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2 See above, p.66. * See above, p.56. * See above, p. 3, and p. 4, note 2. 5 There are ten stages through which a Bodhisattva goes. THE MODE OF WEARING GARMENTS. 33 a square piece of five finger-widths each way is to be attached; its four sides are stitched into the garment. Make a small hole in the centre of this square piece, and put a ribbon through the hole. The ribbon may be of silk or cotton of the same size as the shirt-ribbon. The length of the ribbon must be only two finger-widths, both ends of which must be tied fast together and its remainder must be cut off. Attach one more ribbon through holes, and draw it out so as to cross the other ribbon; thus we have two ribbons. The inner fastenings come at the pleated part of the garment at the chest. The fastenings pf sletves are like those of a shirt. Such are the rules?. Ihave thus described for you the proper rules about garments, but the important points only. If you wish to be well acquainted with the method, you must wait until we see each other. The skirt of a garment is also plaited with ribbons. One can turn the skirt up as one likes; this was allowed by the Buddha. At both sides of the skirt a ribbon and a ‘fastening should be attached, to be used in pulling up the skirt a little and tying jt in front, during the meal (as one sits on a small and low chair). This is an important rule. When one is in the monastery or before the members of the Safgha, it is not necessary for one to wear the bands (or ribbons) or to have one’s shoulder bare. But on going out of the monastery or on entering the house of a layman, one should wear them; on other occasions one can have them over the shoulders. While executing private business one can have them in any way one likes. When one is before the image of the Buddha one has to put them in order. Take the right corner of the garment and put it over the left shoulder and let it hang at the back, not letting it stay on the arm. If one wishes to have the bands (ribbons), the entire shoulder is first to be made bare, and take it to the back wby the inside fastenings. Let the corner of the garment come again over the shoulder, and-the garment itself be round the neck. Both hands come below the garment (which is’ so put round the neck); the other corner of the garment hangs in front. The image of king Asoka has its garment in this way. The mode of holding an umbrella while walking is very attractive ; * The whole description is obscure, and my rendering is tentative only. L 714 A RECORD OF BUDDHIST PRACTICES. XI. one should regularly wear the upper robe according to the teaching. The umbrella is to be woven with bamboo sticks and to be made as thin as a case of bamboo work, but not doubly covered. The size may be “two or three feet (in diameter) according as one desires, The centre should be made double so as to put the handle on. The length of the handle should be in proportion to the width of the cover. The cover of bamboo work may be varnished with lacquer. It may be woven of reed instead of bamboo; this resembles a hat of rattan work. If paper be inserted in weaving, it becomes stronger. We do not use such an umbrella in China; yet it is a very important thing to be used. In the sudden pour of rain our garments may be protected from wet, and in the burning heat of summer we can keep ourselves cool. The use of an umbrella! is in accordance with the Vinaya rules and beneficial to our bodies; and there is no harm whatever in using it. Considering the matter in these ways we find that the use of an umbrella is very important. But it is not used in China. : The upper corner of a KAshdya generally hangs pver the fore-arm (lit. the ‘ elephant-nose’) in China.- Every Indian priest who came to China also followed the Chinese manner. The fine silk of which the Kashaya is made slips down from the shoulder; thus making the custom of having it over the arm—a custom against the proper rule. Afterwards when the Tripitaka Teacher of China? came (to India) he advocated that the Kashdya should hang over the (left) shoulder, but there are several elderly teachers who dislike this mode. The common error of keeping to the old accustomed practices exists wherever we go. As to the three garments (Trifivara), if you put some short ribbons instead of the long strings (hitherto used), there will be no point that breaks the rules. If you wear a whole piece put round the lower part of your body instead of the common trousers, it will save you the trouble of sewing and stitching. The water-pot, the alms-bowl, and all that you have should be hung over your shoulders. They must be hung so as to just reach the sides of your body, and the front one must not cross with another behind. The rope which is used in hanging things is not long but just enough to put a shoulder. When the things hang by 1 Kullavagga V, 23, 3 é. ? By this Hiuen Thsang is meant. THE MODE OF WEARING GARMENTS. 