SBE 20: Sixth Khandhaka: Chapter 2

2.

1. And the people heard, saying, 'Vihâras have been allowed by the Blessed One.' And they built Vihâras zealously. Those Vihâras had no doors 3, and snakes, scorpions, and centipedes got in.

1.'

They made holes in the wall, and tied the door on with string or with creepers, These were eaten by mice and white ants; and when the things by which the doors had been tied on had been eaten away, the doors fell.

They told this matter to the Blessed One.

'I allow, O Bhikkhus, door-posts and lintel, hollow like a mortar, for the door to revolve in, and projections to the door for it to revolve on.'

The doors would not come to.

'I allow, O Bhikkhus, a hole to pass a string through with which to pull the door to, and a string for that purpose.'

The doors could not be made fast 2.

'I allow, O Bhikkhus, rings on the door for the bolt to work along in, blocks of wood fixed to the edge of the door-post and containing a cavity for the bolt to go into, a pin to secure the bolt by, and a bolt.'

Now at that time the Bhikkhus were not able to open the door.

They told this matter to the Blessed One.

1, and entered, the Vihâras became unprotected.

They told this matter to the Blessed One.

'I allow, O Bhikkhus, a yantaka, and a pin to it 2.'

2. Now at that time the Vihâras were thatched; and in the cold season they were cold, and in the hot season hot.

They told this matter to the Blessed One.

'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to cover them (with skins) 3, and to plaster them within and without.'

Now at that time the Vihâras had no windows, and they were bad for the eyes, and had a disagreeable odour.

They told this matter to the Blessed One.

'I allow, O Bhikkhus, windows of three kinds--windows made with railings  4, windows made with network 5, and windows made with slips of wood 6.'

1 entered through the opening for the window.

'I allow, O Bhikkhus, window-blinds (or curtains) 2.'

The squirrels and bats still got in through the interstices between the blind (and the wall).

'I allow, O Bhikkhus, shutters, and rolls or bags (to fill up interstices with) 3.

3. Now at that time the Bhikkhus slept on the floor, and both their limbs and their robes became dirty.

They told this matter to the Blessed One.

'I allow, O Bhikkhus, mats made of grass.'

The mats were eaten by mice and white ants.

'I allow, O Bhikkhus, a solid bench or divan (built up against the wall of a room, or under the verandah against the outside wall of the house) 4.

1.'

Now at that time a bier-like masâraka 2 bedstead--a masâraka chair--a bier-like bundikâbaddha 3 bedstead--a bundikâbaddha chair--a bier-like kulîra-pâdaka 4 bedstead--a kulîra-pâdaka chair--a bier-like âhakka-pâdaka 5 bedstead--an âhakka-pâdaka chair--had come into the possession of the Samgha.

1--an arm-chair 2--a sofa 3--a sofa with arms to it 4--a state chair 5--a cushioned chair 6--a chair raised on a pedestal 7--a chair with many legs 8--a board (to recline on) 9--a cane-bottomed chair 10--a straw-bottomed chair--had come into the possession of the Samgha.

They told this matter (in each case) to the Blessed One.

'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, (each of these things).'

1.'

Now at that time a certain Bhikkhu, when sleeping on a low couch, was bitten by a snake 2.

They told this matter to the Blessed One.

'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, supports to your bedsteads 3.'

Now at that time the Khabbaggiya Bhikkhus used lofty supports to their bedsteads, and rocked themselves with these bedstead supports, backwards and forwards 4.

'You are not, O Bhikkhus, to use lofty supports to your bedsteads. Whosoever does so, shall be guilty of a dukkata. I allow you such supports up to eight inches in length.'

6. Now at that time a quantity of string had come into the possession of the Samgha.

They told this matter to the Blessed One.

'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to weave (a texture of string across) the bedstead.'

Much string was taken up by (passing it round) the sides of the bedstead.

1.'

A cloth had come into their possession.

'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to use it as a carpet 2.'

A mattress stuffed with cotton 3 had come into their possession.

'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to comb out the cotton, and make the cotton up into pillows 4 if it be of any of these three kinds--cotton produced on trees, cotton produced on creepers, cotton produced from Potaki-grass.'

Now at that time the Khabbaggiya Bhikkhus made use of pillows half the size of a man's body.

People who came on a visit to the Vihâras murmured, &c., on seeing this, saying, 'Like those who still enjoy the pleasures of the world.'

1 at Râgagaha. The people provided for the use of high officials bolsters stuffed with wool, or cotton cloth, or bark, or grass, or leaves. When the festival had been held they tore open the covers of skin and carried them off. And the Bhikkhus saw much wool, and cotton cloth, and bark, and grass, and leaves thrown away on the spot where the festival had been held; and on seeing this, they told the matter to the Blessed One.

'I allow, O Bhikkhus, bolsters 2 of five kinds--those stuffed with wool, or cotton cloth, or bark, or grass, or talipot leaves.'

Now at that time a bed coverlet had come into the possession of the Samgha.

They told this matter to the Blessed One.

'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to cover a bolster with it.'

