English
5. The Chapter on Minor Matters Minor Matters 243. At that time the Buddha, the Blessed One, was staying at Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, at the Squirrels' Feeding Place. Now at that time the group of six bhikkhus, while bathing, rubbed their bodies against trees, their thighs, their arms, their chests, and their backs. People complained, grumbled, and criticized: 'How can these Sakyan recluses, while bathing, rub their bodies against trees, their thighs, their arms, their chests, and their backs, just like wrestlers or village ruffians!' The bhikkhus heard the people complaining, grumbling, and criticizing. Then those bhikkhus reported the matter to the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One, on account of this incident, on account of this matter, convened the assembly of bhikkhus and questioned them: 'Is it true, bhikkhus, that the group of six bhikkhus, while bathing, rub their bodies against trees, their thighs, their arms, their chests, and their backs?' 'It is true, Blessed One,' they replied. The Buddha, the Blessed One, reproved them: 'It is not suitable, bhikkhus, for those foolish men, it is not appropriate, it is unbecoming, it is not proper for a recluse, it is not permissible, it is not to be done. How can those foolish men, bhikkhus, while bathing, rub their bodies against trees, their thighs, their arms, their chests, and their backs? This, bhikkhus, is not for the conversion of the unconverted... (and so on)... Having reproved them... (and so on)... Having given a discourse on the Dhamma, he addressed the bhikkhus: 'Bhikkhus, a bhikkhu who is bathing should not rub his body against a tree. Whoever rubs it, commits an offense of wrong-doing.' Now at that time the group of six bhikkhus, while bathing, rubbed their bodies against pillars, their thighs, their arms, their chests, and their backs. People complained, grumbled, and criticized: 'How can these Sakyan recluses, while bathing, rub their bodies against pillars, their thighs, their arms, their chests, and their backs, just like wrestlers or village ruffians!' Indeed! The monks heard those people complaining, grumbling, criticizing. Then those monks reported this matter to the Blessed One... "Is it true, Blessed One?"... Having rebuked... Having given a Dhamma talk, he addressed the monks: "Monks, a monk bathing should not rub his body against a pillar. Whoever rubs, there is an offense of wrong-doing." Now at that time, the group of six monks, while bathing, rubbed their bodies against a wall, their thighs, their arms, their chests, their backs. People complained, grumbled, criticized: "How can these Sakyan recluses, while bathing, rub their bodies against a wall, their thighs, their arms, their chests, their backs, just like wrestlers or village ruffians?"... "Monks, a monk bathing should not rub his body against a wall. Whoever rubs, there is an offense of wrong-doing." Now at that time, the group of six monks bathed in a public place. People complained, grumbled, criticized... "just like householders who indulge in sensual pleasures!" The monks heard those people complaining, grumbling, criticizing. Then those monks reported this matter to the Blessed One... "Is it true, Blessed One?"... Having rebuked... Having given a Dhamma talk, he addressed the monks: "Monks, one should not bathe in a public place. Whoever bathes, there is an offense of wrong-doing." Now at that time, the group of six monks bathed with a perfumed hand. People complained, grumbled, criticized... "just like householders who indulge in sensual pleasures!" The monks heard those people complaining, grumbling, criticizing. Then those monks reported this matter to the Blessed One... "Monks, one should not bathe with a perfumed hand. Whoever bathes, there is an offense of wrong-doing." Now at that time, the six The group-of-six bhikkhus bathed with a kuruvindaka thread. People complained, grumbled, criticized... "Just like householders enjoying sensual pleasures!" They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "Monks, one should not bathe with a kuruvindaka thread. Whoever bathes, commits an offense of wrong-doing." At that time, the group-of-six bhikkhus had their bodies rubbed down vigorously. People complained, grumbled, criticized... "Just like householders enjoying sensual pleasures!" They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "Monks, one should not have a vigorous body rub. Whoever has it done, commits an offense of wrong-doing." At that time, the group-of-six bhikkhus bathed with a bath-sponge. People complained, grumbled, criticized... "Just like householders enjoying sensual pleasures!" They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "Monks, one should not bathe with a bath-sponge. Whoever bathes, commits an offense of wrong-doing." 