5 the chest, the breathing is not easy, and it ought not to be so according to the proper rules. F I shall speak of the pot-bag later’. Men of Sali in the North often let the things that hang over the shoulders cross one another; the rules seem to have been modified in that region, but they are not the rules laid down by the Buddha. If you have some extra clothes, put them over your shoulder, over the robe (which you wear) and the pot (you carry). When you pay a visit to a temple or at the house of a layman, you have to go to the hall, put down your umbrella, and then begin to untie the things which are to be hanged. On the wall of the hall many ivory hooks are to be prepared, so as to give a visitor a place where he can hang his things. As to other matters, see chapter xxvi, which is devoted to the rules about meeting a friend. When the Kashdya is made of a thin silk, it is too fine, and does not ‘stay on the shoulder; and when you bow in worship it often slips down to the ground. If you ‘wish to make it with a stuff that does not so easily slip down, the best is a rough silk or soft white linen. As to the Chinese Sankakshika, that is to say, the side-covering cloth, it will be right if you make it one cubit longer. In wearing the Sankakshika you have to make the right shoulder bare, and only cover the left shoulder. A Sankakshika and a skirt only are usually worn while in one’s own rooms. When one goes out and worships the image, one should add the other garments. Now I shall briefly describe the mode of putting on the skirt. According to the rules of ‘the skirt adopted by the Malasarvastivada school, the skirt is a piece of cloth, five cubits long by two cubits wide. The material may be silk or linen according as one can get it. : ; The Indians make it single, while the Chinese make it double; the length or width is not fixed. Having put it round the (lower part of your) body, pull it up so far as to cover your navel. Now you have to hold with your right hand the upper corner of your skirt at the left-hand side, and pull out (with your Jeft hand) the hl end of your skirt which ~ 1 Ltsing forgot this profifise. L2 76 A RECORD OF BUDDHIST PRACTICES. XI. ig inside around your right-hand side. Cover your left side with the left flap of your upper garment, (and your right side with the right flap). Bring both ends of your skirt right in front with both hands, join them in the middle and make three twists with them. Then take the three twists round your back; raise them higher, about three fingers, and then push them down inwards about three fingers. Thus the skirt does not slip off even if you have no strings. Now take a waist-band about five cubits long, let the hooked part come right below your navel, and tie round the upper edge of your skirt. Both ends of the waist-band must come to your back, and cross each other; then they are again to be pulled back to your left and right sides, where you have to press them fast with your arms, while you join and tie both ends (in front) three times. If the waist-band is too long, you have to cut off; if too short, some must be added. Both ends of the waist-band must not be sewed or decked. The mode of wearing the skirt above described, distinguishes the Sarvastivadanikaya from the other schools, and is called ‘parimamdala- nivasa’ (-yati)!, which is in Chinese the ‘ round-right tearing of a skirt.’ The width of the (waist-)band is similar to that of a finger. The shoe- * string, socks-tie, &c., may be round or square, both being allowable. Such a thing as a flax-rope is not allowed to be used in the Vinaya texts. When you sit on a small chair or a block of wood, you have to hold the upper part of your skirt at a point under the flap of your upper garment, and quickly pull up your skirt so as to come under your thighs (on the seat). Both of your knees are to be covered, but your shanks may be bare without fault. That the whole skirt should cover from one’s navel to the point four finger-widths above one’s ankle-bones is a rule followed while one is in a layman’s house. But when we are in the monastery, it is allowable to have the lower half of one’s shanks bare. This rule was laid down By the Buddha himself; and it must not be modified in any way by our will. It is not right to act against the teaching and follow one’s selfish * Patimakkha, p. 59, note (S. B. E., vol. xiii), ‘I will put on my undergarment all round me,’ i.e. the Sekhiyé Dhamma I, ‘ parimandalam nivasessamiti Sikkha Karaniya,’ J. R. A.S., 1876,.p. 92. THE MODE OF WEARING GARMENTS. 7 desire. When the skirt (nivasa) you wear is long and touches the ground, you are on the one hand spoiling the pure gift from a believing layman; on the other hand you are disobeying the precepts of the Great Teacher. Who among you would follow my kind remonstrance?