English
means one with many cords. Deḍḍubhaka means resembling a water snake’s head. Muraja means made by wrapping in the shape of a drum-roll. Maddavīṇa means in the shape of a bed-leg. Indeed, even one of these is not permissible, much less many. Therefore, the forbidden, improper waistbands are four: the paṭṭika and the sūkarantaka. These two waistbands are allowed by the Blessed One, and are called proper waistbands. Whether of ordinary weave or fishbone weave. A band is allowed; other kinds, such as those shaped like an elephant's trunk, are not allowed. A "sūkarantaka" is shaped like a key-case, with a single string; but a finger-ring-like body-band also resembles a sūkarantaka. With these two, there are eight body-bands. "I allow, monks, a drum and a soft lute" - this is allowed only for the ten directions (fingers/toes); a wrist-band here is not allowed above four (fingers). "Sobhaka" is sewing a border by wrapping. "Guṇaka" is sewing in the shape of a drum. It is said that when sewn thus, they are firm inside. "Pavananta" is called "pāsanta" (a tie). In the Vajirabuddhi Commentary (Vajira. Ṭī. Cūḷavagga 277-278) it is said: "A finger-ring-like body-band is made without being square. A wrist-band is square. 'In the shape of a drum' means in the manner of sewing a drum on a sanghāṭī, or in the shape of a varakasīsa (a kind of knot/head). 'Pavananta' is 'pāsanta', and 'dasāmūla' (root of the string) is also written. There is an offense for entering a village with or without a body-band, whether intentionally or unintentionally. It is written that one should enter or return having tied it from the remembered place." Discourse on Wearing Lower and Upper Robes 42. In the discourse on wearing lower and upper robes, regarding "lay-style clothing should not be worn in the manner of an elephant's trunk, etc.," here, "elephant's trunk" (Cūḷava. Aṭṭha. 280; Kaṅkhā. Aṭṭha. Parimaṇḍalasikkhāpadavaṇṇanā) means a lower robe worn with a hanging part shaped like an elephant's trunk from the navel, like the lower robe of women in Cōḷika. "Macchavāḷaka" means a lower robe worn with one end tucked in and one end hanging down. "Catukaṇṇaka" means a lower robe worn showing four corners, two above and two below. "Tālavaṇṭaka" means a lower robe worn with the cloth hanging down in the shape of a palm-leaf fan. "Satavalika" means a lower robe worn by folding a long cloth many times to make a roll, or worn showing continuous pleats on the left and right sides. But if from the knee onwards, one or two pleats appear... goes, it is permissible. Wearing it rolled up, like those who do manual labor, they tie it at the armpit and wear it. Even for a sick person, or one on a journey, it is not permissible to wear it thus. Regarding "not to wear a layperson's covering, such as a white cloth," any covering like a white cloth, a wanderer's covering, a single-cloth covering, a drunkard's covering, a harem-dweller's covering, a chief's covering, a hut-entering covering, a brahmin's covering, a watchman's covering, and so on, any covering that is otherwise than the characteristic of being well-rounded, all of this is called a layperson's covering. Therefore, just as white-clad half-pālaka ascetics and Nigaṇṭhas wear it, and just as some wanderers expose their chest and place the covering on both shoulders, and just as people with a single cloth cover their back with one end of the worn cloth and place both corners on both shoulders, and just as drunkards and the like wrap the cloth around their neck and let both ends hang down on their chest or throw them over their back, and just as harem-dwellers wear a veil, showing only the pupils of their eyes, and just as chiefs wear a long cloth and cover their whole body with one end of it, and just as farmers entering a field hut wrap the cloth around themselves, tuck it under their armpit, and cover their body with one end of it, and just as brahmins pass the cloth between both armpits and cover their shoulders, and just as a watchman monk, wearing it over one shoulder, exposes his left arm and places the robe on his shoulder. Without wearing it thus, all these and other such faults in wearing should be avoided, and it should be worn properly and well-rounded. Similarly, for one who, without wearing it properly, in the monastery or in the inner quarters, carelessly makes any distortion, there is a dukkata offense. Story of the Carrying Pole 43. In the story of the carrying pole, "muṇḍaveṭhī" means a person carrying goods for the king when he goes somewhere. "ubhatokājant" A single load on a pole, attached to both sides, front and back, to be carried. A one-sided load is a load attached only to one side, at the back, to be carried. An intermediate load is a load attached in the middle, to be carried by two. Head-loads and so on are loads to be carried on the head and so on. A hanging load is a load to be carried hanging from the hand. Among these, only the two-sided