. The bhikkhu ate it too. The mother realizing that the son does not know the limits thought, my son ate today, the entire supply of cakes for three months; and did not offer even a single cake thereafter.

The king Tissa offered alms to the bhikkhūs of Segiriya. The people inquired, why are you giving only to one place? Is it not worth to give to other places too? So, a big offering was made at Anurādhapura on the second day. Not a single bhikkhu considered the limits of acceptance. Each bhikkhu accepted food enough for two or three persons. The king invited the bhikkhūs at Segiriya the next day and asked for the bowls of bhikkhūs who arrived at the palace. They did not give the bowls saying, “Great king, bhikkhås will accept food sufficient for each one.” All the bhikkhūs accepted food enough to maintain one. The king addressing the people said, “See, your bhikkhūs who came yesterday did not know their limits and nothing was left. Today only, a little was accepted. The rest of the food is in excess.” Then praised the Sangha of Segiriya for knowing the limits and expressed the displeasure about Sangha from Anurādhapura for not knowing the limits.

People will be pleased about bhikkhūs who are satisfied with little. Those who are pleased will be pleased further. Much benefit will arise. Buddha sāsana will glitter due to alpeccha bhikkhūs. Will last a long time.

A youg bhikkhu from a vihāra called Kulūmbariya in Ruhuna was daily visiting the home of a Lambakarna (a race with long ears). The householders were used to giving a spoonful of rice for the bhikkhu to eat everyday. They also gave another spoonful to take away. One day when  the bhikkhu visited the house there was a visitor. Therefore, the bhikkhu accepted only one spoonful of rice that day. Due to this reason the householder was pleased with the bhikkhu and praised him with his friends at the king’s compound saying, “this is the nature of the bhikkhu who visits our house.” All of them pleased with bhikkhu set up food enough for sixty bhikkhūs the same day. Such benefits will accrue to the person who is satisfied with little. There are several such stories mentioned in our Dhamma books.

Pāpicchatā

 

Pāpicchatā is the greed, even lower than both atricchatā and mahicchatā. Expressing non-existent virtues and accepting requisites more than required are characteristics of a pāpiccha person. A pāpiccha person will show off his faith although he does not even have a little faith. He will wait for the time when people visit the temple and start sweeping the terraces. Begin to wash the stand for offering flowers. Begin to remove garbage. Start offering flowers. Start worshipping and reciting gāthās aloud. The onlookers will consider him a good bhikkhu with a lot of faith and decide to make offerings to him.

He talks of morality in the presence of the lay people while he being immoral. In the presence of the lay people he will inquire from disciplined bhikkhūs, “Grass was uprooted when I was sweeping. Small animals I trod on during walking meditation died. I spat on the grass accidentally. Will they result in an offence for me?” When the disciplined bhikkhūs say, “Avetni (a form of address among bhikkhūs), those will not cause an offence”. He will say, Bhante please check well, doubt arises in my mind about those. The lay people who hear this feel that the bhikkhu who thinks deeply of such minor matters to be of very high morality and decide to make offerings. Some pāpiccha who do not meditate at all, indicate that they keep up the whole night to meditate and thereby make people think well of them. It is the habit of the pāpiccha ones to mislead people with lies and obtain requisites. Bhikkhūs who have the qualities of appicchatā and santuiihitā can maintain life without engaging in these low acts.

It must be mentioned that santuiihitā is the more important of the two qualities appicchatā and santuiihitā. Wishing for and seeking many things is due to the absence of santuiihitā. If one is accustomed to be satisfied with what one has, it is not necessary for him to wish for and seek other things. The nature of being satisfied with what you have is like having everything. Therefore, he has no difficulty in living. Santuiihi is a noble wealth. Therefore, the Tathāgata taught “Santuiihi paramam danam”.

Accepting what is sufficient

Taking something from others is not a good deed but a low deed. The bhikkhu who does it should do so carefully without hurting others. The Tathāgata teaches the exact method of doing it as follows.

Yathāpi bhamaro pupphan vaccagandhan aheihayan, Paleti rasa mādāya evan gāme muni care.

A bhikkhu should behave in the village in a manner that would not harm anyone, as would the wasp carry away the pollen without harming the flowers or their colour and fragrance. This is the meaning of the stanza.

