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281) – since whether it be a mother, a daughter, or a sister, any woman is an obstacle to the holy life and should not be touched, therefore, even touching with household affection, thinking "this is my mother, this is my daughter, this is my sister," is said to be a dukkaṭa offense. Remembering this command of the Blessed One, even if one sees one's mother being carried away by a river current, she should not be touched with the hand. A wise bhikkhu, however, should bring a boat, or a plank, or a banana trunk, or a log near her. If these are not available, even a monastic robe should be brought near and placed in front of her, but it should not be said, "Take hold here." Once she has taken hold, one should go, pulling, saying, "I am pulling the requisites." If she is afraid, one should go ahead and reassure her, "Do not be afraid." If, being afraid, she suddenly climbs onto her son's shoulder or takes hold of his hand, she should not be shaken off, saying, "Go away, old woman," but should be brought to dry land. The same method applies if she is stuck in mud or has fallen into a well. In such cases too, a rope or a cloth should be thrown in, and knowing that she has taken hold with her hand, she should be pulled out, but she should not be touched. Not only the body of a woman should not be touched, but also her undergarments and outer garments, her ornaments and belongings, down to a bundle of grass or a palm-leaf ring, should not be touched. And that is if the undergarment or outer garment is placed there for wearing. But if the undergarment or outer garment having turned it over, places it at the foot of the robe, it is permissible. But among ornaments, permissible items like head ornaments and ivory needles, when given with the words, “Venerable sir, we give this to you, please accept it,” should be taken for use as tools like sewing needles. However, gold, silver, pearls, and the like should not be touched at all; even if given, they should not be accepted. And not only are these bodily ornaments not to be touched, but even wooden figures, ivory figures, iron figures, copper figures, tin figures, clay figures, all kinds of jewel figures, and even figures made of flour, fashioned in the shape of a woman, are not to be touched. However, for use, having received something with the words, “May this be yours,” and having kept it, it is permissible to break up all kinds of jewel-made items and the rest, and apply them as tools if suitable for tools, or as articles for use if suitable for use. 41. And just as a woman's figure, so too the seven kinds of grain are not to be touched. Therefore, when passing through a field, one should go without touching the grain and fruits grown there. If grain is spread out at the door of a house or on an intermediate path, and there is a path alongside, one should not go by treading on it. If there is no path for walking, one should go by determining the path. If they spread grain inside the house and set up a seat on it, it is permissible to sit. Some scatter grain in the sitting hall; if it is possible to have it removed, it should be removed. If not, one should set up a stool and sit without treading on the grain to one side. If there is no space, and people set up a seat right in the middle of the grain, it is permissible to sit. Mung beans, black gram, and other pulses grown there, or fruits like palm and jackfruit, should not be touched playfully. The same rule applies to those piled up by people. But in the forest, it is permissible to pick up fruits that have fallen from trees, thinking, “I will give them to the unordained.” 42. Among these ten jewels: pearl, gem, beryl, conch, stone, coral, silver, gold, ruby, and cat's eye, pearls below Those unpierced, just as they are born, are permissible to touch. Others, they say, are not permissible to touch. That should not be accepted. But in the Mahāpaccariya, it is said: "Pearls, whether washed or unwashed, are not permissible to touch, and should not be accepted for the purpose of trade. But for the purpose of medicine for leprosy, they are permissible." That is appropriate. Even down to rock crystal, all gems of various colors like blue and yellow, if washed, pierced, or cut, are not permissible to touch. But if just as they are born, released from the mine, they are said to be permissible to accept for the purpose of trade, for bowls and such. That too is rejected in the Mahāpaccariya. It is said that only glass gems made by heating are permissible. Regarding beryl too, the decision is similar to that for gems. Conch shells, and blowing conches, if washed, pierced, or mixed with jewels, are not permissible to touch. Water conches, whether washed or unwashed, are permissible to touch. The rest (of the conches) are permissible to accept for the purpose of medicine like collyrium, and for the purpose of trade. Stones, if washed, pierced, mixed with jewels, or of mung-bean color, are