pole load is not allowed; the others are allowed. The Story of the Tooth-stick 44. In the discourse on the tooth-stick, having shown five faults in not using a tooth-stick, and five benefits in using it, the Blessed One permitted the tooth-stick to the bhikkhus. Therein, the five faults are: it is unpleasing to the eye, the mouth is foul-smelling, the taste-nerves are not purified, bile and phlegm cover the food, and one does not relish the food. Therein, "unpleasing to the eye" means it is not beneficial to the eyes, it causes deterioration. "Does not relish" means one does not like it. The five benefits should be understood as the opposite of what was stated. Then, having prescribed a dukkaṭa offense for using a too-long tooth-stick and for using a too-short tooth-stick, a tooth-stick of a maximum of eight finger-breadths and a minimum of four finger-breadths was permitted. Therein, "a maximum of eight finger-breadths" means "eight finger-breadths is the maximum for this tooth-stick." "A minimum of four finger-breadths" means "four finger-breadths is the minimum measure for this tooth-stick." "Atimadāhaka" means "too small." An eight-finger-breadth one is called a large tooth-stick, a four-finger-breadth one is called a small tooth-stick, and a five, six, or seven-finger-breadth one is called a medium tooth-stick. Therefore it was said: "with two kinds of water, with three kinds of tooth-sticks." The commentary (Cūḷavagga Aṭṭhakathā 282) says: "'A maximum of eight finger-breadths' means 'a maximum of eight finger-breadths by a person's standard finger-breadth.'" And here, taking "by standard finger-breadth" to mean "by natural finger-breadth," they say that a tooth-stick exceeding eight natural finger-breadths of a person is not allowed. And they use it having made it that size. However, in the commentary, "a person's measure..." by a finger-length," it is said, not "by a natural finger-length." Therefore, the meaning to be taken is: eight finger-lengths at most, by the measuring finger-length of humans, which is the carpenter's finger-length, by which people measure houses and so on, making the carpenter's finger-length the standard. For it is said in the Sāratthadīpanī: "by a measuring finger-length" is said with reference to the carpenter's finger-length. And in the Vimativinodanī: "by a measuring finger-length" means by a carpenter's finger-length. Some, however, say "by a natural finger-length." That agrees with the statement "not less than four finger-lengths." For it is not possible to chew a tooth-stick of four natural finger-lengths without it getting stuck in the throat. Story of Climbing Trees 45. In the story of climbing trees, "poriso" means a tree whose measure is a man, a tree-part as high as a man's body together with his uplifted hand, about five cubits high. That "porisa" tree, is a collective term for its parts, like "the ocean was seen." "Āpadā" means dangers, things that come, that proceed, that occur. "Yāvadattho" means as long as there is a purpose in that tree, that tree. The word "attha" means purpose. The intention is: as long as there is a purpose for the bhikkhu in that tree, it should be climbed. The rest is easily understood. Story of Imposing Chanda 46. In the story of imposing chanda, "chandaso" is in the Sanskrit language. "Na āropetabbaṃ" means the way of recitation should not be imposed. "Sakāya niruttiyā" means in the Māgadha language. "Tattha santehi katā" means made by the good ones, meaning made by the sages who have calmed their defilements, like Aṭṭhaka and Vāmaka. Or "sakkaṭā" means to be honored, to be revered, because it brings benefit and happiness to humans. The meaning is: it should be revered by humans who seek it. "Bhāsīyati" means it is spoken, and that language is "sakkaṭā," so "sakkaṭabhāsā." "Nirutti" means the language that has gone into the three Vedas. "Sassa esā" means it is his, meaning the word of the Blessed One. "Magadhe jātā māgadhikā" means born in Magadha, in the primordial age, the Magadha country. "e" means born. It is said, 'utti'. Having extracted, 'utti' is 'nirutti'. Having extracted from the three Piṭakas, it is spoken, that is the meaning. This was said by the ancients – That Māgadhī is the root language; By which primeval humans; And Brahmās with unuttered speech; And the Fully Enlightened Ones also speak. The rest is easily understood. Discourse on Lokāyata 47. In the discourse on Lokāyata: 'Loka' means where merits and demerits and their results are established, the world of beings. 'Āyata' means where they strive, where they exert effort. 'Lokāyata' is the 'āyata' of the 'loka', meaning the place where beings exert great effort. What is that? The doctrine of the sectarians. "Everything is defiled," why? Because it has been previously consumed by birds and so on. "Everything is undefiled" because this remaining food has not been previously consumed by anyone. "A white crow" because its bones are white.