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the Blessed One will step on my cloth-mat.' But he was incapable of obtaining a son. Therefore, the Blessed One did not step on it. If he had stepped on it, later, not obtaining a son, he might have adopted the view, 'This one is not omniscient.' This, then, is the reason for the Blessed One's not stepping on it. the reason. For if monks who do not know were to step on it, they would be despised by laypeople. Therefore, to free monks from contempt, he laid down the training rule. This is the reason for laying down the training rule," it is stated in the commentary (Cūḷavagga Aṭṭhakathā 268). However, in the Sāratthadīpanī (Sāratthadīpanī, Cūḷavagga 3.268), "The Blessed One remained silent," reflecting, "For what purpose did the prince make this great offering?" He understood that it was done for the desire for a son. For that prince was childless, and he had heard, "Indeed, by making an offering to the Buddhas, one obtains what is desired in mind." So he made a wish, "If I obtain a son, the Perfectly Enlightened One will step on this cloth strip. If I do not obtain one, he will not step on it," and had it spread out. Then the Blessed One, reflecting, "Will a son be born to him?" saw, "No, he will not be born." For previously, living on an island, he and his wife, sharing the same desire, had eaten many bird chicks. "If his wife were meritorious, he would obtain a son. But both, sharing the same desire, did evil deeds. Therefore, a son will not be born to him," he understood. If the cloth were stepped on, he might grasp a wrong view, saying, "It is a common belief in the world that by making an offering to the Buddhas, one obtains what is desired. I have made a great offering, but I do not obtain a son. This saying is empty." And the sectarians might complain, "There is nothing that these ascetics should not do. They wander about even trampling on cloth strips!" And at present, among those who step on it, many monks are knowers of others' minds. They will step on it, knowing its suitability. They will not step on it, knowing its unsuitability. But in the future, the supporting condition will be weak; they will not know the future. If, when they step on it, what is desired is fulfilled, that is good. If it is not fulfilled, "Previously, by making an offering to the Sangha of monks, they obtained whatever they desired, but now they do not obtain it." Indeed, those monks, I suppose, were fulfillers of practice, but these cannot fulfill the practice, people will be regretful. For these three reasons, the Blessed One, not wishing to step on it, remained silent. "The Tathāgata has compassion for later generations," this, however, the Elder said, referring to the third reason among those stated. In the Pāli (Cūḷava. 268), by the saying "to step on a cloth asked for," it is established that it should be stepped on only when asked, not when unasked. Even there, by the saying "for good fortune" (Cūḷava. 268), it should be stepped on when asked for good fortune, and not when asked for prosperity or beauty, etc. Even there, by the saying "of laypeople" (Cūḷava. 268), the cloth spread should be stepped on only for laypeople, and not for monastics. In the Commentary (Cūḷava. Aṭṭha. 268), by the indefinite word "or" in "whether any woman be one whose pregnancy has passed, or one who is heavily pregnant," not only these two should be taken, but also any auspicious women or men, such as "those whose pregnancy is established, or those who have given birth to sons," etc., should be taken. Since it is said "in such places," not only in the places mentioned, but also in similar auspicious places, for any laypeople who request it for good fortune, it is proper to step on the cloth spread, this is established. It should be understood after investigation. In the Pāli (Cūḷava. 268), by the general saying "I allow, monks, to step on a foot-wiper," and in the Commentary (Cūḷava. Aṭṭha. 268), since it is said without distinction "it is proper to step on it," it is established that a foot-wiper may be stepped on by a monk even when unasked. However, since it is said "for stepping with washed feet," it is not proper to step with unwashed feet. It should be understood after investigation. Story of the Foot-Wiper 37. In the Story of the Foot-Wiper, first of all, un- To show the permissible foot-rubbers, he said, "Kataka is not allowed." When asked, "What kind is Kataka?", it was said, "Kataka is like a lotus pericarp," and so on. Why was it forbidden? It was said, "Because it leads to excessive indulgence." Then, to show the permissible foot-rubbers, he said, "Monks, I allow three foot-rubbers," and so on. The rest is easily understood. The Story of the Fan 38. In the Story of the Fan, first, to show the impermissible fan, he said, "A fan made of yak-tail hair is not allowed." Then, to show the six permissible fans, he said, "A mosquito-fan, etc., is allowed." There, the six permissible fans are: a mosquito-fan, a fan made of bark-fibres, a fan made of usīra grass, a fan made of peacock feathers, a 'vidhūpana' (winnowing fan), and a palm-leaf fan. To show their distinction, he said, "Vidhūpana is called a fan," and so on. That made of usīra grass and that made of peacock feathers are not mentioned, being easily understood. In the Sāratthadīpanī, it is said: "'Bījanī' means a square fan. 