Vinaya Texts, Part II: The Mahâvagga V–X, Kullavagga I–III — SBE Vol. 17 (1882)

1 The size of such a garment is limited by the 91st Paittiya to six spans by two-and-a-half—that is just enough to go round the loins from the waist half down to the knee. It would be decent, and yet avoid the disadvantage of wearing the robes in the rain, where they would become wet and heavy in the manner described, for instance, at Mahavagga VII, 1, 1.

(17] Q

p. 226

16.

1, 2. Now at that time Bhikkhus who had eaten sweet foods went to sleep unmindful and unthoughtful. And they who had thus gone to sleep, dreamed... .. cc eee tee ee cee eee eee

3. ..+. ‘I allow, O Bhikkhus, for the protection of the body, and of the robe, and of the sleepingplace, the use of a mat.’

4. Now at that time the mat, being too short’, did not protect the whole of the sleeping-place.

‘I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to have a covering made as large as you like.’

178,

1. Now at that time the venerable Bela¢éhastsa, the superior of the venerable Ananda, had a disease of thick scabs; and by reason of the discharge thereof his robes stuck to his body. The Bhikkhus moistened those robes with water, and loosened them (from his body).

The Blessed One, as he was going on his rounds through the sleeping-places, saw them [doing so}, and going up to the place where they were, he asked them:

* The remainder of this introductory story scarcely bears translation. The first sentences recur in the Sutta-vibhanga, SamghAdisesa I, 2, 1, and Pakittiya V, 1,1.

2 The length of a mat (nisidanam) was limited by the 89th
Pakittiya to two spans by one.

* This introductory story is also given as the introduction to Mahivagga VI, 9.

p. 227

‘What is the matter, O Bhikkhus, with this
Bhikkhu ?’

‘The venerable one has the disease of thick scabs; and by reason of the discharge thereof his robes stick to his body. So we are moistening those robes thoroughly with water, to loosen them (from his body).’ |

2. Then the Blessed One on that occasion, after having delivered a religious discourse, addressed the Bhikkhus, and said :

‘I allow, O Bhikkhus, to whomsoever has the itch, or boils, or a discharge, or scabs, the use of an itch-cloth !.’

18.

1. Now Visékh4 the mother of Mig4ra took a cloth for wiping the face, and went up to the place where the Blessed One was. And on arriving there, she saluted the Blessed One, and took her seat on one side, and, so sitting, Visikha the mother of Mig4ra spake thus to the Blessed One:

‘May the Blessed One be pleased to accept of me this cloth for wiping the face, that that may be to me for a long time for a blessing and for good.’

And the Blessed One accepted the cloth for wiping the face. And he taught, and incited, and aroused, and gladdened VisAékh4 the mother of Mig4éra with religious discourse. And she, so taught &c., rose from her seat, and saluted the

1 According to the goth Paittiya such a cloth must not be more than four spans in length, and two in breadth.

Q 2

And he taught, and incited, and aroused, and gladdened VisAékh4 the mother of Mig4éra with religious discourse. And she, so taught &c., rose from her seat, and saluted the

1 According to the goth Paittiya such a cloth must not be more than four spans in length, and two in breadth.

Q 2

p. 228

Blessed One, and passing him on her right side, she departed thence.

Then the Blessed One on that occasion, after having delivered a religious discourse, addressed the Bhikkhus, and said:

‘I allow you, O Bhikkhus, a cloth to wipe your faces with,’

19,

1. Now at that time Roga the Malla was a friend of the venerable Ananda’s'. And a linen cloth belonging to Roga the Malla had been deposited in the keeping of the venerable Ananda; and the venerable Ananda had need of a linen cloth.

They told this matter to the Blessed One.

‘I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to take a thing on trust (that it would be given to you) when it belongs to a person possessed of these five qualifications—he must be an intimate and familiar friend who has been spoken to (about it)? and is alive, (and the Bhikkhu taking the thing) must know “ He will remain pleased with me after I have taken it.” I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to take a thing on trust (that it would be given to you)* when it belongs to a person possessed of these five qualifications.’

' He is also mentioned as such in Mahavagga VI, 36.

* Buddhaghosa says, Alapito ti mama santakam gashahi yam ikkheyyasiti evam vutto.