Now at that time the Bhikkhus folded up bed bolsters on to chairs 3, and chair bolsters on to bedsteads, and the bolsters came to pieces.

They told this matter to the Blessed One.

'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, chairs and bedsteads covered (with upholstered cushions to fit them).'

1, and the stuffing came out from below.

'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, first to spread out a cloth under the bedsteads or chairs, and then to upholster them.'

They tore off the coverings 2, and took them away.

'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to bespatter (the coverings with dye) 3.'

They still took them away.

'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to use coverings coloured in patches 4.'

They still took them away.

'I allow you, O Bhikkhus, to colour the coverings in patches only the size of a man's hand 5.'

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Footnotes

160:3 Kavâta. This is the special word for door. Dvâra often roughly translated door, is not really 'door,' but 'door-' or 'gate-way,' with special reference to the aperture and not to that by which the aperture could be closed. The latter word is also 161:1 On this and the following details, compare V, 14, 3, and the notes there.

161:2 Thakîyanti: literally, 'covered, or stopped, up.' The same word is used at Kullavagga VIII, 1, 5, of closing up the lattices mentioned in the next section (VI, 2, 2).

162:1 Ugghâtetvâ, an expression used in VIII, 1, 1 of undoing the bolt (ghatikâ) just referred to.

162:2 Yantakam sûkikam, which is the only expression here used which has not already occurred above at V, 14, 3. Buddhaghosa says, Yantaka-sûkikan ti ettha yam yam gânâti tam tam yantakam. Tassa vivara-sûkikam kuñkikam kâtum vattati.

162:3 See the note at V, 14, 3.

162:4 Vedikâ-vâtapânam nâma ketiye vedikâ-sadisam (B.). See our note on vedikâ above, V, 14, 2. These windows or lattices are mentioned in Kullavagga VIII, 1, 5; Mahâvagga I, 25, 18.

162:5 Gâla-vâtapânam nâma gâlaka-baddham (B.). Gâlam, literally 'net,' is given as a word for 'window' at Abhidhânappadipikâ, verse 216. The expression probably corresponds to our 'lattice,' and does not mean that an actual net was used. Compare the Anglo-Indian 'jalousie.'

162:6 Salâka-vâtapânam nâma thambhaka-vâtapânam (B.). Possibly this means with slips of wood arranged horizontally as in our venetian blinds.

163:1 Vagguliyo. This habit of the bat and its harmlessness are referred to in Milinda Panha, p. 404. Compare the Sanskrit valgulî.

163:2 Kakkalikan ti. Ettha kolaka-pâda-puñkhanam bandhitum anugânâmî ti attho (B.). The word kakkali occurs below, VI, 19, probably in the sense here meant.

163:3 Vâtapâna-bhisî ti vâtapâna-pamânena bhisim katvâ bandhitum anugânâmî ti attho (B.). Probably like the sand-bags used in England to keep out draughts. On the use of the word in other connections, see our note on Mahâvagga VIII, 13, 1, and the Old Commentary on Pâkittiya XIV (where five kinds are named) with the Kankhâ-vitaranî on the last passage quoted by Minayeff, p. 86.

163:4 Midhim. See the note on V, 9, 4. Native huts in Ceylon always have such solid benches (of brick or mud covered with plaster) built up against the wall under the verandah: and they are commonly used as sleeping-places for the unmarried males 164:1 Bidala-mañkakam nâma vetta-mañkam, velu-vilîvâhi vâ vîtam (B.). The word occurs in the Gâtaka Commentary I, 9, lines 26, 34. Compare the Sanskrit bidala and vidala.

164:2 Masârako, on which Buddhaghosa says nothing here; but on the Old Commentary to the 14th Pâkittiya, where all the four words in this paragraph also occur, he has the following note (see Minayeff, p. 68): Masârako ti mañka-pâde vigghitvâ tattha ataniyo pavesetvâ kato--just the opposite therefore of âhakka-pâdako below. On atani, compare our note to the 87th Pâkittiya. The four names recur, of chairs only, in the Old Commentary on the 87th and 88th Pâkittiyas.

164:3 Buddhaghosa, loc. cit., says, Bundikâbaddho ti atanîhi mañka-pâde damsâpetvâ pallaṅka-samkhepema kato. The first word, bundika, may mean a small bolt.

164:4 Kulîra-pâdako ti assa-mendâdînam pâda-sadisehi pâdakehi kato: yo vâ pana koki vaṅka-pâdako ayam kulîra-pâdako (B. loc. cit.). A bedstead or chair with curved or carved legs, especially when carved to represent animals' feet. Kulîra is a crab.

164:5 Âhakka-pâdako ti. Ayam pana âhakka-pâdako nâma mañko aṅge vigghitvâ kato hotîti evam parato pâliyam yeva vutto. Tasmâ ataniyo vigghitvâ tattha pâda-sikham pavesetvâ upari ânim datvâ kata-mañko âhakka-pâdako ti veditabbo (B. loc. cit.). This is in agreement with the Old Commentary on the 18th Pâkittiya in which this word already occurs. Compare âhakka in the Âyâranga Sûya II, 1, 1, 2, II, 1, 10, 6.

