[58] At that time the Buddha, the Blessed One, was dwelling at Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, in Anāthapiṇḍika's monastery. Now at that time the group-of-six bhikkhus approached bhikkhus whose robes had been stolen and said this: "Friends, the Blessed One has allowed a bhikkhu whose robe has been stolen, or whose robe has been destroyed, to ask an unrelated householder or householder's wife for a robe. Ask for robes, friends."
"Enough, friends; we have obtained robes."
"We, friends, will ask on the venerable ones' behalf."
"Then ask, friends."
Then the group-of-six bhikkhus approached unrelated householders and said this: "Friends, bhikkhus whose robes were stolen have arrived; give robes for them." And they asked for many robes.
Now at that time a certain man sitting in the assembly hall said this to another man: "Venerable ones whose robes were stolen have arrived; I have given them a robe." He too said: "I too have given one." Yet another also said: "I too have given one." Those men criticized, complained, and spread it about: "How can the ascetics, sons of the Sakyan, not knowing moderation, ask for many robes? Will the ascetics, sons of the Sakyan, engage in the cloth trade, or will they set up a draper's shop?"
Bhikkhus heard those people criticizing, complaining, and spreading it about. Those bhikkhus who were of few wishes, contented … they criticized, complained, and spread it about: "How can the group-of-six bhikkhus, not knowing moderation, ask for many robes?" Then those bhikkhus reported this matter to the Blessed One.
"Is it true, as they say, bhikkhus, that you, not knowing moderation, asked for many robes?"
"It is true, Blessed One."
The Buddha, the Blessed One, rebuked them: "How can you, foolish men (moghapurisa), not knowing moderation, ask for many robes? This, foolish men, is not for the confidence of those without confidence, nor for the increase of those who have confidence … And thus, bhikkhus, you should recite this training rule:
"If an unrelated householder or householder's wife should invite that bhikkhu to take away many robes, that bhikkhu should accept robe-cloth therefrom amounting at most to an inner robe and an upper robe; if he should accept more than that, it is an offense entailing expiation with forfeiture (nissaggiya pācittiya)."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.