A bhikkhu should accept the little given by the rich devotee who wishes to give only a little. Appadānan na hīleyya dātāran nāvajāniyā, should not insult small offerings. Should not despise the donor. Should accept only a little from the poor donor, according to his wealth, although he may like to give a lot. When the rich donor likes to give a lot, one must consider the needs and accept the requirements for survival. This is what bhikkhūs should follow regarding receipts.

Requesting

Requesting is a very mean act. It is a strong reason for unpopularity among people. People collect wealth with great difficulty. With great suffering. They do so not give others but to satisfy their own needs. People who collect wealth with difficulty see those who ask for it as enemies. The person who requests is very unpleasant for them. Therefore, bhikkhūs should avoid asking as far as possible. Should only accept whatever others give willingly.

In the past bhikkhūs in the city of Alau became unwanted by the citizens because, they started to construct large residences and requested many things from the lay people. They started to run away, look the other side and close doors when bhikkhūs were sighted. Because of excessive requests, it became difficult for a bhikkhu to get even picaapāta in that city. At this time, the Mahā kassapa thero having completed the vassāna period at the city of Rajagaha, set off for the city of Alau. The thero stayed over at the Aggālava cetiya vihāra and arrived at the city of Alau for picaapāta. The residents of Alau were frightened by the sight of the thero. Some ran away. Some looked the other way. Some closed the doors. Mahā Kassapa thero returned to the vihāra and inquired, “Avetni, earlier this city of Alau was an easy place to obtain picaapata. It is not the same today. What is the reason for it?” The bhikkhūs told the thero the reason. Mahā kassapa thero informed the Buddha of the situation. The Tathāgata assembled the bhikkhus of the city of Alau gave a discourse showing the consequences of various types of requests and decreed the kutikāra precept.

One of the matters the Tathāgata told the bhikkhūs of Alau was the story of the cobra king Manikantha.

It is as follows:

In the past two brothers, ordained as hermits, built and lived in two temples by the river Gangā. The temple of the elder hermit was up stream and the temple of the younger was down stream. The cobra king ManikanIha was accustomed to walking on the river banks in human form and visit the younger hermit for a chat. Progressively the friendship between the two developed. They could not live without seeing each other. ManikanIha frequently went to the hermit, chatted, changed from human to cobra form and hugged the hermit because of its love for him. The cobra would wrap round the body of the hermit, keep its hood on his head for a little while and leave. The hermit was afraid of this. The hermit’s body began to decay because of the fear. One day the younger hermit visited the temple of the older hermit. The elder hermit noticed that his brother’s body has become thin, pale and veins were showing up. He asked the reason for the change. The younger gave the reason.

Then the elder hermit asked, “Do you like it if the cobra king stopped coming?” The younger hermit said “yes”. The elder hermit inquired, as to what type of ornanament the cobra king wore when he visited you? The younger hermit said, “He wears a gem”. The older hermit adviced, if so, when he visits you, ask for the gem even before he sits down, on the second day be near the doorstep of the temple and ask for it while he is still far away, on the third day ask for it as the cobra king rises from the river, thereafter the visits of the cobra king will cease. The younger hermit followed the advice of the elder and as the cobra king entered the temple on the first day the hermit said, “Give me the gem you wear before you leave.” The cobra king went away without saying anything. On the second day, the hermit stood at the doorstep and said. “Give me the gem at least today”. The cobra king went away without even entering the temple. On the third day as the cobra king rose from the water the hermit said, “Now I have asked for two days and you did not give, at least give me the gem today”.

The cobra king uttered from the river itself, “hermit, this gem brings me many types of food and drink. I will not give it to you. You have asked for things beyond the limit. I will not visit your temple.You frightened me like a person with a sword in hand” and went back to the Nāga world. Thereafter the cobra king never visited the hermit. Consider the dangers of asking, from this event. The strong love of the cobra king ended because of asking for one thing.

Departure of the the cobra king caused great distress to the hermit. This resulted in further deterioration of the hermit’s physical condition. Noticing it, the older hermit advised thus-

Na tan yāce yassa piyan jīginse Desso hoti atiyācanāya,

Nāgo macin yācito brahmacena Adassanan yeva tadajjhagamā.

If someone is fond of an item, you should not ask for it. Asking for more than the limit makes the likeable person disliked. The cobra from whom the hermit asked for the gem went out of sight. Saying so he advised not to be sad any further.