not permissible to touch. The rest are permissible to take for the purpose of sharpening knives and so on. And here, "mixed with jewels" means, they say, made by combining and heating with gold. Coral, if washed or pierced, is not permissible to touch. The rest, they say, are permissible to touch and to accept for the purpose of trade. That should not be accepted. But in the Mahāpaccariya, it is said: "All (coral), whether washed or unwashed, is not permissible to touch and should not be accepted." That is appropriate. Silver and gold, whether manufactured goods or unmanufactured goods, all of it, from the very seed, is not permissible to touch and not permissible to accept. It is said that Prince Uttara had a golden stupa made and sent it to Mahāpaduma Thera. The Thera rejected it, saying, "It is not allowable." In a stupa house, there are golden lotuses, golden bubbles, and so on; these too are not permissible to touch. But the guardians of the stupa house are considered to be in the position of those who discard money; therefore it is said that it is permissible for them to handle it. But in the Kurundī, that too is rejected. It is said that only rubbish should be removed from a golden stupa. Only this much is allowed. Even brass metal, like gold, is not to be touched, it is said in all commentaries. But in the use of dwellings, everything is allowable, therefore, all dwelling requisites made of gold and silver are touchable, in places for expounding the Dhamma-Vinaya for bhikkhus, they make gem pavilions with crystal pillars adorned with gem garlands, there, all furnishings are permissible for bhikkhus to use. Red coral and precious stones, when cleaned and pierced, are not to be touched, others are touchable, and it is said that it is permissible to accept them for the purpose of their value. However, in the Mahāpaccariya, it is rejected, saying, "whether cleaned or uncleaned, they are entirely not to be touched, and it is not permissible to accept them." 43. All weapon-goods are not to be touched, even if given for their value, they should not be accepted. Trading in weapons is not permissible. Even a mere bow-staff, a bowstring, a goad, a spear, an elephant hook, down to adzes and axes, made as weapons, are not to be touched. If someone has placed a spear or a javelin in the monastery, the one tending the monastery should send word to the owners, saying, "Take them away." If they do not take them away, the monastery should be tended without moving them. However, seeing a sword or spear or javelin fallen on a battlefield, it is permissible to break the sword with a stone or something else and take it for a knife. Other items too, after disassembling them, some for a knife, some for a stick or similar purpose, it is permissible to take. But if something is given saying, "Take this," it is permissible to accept all of it, after destroying it, saying, "I will make it into allowable requisites." Fishnets, birdnets, and the like, fruit-nets and the like, and arrow-shields, all are not to be touched, but when nets are obtained for use, it is permissible to take them, thinking, "I will tie it over a seat or a cetiya, or I will wrap it as an umbrella." All arrow-shields are permissible to accept for their value. For this is to prevent harm to others. do not obstruct. It is permissible to take a plank saying, "I will make a toothbrush holder." Things covered with hide, such as lutes and drums, are not to be touched. However, in the Kurundi, it is said: "Even a drum frame, even a lute frame, even an empty drum body, even hide stretched over the mouth, even a lute neck, everything is not to be touched." It is certainly not permissible to put them on, or have them put on, or play them, or have them played. Having made an offering in the cetiya courtyard, and seeing them discarded by people, they should be swept around without moving them. But at the time of discarding rubbish, it is permissible to remove them in the manner of rubbish and put them aside, as stated in the Mahāpaccari. It is permissible to accept them for their material value. But among those obtainable for use, we will make the lute body and the drum body into a toothbrush holder, and the hide into a knife sheath. Thus, it is permissible to take them for the purpose of making such and such an implement for that particular item, and to make them in that way. Thus, in the Pāḷimuttakavinayavinicchayasaṅgaha, The chapter on Untouchable Items is concluded. 8. The Chapter on Adhiṭṭhāna and Vikappana Regarding adhiṭṭhāna and vikappana: "Monks, I allow you to determine the three robes, not to make them optional. To determine the rain-bath robe for the four months of the rainy season, and thereafter to make it optional. To determine the sitting cloth, not to make it optional. To determine the mat, not to make it optional. To determine the scab-covering cloth as long as there is an ailment, and thereafter to make it optional. To determine the mouth-wiping cloth,