'Tālavaṇṭa' means a round fan made from palm leaves, etc." The Story of the Umbrella 39. In the Story of the Umbrella, "umbrella" means three kinds of umbrellas: a white umbrella, a mat-umbrella, and a leaf-umbrella. There, a white umbrella means a white umbrella covered with cloth. A mat-umbrella means a woven-strip umbrella. A leaf-umbrella means one made from palm leaves or whatever. "Bound in a circle, bound with spokes" – this, however, is said to show the framework of all three umbrellas. For they are both bound in a circle and bound with spokes. Even a single-leaf umbrella made with a naturally occurring stick is also an umbrella. In the Sāratthadīpanī, it is said: "'Woven-strip umbrella' means an umbrella made from bamboo strips. 'Made with a naturally occurring stick' means cutting a palm leaf together with its stem and making that stem the umbrella handle, like cowherds do; this is what is referred to." Vim In the Ativinodaniya (Vinaya Vinicchaya Tika, Pacittiya 2.634), it is said: "A 'vilīva-umbrella' is made of bamboo splints. 'Bound in a circle' means placing splints crosswise in a circular shape on long rods, and binding them with threads. And placing the rods both lengthwise and crosswise straight, firmly bound. And placing them crosswise, making them collapsible with long sticks, and binding them crosswise with threads. 'Made with a stick grown there' means made with cut palm leaves and so on, along with the stick." Here, however, it is said with reference to the person holding the umbrella. Therefore, it is not allowable for a non-ill bhikkhu to hold an umbrella. The rest is easily understood. The Story of Nails 40. In the Story of Nails, concerning the incident that arose due to wearing long nails, "Monks, long nails should not be worn. Whoever wears them incurs an offense of wrong-doing" (Cūḷava. 274) – by this, one who wears them incurs an offense. "They cut nails with nails, they cut nails with their mouth, they rub them on walls, their fingers become painful. They reported this matter to the Blessed One – 'I allow, monks, nail-cutters'" (Cūḷava. 274) – by this, it is allowable to carry a nail-cutting tool. And below, in the Commentary (Pārā. Aṭṭha. 1.85), it is said: "They make the nail-cutter with a fold, therefore it is allowable." In the Vimativinodaniya (Vi. Vi. Ṭī. 1.85), it is said: "'Valitaka' means they make it with folds for a firm grip when cutting nails, therefore it is allowable." "To the measure of flesh" means to the measure of the flesh at the fingertip. "Twenty marks" means they make marks on all twenty fingernails and toenails. The rest is easily understood. The Story of Hair In the Story of Hair, when the incident arose: "They had hair in private parts removed. People complained, grumbled, and criticized, 'Just like householders who indulge in sensual pleasures.'" "Monks, ... (etc.) ... an offense of wrong-doing" (Cūḷava. 275) – by this, one who has it removed incurs an offense. Another bhikkhu's hair in private parts... When there is a wound, medicine does not stay. Because of this origin story, by the saying, “I allow, monks, on account of illness, to have hair removed in the private parts” (Cv. 275), for one who has hair removed in the private parts on account of illness, for the purpose of applying medicine, there is no offense. “As if a goblin,” because people complain, by the saying, “Monks, long nose hair should not be kept; whoever keeps it, there is an offense of wrong-doing” (Cv. 275), on account of keeping it, there is an offense. “I allow, monks, tweezers.” Tweezers are allowed for protection. Therefore, it is permissible to have nose hair removed with tweezers. Palita means white hair. It is not permissible to pluck it, because one thinks, “May old age not come to me.” Being disgusting means being ugly. White or not white hair, meaning white or not white. It is permissible to have it plucked, because it causes displeasure. Chapter on Waistbands 41. In the chapter on waistbands, by not having a waistband means with an unfastened waistband. For a monk, the rest (is understood). Or, by not having a waistband means being without a fastened waistband. This is an instrumental case in the sense of ‘being in such a state,’ as in “with a broken head, with blood flowing, he caused the neighbors to complain.” Therefore it is said, “By one who goes out without fastening it, wherever one remembers, there it should be fastened.” A waistband refers to six types of waistbands: the kalābuka, the deḍḍubhaka, the muraja, the maddavīṇa, the paṭṭika, and the sūkarantaka. Among these, kalābuka