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258. Then the Blessed One spent much of the night in the open air, and then entered his dwelling. The Venerable Soṇa also spent much of the night in the open air, and then entered his dwelling. Then the Blessed One, rising at dawn, at the break of day, addressed the Venerable Soṇa: "Recite, monk, the Dhamma." to recite it.” “Yes, venerable sir,” then the venerable Soṇa, having assented to the Blessed One, recited all the Aṭṭhakavaggika with his voice. Then the Blessed One, at the conclusion of the venerable Soṇa’s recitation, approved with joy: “Excellent, excellent, bhikkhu. Well-grasped are these Aṭṭhakavaggika by you, bhikkhu, well-attended to, well-retained. You are endowed with a beautiful voice, clear, not hoarse, capable of conveying the meaning. How many years have you been ordained, bhikkhu?” “I am one year old, Blessed One.” “Why then, bhikkhu, did you delay so long?” “Long have I seen, venerable sir, the danger in sensual pleasures, and besides, household life is confining, with many duties, many tasks.” Then the Blessed One, understanding this matter, on that occasion uttered this inspired utterance: “Having seen the danger in the world, having known the Dhamma without defilement; The noble one delights not in evil, the pure one delights not in evil.” Then the venerable Soṇa, thinking, “The Blessed One is conversing with me, now is the time for my preceptor to be seen,” rose from his seat, arranged his upper robe over one shoulder, bowed his head at the Blessed One’s feet, and said to the Blessed One: “My preceptor, venerable sir, the venerable Mahākaccāna, bows his head at the Blessed One’s feet, and says this: ‘Avantidakkhiṇāpatha, venerable sir, has few bhikkhus. After three years, with difficulty and hardship, gathering a bhikkhu-saṅgha of ten from here and there, I obtained ordination. May the Blessed One please allow ordination with a smaller group in Avantidakkhiṇāpatha. In Avantidakkhiṇāpatha, venerable sir, the ground is black and hard, struck by cow-thorns; may the Blessed One please allow the wearing of sandals with soles in Avantidakkhiṇāpatha. In Avantidakkhiṇāpatha, venerable sir, people are accustomed to bathing, they are purifiers by water; may the Blessed One please allow constant bathing in Avantidakkhiṇāpatha. Avantidakkhiṇāpatha, Venerable sir, there are hides for coverings, sheepskin, goatskin, deerskin. Just as, venerable sir, in the central regions there are eragu, moragu, majjaru, jantu, even so, venerable sir, in Avanti-Dakṣiṇāpatha there are hides for coverings, sheepskin, goatskin, deerskin. Perhaps the Blessed One would permit hides for coverings in Avanti-Dakṣiṇāpatha: sheepskin, goatskin, deerskin. At present, venerable sir, people give robes to monks who have gone beyond the boundary – ‘We give this robe to so-and-so.’ They come and report, ‘You have been given a robe, friend, by so-and-so people.’ They are scrupulous and do not accept it – ‘Lest it become subject to forfeiture for us.’ Perhaps the Blessed One would explain a way concerning robes. 259. Then the Blessed One, on account of this cause, on account of this matter, gave a Dhamma talk and addressed the monks: “Avanti-Dakṣiṇāpatha, monks, has few monks. I permit, monks, ordination in all border regions with a group of five, including the Vinaya-holder. These are the border regions: To the east, the village called Gajaṅgala; beyond that are the great sal trees; beyond that are the border regions, and this side is the middle country. To the southeast, the river called Sallavatī; beyond that are the border regions, and this side is the middle country. To the south, the village called Setakaṇṇika; beyond that are the border regions, and this side is the middle country. To the west, the brahmin village called Thūṇa; beyond that are the border regions, and this side is the middle country. To the north, the mountain called Usīraddhaja; beyond that are the border regions, and this side is the middle country. I permit, monks, ordination in such border regions with a group of five, including the Vinaya-holder. In Avanti-Dakṣiṇāpatha, monks, the ground is dark, rough, and covered with cow-thorns. I permit, monks, In all border regions, sandals with many straps. In Avanti and the Southern Country, monks, people are fond of bathing, they are pure by water. I allow, monks, constant bathing in all border regions. In Avanti and the Southern Country, monks, there are leather coverings: sheepskin, goatskin, deerskin. Just as, monks, in the middle country, there are eragu, moragu, majjaru creatures, even so, monks, in Avanti and the Southern Country, there are leather coverings: sheepskin, goatskin, deerskin. I allow, monks, in all border regions, leather coverings: sheepskin, goatskin, deerskin. Here, monks, people give robes to monks who have gone beyond the boundary – saying: 'We give this robe to so-and-so.' I allow, monks, to accept it, but it does not count until it reaches the hand. The exposition of the five allowances for Mahākaccāna is finished. The Fifth Chapter on Leather. Its Summary The king and Magadhan Soṇa, lord of eighty thousand; Welcome at Gijjhakūṭa, he shows much more. They began to break the going forth, a one-stringed lute; Blue, yellow, red, madder and also black. Great dye, great name, and the growth was rejected; Small skins and leather bags, cotton, partridge, sheep-born. Scorpion and peacock-spotted, lion, tiger, and leopard; Antelope-skin, cat, and black wolf-trimmed. Split sandals, pegs, washed stumps, clatter-clatter; Palm, bamboo, and grass, muñja, pabbaja, hintāla. Lotus, blanket, golden, silver, jewels, beryl; Crystal, bronze, glass, tin, lead, and copper. Cow, vehicle, and sick person, men-drawn palanquin; Beds of great leather, and evil with cowhides. With laymen's leather straps, the sick enter; Mahākaccāyana, Soṇa, with voice, the Aṭṭhakavagga. Ordination with five, many-strapped, constant bathing; Leather coverings. It was not known, not yet to be counted; The Leader gave five boons to me, the elder Soṇa. In this chapter, there are sixty-three stories. The Chapter on Leather is finished.