1. Now at that time a certain Bhikkhu entered the village for alms without a girdle on, and in the highway 1 his waist-cloth fell down 2. The people made an outcry, and that Bhikkhu was abashed.
On his return to the Ârâma, that Bhikkhu told this matter to the Bhikkhus, and the Bhikkhus told it to the Blessed One.
'You are not, O Bhikkhus, to enter the village without a girdle on. Whosoever does so, shall be guilty of a dukkata. I allow, O Bhikkhus, a girdle 3.'
2. Now at that time the Khabbaggiya Bhikkhus wore (&c., as usual, ending with)
'You are not, O Bhikkhus, to wear special girdles 4--those made of many strings plaited
The borders of the girdles decayed through age.
'I allow, O Bhikkhus, an edging of brighter material 6 and strengthening at the ends 7.'
The end of the girdle where the knot was tied decayed through age 8.
'I allow, O Bhikkhus, a buckle 9.'
[A paragraph on the substances of which it may be made, as usual, see Mahâvagga VI, 12, 3; Kullavagga V, 5, 2, &c.,
The venerable Ânanda, on returning to the Ârâma, told this matter to the Bhikkhus; and the Bhikkhus told this matter to the Blessed One.
'I allow, O Bhikkhus, a block 2 (to be used as a weight) or a chain 3.'
[Similar paragraph to that just above as to the substances of which the block may be made.]
Now at that time the Bhikkhus fastened the block or the chain immediately on to their robes; and the robes gave way.
They told this matter to the Blessed One.
'I allow, O Bhikkhus, a piece of phalaka cloth 4to attach the block or the chain to.'
They fastened the phalaka cloth for the block or the chain on to the edge of the robe; and the corner came open 5.
[Similar paragraph, ending]
'You are not, O Bhikkhus, to wear your upper 6
142:1 Rathiyâya. The Old Commentary on the Bhikkhunî., vibhaṅga, Pâkittiya XIV, says, Rathiyâ ti rakkhâ. The word recurs, ibid., Pâkittiya LXXXVI, XCVI (the last of which is nearly the same as our passage here). For the more usual form rathikâ, see Kullavagga X, 12.
142:2 Pabhassittha. Compare Sutta-vibhaṅga, Pâkittiya LXXXIII, 1, 2. It is from the root bhrams, not bhâs.
142:3 The use of this has already been enjoined at Mahâvagga I, 25, 9, 10. It was to be tied on round the waist, over the waist-cloth, to keep it in its place.
142:4 It is curious that kati-suttakam, a kind of girdle which would seem properly to belong here, has been included in a former list of forbidden articles at V, 2, I.
143:1 Kalâbukam. See Buddhaghosa's note at p. 3'9 of the text, and compare Böhtlingk-Roth under kalâpa, kalâpaka.
143:2 Deddubhakam nâma udaka-sappi-sîsa-sadisam (B.). Deddubha corresponds to the later Sanskrit dundubha, an older form of which is dundubha.
143:3 Muraga, literally, 'tambourines;' but see Buddhaghosa's note, loc. cit.
143:4 Maddavînam nâma pâmaṅga-santhânam (B.). On pâmaṅga, see our note at Kullavagga V, 2, I.
143:5 Sûkarantakam. See Buddhaghosa's note at p. 319 of the text. We do not venture to translate the term.
143:6 Sobhanam nâma vetthetvâ mukha-vatti-sibhanam (B.). In the Magghima Sîla, § 3, sobhanakam or sobh.ana-karanam (so Rh. D.'s MS.) is a kind of game or show.
143:7 Gunakam nâma mudika(?muddhika)-santhânena sibbanam (B.). Clough, under guna, gives inter alia, 1. fastening; 2. a plant of the fibres of which bow-strings are made; 3. bow-string.
143:8 Pavananto ti pâsanto (B.).
143:9 Vidho. But both the reading and the explanation are uncertain, and Buddhaghosa says nothing. The word occurs also, and apparently in the same sense, in the Old Commentary on the 86th Pâkittiya.
144:1 Samghâtiyo in the plural must mean garments and not waist-cloths only. See the parallel passage in the Bhikkhunî-vibhaṅga, Pâkittiya XCVI.
144:2 Ganthikam. The use of this article is referred to in VIII, 4, 3, and at Dhammapada, p. 372. That ganthi means a block, usually of mood, is clear from the use of dhamma-ganthikam at Gâtaka I, 150 (spelt gandika however at II, 124), compared with ganthi (block of sandal-wood) above, V, 8, I. The word occurs also in the Old Commentary on the 86th Pâkittiya.
144:3 Pâsakam, which does not correspond to Sanskrit prâsaka here, but to pâsaka = pâsa (Böhtlingk-Roth. give inter alia, 'Sahl oder Leiste am Anfange eines Gewebes'). Compare pâsanta in Buddhaghosa on makkhavâlakam in the next section.
144:4 See our note on this word at Mahâvagga VIII, 28, 2.
144:5 That is, perhaps, the weight dragged the robe to one side and the legs were visible through the opening.
145:1 Hatthi-sondakam nâma nâbhi-mûlato hatthi-sonda-santhânam olambakam katvâ nivattham, kolika-itthînam nivâsanam viya (B.).
145:2 Makkha-vâlakam nâma ekato dasantam ekato pâsantam olambitvâ nivattham (B.).
145:3 Katu-kannakam upari dve hetthato dve evam kattâro kanne dassetvâ nivattham (B.).
145:4 Tâla-vantakam nâma tâlavant’-âkârena sâtakam olambitvâ nivâsanam (B.). See our note on tâlavanta above, V, 22, 2, and on âmalaka-vantika-pîtham below, VI, 2, 4.
145:5 Sata-vallikam nâma dîgha-sâtakam aneka-kkhattum obhaiñgitvâ ovattikam karontena nivattham vâ, padakkhina-passesu vâ nirantaram valiyo dassetvâ nivattham. Sake pana gânuto patthâya eko vâ dve vâ valiyo paññâyanti, vattati (B.). Compare vallikâ and ovattikam at V, 2, I. Buddhaghosa's second explanation would be possible if the reading were sata-valikam, and is probably only a pis aller, due to the difficulty of the first, which we have adopted doubtfully.
145:6 Pârupati as opposed to nivâseti above. Compare Dhammapada, pp. 154, 376; Gâtaka, vol. i, p. 57, line 16.
146:1 Samvelliyam nivâsetabbam See Buddhaghosa's note at p. 319 of the text.
