English
Of course the law of ‘ Nothingness’ is not a false doctrine, but the Canon of the Vinaya (moral discipline) must never be neglected. One should preach the morality (Sila) every fortnight, and at the same time confess and wash off one’s own sins; one should always teach and en- courage the followers to worship the Buddha three times every day. ? Kasyapa says that the Nirvava-sitra refers to a Rakshasa’s asking the Buddha for an air-bag to cross the sea. But we do not find this allusion in the Pali text. 52 A RECORD OF BUDDHIST PRACTICES. IX, The teaching of the Buddha is becoming less prevalent in the world from day to day ; when I compare what I have witnessed in my younger days with what I see to-day in my old age the state is altogether different, and we are bearing witness to this, and it is to be hoped that we shall be more attentive in future. The necessity of eating and drinking is permanent, but those who are honouring and serving the Buddha should never disregard any pone of his noble teaching. Again I say: the most important are only one or two out of sida thousand doctrines of the Buddha; one should conform to the wortdly path, but inwardly strive to secure true wisdom. Now what is the worldly path? It is obeying prohibitive laws and avoiding any crime. What is the true wisdom? It is to obliterate the distinction between subject and object, to follow the excellent truth, and to free oneself from worldly attachments ; to do away with the existing trammels of the chain of causality ; further to obtain religious merit by accumulating numerous good works, and finally to realise the excellent meaning of perfect reality. One should never be ignorant of the Tripi¢aka, nor be perplexed in the teaching and principles contained in it. Some have committed sins as numerous as the grains of sand of the Ganges, yet they say that they have realised the state of Bodhi (i.e, true wisdom). Bodhi means enlightenment, and in it all the snares of passion are destroyed. The state in which neither birth nor death is found is the true permanence. How can we thoughtlessly say, as some do, while living in the sea of trouble, that we live in the Land of Bliss (Sukhavati) ? One who wishes to realise the truth of permanence should observe the moral precepts in purity. One should guard against a smail defect which results, just as a small escape of air from the life-belt may result, 22 loss of life; and one should prevent a great offence that makes one's life useless, just as a needle the eye of which has been broken off becomes useless. First and foremost of all the great offences are those in food and clothing. Final Liberation (Moksha) will not be very far from one who follows the teaching of the Buddha, but transmigration will go on for evermore for one who disregards the noble words. I have thus far mentioned the lawful practices and briefly described the former examples, all resting on noble authorities, but not on opinions of my NECESSARY FOOD AND CLOTHING, 53 own. I hope that I do not offend you in my straightforward statements, and that my Record will help towards the solution of any doubts that you may have. .If I did not exactly state the good and bad practices (of India and China), who would ever know what is good or bad in the two? CHAPTER X. a NECESSARY FOOD AND CLOTHING. -IT may be observed that the earthly body which requires support is only maintained by food and clothing, while the spiritual knowledge that?is beyond the bond of births can only be increased by means of the principle of nothingness. If the use of food and clothing be against proper rules, every step will involve some crime; while tranquillisa- tion of the mind without moral regulation will cause more and more perplexity as one goes on meditating. Therefore those who scek for Final Liberation (Moksha) should use food and clothing according to the noble words of the Buddha, and those who practise the principle of meditation should follow the teaching of fornier sages in tranquillising their thoughts. Watch over the life here below, which is but a dungeon for the beings that have “gone astray, but look eagerly for the shore of Nirvawa, which is the open gate of: enlightenment and quietude. The ship of the Law should be manned ' ready for the sea of suffering, and the lamp of wisdom should be held up during the long period of darkness. There are express laws in the Vinaya text on the observance and neglect that are evident in the light of the regulations of clothing and the rules of eating and drinking, so that even beginners in the study can judge the nature of an offence. Each individual must himself be responsible for the results of his own practices, whether good or bad, and there is no need of argument here. But there are some who are, as teachers of the students, grossly offending against the Vinaya rules; there