* Vissisam gahetum, on which phrase compare viss4sa ganhati in chapter 31, below, where the context leaves no doubt as to its meaning.

p. 229

20.

1. Now at that time the Bhikkhus were fully provided with the three robes, but they had need of water-strainers! and of bags (to carry their bowls and other things in) *.

They told this matter to the Blessed One.

‘I allow you, O Bhikkhus, pieces of cloth requisite
(for those purposes).’

2. Then it occurred to the Bhikkhus: ‘The things allowed by the Blessed One—the three robes, and the robes for the rainy season, and the mat, and the bed-covering, and the cloth to cover boils &c. with, and to wipe the face with, and required (for water-strainers and bags)—are all these things things which ought to be kept to ourselves®, or things which ought to be handed over‘ (from time to time by one Bhikkhu to another) ?’

They told this matter to the Blessed One.

‘I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to keep in hand the three robes, and not to assign them—to keep to yourselves the robes for the rainy season during the four months of the rains, but beyond that time to hand them over—to keep to yourselves the mats and the bed coverings, and not to hand them over— to keep to yourselves the coverings for the itch &c. while the disease lasts, but beyond that time to

1 Compare Kullavagga VI, 13.

* Compare the passages given in the index to the text of the Kullavagga, p. 355, 8. v. thavika.

> Compare below, VIII, 24, 3.

while the disease lasts, but beyond that time to

1 Compare Kullavagga VI, 13.

* Compare the passages given in the index to the text of the Kullavagga, p. 355, 8. v. thavika.

> Compare below, VIII, 24, 3.

* Compare above, VIII, 8, 3.

p. 230

hand them over—to keep to yourselves the cloths to wipe the face with, and those required for waterstrainers and bags, and not to hand them over.’

21.

1. Now the Bhikkhus thought: ‘ What is the limit for the size of a robe up to which it ought to be handed over to another Bhikkhu’?’

They told this matter to the Blessed One.

‘I prescribe, O Bhikkhus, to hand over any robe which is in length eight inches according to the accepted inch 2,’

Now at that time a robe belonging to the venerable Maha Kassapa, which had been made of cast-off pieces of cloth became heavy (by reason of the weight of the new pieces tacked on to it’).

They told this matter to the Blessed One.

‘IT allow you, O Bhikkhus, to darn it roughly together with thread‘.

It was uneven at the end,

They told this thing to the Blessed One.

‘T allow you, O Bhikkhus, to remove the unevenness °,’

1 See VIII, 13, 8, and our note on the s9th Péfittiya.

2 See our note on this word in the 92nd Pafittiya.

5 So explains the commentary, X4Ainna-fnhane aggalaropanena garuko hoti.

* Suttalikham katun ti sutten’ eva aggalam k4tun ti attho (B.). ‘Compare above, chapter 12. 2.

5 Vikanno ti suttam affitva sibbantanam eko samghasi-kono digho hoti, says Buddhaghosa. Vikazzaka in the 233rd Gataka seems to mean ‘harpoon,’

6 Vikannzam uddharitun ti digha-konam &hinditum (B.).

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The threads frayed out}.

They told this matter to the Blessed One.

‘I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to put a braiding or a binding along or round (the edge)?’

Now at that time the ribbons® of the under garment gave way ‘.

They told this matter to the Blessed One.

‘I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to make an eightfooted... %.’

2. Now at that time when a set of robes was being made for a certain Bhikkhu it was impossible to make it entirely from torn pieces of cloth®.

‘I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to have two of the robes made of torn pieces of cloth, and one of cloth not torn,’

It was impossible to make two of the robes of torn pieces of cloth, and one of cloth not torn.

‘I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to make two robes

1 Okirattf (sic) ti AAinna-konato ga/ati (B.). Ga/ati at VI, 13,1, is ‘ran over,’ whereas okiriyanti at the corresponding passages VI, 12, 1, 2, is ‘were spilt.’ Probably the above rendering is the real ° meaning here, as the threads could not be literally spilt or sprinkled.

2 On these difficult technical terms Buddhaghosa provokingly says, anuvatam paribhandam anuvataz &’ eva paribhandam. Childers, under the first, has merely ‘ with the wind,’ and under the second, ‘girdle. The same expressions occur also above, at VII, I, 5, where Buddhaghosa again only explains the words by the words themselves.