165:1 Âsandiko. Buddhaghosa says, Âsandako (sic) ti katurassapitham vukkati. An âsandi (cushioned chair) is forbidden at Mahâvagga V, 10, 4.

165:2 Ukkakam pi âsandikan ti vakanato ekato-bhagena dîghapîtham eva hi atthaṅgula-pâdakam vattati (B.).

165:3 Sattaṅgo nâma tisu disâsu apassayam katvâ mañko (B.). On apassayam, compare note 9.

165:4 Ukkako pi sattaṅgo. Compare note 2.

165:5 Bhadda-pîthan ti vetta-mayam pîtham vukkati (B.). We follow Böhtlingk-Roth sub voce bhadra-pîtha.

165:6 Pîthikâ ti pilotika-baddham pîtham eva (B.). Childers says 'bench, stool.' Compare Sanskrit pîthaka (in the addenda to the Petersburg Dictionary).

165:7 Elaka-pâdaka-pîtham nâma daru-pattikâya upari pâde thapetvâ bhogana-phalakam viya kata-pîtham vukkati (B.).

165:8 Âmalaka-vantika-pîtham nâma âmalakâkârena yogitam bahu-pâda-pîtham (B.). Compare tâlavanta at V, 22, 2, and tâla-vantaka at V, 29, 4.

165:9 Phalakam. Compare apassena-phalakam at Mahâvagga I, 25, 12, and below, Kullavagga VI, 20, 2.

165:10 Kokkham nâma vâkamayam vâ usîramayam vâ muñgamayam vâ babbagamayam vâ anto samvethetvâ baddham hoti, says the Old Commentary on the 14th Pâkittiya. Buddhaghosa gives here the same explanation, omitting vâka.

166:1 Compare the 8th Kûla Sîla (Rh. D.'s 'Buddhist Suttas,' p. 191).

166:2 Compare Kullavagga V, 6.

166:3 Mañka-patipâdakam mentioned in Mahâvagga I, 25, 16.

166:4 Pavedhenti. The reading is doubtful, but the suggestion at p. 321 of the text must be withdrawn.

167:1 Atthapadakam vetum. Buddhaghosa says nothing, either here or at Mahâvagga VIII, 21, where the word also occurs. Atthapada-tthâpana at Gâtaka II, 5, 14, is a mode of dressing the hair, probably in broad plaits crossing each other so as to resemble the squares of a chessboard.

167:2 Or 'rug.' Kilimikâ ti nâma parikammakatâya bhûmiyâ khavi-samrakkhanatthâya attharanam vukkati (B.). It is probably the same word as, or connected with, kimilikâ, used by Buddhaghosa in note 5 on Mahâvagga VII, 1, 5, and explained by him (in Minayeff, p. 87, line 5) as tâla-pannâdîhi katâ. Both words are possibly diminutives of kola, and it is not improbable that the reading should be kilimikâ in both cases, as Buddhaghosa so spells the word again in his note below on VI, 2, 7.

167:3 Tûlika. This is undoubtedly what is meant to be forbidden in § 5 of the Magghima Sîla, although Grimblot, 'Sept Suttas Palis,' p. 9, reads kulikam. See Mahâvagga V, 10, 4.

167:4 Compare IV, 4, 4, VIII, 1, 3, where such pillows are mentioned among the ordinary belongings of a Vihâra. The present rule is repeated below in VI, 14.

168:1 Giragga-samaggo. See our note above on V, 2, 6.

168:2 Bhisi. See the note on this word at Mahâvagga VIII, 13, I.

168:3 Buddhaghosa says here mañka-bhisim pîthe samharantî ti mañka-pîthe attharanti attharanatthâya harantî ti yuggati (B.), On this use of samharati compare above, V, 11, 7.

169:1 Ullokam akaritvâ hetthâ kilimikam adatvâ (B.). The word occurs again at Mahâvagga I, 25, 15 = Kullavagga VIII, 1, 3, where cobwebs are to be removed with a cloth (ullokâ!).

169:2 Khavim; but perhaps not necessarily of leather. See the commencement of this section.

169:3 So that the coverings would be useless for other purposes. The Pâli word is positum, which Buddhaghosa explains thus--hesitun ti (so the Berlin MS.) raganena vâ haliddhâya vâ upari pusitâni dâtum. The word is evidently connected not with the root push, but with the roots prish and prush, 'to be, spatter;' and is the same as phositun at Mahâvagga VI, 14, 5, which is probably the better reading of the two.

169:4 Bhatti-kammam. The meaning is doubtful, because the reading is uncertain. Buddhaghosa says, Bhitti-kamman ti (sic) bhisi-khaviyâ upari bhitti-kammam. The word is probably analogous in formation to our English 'patchwork,' though the 'patches' are not of pieces of different coloured stuffs, but of bits of different colour spread over the same stuff, and whatever its meaning, it is probably the same word as bhati-kamma at V, 9, 2.

169:5 Again both reading and interpretation are open to question. Hattha-bhittin ti pañkaṅgula-bhittim is all that Buddhaghosa