Another story related to the bhikkhūs of the city of Alau is as follows. The Bodhisatta born to a brahamin family at a certain town during the reign of king Pañcāla at he city of Uttarapañcāla in Kampilla; on reaching adulthood, stayed for some time in the Himālayās as a hermit living on yams, leaves and fruits, came to populated areas in search of salt and sour and ultimately came to the city of Uttarapañcāla where he spent two days at the kings park and while on alms round came to the palace door. The king saw the hermit bodhisatta and was pleased at the sight, took the hermit upstairs in the palace, fed him with royal food and kept him in the park. The bodhisatta, who had his meals at the palace while living in the park, thought of going back to the Himalayas at the end of the rainy season. The Bodhisatta required a pair of sandals and a palm leaf umbrella for that journey. He thought of getting these two requisites from the king. However, asking for something from another is very difficult for a person with lofty ideals and self-respect. Going to the Himalayas was a strong desire of the hermit. Therefore, he considered asking the king to give him the two requisites for the journey, but thought again, asking for such a thing from another is a kind of weeping, and not giving to those who ask is also a weeping. It must be done secretly, so that the residents of Pañcāla do not see the weeping of the two of us. Thinking so, when the king visited he said, “great king, there is a secret to be talked about”. Then the royal retinue was removed. Thereafter the bodhisatta thought, “If the king does not give them when I ask, it will harm the loving kindness between us, so I will not ask.” That day the Bodhisatta could not express the matter to the king. He sent away the king saying, “Great king, leave today, I will consider this another day.” When the king visited the park, again the bodhisatta was unable to express this, although  he tried. Twelve years passed in this manner.

At the end of twelve years the king thought, “this noble person of mine got the people removed to tell a secret but was unable to express the matter for twelve years. He may have been disheartened with life as a hermit for a long time and be wishing to become the king and enjoy sense pleasures. I shall give him anything he desires including  my kingdom, and went to the park”. On that day, too the Bodhisatta got the people removed but was unable to say anything. Then the king said. “Bhante, you have been unable to tell your secret for the past twelve years. Please inform me of the matter without hiding it; I will even give you my kingdom. Please ask for whatever you wish to have.” When the Bodhisatta said. “Will you give me what I ask?” the king replied, “I will give.” Then he said, “Great king, I need a pair of sandals and a palm leaf umbrella to  go on a journey.” Then the king said, “Bhante were they the only two things you were unable to request, for twelve years.” Bodhisatta replied, yes, great king. When the king asked, why did you do this for such a minor matter? The bodhisatta uttered

Dvayan yācanako rāja, brahmadatta, nigacchati, Alābhan dhanalabhan vā evan dhammā hi yācanā,

Yācanan rodanan āhu pañcālānan rathesabha. Yo yācanan paccakkhāti tamāhu paiirodanan.

Māddasansu rodantan pañcāla susamāgatā, Tvan vā paiirodantan tasmā icchāmahan raho.

Oh, king! Brahmadatta, Those who ask will either receive or not receive. It is the nature of asking. King of Pañcāla, the wise say, asking is a weeping. Not giving those who ask is also a weeping. I desired a secret place so that the people of Pañcāla may not see me weep asking, and you weep by not giving.

Listening to the bodhisatta the king was so pleased; he also gave thousand milch cows. The bodhisatta refused to accept them, accepted the sandals and the umbrella, gave a Dhamma talk and left for the Himalayas.

“Yācanāhi nāmesā kāmabhogīnan gihīnan āciuuā. Na pabbajitānan.    Pabbajitena     pana    pabbajitā                            kālato paIIhāya  gihīhi  asamāna  parisuddhājīvena bhavitabban”. It is shown in the  commentary  to  Atthisēna jātaka story that, asking is a habit of sensuous  lay people and should not be done by bhikkhūs. The asking by bhikkhūs is shown in the AIIhisena jātaka Pali as follows.

“Na ve yācanti sappaññā dhīro veditu marahati, Uddissa ariyā titthanti esā ariyāna yācanā”.

Meaning:

The wise do not ask. The noble await offerings. The intelligent should realize this. Awaiting offerings is the asking by the noble.

Some present day bhikkhūs commence large industries which cannot be completed and ask for donations from whoever comes their way. Get donations collected. Some lay people do not visit temples because of this nuisance. Some lay people hide when bhikkhūs visit their homes. Many lay people are disappointed with bhikkhūs because of asking. They boycott bhikkhūs, considering them a group unwanted by the country. May the bhikkhūs consider this!