244. At that time, a certain bhikkhu had a skin disease. It was not comfortable for him without a bath-sponge. They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "Monks, I allow a simple bath-sponge for the sick." At that time, a certain bhikkhu, weak from old age, while bathing, was unable to rub his own body. They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "Monks, I allow a body-rubbing implement." At that time, bhikkhus were scrupulous about having their backs rubbed. They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "Monks, I allow a broad-hand implement for rubbing." 245. At that time, the group-of-six bhikkhus wore a vine ornament... wore an armlet... wore a neck-string... wore a waist-string... wore an ear-ornament... wore a bracelet... wore a hand-ornament... wore a finger-ring. People complained, grumbled, criticized... "Just like householders enjoying sensual pleasures!" The bhikkhus heard... Those people grumbled, complained, and criticized. Then those monks reported this matter to the Blessed One. "Is it true, monks, that the group-of-six monks wear armlets, wear anklets, wear necklaces, wear waist-bands, wear bracelets, wear arm-bands, wear hand-ornaments, wear finger-rings?" "It is true, Blessed One," they replied. Having rebuked them, having given a discourse on Dhamma, he addressed the monks: "Monks, armlets are not to be worn. Anklets are not to be worn. Necklaces are not to be worn. Waist-bands are not to be worn. Bracelets are not to be worn. Arm-bands are not to be worn. Hand-ornaments are not to be worn. Finger-rings are not to be worn. Whoever wears them incurs an an offense of wrong-doing." 246. Now at that time, the group-of-six monks wore long hair. People grumbled, complained, and criticized, saying: "Just like householders who indulge in sensual pleasures!" They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "Monks, long hair is not to be worn. Whoever wears it incurs an offense of wrong-doing. I allow, monks, hair of two months’ growth or two finger-breadths in length." Now at that time, the group-of-six monks combed their hair with a comb, combed their hair with a fine-toothed comb, combed their hair with a hand-comb, combed their hair with wax-oil, combed their hair with water-oil. People grumbled, complained, and criticized, saying: "Just like householders who indulge in sensual pleasures!" They reported this matter to the Blessed One. "Monks, hair is not to be combed with a comb. Hair is not to be combed with wax-oil. Hair is not to be combed with water-oil. Whoever combs it incurs an offense of wrong-doing." 247. Now at that time, the group-of-six monks looked at their reflection in a mirror or in a bowl of water. People grumbled, complained, and criticized. —just like householders who indulge in sensual pleasures. They reported this matter to the Blessed One. “Monks, one should not look at one’s reflection in a mirror or in a bowl of water. Whoever looks, commits an offense of wrong-doing.” Now at that time, a certain monk had a sore on his face. He asked the monks, “Friends, what kind of sore is it?” The monks said, “Friend, it is like this.” He did not believe them. They reported this matter to the Blessed One. “Monks, I allow, due to illness, to look at one’s reflection in a mirror or in a bowl of water.” Now at that time, the group of six monks smeared their faces… they massaged their faces, powdered their faces, painted their faces with red arsenic, applied body makeup, applied face makeup, applied body and face makeup. People complained, grumbled, and criticized, saying, “Just like householders who indulge in sensual pleasures!” They reported this matter to the Blessed One. “Monks, one should not smear the face… one should not massage the face, one should not powder the face, one should not paint the face with red arsenic, one should not apply body makeup, one should not apply face makeup, one should not apply body and face makeup. Whoever does so, commits an offense of wrong-doing.” Now at that time, a certain monk had an eye disease. They reported this matter to the Blessed One. “Monks, I allow, due to illness, to smear the face.” 248. Now at that time, there was a festival on the mountain peak in Rājagaha. The group of six monks went to see the festival on the mountain peak. People complained, grumbled, and criticized, saying, “How can these Sakyan ascetics go to see dancing, singing, and music, just like householders who indulge in sensual pleasures!” They reported this matter to the Blessed One. “Monks, one should not go to see dancing, or singing, or music. Whoever goes, commits an offense of wrong-doing.” ” 249. Now at that time, the group-of-six bhikkhus were chanting the Dhamma with a drawn-out, singing voice. People complained, grumbled, and criticized: “Just as we sing, so do these Sakyan-son ascetics chant the Dhamma with a drawn-out, singing voice!” The bhikkhus heard those people complaining, grumbling, and criticizing. Those bhikkhus who were of few desires…pe… they complained, grumbled, and criticized: “How can the group-of-six bhikkhus chant the Dhamma with a drawn-out, singing voice?!” Then those bhikkhus reported this matter to the Blessed One.