are others who say that the usage of the world, even if against the Buddha's discipline, does not involve any guilt. Some understand that the Buddha was born. in India, and Indian Bhikshus follow Indian customs, while we ourselves live in China, and, as Chinese monks, we follow Chinese manners. ‘How can we,’ they argue, ‘reject the elegant dress of the Divine Land (China) to receive the peculiar stvle pf caver te af India 2?) Bae the eaba nf thane ech 54 A RECORD OF BUDDHIST PRACTICES. x. adhere to this view I here roughly state my opinion, founded on the authority of the Vinaya. : The regulations of clothing are the most important for the life of a homeless priest (i.e. Pravragy4), and I should therefore mention here in detail the style of garments, because these cannot be neglected or curtailed. As to the three garments (collectively called ‘fivara’), the patches are sewn close in the five parts of India, while in China alone they are open and not sewn. I myself have made inquiry as to the custom adopted in the northern countries (beyond India) and found out that patches are sewn close, and never open in all the places where the Vinaya of the four divisions (i.e. Katurnikaya) is practised. Suppose that a Bhikshu of the West (i.e. India) has obtained a priestly dress of China; he would probably sew the patches together and then wear it. The Vinaya texts of all the Nikayas mention that the patches ought to be sewn and fastened. There are strict rules about the six Requisites and the thirteen Necessaries fully explained in the Vinaya. The following are the six Requisites of a Bhikshu :-— “ 1. The Sangh4di, which is translated by the ‘double cloak.’ 2. The Uttarasanga, which is translated by the ‘upper garment.’ 3. The Antarvasa, which is translated by the ‘ inner garment.’ The above three are all called Aivara. In the countries of the North these priestly cloaks are generally called kashdya from their reddish colour. This is not, however, a technical term used in the Vinaya. 4. Patra, the bowl. ~ Nishidana, something for sitting or lying on. 6.-Parisravaza, a water-strainer. A candidate for Ordination should be furnished with a set of the six Requisites +. : The following are the thirteen Necessaries ? :— 1 The eight Parishkdras (Requisites) in the PAli texts are the bowl, the three robes, the girdle, a razor, a needle, and a water-strainer (Abhidh4nappadipik4, 439 ; the Ten G&takas, 120). : Oo Of ATA1LA. SEE ne a, RR ME. Re TaN eT AR PR PT, NECESSARY FOOD AND CLOTHING. 55 Sanghadi, a double cloak. Uttardsanga, an upper garment. Antarvasa, an inner garment. Nishidana, a mat for sitting or lying on. (Nivdsana), an under garment. Prati-nivasana (a second nivdsana). Sankakshika, a side-covering cloth. . Prati-sankakshika (a second sankakshika). (K4ya-pro#kfana), a towel for wiping the body. (Mukha-pro#éhana), a towel for wiping the face. (Kesapratigraha), a piece of cloth used for receiving hair when one shaves. . (Kandupratizkhadana), a piece of cloth for covering itches. . (Bheshagaparishkarafivara)*, a cloth kept for defraying the _ cost of medicine (tx case of necessity). It is expressed in a Gath4 as follows:— The three garments, the sitting mat (1, 2, 3, 4). A couple of petticoats and capes (5, 6, 7, 8). Towels for the body and face, a shaving-cloth (9, 10, 11). A cloth for itching and a garment for medicament (12, 13). These thirteen Necessaries are allowed to any priest to possess—this is the established rule, and one should use these according to the Buddha’s ' teaching. These thirteen, therefore, must not be classed with any other , properties of luxury, and these items should be catalogued separately, and be marked, and kept clean and safe. Whatever you obtain of the thirteen you may keep, but do not trouble to possess all of them. All other luxurious dress not mentioned _ above should be kept distinct from these necessaries, but such things as woollen gear or carpets may be received and used in compliance with the intention of the givers. Some are wont to speak of the three garments and ten necessaries, but this division is not found in the Indian text, the thirteen having been divided into two groups by some trans- lators on their own authority. They specially mention the three garments, and further allow the ten things to be possessed. But what are the ten things? They could never exactly point them out, and thus allowed some cunning commentators to take advantage of this omission, 4 FOS STANEY PH “ HR wor 56 A RECORD OF BUDDHIST PRACTICES. v5: and the character Shih (44), meaning ‘ten,’ was interpreted by * miscel- laneous’ by these commentators, but this cannot be the meaning attributed by the ancient authority in this case. The cloth for defraying the cost of medicaments allowed to the priest by the Buddha should consist of silk about 20 feet long, or a full piece of it.